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The following is a fact-based account of St. Charles history written by Abby Sheaffer, a resident of St. Charles. In 1871, Mary Todd Lincoln registered at the Howard House Hotel on 123 S. 3rd St. in St. Charles under the alias of "Mrs. May." It is said she grew close to Mrs. Caroline Howard, the proprietor's wife. Records indicate that Mrs. Howard was blessed with the gift of clairvoyance. Because of this, Mary Todd frequently visited Mrs. Howard in hopes of contacting her late husband and sons. The following account is written in the style of creative nonfiction.
• • •
She held séances in her parlor many evenings. The glow of her candle would beam from behind the heavy damask curtains that adorned her front window, such that children returning from a day of fishing on the river would stop and pause in wonder, afraid to get too close, while the bravest of the bunch would sneak across the emerald lawn and peek through the window before being shooed away.
It was despondent widows who made pilgrimages to the house on 516 S. 6th Ave. to see Mrs. Caroline Howard. They would sit around the table in her darkened parlor (almost vanishing into the darkness themselves, dressed as they were in obsidian crinoline and lace) and channel their dead husbands through the corpulent old woman with the liquid eyes.
While the Civil War had reached its bloody conclusion in May 1865, an altogether different civil war was staging itself across the collective imagination of the country – the age of Spiritualism, a time marked by séances and mediums that set up "shop" in their parlors or storefronts. While many found the activity fraudulent and erring on lunacy, others were mesmerized. Stories floated around tearooms and taverns of the heartbroken war widow who traveled to St. Charles from Minnesota, anxious to speak to her husband one last time after his sudden death at Picket's Charge and contacting him again through Mrs. Howard.
As it was, on this dark and unsuspecting night in 1871, a woman swathed in onyx lace made her way across the bridge in a carriage. Her plump white fingers fiddled with the pale pink handkerchief from her debutante days, while she nervously nibbled on her lower lip. The horse's shoes clip clopped against the cobblestone streets, glossy and slick with rain. A sick feeling occupied her stomach and it rolled around her intestines like a cold, wet fish making her complacent and jittery, such that it frightened her son. This seemingly plain widow, like several other widows, sought the consolation afforded to her by Mrs. Howard. The carriage made its way through the streets of St. Charles to the Howard House Hotel and a feeling of mild relief soared through the widow's body. Tomorrow she would meet with Mrs. Howard, but tonight she would hopefully find some respite.
It had been the Richards' Riot of 1849 that had made Mrs. Howard a legend. Dr. George W. Richards, formerly of La Porte, Ind., had taken it upon himself to establish the Franklin Medical College at Main Street and First Avenue in St. Charles, the first of its kind in Illinois. Richards offered a summer program where doctors wishing to hone their craft could work. While the medical college was teeming with ambitious students, none seemed to be more driven than John Rood. However, it would be his ambition that would not only end his inchoate career, but the career of Dr. Richards as well.
John Rood was not wealthy like the rest of his peers, and while he showed promise and was a favorite of Dr. A.B. DeWolf, he was wanting in the necessary materials to execute an autopsy. It was the desire to become the perfect doctor that led him to the inevitable brink. Desperate for a way to get ahead, Rood turned to his friend, Dr. Everts for information on recent burials in the area. While it took some time to cajole him, Everts finally acquiesced to Rood's demands and divulged that 17-year-old Marilla Kenyon and a lone German immigrant had been buried in a graveyard in Sycamore. Thanking Everts, Rood planned his exhumation.
April 19 was an especially ominous night. While winter had dissolved, spring was slow to claim the Earth. The sky was an especially jarring shade of black that resembled a naked chalkboard and it was teeming with gray tufts of cumulous clouds that hid the moon. Prior the exhumation, Rood and his companions had stopped at the Lovell Tavern. What Rood didn't know was that while he and his companions went over their itinerary, the landlord's daughter overheard them.
Although Marilla Kenyon's family presided a vigil over her grave, a break allowed the grave robbers sufficient time to steal the body from the coffin. It was said that the distraught George Kenyon sought Caroline Howard's psychic advice and she lead him to where the mutilated body was hidden.
George Kenyon's blood was tinged with vitriol and a violent altercation occurred between himself and Dr. Richards. Gathering an army of about 100 angry Sycamore citizens, Kenyon stormed Dr. Richards' house. The angry mob shot Dr. Richards in the arm and killed John Rood. As a result of these events, the Franklin Medical College was closed down.
Orphaned at just 10 months old, Caroline Howard was all too familiar with the pain that the war widows felt when they knocked on her door. It was the sick feeling of abandonment coupled with the thirst for knowledge that made the grieving widows wild and unhinged, and it was the séances that finally allowed them closure.
Church and government weren't so pleased with the movement; however, and took to shaming those who took part in Spiritualism. Those with authority criticized clairvoyants calling them fraudulent and lunatics, and as a result, many mediums were locked away in asylums. However, this did not stop the popularity of the movement. In fact, it gained more ground. While Mrs. Howard and the Fox Sisters were part of the generation that ushered in the movement when it was still inchoate, it was Cora L.V. Scott and Paschal Beverly Randolph who added a sensationalist appeal to it.
That Mrs. Howard wasn't of the population locked away because of her alternate beliefs was likely due in large part to her husband, Leonard Howard. Leonard Howard was a famous mason whose hands laid the bricks of many a building in Chicago and whose name was respected throughout the area.
It can be argued that Leonard Howard loved his wife too much to see her wrongly locked away because the government found fault in her practices. It was the government that said it was legal to keep a person as a slave as well; as far as he saw it, one must keep his or her own moral compass in check rather than follow some popular ideology. Caroline and Leonard Howard had 14 children, but lost five in infancy.
The Howard family ran a hotel at 123 S. 3rd St. in St. Charles. Joel Witherell had built the hotel in the 1840s, but Leonard and David Howard purchased it two years later and expanded the space. The most famous addition to the hotel was the Greek revival balcony whose white pillars added a sense of grandeur that had previously been missing from the building.
The Howards had considerable clout in St. Charles. During the Civil War, they often hosted military balls and holiday parties. To boot, it was far enough away from the chaotic clamor and pollution of Chicago, providing guests with silence and a slight return to nature. It could be for these very reasons that Mary Todd Lincoln took such a liking to it and stayed there, frequently.
News traveled quickly that Mary Todd had rented a room at the Howard House Hotel. Some claimed they saw her on the balcony, enjoying the spring night in the rocking chair outside her room, while others claimed they saw her getting out of the carriage and entering Mrs. Howard's house on 6th Avenue.
It had been the Great Fire that drove Mary Todd from Chicago. The deviant flames had devoured every surface and mutilated every living thing, and the ominous clouds of black smoke had smeared the cobalt horizon in a haze of charcoal. As of late, she was growing increasingly paranoid.
Death, it seemed, was following her around. Death had stalked her beloved husband, and in one fell swoop, it decided to take her son Willie and then, feeling increasingly spiteful, death had taken her dear son Tad as well. St. Charles would offer her some respite, surely. After Abraham's death, when she had been out of her mind with grief, the spiritualist community pointed her toward Mrs. Howard.
A bond formed between the two women, and Mary Todd was especially grateful toward Sarah, Caroline Howard's eldest daughter. Sarah had moved back in with her mother following the death of her own husband. Upon seeing Sarah's despondency, Caroline taught her how to tap into other realms, and the two women formed a strong relationship and worked together to channel spirits with twice the power they had before.
The séances must have been an especially potent antidote for Mary Todd: not only did she revisit Mrs. Howard's house frequently, but she also lavished the women with gifts.
On nights when terror seemed to wait outside her window, Mary Todd often sent for Sarah to come stay with her. Sarah offered a sense of serenity for her addled mind, a trait she found wanting in her own son, Robert. As it was, she was falling rapidly into decline.
One night she became so convinced that the hotel was on fire she attempted to leap from her window. Robert was alerted of this instance, and promptly committed her to Bellevue Place sanitarium in Batavia. However, it was Myra Bradwell – a fellow spiritualist – who helped her execute her escape from the asylum.
She was deemed fit enough to live with her sister in Springfield, and even traveled Europe for some time, but she would remain estranged from her son, Robert, for the rest of her life.
Caroline Howard died in 1890. Her belongings went to Sarah, who in light of Leonard's passing in 1884 had provided a sense of companionship.
The house at 516 S. 6th Ave. would go on to belong to three generations of the Howard family, and during renovations myriad historical artifacts – including a shawl belonging to Mary Todd Lincoln – were unearthed. For a time, the house even served as a funeral parlor.
The Howard House Hotel would go through a number of changes including the restoration of the porch, until finally, in 2005, Creative Assistance Development Inc. renovated it and restored it to its historic origins.
The city of St. Charles honored this restoration by giving the hotel landmark status.
• The author of this piece would like to give special thanks to Natalie Gacek, director at the St. Charles Heritage Center, for her invaluable help in regards to the writing of the article. A list of citations can be obtained by emailing firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Lovely lady lumps. When Fergie sang those words in The Black-Eyed Peas' hit single "My Humps," she meant it as a celebration of womanly curves. In the real world, however, lumps of another kind aren't so lovely on the ladies. You know what I mean. Those pesky little bumps and lines resulting from our efforts to keep up with the latest fashions. We've created many cute phrases to describe them in lighter terms, perhaps to lessen their impact on the near perfect outfits we've painstakingly put together for a special occasion. Love handles. Muffin top. Let's not forget the dreaded VPL. We can resort to calling them our BFF but that won't make them go away. The best way to combat them is with technology, my friends. I'm here to tell you there is a way to free yourselves from the scourge of not-so-lovely lady lumps. Thanks to the ingenuity of intimate apparel brands, there are panties that help smooth out your form under trendy form-fitting outfits. I'm not talking about shapewear, which is a separate topic I'll address in a future post. These are functional panties with something extra. Designers are taking new approaches to details such as leg bindings, seams and fabric weight to create 21st century undies that help you look your best with a discreet approach to design that puts performance above appearance, even though they're still pretty cute in a minimalist way. Unlike fashion panties or sexy underwear, today's tech intimates are a no-frills category and I mean that in a good way. Remember that finding the right style for you takes some trial and error. To get you started, here's a selection of styles from some of the best in the market.
Simone Perele Invisi'bulles boy short
Inspired by bubbles (bulles in French), this light-as-air panty from Simone Perele, a newer player in this category that I highly recommend, looks and feels invisible. It has state-of-the-art features that add up to an amazingly light fit. It's tagless in an ultra-fine, stretch microfiber fabric with stitch-free bonding for a smooth look under clothes. This beauty is made in France.
Commando thong
This wonderful brand, the first to fully address the seamless market, isn't named Commando for nothing. This precision-cut underwear made from a patented fabric lays smooth and flat on your body. Its "naked" construction, without elastic or trim, eliminates panty lines and hip gouging forever. You'll barely feel it and people will never see it under your clothes!
Eberjey Pima Goddess lowrider bikini
If you are a hardcore cotton fan with a taste for minimal silhouettes, I recommend you try Eberjey's Pima Goddess lowrider bikini. With a touch of spandex to enhance fit, this panty in pima, the softest kind of cotton, is an excellent option for subtle styling that flatters all types of bodies. It should be a staple in your lingerie drawer.
OnGossamer Mesh hip boy short
OnGossamer, one of my fave brands, offers a great boy short in a superfine mesh that is seamless. One of their best-selling styles, it's 100 percent nylon and is trimmed in the brand's signature delicate edge. It's amazingly comfortable and guarantees no lines.
Go forth, ladies, and enjoy your fashion without fear of lines and lumps. There are options! If you have any questions, I'm here to help.

subset: commoncrawl


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The seminal 2006 documentary Jesus Camp is a look into the religious education of children in the born-again Christian community during the mid 2000s, but it's also an important portrayal of a fearful and confusing time for the nation. Watching the documentary in 2014, it comes across almost like a dramatic mockumentary — a cartoonish vision of what happens when religion gets co-opted by politics. But the thing is: it's all true.
Filmed at the Lakewood Bible Camp in the throes of the W. Bush years, Jesus Camp, while ostensibly all about getting kids into God, is almost as political as it is religious. Indoctrinating young voters on political issues seems almost as important as getting them to "kick it for Christ," and the tactics used to brainwash the kids are shocking — one might expect a lot of praying, but praying to a cardboard cutout to the then-president?
During filming in 2005 and 2006, there was genuine concern among many that neo-conservative Christian values would take over the entire country. Now, it's eight years later and Fred Phelps is dead, Barack Obama is president, and things have changed, a lot. But there's still a lot to learn from the religious fervor of less than a decade ago.
What do you think, are we better off now than we were in 2006, or are we simply putting off a fight about the separation between church and state? Is there a danger in religious indoctrination, or is this a case of live and let live?
Documentary Club is a recurring feature in which we watch and discuss the finest documentaries available to stream on Netflix — together, as a family. Join us, won't you? For more Netflix, head to netflix.kinja.com.
Ned Hepburn is a writer and editor (Esquire Magazine, Time Out New York, Vice, Interview, National Geographic) currently living in Brooklyn.
This post is a sponsored collaboration between Netflix and Studio@Gawker.


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Blendover Episode Eleven
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
What did you think of this episode? Have any questions? Suggestions?
LET US KNOW: Tweet Us | Give Us A Facialbook | Shoot Us Some Hate Mail
Or comment below!
- Steubenville Rape Case
- EA CEO Resigns
- The Googuns Twitter Mystery
- Gormathon
- Pope Watch 2013
- Zombie Apocalypse
BlendoveR is a fun, hard-hitting pod-cast where rules are regularly thrown out the window in favor of honest, open commentating opinions. Presented by Greg Davies (cGt2099 from The-TrukstoP.com), and Terr Ciavarra (Media Nox from medianox.bandcamp.com), we stray on to any topic that presents itself or wanders off onto its own tangent.
Steubenville Rape Case
CNN News Report that everyone is bitching about
CNN no-comments outcry over breaking coverage of rape verdict
Guilty Verdict in Steubenville
How Blogger Helped Steubenville Rape Case Unfold Online
Steubenville Football Players Found Guilty in Ohio Rape Trial
Steubenville, the media and 'rape, essentially'
Two teens found guilty in Steubenville rape case
Wikipedia: Steubenville High School rape case
EA CEO Resigns
EA CEO Riccitello Resigns – /r/games
EA CEO Riccitello Resigns – /r/gaming
Electronic Arts CEO John Riccitiello to step down
The Googuns Twitter Mystery
The Real Weird Twitter is Espionage Twitter
@googuns_staging – tweets every 5 mins
@googuns_prod – tweets every 5 mins
The whole thing reminded me of Numbers Stations
Which leads me to крейсер уничтожены aka "cruiser destroyed" – tweeted Oct 25
Which connects to the Dutch warship destruction of a Somali pirate cruiser
And another article with a clip
THE CONNECTION: Somali Pirates connected to Botnet Hackers and Cybersecurity Attacks – the Googuns accounts are cryptic public "logs"
Gormathon: Land of the Lost (Official Music Video)
Gormathon @ Encyclopaedia Metallum
Pope Watch 2013
After Frosty Past, Pope Meets Argentine Leader
Catholic faithful get wired for papal selection
Chimney ready to signal papal vote
How to spot a fake cardinal in the conclave?
Pope Francis: 'I would like to see a church that is poor and is for the poor'
Pope resigns – Nostradamus and St Malachy predictions
Vatican admits secretly bugging its own clergy
Zombie Apocalypse
Donor in rabies cases had symptoms, wasn't tested
Antibiotics and drug resistance: how do we compare?
Antibiotics resistance 'as big a risk as terrorism' – medical chief
Coronavirus hCoV-EMC has killed 9 of the 15 people confirmed to be infected with it
Coronavirus: is this the next pandemic?
Coronavirus victim's widow tells of grief as scientists scramble for treatment
Deadly New Virus Warning Issued After Eight People Die
Health officials investigate norovirus outbreak at Andina in Portland
How the zombie apocalypse affects interest group politics
A Maryland man recently died of rabies that he contracted from a tainted organ he received in a transplant operation more than a year ago, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday.
Nomavirus Is Everyone's Virus and Everyone's Cost
Life imitating Scrubs: Patient dies from rabies-infected transplant, says the CDC
Patient killed by rabies from organ transplant, CDC says
Pesticide water may spread norovirus
Rabies-infected organ donor was thought to be poisoned by fish
Researcher: Zombie Fads Peak When Society Is Unhappy
Tainted kidney causes rabies, death
Ten years after SARS, a novel coronavirus causes global health concerns
Wikipedia: Antibiotic resistance
Yep, It's A Slingshot That Shoots Chainsaws
Music Featured:
- "Land of the Lost" by Gormathon from single MP3 release Land of the Lost


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Buyer's Guide
How to use the Buyer's Guide
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Garmin aera 660 GPS (Americas)9201AFREE Shipping!
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The Contemporary and Mainstream Ensembles at Hope College will perform on Wednesday, April 13, at 7:30 p.m. in Dimnent Memorial Chapel.
The public is invited. Admission is free.
The Contemporary Ensemble will perform "Walkin," by R. Carpenter; "All Blues," arranged by sophomore Michael Reynolds of Tampa, Fla.; "Gingerbread Boy," by Jimmy Heath; and "Jean Pierre," by Miles Davis. The ensemble's performance is in memoriam of Miles Davis (1926-1991). The Contemporary Ensemble consists of freshman Jared DeMeester of Grand Rapids, bass; senior Caleb Murray of Half Moon Bay Calif., tenor; sophomore Michael Reynolds of Tampa, Fla., piano; and sophomore David Webster of Troy, drums. The ensemble is coached by Dr. Brian Coyle, professor of music and chairperson of the department.
The Mainstream Ensemble's performance is titled "Live from Japan; A Retrospective," and will include "S&W Model 2 of the Far East," by Suga Dairo; "Aika," by Tetsuro Kawashima; "D.E.L.F." by Yuki Arimasa; and "Kokiriko," by Takeuchi Nao. The Mainstream Ensemble consists of senior Larry Figueroa of Holland, piano; junior Zach Pedigo of Chippewa Falls, Wis., bass; senior Nate Roberts of West Milton, Pa., guitar; and sophomore Wayne Titus of Canto, drums. The ensemble is coached by Dr. Robert Hodson, associate professor of music.
The April 13 concert is among the highlights of the college's April 11-15 celebration of national Undergraduate Research Week, during which Hope is featuring the importance of student research and creative work college-wide. Additional information about the week, including the complete schedule, is available online at www.hope.edu/resources/naturweek/Home.htm
Dimnent Memorial Chapel is located at 277 College Ave., on College Avenue at 12th Street.


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Tag Archives: Medical Dietary Costs
Strange Tax Deductions That Are Legal
This is the time of year millions of Americans begin pulling out receipts to start compiling their tax deductions before the April 15th deadline. People deduct the strangest items, but some are actually tax deductible. THE GLUTEN-FREE DIET Gluten-free foods … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged Celiac Disease, Chevrolet Silverado, Corporate Tax Return, Ford F Series, Gluten Intolerance, Gluten-free Diet, Gross Adjusted Income, Heavy Machinery, internal revenue service, irs, IRS Letter 2011-0035, Landscaping Deduction, Lawn Care Deduction, Lawn Service Deduction, Medical Deductions, Medical Dietary Costs, Medical Expenses, Self-Employed Professionals, Small Farmers, Sport Utility Vehicles, Strange Tax Deductions, SUVs, Tax Deductions Leave a comment


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Dune Movie
Dune Movie News Update
Although the Dune movie appears to have taken a hit, it has been a buzz of activity at Herbert Central. We have some "big-wigs" from a couple of production companies flying in to Seattle this week to chat with us about picking up the project. Stay tuned for more!


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KhanaPakana.com caught up with Anika recently and here is what Anika has to say about herself, her show and life in general!
Baking is fun as you can involve the entire family when baking your favorite recipe. Baked recipes are a perfect tea time companion. Kids love the idea of baking and munching on their all time favorite and most delicious chocolate chip cookies. Cookies, Cakes, Chicken, Pizza, chocolate recipes, pies and tarts recipes are the most common categories of baking recipes. American cuisine and Italian Cuisines are very famous for their baking recipes. Baking and Chocolate go along very well.
Baking recipes are usually quick and easy. Simply whip up all of the ingredients together and throw them into the oven and viola, the aroma will fill the house. Food that is baked is usually low fat hence goes along very well with health conscious individuals and a healthy lifestyle.
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Every late-model Elegant Lady is a work of art, but this 2017 Fairfax takes it to a whole new level. From the rich textures and subtle accents of Kim Konigseder's interior to the understated grace of Dean Loucks' original exterior, this is coach design at its very best.
2017 Elegant Lady #814 Features & Specs
Elegant Lady #814 is built on a Prevost H3-45 shell, widely recognized as the finest conversion coach in the industry, and like all Liberty models, boasts the most advanced features and equipment available today.
Coach Highlights
- Volvo D13 Engine, Allison 6 Speed Transmission
- Moritz Octoplex electrical architecture
- Crestron C3 processor with Liberty Coach enhanced Crosspoint
- iPad Air interface control
- Ergodynamic Cockpit Design
- Strut Launchport inductive iPad inductive charging stations
- 48" Curved 4K Bedroom TV
- 65" 4K LED Outside E-Center TV
- Exclusive KEF Speaker packages for all audio 110 volt audio
- Tier 4-Compliant Onan Generator Installation
- Volta Power Systems Lithium Ion 58 Volt Battery Installation
- Full HDMI Audio/Video utilizing HDBase-T 2-way communication
- Complete interior and exterior LED lighting package
- 4 Roof A/C systems
- Heated Flooring with 4 Zones
- Tankless Water Heater for Shower for unlimited hot water
- Exclusive Birdseye 360 Exterior View Camera System
2017 Elegant Lady #814 Gallery
Below is the photo gallery we've assembled for Elegant Lady #814. To enlarge any photo, simply click on the thumbnail.
"We're the kind of people who like to buy things new, not used. This coach made us rethink that. It's just amazing."
"We have a Mercedes SUV. This coach rides better than that does. You absolutely cannot overstate the difference (between Liberty and their previous Class A)."
Whether it's pricing or details about a specific coach, or a general question about pre-owned coaches from Liberty, we're eager to help. Complete and submit the form and one of our team members will get back to your shortly.
For immediate assistance, call 1-800-554-9877


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High School Football Talent Of The Week: Earl Johnson Doin Work On The Field!
Senior at Golden Valley High School , in Santa Clarita, CA.
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Getting To Know…Kristi Overton Johnson
Known for: Competitive water-skiing
About: This Greenville, N.C., native started skiing on Pamlico River in Bath at age 5, and captured state, regional and national records before turning pro at age 13. Kristi decided to specialize in the slalom event due to a hip deformity. For many years, Kristi dominated the women's slalom event, accumulating 80 professional wins and capturing more No. 1 world rankings than any other female skier in history. She is an eight-time U.S. Masters Champion, four-time U.S. Open Champion, and held the world and national record in women's slalom from 1992–2010. Kristi departed from the professional circuit in 2004 after facing 10 major surgeries, including a complete reconstruction of her pelvis. Today, the married mother of three is a motivational speaker, a published book author and a columnist who works for the non-profit ministry she founded, Champion's Heart, a water-sports outreach program based in Florida that helps at-risk children. She recently was inducted in the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame.
Quote: "Champions aren't people who never fall. They are people who continue to get up time and time again, learn from the mistakes and press forward, often one step at a time!"


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Top flight deals to Birmingham (BHX)*
Fly to Birmingham with KLM
Together with our global network, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines offers flights to Birmingham, serving Birmingham Airport (BHX). When you book an intercontinental KLM-flight to Birmingham, you'll surely be delighted by our in-flight entertainment on offer. Enjoy over 1.000 hours of flims, TV series, audiobooks on your personal screen and make sure to indulge on our complimentary meals offered on intercontinental flights or snack and drinks on intra-European flights.
Top Birmingham attractions
- Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery: a huge collection of artefacts, ceramics, and fine art make this a must-visit for art fans.
- Thinktank: this science museum makes for a family-friendly day out.
- The Birmingham Symphony Hall: host to over 320 events each year, it's a top cultural hotspot.
- The Bullring: heaven for energetic shoppers.
- Jewellery Quarter: the place to go for evening fun.
Find out more must-see attractions in Birmingham by visiting our travel guide!
What's the best way to get around Birmingham?
Like many British cities, Birmingham boasts a great bus and train network. You can hop on public buses from various points throughout the city that a bus map from a tourist centre can guide you to. Buses don't give change, so make sure you have either the correct amount or a "Daysaver" travel card, which you can purchase from many of the local shops.
What's the weather in Birmingham?
You'll find that Birmingham is a pleasant destination all year round, because of its temperate climate. Although summer can hit the pleasant highs of 17°C (62°F), rain is always a prospect, so pack a good coat and a sturdy umbrella. As for winter, February sees an average low of a relatively mild 3°C (37°F).
Weather in Birmingham
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21 °CTuesday11/08/2020
29 °CWednesday12/08/2020
23 °CThursday13/08/2020
19 °CFriday14/08/2020
17 °CSaturday15/08/2020
23 °CSunday16/08/2020
22 °CMonday17/08/2020
*All amounts are in AUD. Taxes and carrier surcharges are included. No booking fee applicable (credit card surcharge may apply).


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The Sony-Indie love story continues
PlayStation Network is place to be for indie developers. At least, Thomas Was Alone creator Mike Bithell seems to think so. Speaking with Joysiq, Bithell echoed the sentiments of Retro City Rampage developer Brian Provinciano, attributing much of his game's success to the platform.
Thomas Was Alone has "sold really well" since landing on PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita back in April. Despite initially launching on PC over a year ago, Bithell asserts more folks have acquired the platformer via PlayStation Plus than any other platform. The title launched at a twenty percent discount for PS Plus subscribers in North America, and was available for free in Europe.
Bithell describes Sony's premium service as "amazing," adding "it just massively inflated my audience beyond what a normal esoteric indie platformer would have, which is great." As a once little-known developer himself, Bithell believes the new-found name recognition to be invaluable to his continued success.
PlayStation Plus 'massively inflated' my audience, says Thomas Was Alone creator [Joystiq]
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Rnr - Story To Tell [Unsigned Hype]
M reports "THIS VIDEO WAS SHOT AND EDITED BY BLOCWORK THIS VIDEO AND SONG IS ABOUT RNR LIFE COMING UP AS A BOY BECOMING A MAN AND BEING INFACTUATED WIT HUSTLING THESE ARE TRUE EVENTS DAT TOOK PLACE IN RNR LIFE
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Crumby news: Museum may be toast
They came to Charlottesville full of hope, and hauling toasters about 700 of them. But after seven years of working to open a museum for their collection in their Carlton Avenue home, Eric Norcross says he and his wife, Kelly Godfrey, have had their fill and decided to pop away.
"The project has run on for so long that we've lost steam on it," says Norcross.
Their massive toaster collection began to take shape in 1990 in Seattle, where Norcross owned a tiny art gallery and coffee shop. Trying to expand his food offerings, he decided to place a 1950s toaster on each table and allow patrons to make their own toast. He and Godfrey began scouring antique stores for toasters, and soon they were hooked.
"A lot of energy had been put into these objects," he says. "It was a fun archaeological hunt at the time." Over the years, Norcross and Godfrey collected nearly every toaster ever made– from a 1909 General Electric– "the first successful toaster marketed for the home"– to the 1930s art deco Hot Toast Gazelle Toaster to the Michael Graves-designed modern model sold at Target.
When the couple decided to move cross-country to Charlottesville in 1998, they hoped the historic and arts-friendly community would embrace the concept of a toaster museum, and that funding would flow.
Such was not the case, says Norcross now, a month after deciding to throw in the towel. "Basically, it was a lack of resources," he says.
The Toaster Museum's website, toaster.org, reveals that of $30,000 Norcross and Godfrey had hoped to raise toward renovating their building, they have so far received only $1,500.
"We went to the city to see if there were development loans, but we didn't get much help with them," Norcross explains. "It would have been cheaper to use credit cards."
Particularly frustrating, he says, was watching DMB manager and mega-developer Coran Capshaw receive help from the city to build the new Pavilion at the east end of the Downtown Mall.
For that project, the city gave Capshaw a $2.4 million loan to be repaid over 20 years at 3.7 percent interest. In addition, the city offered a $1 million "contribution"– a zero-interest loan that Capshaw will repay with a $.50 surcharge on each Pavilion ticket. (The City gets to keep the Pavilion when Capshaw's lease ends in 30 years.)
"They could have helped out a lot of little guys," says Norcross, "rather than one big guy."
But Aubrey Watts, director of development for the city, says the City is not in the business of giving small business loans. Those, he explains, are handled by the state's Small Business Development Center, which has a regional office in Charlottesville.
Though they couldn't offer Norcross and Godfrey a loan, says Watts, he and his staff "spent an awful lot of time with them, trying to help them."
The help, says Norcross, simply wasn't enough.
While their dream of seeing the Toaster Museum open in Charlottesville may be going up in smoke, all is not lost for Norcross and Godfrey– in fact, far from it, thanks to Charlottesville's booming real estate market.
"The property itself was more valuable as a development site," says Norcross. "It made more sense to sell it and move on."
Indeed. In 1998, Norcross and Godfrey paid $85,000 for their approximately 2,100 square-foot, 1920s home on 1/3 acre in Belmont. Today, the property is on the market as a "development opportunity." Asking price: $795,000 more than a 900 percent return, should they get it.
And there's already been interest in the property. "We have a letter of intent," explains listing agent Roger Voisinet, who declines to reveal the details of that letter or the name of the potential buyer.
And there may be good news for the toaster museum as well.
Norcross says that potential buyer has expressed interest in incorporating the toaster museum into the new project's design. Not only would it draw visitors to the mixed-use site, he says, but the museum's nonprofit status would also provide its landlord a tax write-off.
If that arrangement doesn't work out, Norcross says, he still hopes the toasters will remain together and that they will eventually be displayed, perhaps at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan, which features a variety of artifacts from American homes over the last century.
Whatever the case, it's time for someone else to carry the toaster torch, says Norcross, adding that he and Godfrey have new callings.
"We're hoping to move to Stratford, Ontario," he says. "I'm going to focus on my art work, and we'd like to open a bed and breakfast."
They may want to hang onto a few of those toasters after all.
Eric Norcross and Kelly Godfrey hope someone else will carry on the toaster torch.
Along with hundreds of toasters, the Toaster Museum would have featured historic toaster advertisements and photographs such as this one of President Harry Truman happily making toast.


text:
Partying is what a MMORPG is all about. If we wanted to play a one-player game, there might be other games more suitable. Partying is the best way to get to know someone, as far as the quality of their character:
- How well they act around others
- How well they learn new features
- How well they develop and learn and use tactics
In order to be the best you can be in a group, it is good to look at other classes to see what they can do for you, and to see what you can do for them that they can't do for themselves. Don't be afraid to ask someone for a benefit that they can offer you; and if you have something they might benefit from, give it to them.
First off, it is not entirely uncommon for first-time group members who had never met before to offer an enchantment (as it increases their skill, which benefits them). If you don't get such an offer, do not just expect them to respond affirmatively to a request.
All classes that can buff should buff everyone in their party. Some buffs require certain talents or reagents, so you shouldn't be surprised if someone doesn't have the buff you're looking for. Just remember to ask. Many players don't know the lengths of all your buffs, so you'll just have to remind the buffer. In the case of a paladin, where they can cast only one blessing on each character, you should ask the paladin for the particular blessing you want.
Many classes are hybrids and you can fill two different roles. Everyone should know what role they play in any given party, and also how to play that role well.
See the Instance Grouping Guide for information that is absolutely essential for going into dungeons with others. It is incredibly annoying when people do not follow the principles outlined in that article. Some people can be taught patience and such; others can't. You should do what you can to learn from experienced people (who are usually notable just from seeing how they speak and act) and teach others the same.
It is considered rude to invite somebody into a party, especially if they have not asked for a party, without first speaking with them. In many cases, however, it's obvious that you have a common goal. In these cases, you may get an invitation to join a party (but you should still not give one before speaking). Some instances of this is when you see the same character over and over in the area of a certain type of monster which is a quest monster or one that gives reputation. In this case, it is very beneficial to be in a group even if you don't help each other. The reason is that all members of the group get credit for killing each monster that the other one kills. However, if you're not immediately in the same area attacking the same clusters of monsters, it would be good to have free-for-all looting, or else a lot of loot would probably not be picked up by the others.
Another important reason to party up is that (probably) in every case, two together will be more than twice as effective at killing any given monster or set of monsters than the two separately. Synergy is very important in grouping. Two paladins can have two different auras which can be very beneficial; three is nice, too, but the rewards are greatly diminished at that point, because the group would receive a greater reward from another class. Two hunters can benefit each other in a similar manner as well, along with two warriors, and so on. But the greatest benefit of all is to have only one of each class. But it is not always easy to achieve such a grouping.
Looting and loot drops in World of Warcraft are fairly straightforward. If the corpse of a monster has gold sparkles on top of it, it means there's something on the corpse that you can loot. Once you loot a corpse, if you don't take everything off it, everyone else in your group will have the option to loot.
There are a few different looting types in parties that can be set by the party leader by right-clicking on his own portrait in the upper left. Two of these types are affected by the loot threshold, also set by the leader (the threshold can be set to uncommon, rare, or epic).
Money loot is always shared in a party regardless of loot type. However, if a party member is out of range when a monster is looted, they will not receive a share of any gold found on a corpse and will not be able to roll for any special items found.
In addition to the loot rules that can be set up to run automatically (see Looting), many groups have additional rules that they add in. Don't forget to decide them before starting!
- See also: Raids


text:
The 1996 Princeton Lectures on
Youth, Church, and Culture
"Christ and the Adolescent:
A Theological Approach to Youth Ministry"
I am honored to introduce the first volume of the Princeton Lectures on Youth, Church, and Culture, presented in Daytona Beach, FL, and Princeton, NJ, in the spring of 1996 by James W. Fowler, Robin Maas, and Robert Wuthnow. The Princeton Lectures on Youth, Church, and Culture are designed to foster original research on youth and the church. As part of a new venture in ministry sponsored by Princeton Theological Seminary, the Institute for Youth Ministry they describe a shift occurring in the churches thinking about youth and ministry. Instead of ghettoizing youth into clubs apart from the congregation, the church's mission with youth views young people as integral to the total mission of the church, and youth ministry as a theological task which is not only about youth ministry, but about youth's ministry as well.
The 1996 lectures, titled "Christ and the Adolescent: A Theological Approach to Youth Ministry," address mainline churches who have suffered grievous losses in their attempts to address teens. These losses come at a time when public institutions are calling attention to the important role churches play in adolescent development. Churches agree: We believe we have something to contribute to youth in the person of Jesus Christ-‐and therefore Jesus Christ, not age-‐level education, pastoral counseling, or recreational programs, must be the starting point for youth ministry.
We asked each of our lecturers to approach this theme from the perspective of their own disciplines. James Fowler posits a new shape for youth ministry that recognizes nuances of human development; Robin Maas uses biblical exegesis to redefine the spiritual journey of youth and the adults who mentor them; and Robert Wuthnow analyzes the sociological significance of service learning trends for the church's ministry with teenagers. Together they point to a new direction for ministry with young people.
We approach this direction humbly and with hope. We know that the church's renewal depends not on the church of tomorrow, but the church of today-‐a church in which youth can be integral missionaries to their elders and world. May this volume challenge and nourish the ministry God has laid before you.
Director, Institute for Youth Ministry
1996 Lectures
- "Christ and the Adolescent: Piper or Prophet?"
- "Christ and the Adolescent: A Decision for Love"
- "Christ and the Adolescent: Written in Stone"
- "Perspectives on Adolescents, Personhood, and Faith"
- "Adolescence in the Trinitarian Praxis of God"
- "Grace, Repentance, and Commitment: Youth Initiation in Care and Formation"
- "Youth and Culture in American Society: The Social Context of Ministry to Teenagers"
- "Religious Upbringing: Does It Matter and, If So, What Matters?"
- "Unto the Least of These: Youth and the Ministry of Caring"
We are all familiar with the biblical texts that reveal the love of Christ for children, especially that wonderful invitation he issues: "Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." (Matt. 19:14) These are the ones, he tells us, to whom the kingdom of heaven belongs. Notice he does not say, "They belong to it—to the kingdom." Rather, "The kingdom belongs to them." Bible scholars tell us that the term "kingdom of God" or "kingdom of heaven" is really a euphemism for the divine name—Yahweh—which a pious Jew was not allowed to write or pronounce aloud. If this is so, then this saying becomes all the more remarkable. Not "They belong to God," but "God belongs to them." What the rest of us are seeking high and low for, children apparently already have.
Now it is interesting that the synoptic Gospel writers—Matthew, Mark, and Luke—all place this very important saying immediately before another story about Jesus and the young: Jesus' encounter with the rich young man. (Matt. 19:16-22) We don't know how old he is, but since the life expectancy in those days was very short compared to what it is now, and if he was seen to be "young," then we may safely conclude that he was probably no older than what we would call "young adult," perhaps even late adolescence. In any case, he was at that wonderful place in life where everything was opening up before him. Life was full of possibilities. And this was a very good young man. So we see here, placed together, two teachings about Jesus and the young. But our expectation about the natural order of things is reversed. The littlest ones who have no social rights or claims have succeeded where the young man who has everything going for him is going to fail.
No one hinders this fellow from coming to the Lord. He comes rushing up to Jesus as he is about to leave on a journey, respectfully kneels page 50 before him, and then says, "Teacher, what good must I do to gain eternal life?" Loosely translated: "I want to go for the gold! Tell me how!" Frankly, this fellow is the youth minister's dream. He is earnest, enthusiastic, respectful and, it turns out, knowledgeable about the teachings of the Scriptures. That he is also a typical youth can be seen in the way he responds to the advice he is at first given. Jesus tells him to keep the Ten Commandments—the Law of Moses—the simplest and most sacred text in the whole Torah. It would have been one of the most elementary of all the lessons he had ever learned—memorized for sure before he had lost all of his baby teeth. (While clearly referring to the entire Decalogue, it is perhaps significant that Jesus mentions specifically those commandments associated with the "Second Tablet," i.e., the ones that deal with love of neighbor: "You shall not kill; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness; honor your father and your mother;" and "you shall love your neighbor as yourself." (vv. 18-19)
And the youth's reply? "All of these I have observed. What do I still lack?" (v. 20) In so many words: "Is that all?! I already know all that stuff, and what is more, I've been meticulous in my observance of the law. I've been good. Isn't there something a little more daring, more heroic you want to ask of me? Something worthy of the kind of brave and able person I really am—or could become, if you'd just give me the opportunity?"
"I've been good"—we know these words! Or perhaps more accurately for most of us, "I've tried so hard to be good"—and for the most part have succeeded! In any case, we are inclined to weight our good intentions far more heavily than our actual implementation. This is another way of saying, isn't it, that "I already know all that stuff!"
What is most interesting here is what Jesus has to say about being "good." After the young man's queries about doing "good," Jesus gently rebukes him, saying, "Why do you ask me about the good? There is only one who is good." (v. 17) Wait a minute! Isn't that what religion is all about? Being good? Isn't that what we are working night and day for, to help form kids with clear and strong Christian consciences? Doesn't Jesus go right on to say that obedience to the commandments is necessary for eternal life?
"But I've done this already! I've been good—what else is there? There must be something else!" And, indeed, there is. There is something else, and when Jesus tells him what that something else is, the young man hangs his head in sorrow and walks away because that "something else" is more than he can stomach. It's about much more than following rules and being good. It's about being reckless. Reckless for love.
A capacity for reckless behavior is a perennial characteristic of youth. In every century of human history, this capacity is what gives mothers gray hair. In today's world, where guns and dope are readily available, this capacity for risk has taken on a lethal dimension that terrifies us all and holds our personal security hostage to the whims of young egos that know and accept no limits. This, of course, is not the kind of recklessness I mean.page 51
This is a recklessness that thrives in the absence of love. But the capacity for risk and recklessness can work either way. What we all have, because we are human and because we once were or still are young, is the capacity—or even the urge—to say "yes" to what looks impossible.
And what we also know from Scripture is that simple obedience to the commandments is not, in fact, impossible. It is often desperately difficult, but not impossible. In Deuteronomy we read:
For this command which I enjoin on you today is not too mysterious and remote for you. It is not up in the sky, that you should say "Who will go up in the sky to get it for us and tell us of it, that we may carry it out?" Nor is it across the sea, that you should say, "Who will cross the sea to get it for us and tell us of it, that we may carry it out?" No, it is something very near to you, already in your mouths and in your hearts; you have only to carry it out. (Dt. 30:11-14)
The commandments are God's gift to his people. They provide the guidance and the structure that we need to be who we were meant to be. The failure to observe the commandments will bring social chaos and personal unhappiness. We must cherish them by obeying them. It may seem like an act of counter-cultural daring and defiance or an expression of heroic virtue to obey these commandments in late twentieth-century America. But it is not. And this is not what Jesus is talking about. So what was he asking, and why did it turn out to be impossible?
Give it all up, says Jesus to the young man who has it made. Let go of all you've accomplished, all you've inherited, all your big plans—and especially, let go of your willingness to measure your righteousness by means of your obedience. Because obedience and goodness are not enough. "If you wish to be perfect [Read:"If you want to go for the gold ...], go, sell what you have and give to [the] poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." (Matt. 19:21)
Now this text gets used a lot—and incorrectly, I believe—to make the case that if you really want to be good and obedient, you have to be completely dedicated to the task of alleviating poverty—as if, rich as he was, this young man's gift of wealth would really solve the problem of poverty. It is certainly true that showing mercy and generosity to the poor is a very important part of Christian practice and devotion. Some persons receive a very direct call from the Lord to dedicate their lives to the poor, either through works of mercy or works of justice; and part of our own ministry with youth should be directed at sensitizing them to the need to be con-cerned for the well-being of all persons, especially the most economically vulnerable and socially wounded. But the problem Jesus is addressing here is not the problem of poverty; it's the problem of riches.
In the Gospels, this story is linked with Jesus' teachings about how hard it is for rich people to enter the kingdom of God—harder than for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle! (v. 24) This teaching astonished his disciples, because ordinarily riches were seen as a sign of divine favor.page 52
If I have a lot, then that means somebody up there likes me! So if that tried and-true indicator of virtue no longer applies, then what in the world does? If a superb specimen of virtue like this young man is apparently not going to make the grade, then who, ask the disciples, can possibly be "saved"? (v. 25) Suddenly the whole project of spiritual success has become impossible.
Our Lord's answer will not give them much consolation, I suspect. He says, "For human beings this is impossible, but for God all things are possible." (v. 26) I take this to mean that we, through our own well-intentioned efforts to be obedient, are not going to save ourselves. We will not get the gold ring because we've been "good." So were the Pharisees "good." No doubt many of them were actually much better at being good than we ourselves have been. We, like the Pharisees, are obliged to teach and obey the commandments; but here is the irreducible mystery: Unless our righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, says Christ, we will not enter into the kingdom of heaven. (Matt. 5:20)
So it is abundantly clear that although we cannot guarantee our own salvation through the effort to be obedient, we are not thereby given permission to be disobedient. Obedience is the least we can give God. But it will not, in and of itself, be enough. I think if we are honest we will admit that, at first, this is a pretty discouraging story.
But the story of the rich young man is a critically important one for anyone concerned with the moral and spiritual formation of the young, not because every young person to whom we minister is on the same quest as the rich young man, but because we are. The type of person called to serve youth is often still youthful in spirit, if not in years, and deeply in earnest about the faith; and although we may not see ourselves as wealthy, relatively speaking, most of us are. Whatever the material circumstances of our lives, we have a wealth of education, experience, commitment, and faith to share—and probably more possessions than we really need.
But even more important, youth ministers and catechists are almost always persons who have been driven by a desire to be "good." Obedience is a virtue we extol and promote and otherwise honor by trying, as far as we are able, to practice it. There may even be some among us who can say, like the young man in Mark's version of this story, "All of these I have observed from my youth!" (Mk. 10:20) So let us beware! Because what happened to him could happen to us. We, too, could walk away sorrowing.
Recently I made a marathon effort to watch the original television version of that by-now-famous Catholic soap opera called The Thorn Birds. Years ago—when I was a young adult—I read the book and found it enthralling. Then when the television movie was first released, I watched it avidly and was re-enthralled. This time, in my third encounter, I think I finally began to understand what it was really all about. There has been a lot more water over the dam, so to speak, so I saw things I didn't see before and felt things I didn't feel before. Believe it or not, this is not just your basic romantic, semi-scandalous story about a priest who falls in love with a page 53 much younger woman and sins against chastity. We know that the world loves nothing better than to hear something scandalous about the Catholic clergy, precisely because in what they are meant to represent—the exemplification of a life entirely given over to God—they remind us of our own weakness and moral failures.
The story is a tragic one. Some people find it tragic because they see and grieve over the loss of virtue in a man of God. Others—far more, I suspect—find it tragic because the priest will not renounce his vocation for the sake of the woman he loves. This time around, I finally realized that the central and most tragic failure in this story is really the same tragedy of the rich young man who wants to go for the gold but, in the end, cannot.
The key to the story's significance comes at the very end of the very last segment when Fr. Ralph, now old and debilitated, is dying. He has just buried his beloved Meggie's son—the young, newly-ordained Fr. Dane—not knowing as he buried him that he was his own son as well. When he finally learns who this young man really was, he is shattered. Not only because Dane, whom he had long since learned to love dearly, was his own flesh and blood, but because he saw in both the life and the death of the young priest a virtue and a goodness that far exceeded his own.
As he is dying, he weeps and says to Meggie, Dane's mother, "In the end, I never made a decision for love." 1 He has lived his entire life with a divided heart, loving God and loving her, unable to sacrifice one love for the other, unable to choose God with a whole heart or Meggie either. Each choice he ended up making was a compromise that involved a minimum of loss for himself but a great deal of pain for others.
Fr. Ralph is the epitome of the rich young man: earnest, well-intentioned, wanting to be obedient and virtuous, longing, as he says, to be the "perfect priest." What he actually becomes is a very rich and powerful priest, more easily seduced by the promise of position and influence even than by the passionate love of a beautiful woman. He is personally ambitious; but he is also ambitious for the church he loves. Like so many of us, he wants to do well while doing good. And therein lies the spiritual danger of riches: They encumber and compromise us when we are offered a chance at the gold ring Christ called the "pearl of great price."
By contrast, young Fr. Dane, who also wanted to be a "perfect priest," was free to give his whole heart to God while, at the same time, he was able to make a choice to do the most generous and loving thing possible in relation to his mother. He became a priest (she didn't want that), but he also decided to forsake the sure-fire career moves that would have guaranteed the kind of success his father sought and achieved. Instead, he chose to go back to the Australian outback to minister in obscurity. Returning home following his ordination he takes a brief holiday in Greece, where he drowns as the result of a generous, impulsive gesture he makes to save the lives of others—an act of reckless love.
This brief but beautiful life flames up before the eyes of the old man page 54 and shows him what he truly is and what he has lost because he could not "sell" what he had and follow his heart's deepest desire. And so Fr. Dane's death becomes a truly redemptive gift that the son gives to the father. The son shows the father what it means to make a decision for love. (Those of you who know the story know that this gift of love touches the lives of his sister and his mother as well, bringing reconciliation and ending a generational cycle of devastating mother-daughter neglect.)
Let's return now to the question of today's youth. You may be thinking that the problem is not that they expect to save themselves through being good and obedient. The problem is that the ideals of goodness and obedience no longer seem at all attractive to youth! Nowadays the simple but scrupulous obedience of the Pharisees itself looks "impossible."
But just as the desolate and despairing Elijah was surprised, consoled, and strengthened in hope by the Lord's telling him that he was not, as he had thought, alone in his faithfulness and that there were yet "seven thousand men in Israel" who had not apostasized (I Kgs. 19:18), in the same way I believe that there are yet thousands of young people who are looking for a spiritual challenge that will glimmer with all the beauty of the pearl of great price. If we present that challenge to them simply as a matter of obedience, so that they come to see the faith as a long list of rules to which they must conform, we should be prepared for the response: "Is that all? I already know all that stuff!"
A student of mine reported that as an adolescent he saw no particular challenge in the Ten Commandments: he had no inclination to steal, he had plenty and didn't need to envy what others had, he wasn't married, so adultery was not an issue—and he certainly wasn't about to murder anybody! Obedience? No big deal. As a teen, this person found more excitement and challenge in the spiritual quest embodied in the culture of American Indians than he did in the domesticated form of Christianity so many American churches practice. Now, as a fully grown adult in his mid-thirties, he knows better. He has come to see how desperately difficult fidelity and obedience can be.
But for our young people whose ideals far outpace their ability to embody them, and who think obedience to the commandments is no big deal because their experience of life is still too limited to have severely tested their capacity for obedience, we need to help them see that what they are being asked in their own encounter with Christ is, in a sense, impossible—as impossible as it would be for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle. What they are being asked for is an act of total self-abandonment, not to a set of rules, but to a person. What they are being asked for is not merely the conformity of their behavior to a standard imposed by someone else, but an act of real recklessness, a decision—a decision made entirely for love.
So when the adolescent or young adult encounters Christ in a real and personal way, the real question is not: Are you going to obey these rules, but do you love me enough to give up everything for my sake?page 55
When the demands of the Christian life are posed in these terms, the question of obedience assumes its proper place and proportion. This doesn't mean it will be easy to obey, only that it will be possible, because the impossible thing, the decision for love, has already been made.
The great danger every Christian faces is the temptation to believe that we can somehow control the process of our own salvation, that we can get to heaven without suffering deep wounds or taking a risk, without sacrifice or surrender. This temptation comes to different souls in different forms. But for many of us, it comes the way it came to the rich young man, to whom Jesus said: Will you give it all up for me? Will you risk everything you've worked for, earned, inherited for the possibility of loving with an undivided heart?
As the disciples are scratching their heads over this incredible teaching about riches and the kingdom of heaven, the enormity of this requirement begins to dawn on them. One of them, Peter, seems to see what must be coming and hopes that he has paid the price already. "We have given up everything and followed you. What will there be for us?" (Matt. 19:27) And this is true: they had given up what looked like everything, even though, in the end, there was more to renounce: things such as spiritual ambition, preconceived ideas about how God was going to carry out his plan, doubt, and fear. And what was there in it "for them"? Jesus replies:
Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man shall sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And every one who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life. But many that are first will be last, and the last will be first, (w. 28-30)
Jesus' disciples are promised "a hundred times more" than what they surrendered. They are promised eternal life. Life with him who, in an act of reckless love, gave everything up for them. For us.
So we can show our young people that it has been done. There have been people of every age who have made the impossible decision for love. It is vitally important to explain to them that, as with Peter, the decision, once made, does not protect us from all possible infidelities or failures of nerve; but that the decision, once made, plants a desire in our hearts that attracts the grace of God like pollen attracts bees and honey attracts bears.
The surrendered heart, the heart capable of acts of reckless love, is always in some sense the heart of the child, the one to whom God belongs. The surrendered heart of the adolescent is a heart capable of passionate loyalty. When the young person says, I will love you forever, he makes up in intensity for what he lacks in the long haul.
What this wonderful but sobering story of Christ and his would-be follower, that first-century "golden boy," has to teach us is that the central spiritual requirement of adolescence is precisely what Jesus is offering the page 56 rich young man—an opportunity to make the impossible, reckless decision for love.
There are changes occurring in the intellectual and emotional lives of adolescents that make a new kind of experience of Jesus possible for them. These changes are often described by psychologists in terms of a new and very high-minded idealism, a heightened awareness of what other people are thinking and feeling, an increased capacity for introspection and more intimate friendships, and a vulnerability to falling in love. Mix all these things together and we find all the necessary ingredients for an act of reckless love which, when directed toward Christ, we call conversion.
We know from the example of so many youthful saints that adolescent conversion is in fact a "life and death" issue. Those of us who work with youth need to think more carefully about what it means to teach for conversion, to pray for it, and to expect it. The unconverted heart may be satisfied merely to be obedient; or it may walk away sorrowing from all of our best efforts to offer a nourishing instruction in the Gospel. But the youth who has caught a glimpse of the beauty of truth and not just its power will be willing to risk something—maybe even everything—for a chance at the gold ring.
Fortunately adolescence is not the only time in our lives when a decisive encounter with Christ is possible. I believe these opportunities come in one shape or another at every stage of life. But each time the opportunity comes it will seem equally impossible, and the temptation to turn back in sorrow will be ever with us. The good news is that if we say "yes" to the invitation when we first hear it in our youthful hearts, it may be easier to say "yes" later on when the stakes are even higher—when the one who longs to belong to us in the heart of our youth calls us in our maturity to belong—heart and mind, body and soul—to him.


text:
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vaporization, change of a liquid or solid substance to a gas or vapor. There is fundamentally no difference between the terms gas and vapor, but gas is used commonly to describe a substance that appears in the gaseous state under standard conditions of pressure and temperature, and vapor to describe the gaseous state of a substance that appears ordinarily as a liquid or solid. Although most substances undergo changes of state in the order of solid to liquid to gas as the temperature is raised, a few change directly from solid to gas in a process known as sublimation.
Sections in this article:
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
See more Encyclopedia articles on: Physics


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Serrano reports that Martinez's deal with Tigers will be for four years, $50 million, and that team outbid Red Sox, White Sox, Orioles
BTW, Martinez is a Type-A free-agent. And Aaron Gleeman looks on the 4-year, $50 million contract the Tigers are reportedly giving to Victor Martinez.
UPDATE: Serrano says the White Sox offer was 3-years, $48 million! That averages to $16 million per year! The Orioles offer was 4-years, $48 million.
Serrano says:
Actualización: Los Medias Blancas, agregó la fuente, dieron a escoger al careta entre un contrato de cuatro años por 48 millones de dólares, lo que no igualaba a Detroit, u otro de sólo tres campañas, con algo más de dinero anualmente. Esto corrige la versión inicial que publicamos, en la que aseguramos que los Medias Blancas ofrecían una bolsa apenas inferior al paquete total de Detroit, por solo tres campeonatos.
The google translation of that is:
Update: The White Sox, the source said, were to choose the mask from a four-year $ 48 million, which equaled not Detroit, or one of only three campaigns, with some more money annually. This fixes that we published the initial version, which assured the White Sox offered a bag just below the total package of Detroit, for only three championships.
It seems like he says the White Sox offer of $48 million was less than the $50 offer of Detroit, but the White Sox offer was for 3 years and Detroit's for 4. Thus the White Sox offered $16 million per year, while Detroit offered $12.5 million per year. $16 million per year for Victor Martinez. Oh my!
UPDATE #2: MLBTR has learned the White Sox offer to Victor Martinez was $48 million over 4 years and not 3 as Serrano reported. That's a $12 million per year average.


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Tridon Flex Blade Single Wiper - 20in, Top Lock Pinch Tab
Additional Information
Full Product Info
Is this product for you?
FlexBlade is the latest in European wiper technology – a style of windscreen wiper that is commonplace on more vehicles every year. FlexBlade replaces the traditional steel blade frame with a unique flexor strip, which delivers perfect even pressure across the entire length of the wiper. This design also lends itself to improved aerodynamics – so your wipers will stick to the screen just as well at highway speeds.
For the wiper edge; natural rubber ensures smooth, low noise performance. In other areas, synthetic rubber offers extended life and forms a protective coating over the Flexblade assembly. These advanced compounds protect your wipers from ultra violet radiation.The Tridon Flexblade wiper range is available to suit 5 common arm styles. Including side lock, top lock pinch tab or push button, and hook fitting. The hook fitting is common to most vehicles using standard wiper blades. This makes it possible to upgrade many older wiper setups in line with modern day vehicles.
- Length: 500mm (20")
- Connection Type: Top Lock Pinch Tab
- Using high quality natural synthetic rubber upper body, natural rubber wiping edge with protective rubber coating


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Since 1983 ProTechnics has continually innovated solutions in the field of Completion, Reservoir
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With patented processes and services along with the industry's best talent, ProTechnics is sought out for our
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accurate delivery of results, effectively offering solutions to Maximize Production and
Reduce Operating Costs.
By your continued use of our website you agree to Core Lab's usage of cookies. More Information


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Subscribe to the PLAID Crafts Newsletter, and we'll throw in $10 towards your next purchase.
Paint your outdoors pretty with FolkArt Outdoor Acrylic Paint! Featuring inspiring colors in a high-hide, self-sealing, weather-resistant and fade-resistant formula, FolkArt Outdoor is perfect for painting flowerpots, birdhouses, mailboxes, patio décor and more. Specially formulated with a durable satin finish, your projects will stay as beautiful as the day you painted them.
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SIOUX FALLS, SD and DENVER — LodgeNet Entertainment Corp., one of the world's largest providers of interactive television systems and broadband services to the hospitality industry, is now offering a variety of fitness programming from The Fitness Suite LLC on its digital systems nationwide.
On August 1, LodgeNet premiered select programming from the suite of in-room exercise content provided by The Fitness Suite, allowing customers to follow their favorite routines while traveling. The programming is available in more than 420,000 guest rooms across the United States and is enhanced with LodgeNet's On-Screen Controls feature, which allows viewers to skip forward, skip back, pause or save their place in a program for later viewing.
"The addition of this programming to our in-room entertainment systems showcases the responsiveness of both of our companies in producing and distributing content that is targeted to specific traveler needs," said Steve Truckenmiller, senior vice president programming and content management for LodgeNet. "LodgeNet continues to be at the forefront in providing the type of programming that the industry sees as significant for its customers."


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US Official: Malaysia Flight Likely Crashed in Indian Ocean.
A senior U.S. official tells CNN that missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 likely crashed in the Indian Ocean.
The network's source says "there is probably a significant likelihood" the plane, which disappeared nearly a week ago with 239 people on board, turned west and flew over the Malaysian Peninsula and the Indian Ocean before crashing.
The network says Malaysian authorities have a record of several pings the aircraft's engines made with satellites orbiting the earth after its transponder turned off. Their pattern indicates the plane turned west, flew across Malaysia, and above the Indian Ocean. Malaysian authorities, CNN's source says, believe the plane flew for 4-5 hours after it lost contact with radar on the ground.
There were no pings that indicated an impact of any kind on land or in water.
ABC News, meanwhile, has two sources that say U.S. authorities believe the plane's two communications systems were manually shut down from within the cockpit. The system that reports data, officials believe, was turned off at 1:07 a.m. The transponder that tracks the plane's location and altitude was shut down at 1:21 a.m.
Both systems were "systematically shut down," U.S. investigators told ABC. The Americans, the report says, are "convinced that there was manual intervention" involved.
The USS Kidd, a Navy destroyer, is en route to the Indian Ocean to begin searching for the plane. It had been searching in areas south of the Gulf of Thailand with another destroyer, the USS Pinckney.
CNN's source says his information is not 100 percent certain at this time. But the source says the United States is concerned that Malaysia is not sharing all the information it has related to the missing jetliner.
The White House said a new search may be started in the Indian Ocean, significantly broadening the potential location of the plane,
Expanding the search area to the Indian Ocean would be consistent with the theory that the Boeing 777 detoured to the west about an hour after take-off from the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur en route to Beijing.
"It's my understanding that based on some new information that's not necessarily conclusive — but new information — an additional search area may be opened in the Indian Ocean," White House spokesman Jay Carney told reporters in Washington.
Carney did not specify the nature of the new information and Malaysian officials were not immediately available to comment.
The disappearance is one of the most baffling mysteries in the history of modern aviation. There has been no trace of the plane nor any sign of wreckage despite a search by the navies and military aircraft of more than a dozen countries across Southeast Asia.
Satellites picked up faint electronic pulses from the aircraft after it went missing on Saturday, but the signals gave no information about where the jet was heading and little else about its fate, two sources close to the investigation said on Thursday.
But the "pings" indicated its maintenance troubleshooting systems were switched on and ready to communicate with satellites, showing the aircraft was at least capable of communicating after losing touch with air traffic controllers.
The system transmits such pings about once an hour, according to the sources, who said five or six were heard. However, the pings alone are not proof that the plane was in the air or on the ground, the sources said.
Malaysian authorities have said the last civilian contact occurred as the Boeing 777-200ER flew north into the Gulf of Thailand. They said military radar sightings indicated it may have turned sharply to the west and crossed the Malay Peninsula toward the Andaman Sea.
The new information about signals heard by satellites shed little light on the mystery of what happened to the plane, whether it was a technical failure, a hijacking, or another kind of incident on board.
While the troubleshooting systems were functioning, no data links were opened, the sources said, because the companies involved had not subscribed to that level of service from the satellite operator, the sources said.
Boeing and Rolls-Royce, which supplied the plane's Trent engines, declined to comment.
Earlier, Malaysian officials denied reports that the aircraft had continued to send technical data and said there was no evidence that it flew for hours after losing contact with air traffic controllers early last Saturday.
"It's extraordinary that with all the technology that we've got that an aircraft can disappear like this," Tony Tyler, the head of the International Air Transport Association that links over 90 percent of the world's airlines, told reporters in London.
Ships and aircraft are now combing a vast area that had already been widened to cover both sides of the Malay Peninsula and the Andaman Sea.
The U.S. Navy was sending an advanced P-8A Poseidon plane to help search the Strait of Malacca, separating the Malay Peninsula from the Indonesian island of Sumatra. It had already deployed a Navy P-3 Orion aircraft to those waters.
India's Defense Ministry has ordered the deployment of ships and aircraft from the remote Andaman and Nicobar Islands, at the juncture of the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea. An Indian P8I Poseidon surveillance plane was sent to the Andaman islands on Thursday.
China, which had more than 150 citizens on board the missing plane, has deployed four warships, four coast guard vessels, eight aircraft, and trained 10 satellites on a wide search area. Chinese media have described the ship deployment as the largest Chinese rescue fleet ever assembled.
On the sixth day of the search, planes scanned an area of sea where Chinese satellite images had shown what could be debris, but found no sign of the airliner.
Malaysian Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein told a news conference the images were provided accidentally, saying the Chinese government neither authorized nor endorsed putting them on a website. "The image is not confirmed to be connected to the plane," he said.
It was the latest in a series of contradictory reports, adding to the confusion and agony of the relatives of the passengers.
As frustration mounted over the failure to find any trace of the plane, China heaped pressure on Malaysia to improve coordination in the search.
Premier Li Keqiang, speaking at a news conference in Beijing, demanded that the "relevant party" step up coordination while China's civil aviation chief said he wanted a "smoother" flow of information from Malaysia, which has come under heavy criticism for its handling of the disaster.
Malaysian police have said they were investigating whether any passengers or crew on the plane had personal or psychological problems that might shed light on the mystery, along with the possibility of a hijacking, sabotage, or mechanical failure.
The Boeing 777 has one of the best safety records of any commercial aircraft in service. Its only previous fatal crash came last July 6, when Asiana Airlines Flight 214 struck a seawall with its undercarriage on landing in San Francisco, killing three people.
Reuters contributed to this report.
© 2014 Newsmax. All rights reserved.
By Newsmax Wires


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Small parts on these dolls make them recommended Age 3 years +
Each Sonny Angel Doll has a set of wings on it's back and wears nothing but unique head wear.
There are 12 dolls in the Animals Series 1collection and you have a chance of getting Cheetah, Cock, Elephant, Panda, Monkey, Tiger, Crocodile, Koala, Dalmation, Frog, rabbit, Lion or a rare and secret doll.
Sonny Angel measures 7.5cm tall
Sonny Angels heads can be turned left or right, so when they stand they can be looking over their shoulder.
Each doll is individually packed in a blind box and sealed bag inside, so you won't know what you've received until you've opened the box - it's a surprise! If you buy each individual blind box, you have the chance of receiving 1 in 12 of the Animals Series 1 collection doll or a rare and secret doll. Price $13.95 each box
The chance of receiving a rare and secret doll figure is only 1 out of 144 boxes.


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Top flight deals to Rabat (RBA)*
Hong Kong(HKG)toRabat(RBA)
Fly to Rabat with KLM
Together with our global network, we as KLM Royal Dutch Airlines offer flights to Rabat, serving Rabat–Salé Airport (RBA) in the city of Salé, also serving Rabat, the capital city of Morocco. If you need anything, simply post a message on social media or tweet us. We monitor our Facebook, Messenger, Twitter and WhatsApp accounts around the clock, always responding as soon as we can!
Top Rabat attractions
- The Kasbah: wander the streets of this lovely citadel, sip some fresh squeezed orange juice, and enjoy an amazing view of the Atlantic.
- Rabat Medina: shop to your heart's content in this authentic open-air market.
- Magic Park: a theme park with rides and activities the family can enjoy together.
- Mausoleum of Mohammed V: this monument to a former king embodies unusual architecture.
- Rabat Zoo: what trip to Africa would be complete without a look at the indigenous wildlife?
What's the best way to get around Rabat?
Take the train when travelling between Rabat Ville and Rabat Agdal; they run every 30 minutes and are very comfortable. If the train can't take you where you need to go, you have two types of taxi to choose from. Petit taxis are blue and get you around in town, but if you need to go out of the city limits, take the larger grand taxis.
What's the weather in Rabat?
Rabat has a wonderful climate, with the hottest months of July and August enjoying average temperatures of 23°C (73°F) and the coldest month of December at an average of 13°C (55°F). It can get quite wet in April and December however, so keep that in mind unless you like the rain.
Weather in Rabat
Powered by: OpenWeatherMap.org
24 °CTuesday11/08/2020
24 °CWednesday12/08/2020
24 °CThursday13/08/2020
24 °CFriday14/08/2020
24 °CSaturday15/08/2020
24 °CSunday16/08/2020
24 °CMonday17/08/2020
*All amounts are in HKD. Taxes and carrier surcharges included. No booking fee applicable.


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Falcons 27, Chargers 3: Matt Ryan threw three first-half touchdown passes and Michael Turner scored against his former team as visiting Atlanta remained one of three undefeated teams in the league with a dominant performance.
Ryan connected for an 8-yard scoring strike to Jacquizz Rodgers, a 7-yard touchdown toss to Tony Gonzalez and a 9-yard strike to Julio Jones to lead the Falcons (3-0) to a 20-0 halftime lead. He finished 30-for-40 for 275 yards and threw one interception.
The Chargers entered the day averaging 30 points in their two victories to start the season, but the offense never clicked Sunday. Philip Rivers was just 21-for-38 for 173 yards and threw two interceptions to safety Thomas DeCoud.
Turner rushed for 80 yards on 14 carries and capped the scoring with a 7-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. Gonzalez led the Falcons' star-studded receiving corps with nine catches for 91 yards.
The Falcons, who forced four turnovers, denied San Diego its first 3-0 start since 2002 and have won eight of nine all-time meetings.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Ryan had a quarterback rating of 107.8. The Falcons improved to 26-0 when he has a rating of 100.0 or higher. … San Diego's Antonio Gates caught three passes for 22 yards, becoming the fifth tight end in NFL history with 600 receptions. … Chargers RB Ryan Mathews rushed for 44 yards on 10 carries in his season debut. Mathews missed the first two games recovering from a broken clavicle suffered on his first carry of the preseason on Aug. 9.


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Plumbing, Water Heaters & Drain Cleaning Hermosa Beach, CA
If you're looking for a plumber in Hermosa Beach, CA, then you've found it in CBMI. Whether you're looking for plumbing repairs, drain cleaning services, or an emergency plumber, CBMI has a trained technician in Hermosa Beach, CA, who can help you
CBMI is a one-stop shop for all of your plumbing repair needs in Hermosa Beach, CA. We offer services in Hermosa Beach, CA, as varied as drain cleaning, water heater repair, leak detection, toilet repair, slab repair and faucet repair services. Our plumbers are on-call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in Hermosa Beach, CA, and are waiting to hear from you.
When you're looking for a plumber in Hermosa Beach, CA, don't just call the first name you find in a telephone book. Our plumbers have been trained with the latest technologies while being required to provide the highest level of customer service in Hermosa Beach, CA. Your plumbing repair job in Hermosa Beach, CA, is our top priority.
When a CBMI plumber arrives at your home or business in Hermosa Beach, CA, they will have a truck stocked with high quality parts and materials for your plumbing repair job. Contact us anytime from your Hermosa Beach, CA, home or business and we will be on site immediately to handle your drain cleaning, water heater repair, leak detection, toilet repair, slab repair and faucet repair services.
For an appointment with a CBMI service expert call (310) 297-2737 TODAY!
Return to Plumbing.


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Found a DVD copy of the film SHOOT TO KILL at Value Village yesterday. What gorgeous scenery, filmed in the mountains around here! The story isn't bad either. Sidney Poitier hadn't made a film in over 10 years when he starred in this. And Tom Berenger is totally HOT in it. If you've never seen it, hunt down a copy of it and watch it.
http://the-back-row.com/blog/2012/02/03 ... kill-1988/
A sample of the score for the film:


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Unfortunate: 'Open' Advocate Darrell Issa Sponsoring Bill That Will Close Off Open Access To Gov't Funded Research
from the tragic deptFor years, we've pointed out the ridiculousness of various attempts to lock up federally funded research. If anything, it would seem that research that is federally funded should be required to be open to the public. After all, the public paid for it. And, in fact, a few years back, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) instituted a program that said that any research funded by NIH had to be offered in an open access manner by 1 year after its publication date. The "issue" here is that the big academic journals have the greatest scam in the world running: they don't have to pay writers (and, in some fields, the writers actually have to pay them) who submit their papers. They don't have to pay other academics to do peer review, as that's done for free. So all of their content isn't paid for. But... they do require that the writers hand over their copyright, and then lock it up in journals that are crazy expensive -- and totally inaccessible to the average person who isn't affiliated with a university library willing to shell out the cash.
That's not good for science or innovation. And, when it's on federally funded research, it's almost criminal.
So, the NIH had this open access requirement, which was then augmented by a Congressional requirement. The 1 year still lets journals get crazy monopoly rents... but even then, many journals have sought ways to make these open access requirements difficult. For example, if you click that link, you can see how the American Psychology Association tried to charge the academics who wrote for it $2,500 to "deposit" their publication to PubMed to satisfy the NIH requirement.
So, for years, the big publishing houses have been trying to get Congress to pass a law to lock up federally funded research. In the past, this effort was led by Rep. John Conyers -- who has received lots of campaign contributions from the big publishers. A few years ago, the Obama administration actually suggested it was leaning in the other direction -- and actually requiring all federally funded research to be open access, rather than just NIH. That would be huge... but of course, the big publishers won't allow that to happen. They even made the ridiculous argument that open access requirements would harm transparency in government. Yeah. Don't even try to understand it, because it doesn't make sense.
Tragically, it appears that a new version of this bill has been introduced... called the Research Works Act. It's a pretty short bill, but here's the key part:
No Federal agency may adopt, implement, maintain, continue, or otherwise engage in any policy, program, or other activity that--Note the use of "private-sector research work." There's a definition for that:
(1) causes, permits, or authorizes network dissemination of any private-sector research work without the prior consent of the publisher of such work; or
(2) requires that any actual or prospective author, or the employer of such an actual or prospective author, assent to network dissemination of a private-sector research work.
PRIVATE-SECTOR RESEARCH WORK- The term 'private-sector research work' means an article intended to be published in a scholarly or scientific publication, or any version of such an article, that is not a work of the United States Government (as defined in section 101 of title 17, United States Code), describing or interpreting research funded in whole or in part by a Federal agency and to which a commercial or nonprofit publisher has made or has entered into an arrangement to make a value-added contribution, including peer review or editing. Such term does not include progress reports or raw data outputs routinely required to be created for and submitted directly to a funding agency in the course of research.This is tragically bad drafting in that depending on how you interpret the commas, it almost certainly means that the NIH requirements and anything similar would be barred. That is, it appears to define federally funded research as "private sector research work," if it's going to be published by a private journal. The Association of American Publishers sure was quick to celebrate the bill, making it clear that it was exactly what they wanted: a ban on forcing works they publish into open access models. Of course, the language is purposely vague so that if you misread it, you might think it doesn't include government-funded works. That's not true. It simply doesn't include government produced works, which are public domain by definition and couldn't be thus limited anyway.
Furthermore, the bill appears to create a new copyright-like "right" for publishers outside of copyright itself. That is, it grants the final say in permission to the publisher, rather than the copyright holder. So, even in a case where an author retains the copyright, or retains distribution rights, this bill could potentially grant the publisher extra rights out of thin air.
The real tragedy here? The bill's sponsor is Rep. Darrell Issa -- who's based much of his recent political career on the claim that he wants more open government. Yes, the same Darrell Issa who put forth the SOPA/PIPA alternative, the OPEN Act, with its awesome open website that allows for direct feedback on the bill. And he's behind the open access to Congressional hearings video that we just talked about.
This bill seems to go against everything that he's said he stands for on related issues, and people are definitely noting how odd this seems.
There's no two ways about it. This is a bad and dangerous bill that will only serve to lock up important, taxpayer-funded research. As we've discussed in detail in the past, such locking up of research does tremendous harm to important scientific research, puts people in harm's way and slows down innovation. It's tremendously disappointing that Rep. Darrell Issa would be behind such a bill. It really does seem to go against everything that he stands for.
Filed Under: copyright, darrell issa, federally funded research, nih, open access, publishers, research


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First watch this video about finding a job and working in Costa Rica, then we'll talk.
Here's the problem. You need a work permit to legally work in Costa Rica and you can't work at a job a Tico could do AND they just don't give out work permits AND Tico's can do ANYTHING you can do. See the conundrum?
Obviously, like most rules, there's exceptions to these rules as well and honestly, there's a few loop holes too. But what this basically means to you is that it's very difficult to come down to Costa Rica, find a job and work your way up the ladder of success- matter of fact, it's not going to happen. Don't do it and especially if you have to have a job to survive. Now if you just looking to experience Costa Rica for a few months, that's a different story.
*I want to make it CLEAR. Many, many people work under the table here and there's many jobs where you could pretty much live under the radar,,, internet work, maintenance and odd jobs, arts and crafts and of course, the perennial favorites- yoga instructor, massage therapist, bartender, surf instructor but from what I've seen and experienced it's usually the instability of these types of jobs that inevitably send you packing.
Stay where you are until you have enough money to start your own business in Costa Rica because like I mentioned in the video, starting a business is much more feasible and doable option.
TONS of Costa Rica Travel Info and VIDEOS on our website: Travel Costa Rica NOW and if you want to visit our YouTube Channel: iCostaRica24 ENjoY!


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Police asking about drug that felled concert-goers
MIDDLEBURY -- Police are looking for information about a new hallucinogenic drug after several people overdosed at an electronic dance music concert at Quassy Amusement Park.
The Republican-American reports (http://bit.ly/18mvfKd ) that Richard Wildman, acting Middlebury police chief, said an unidentified 19-year-old man was set to be the last concert-goer released from the hospital late Monday. He suffered a heart condition after taking the drug, 2C-P.
Seven people were hospitalized Saturday night.
Wildman said four people fell down almost at the same time. Two had seizures and another concert-goer was not breathing and did not have a pulse.
Two officers administered CPR and used a defibrillator to restart his heart.
One person was charged with interfering with police.
Wildman said a database had little information on 2C-P, but police did more research through an Internet search.
Information from: Republican-American, http://www.rep-am.com