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How will "enhanced" or "next generation" premise systems perform at frequencies beyond 10Base-T Ethernet? With network speeds getting higher, revision of the 568A standard, and dispute over "Level 6" and "Level 7," this is a huge question for the datacom industry.
Testing systems to 350 MHz shows how well components match. If they don't closely match the 100-ohm system impedance target, they won't perform well as a system. To find out exactly how various system components, working together as a network, will perform under high-frequency conditions, we did some special testing. The results are quite revealing and lead to the following recommendations:
Look at end-to-end performance of a system. It's not enough to look at individual components, because a marginal component can have a huge negative effect on an entire system at high frequencies.
It's possible (though not easy) to assemble premise systems that will support protocols requiring the very best high-frequency performance.
A high-performance patch cord is critical to assure the optimum high-frequency performance of any premise hardware system.
Currently, there's no formal specification test or pass/fail criteria that define what you should compare the gathered test data to. However, our tests demonstrate the importance of component stability. For example, some manufacturers have wall plates that perform much better than their patching system, and vice versa. Others have extremely good control of system components from both ends. The following are a few problem areas:
- Impedance at high frequencies.
A cable pair's impedance varies slightly along its length. This is due to small variations in manufacturing, such as concentricity, diameter, quality of twisting, and wall thickness. These small impedance variations, along each pair, create signal losses due to reflections of the energy transmitted along the pair. These losses are more significant at higher frequencies because as the wavelengths become shorter, small variations become more "visible" in the network. Impedance stability at low frequencies is easier to achieve but gets more difficult as frequency increases.
Manufacturers make high-performance or extended frequency cables according to tight manufacturing tolerance controls. This stabilizes their impedance and minimizes the reflected losses in the network.
System Return Loss (RL). Return loss measures all the relative reflected power lost in a network. Low return loss is one measure of the quality of a system. RL, or echo, has an effect on pulse shape and therefore system error rate. System RL is so important for Gigabit Ethernet performance that it's one of the new test criteria now defined for existing Cat. 5, Cat. 5E, and the new Level 6 cabling. As with impedance, a network's RL becomes more important at higher frequencies.
RL performance is a critical parameter for successful Gigabit Ethernet use because Gigabit Ethernet uses bidirectional transmission on each pair. From this, you'll see any reflected energy as noise at the receiver. Echo cancelation is the method you use to minimize this noise. You do this by complex integrated circuits, trained to cancel the reflected energy. Without cancellation, a worst-case Cat. 5 installation would not support Gigabit Ethernet or any other high-speed applications using bidirectional pair transmission.
Here's how we test for high-frequency performance. To measure the high-frequency performance of next generation networks, we use a realistic LAN premise hardware system. Here, a network analyzer connects to 2 m of patch cord (representing work area cabling), which then terminates through a wall plate to a 90-m run of horizontal cable. The horizontal cable connects to a patching system (normally located in a wiring closet). The last portion of the network is another 2 m of patch cord, which normally goes to a hub, bridge, or router. For the test, this last length of patching cord terminates back to the network analyzer. This arrangement allows testing in both directions through the network. It also approximates a long length basic link, as defined in TIA/EIA 568A, TSB 67.
Test results. After evaluating more than 20 premise hardware systems and various combinations of patch and horizontal cabling (of almost every major manufacturer), we observed some interesting results:
There's a difference between hardware systems, especially above 50 MHz.
A 2-m length of patch cord has a large effect on system performance, especially on RL and impedance.
All premise systems, regardless of their quality, benefit from using the best available patch cable.
This last item, regarding high-frequency network applications, was unexpected. For obvious reasons, we shared the specific results for each system tested only with its manufacturer.
With a lower quality patch cable, the impedance stability, which ideally should be close to the 100-ohm target line, begins to break down at about 50 MHz. Above this level, there's a wide variation in the measured impedance.
When we tested the high-performance hardware system with a high-performance patch cord, we found the impedance became remarkably smoother, staying relatively flat out through 350 MHz. The RL for this same system meets the reference target level. We didn't expect 2 m of patch cord could have such an impact on a network.
We also tested the impedance stability of the lower performance hardware system. With the low performance patch cable, the impedance begins to break down at around 30 MHz. Installing a high-performance patch cable in this low-performance hardware system improves its performance: The cable impedance is relatively smooth out to about 100 MHz.
Measuring RL for the lower quality system in combination with the lower performance patch cable shows performance to the reference line that extends out to only 10 MHz. Beyond 10 MHz, RL deteriorates rapidly. However, RL improves significantly for this system by changing the patch cords, with performance above the target level to about 50 MHz.
Skew. A recent addendum to the TIA/EIA 568A standard adds new test requirements for propagation delay and delay skew. Delay is a measurement of the time it takes for a signal to propagate through a length of cable. Because each pair has a different degree of twist, their electrical lengths vary, and the signaling delays are different. Delay skew is a measurement of the signaling delay difference from the fastest pair to the slowest. The skew measurements for the best hardware system combined with 2 m of low-performance patch cord exceeds the TIA/EIA 568A specified maximum allowable network skew of 45 nanoseconds (nsec). Again, simply changing the patch cord provides a significant improvement, with a performance of less than 25 nsec of skew at the highest frequencies. This is a much less skew or timing delay difference pair to pair.
ACR. ACR, or attenuation-to-crosstalk ratio, is roughly equivalent to the signal-to-noise ratio in a circuit. This is true because crosstalk is the most significant source of noise, and attenuation measures signal strength. In our testing, however, we didn't plot ordinary ACR. Instead, we measured power sum ACR. That is, we calculated the ACR using the more difficult power sum crosstalk measurement. Our testing shows the network has positive ACR past 200 MHz, which is impressive. It also meets 10 db power sum ACR at 160 MHz. This is good performance for a network that represents a near maximum length configuration. (This performance level has been promoted by a national distributor. More data and additional testing is available at Quabbin's website, www.quabbin.com.)
Sidebar: The Current Situation re: Network Speeds
Several new LAN operating protocols have just come to market, or are coming to market right now. All exceed the 10 Mbps transmission rate of the 10Base-T networks found in what seems like every office in America. Here are the new network protocols.
Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM). This network runs with signaling rates of 155 Mbps, with only a small amount of signal energy in the range above 100 MHz. ATM sends data in fixed length packets rather than in synchronized time slots. This type of packet technology is a superior technology. This technology is the wave of the future. Our current ATM scheme, however, will not be the final version of it.
100Base-T. This is the new Ethernet protocol that increases data rates from the current 10 Mbps to 100 Mbps. Many networks have already installed dual-rated Ethernet insert cards, which are capable of running Ethernet at 100 Mbps. There are, however, questions as to whether the networks will operate acceptably at ten times their current speed. Under the new protocol, you would use all four pairs in the cabling system rather than the two pairs used under the current scheme. This requires a significant change to the test methods for crosstalk; you now must deal with both near end and far end crosstalk.
Gigabit Ethernet (1000Base-T). This is proposed to run over Cat. 5 or better copper wire. A new Cat. 6 is being designed for protocols beyond Gigabit signaling.


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Inaugural Year: 1961
Stadium: Target Field (39,504 Capacity)
Show your support for the Minnesota Twins this season with some of the great Minnesota Twins apparel from Fanzz! Fanzz has a great selection of Minnesota Twins hats, so that you can have something to wear to the next big game. But don't just get a hat. You'll also want to get some Minnesota Twins shirts to show everyone that you are a serious fan. For the ultimate fans, you're going to want to get one of our Minnesota Twins uniforms with your favorite player's name on the back. Women, we haven't forgotten about you. Fanzz has a great selection of women's Minnesota Twins apparel, from Minnesota Twins women's t-shirts and jerseys, to Minnesota Twins jewelry. Fill your kitchen or basement bar with some of the Minnesota Twins drink ware we have. This will impress all of your guests, as well as help you bring the Twins logo into your home! Another way to fill your home with Minnesota Twins gear is by checking out our Home & Office section, where you can find some great Minnesota Twins memorabilia. Don't forget about our Minnesota Twins gifts section, where you'll be able to find some great gifts in any price range. No matter what Twins merchandise or gear you are looking for, Fanzz is going to have what you need to support your Twins this season!
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A transfer of power at the Flagler County Sheriff's Office will mark one of the county's most significant changes in 2013 with Jim Manfre resuming the post of top cop after an eight-year hiatus and plans for a jail expansion in the works.
BUNNELL — A transfer of power at the Flagler County Sheriff's Office will mark one of the county's most significant changes in 2013 with Jim Manfre resuming the post of top cop after an eight-year hiatus and plans for a jail expansion in the works.
"There are a lot of very important things to take care of, and the jail is one of them," Manfre said. "Nine years ago, I presented a plan to remodel and add on. (Jail expansion), obviously, isn't a popular issue with taxpayers but something needs to be done."
The Flagler County jail has 134 beds divided into four pods. One has 14 beds for women; another has 64 beds, and the other two have 24 and 32 beds.
Despite being too small, Manfre said it was designed for a different, and less violent, population than those who are typically incarcerated now.
Flagler County's two newest commissioners — Charlie Ericksen and Frank Meeker — both say overcrowding at the jail needs to be addressed.
"It's the number one item on the list," Ericksen said. "Especially with the threat of the state to leave the population in the jail if sentences are close to a year. That will cost (the county) a lot."
Meeker would rather the county address the jail now than wait for a mandate.
"I'd rather we chart our own course," he said.
Administrative offices for the sheriff will also be discussed in conjunction with jail expansion, as well as the fate of the Historic Courthouse in Bunnell.
Ericksen praised current Sheriff Don Fleming for holding off a decision about whether to move the offices out of the current complex on Justice Lane and into the courthouse, so the decision could be Manfre's. Manfre said he is willing to work toward the plan "that costs less."
"I'm going to use a business approach to running the agency," Manfre said. "Integrity and ethics will be the centerpiece of (law enforcement officer) training, and there will be true community policing. Beyond that, we have to have a business approach that considers the costs to taxpayers."
Manfre, Ericksen and Meeker all believe that the discussion about where to move the sheriff's administrative offices should wait minimally until Thursday's meeting between Bunnell and Flagler County officials.
"The last I heard from the councilmen in Bunnell, they want the whole building," Ericksen said.
In addition to considering Bunnell's needs, Meeker said decisions about office space could wait until after the jail is addressed.
"Capital projects are one area where municipalities can save money," Meeker said. "We need to focus on the jail first and take a look at the (revenues from) the half-cent sales tax that will be used to pay for jail expansion. I want to keep a tight rein on things, until we see where we stand with that."
He said it is "a little early" to be looking too closely at office space for the sheriff.
"There are really three choices: use the annex portion of the courthouse, build offices elsewhere, or keep them as part of the jail," Meeker said. "We need to meet the needs of elected officers, like the sheriff, but I'm not interested in building a monument to government."
Manfre said the decision might also hinge, in part, on the success of moving the Palm Coast substation from its current location on Old Kings Road to City Walk.
"(Palm Coast city manager) Jim Landon offered us two units there," Manfre said, adding that he would like to keep the substation open most of the day, 16 hours.
"We want to be able to solve problems face to face," Manfre said. "If it is not an immediate emergency, we would encourage people to come there to meet with deputies."
The sheriff-elect said having a place away from home for residents to meet with deputies from everything to noise complaints, thefts or domestic situations is less intimidating and less confrontational.
"A lot of people don't want their neighbors to see that law enforcement has been at their house," Manfre said. "This is especially true if they want to complain about their (neighbor's) barking dog or (possibly) illegal activities. We can be a lot more proactive this way."


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This section represents a significant turning point in the Gospel. Peter's confession of Jesus not only answers the question of Jesus' identity but also brings a shift in Jesus' teaching. From this point Jesus begins to prepare the disciples for his death and for the discipleship of bearing one's cross daily. In fact, six times Jesus notes his approaching suffering (9:22, 44; 12:50; 13:31-33; 17:25; 18:31). Three of these notes have parallels in Mark 8:31-32, 9:30-32 and 10:32-34, but three of them are unique to Luke.
While the crowds wrestle with the prophetic nature of Jesus' ministry, the disciples realize that Jesus is the promised one, the anointed ruler promised by the Old Testament. But despite Jesus' prominent and authoritative position, God's program is not a matter of the raw exercise of power. The disciples think that kingdom means immediate victory. Jesus must show them that before the glory comes the cross and a life of sacrificial service. This is what Jesus portrays as the "new way" (9:23-27). Other passages in this section show that the disciples have much to learn, so the voice from heaven at the transfiguration tells them to listen to Jesus. He offers instruction on the new and true way to God.
This passage begins to answer the "who is Jesus?" question posed throughout the Gospel, especially in chapters 7--9. After prayer Jesus checks the disciples for a "Gallup Poll" reading of the multitudes: "Who do the crowds say I am?" The answers exactly parallel verses 7-9: the crowds believe that Jesus is some kind of prophet. Many people today also have an elevated view of Jesus; they see him as a great teacher or someone in touch with God's will. But for them Jesus is hardly a unique religious figure. This is why Jesus' question and Peter's answer are so crucial. When Jesus asks, "Who do you say I am?" he is trying to see if the disciples recognize his uniqueness. Prophets have abounded through the centuries, but only one is called the Christ, God's anointed. Peter's answer highlights Jesus' uniqueness.
In considering the uniqueness of Jesus in Peter's answer, it is easy to overstate Peter's meaning in this original context. The disciples eventually came to see that the Messiah is a divine-human figure, but Peter's confession did not have that full force when it was uttered here. The disciples had to learn about Jesus' divinity through his ministry as a whole. The confession of Jesus as Son of God in the Matthean parallel pushes toward this implication, but Peter's attempt to correct Jesus right after this confession in Matthew shows that he was not yet aware that Jesus possessed total divinity. Son could also be a regal title, as Psalm 2 and 2 Samuel 7:11-14 show.
What Peter is confessing is that Jesus is not merely a prophetic revealer of God's way, he is the deliverer who brings God's way, as Jesus has already proclaimed himself to be in 4:16-30. Jesus will stretch this foundational understanding of Peter's into new and higher categories as his own ministry proceeds, but the key step in getting there is to realize that Jesus' uniqueness goes beyond prophetic-teaching categories. Jesus is not the messenger; he is the message. The burden of the rest of Jesus' ministry is to show how that message will be delivered and who the message bearer is.
Divine logic sometimes surprises us. We can imagine being among the disciples as Peter confesses Jesus to be the Messiah and thinking, "Great! Now victory, power and authority are right around the corner. Surely God will vindicate the righteous now. We can sit next to the king. We will rule with him!" But immediately after the confession Jesus moves to reorient the disciples' thinking. They continue to wrestle with such questions even as late as Acts 1:6-11, but Jesus is always reminding them that the divine call involves service and witness, not the raw exercise of power. People are to be won over and served, not coerced.
The same truth endures for disciples today. The cross Jesus bore is the cross the church is to bear. Giving oneself on behalf of sinners is just as integral to the gospel today as it was in days of old. Ministry is not a matter of power and privilege, but of humility and service.
Jesus will have to make his point several times before the disciples get it. Divine logic requires a listening ear and an open heart.
This passage has two parts: the prediction of Jesus' suffering (vv. 21-22) and the announcement of the "new way" of suffering, bearing one's cross daily (vv. 23-27).
Jesus' command that the disciples keep his identity secret has provoked considerable discussion. Why would Jesus want to hide his messianic role? This problem is known as the "messianic secret" in New Testament studies. The command for silence has bothered some interpreters so much that they have argued (1) whether Jesus really ever presented himself as Messiah and (2) that a Gospel writer (generally said to be Mark) created this idea to explain why the church later preached Jesus as Messiah though he had not presented himself this way. I mention this view not because I think it is right but because its very existence shows how surprising Jesus' messianic presentation was. Jesus' command shows that he wanted to communicate certain facts about this title to the disciples before it was bandied about in public. There was much potential for misunderstanding about Jesus' task.
So Jesus discusses the approaching suffering of the Son of Man. This is the first "suffering Son of Man" saying in this Gospel. Later Luke will speak of the Christ's suffering (24:26, 46). Both here and in 24:26 this suffering is said to be necessary (dei). The plan is for Messiah to suffer and serve before receiving glory (19:10). Luke emphasizes this point from here on (9:44; 11:29-32; 12:50; 13:31-35; 17:25; 18:31-33; 20:9-18; 22:19-20, 28; 24:7, 46-47).
This passage's teaching is clear enough. Jesus will suffer, be rejected, be killed and on the third day rise again. Subsequent history and the church's continuing proclamation of this point make this message easy to comprehend today. But what strands of Old Testament hope served as the original basis for Jesus' saying that such things must be?
Probably various themes contributed to this portrait. (1) Psalm 118 (117:22 LXX) predicts the suffering of a regal figure. Some even link this imagery with Daniel 2 and 7, but there the presence of regal suffering is not so clear. However, the theme of rejection, as expressed in Luke, is reflected in Psalm 118. (2) The portrait of a suffering representative for the nation in Isaiah 52:13--53:12 easily suggests a representative role for Jesus that includes suffering. (3) The general biblical portrait of the righteous sufferer, as found in many psalms (18, 22, 32, 69), also supports this expectation. God's righteous ones often suffer at the hands of the world. Surely the One who is righteous and represents them would share in their journey. These three strands seem to be the biblical base for Jesus' remarks and his synthesis of Messiah's career. Since an emphasis on suffering was not a standard element of Jewish messianic hope (in fact, no Jewish messianic text found up to this time clearly refers to it), Jesus wanted to instruct his disciples about it and not use the title Messiah publicly to explain who he was until they understood all that was involved. They got the point eventually, as evidenced in Acts 2:24-33 by Peter's linking of the resurrection to Psalm 16, a psalm also about righteous suffering. Jesus will go the way of saints before him, and those who follow him must be ready to travel the same road.
Suffering is by nature hard, and it will take time for the disciples to understand that God's promised deliverer will indeed experience suffering, even death. In fact, the New Testament is clear that it took the events themselves to make the point acceptable to the disciples (24:13-36).
But Jesus' path also meant that these disciples lived in tension. They had access to many blessings through Jesus, but Jesus' departure meant that other blessings the Messiah would bring were yet to come. In addition, the world's harsh reaction to Jesus and those identified with him would continue until he returned.
So Jesus says that to follow him means walking in the path of the cross. Disciples are like their teacher. Whether that path involves "taking up the cross," "losing one's life" or "not being ashamed of the Son of Man," disciples need to understand that life in the world will not involve an easy, stressless trip into glory. The apostle Peter would write later that this road of trial to glory mirrors what Christ himself was predicted to experience--suffering and then glory (1 Pet 1:3-12).
The essence of discipleship is humility before God. That humility expresses itself as self-denial. Taking up the cross daily and following Jesus means approaching ministry in the world as he did. He served and gave of himself daily, even to the cultural ignominy of publicly bearing rejection on the cross (Acts 5:30; Gal 3:13). The Savior bore rejection and death for others, and the disciple must follow in the same path of service. We must be prepared to accept rejection as a given. Everything Jesus teaches his disciples in chapters 9--19 will underscore this point.
The tense sequence in verse 23 is important. Two aorist imperatives are followed by a present imperative. Two summary commands are issued: deny oneself and take up the cross (aorist imperatives). These are basic orientations of the disciple. Then the disciple can continually follow (present imperative) Jesus.
Jesus explains that to seek to preserve one's life will result in its loss, while giving one's life up will lead to its being saved. The remark's context is crucial. During Jesus' ministry, anyone concerned to maintain their reputation in Judaism would never come to Jesus, given the leadership's developing official rejection of him. Someone whose life and reputation in the public sphere were primary would never want to come to Jesus. But if they gave up a life of popular acclaim and acceptance to come to Jesus, they would gain deliverance. Jesus understood that trusting in God means nontrust in self and nonreliance on the security the world offers: Whoever loses his life for me will save it.
Jesus' explanation now goes a level deeper by probing the issue of gain and looking at the question spiritually. One can possess the world but lose one's soul and thus have nothing spiritually. By implication, it is far preferable to lose the world and gain one's soul. Such contrast between the world and a person's spiritual welfare is common in the New Testament (Jn 3:17, 19: 1 Cor 1:18-31; Gal 2:20; 2 Pet 1:4; 1 Jn 2:1516; Sasse 1965:888). Turn to God through Jesus and for his sake. Jesus made a similar commitment himself, when he turned down Satan's offer of all the power in the world (Lk 4:5-8).
So Jesus exhorts his disciples not to be ashamed of the Son of Man. The mention of shame reveals Jesus' concern about the persecution that will come to those who identify with him. In ancient Middle Eastern culture, personal shame was to be avoided at all costs. But to suffer shame while serving God can be a badge of honor, if one is in God's will (1 Cor 4:9-13).
Again Jesus calls himself the Son of Man. Only here it is the Son of Man of glory that is in view. One day he will render judgment. If some have not identified with Jesus, he will not identify with them in that day. So the stakes are high: the issue is one's soul. With Jesus, there is no doubt about one's fate.
In the midst of this warning Jesus offers a promise: some will not see death until they see the kingdom of God. Contextually this is a reference to the preview of glory some of the disciples get in the transfiguration, an event recorded in verses 28-36. Seen in light of Luke's development in the book, the arrival of the kingdom also is made visible in Jesus' current ministry (11:20; 17:20-21). In fact, the benefits of promise are distributed in Acts 2 (Lk 24:49 with Acts 2:30-36). So Jesus has in view both the preview of total glory and the initial arrival of promise as a result of his ministry. Those disciples who were present at the transfiguration, as well as those who shared in Pentecost, shared in the sneak preview of the kingdom's arrival before they "saw death."
The disciples are never to forget that they are associated with the Son of Man, the one who bears and comes with the glory of God. In suffering they imitate Christ. After the cross of suffering there is blessing and glory. Allegiance to Jesus in service to God and a needy world is worth the cost.
Every time I come to this passage a particular American commercial rings in my ears. It has various versions, but one of them is a scene of people sitting in the stands at a tennis match, their heads turning to and fro in unison, following the progress of the tennis ball during the point. Then a man in the stands turns to his friend and says, "My broker works for E. F. Hutton, and E. F. Hutton says . . ." Suddenly every head stops and everyone leans in to hear the financial advice. The closing line of the ad is "When E. F. Hutton talks, everybody listens."
That is very much the feel of the transfiguration, except that in this scene the call to listen comes at two levels. There is the divine voice, which stops all discussion between the disciples and Jesus, and there is the central instruction to listen to Jesus. The point in both cases is that instruction is needed, because the path Jesus walks is unexpected. If disciples are to understand that walk and follow in its footsteps, they will need to listen to him.
This event is so significant that 2 Peter 2:16-21 comments upon it. The disciples come to preview Jesus' majestic glory, but they also are told to be quiet for a time until they understand what God is doing through Jesus.
Luke locates this event about eight days after Peter's confession, which associates the event and its proclamation with Jesus' remarks about discipleship. When the call to listen to Jesus comes, the statements about discipleship are especially in view.
Jesus takes Peter, James and John along as he goes up onto a mountain to pray. We are not told why only this inner circle is present. But as Jesus prays, his appearance changes. Luke highlights two details: the changing of his face and of his garments. Luke does not use the Greek verb metamorphoo, "to transform," for he wishes to avoid confusion with the Hellenistic picture of the epiphany of a god and its suggestive polytheism. Nonetheless, this is a transformation, not a vision. By describing Jesus' clothes as bright, Luke makes associations with the glory of God's presence as in Exodus 34:29-35 (the Greek has no mention of lightning in this context, unlike the NIV). In fact, much in the account suggests imagery of the second Moses, such as the allusion to Deuteronomy 18:15 in the words of the heavenly voice, but the fact that booths for Elijah and Moses would be inadequate tells us that this connection does not exhaust the event's meaning. Jesus is the bearer of a new order and more.
The presence of Elijah and Moses has been much discussed (see Stein 1992:284). (1) Do they represent the different kinds of life endings (burial versus being taken up to God; Thrall 1970:305-17)? (2) Is their presence an indication of endorsement by great prophets and wonderworkers of old (L. T. Johnson 1991:153)? (3) Or is it a contrast between the law (Moses) and the prophets (Elijah; so Stein 1992:284)? (4) Or is it that Moses points to the prophet like Moses, while Elijah suggests the eschaton's arrival (as late Judaism also had the linkage, Deuteronomy Rabbah 3 [201c]; Schurmann 1968:557)? This last view is slightly more likely than the third approach. Luke makes the Moses connection explicit in various texts (Acts 3:18-22; 7:35-37), while Elijah is consistently a figure of eschatological hope (Lk 1:16-17, when John is pictured as such a figure). The event suggests two great periods of Israel's history, the exodus and the end-time hope of deliverance.
These great figures discuss the coming fulfillment of the "exodus" (Greek) or departure (NIV) in Jerusalem, an allusion to Jesus' death and journey to heaven. He will be gone awhile to return, though the stress is on the journey's launching, his death. The juxtaposition of exodus imagery and his glorious countenance suggests the imagery's broad sweep. Of course the disciples do not grasp this discussion's significance at the time, since they struggle with Jesus' predictions of his death later when they approach Jerusalem (18:31-34).
The disciples are trying to come to grips with what is happening. In their view Jesus is another great figure, like Moses and Elijah. He will found a people like Moses and sustain them through hope like Elijah. So Peter suggests they together celebrate Tabernacles, a feast that looked forward to the eschaton (also called the Feast of Ingathering, Ex 23:16; 34:22; Lev 23:34; Deut 16:13; Zech 14:16-21; Michaelis 1971:369-73; m. Sukka 1, 2:9; 3:9; 4:5; Josephus Antiquities 8.4.1 100). They should build three booths in honor of Jesus and his colleagues. The suggestion is eminently reasonable, except that it understates Jesus' relationship to his two witnesses. Peter wants to enjoy the moment and prolong it in celebration. He wants to stay on the mountaintop for as long as possible.
But Luke makes it clear that Peter has spoken because he did not know what he was saying. The voice from heaven explains: they need to listen to Jesus so they will understand his uniqueness, call and destiny to suffer. Also, their role is not merely to contemplate Jesus but to serve him. Celebration awaits in the future, but now is a time for instruction, response and action.
The voice from heaven speaks before Jesus responds. As was the case with the baptism, the voice describes who Jesus is. With the voice came the cloud that envelops them and leaves them fearful. The cloud symbolism is significant, though its meaning has engendered some controversy. The cloud could indicate God's presence as the heavens descend to the earth. But more likely is the suggestion of the new age's arrival, an age like that which founded the nation of Israel, when God's glory was present and overshadowed the people (especially Ex 40:35 LXX; also Ex 13:21-22; 16:10; 19:16; 24:16; 40:34-38; Oepke 1967:908-9).
The voice speaks of Jesus as my Son, language that recalls Psalm 2:7. Whom I have chosen highlights Jesus' unique, elect status. The wording seems to be a conceptual allusion to Isaiah 42:1: here is God's chosen instrument of deliverance. The third remark is crucial, because it adds to the remark made at the baptism. Listen to him recalls the language of Deuteronomy 18:15. Jesus is a second Moses who brings a new way for God's people. The disciples must listen to this Jesus. Their tendency is to assume they know who Jesus is and what he is about, but as his instruction shows, there are some surprises coming. He is greater than his extremely illustrious witnesses. The disciples need to sit at his feet and learn.
Instantly everything returns to normal. The disciples are so overwhelmed that they remain silent about this event for years. The testimony of 2 Peter 1:16-21 tells us why. Only in light of the resurrection did they come to understand Jesus' majesty and glory. The transfiguration was confirming testimony to the glory of Christ, and the resurrection was the crowning endorsement. Revealed in light, he is the light. With the "exodus" came understanding--but only after much listening. When we are with Jesus, we experience the cloud of glory, if we have ears to hear.
The transfiguration called the disciples to listen to Jesus. The miracle that follows explains why this call was issued. The disciples' failure to heal a possessed boy indicates their failure to trust. The contrast between Jesus' glorious power and the disciples' impotence is significant. Jesus' authority can be trusted, but disciples acting on their own are useless.
This event is the first of several failures the disciples have at the end of this chapter. They will not understand Jesus' passion prediction (vv. 43-45), nor will they understand greatness and cooperation (vv. 46-50). Instincts fail the disciples; they must listen to Jesus.
There is another important lesson in this passage. Even as Jesus turns to face rejection and death, he still overcomes the forces of evil that attempt to bring people down. Listening to Jesus is worth it, because listening to him means triumphing over evil.
The juxtaposition of this event to the transfiguration has always caught the eye of artists. One of Raphael's most famous paintings, The Transfiguration, places these two scenes side by side. The mountaintop experience is followed by an everyday failure to trust. Such an up-and-down spiritual record is often the product of failing to trust God.
Jesus descends from the mountain and encounters a huge crowd. Mark 9:14 notes that there was an ongoing dispute between the disciples and the scribes. Luke lacks such detail and keeps the story simple. A man with an only son is in distress over his child's condition. So he asks for Jesus' aid: "Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only child." Only Luke notes that the boy is an only son. The note adds pathos to the scene, because in ancient culture boys were highly prized and only sons were especially precious. The man's family heritage is at stake here. Matthew 17:14-15 says the boy is "moonstruck" and describes symptoms of epilepsy, a disease that ancient Jews viewed with much apprehension (van der Loos 1965:401-5). The disease brought terror because of its associations with darkness. It was this condition that David feigned as having before Saul (1 Sam 21:13). The detailed description of the possession's effects underline the father's terror as he watches his son controlled by forces that seek to destroy the boy. There is hardly a better metaphor in the whole Bible for the effects of evil's presence in one's life. So for the child and the father, emotions run high and the need is great.
The father has sought relief once already: "I begged your disciples to drive it out, but they could not." We can almost hear the disappointment in his words. Jesus is the last chance for this father. The father's "begging" here recalls the earlier request of verse 38. The entreaty is filled with desperation.
Jesus' response makes it clear that something is awry: "O unbelieving and perverse generation, . . . how long shall I stay with you and put up with you?" The rebuke is broad and indicates the futility that imperils the creation because of lack of response to Jesus (Rom 8:18-25). Without him creation runs haywire, going its own way. The hope is that he will reverse its effects one day. Those who refuse to believe live in the same futility. Jesus wants the disciples to learn to trust him and find their way. His rebuke indicts all the disciples, since it is a response to their failure. The description of the generation as perverse has Old Testament roots. The language most closely resembles that of Deuteronomy 32:5, a passage on covenant unfaithfulness (Num 14:27; Deut 32:20; Prov 6:14; Is 59:8). This is a generation that strays due to lack of trust. Such straying calls for much patience on the part of the One who has come to turn humanity onto the path of true life.
Jesus asks that the child be brought to him. Immediately the demon takes hold of the child and tries to seize control, but Jesus issues a rebuke. So the boy returns to his father healed. Jesus' authority and the extent of the reversal of evil's presence emerge before all. They were all amazed at the greatness of God. God is gloriously present in Jesus' acts, but the implication, given Jesus' rebuke, is that such a glorious presence demands trust. Only Jesus has the power to reverse the effects of evil. Jesus may have to be patient with some people's unbelief, but when faith like that of this father appears, evil's defeat becomes possible.
The previous success should not be misunderstood. Rejection still awaits Jesus. So he again predicts his fate. The juxtaposition of success and rejection is important, highlighted as it is by the introduction to these remarks: while everyone was marveling all that Jesus did, he said to his disciples . . . Even though he is the Son of Man, Jesus will be handed over to others, betrayed and rejected. The betrayal's nearness is underscored by the term mellei. It is "about to come." The disciples do not understand the saying. In fact, its significance is concealed from them. And they do not dare to ask about it.
How can the disciples not understand? Matthew 17:23 notes their distress as they hear Jesus' words. That text indicates that the meaning is probably not that they fail to understand the content of what Jesus said. What they fail to grasp is its import. How can the promised one, the recently confessed Messiah, possibly accomplish God's will and be rejected? Is he not to be a glorious, victorious figure? Is he not to bring deliverance? The disciples fail to grasp the answers to questions like these. Their lack of understanding is why they must listen to him. The lessons are just beginning, and some expectations need revision.
Our world is consumed with issues of status. Titles, degrees, offices and positions affect one's image and self-esteem. We even speak of wearing power suits and power ties to give an official air of status and authority. The last unit of the Galilean ministry section of Luke addresses the issue of status. The synonym of "status" for most people is "power," and its antonym is "being a nothing." But Jesus calls us away from pursuing status and power. Viewed spiritually, the opposite of status is humility and a lack of concern about where one fits on the corporate ladder. Such an attitude is fundamental for the disciple.
Jesus' remarks emerge because of a debate among the disciples about who is at the "top of the table," as the British say. Who are the top dogs among the disciples? There is an intense irony here: as Jesus discusses the Son of Man's approaching rejection, the disciples are consumed by their own discipleship rankings. In response Jesus points to a child, a person with little status in the ancient world. In that world a child was barely seen and not heard at all. In Judaism, where children were held in more respect than in other ancient cultures, it still was often considered a waste of time to teach one under twelve the Torah. In fact, m. `Abot 3:10 reads, "Morning sleep, mid-day wine, chattering with children and tarrying in places where men of common people assemble, destroy a man." Here children and status issues appear side by side. Jesus does not view children as insignificant. For him every person counts. Mark 9:36 notes that this child is small enough for Jesus to take into his arms.
Bringing the child to his side, Jesus says, "Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For he who is least among you all--he is the greatest." Jesus' point is that everyone, even the lowest person on the ladder, is important. Receiving a child is like receiving God. Jesus speaks of people in these terms elsewhere (Mt 25:35-45).
In all likelihood the theology behind this statement involves a recognition that every person is made in the image of God and deserves respect for that reason alone. The effect of Jesus' words is to rule out debates over status. Greatness comes from one's status as a human being, as one created by God. Even little children are great. Disciples are to affirm the greatness of all persons; they all have dignity, even those who need to get right with God and deal honestly with sin. Every sinner deserves some respect. No persons are so low on the ladder that they are beyond the reach of divine compassion.
The danger of the pursuit of status is a destructive elitism. Like a cancer, elitism eats into the gospel invitation that is made to all humankind. Cliques and withdrawal into an air of superiority within the church often destroy its ability to draw in those who need Jesus the most. Those in the church who worry about where they rank are thinking too little about how to serve others who need God.
There is another point here. Jesus defines greatness without using explicit comparison to anyone else, as people often measure greatness. Greatness is found in an attitude, humility; it does not require someone else's lack of greatness. All relative scales are removed. Greatness has only one mirror, the reflective eyes of God. He sees greatness in those who do not need to be great to have stature.
The next event brings to the surface yet another error. Another destructive attempt to project greatness is the attempt to limit the right to share in ministry. When the disciples try to stop a man from performing exorcisms in Jesus' name, Jesus tells them they are wrong. The principle is that whoever is not against you is for you. Jesus' point is not that those who are neutral about Jesus are for him; in fact, the man invokes Jesus' name in doing his work. This exorcist is not neutral. Rather, the point is that all disciples are to minister and should be allowed to do so. The disciples who travel with Jesus are not to see themselves as professional ministers who must perform all the tasks of ministry. Rather, all can labor for Jesus and should be encouraged to do so. Ministry is a cooperative venture.
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The Journey to Jerusalem
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Renz Julian - Pop n' Lock Part 2 [Label Submitted]
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KS3 History National Curriculum Levels
Posted 11 February 2012 - 06:57 PM
Please find attached some professionally produced National Curriculum AFL resources produced by Andrew Hill. He drew upon the existing practice wihin the department to produce the attached materials, which are absolutely outstanding. There is something for everyone to draw upon and use. Whenever I design new assessment tasks, I prefer to refer to these documents than the highly condensed National Curriculum attainment target.
1.1 Chronology Levels.ppt 103KB 610 downloads
1.2 Cultural, Ethnic & Religious Diversity Levels.ppt 92.5KB 254 downloads
1.3 Change & Continuity Levels.ppt 114KB 430 downloads
1.3 Change & Continuity Levels.ppt 114KB 430 downloads
1.4 Cause & Consequence Levels.ppt 91.5KB 281 downloads
1.5 Significance Levels.ppt 104KB 289 downloads
1.6 Interpretation Levels.ppt 84KB 271 downloads
2.1 Historical Enquiry Levels.ppt 106.5KB 251 downloads
2.2 Using Evidence Levels.ppt 118.5KB 280 downloads
2.3 Communicating about the past Levels.ppt 85KB 265 downloads
KS3 Marksheme Templates.ppt 1.57MB 548 downloads
There are more files to go with this AFL package, but unfortunately I'munable to upload them.
We have imbedded nearly of these resources into our day to day practice and they have played a significant role in helping to move our students on and to explicitly identify their next steps to improve. I would strongly recommend that everyone should consider adopting some of these resources and making sure that they are routinely referred to if you wish to survive the no notice inspections from September.
Every student within the department has the relevant learning ladder stuck into their exercise book. I use the feedback sheets after every assessment and get students to write in their own words, what their next steps to improve are. Many of the resources in this pack make great posters and I would strongly recommend displaying them and referring to them throughout your lessons.
If anyone has any questions, then please feel free to ask. I will also add some common assessment tasks and written feedback sheets that we stick into students exercise books. They seriously help to speed up the marking and assessment process and I would strongly recommend that everyone adds these resources to their teachers survival pack.
Kind Regards
Posted 11 February 2012 - 08:23 PM
Roy, thank you again for ruining my half-term. I have an awful lot of reading and thinking to do.
Posted 11 February 2012 - 08:52 PM
Shouldn't there be some sort of award for all this?
Roy, thank you again for ruining my half-term. I have an awful lot of reading and thinking to do.
I agree
Edited by jcstanyon, 11 February 2012 - 08:53 PM.
Posted 11 February 2012 - 11:55 PM
Posted 12 February 2012 - 10:51 AM
"In the past, philosophers have sought only to understand the world. The point is also to change it." - K. Marx
"Classification is exceedingly tedious" - I. Berlin
Posted 12 February 2012 - 11:01 AM
Posted 12 February 2012 - 01:33 PM
Using Roy's various materials, you could get them to read your feedback and work out what the level is...
These are smashing. I think they're especially useful for teachers coming up with feedback for students so that they can take the next steps. One thing tho - don't give them a level, they won't read the rest of the feedback.
For Example:
"Good work, Roy. You are beginning to recognise and describe the nature and extent of diversity within populations.
What Level does this relate to? Level 5
What would your target to reach the next level be?" To identify and explain reasons for such diversity in terms of cultural, ethnic, regional, linguistic, social, economic, technological, political and religious differences
Thus you get the student to become increasingly familiar with their achievements and the related targets, and have a level in their books for when SLT scrutinise the books.
Posted 12 February 2012 - 02:19 PM
Posted 12 February 2012 - 09:20 PM
Just thought it was best to clarify the intentions with this work and give it a fuller pedagogical context.
What Roy uploaded yesterday were what I would regard as draft documents that were intended to be used at Mexborough as a case study but I didn't get a chance to speak to him or clarify that he was uploading the full package. At the end of this post are some further materials to support assessment. Although they are only drafts made for our context and school, it goes without saying I am more than happy to support staff and students anywhere and if these make life even a little easier for people then that's a great result.
The documents of course took a quite a while to produce, even in their current state, but, I would like to think that in the future they could be refined with a view to securing support from publishing companies with a wider reach to try and come up with a model springing from good practice in History that could be extended elsewhere and in other subjects. In my experience, it is very often History that stands as the driving force for good practice and assessment cpd in the majority of schools; chiefly because of our marking workload!
With that in mind, I only would ask if you could respect the authorship and support me in making that idea a reality, if you can, by getting in touch if you have any ideas or feedback.
The basic principle behind the work was borne out of a need to make instant but meaningful feedback a central facet of teaching at Mexborough and make it easily apparent to the students where they needed to develop in order to get to the next level in a particular skill. I started with a blank canvas approach and worked with the base documents of the national curriculum and it quickly became clear that not only are they insufficient in their scope, they are also not always easily accessible for either staff or students. Obviously, I understand that teachers and, quite often circumstances, drive interpretation of assessment materials but I felt that there was scope to try and make a set of fundamental assessment materials that could serve as the foundation stone of other assessment documentation. A first port of call for both staff and students as it were.
Therefore the documents above cover all the 'current' assessment areas of the national curriculum and they have been split up so that there are cumulative statements that apply to each level. Of course the curriculum itself is not that prescriptive but I simply tried to use my best judgement to 'fill in the gaps' where necessary.
What Roy has uploaded so far are the reinterpreted level descriptors themselves and their respective learning ladders alongside a basic in class AfL assessment sheet which was used as instant feedback during informal assessment and target setting activities.
As Roy said, however, I produced a lot of other material to support the integration of this assessment policy and it was intended to be a whole package so I would of course like people to see the other areas including class posters, book inserts and complete level sheets (across all skills), marking inserts for class work as well as a host of assessments themselves.
The general idea was also 'brand' the whole process of assessment for the students so that when they saw the relevant logo or colour scheme on a document they knew to apply the appropriate skill.
However, it is perhaps most important to say that my motivation was not necessarily students in producing these materials, I have to confess that my primary focus was making life easier for those that stand in front of the desks rather than those that sit behind them. I wanted to produce a 'painless' assessment policy that could release the burden of setting up an assessment and the enormous amount of time taken to offer feedback afterwards which, as it has already been noted above, is not always received as intended.
My hope was/is that the students would come to understand the materials and become more independent in applying them and staff could concentrate on tailoring specific feedback and fine tune higher level skills rather than having to repeat lower level concepts.
I really hope that releasing this material can offer help to those new to assessment but also that those more experienced in the field can offer some constructive feedback. Thanks to those that already have.
First time poster, long time front-liner
Andy Hill
Attached Files
Edited by AndyH, 13 February 2012 - 12:28 AM.
Posted 12 February 2012 - 09:42 PM
Posted 12 February 2012 - 10:22 PM
However, it is perhaps most important to say that my motivation was not necessarily students in producing these materials, I have to confess that my primary focus was making life easier for those that stand in front of the desks rather than those that sit behind them.
First time poster, long time front-liner
Andy Hill
Thank you, Andy, for the rationale behind these immensely useful resources. I trust that everyone will respect your wishes as expressed above. Wouldn't it be lovely if more people felt the way you do?
Posted 12 February 2012 - 10:30 PM
Many thanks you are a star for sharing the rest of these resourceses. If all goes well, I should be able to post a few more examples of assessments and feedback sheets tomorrow, then its back to the trenches.
Edited by Roy Huggins, 13 February 2012 - 12:06 AM.
Posted 13 February 2012 - 08:46 AM
Edited by Stobbsy, 13 February 2012 - 08:46 AM.
Posted 13 February 2012 - 09:07 PM
In addition to teh resources that Andy has created for the department, I've also recently made the attached written feedback sheets based around some of his ideas.
The first is for the attached assignment on Cause & Consequence, Significance and Communication on the English Civil War
Card Sort: Card Sort on Causes of the Civil war.doc 47KB 188 downloads
Living Graph: Living Graph - Causes of the English Civil War.pptx 987.36KB 147 downloads
Living Graph Cards: Time Line - Living Graph Causes of CW.doc 41.5KB 119 downloads
Living Graph Cards SEN: SEN - Living Graph Causes of CW.doc 40KB 101 downloads
Assignment: Causes of the English Civil War Assessment Task.doc 378KB 152 downloads
Written Feedback: Written Feedback for assessment task Cause sof The English Civil war.docx 17.18KB 194 downloads
The Second Assignment is aimed at Change & Continuity, Significance and Communication. Students watch the History File Video: Britain 1750 to 1850 and then do a source investigation before attempting question 16.
Assignment: Video Notes sheet for Intro to Industrial Rev.doc 146.5KB 109 downloads
Written Feedback: Written Feedback for assessment task Britain 1750 to 1850.docx 19.05KB 142 downloads
I personally find that the level of constructive feedback that is required from Ofsted is such, that I simply haven't got the time to write detailed essays for each assignment, so cutting out the appropriate level and sticking it into their book helps to speed things up.
I was especially gutted in November when the Ofsted inspector told me on the old framework: 'the only limiting factor to you not getting an outstanding was the neatness of your handwriting in your students exercise books.' I was left with two options, or typing up my future comments.
Kind Regards
PS Signing off for now - hopefully check in a few times between now and Easter.
Posted 27 March 2012 - 03:17 PM
I have also attached a KS3 grid I have been using for the past few years which goes in each students folder of assessed work. By shading in what they get for each piece of work, it visually displays their achievement over the key stage.
Attached Files
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Daytona International Speedway has been repaired in time for NASCAR's biggest race, and officials are willing to relocate fans concerned about safety following a horrific crash that injured more than 30 people.
Track President Joie Chitwood says workers repaired a section of fence about 200 feet from the start-finish line, the area shredded Saturday when Kyle Larson's car went airborne on the final lap of a second-tier race and crashed through the barrier that separates the cars from the track. Large pieces of debris, including a tire, sprayed into the upper and lower section of the stands.
Chitwood says if any fans are uncomfortable with their up-close seating for Sunday's Daytona 500, officials will work to move them.
(Read More: Cars You'll Never Drive)


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Almost exactly a year ago, Minnesota bounced UCLA from the NCAA Tournament with an 83-63 blowout. Two days later, the Bruins fired head coach Ben Howland.
He may be on his way back to the business.
Multiple outlets — including ESPN and CBS Sports — reported that Howland is eager to return to coaching, and expected to be in play for Marquette's recently opened vacancy. Buzz Williams left that head coaching position on Thursday, agreeing to a deal with Virginia Tech reported to be worth almost $18 million over seven years. Over a six-year tenure in Milwaukee, he guided the Golden Eagles to a pair of Sweet Sixteens.
Enter Howland, 56, who has been away from coaching since UCLA fired him last March. Landing at Marquette would mark a return to a familiar conference.
Before becoming the architect of the Bruins' three straight Final Four berths from 2006-08, he spent four years in the Big East with Pittsburgh. He reached his first Sweet Sixteen in his third season with the Panthers, and pulled off a repeat appearance before heading to Los Angeles.
Though Howland was a prickly personality who burned several recruiting bridges toward the end of his UCLA tenure, he still has a track record of producing stingy defenses as well as numerous NBA draft selections.
Pac-12 progress
UCLA was the last of the Pac-12's six teams to play its round-of-64 game, capping an early run that looked awful Thursday night but swung back up Friday morning.
On the first night of the 2014 NCAA Tournament, the conference saw two teams fall in brutal fashion. First was eighth-seeded Colorado, stomped 77-48 by No. 8-seed Pittsburgh. Seventh-seeded Oregon balanced that out with an 87-68 blowout of No. 10 BYU, but Arizona State plunged the league back below .500.
The No. 10-seed Sun Devils lost to No. 7-seed Texas on a wild buzzer-beating layup — a play that sent the ASU bench sprawling onto the floor in disbelief. After the Longhorns launched a wayward 3-point attempt, the ball bounced to the ground and off forward Cameron Ridley's leg. Somehow, Ridley scooped it up in time for one more try, releasing it with roughly 0.2 seconds left on the clock. Final score: 87-85.
Friday turned the tables. Tenth-seeded Stanford upset No. 7-seed New Mexico, 58-53, likely saving coach Johnny Dawkins' job with its first tournament win since 2008. Top-seeded Arizona held No. 16 Weber State to 30.2 percent shooting, advancing with a 68-59 victory.
Though it's improved markedly over the past few seasons, the Pac-12 is still trying to regain its former reputation as a power basketball conference. Last year, it sent five teams to the Big Dance, finishing with a 5-5 record. Before that, only two Cal and Colorado made the field, with the former losing in the First Four.


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I have the ability to create Transfers of the infamous FTCH logo. due to having access to a PC with all the sign writing capabilities.
I now have one on my bike and one on the car.
Then i had a thought...who owns it, have I created something that I am likely to get into trouble for due to copyright?
FTHC Transfer
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Opinion: The Continuing ObamaCare Crack-Up
WSJ editorial board member Joe Rago on why the White House delayed the ObamaCare employer mandate for a year. Photo credit: Getty Images.
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
... I ... good afternoon and welcome to Opinion Journal I'm Mary Kissel more chaos in the implementation of Obamacare ... on Wednesday the unit to a administration delayed the mandate to force a certain employers ... to provide health care ... this major announcement was made in in the last post here's an excerpt and I quote ... over the past several months the administration has been engaging in dialogue with businesses ... we've heard concerns about the complexity of the requirements in the need for more time to implement and effectively end quote ... Wall Street Journal Editorial board member Joe rego joins me now and show ... why the delay in my now ... well first of all this is the kind of global governance that we are in the trends and global governance that we are always promise you know it deputy assistant Treasury secretary announces ... a major change ... in in in the law of the of the long post ahead of a ... head of the holiday maybe it is ridiculous why now why ... I think what they're they're making a major concession here and that's they cannot enforce their own requirement this is that this loss is that ... every employer ... with over fifty workers has a full time workers ... has to offer insurance coverage to their employees or else pay a penalty when they're signing the complexity of that with the really saying is ... we don't have to be the sort of ... information technology to actually track and enforce our own our own mandate to show some commentators out there saying this is giving ... those fifty plus full time employee employers a tax ... on that now businesses will have to pay a fine if they draw people from the health care summit in India that were quickly next year ... you agree now I think I think that's that's pretty silly ... this is only a one year delay the the idea that because it looked businesses make decisions over the long term I've been there and they're not can I make hiring firing ... benefit decisions ... up on the basis of of sort of oh oh one year grace period ... I'm in the the real story of this mandate is is not that its leading to more insurance coverage when its leading to his fewer workers in a small businesses that are expanding ... the get up to forty workers or so and they really think twice about adding ... you know that that the next ten ... of because it raises the cost of labor by by so much I can also post a full-time workers of the shifting lot to ... to part-time workers so they don't have to offer these benefits so it's really a ... sort of case study in on the unintended consequence show so there's a practical reasons for the delay in the film was so complex that they can implement in time ... but is also a political reason to delay ... because of the coming twenty fourteen elections in the fact that Democrats would of had to explain ... what looks to be a very troubled rollout ... of the year you're hearing a lot of that commentary on the right saying this is ... this is just to keep shield for the congressional Democrats and in twenty fourteen ... I'm I'm not with them here ... we have an election in the American system ... every two years ... so the the idea that they they can just be delaying this in it and avoid any kind of political common building I'd I think is false ... with this really does is it starts ... just in the same way that subsidies create their own constituency and make it harder to repeal ... the Affordable Care Act over time ... these come delays critic constituency among businesses for not being harmed for not having these rules imposed on them ... and any year from now ... it's gonna be harder ... to impose the employer mandate nine easier while Joe we've already had one political ... I it serves the fallout from this the class Act Democrats agreed to to to repeal that ... and now we've got to delay when is the opportunity than for Republicans what's what should be the next target if you're on the right you know what the law anyone slowly dismantle it right will be theirs of the week when we still need a lot of deatails here they haven't given us a lot of visibility on what ... legal forty they're actually going to see if you look at the Affordable Care Act itself it doesn't say the Secretary Shell had heard discretion ... I can pose an employer mandate it has ... an actual dates and says you will be implemented ... so what I think Republicans should do what we think Republicans should do is say ... this is the legal wheel will ... give you the legal authority we will pass a bill that will allow you to do this we will allow you to say would you ... say you need to do ... of where tenant demand a whole bunch of the things ... let's get rid of ... the tax on medical devices on this very much harming sort ... of very innovative ministry ... outlets to lay the mandate for individuals and for gaming businesses ... it can actually hear what it knew him an extra here and and really try to drive a hard bargain here ... in an incentive not doing anything constructive and just criticizing and losing well it's it's it's good advice let's hope they're listening last return


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My vote goes to the classic BIRTH CONTROL IS SINFUL IN THE CHRISTIAN MARRIAGES and also ROBBING GOD OF PRIESTHOOD CHILDREN by MS. ELIYZABETH YANNE STRONG-ANDERSON.
Just look at these glowing reviews on Amazon!
Her eloquent prose, impeccable diction, and ability to effectively maintain use of capslock and other unconventional typography for the entire 648 page masterpiece without blinding herself... nearly convinced me that she truly had been visited by the HOLYSPIRIT and that I should immediately convert to Christianity, get married, and make priesthood children.
And I didn't even have to read beyond the cover! But if you would like to, it's available on Google books: http://books.google.com/books?id=f60iWz3JBMIC&printsec=frontcov...
Views: 296
If that's the word of god then he needs to stick to Hebrew.
MSRP is $150? What the hell?
Holy shhh.. I didn't even notice the price! That the word of God sure is expensive.
This book has three references in the back. I'll give you the first two: "The Father" and "The Son." Guess the third.
Stephen King? Christ, he'll write a quote for anything, nowadays.
Ah, but the eBook is a steal at $3.03!!
I'm thankful that I was unable to find a matching title or ISBN number in WorldCat...meaning there is a possibility that no libraries have this gem in their collection! lol
Does anyone here say the word "HOLYSPIRIT" super fast when you read it?
I do. I also feel like Ms. Eliyzabeth is shouting the contents of her entire book.
It would take 10 monkeys on 10 typewriters about 10 minutes to come up with such genius as those books. Some of these preachy people get so worked up that they end up looking like parodies of themselves.
Wow ... just, stinking wow. The utter flatulence of some self-involved, bovine-brained bible-blabbers simply goes beyond any reckoning. The Caps Lock business in the description is bad enough; I shudder to think how the book itself is typeset.
Pope Paul VI's Humanae Vitae was bad enough 40 years ago. Now we have to endure Rick Santorum's bullshit and literary reverse peristalsis like THIS???
Pepto, where's the damned Pepto...?
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From PlayJam, the creators of the world's largest Interactive TV Games Network, comes Kurakku Refuelled.
As you board the intergalactic cruise liner the S.S Kurakku your mission is to guide the ship and its passengers safely around the galaxy. Your job is to recharge the ship using the ultimate environmentally friendly fuel, the Fruit Fuel Cell. If you can refuel in time then you get to depart on the next journey, exploring the most colourful and exotic corners of the universe.
You have to fire coloured fruit fuel cells into the fuel tank using a pinball style launcher. Your aim is to clear the whole fuel tank of cells by creating groups of 3 or more matching cells. When 3 cells come together they explode and disappear to create the fruit fuel the ship will need for its next journey.
The fuel tank comes part filled with cells that are arranged in colourful patterns. A single well-placed cell can lead to a cascade of exploding colours. The skill comes in judging just how far to pull the launcher back in order to make the perfect shot.
• Online Leaderboards
• New and Improved Control Scheme
• 30 krazy levels
• 2 kracking game modes – Story, complete levels to travel between 10 planets. Survival, stay alive for as long as possible.
• 4 kool game environments
• Inkredible special balls!
• Eye catching Kolourful graphics and animations
With over 1 million game downloads on interactive TV Kurakku's already classic. Now see what all the fuss is about!


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|Glendale, Calif.
|High School:
2005 Track & Field Recap: Started her season by winning the All-Cal 3000m Steeplechase in a personal best time of 11:31. A few weeks later she would drop her time significantly at the Stanford Invitational coming across the line in 11:17.33.
2004 XC Recap: Came back for the Gauchos in the second half of the season to compete well at the Cal Poly Invitational and set a 5K Cross Country personal best at the Titan Invitational of 18:24.8, finishing 9th.
2004 Track & Field Recap: Redshirted her second season as a Gaucho.
2003 XC Recap: Laura ran 19:01 to open the season on the UCSB Lagoon Course...ran 18:58.3 at the Riverside Invitational...#2 finisher for the Gaucho "B" team at the Titan Invitational, helping the Gauchos to a tie for first with UCLA "B" and Pepperdine.
2003 Track & Field Recap: Laura set PR's at 1500m and 3000mSC...qualified for Big West in the steeplechase as a freshman.
2002 XC Recap: Capped off season with 10th place finish at Titan Invitational in a 5k XC best 19:08.5.
Personal Bests
1500m: 4:48:53
3000mSC: 11:17:33


text: If you like the more social atmosphere you find at hotels or resorts, Jamaica is well stocked with these more traditional accommodations, too. Large chain accommodations like Holiday Inn SunSpree Resort Montego Bay All-Inclusive and the Ritz-Carlton Rose Hall offer visitors to Jamaica a standard of service and level of quality that people have come to expect. The same can be said for well-known resorts like Sandals, but there are also plenty of smaller, equally marvelous hotels and resorts in Jamaica that can make your stay on the island memorable.


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Manulife Mutual Funds Surpasses Record $20 Billion in Assets Under Management
- Firm now ranks 7th in total mutual fund net assets, according to IFIC
- Momentum continues as assets grow 18 percent year over year
Feb 08, 2013, 11:24 ET
TORONTO, Feb. 8, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Manulife Mutual Funds' net assets under management reached a record $20.7 billion at the close of 2012, representing an 18 percent increase from year-end 2011 to year-end 2012. The firm now places seventh in rankings released by the Investment Funds Institute of Canada (IFIC), having moved up three spots during 2012.
"Surpassing the $20 billion mark reflects our increased breadth of high-quality investment funds, our expanded distribution capabilities and our effective branding of Manulife Mutual Funds as a top tier firm in the industry," said Paul Lorentz, Executive Vice President, Investment and Insurance Solutions. "It was only relatively recently, in March of 2010, that we surpassed $15 billion in assets under management. Now, aided by record-breaking sales in years 2011 and 2012, we have arrived at a new milestone."
A major increase in business with full-service brokers at major bank-owned brokerage firms was a significant factor in asset growth in 2012 for Manulife Mutual Funds, with 43 percent of sales through the fourth quarter of 2012 generated through the bank channel. Also, the firm has increased its presence on major-dealer recommended lists, up to 31 at the end of the fourth quarter of 2012 from seven in 2009. And during the year Manulife Mutual Funds celebrated the persistence of its top performers, such as the Manulife Monthly High Income Fund, which marked its 15th year of consistent, strong investment performance under portfolio manager Alan Wicks.
New growth opportunities are in the works for 2013. A series of new funds focused on Asia and launched in 2011 – Manulife Asia Total Return Bond Fund, Manulife Asia Equity Class, and Manulife Emerging Markets Debt Fund – remain a priority, as do U.S.-focused funds such as the recently launched Manulife Strategic Balanced Yield Fund, Manulife U.S. All Cap Equity Fund and Manulife U.S. Large Cap Equity Fund. Manulife Mutual Funds will continue to emphasize its strength in fixed income with funds such as Manulife Floating Rate Income Fund. And the firm also will continue to build on the launch in December of 2012 of Manulife Private Investment Pools, a new product designed for affluent investors that offers 15 different investment pools and utilizes a tax-efficient structure, along with other advantages.
"We are enthusiastic about the future of our investment business as we have a great deal of room to significantly enhance our market share," said Mr. Lorentz. "This $20 billion milestone will not be our last, and I am looking forward to continuing to work with our various teams, along with our advisors, to build on this tremendous success."
About Manulife Mutual Funds
Manulife Mutual Funds, a division of Manulife Asset Management Limited, builds on 125 years of Manulife Financial's wealth and investment management expertise in managing assets for Canadian investors, through a diverse portfolio of forward-thinking mutual fund products. Our experienced Portfolio Managers offer access to markets in Canada, the United States and around the world, in a range of investment styles to help meet individual needs. Manulife Mutual Funds is part of Manulife Investments, which offers personal wealth management products and services, such as mutual funds, segregated fund contracts, annuities and guaranteed interest contracts. For more information, please visit manulifemutualfunds.ca.
About Manulife Financial
Manulife Financial is a leading Canada-based financial services group with principal operations in Asia, Canada and the United States. Clients look to Manulife for strong, reliable, trustworthy and forward-thinking solutions for their most significant financial decisions. Our international network of employees, agents and distribution partners offers financial protection and wealth management products and services to millions of clients. We also provide asset management services to institutional customers. Funds under management by Manulife Financial and its subsidiaries were C$532 billion (US$535 billion) as at December 31, 2012. The Company operates as Manulife Financial in Canada and Asia and primarily as John Hancock in the United States.
Manulife Financial Corporation trades as 'MFC' on the TSX, NYSE and PSE, and under '945' on the SEHK. Manulife Financial can be found on the Internet at manulife.com.
SOURCE Manulife Mutual Funds


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It can be challenging to stay in touch with customers so they feel well looked after and remain engaged.
As everyone in the automotive industry knows, follow-up communication with your customer base is extremely important for every salesperson.
It is important to maintain a relationship with every customer, no matter how they contacted the dealership – walk-ins, phone calls, website contacts or those who have purchased a vehicle.
By using innovative new automation technology that has been recently developed, it is simple to contact customers on their preferred mode of communication by adding the element of automation to their customer experience.
The automation process is one of the most efficient time-savers retail dealerships can employ. By automating certain tasks, like message sending, gathering information, segmenting customer data and more, the dealership team gains hundreds of valuable hours.
Automation is one easy way to provide a better customer experience than your competitors, giving you an edge and helping you to retain valuable customers. Create messages that will be sent to customers automatically based on time restrictions that you specify during initial setup. Managers do not need specialized technical skills to create and schedule messages.
Customers can specify how they prefer to be contacted: by email, SMS or voice messages. They can also automatically receive different messages based on selected preferences, for example, the type of vehicle they prefer. You do not need to manually separate customers based on their interests; software can take care of that tedious process for you.
During the sales and service process it is essential to build trust and maintain a professional relationship with customers to ensure repeat and referral business. It can be challenging to stay in touch with customers so they feel well looked after and remain engaged, thereby positively affecting any survey scores.
A great way to promote your dealership, book more appointments and grow your vehicle sales is through targeted email campaigns to your customer base providing vehicle updates and service specials on a regular basis. Studies have shown, however, that only 14% of the automotive industry regularly utilizes email marketing. Take advantage of this opportunity!
Using automated technology, dealer management can do some amazing things on behalf of the sales department and create an inbound sales process for their people.
For example, on your website use a signup form to ask for a few key details like name, phone, email and vehicle type interest.
Using this collected information, the automatic platform can instantly email, text or send a voice message to customers saying "Thank You" for contacting the dealership and also send them information about the vehicles they have selected.
After that, you can have an email campaign sent out at a pre-scheduled time that provides inventory or additional information on the vehicle type. This process can continue via other channels as well including text, social media or even fax for commercial clients.
These are just some examples of how new automation technology can explode dealerships' business and save time and effort. Automation makes it easy to share promotions, confirmations and reminders with a wide audience, while allowing the sales team to focus on their customers.
You are able to provide a higher level of customer experience than was previously possible, as you can now contact customers through multiple modes of communication and it is all done automatically so you never miss an important detail, sales opportunity or date. This technology is the way of the future for the automotive industry.
Shawn Ryder is director-business development for SimplyCast, a provider of automated marketing tools to the global automotive dealership marketplace.


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Thursday, September 29, 2011
How to make an iPod/MP3 player holder for exercising in 5 steps and 15 mins
19 comments:
- AnonymousSeptember 29, 2011 at 8:13 AM
Super easy and cute!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousSeptember 29, 2011 at 7:30 PM
Love it! What a great idea!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJanuary 10, 2012 at 6:21 PM
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.ReplyDelete
I just used this tutorial (found via craft gossip) to make a quick arm band holder for my phone. It literally took 10 minutes (would have taken less but my 2 year old was "helping" me) and works great! Thanks!ReplyDeleteReplies
Glad it worked out so well Anne!!Delete
I just used a pair of holy leggings to make it :) cut a piece from the leg so it was already a tube, just sewed along the top with both ends together (leaving a hole for the ipod to go into). then sewed down each side of the ipod so it stays in one spot. Very happy with it :DReplyDeleteReplies
Great idea to use leggings too Diana! Glad yours worked out well!Delete
Would you mind if I pin this?ReplyDeleteReplies
Not at all Larissa! Pin away! :)Delete
Doesn't it slide down your arm as you run?ReplyDeleteReplies
Hi Andrea! No, it stays up just fine! If you find it slides then you need to make it a little smaller/tighter. I've never had a problem with mine! :)Delete
This comment has been removed by the author.ReplyDelete
I also put in some hand stitches to frame the outside of my iPod so it doesn't wiggle around. I love mine!ReplyDeleteReplies
That's a great idea Erin!Delete
- AnonymousMay 6, 2013 at 6:27 AM
That is awesome! I'm a diabetic, and I used this for my insulin pump so I didn't have to wear a belt all the time, and it works perfectly!(No hating, my kind of diabetes is a genetic disorder.)ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJune 12, 2013 at 5:58 AM
I've been looking to buy one here lately, now i dont have to. i can make one, Thanks so much for this idea.ReplyDelete
Wow!!! What a good idea!! Do you have some video to show how to do this?ReplyDeleteReplies