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'Spiritual' Atheism Confused, 'Not Even NeoPagan,' Christian Apologist Says
An upcoming "Nontheist" book and talk show aimed at promoting discussion between faiths and supporting a spiritual brand of atheism has drawn criticism from an acclaimed Christian apologist.
Apologist and professor of philosophy at Denver Seminary, Douglas Groothuis, attacked the inconsistencies of education adviser and coach Mark W. Gura's position in his book Blind Faith Virus Vaccine, due to hit Amazon.com on September 1 and the airwaves in October. In the book, Gura calls for open dialogue among different faiths, but argues that worship of Jesus Christ may separate one from the inner peace only found in atheism and Buddhist meditation.
"The atheist says that the universe is just here," Groothuis explained in a Thursday interview with The Christian Post. But Gura "is trying to sneak in some kind of purpose to a universe that can't have any purpose, given atheism, and he's trying to find a subjective spiritual meaning – hope – apart from a personal, moral, God, which cannot be done either."
Gura contends only an inner peace independent of God brings true satisfaction. "The only thing that really seems to satisfy" our deep human needs "is some sort of internal system…an inner peace," he told CP. "When someone who's theistic strives to have inner peace they usually wind up relying on that external being, on a God or gods," who may or may not help.
In order to avoid this reliance on someone else, Gura seeks a Buddhist enlightenment in an atheistic world. The universe "is neither good nor bad, it's just mechanistic," he claims. Nevertheless, he expressed hope for a life after death, a "possibility as a hypothesis for myself," and believes that "meditation is the next step in human evolution."
Gura's methods may resemble C. S. Lewis' version of hell in The Great Divorce, where men and women deny ultimate joy because it would require surrendering to God's love, Groothuis shared. "If you're talking about shutting out the outer world and creating a world in yourself," the Christian philosophy professor argued, "you have no pleasure." He admitted that "that would be something like hell."
Gura is also wrong when it comes to history, according to Groothuis.
Gura blamed Christianity for shutting down debate in the days of Constantine, the first Roman Emperor to follow Jesus. In Pagan Greece and Rome, the ideas of Plato, Pythagoras, and the Stoics mimicked the reincarnation of Buddhism, Gura argued. But "when Christianity became a political power in Europe, any competing philosophies…were basically wiped out from Europe," he charged.
Groothuis countered Gura's claim, saying that not only did Christians like Augustine and Aquinas read, understand, and integrate Pagan ideas into Christianity, but even those Greco-Roman philosophies had nothing but a superficial connection with Buddhism. "Plato believed in these universal, eternal, spiritual forms," he said, while "Buddhism believes in no forms at all, no substance, no essence, no anything."
Even the Hindu and Buddhist ideas of reincarnation are fundamentally different. Groothuis argued that "the most notable influence" of reincarnation is India's restrictive class system. "You can't have Hinduism without the caste system," because Karma requires a harsh hierarchy – someone's birth determines their social position – to punish the evil and reward the good in their next lives.
In Buddhism, on the other hand, "the whole point is to get off the wheel of reincarnation and karma," the philosopher noted. Rather than hoping for immortality, Buddhists pursue Nirvana, which literally means "extinction."
"This is just bad intellectual, philosophical history," Groothuis exclaimed.
Nevertheless, he did agree with Gura's desire for open dialogue. "It's not that to be a Christian you have to wall yourself off," he said, noting that after 30 years of engaging in dialogue with non-believers, his beliefs became even stronger.


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Working during pregnancy: staying healthy and managing stress
A newly pregnant woman has many things to look forward to. In the nine months ahead, she will feel her baby growing inside her and prepare for the new addition to her family. But for the many women who continue to work during their pregnancy, the ongoing demands of work and home life can be daunting.
When you tell your supervisor and colleagues about your pregnancy, express any concerns you are having about the ability to work while you are pregnant. If your company allows flexible work hours, consider adjusting your hours around the times you feel most alert and energetic. With a little planning, you can learn how to navigate the workplace as a healthy mother-to-be.
Toxic substances
It is important to make sure you are not being exposed to harmful substances while you are pregnant. Continuous exposure to toxic substances and chemicals, including cleaning solvents, lead, mercury, pesticides and paint, can potentially harm your developing baby.
If you are concerned about a substance you are exposed to at work, talk to your doctor to find out if it could be harming your baby. Your doctor and your supervisor can help determine how to minimize your risks while you are pregnant.
Physically demanding duties
If your job requires that you be on your feet for long periods, work long hours, lift heavy objects or perform physically challenging tasks, you may need to limit these activities. If you work more than one job, you may need to take time off.
Stop working right away and call your doctor if you have any of the following symptoms:
- Pain
- Contractions
- Vaginal bleeding or leaking of amniotic fluid
- Sudden and severe swelling that affects your hands, fingers or face
- Severe headaches
- Signs of infection, including fever and chills
- Difficulty urinating
- Vision problems
- Lightheadedness or shortness of breath
- Palpitations
- Severe nausea or vomiting
- Baby has decreased activity
Overseas traveling
If you are required to travel overseas while you are pregnant, make sure you have proper immunizations. Also, talk with your doctor to find out how you can prevent becoming ill from the organisms found in food and water of foreign countries. Your doctor may advise against travel if you are having problems during your pregnancy.
Designing a pregnancy-friendly workplace
To optimize your work environment during your pregnancy, consider the following strategies:
- If you work at a desk, arrange your computer monitor, keyboard and chair so that you are sitting more comfortably
- Change positions often, incorporating sitting, walking and standing
- Keep snacks at your office to help you avoid skipping meals
- Drink plenty of water each day
Unwinding outside of work
When you are not working, be sure to unwind and de-stress so you are efficient and well-rested in the workplace. Allow yourself some time to relax each day and get plenty of sleep. It is not unusual for pregnant women to need a few extra hours of sleep.
If your doctor says it is safe, try to get at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise – such as walking, swimming and stationary cycling – on most days of the week. This will help you feel healthy and energetic. Prenatal yoga can also help keep you fit and relaxed during your pregnancy. Talk to your doctor about which exercises are safe and specific exercises to avoid.
Finally, allow others to help you and pay close attention to your body while pregnant; it will tell you when you have reached your limits.

subset: commoncrawl


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The CCG Authorisation: Draft Applicants' Guide has now been published and can be viewed
at http://www.commissioningboard.nhs.uk/files/2012/04/board-2-ccg-auth.pdf.
Page 29 of the guide makes reference to the evidence required for authorisation - that
the "CCG has used the NHS Information Governance toolkit to assess its capability to
meet information governance requirements".
For assistance with registration, CCGs should send a request to the Exeter Service Desk firstname.lastname@example.com.
The request should be marked for attention of IGTK 3rd line and should contain the following information:
The team will assist with registration and offer advice on assessment completion and publication, if required.
The new annual release of the IG Toolkit (version 10) is scheduled for May 2012, and CCGs
may wish to wait for the new release before completing and publishing an assessment in
support of the authorisation process.
Your IG Toolkit session will automatically timeout in 5 minutes
Please press Ok within 5 minutes of this message appearing to stop your session
timing out


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2 Million Facebook, Twitter and Google Passwords Stolen
An estimated 2 Million accounts were hacked with stolen passwords to Facebook, Google, Twitter, Yahoo and more over the last month.
The Washington Post is reporting that cybersecurity company, Trustwave, has identified that hackers used a keylogging software that installed itself on multiple computers and managed to capture user accounts to more than 93,000 websites including 318,000 Facebook accounts and 70,000 gmail accounts.
While the hackers' server has been located and the compromised accounts have identified, social media sites have already notified users regarding the hacked accounts and reset their passwords.
CNN Reports:
318,000 Facebook users; 70,000 Gmail, Google and YouTube accounts; 60,000 Yahoo accounts; 22,000 Twitter accounts; 9,000 Odnoklassniki Russian accounts; 8,000 ADP Fortune 500 accounts; and 8,000 LinkedIn accounts.


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Print brilliant photos to share with family and friends with or without a computer! A versatile, full-featured performer, the Epson Stylus R300 makes producing colorful photos a snap. This innovative printer even prints directly on ink-jet-printable CD-Rs and DVD-Rs. So, now it's easier than ever to personalize your discs with a cool, finished look. With up to 5760 x 1440 dpi and superior 6-color Photo Inks, the Epson Stylus Photo R300 produces precise color and accurate skin tones. Plus, BorderFree printing in popular photo sizes provides a fast, simple way to get bright, vivid prints to frame, place in an album, or share with your friends. Best of all, the Epson Stylus R300 allows you to edit and print your photos without a computer. Anyone can crop, resize, save, or print photos directly from memory cards or picture CDs without using a computer. Additionally, a front access host USB port makes it easy to print from your CD-R drive, Zip drive or PictBridge enabled digital camera. If you have a Bluetooth-enabled device with printing capability, you can print from it using Epson's optional Bluetooth adapter. For your convenience, the built-in card slots also let you save images from your memory card directly to your PC. With cost-saving individual ink cartridges, plus connectivity for both PC and Macintosh systems, this remarkable performer offers an easy, affordable solution for all your photo imaging needs.
Factory serviced/ refurbished/ renewed to new specs with factory warranty.


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Recipe Summary
Recipe Servings: 4 portions
Recipe Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Recipe Cook Time: 10 minutes
2 pounds asparagus, tough ends broken off
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup Lucini® Premium Select Extra Virgin Olive Oil®
2 tablespoons Lucini® 10 Year Gran Riserva Balsamico
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Mix together lemon juice, Lucini® Premium Select Extra Virgin Olive Oil®, Lucini® Gran Riserva Balsamico, salt and pepper.
Add trimmed asparagus to marinade.
Let set at room temperature for 1 or more hours.
Heat grill to high. Put asparagus on grill cooking until it becomes flexible and lightly blackened.
Serve immediately.


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My husband and I wanted to show our daughter the true beauty of the outdoors. We wanted to make sure she knew more than just what was in front of the TV. To go out and explore the world. So we bought a hiking baby carrier and and started taking family day trips on hiking excursions. We can't wait to share more of our adventures with you! Thank you for following us!
Saturday, June 8, 2019
Look what came in the mail today?! Got my @hikelikeawoman #truckerhat and I'll be sporting this thing all over the #trails here in #Florida
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Ravine Gardens in FULL Bloom
Watch on YouTube here: Ravine Gardens in FULL Bloom Via https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcZImr64sN4bR4BB_JA82vg/videos
HIKING BINGO (Free Printable Bingo Boards) I created these bingo boards as a fun way to entertain the kiddos while on the trail. Thes...
via Instagram
Watch on YouTube here: Hiking Smyrna Dunes Park Boardwalk & Beach Via https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcZImr64sN4bR4BB_JA82vg/videos


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Buying Used Tires And Wheels
Avoid blowouts and wobbling
Used tires and wheels are a great way to save a buck -- whether you are doing it to make time until you lift your Jeep, or to try a new look, or to test tire fitment of a different size. Heck, even if only because you are a cheapskate like us and prefer to save the cash, there is a lot that can be saved here rather than going new every time. We've been playing this game for years now, and there are a lot of things that no one ever tells you until you've already made your tire or wheel purchase. Well, having been there and done that enough times that we almost swore off cheaping out a few times, allow us to take you on a virtual purchase of used tires and wheels so that you can avoid making some of the same mistakes we have over the years.
If you don't drive your Jeep on the road -- or don't drive it over walking speed -- then where the rubber meets the road probably doesn't matter for you. For everyone else, here are some things to pay attention to:
- Tread depth
- Dry rotting
- Weird tread wear
- Chunking
- DOT date code
- Strange discoloration
- Bead separation (if you can get inside the tire)
- Warts, dips, or wrinkles (if you can't get inside the tire)
- Sidewall damage
The only thing worse than a blowout at speed (which a bad wheel can contribute to) is losing the entire tire and wheel while driving down the road. Nothing compares to that feeling of recognizing your own tire and wheel passing you, right before your Jeep's brakes hit the pavement, hopefully not leading to a barrel roll. For both reasons, check your potential new-to-you wheel purchases for the following:
- Straightness
- Abuse
- Damaged lug nut holes
- Rust
- Cracks
- Dings and dents
- Overall appearance
- Beadlock hardware condition


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Donald J. Boudreaux and Mark J. Perry at the Wall Street Journal would like you to know that the shrinking middle class is a mean and "spectacularly wrong" progressive trope; or rather, a "progressive" trope. Scare quotes are apparently necessary (link). Wanna have a look at their arguments?
First, the CPI overestimates inflation by underestimating the value of improvements in product quality and variety.
The what now? Variety I can understand, because increased variations on the same crap are how this consumer economy works. But how is making Planned Obsolescence into a basic production model, and how is lowering quality of products so they can be sold at a profit at Walmart an "improvement in quality"?
Would you prefer 1980 medical care at 1980 prices, or 2013 care at 2013 prices? Most of us wouldn't hesitate to choose the latter.
1980's care I can pay for, vs. 2013 care I can't? Yeah, let me think about that one.
Asides from that, it's complete BS that the increase in costs has anything to do with the increase in quality, since the US does not in fact have the best healthcare in the world, yet has the most expensive healthcare in the world. Quite the contrary, the US is below average in many aspects of healthcare as compared to other OECD countries, while at the same time spending 2.5 times the OECD average on healthcare costs. And many of the procedures cost more than in other countries, as well:
And lastly, it's not actually relevant that current care is more technologically advanced. A middle-class by definition should be able to afford a middle-level of care, regardless of its level of advancement.
Second, this wage figure ignores the rise over the past few decades in the portion of worker pay taken as (nontaxable) fringe benefits. This is no small matter—health benefits, pensions, paid leave and the rest now amount to an average of almost 31% of total compensation for all civilian workers according to the BLS.
You mean the ridiculously more expensive healthcare makes up a larger chunk of a paycheck? Shocking. Also, pensions are rarely pensions anymore, they're 401k, which just became nearly worthless during the world economic crisis, regardless of how much money people put into them.
Third and most important, the average hourly wage is held down by the great increase of women and immigrants into the workforce over the past three decades. Precisely because the U.S. economy was flexible and strong, it created millions of jobs for the influx of many often lesser-skilled workers who sought employment during these years.
You can tell this is ass-backwards bullshit by the part where women are unskilled workers (the impressive sexism of that aside for a moment). The reality is once again the opposite: jobs entered into by women have become de-skilled as they entered them.
Aside from that… when a job that used to be a highly trained union job, but is now classified as a low-skilled non-union job, that means fewer middle-class jobs. When these jobs disappear entirely, and are replaced by non-unionized, unskilled service industry jobs, that's once again fewer middle-class jobs. It's not the magical appearance of uneducated wimmins and furriners that is causing this shift of the US workforce. It's the lack of affordable education, de-skilling, and de-unionizing of jobs that did that; and those jobs were then filled by people entering the workforce, including women and immigrants.
And on the note of "unskilled labor"… you know what an easy solution to that problem is? Providing training and education for said labor; another thing that's increasingly hard to come by, because education is becoming more expensive, because apprenticeships for union-jobs are becoming scarce, and because ever higher levels of education are required for ever lower-skilled work.
Since almost all lesser-skilled workers entering the workforce in any given year are paid wages lower than the average, the measured statistic, "average hourly wage," remained stagnant over the years—even while the real wages of actual flesh-and-blood workers employed in any given year rose over time as they gained more experience and skills.
apparently only people who've been in the middle-class in the 1980's count. O.o
Dudes, having a larger proportion of people in poverty jobs by definition shrinks the Middle Class.
No single measure of well-being is more informative or important than life expectancy. Happily, an American born today can expect to live approximately 79 years—a full five years longer than in 1980 and more than a decade longer than in 1950.
which is also still below OECD average, by a whole year. It also rose slower than in other OECD countries, and slower than in the 40's, 50's, and 60's. But once again, this doesn't actually tell us shit about the Middle Class, since this is an U.S.-wide average. What might tell us something about the situation of the Middle Class is the fact that the life expectancy gap between the poor and the rich is growing; and unless we assume that the rich have gained enormously and/or poor people are dying much younger at much higher rates, the most likely explanation is a shifting of people out of the middle-ground. You know, a shrinking middle class.
According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, spending by households on many of modern life's "basics"—food at home, automobiles, clothing and footwear, household furnishings and equipment, and housing and utilities—fell from 53% of disposable income in 1950 to 44% in 1970 to 32% today.
I notice that housing, education, and healthcare are not listed.
while income inequality might be rising when measured in dollars, it is falling when reckoned in what's most important—our ability to consume.
consumption is what's most important?! *barf*
Despite assertions by progressives who complain about stagnant wages, inequality and the (always) disappearing middle class, middle-class Americans have more buying power than ever before.
Considering the ridiculous degrees of indebtedness of Americans, this is a horribly callous thing to say. And kind of wrong, since increased debt accounts for the increased consumerism; it's not an indicator of Middle-Class-ness.
They […] have much greater access to the services and consumer products bought by billionaires.
like 1st class education, 1st class healthcare, protection from volatile energy prices and increased natural disasters? Oh, that's not what you meant, is it. You meant gadgets. Oh well then: since both Bill Gates and a college student can afford an iPad, that must mean the Middle Class isn't shrinking. WTF?
Incidentally, I looked at income distribution in the U.S. in 1980 and 2010. in 1980, median income was $44000; in 2010, it was $49000. The percentage of people living in neighborhoods between 80% and 125% of that median shrunk in that time from about 55% of the population to just over 40% of the population.
Looks to me like the middle segment of income earners in the U.S. shrunk. Huh.


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Former Executive of Peruvian Airline Pleads Guilty to Fixing Fuel Surcharge Rates on Air Cargo Shipments Following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita
WASHINGTON — A former executive of a Peruvian airline pleaded guilty today for his role in a conspiracy to fix surcharges on air cargo shipments from the United States to South and Central America following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the Department of Justice announced.
George Gonzalez, former chief commercial officer of Cielos Airlines, a Peruvian air cargo carrier, pleaded guilty today in the Southern District of Florida to a one count charge of price fixing. On Oct. 28, 2010, Gonzalez and three other former airline executives were charged in Miami with conspiring to suppress and eliminate competition by agreeing to impose an increase to their fuel surcharges on air cargo shipped from the United States to locations in South and Central America. The indictment charged the executives with participating in the conspiracy beginning in or around late September 2005 until at least November 2005.
Air cargo carriers transport a variety of cargo shipments, such as heavy equipment, perishable commodities and consumer goods, on scheduled international flights.
On Sept. 19, 2011, two of the other indicted former airline executives pleaded guilty to the charge. Guillermo "Willy" Cabeza, former president of Arrow Air, a Miami-based air cargo carrier, and Luis Juan Soto, former president of South Winds Cargo, a Miami-based air cargo carrier, pleaded guilty to the charge and are awaiting sentencing. In connection with their pleas, Gonzalez, Cabeza and Soto have each agreed to cooperate with the department in its investigation and to pay a criminal fine.
Gonzalez, Cabeza and Soto pleaded guilty to price fixing in violation of the Sherman Act, which carries a maximum $1 million fine and up to 10 years in prison. The maximum fine may be increased to twice the gain derived from the crime or twice the loss suffered by the victims of the crime, if either of those amounts is greater than the statutory maximum fine.
A total of 22 airlines and 21 executives, including Gonzalez, Cabeza and Soto, have been charged in the Justice Department's ongoing investigation into price fixing in the air transportation industry. To date, more than $1.8 billion in criminal fines have been imposed and four executives have been sentenced to serve prison time.
Today's guilty plea arose from an ongoing joint investigation into the air transportation industry being conducted by the Antitrust Division's National Criminal Enforcement Section and the Chicago Field Office, the FBI's field offices in Miami and Washington, D.C., the Department of Transportation's Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Postal Service's Office of Inspector General. Anyone with information concerning price fixing or other anticompetitive conduct in the air transportation industry is urged to call the Antitrust Division's National Criminal Enforcement Section at 202-307-6694, visit www.justice.gov/atr/contact/newcase.htm or call the FBI's Miami Field Office at 305-654-1918.


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Labor and delivery
Giving birth is hard work. But it's what your body was made to do — and you get an amazing reward at the end. Find out what really happens in the delivery room, learn the signs and stages of labor, and see how your care team will be there to support you.


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Orienteering Ireland – An Exhilarating Outdoor Adventure!
Would you like to step off the beaten track and explore some of Ireland's magical surroundings.
Armed with a compass and map you must make your way across rugged terrains to locate strategically placed markers throughout the course.
Orienteering in Ireland delivers an invigorating adventure for all ages and abilities. Complete the course at a leisurely pace or race against the clock with a competitive challenge.
Your day will begin with a briefing on wilderness navigation skills where experienced instructors will teach you how to read the compass in interaction with the map.
Now the fun begins as you venture into the countryside with your new found skills!
Remember there is no set path and it's up to you to read the landscape and use your wits to find the fastest route. Sometimes what seems to be shortest may lead you into extreme and difficult to pass environments.
One of the many benefits is that you can participate as an individual and it also delivers terrific results as a team building exercise.
The team's must work together to decide on the best plan of action as well as compete against their rivals.
Do you have what it takes to navigate through nature and rise to an orienteering challenge?


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Christians, what is our purpose here on earth? To glorify God. To hope in Him. To share Him. To worship Him. No matter our circumstances.
Yesterday, I had a couple of hours when I forgot this truth. My first day back in the swing of things from a glorious vacation, I was facing some uncomfortable moments of anxiety. One was relational, the other was in the headline news. Yuck. My stomach started to hurt, I felt drained and tired. My thoughts went awry with introspection and analysis. Then anger...
I didn't even pray for several hours. Instead, I allowed my mind and heart to stay right there. And I was miserable.
As I drove to pick my kids up from school, the Lord, in His gracious mercy, brought a well-known story from Matthew 14 to my mind:
Jesus was walking on water, and it FREAKED the disciples out. I have to say, I'm with the disciples here...that would be over the top crazy. They wanted proof that it was the Jesus they knew.
Yup. Good ole Peter. Had Jesus right there in front of Him, and He noticed the WIND? Crooked finger circles around and stops right on myself. I was Peter yesterday. I had spent time in His presence earlier that morning, and I saw Him in all His glory. But the wind of worry came and took my eyes off of Him only hours later. And I kept my focus there until my attitude began to sink...
I can picture Peter, his eyes having zoomed back in on the Savior, stuttering..."I-I-I-I don't know actually. I have no idea why I doubted You, of all people. What was I thinking? Thank You for saving me from sinking."
Can any of you relate to this? Maybe it's a problem child or a rocky marriage or the news of public healthcare...uncertainty for the future, a loss of income, conflict with a family member or friend. Maybe your circumstances are so overwhelming that you feel you are sinking under them. Perhaps it's a bunch of tiny annoyances combined with hormones and stress, stacking up to steal your joy. And even though you have experienced His provision, His peace and His presence in the past over and over and over again, here comes that new wind from a different direction, and you start to sink.
Take a moment to think about the wind of worries in your life. Many of us don't like to call worry what it actually is...an online dictionary defines it as "to be worried, concerned, anxious, troubled, or uneasy." In other words, all the feelings we experience when we take our eyes off of Jesus. Truth is, we are all subject to it.
He understands that we will and even why we lose our focus, but He challenges us to do the opposite.
"Why do you doubt? It is I!"So my friends, my prayer for all of us today is that no matter what or who has blocked our view of the One who does miracles, who provides for every single need, who holds all things together...no matter the care or worry...that we will take the Messiah's hand and turn our eyes upon Him. "Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for HE who promised is faithful." Hebrews 10:23.
He is sovereign. He is faithful, and I will never EVER sink when my heart's focus is fixed on Him.
Sing with me:
"Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in His wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace. O soul, are you weary and troubled? No light in the darkness you see? There's light for a look at the Savior, And life more abundant and free! So turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in His wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace."
~Helen H. Lemmel, 1922


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STANWOOD — Daffodils, thousands and thousands of yellow blooms, lead the way to the picture-perfect Freeborn Lutheran Church.
Standing since 1900, the sanctuary is an iconic example of an old country church, with simple lines, Gothic-style windows and a steeple. More than a century after it was built, the church still welcomes worshippers to its 10 a.m. Sunday services. And with its daffodils — a sea of yellow now visible from I-5 — and the surrounding Bonhoeffer Botanical Gardens, the church grounds lure other visitors to what was once the village of Freeborn, east of Stanwood.
With the season for daffodils nearly finished, Freeborn Lutheran Church invites the public to an open house today. It's a chance to see the grounds, the recently restored sanctuary, and the beginnings of what planners call the Pilchuck Living History Farm. The event is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. today, with lunch served from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Donations are welcome, to support the gardens and other projects.
The church, just east of I-5 at Exit 215, is led by the Rev. Donald Brekhus, who became its pastor after retiring from Our Saviour's Lutheran Church in Stanwood. The congregation is small, with about 50 members, said Kris Huston, an administrative assistant at the church.
A walk through the church's small cemetery is an area history lesson. The cemetery dates to pioneer days, when Norwegian loggers and fisherman first came to Freeborn village. Around the edges of the cemetery are unmarked graves believed to be those of Indian women who married the earliest settlers.
There is a rich past to be explored, but also big plans for the future. David Thomsen, 70, has worked for years to make Freeborn Lutheran Church and its surrounding property more than a worship place.
In naming the garden, Thomsen is honoring a Lutheran hero and drawing attention to the horrors that grow from hate.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a Lutheran pastor and scholar, was executed April 9, 1945, in Nazi Germany's Flossenburg concentration camp. As far back as the early 1930s, the German Bonhoeffer spoke up publicly for church resistance to Adolph Hitler's persecution of Jewish people.
With the plantings in Bonhoeffer's name, Thomsen is creating a nonprofit garden for education and enjoyment. He hopes it will someday include more than 1,000 plants native to the Pacific Northwest. The spring flowers add beauty, and what Thomsen sees as a future "daffodil hill" venue for weddings and other events. More than 400,000 daffodil bulbs have been planted near the church and on land the church has acquired across 300th St. SW.
Along with the garden, the church's Bonhoeffer Hall is also named for the Lutheran pastor. In the hall is the church's collection of glass centerpieces created for auctions that raise money for nearby Pilchuck Glass School.
Thomsen, who now lives in Blaine, grew up in the Woods Creek area, near Monroe. He majored in botany at the University of Washington, and before starting a consulting business taught high school science in Ilwaco and Corvallis, Ore.
"I want to create the largest native botanical garden in the state," he said.
With Thomsen's financial support, Freeborn Lutheran Church is also expanding across the road to create an area called the Pilchuck Living History Farm. The church and its property is an enclave surrounded by the Pilchuck Tree Farm, Thomsen said.
The church has purchased several small farms, with vintage buildings that were once part of Freeborn village. The buildings, now being restored, include an old parsonage and the original Sunday school building, which Thomsen described as a "Norse longhouse."
Thomsen said the area was never zoned for public use, but that he is working with Snohomish County to accomplish that. One goal is for school groups to use the property for history or science field trips.
Today, the church serves children at its Stanwood Camano Learning Center, a preschool. It has developed connections with the Pilchuck Glass School and with Trinity Lutheran College in Everett. And passersby find their way to Freeborn Lutheran Church, especially when daffodils are in bloom.
Everett's Rhonda Nolan said that a year ago she and her husband were on their way to their cabin when they saw the flowers from the freeway.
"We happened to stop — and we went back again this year. It's beautiful," Nolan said.
Julie Muhlstein: 425-339-3460; firstname.lastname@example.com.
Garden open for visitors today
A public open house at Bonhoeffer Botanical Gardens and Freeborn Lutheran Church is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. today. Lunch will be served 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Donations will support the gardens, which have 400,000 daffodils and native Northwest plants. The church is at 2300 300th St. SW, Stanwood, just east of I-5 at Exit 215. Learn more at www.freebornlutheran.org and www.bonhoeffergardens.org.
Talk to us
- You can tell us about news and ask us about our journalism by emailing email@example.com or by calling 425-339-3428.
- If you have an opinion you wish to share for publication, send a letter to the editor to firstname.lastname@example.com or by regular mail to The Daily Herald, Letters, P.O. Box 930, Everett, WA 98206.
- More contact information is here.


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Clipart animated sun
You can get acquainted with the presented collection of Clipart animated sun to choose suitable ideas for your business or design interface.
Today we have 23 cliparts and vectors for this category.
Advice on how to make a good presentation
One item - one slide
When we think about presentation we tend to want to share all too much on one slide. Let's avoid so by following these simple guideline
- Make sure you comprehend to what your presentation is all about. It is just an aid supporting what you have to say.
- It is way easier to make one slide per topic then trying to include more topics on one slide
- Avoid the overuse of bullet points – they are boring.
- Stick with as less text as possible per slide.
Remember, PowerPoint is an aid, it's like a background for your verbal presentation, so you can't rely on it all too much. Use it as a help and not as a crutch.


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Corbin Bleu's 25th birthday party at OHM Nightclub sponsored by ZING Vodka and NEVER HUNGOVER in Los Angeles on Saturday, February 22nd.
OHM is Hollywood's latest addition to the nightclub scene! Located in such a prime location OHM is right off of Hollywood Boulevard, along the 'walk of fame' and overlooks the city of Angels-Los Angeles.
OHM is located in the shopping center of Hollywood and Highland on the 4th floor. Once you get past the velvet ropes you will immediately be immersed in a unique setting: a chic nightclub with a vintage twist. Guests can expect to see a photo booth, dark hallways with various antique collectibles such as typewriters and aged books, as well as high intensity beats complete with LED lights we all know and love.
Jordin Sparks, Cheryl Burke, Karina Smirnoff and others came to celebrate Corbin's day! Its no wonder why Corbin chose OHM to ring in such a glorious occasion!


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There is some question as to whether new methods to encourage public officers to pay their debts, if they become law, will extend to the 500 or so officials presently past due on fines incurred for failing to report financial information in a timely fashion.
A bill moving through the Florida Legislature would, if passed, give the state�s Commission on Ethics new tools to use in collecting debts.
There is some question, though, as to whether new methods to encourage public officers to pay their debts, if they become law, will extend to the 500 or so officials presently past due on fines incurred for failing to report financial information in a timely fashion.
State Sen. President Don Gaetz said Monday he will ask the Florida Attorney General if new collection techniques � such as garnishing wages or placing liens on private residences � can be employed to collect old debts.
Visit the Florida Commission on Ethics' webpage. >>
Lawmakers clearly cannot pass new legislation to punish past acts, Gaetz said. The question lies in whether new, tougher, enforcement techniques can be used to collect past debts the Ethics Commission still considers to be money owed it.
�If they can I�d be all for it,� Gaetz, R-Niceville, said. �You need to pay your fine.�
Presently there are hundreds of public officials and former public officials whose names have been turned over to collection agencies by the Ethics Commission.
The names appear on an Ethics Commission website along with the debt each person owes for failing to provide timely financial reports as required.
The total amount of fines owed statewide comes to $517,655.
Some of those fines, 18 of about 500 to be precise, are owed by people who have worked for communities or served on boards or with agencies in Okaloosa, Santa Rosa and Walton counties.
One, former Crestview Administrative Services Director Mike Wing, holds among the highest of the unpaid debts. He owes $4,500 � three fines of $1,500 each for filing annual reports late in 2007, 2008 and 2009.
Once a fine is determined to be late, it increases by $25 per day until capping out at $1,500, according to Ethics Commission spokeswoman Kerrie Stillman.
Wing said he was only aware he owed one fine, and added that he had no intention of trying to get out of paying it.
�I would pay them. I�m not going to be in a situation where I wouldn�t pay them,� he said.
While Wing�s oldest fine dates back six years, some still on the books go back much further.
William Thornton, listed as an employee of the Okaloosa-Walton (College) Board of Trustees, owes $1,500 for failing to report financial information on time in 2003.
Michael Iovieno, former mayor of Cinco Bayou, is listed as owing $1,500 from 2007 and Willie Mae Toles, a sitting Laurel Hill city councilwoman, owes $325 from 2010.
Leroy White owes $1,500 from 2009 when he was with the Dorcas Fire District Board of Commissioners.
Josh Lingenfelter, who served as Dorcas fire chief before being fired in 2012 after his wife was charged with stealing district funds, owes $350 from 2008 when he was a member of the same commission.
Other public officials from this region who owe the Ethics Commission money include:
- John Williams, Midway 2006, $1,500.
- Jack Rhodes, Hammock Bay Community Development District Board of Supervisors, 2007, $1,500.
- Michael Sheridan, Valparaiso Planning and Advisory Board, 2009, $1,500.
- C. Pickard, Crestview Code Enforcement Board, 2010, $175.
- Elvin McCorvey, Emerald Coast Utilities Authorities Board of Directors, 2008, $1,500.
- Casey Ladue, Florosa Fire Control District Board of Commissioners, 2010, $525.
- Ron Kilpatrick, Santa Rosa County Board of Adjustments, 2007, $500.
- Joseph Jablonka, Fort Walton Beach Code Enforcement Board, 2007, $325.
- Anita Hughes, Crestview Board of Adjustments, 2007, $425.
- Emma Thomas, Midway Fire District Board of Commissioners, 2007, $1,500.
It could not be determined Monday why some of the older fines listed on the Ethics Commission website hadn�t reached the $1,500 threshold.
Gaetz said even if the state won�t be able to use new legislation this year to garnish paychecks or place liens on the homes of the public officials who owe the state money, the officials ought to take it upon themselves to pay what they owe.
�A public official, appointed or elected, owes the community for their illegal acts,� he said. �There is no separate door to the courthouse for politicians and appointed officials.�
Contact Daily News Staff Writer Tom McLaughlin at 850-315-4435 or email@example.com. Follow her on Twitter @TomMnwfdn.


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|Find the best surf spots
Sunday August 19 2012 05:38:34 PM
Surf spot: Los pinos, Mexico
Surf Trip: Surf Trip to Mazatlan, Mexico ( 16 August 2012 - 30 August 2012)
Session's Rate:
Wind direction: No wind
Wind Strength: Glassy
Nb waves ridden: Many
Length of the surf session: 210 min
Surfboard ridden: 6'0"
Fins: 3
Weather and water temp: Trunks. warm water
Waves height: 1.0m-1.5m / 3ft-5ft
Waves Quality:
- Powerful
- Fast
- Tubular
Waves Shape:
- Walls
In town spot, pretty good wave (left), a little bit of crowd, about 10 surfers in the water.
Wave is outstanding, rock bottom, shallow water, not recommended for a beginner.
About a 15 second ride in average.
Created: Monday April 29 2013 05:48:08 PM
Modified: Monday April 29 2013 05:48:08 PM
Hits: 7672
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HBO's irreverent mockumentary "Angry Boys" is under fire for combining child actors and phallic humor, including one scene in the series' 12th episode, where a little girl drinks from a water bottle shaped like a giant, pink penis.
"The incident is meant to be comedic," writes Joe Wilson of the Media Research Center's Culture and Media Institute, or MRC. "But showing a young girl sucking on a penis in a comedic fashion is akin to showing child pornography."
He continues in an MRC article on the show, "Penis humor is a major premise of 'Angry Boys.' Out Magazine reported that the show features a Japanese mother exploiting her teenage son 'to create a merchandising empire of cock-shaped products.' In one episode, according to Out Magazine, the mother (played by a male, the creator and director of the show, Chris Lilley) unscrewed a pink plastic penis and shook it [for] parmesan cheese."
"It's difficult to imagine that HBO would go any lower," the MRC's Dan Gainor told RadarOnline.com. "Oral sex 'humor' involving a young child shows precisely where the left's mind is really at."
Gainor links the network to "the left," in part, because of the network's only talk show, "Real Time with Bill Maher."
"After all, it's already the Bill Maher network," Gainor said, "with all his sleaze and hatred of conservatives."
"Angry Boys" is a co-production between HBO, the BBC and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, the brainchild of Australian writer, performer and star of the show Chris Lilley.
The Los Angeles Times describes the show this way: "Even in the era of 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' and 'South Park,' 'Angry Boys' manages to shock. Between S.mouse, a role that Lilley portrays while wearing a thick layer of brown makeup and a kinky black wig, and Jen Okazaki, a sort of
Tiger Mother on crack, Lilley clearly gets a kick out of breaking racial taboos."
"It's barely OK for me to be dressed up as a black guy," Lilley admitted to the Times. "But part of me kind of enjoys provoking people."
"I think people are too confused to know whether it's offensive or not," Lilley told the homosexual Out Magazine. "I wanted to do the nastiest character I've ever done."
Regardless of whether its provocative or "nasty," the MRC is arguing there's no place for children cast amid such adult content.
"Promoting child pornography is a comedic way is much more shocking and outrageous than funny," Wilson concludes.
Read More From World Net Daily


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Multi-access Edge Computing (MEC) transforms the topology and architecture of mobile networks from pure communication networks for voice and data to an application platform for services. Against this backdrop, the MEC should be seen as complementing and enabling the service environment that will characterize 5G.
While previous generations of mobile communication networks, such as 2G, 3G and 4G, focused primarily on media interaction – connecting people across different places – 5G will enable multiple use cases, including working in the cloud, remote control of robots, VR gaming, AR for predictive maintenance, autonomous driving and automation.
This PoV provides insight on use cases driven by the MEC architecture, the architecture and standardization activities in this area and the MEC architecture's key challenges and benefits for communications service providers (CSPs). Learn how Accenture can help your organization take advantage of new services that have the potential to positively disrupt traditional business models and open up new opportunities for CSPs to be at the center of the ecosystem.


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How We Work with You
Learning Services
Global Reach
Driving Results
The Wilson Learning Difference
Wilson Learning . . . Worldwide . . . World Class . . .
The Wilson Learning difference is the Wilson Learning experience. It's the engagement in working together with client organisations to produce business results that matter. It's the experience clients have with Wilson Learning when we partner to close a performance gap, collaborate in strategic goal setting or launch a game-changing initiative that drives transformational change. We get the job done together through our world-class team of people who work with our clients to ensure ultimate customer satisfaction – and that's been the case for 50 years!
These recurring themes we hear from clients year after year set us apart and provide a glimpse into the Wilson Learning difference:
- We approach every opportunity with unbridled commitment to create client success.
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- We assemble a collaborative team of talent, expertly equipped to design, deliver and measure high-impact solutions.
- We leverage our research-based, time-tested intellectual property to shape mindsets and skill sets to achieve greater productivity and bottom-line results.
- We ensure seamless, consistent content and implementation in every corner of the globe.
Our currency in creating the Wilson Learning experience is human capital . . . we believe the people at Wilson Learning are the difference. Experience the difference for yourself and your organisation.


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Ten years ago, on Black Friday, I was standing outside the Hudson Hotel in Manhattan in the early hours waiting for a cab. With me was my daughter-in-law.
It was Nov. 29, 2002, and the street was as dark and eerily quiet as New York ever gets, and it was so cold outside that our words seemed to freeze in the air before they reached our ears, which were already numb.
Me to her: "What the hell are we doing out here at 5:30 in the morning?"
Her to me: "Zip it sister, and get in the cab."
It was Black Friday. We were on our way to Macy's.
Long before Black Friday became a Canadian phenomenon (by the way, when did that happen and, while we're at it, when did we start referring to high school graduation as prom?), it was as American as, well, Thanksgiving, which not coincidentally falls the day before Black Friday every year and thus has created the most hyped and celebrated holiday weekend south of the border.
Anyway, the cab driver was curious. "Where you ladies goin' at this early hour?" And then incredulous. "Say what? Macy's? Why you goin' to Macy's? It ain't even open."
Oh yes, it was. At 6 a.m. And when we arrived, there was already a lineup.
Macy's, for those not in the know, is the world's second largest store, its century-old flagship Herald Square property in New York covering an entire block with 10 shopping floors and two million square feet of retail revelry, an international beacon of modern-day consumerism.
For the next few hours, we happily rode the wooden escalator between those flights of fancy, exploring the mezzanine cafes and stocking stuffer emporiums and, when we were done, toted our Macy's bags out those iconic front doors both satisfied and smug in knowing we had conquered the supermarket mountain.
They had built it, you see. And we had come.
It wasn't always so. There was a time, in the mall-free agrarian era, when most of us had neither the funds nor the time to amass consumer goods. We spent our days in physical labour, rising as a family at dawn to milk the cows, gather the eggs, till the soil, muck the stalls and repair the machinery. By nightfall, we'd be exhausted, grateful for a hearty meal and a game of checkers and, by 7 p.m., we'd be in bed, spent from the day's hardships.
And we'd spend what little discretionary income there was on the land to which we devoted our labour, buying only what we needed to survive, and maybe a pretty Easter bonnet if the crops were bountiful.
Fast forward several generations. Today, we mostly labour for other people in non-physical jobs in cushy air-conditioned buildings. We work eight hours a day, five days a week — sometimes less — with coffee breaks and stat holidays and no heavy lifting, and make far more money, relatively, than our ancestors could ever have dreamed.
And, not surprisingly, now that we have all that time and money on our hands, now that milk is dispensed from the corner store and we don't have to hit the hay at dusk in order to be up with the birds, a new first-world diversion has replaced life down on the farm.
And never is this more evident than on Black Friday — the day that retailers claim their bottom lines shift from red to black — which has become such a part of our consumption culture that it accounts for millions of dollars in advertising and billions in sales and leads network newscasts weeks in advance, its relevance having left Boxing Day, which is now a two-week snore fest, in the dust.
We, as a society, love to shop. We love designer labels and queue up overnight for new gadgets. We wave goodbye to Sears in anticipation of Nordstrom, and happily sacrifice Zellers for Target, caring little about who owns what or where all that stuff we buy is made, and by whom. We purchase for our families, our children, our grandchildren and ourselves, this new-age need to possess things now as much human nature as social nurture.
You can argue all you want whether a society that revolves around shopping is good or evil. You can explore the not-very-complex psychology of runaway consumerism, watch the television shows on shamefaced shopaholics (which most of us are not), and you can grouse about the fiscal cliff and crushing personal debt, but the reality of our modern times is that nothing much seems to dampen our collective ardour for shopping, for 20 pairs of shoes when two will do, for filling our homes and closets and garages with stuff that, really, we don't need as much as want.
Shopping, like it or lump it, makes the world go 'round. It's why the shopping mall has become the community centre of the 21st century, and why economists shudder at the prospect of the economic chaos that would ensue if we came to our senses and tightened the hold on our wallets.
It's estimated that Christmas-season retail sales in Canada will jump 4.6 per cent this year over last, to nearly $47 billion.
Shopping? It's what we do.


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Description: Help comedian Mike Rainey celebrate the release of his book Terrible Advice and see comedy from Sean Clay, Joe Mayo, James Hesky, Tim Butterly, Tommy Pope, and more! Mike will be selling and signing copies of his book for $10 as well. A portion of all sales will be donated to St. Jude's Pediatric Cancer Research Center. Free beer will also be provided.
Style: Stand-up
Date: Friday, March 1
Time: 8:00PM
Admission: $10
Location: The Arts Parlor – 1170 S. Broad St.
Contact: Facebook Event


text: My Blog: www.asteroidcityservice.com Imagine a head hunter being paid a visit by a gallery owner. He is shown two paintings: Michael Angelo's Creation Of Adam, the other: an amateurish colorful jungle scene of a local tribesman returning from a successful hunt...chances are the head hunter would like the crudely painted jungle scene more than Michael Angelo's painting. The jungle painting was a stop he had made, the Sistine Chapel was not. We all may be traveling on the same ship but we don't get off at the same stops. It is our experiences, our stops that shape how we see things. As an artist, I paint for those of us whom have made similar stops. Our stops were not always on the main line and often we had to lunge for the emergency cord as fate changed our plans. Our stops were not always pretty , warm or fuzzy. But, somehow we endured , carried on and found our way. Because of our experiences, our view of the world tends to be introspective , at times bordering on esotericism Aware of this, I will always appeal to your need to know and understand . Included with each of my paintings is a description of the painting; not only what the painting is of but what the painting is about, and how it came to be. The vast majority of my art is offered to you in original form, not a print. And while prints do have their place, there is simply no substitute for a one of a kind, signed , original painting. Tragically, all too often , what is advertised as an original painting , in fact turns out to be an electronically painted image one click away from thousands of copies. Software programs have become so sophisticated, only the most discerning eye can tell a computer generated image from an authentic watercolor painting. In order to insure your peace of mind, each of my original paintings include a certificate of originality certifying the paintings authenticity and that no prints have been made of the painting. This certification is signed by me and is attached to the rear of your original painting. A copy of this certification can be e mailed to you prior to your purchase . Your painting will be shipped matted on acid free foam board and framed with a single beveled off white acid free mat, ready for professional framing behind glass. Almost without exception , art is best displayed without competing colors surrounding it. However, should you wish to choose a color for your mat, e mail me and I will attempt to honor your request. There may be an additional charge depending on the cost and availability of your choice. My art is a passion not a profession. I strive to price my paintings with the knowledge that for most people, the investment could be used and is often needed elsewhere. Should you ever wish to contact me regarding any painting , please don't hesitate to e mail me. If you are not pleased with your painting, return it in its original condition within 14 days for a full refund paying only the return shipping. Thank you for making this one of your stops. As your artist I will do my best. Sincerely,. William J. Webster


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In their speeches on racial issues, Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine have made an argument that President Obama rarely has: white Americans in particular need to change their views and perspectives to fix the nation's racial problems,NBC News reported.
"We white Americans need to do a better job of listening when African Americans talk about the seen and unseen barriers you face every day," Clinton said last month at the NAACP's annual convention.
She added, "We need to recognize our privilege and practice humility rather than assume that our experiences are everyone's experiences. We all need to try as best we can to walk in one another's shoes, to imagine what it would be like to sit our son or daughter down and have the talk about how carefully they need to act around police because the slightest wrong move could get them hurt or even killed."


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Patent holder sues Apple, Google, others over wireless e-mail
NTP Incorporated issued a press release on Friday revealing its lawsuit against Apple, Google, HTC, LG Electronics, Microsoft and Motorola. The complaint was filed in a U.S. District Court in Eastern Virginia, and covers eight patents related to the delivery of e-mail over wireless communications systems.
NTP was founded by Tom Campana, who the company claims is "the inventor of wireless e-mail." The release noted that each of the defendants in the case makes wireless handheld devices or software applications to deliver e-mail across wireless communications systems.
"Use of NTP's intellectual property without a license is just plain unfair to NTP and its licensees," NTP co-founder Donald E. Stout said. "Unfortunately, litigation is our only means of ensuring the inventor of the fundamental technology on which wireless e-mail is based, Tom Campana, and NTP shareholders are recognized, and are fairly and reasonably compensated for their innovative work and investment. We took the necessary action to protect our intellectual property."
NTP reached a settlement with RIM, the maker of the BlackBerry line of smartphones, in 2006. That suit covered the same eight patents that are at issue with the complaint announced on Friday.
NTP noted that in 2009, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Board of Patent Appeals ruled that 67 of NTP's patent claims in four patents were valid, including three claims that RIM was found to have infringed. The USPTO has rejected other patent claims by NTP, which the company has appealed in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.
"The filing of suit today is necessary to ensure that those companies who are infringing NTP's patents will be required to pay a licensing fee," Stout said. "In view of the USPTO Board's ruling, the debate over whether Mr. Campana was an originator in the field of wireless e-mail is over. No patents in U.S. history have received as much scrutiny as NTP's patents."
In 2007, NTP took aim at the largest wireless carriers in the U.S., filing lawsuits with AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless. And in 2006, NTP also sued Palm over the use of e-mail on wireless devices.


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This March in Silicon Valley, techie publisher O'Reilly is holding its annual Emerging Technology conference, or Etech. Scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs, futurists, and creative geeks meet and mingle, swapping ideas and inventing the next flying, blogging transgenic animal. I was on the planning committee this year, so I can guarantee there will be a ton of great talks about everything from biology hacking to materials science and the future of Web culture. You can see the full schedule here, though we will add more interesting presentations over the next few weeks.
If you want to come, now's the time to sign up - early (cheaper) tickets just went on sale, and io9 readers get an additional 10 percent off if you use the code et09io9 when you register. If you don't want to pay for all-day participation, you can still get in free to the expo floor, where a lot of cool demonstrations happen and everybody hangs out in full geek mode. Hope to see some of you there!
You can register here.


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FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. – A van struck and killed a bicyclist in Flagler County on Tuesday afternoon when its driver sneezed and drifted into the bike lane, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
Fredrick Martinez, 51, of Flagler Beach, was riding eastbound on State Road 100 near Old Kings Road in the marked bicycle lane about 2:30 p.m. Troopers said a van driven by 32-year-old Robert Little, of Palm Coast, was in the right lane approaching the bicycle when he drifted into the bike lane and struck the rear of the bike with its front bumper.
Little swerved back to the left and back to the right before coming to a stop on the south shoulder of the road.
Martinez was thrown from the bike and died at the scene.
Troopers said charges are pending.


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Serious Reads: Coffee: Philosophy for Everyone, edited by Fritz Allhoff
All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. We may earn a commission on purchases, as described in our affiliate policy.
Today, many of us get our daily caffeine boost at the local Starbucks, corner store, or other commercial coffeemaker. We need to wake ourselves up, so we duck in, pay quickly, and head on with our days. Or maybe we decide to linger instead, plugging in our laptops for the long haul of writing blog posts or perusing Facebook profiles. But drinking coffee is an increasingly solitary act—and one that we tend not to dwell upon once our bodies are happily abuzz. Coffee: Philosophy for Everyone: Grounds for Debate, edited by Fritz Allhoff, seeks to address the process of coffee consumption through a philosophical lens. If that approach doesn't make much sense to you, well, this book doesn't do much to accommodate.
The book is a compilation of essays by scholars and experts, primarily in philosophy and anthropology. The first three segments of the book focus on philosophical aspects of coffee drinking. Chapter titles include "The Unexamined Cup is Not Worth Drinking"; "Cafe Noir: Anxiety, Existence, and the Coffeehouse"; and "Starbucks and the Third Wave." The pieces delve into why we drink coffee beyond our need for a caffeine boost. What is the historical context for coffee consumption? What does it mean to consume the beverage with a less than clear picture of how it was produced? How much better, really, is Starbucks coffee than your average bean?
Some of the more interesting essays looked at the coffeehouse's role in developing the American public sphere. Historically, coffeehouses were important places for groups to gather and discuss issues of the day. Today we've arguably seen this experience diminish—but Howard Schulz, CEO of Starbucks, disagrees. He calls his franchise the "Third Place"—that is, a place separate from home and work in which we create new communities and connections. Arguably some communities have maintained local coffeeshops that continue to be the neighborhood hub for meetings, concerts, and socials. But these writers assert that the primary goal of the coffeehouse—to increase civic engagement—is behind us.
The end of the book delves briefly into issues of coffee ethics. Authors address bean production methods, fair trade certification, and the moral implications of the distance between us and our bean growers. These last few chapters were nice, but I couldn't help but wish the rest of the book had weighed heavier on the realities of coffee production and consumption. The philosophical inquiry into coffee drinking doesn't feel quite relevant when our ability to dwell upon such an issue is fueled by the underpaid labor of global south populations. But perhaps I'll ponder my second cup tomorrow with a closer eye.
About the Author: A student in Providence, Rhode Island, Leah Douglas loves learning about, talking about, reading about, and consuming food. Her work has also been featured in Rhode Island Monthly Magazine.
All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. We may earn a commission on purchases, as described in our affiliate policy.


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You asked: Why should I switch to online-only statements and notices and stop paper statements and notices
We matched that to: Why should I switch to online-only statements and notices and stop paper statements and notices?
Online-only statements and notices are a faster and greener alternative to paper statements. Plus, you get a $1 discount on your personal savings and money market account maintenance fees when you opt for online-only statements. Online-only statements and notices are also:
Online statements are also as legally binding as paper statements and acceptable for all tax and legal proceedings.
Learn more about online statements and notices for personal deposit accounts.
Additional fees may apply for monthly paper statements and paper statement requests. For more information about fees, refer to your personal Account Guide and the current Personal Fee Schedule.
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Englewood Real Estate Listings - Properties for Sale
By completing and sending the form above you are giving permission for the sponsoring real estate agent to contact you by email and/or telephone. The data presented are deemed reliable as of the date provided and may or may not be listed by the participating agent/broker. Due to the nature of markets, properties may not still be available at the time of your search. Please proceed and/or contact the participating agent/broker for current availability and the most recently updated information. Sponsored by New Jersey Real Estate Agent, New Jersey Real Estate, , .
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I recently purchased all six of the vignettes series from Cathnor, due to a really great deal Richard was running on the Cathnor site. Cathnor has been a really great addition to the group of small labels covering this area of music, and I think a fairly distinctive taste is starting to show through, which I look forward to seeing develop more in time.
The vignettes series is currently comprised of 6 3″ CDRs, in very nice oversized packaging. Giving them the feel of some kind of audio postcard. They really (especially if you have all six) feel great to hold in your hands, and the larger format is successful in getting you to the place of absorbing the artwork as part of the experience. I'd be psyched if at the end of the series, Richard released a box for them or something, as it would seem fitting (at least to me).
Though I do have all six vignettes, I thus far have only really begun to internalize 2, due to being without a way to rip the CDs onto (or play them on) my computer.
The first is Bryan Eubanks, Ryu Hankil – 777
I have been a strong proponent of the nascent Korean improvised music scene since I first laid ears on them. There is so much experimentation going on there, and it is so well documented thanks to Balloon n Needle, the Manual, and Dotolim, that it is impossible to ignore. One of my favorite things about this scene, is the predilection towards the use of raw untreated mechanical sounds. In my mind it's a necessary confrontation to a music which can still at times have a bit too much reverence for virtuosic technique.
One of my favorite purveyors of such sounds is Mr. Ryu Hankil. The seemingly gestureless, abstract clicks, whirs and metallic sputters of his clockworks create a world of music architecture, where micro compositions of small sounds become unique structures in a landscape. Tiny villages of sounds that one can live in for days, and still find mystery.
I was excited to hear that this outing paired Hankil and Brian Eubanks, as Eubanks back catalog bears some of my favorite releases in this area, his album "Anti-sex anti-wiretapping", as half of GOD, is the favorite of what I've heard thus far.
So this was a big pairing for me, and I was really excited when my package from Richard, finally arrived. This was one of the first I listened to. The first and only piece on this disc starts out with some gentle small rattles from Hankil, and some nice textured static from Eubanks soon finds it's way in and so the first two or so minutes of the piece are going along nicely. Hankil then switches up to a slightly different metallic texture, and Eubanks heads into a distant nineties ambient techno kind of bleeping, blooping thing. The quality of this sound is akin to something one may find on a "Techno Sound Effects of the Late Nineties" sample disc. I have to say this unfortunately sets the tone for much of the rest of the disc.
Now, I really was positive I was going to love this pairing, and I'm sure many others still will, but I have to say that Eubanks' playing on this just does not go down well for me. If there are two things that I have no interest in hearing, one is the very transparent use of effects to create "ambience" or some sense of emotional/spiritual density, and two is thematic repetition. And Eubanks' performance seems to be all about these things.
It's not that he doesn't do a good job, he does in many ways, but all I can hear are echos of Raster-Noton (and some less tasteful references) from 5-10 years ago. The question for me is, why rehash these specific sounds? Especially knowing what Eubanks is capable of. One of the things that makes the aforementioned GOD record a joy is the way in which effects are deployed in a somehow non-schlocky way, a very difficult feat seemingly pulled off with ease. But here, largely we hear what sound to these ears like the classic trappings of digital technology.
That all said, there is a lot about this record that still holds my interest. The brief moments where Eubanks eschews the ambient bloops for grainier, more tumultuous territory are really worth hearing. And Hankil, even in the midst of somewhat hostile environs, manages to pretty much play exactly what will add the right edge to stop things going into "Ambient Chillout volume 258" territory. It gives a clue as to the potential of this pairing which is imo, is just hinted at here.
It sucks to have to give this one a so-so review, as I really do want people to support Cathnor, but all in all, this one is not my cup of tea, though Hankil's contributions I'm sure will keep me coming back, and perhaps I will at some point see through Eubanks' playing, and find some hidden joy. If I do, I'll be sure to report back here.
Stay tuned, I plan to review this whole series, and by far this is the one I'm most uncertain of.
Next up, Lee Patterson's "Egg fry #2".


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About the Music Department at Santa Ana College
Santa Ana College offers music training for experienced musicians and beginners. We schedule classes for day and evening students. Also, for maximum skill development, we provide practice rooms and music labs at least 52 hours a week, Monday through Friday.
Beginning music students have a choice of various keyboard, voice, and instrumental classes. For students seriously committed to our program, we provide lessons for those who qualify by audition. A student can study classical, contemporary pop, and jazz playing styles.
Santa Ana College ensembles include Concert Chorale, Chamber Singers, Vocal Jazz Workshop, Jazz Ensemble, Latin Jazz Band, Mariachi, Guitar Ensemble, Chamber Symphony and Concert Band; others are formed to serve particular students' needs.
We encourage non-majors-as well as music majors-to take our theory, musicianship, and electronic music classes. Following successful completion of the two-year music study plan and required general education courses, music majors can earn an Associate of Arts degree and can transfer to a four-year university to complete a baccalaureate degree.


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(CNN) - In preparing for the re-launch of Crossfire, we discovered this interview in the CNN archives. In November of 1982, Crossfire host Pat Buchanan sat down with his former boss, ex-President Richard Nixon. Their conversation touched on many of the famous people Nixon had known, including Dwight Eisenhower, the Kennedy brothers and Lyndon Johnson. Nixon also reminisced about being Vice President and disclosed what he looks for in any president.
His picks for the three best politicians of the 20th century probably will surprise you.
If all you know of Nixon is "Watergate" –or if you still want to impeach him for it- take a moment to watch these clips: Nixon's insights are fascinating – both about people he knew and about problems that are still current in 2013.
Finally, a WARNING: We mean it when we say we aren't deleting expletives! Wait until you hear his comments –on camera but during a commercial break- about the then-new first volume of Robert Caro's biography of Lyndon Johnson.
Watch OUR NIXON, a CNN FILMS documentary, airing Thursday 9 p.m. ET and PT on CNN.
Crossfire, featuring Newt Gingrich, Van Jones, S.E. Cupp and Stephanie Cutter premieres on CNN this fall.
Crossfire, featuring Newt Gingrich, Van Jones, S.E. Cupp and Stephanie Cutter premieres on CNN this fall.
Yeah, Nixon was quite the passionate character. He would be tagged a "RINO" and primaried in today's version of Republicans. And who says Republicans don't like change?
I can't watch the video on my phone, but if Nixon bashing Caro, then he needs to be quiet and sit down.
Want an education about public works and policy? Want an education on the history of this nation in the 20th century? Read "The Power Broker" about New York's Robert Moses and read the 4-volume (thus far!) biography of LBJ, all written by our greatest living historian, Robert A. Caro.
Why is the likeness of this creep, relevant today? He was tried and convicted of lies, above and beyond those of normal men. Why's he in the news today?


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A pair of officers from Roeland Park Police Department in Kansas are being praised for their decision not to arrest a shoplifter who was caught red-handed trying to steal a pair of work boots from a local Walmart. The department said in the Facebook post that the shoplifter was "a displaced juvenile within the State of Kansas Justice system" who admitted to stealing the boots and said that he needed them so he could get a job.
After hearing his story, Officer Suffield and Officer Snepp felt that they needed to help the young man and decided to buy him the pair of boots. When they presented him with the boots they offered him "some words of encouragement to find a job, finish school, and stay out of trouble."
As the supervisor of the group home arrived to pick the young man up, the would-be thief had tears in his eyes and thanked the officers for choosing not to place him under arrest.
After Police Chief John Morris heard the story from his officers, he said he was moved to tears.
Just another reason why I am so proud of my officers here in Roeland Park. I just smiled when I heard this story a short time ago as it almost made me cry too.


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Independent mortgage brokers, RCIIQ members, offer their expertise and professional services for free for a standard residential mortgage. Their fees are paid by the financial institution. There are no hidden costs or surprises.
By using an independent mortgage broker, you benefit of the entire network combined to the partner Mortgage Architects, a leading mortgage brokerage firm recognized across Canada.
You have access to more than a dozen financial institutions or lenders and get the best rate granted by the partners who concludes a large volume of transactions.
By using the services of an independent mortgage broker, RCIIQ member, you increasing profit, you save precious time and avoid preoccupations !


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Crosley Furniture Amelia Metal Café Table, 26''W x 26''D x 30''H
Available in Purple
Our Price: $163.63
List Price: $206.94, You Save: 21%, No Sales Tax, Except CT
Product Reviews
Originally made famous in the quaint bistros of France, these midcentury replicas of original café seating will offer a dose of nostalgia combined with careful consideration for your wallet. This inspired revival evokes a sense of a true vintage find. The Amelia collection is available in Purple. This raw steel look is hand–prepared to enhance the inherent tones of the metal. Designed to acquire an aged patina, the galvanized finish will naturally rust over time, giving it a unique industrial "relic" look.
(W = side to side) (D = front to back) (H = top to bottom)
26''W x 26''D x 30''H
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The biosphere is the single feature that - so far as we currently know - makes Earth quite unique in the universe. It is the portion of our planet's land, atmosphere and oceans within which life exists or could potentially support life.
A dynamic global system
Life has existed on Earth for at least three billion years. It is life processes that have shaped the atmosphere to its present composition and modified the geology of the Earth's upper crust.
We cannot understand our planet's history or hope to accurately forecast its future state without taking account of the role of the biosphere. That is not a simple task because all the vast, widespread mass of phytoplankton, microbes, plants and animals on Earth are interlinked, forming a dynamic global system.
Primary production
Virtually all life on Earth is ultimately dependent on a process called photosynthesis, where different organisms ranging from bacteria to plants use light and carbon from the atmosphere to create energy-rich compounds, giving out oxygen as a by-product. This process – known as 'primary production' - sustains the rest of the marine and surface food chains and ensures that animal life has oxygen to breathe.
The thin film of microscopic phytoplankton found on Earth's oceans plays a disproportionately important role in carrying it out: forming less than 1% of global biomass, phytoplankton perform half of all photosynthesis – the reminder being carried out by terrestrial plants.
The biosphere and the carbon cycle
And because photosynthesis also takes carbon out of the air, the biosphere is at the centre of carbon's movement between the atmosphere, ocean and land, a phenomenon known as the carbon cycle.
Scientific interest in this topic is high because human activities are adding millions of extra tonnes of carbon to the air every year, a development with the side effect of causing the atmosphere to retain more heat and causing global warming.
So far the action of the biosphere within the carbon cycle absorbs about half of all the extra carbon.
What remains unknown is whether the biosphere will continue to moderate the worst effects of climate change in this way or if the carbon cycle itself will be disrupted as global warming accelerates, altering land and sea habitats faster than life can adapt.
To reduce uncertainty, researchers seeking to model the most likely future path of climate change need to include the biosphere within their calculations, and that means it needs to be parameterised to a high level of detail on a global basis.
Measuring photosynthesis from space
Earth observation multi-spectral instruments such as Envisat's Medium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MERIS) help measure the planet's primary production as it occurs, detecting chlorophyll concentration over both land and ocean. MERIS was optimised for detecting ocean colour – local chlorophyll-producing phytoplankton levels can vary by a factor of a thousand – but can also chart the cover of different vegetation types and their leaf area, overall density and health.
Supplementing MERIS observations, radar instruments can see through clouds and darkness to provide continuous coverage of the land surface, in particular being used to map forest coverage.
The United Nations Environment Programme has recently used Earth observation results coupled with climate data to show that the energy created by plants using photosynthesis minus energy used for respiration increased globally by 6% during the last two decades.
However the picture was not so good in the oceans, where excess nitrogen run-off from agriculture, industry and sewage has caused runaway phytoplankton growth, eventually leading to around 150 deoxygenated 'dead zones' where no life can survive, some extending across up to 70 000 sq km.


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UCI Strips Lance Armstrong of His 7 Tour de France Titles
GENEVA (AP) - Lance Armstrong's name is coming out of cycling's record books.
Armstrong was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles and banned for life by cycling's governing body Monday following a report from the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency that accused him of leading a massive doping program on his teams.
UCI President Pat McQuaid announced that the federation accepted the USADA's report on Armstrong and would not appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
In Paris, Tour director Christian Prudhomme said at a news conference he no longer considers Armstrong the seven-time champion of the race. Prudhomme called UCI's decision "totally logical" and said "Lance Armstrong is no longer the winner of the Tour de France from 1999-2005."
Meanwhile, Oakley is the latest sponsor to drop Lance Armstrong, after cycling's governing body stripped him of his Tour de France titles and banned him for life following doping allegations.
The wave of sponsors dropping Armstrong crested last week, around the same time Armstrong stepped down as chairman of his Livestrong cancer charity.
Oakley said it was waiting to hear UCI's decision. Now, the sunglass and sports clothing maker says it is severing ties effective immediately.
Other sponsors that have dropped Armstrong include Nike, Trek Bicycles and Anheuser-Busch, 24 Hour Fitness and Honey Stinger.
Oakley is owned by Italian company Luxottica Group SpA.
Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. Material may not be redistributed.


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Interested in helpful tax strategies for rental properties? Check out this 2-minute video featuring Walter Kinney. #TaxTipTuesday
Consult with a local tax professional if you need additional help with your 2017 tax return and saving on rental properties.
PorterKinney, PC
1100 Jadwin Ave, Suite #200
Richland, WA 99352
Disclaimer: While PorterKinney PC has made every attempt to ensure the accuracy of this document, it is not responsible for any errors or omissions, or for the results obtained from the use of the information in this presentation. This document been prepared for information purposes and general guidance only and does not constitute legal, accounting or other professional advice. Circular 230 Notice: The information included in this presentation is not intended or written to be used, and it cannot be used, by any taxpayer for the purpose of (1) avoiding tax-related penalties or (2) promoting, marketing, or recommending to another party any tax related matters.


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Accessing the video on your home network, or playing files from USB devices is one of the growth areas for home cinema. And no device offers more options than the Popcorn Hour C-300, with incredible video format support and outstanding upgrade options, it is certainly one of the most flexible media players on the market.
But this all comes with a pretty steep price tag of £370. Do you get enough for your money to warrant such a large outlay?
Larger than most media players
The C-300 is a Blu-ray player-sized box. And not a slim player, one of the first -generation ones. This size is all down to the hard drive and Blu-ray player capacity. A much smaller version, called the A-300, is available too, buy lacks the Blu-ray drive support and can accommodate only one internal drive. Dropping the Blu-ray means it's cheaper though, as the licences for that are fairly expensive.
Connections are excellent: there's HDMI, component video out, gigabit Ethernet and both optical and coaxial digital audio outputs. There are also two front-mounted USB sockets and another two at the rear.
The supplied remote control uses RF - that's why there's an antenna on the back of the C-300 - which should work even when the player is tucked away. In a change from the C-200, an IR sensor is now included in the chassis of the C-300. Previously, if you wanted to use the optional IR remote, you had to plug in a cable at the rear of the C-200. An IR remote is not included, but you can buy one online for a reasonably modest sum.
We have had trouble with RF in the past, so we continue to use the IR remote. All of the previous Popcorn Hour controllers work though, so if you're replacing one with the C-300, hang on to the controller as you'll still be able to use it.
Also changed is the old monochrome screen, which has been replaced with a smaller, colour LCD. This is useful, because it gives far more information than the old screen, including the file name, progress through video and album art when you're listening to music.
Beautiful UI
Apple fans might sneer, but the Popcorn Hour has a wonderfully designed user interface. The new style, evolved from the C-200, is especially pleasing to the eye. For one, things have been simplified greatly.
In the old players, you would select a source for video, be it USB, built-in hard drive or network. You'd then have to select the type of media you were going to play. That could be video, audio or photos. But that's all gone now, along with the proprietary streaming server offered with the previous generation of player.
Now you simply go to your source and select any type of file. Much better all around, and reduces the need to plan what you're going to do. In the past, you'd have to back out to the media menu to pick again if you wanted to switch from video to audio. Silly indeed, and we're glad that system has gone.
We were initially concerned about the removal of support for the streaming server - called MyiHome - but actually, the new system is simpler in the long term, and means you no longer need a PC to serve media. Files can be kept on a NAS more simply too.
Full Blu-ray support
The C-300 is a certified Blu-ray player. That means, if you buy a PC Blu-ray drive and install it, you'll be able to watch movies. Of course, not all Blu-ray drives will work, but there is a Wiki maintained by users that will point you in the direction of those that have been tested and do work.
You can use a full-sized Blu-ray drive, if you fancy it, but that will require you to remove the 3.5-inch drive bay and fit the Blu-ray drive in its place. The other solution is to get a slimline drive and install it in the small slot above the 3.5-inch drive bay.
Some techies might have heard of something called Cinavia, and we're happy to say that the C-300 does not include this system. Put simply, Cinavia is a copy-protection system built in to new Blu-ray players. Devices designed and sold this year will be required to support it in order to get a Blu-ray licence. It works using a code embedded within audio tracks. This code can't be removed easily, and will trigger a Cinavia player to stop playback of "pirated" movies.
It's caused quite a fuss this system, but the C-300 avoids it. It's not clear if future players will have to include it, but if they do, we suspect that will signal the end of Blu-ray support for Popcorn Hour players.
Plays everything, mostly
When it comes to codec and file support, the Popcorn Hour is hard to beat. Out of the box, it will play pretty much anything. There are no issues with 1080p playback and every kind of MPEG-4 is supported, including files that are contained in MKV wrappers.
This is big news, because MKV files offer a lot of flexibility, including built-in subtitles and multiple audio tracks. They are also very common on the internet, and have been the choice for HD video downloads for some time.
We have had some problems getting certain files to play. This isn't format specific though, and despite our investigating what's going wrong, we're unable to work out why some files have issues. Especially when those files play well on other devices. This problem is likely to be resolved in future firmware updates, but that won't be much use to people who buy the first run of machines that are currently shipping.
Setting up network drives
If you have content stored on your PC or NAS drives, then the Popcorn Hour makes it pretty easy to store your favourite shares, and return to them easily each time you settle down to use the machine.
The best way to access content is via Samba. This is a network share standard that you will find supported on every operating system. In Windows, just using the share function on a folder is sufficient. You can tell the C-300 to use a specific username and password if you want, but it's probably easier to add "everyone" to the share and give them read access. This makes accessing those shares from the C-300 nice and easy.
Once you've shared your PC folders out, then you'll need either to enter their locations manually, or browse for them. We suggest just browsing your network to track them down. On ours, we found the workgroup our PC resides on, and then selected the computer name. All the shares we'd made were listed, and a quick press of the yellow button bookmarks them, so they are listed on the "network" locations page without the need to browse around your whole network.
This is an improvement on the old MyiHome system, which was never able properly to send filenames to the Popcorn Hour, and wouldn't allow you to resume files from where you left them. These features now work brilliantly, and it makes for a much better device.
You can also set any drives you add to the Popcorn Hour to be shares on your network. This is handy, and you can then copy big files across, in advance of watching them. This means you can turn off your PC too, which might be a big help to power consumption.
There are also services which you can run on the C-300 when a hard drive is installed. These include a torrent client, which allows you to download and then seed content from the internet.
Storing files on local drives
There are a total of two hard drive bays built in to the Popcorn Hour C-300. The first is for a laptop-style 2.5-inch drive. To fit this, you'll need to open up the C-300, remote the drive caddy section and screw the drive to the base of the unit. This is actually a lot easier than it sounds, and should take no time at all.
If you don't fancy that, then there's some really good news. On the front of the C-300 is a door, which covers a bay that can accept a 3.5-inch hard drive. Simply open the cover, slide a drive in - probably best to have the power off for this - then close the door. The C-300 will auto-detect your drive, and you'll be able to read files from it, or copy things to it over the network.
It's a great feature, and one that could make archiving old content a lot slicker than burning things to DVD or Blu-ray.
The biggest downside to the C-300 is that it does not come with Wi-Fi. It is possible to obtain a wireless card, which slots on to a connector on the motherboard - again, you'll need to pop the lid to get to this. And there's also a low-cost USB dongle available, albeit with a much shorter range than the internal card system, which includes three external antennas.
If you're happy to be wired, then the good news is there's a gigabit Ethernet socket included. Transfer speeds to the C-300 aren't always as fast as you might hope, there are lots of other limiting factors here, but we've had no problems streaming 1080p movies, with DTS sound over our home network.
Set up is simple - the C-300 will get an IP address automatically, or you can assign it one manually. Neither approach is better, although if you're mapping drives to the Popcorn Hour internal storage, then you might get better reliability from setting a fixed IP.
Jukebox adds style
With the introduction of players that could handle Flash, the Popcorn Hour also gained a "Jukebox" service. This was designed to search through your movie collection and generate thumbnails of all your films. It was utterly dreadful before, but happily it's much improved in this release.
We did find it was a touch slow at times. If you have a lot of DVDs that you've ripped to your hard drive, for personal enjoyment, then you'll probably really like the way this is presented. It's very much aimed at the movie buff and home cinema fanatic.
It's still a little slow though, and you still have to manually select it when you want to view your library in this way. As nice as it is to look at, we honestly can't actually see ourselves ever really using it.
Stunning picture and sound
There's no denying it, the picture quality on the C-300 is fantastic. Other media players do a good job, but the Popcorn Hour has a sharpness and detail that is incredibly pleasing to us. Take a look at our much-used Star Trek clip, and you'll see detail that you might have missed at the cinema. It's a feast for the eyes, and that alone helps justify that price tag.
Of course, feed it rubbish, and it will look rubbish, but with a Blu-ray disc, or 1080p video from the internet, you can really see why you spent the extra money to get one of these players over the competition.
Sound support is comprehensive too, so if you don't have an AV receiver, you'll still be able to listen to downsampled DTS and Dolby Digital without any problems. As usual with these impressive digital soundtracks, if you feed them to a decent amp, you'll be amazed by the audio you get out.
Not much in the way of premium content
The biggest letdown for us, now, with the Popcorn Hour is the lack of services from the likes of iPlayer, ITV Player, Sky Go and Netflix. When the first Popcorn Hour came out, these services were either in their infancy or hadn't even launched. Now though, they are crucial for entertainment. We hear iPlayer is supposed to be on the C-300 - it's on the C-200 and A-300 - but there may be a technical problem stopping it from showing in the app store.
To some extent, the Popcorn Hour is better pitched at people who rip their own DVDs, download video from the Internet or have large home movie collections they like to watch on a regular basis. It's fair to say that people who download movies and TV shows from torrent sites are a big part of the audience here. We won't tell you what you should, and should not do online and we're quite sure you understand the legal aspects to copyright infringement.
Of course, the Blu-ray compatibility does add a lot of legitimacy, but this is an awfully expensive Blu-ray player, even if the C-300 does do a really good job of it.
Not much has changed in the Popcorn Hour mentality since it launched its first player many years ago. That's a good thing, but it can also be a bad thing. There's no doubt that the flexibility offered by these devices is the best you can lay your hands on. Codec support is outstanding, and you can build a media centre that meets your needs perfectly.
Where it falls down slightly is in the way these devices are released with software that still has some glitches. We've found this with both the C-200 and now the C-300. The 300 is much better than the 200 was when it launched, there are far fewer major problems and what you're getting here is a very accomplished media player. Some files won't play, and there are little irritations about how long it takes to load a network source at times, and other usability glitches.
Overall though, if you have a lot of video to play, and you want to bring together content from all your computers, network storage and even drives built in to the Popcorn Hour itself, then this is the player for you. It may not be perfect, but we've not used anything else that is as comprehensive in its format support. And having certified Blu-ray playback is the icing on the cake.


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The Fraggle Rock Holiday toy drive Charity event was held December 9, 2009 at the Kitson store in West Hollywood.
Sponsored by The Jim Henson Company and Volkswagen, the toy drive was to benefit the LA Mission, as well as promote the "Fraggle Rock Forever" line of clothing and merchandise.
Once inside the store, celebrities were treated to a selection of Fraggle Rock Plush and T-shirts from the new line.
Red Fraggle was at the center of the event, with her wearing a Wembley necklace from the Anita Ko Fraggle Rock Costume Jewelry Collection.
Paparazzi lined the street and sidewalk to the store to photograph attendees as they made their way inside. Red was at the front of the walk to greet each celebrity, pose for photographs, and interact for a few moments while the cameras flashed. Many of the guests took time to play with the Fraggle -- Kevin Sorbo gave her rabbit ears for the photographers, Giles Marini played with her pigtails, and Carmen Electra gave her a kiss. Stephanie Pratt was unaware of Red, and when spotting her became quite startled.


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PTA Meeting –
GO TEXAN DAY (K-2nd Square Dancing)
11:20-11:50 Kindergarten
10:45-11:15 First Grade
11:05-11:35 Second Grade
12:30-1:00 Third Grade
12:00-12:30 Fourth Grade
11:40-12:10 Fifth Grade
Click the image above to access Skyward
Existing families - Please click on this image to access our password protected Online Directory.
Click the icon to go to the district website for Hunters Creek Elementary.
Click on the links below to subscribe to our newsletters and text alerts!
You can submit photos for the yearbook two ways:
1) Click the camera image above to email a photo. In your email, please include the school event/function and tag any student(s) in the photo(s) OR
2) Download the Balfour ImageShare app and submit pictures using project #026586
All website content must be approved by the Principal (Robye Snyder), PTA President (Shelley Moore) and the Communications Chair (Jill Bell). Contact Katherine Strange regarding web submissions.
Except where otherwise noted, content on this site is licensed under a Creative Commons License.
Hunters Creek Elementary PTA is an IRS recognized 501(c)(3) non-profit. All donations are tax deductible.
Questions? Contact Katherine Strange
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