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Quartz Meanings and Uses
The Crystal Vaults Comprehensive Illustrated Guide to Crystals
Your On-Line Guide to
The Healing Energies, Metaphysical Properties,
Legendary Uses, and Meaning
Clear Quartz
Introduction to Meaning and Uses of Clear Quartz
Ordinary yet extraordinary, colorful and clear, Quartz crystals are the most common and abundant in the world, comprising the largest and most diverse family in the mineral kingdom. "From ancient times to the present day, quartz crystals have been a source of Light to mankind. Highly valued by spiritual leaders and healers as well as scientists, the unique attributes of quartz have played a key role in mankind' evolutionary development." (Baer, R, "Windows of Light" preface)
Composed of silicon and oxygen (silicon dioxide), Quartz, from the European "quarz", is a key component in a wide array of minerals designated as "silicates." It occurs as prismatic hexagonal crystals in compact masses and druses, as well as in dense fibrous or grainy formations without visible crystals. It is also an important mineral element in common rock such as granite, quartzite and gneiss, and in sedimentary conglomerates like sandstone. [Simmons, 317][www.Quartzpage.de]
For all its variety, when most people speak of "crystals", they are usually referring to Rock Crystal (Clear Quartz), the six-sided prisms of pure light and energy known as the Perfect Jewel. In its sparkling light is contained the entire color spectrum.
In the metaphysical world, Clear Quartz crystals are the supreme gift of Mother Earth. Even the smallest is imbued with the properties of a master healer teacher. Ancients believed these stones to be alive, taking a breath once every hundred years or so, and many cultures thought them to be incarnations of the Divine.
Today's healers agree, believing crystals are living beings, incredibly old and wise, and willing to communicate when an individual is open and ready to receive. Wearing, carrying or meditating with a Clear Quartz crystal opens the mind and heart to higher guidance, allowing the realm of Spirit to be transmitted and translated into the world of physical form.
Resonating at the level of an individual's needs, Clear Quartz also amplifies whatever energy or intent is programmed into it, and continues to broadcast that energy throughout the world and into the etheric realms. This may accelerate the fulfillment of one's prayers, intensify healing or spiritual growth, or simply allow the crystal to hold a pattern of energy long enough and strongly enough for the manifestation of a goal to occur. [Hall II, 22][Eason, 133][Simmons, 318][Ahsian, 319]
"Quartz crystals are the manifestation of the Creator's finest hour of expression. The are windows of light with many facets which show the myriad dimensions of life created from cosmic dust in an ever expanding universe. Divine plan as foreordained that all expanding life revolve around one common denominator, quartz crystal. Through frozen solidified light all creation could be monitored and assisted through the evolutionary process."Beverly Criswell "Quartz Crystals: A Celestial Point of View" ( quoted in "Windows of Light", by Vicki and Randall Baer)
Clear Quartz, pure silicon dioxide, is also called Rock Crystal or Ice Crystal, from the Greek word "krystallos", meaning "ice", because crystal was believed to be water frozen so hard it could never thaw. The prismatic hexagonal crystals have relatively smooth sides and naturally facetted terminations at one or both ends, and may be transparent as glass, milky or striated, often found in clusters and ranging in all sizes. The terminations have different facet shapes depending on the rate at which they were formed, and these shapes are deeply significant. [Simmons, 318][Hall, 225] (See Crystals by Shape)
Throughout history, Clear Quartz has been valued by nearly every civilization as far back as Atlantis and Lemuria, where the sun's power was believed to be harnessed through a crystal as a source of solar energy refraction. They, along with Native American Indians, African tribes, ancient Egyptians, Aztecs, Romans, Scots and countless other cultures used Clear Quartz in diagnostic healing, meditations and spiritual development, as religious objects and in funerary rites, and to dispel evil and magical enchantments. [Mella, 82][Melody, 506][Kunz, 219] (See the Powers, Legends and Lore section at the end of this article.)
Types of Quartz
Quartz encompasses a whole family of stones, found on nearly every continent, in virtually every color conceivable. In addition to the properties of Clear Quartz discussed on this page, the following types of Quartz have their own specific properties, some with links to their own pages.
Macro crystalline varieties form crystals or have a macroscopical crystalline structure. They are usually referred to as "Quartz."
Macro crystalline varieties:
- Rock Crystal is pure, clear Quartz, often with a milky base. Its properties are listed on this page.
- Amethyst is pale purple to deep violet; known as the Bishop's Stone, it represents royalty and spirituality, and is a crystal of creativity.
- Ametrine is a combination of Amethyst and Citrine in the same stone; a "stone of the muses," it connects spirituality, action and overcoming fear.
- Aventurine may be green, blue or reddish-brown with a metallic iridescence; it is a stone of optimism, leadership and prosperity.
- Blue Quartz is clear Quartz with tiny blue inclusions that create a pale to mid-blue color; it brings harmony and order, mental clarity and eases fear.
- Citrine is transparent and pale to golden yellow; it promotes imagination and magnifies the powers of personal will and manifestation.
- Milky or Snow Quartz, also known as Quartzite, is opaque white quartz; it is supportive for lesson learning, realizing limitations and utilizing tact.
- Pink or Rose Quartz is pale to deep reddish-pink, opaque to translucent; a "stone of love," it promotes compassion, appreciation and soothing calm.
- Prase is a leek-green Quartzite (rock rather than a mineral) with actinolite inclusions; an "earth mother" stone, it resolve conflicts and calms nerves.
- Prasiolite is Green Amethyst; leek-green and rare naturally, it is often heat-treated; it provides a bridge between the body, mind and spirit.
- Smoky Quartz is transparent smoky brown to dark gray; it is a premiere grounding stone, dissipating emotional and environmental negativity.
- Tiger's, Hawk's, and Cat's Eye is Quartz layered with chatoyant strips of asbestos and hornblende; Tiger's Eye is golden brown, Hawk's or Falcon's Eye is blue-black, and Cat's Eye is green to greenish-gray. These are stones of action, pride, protection, and reflecting back negative energies.
Cryptocrystalline or microcrystalline varieties have a dense structure and show no visible crystals. They are often grouped together and referred to as "Chalcedony." They are divided into two groups.
Fibrous varieties:
- Agate is usually banded in layers and forms in every color; it is a stabilizing and strengthening stone, facilitating acceptance of one's self.
- Carnelian is translucent pale orange to deep red-orange; it is a stone of motivation and endurance, leadership and courage.
- Chalcedony varies in color and pattern, blue is a favorite; the "speaker's stone," it encourages peace-making and carefully choosing one's words.
- Chrysoprase is green, usually opaque, and one of Chalcedony's rarest; it is a stone of the heart and promotes love of truth, hope and fidelity.
- Onyx is opaque layers of black, brown, gray, black/white or red/white, and is often carved in cameos; it provides inner strength, stability and fortitude.
- Sard is brown Chalcedony with a reddish hue; it is a protective stone, dispelling negative influences and providing inner strength.
Grainy Varieties:
- Chert is brown, gray or black and resembles Flint, but is more brittle; it aids memory, and is a stone of stability and daily productivity.
- Flint is brown, gray or black, solid or layered, and very hard; a stone of grounding, it promotes understanding, communication and integrity.
- Jasper is opaque, large-grained and found in all colors, most always layered or patterned; a "supreme nurturer," it is revered as sacred, protective, and encourages humility and compassion.
- Heliotrope or Bloodstone is dark green with red spots; a stone of the sun and legendary bearer of Christ's blood, it promotes healing, selflessness and idealism.
This list of main Quartz types is in no way complete. For 500 different shapes, types, and varieties of Quartz Crystals that are constantly being updated on this site, go to Quartz Crystals A to Z.
Quartz Uses and Purposes – Overview
Quartz crystal is valued for its piezoelectric and pyroelectric properties, by which it can transform mechanical pressure or heat into electromagnetic energy, and vice versa. Its ability to focus, amplify, store and transform energy is used throughout the technology world in ultrasound devices, watches, microphones, radio transmitters and receivers, memory chips in computers and other electronic circuitry. [Raphaell, 10-11][Simmons, 317][Melody, 503]
The same properties of energy amplification, programmability and memory also make Clear Quartz the most versatile and multidimensional stone in the mineral kingdom for healing, meditation, expansion of consciousness, communication with guides, past-life recall, attracting love or prosperity, or virtually any purpose. However, with this power comes responsibility. To benefit from Rock Crystal's blessings, one must feel in harmony with it and deserve its gifts. Intent other than for good inevitably brings harm back on oneself. [Simmons, 318][Megemont, 73]
Clear Quartz is excellent for amplifying the energies of other stones or to enhance groups of stones, and is ideal for gridding. It is the perfect base material for wands, staffs, templates, etc., and clear crystal spheres have long been used for crystal gazing. [Simmons, 318]
For ongoing personal energy, carry Clear Quartz as a tumblestone or touch as needed for an instant lift. Add Quartz crystals to bath water, or make an elixir to drink or splash on pulse points by soaking Clear Quartz crystals in water from first light to midday. In the workplace, use as a filter against negativity and to transform critical words. [Eason, 133] Crystals are professional support stones for artists, stylists, doctors and healers, inventors, musicians, and those who work in media. [Mella, 129-132]
Clear Quartz produces a force field of healing negative ions while clearing the surroundings of positive ions, protecting the aura. It dispels static electricity, and cancels out the harmful effects of radiation and radioactivity. [Melody, 505]
Clear Quartz brings strength and clarity to the intellect, aiding concentration and memory retention, and filtering out distractions. Its hypnotic quality is conducive to sleep, helping one to understand the messages and lessons conveyed during the dream state. It is also a respected stone for death, included in many cultures in funeral rites and placed in tombs, urns, and sepulchres. [Megemont, 73][Melody, 505][Kunz, 219]
As an energy saver, Clear Quartz attached to the fuel line in a car is reputed to reduce fuel consumption. [Hall, 225]
Quartz Healing Therapies – Overview
(Please note: Information on this web site is no substitute for consulting a health care professional. All information contained on this web site,
including information relating to medical and health conditions, products and treatments, is for informational purposes only.
Please see your doctor or health care professional before starting any alternative treatments, diets, supplements or exercise programs.)
Quartz Physical Healing Energy
Clear Quartz is a master healer crystal, and may be used for any condition. It is thought to stimulate the immune and circulatory systems, enhancing energy flow and bringing the body into balance. It has been used to treat migraine headaches, vertigo, in stabilizing dizziness or motion sickness, and is believed to assist with metabolism, exhaustion, and weight loss. [Hall, 225][Melody, 506][Eason, 133][Megemont, 73]
A Crystal elixir taken internally has been used to eliminate toxins from the system and to aid in the treatment of digestive disorders, kidney and bladder infections, and to cure diarrhea. The indirect method of preparation is recommended. [Melody, 506][Megemont, 73]
Clear Quartz soothes painful or injured areas, especially burns, by drawing away pain and eliminating blistering. A topical elixir is also beneficial in treating skin disorders. [Melody, 506][Megemont, 73][Hall, 226]
Quartz Emotional Healing Energy
Clear Quartz acts as a deep soul cleanser, purifying and enhancing the body's internal structure and surrounding subtle bodies to connect the physical dimension with the mind. It focuses on inner negativity and stimulates positive thoughts and feelings in its place. With a better perception of the world, Quartz increases awareness and clarity in thinking, and provides enhanced energy, perseverance and patience, teaching one to live, laugh and love with all of humanity. [Hall, 225][Melody, 504][Gienger, 28]
Quartz Chakra Healing and Balancing Energy
Because Clear Quartz has the prismatic ability to vibrate its energy at all of the color frequencies, it not only harmonizes all of the chakras, but can teach us how to vibrate our seven chakra centers simultaneously while maintaining perfect alignment with the light. [Raphaell, 51]
Clear Quartz is particularly useful for stimulating the Crown Chakra. The Crown Chakra is located at the top of the head, and is our gateway to the expanded universe beyond our bodies. It controls how we think, and how we respond to the world around us. It is the fountainhead of our beliefs and the source of our spirituality. It connects us to the higher planes of existence and is the source of universal energy and truth. When the Crown is in balance, our energies are in balance. We know our place in the universe and see things as they are. We are unruffled by setbacks, knowing they are an essential part of life.
Quartz Spiritual Energy
Like humans, each Clear Quartz crystal is unique, each with its own personality, lessons, and experiences. The crystals attracted into one's life are stones that will in some way help facilitate personal growth and awareness. They may work subliminally in unawakened minds, but for those spiritually attuned to the universe Quartz crystals are like beacons of light and positive energy to be used in daily thoughts, feelings, words and actions and integrated onto the earth. [Raphaell, 50-51]
As a connection between the physical dimension and the spiritual, Clear Quartz enhances communication with plants, animals, minerals, and in speaking with and receiving information from the Divine and other-worldly masters, teachers and healers. Its natural tendency is for harmony and brings a sense of purpose to those who resonate with it. [Melody, 503]
Quartz Color Energy
Quartz is the crystal connection to the infinite octaves of light. Quartz encompasses the Universal Life Force manifested in light. It is the pure White Light of creation manifested in crystalline perfection. It is the higher state of Light, a looking glass of the soul, and the reflection of the Light beings blessings on mankind.
Meditation with Quartz
Used in meditation, especially when placed at the Third Eye, Clear Quartz filters out distractions and helps to empty the mind. It allows for a feeling of "oneness" and provides for a deep meditative state. [Melody, 504][Hall, 225]
By visualizing an image of one's intent or desired outcome within the crystal during a meditative session, Clear Quartz provides a powerful psychic amplification. The crystal "remembers" and magnifies the pattern of energy, so using the same crystal in repeated meditations allows for the opportunities and power of the focused intent to manifest into reality. Programming the Quartz in this manner assists one in achieving virtually any goal in inner or outer life. As a note of caution, all such manifestations have their first and strongest effects on the one using the crystal, so negative purposes will inevitably bring harm back on oneself. [Simmons, 318]
Quartz Divination
Dreaming of crystal signifies freedom from enemies. [Kunz, 358]
The Divinatory meaning of Clear Quartz: New beginnings, fresh energies and the need to move fast to catch up with life. [Eason, 133]
Quartz and the Angelic Realm
Clear Quartz with its purity of Light is particularly appealing to angels. If your birthday falls in any of the following periods, a Clear Quartz can be a valuable conduit to your Guardian Angel. The table also provides the name of the Guardian Angel of those born in the time period.
Date | Crystal Color | Name of Guardian Angel |
May 6-10 | Clear | Aladiah |
August 13-17 | Clear | Reiiel (Rejajel) |
December 3-7 | Clear | Hahasiah |
There are other Angels that are partial to Clear Quartz.. The table below gives you the information about them.
Purpose | Crystal Color | Name of Angel |
Protector and Ruler of the dates May 6-10; Taurus. | Clear | Aladiah |
Guardian of the Eighteenth Mansion of the Moon; Scorpio. | Clear | Egibiel |
Protector and Ruler of the dates December 3-7; Sagittarius. | Clear | Hahasiah |
Master of the 9th Tarot Card "The Hermit". Associated with Virgo. | Clear | Hamaliel |
Guardian of the Twentieth Mansion of the Moon; Sagittarius. | Clear | Kyriel |
Matariel is the Ruler of Earth/Rain. | Clear | Matariel |
Raziel is known as the Wisdom Angel; Tree of Life, and Heals Spiritual Blocks. | Clear | Raziel |
Protector and Ruler of the dates August 13-17; Leo. | Clear | Reiiel (Rejajel) |
Master of the 16th Tarot Card "The Tower". | Clear | Zamael |
Quartz Goddess Crystals
Quartz honors Gaia, the Greek Earth Mother Goddess. Born directly out of Chaos, the primal emptiness, she was the first (or one of the first) beings to appear during the process of creation, and is honored as being the Earth itself.
Clear Quartz honors Kundalini, the Hindu Life Force Goddess; Latona, the Roman Goddess of Light; and Gendenwitha, the Morning Star Goddess of the Iroquois.
A Quartz cluster may also be used to honor Ixcuiname, the Mayan Goddess of the Four Ages of Women.
There are several ways to find an appropriate birthstone. The traditional one is listed first. These are from the popular lists that most people are familiar with. The second way is to find your natural birthstone by the color wheel of life. You can click on the Natural Birthstone graphic below to learn more. Finally many people use the traditional stones of the Zodiac.
In this section you will find information on all three approaches.
Quartz Traditional Birthstone
Clear Quartz is not a traditional birthstone
Quartz Natural Birthstone.
Clear Quartz is not a natural birthstone.
Quartz – Zodiac Stone
Clear Quartz is not associated with any zodiac sign, though it has been known to reduce Capricorn's stubbornness and Leo's need for power, as well as rendering Gemini more tolerant. [Megemont, 74]
Quartz Amulets and Talismans
Clear Quartz is a Seeker Transformer crystal. Seekers contain a crystal energy structure that aligns the natural energy of the crystal to the natural power of the human mind to find the way to new horizons and new capabilities. They're pointers, directors, and compasses; the fresh start crystals. These are talismans of the scientist, the adventurer, the hunter, wanderer and explorer. They're also crystals of the student and the researcher.
Transformer crystals enhance efforts to change our situations, prospects, health, outlook or relationships. By transforming ourselves we transform our lives. We learn to dance, speak a new language, grow stronger, or become a better spouse or child. Seeker crystals with the earth power of the Transformer are excellent talismans to aid our efforts to grow, develop new capabilities and change our lives.
Quartz Feng Shui
Clear Quartz crystals are perfect "energy dispersers" in any window. As a natural prism, they take light and energy from the sun and disperse it freely within the room. They offer an indoor sun world for warmth, strength and vitality.
Quartz in Ancient Lore and Legend
Since the beginning of time in nearly every culture, Clear Quartz crystals have been held sacred and magical and universally accepted as a source of power. In their creation myths the aboriginal tribes in both Australia and South America describe the image of the "cosmic serpent," the progenitor of all life, being led and guided by a Quartz crystal. [Simmons, 318]
The legendary cities of Atlantis and Lemuria were believed to use Clear Quartz as a source of rejuvenation, in solar energy refraction, and for the complete development of their civilizations of incredible power and splendor. Its misuse is also believed to be the reason for their destructions. Before their fall, their knowledge and secrets of the universe were said to have been programmed into Record Keeper formations of Clear Quartz to be psychically retrieved by chosen souls for future humanity and earth-healing purposes. [Melody, 504, 531][Mella, 82]
From ancient divination to modern crystal-gazing, clear crystal balls have long been used to find lost articles, foretell secrets of the future, forecast impending doom, and was even used at one time as a means to detect minor offences and crimes. "Scrying" has been common since the Greek and Roman periods, and crystal balls brought back by Crusaders in the Middle Ages were said to possess magical powers. The "spirits" yielding the visions were induced by powerful spells, many of which have been preserved, and contain an incongruous mixture of religious and magical formulas. [Fernie, 204-216][Kunz, 176, 186][Simmons, 318]
According to ancient astrologers, the portion of the month when the moon is on its increase is said to be the strongest time for scrying because of the magnetic pull between Rock Crystal and the moon. From traditional beliefs and scientific experimentation over the centuries, a good diet was recommended for crystal-gazers, as well as drinking an infusion of mugwort or chickory to improve iron levels in the blood. Boys and girls before puberty made the best seers, brunettes with dark skin charged the crystal more quickly than blondes; females, especially virgins or widows were far better than males, though once trained males were more powerful and correct. [Kunz, 205, 212][Fernie, 204-208]
A crystal ball known as the Currahmore Crystal in Scotland, because it is kept at the seat of that name belonging to the Marquis of Waterford, has been handed down for centuries, brought from the Holy Land in the 11th century and held in highest esteem for its power to cure cattle of diseases. Slightly larger than an orange with a silver ring around its center, it was placed in a stream and cattle were driven up and down the waters to affect the cure. Its use was not only famous around Currahmore, but requests for its loan were often made from far distant parts of Ireland. The privilege was almost always accorded, never abused, and the crystal was always returned to its rightful owner. [Kunz, 223][Simmons, 318]
In ancient Rome when Rock Crystal was believed to be ice solidified over the course of long years, ladies of luxury carried crystal balls in their hands for cooling purposes during summer weather. Under the Lower Empire crystal rings were also used for the same purpose. These were solid, carved out of a single stone, and had the face engraved with an intaglio as a signet. [Fernie, 201-202]
Rock Crystal was also ascribed the power of producing the Sacred Fire, the fire most grateful to the gods. Laid upon wood chips in the sun, it produced first smoke then flames. It was also used to burn the skin as a means of cauterization. [Fernie, 222]
Clear Quartz has forever carried a place of importance in spiritual and religious beliefs. The Japanese call it tama, "the perfect jewel." It is a symbol of purity, the infinity of space, of patience and perseverance. The smaller Rock Crystals were believed to be the congealed breath of the White Dragon, while the larger and more brilliant ones were said to be the saliva of the Violet Dragon. The dragon, emblematic of the highest powers of creation, shows the esteem by which many of the Oriental cultures place on this stone. [Simmons, 318][Kunz, 217]
In Hindu mythology a wonderful tank formed of crystal was provided by the god Maya. Its bottom and sides were encrusted with pearls and in the center was a raised platform blazing with precious stones. The transparent crystal produced such an illusion of water that those approaching the tank were tempted to plunge into the clear, fresh water for a refreshing bath. [Kunz, 237]
Quartz crystal is referenced in many religions as foundation jewels in mystic cities, trees of life, in homage to deities and worn by their prophets for power. Clear Quartz is one of the seven precious substances of Buddhism, and is perhaps the "diamond" listed in the second row of the Breastplate of the High Priest in the Bible. Ancient priests used Clear Quartz to render negative energy useless, to dissolve enchantments and spells, and to destroy all black magic. [Melody, 506][Hall II, 17-18]
Indigenous cultures in North America and Burma believed Clear Quartzes to be living entities and presented them with food as ritual offerings. The Cherokee Indians, for example, believed Rock Crystal to have great power to aid in hunting and divining, and one owner was reputed to keep his crystal wrapped up in buckskin and hidden in a sacred cave. At designated times he would take it out and "feed" it by rubbing it over the blood of a deer. [Simmons, 318][Kunz 254-5]
In Central and South American cultures, Quartz crystals carved in the shapes of human skulls were venerated as powerful religious objects, the dwellings of deceased ancestors or gods. An ancient Mayan legend claims there were thirteen sacred crystal skulls hidden in different places and must all be found and brought together before the December 21, 2012 when the Mayan calendar cycle ends or Earth will be knocked off its axis. [Simmons, 318][Eason, 348]
Nearly every culture extolled the virtues of Clear Quartz for medicinal healing. It was used in Rome and medieval England for cases of dysentery and colic, for glandular swelling, pain, and held against the tongue to reduce fever and slake thirst. It was also reputed to be astringent, to produce an abundance of milk, good for gout and for breaking up stones in the body. In the Scottish Highlands, a crystal set in silver and worn around the neck was considered effective for diseases of the kidneys. [Fernie, 200, 222][Melody, 506][Kunz, 133]
At one time or another, Clear Quartz was carved and used for vases, cups and ornaments, worn as a symbol of high rank and placed in tombs and scepters of royalty, valued as amulets for magical powers, rain-making, lighting sacrificial fires, and was the original "glass" of windows, beads and spectacles. [Fernie, 179, 199][Kunz, 203]
Sir Isaac Newton discovered the color spectrum by refracting sunlight through a natural crystal. Reflecting the rainbow on his wall allowed him to measure the different lengths of the rays of the visible light spectrum. [Mella, 82]
Rock Crystal is considered a Gem of winter, and appropriate for giving on a fifteenth wedding anniversary. [Kunz, 326, 337]
Shop Clear Quartz
Footnote References
The symbols [ ] enclose the author's name and a page number for a reference cited from the following books:
[Ahsian, pp.] Robert Simmons & Naisha Ahsian, The Book of Stones (Berkley, CA: North Atlantic Books, 2007).
[Eason, pp. ]Cassandra Eason, The New Crystal Bible (London: Carlton Books Ltd., 2010).
[Fernie, pp.] William T. Fernie, The Occult and Curative Powers of Precious Stones (Blauvelt, NY: Rudolph Steiner Publications, 1973).
[Gienger, pp.] Michael Gienger, Healing Crystals (Scotland: Earthdancer Books, 2009).
[Hall, pp.] Judy Hall, The Crystal Bible (Cincinnati, OH: Walking Stick Press, 2003).
[Hall 2, pp.]Judy Hall, The Crystal Bible 2 (Cincinnati, OH: Walking Stick Press, 2009).
[Kunz, pp.] George Frederick Kunz, The Curious Lore of Precious Stones (New York: Dover Publications, 1971).
[Megemont, pp.] Florence Megemont, The Metaphysical Book of Gems and Crystals (Rochester, VT: Healing Arts Press, 2008).
[Mella, pp.] Dorothee L. Mella, Stone Power II (Albuquerque, NM: Brotherhood of Life, Inc., 1986).
[Melody, pp.] Melody, Love Is In The Earth (Wheat Ridge, CO: Earth-Love Publishing House, 1995).
[Raphaell, pp.] Katrina Raphaell, Crystal Enlightenment (Santa Fe, NM: Aurora Press, 1985)
[Simmons, pp.] Robert Simmons & Naisha Ahsian, The Book of Stones (Berkley, CA: North Atlantic Books, 2007).
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Fast food's Chick-fil-A has been at the center of the culture wars in recent days because of company President Dan Cathy's outspoken opposition to gay marriage.
Online giant Amazon may be the next to be in culture warriors' sights with the news that company founder Jeff Bezos and his wife Mackenzie have, as The New York Times' The Caucus blog reports, "agreed to donate $2.5 million to help pass a same-sex marriage referendum in Washington State."
According to the Times, they've "instantly [become] among the largest financial backers of gay marriage rights in the country."
As Politico notes, "making donations to potentially divisive social issues like gay marriage can carry risks, especially for leaders of companies that sell primarily to consumers. But consumer sentiment can cut both ways on issues like gay marriage and some see it as a reason to buy, not to avoid products."
And in a piece set for All Things Considered later today, our colleague Elyse Hu reports that whatever positions companies or CEOs take, they need to understand the backlashes they may generate.
Chick-fil-A's experience, which has included both calls for boycotts and calls for shows of support, "is part of the wakeup call for companies to understand that social media makes these decisions very, very risky," says University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School marketing professor Americus Reed. "Because it's much easier now for these messages to get out to consumers and consumers to virtually organize."
Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


text:
Nathan Eovaldi (1-1, 2.12) vs. Chris Carpenter (8-8, 3.68).
The last-place Dodgers limp into St. Louis having lost five of their last seven. The Cards, a distant second place in the NL Central and third in the wild card, need to make up ground, and fast. They're sending a resurgent Carpenter against the Dodgers' callow Eovaldi. Oh, and the Dodgers have a franchise winning percentage of .444 in St. Louis. But hey, at least today's game is on TV!
Sax's note: SoSG Alex Cora and I made it to St. Louis and are at the game today. We'll be reporting live from St. Louis!
UPDATE: The lineup, via Sax:
UPDATE 7p CT from Sax: From the St. Louis Cardinals press box. Sons of Steve Garvey, reporting!


text: João Biehl, the Susan Dod Brown Professor of Anthropology, has been selected to receive the 2013 J.I. Staley Prize for his book "Vita: Life in a Zone of Social Abandonment." The prize is given annually by the School for Advanced Research for a book that represents the best writing and scholarship in anthropology. The Staley Prize panel called the work "a landmark of anthropological writing, humanizing in the most literal sense." Biehl, who also co-directs the Program in Global Health and Health Policy, will receive the prize, which is accompanied by a $10,000 award, on Nov. 21 at the meetings of American Anthropological Association in Chicago.


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Panagia Portaitissa
The icon Panagia Portaitissa ("She who resides by the door" or "Keeper of the gate") also known as Theotokos Iverskaya, and more recently the Iveron Mother of God, is a wonder-working icon of the Theotokos that was, according to traditions, painted by the Apostle and Evangelist Saint Luke.
This icon is considered to be the most famous and most revered miraculous icon icon of the Theotokos on the Holy Mountain [1]. It is a pre-iconoclastic Byzantine icon, with dimensions of 1.37 x 0.94 m. The entire icon is encased by an 1819 gold and silver shirt covering the entire icon except for the faces. The most unique characteristic of the image is what appears to be a scar on the chin of the Virgin.
History of the icon
During the 9th century, this icon was the personal property of a devout widow from Nicea [2] in Asia Minor, who kept it and honored it in her private chapel.
It was during the reign of the iconoclast Byzantine emperor Theophilus that soldiers came to the house of the widow. One of the soldiers struck the Icon with his sword, and immediately blood began to flow from the gashed cheek of the Virgin. Shaken by this miracle, the soldier instantly repented, renounced the iconoclast heresy, and entered a monastery. On his advice, the widow concealed the Icon in order to avert its further desecration.
After praying for guidance before the Icon, the widow put the Holy Image into the sea. The icon did not sink and stood upright on the water and began to drift towards the west, while the widow's son, following her advice, also fled towards the west to escape persecution. Later he became a monk and died on the north-east coast of Mount Athos near or in the Monastery of Clement (now Iviron Monastery). There he recounted the story of how his mother had set the Holy Icon upon the waves, and this story hes been handed down from one generation of monks to another.
Many years later, the Icon made its appearance on the Holy Mountain. According to Athonite tradition, an amazing phenomenon puzzled all the monks of the Iveron area: a column of fire stood upright on the sea and reached to the heavens. At that time the holy monk Gabriel was one of the brotherhood in this monastery. The Mother of God appeared to him in a vision and directed him to convey to the abbot and brothers of the monastery that She wished them to have Her Icon as their help and salvation. She told Gabriel to approach the Icon on the waters without fear and take it with his hands. Obedient to the words of the Mother of God, says Athonite tradition, Gabriel "walked upon the waters as though upon dry land," took up the Icon and brought it back to the shore. The icon was then brought into the monastery and placed in the altar.
Nevertheless, after its reception and installation in the church, the icon repeatedly disappeared and was found above the gate of the monastery on the inside. In a dream, the Blessed Virgin told St. Gabriel that this was the place which she herself had chosen, so that she could protect the monks and not be protected by them. Thus the icon has taken the name of "Portaitissa" and to this day its presence in the monastery and on the Holy Mountain is regarded as a guarantee of the protection of Athonite monasticism by the Theotokos. Later, a chapel was built near the wall of the monastery in which the icon was placed, while the old entrance was closed and a grander one was built.
The miracles performed by the Portaitissa are unnumbered, and are celebrated especially on August 15 and on Monday of Bright Week, when there is a procession and the finding of the icon is commemorated with a liturgy in the chapel on the shore, at the exact spot where St. Gabriel took it out of the sea.
Recent History
The traditional name for this icon has always been the "Portaitissa" but in more recent times the Icon has come to be known as the "Iveron" Mother of God, in connection with the name of the monastery, by the American and Russian communities.
In 1648, news of this wonder-working Icon reached Russia through pilgrims who had visited Mt. Athos. The Patriarch Nikon of Moscow, while he was still Archimandrite of Novospassky Monastery, commissioned an exact copy of the Iviron icon to be made and sent to Russia. Almost immediately upon its arrival on October 13, the icon was glorified with numerous miracles attributed to it by the faithful. The Iverskaya Chapel was built in 1669 to enshrine the icon next to the Kremlin walls in Moscow. The chapel was the main entrance to Red Square and traditionally everyone, from the Tsar down to the lowest peasant would stop there to venerate the icon before entering the square. After the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917, the chapel was destroyed by the Bolsheviks and the icon was moved to the Resurrection Cathedral at Sokol'niki where many of the icons and relics from the closed and destroyed churches were placed (in other sources - it is one of the older replacement copies, the main icon from the Iverskaya Chapel was placed in the Tretyakov gallery museum). In 1995, the Iverskaya Chapel was rebuilt and new copy of the icon was made for it at Mt. Athos.
Another newer version of the famous Portaitissa is the Myrrh-streaming icon from Montreal in Canada. For fifteen years, between 1982 and 1997, myrrh continually flowed from this Icon. Brother José Muñoz-Cortes [3] devoted himself to the care and protection of this icon, and accompanied it on numerous trips to parishes all over the United States and Canada, South America, Australia, and Europe.
In 2007, another copy of the Montreal Myrrh-Streaming Iveron Icon began streaming Myrrh at the Russian Orthodox Church in Hawaii. [4]
Several feast days during the liturgical year celebrate a few of these miracles.
- ↑ The official icon for Mount Athos is the Panagia Axion Estin
- ↑ This town in Asia Minor no longer exists, but in its time it was the venue for two Ecumenical Councils; the first, which composed the first eight articles of Nicean Creed, and the seventh, which reinstituted the veneration of icons after a lengthy struggle with the iconoclast heresy, which had erroneously equated the veneration of icons to idol worship.
- ↑ Brother Jose Muñoz Cortez, Guardian of the Hawaiian Myrrh-Streaming Icon of the Mother of God, was murdered in Athens by a young Romanian man who had asked Br. Jose for assistance in obtaining permission to travel to Canada.
- ↑ The Myrrh-Streaming Icons of Hawaii
- The Portaitissa icon at Iveron monastery by Kriton Chryssochoidis, from Maria Vassilaki (ed.), Images of the Mother of God, Ashgate, 2005 (Church of Greece Myriobiblos Library)
External links
Feast Days
- Icon of the Mother of God "Iveron" (February 12) Orthodox icon and synaxarion
- The Iveron Icon in Mozdok (February 12)
- Appearance of the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God (March 31)
- Translation of the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God to Moscow (October 13)
- The Myrrh-streaming Icon of the Iveron Mother of God (November 11)
- Arrival of the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God in Georgia (September 26)
Other sites
Categories > Arts
Categories > Arts
Categories > Church Life > Theotokonymia
Categories > Church Life > Theotokonymia > Icons of the Theotokos
Categories > Images > Icons
Categories > Liturgics > About Icons
Categories > Liturgics > About Icons
Categories > Liturgics > Feasts
Categories > Liturgics > Feasts


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The 5 Best Ways to Get Noticed at Work
Getting noticed at work can be difficult, but we've got a few tips to help make that happen—and to make sure it's for the right reasons.
No matter the size of the staff at your workplace, just being good at your job may not be enough to help you move up the ladder. If you work for a large organization, getting noticed can take a good deal of coordinated effort because there are so many employees and the org chart is so broad. But even at a small business, if you want to move up and have the freedom to grow, you'll need to do more than just show up and get your tasks completed in order to make an impression on those who can guide you to the top.
Here are five of the best ways we found to get noticed in a very positive way at work:
Be Visible
Again, being visible is more than just clocking in on time every day. Being visible in a positive way means speaking up in meetings and sharing relevant and innovative ideas, and then making sure you're getting credit for those ideas. You should also ask relevant questions in meetings to show you're engaged, pay attention to details and have a deeper understanding of the topic or issue at hand. Contributing out loud shows management that you care about the business and can be creative and provide solutions.
You can also be visible by sincerely praising colleagues in the presence of management (or with an appropriate copy on an email)—and make an ally at the same time. Another great way to get noticed is to become involved in your company's community and charitable initiatives. Volunteer for the charity and service events your office is holding. Offer to hold leadership positions on teams coordinating these events. This is a great way to get close to people with high positions in the company or other departments who you may not otherwise have access to.
Networking isn't just for getting a new job or changing jobs. Networking inside your organization can help you get promoted or move to a different department for a better opportunity. It's important to build relationships with people around the office. Even the simple act of greeting people and having more face-to-face conversations can help you network in your organization. Make sure you're networking in your department as well as in other departments. You can do this by joining teams and projects that involve team members from other departments in your company.
Finding someone a little higher up who is willing to mentor you is a great way to get noticed and get some help meeting others at the top. Join company teams or leagues and socialize outside your inner work circle. Attend company events, especially if there's an opportunity to network with the leadership. Helping colleagues with projects is also a great way to network, utilize talents you have, pick up new skills and experience, as well as make new allies who can help you down the road.
Take On More Responsibility
To get noticed, you need to go beyond the list of job duties you were presented with when you interviewed. You don't want to overwork yourself or put yourself in a position to drop the ball on your required tasks, but you do need to take on additional responsibilities in order to get noticed, highlight skills you have and pick up new skills. Speak up in a meeting to take on a new role in a project. Volunteer for the projects no one else wants to do, especially any project that utilizes your skill set, gets you working more closely with leadership, or has a visible impact on the bottom line. Being involved in an innovative project can put your name in front of a lot of people in big offices.
If you offer to help alleviate the workload on other projects where you could provide skilled support, you'll make a positive impression on colleagues and management. Just make sure that while you're taking on these new responsibilities, you're exceeding deadlines. People who prove they can work efficiently and provide high-quality results move to the top of the list when it comes to promotions and better opportunities. And showing you don't mind getting your hands dirty can leave a great impression on higher-ups.
Keep Learning and Be a Specialist
One very sneaky and impressive way to get noticed at work is to pay attention, follow your industry and become a specialist. You were probably hired for your list of general skills, but it's the specialists who are brought in when a company is growing and can afford to hire. If you can strategically see where the organization is headed, you can put yourself in a position to be ready with the specialized skills they'll need to get there. Stay updated on your industry or particular job on your team and learn new skills, trends and technologies. Read trade magazines, go to conferences and join professional associations. Become an expert and get known as the "go to" person on that particular subject.
Share your knowledge with your team and management by speaking up in meetings when appropriate or holding lunch-and-learns and webinars. And, while you're learning new things, keep in mind that people who have soft skills like creative thinking, communication skills, flexibility, emotional intelligence, coaching and resolution skills are more likely to end up in upper-management positions. Learning or improving those skills will get you noticed in a good way.
Document Your Accomplishments
You won't get noticed at work if you keep all of your accomplishments to yourself. You don't have to become a braggart, but you should make sure you document project successes and praise you receive. If a client sends you a complimentary email, save it in a file to share at your next review. And if it seems appropriate, forward it to your manager, framing it as an update on a project he or she is interested in. Watermark your work on documents so you get credit for your contributions and ideas. Make sure you can prove where your efforts helped to efficiently add quality and keep a project moving forward. This way, when it's time for your review, you've got solid reasons to ask for a raise or promotion.


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Finland is boiling with rage this weekend over the $25 M bonus payment the CEO Stephen Elop is set to receive as he leaves Nokia after his two-year tenure. Questions are now being raised by the oddest aspect of the bonus: the board of Nokia seems to have given Elop a $25 M incentive to sell the handset unit cheaply to Microsoft way back in in 2010. This effectively means that the board hired a man who was given a giant carrot to drive down Nokia's overall valuation and phone volumes while preparing a sale to Microsoft. What could possibly be a reason to structure Elop's original contract in this manner? Did the board in fact end up promising Elop more compensation in case he sells the phone division than if he runs it with modest success?
Vindication. We were right all along.


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I just read an article from the Associated Press that claims some social conservatives in the African American community may be wavering about whether to vote for President Barack Obama. The question is if they don't like Obama because he is pro-gay marriage and they can't relate to Romney, reportedly because he is a Mormon, what are they going to do on Election Day. What a lot of voters do when they don't like either candidate is to not vote at all. Women voters are wavering, too. It's my opinion that many women voters mistakenly believe the Democrats are more female friendly and that the Republicans are anti-women because of the steady drumbeat over women's issues like contraception beginning late last year. But at the same time, they know in their hearts that things really haven't gone in the direction they hoped under Obama.
Associated Press
Some black clergy, seeing no good presidential choice between a Mormon candidate and one who supports gay marriage, are telling their flocks to stay home on Election Day, a worrisome message in a tight race.
The pastors say their congregants are asking how a true Christian could back same-sex marriage, as President Barack Obama did in May. As for Republican Mitt Romney, the first Mormon nominee from a major party, congregants are questioning the theology of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its former ban on men of African descent in the priesthood.
There's no question which candidate is expected to win the black vote. In 2008, Obama won 95 percent of black voters and is likely to get an overwhelming majority again. But the nation's first African-American president can't afford to lose any voters from his base.
"When President Obama made the public statement on gay marriage, I think it put a question in our minds as to what direction he's taking the nation," said the Rev. A.R. Bernard, founder of the predominantly African-American Christian Cultural Center in New York. Bernard, whose endorsement is much sought-after in New York and beyond, voted for Obama in 2008. He said he's unsure how he'll vote this year.
It's unclear just how widespread the sentiment is that African-American Christians would be better off not voting at all. Many pastors have said that despite their misgivings about the candidates, blacks have fought too hard for the vote to ever stay away from the polls.
Black church leaders have launched get-out-the-vote efforts on a wide range of issues, including the proliferation of state voter identification laws, which critics say discriminate against minorities. Last Easter Sunday, a month before Obama's gay marriage announcement, the Rev. Jamal-Harrison Bryant of Baltimore formed the Empowerment Network, a national coalition of about 30 denominations working to register congregants and provide them with background on health care, the economy, education and other policy issues.
Yet, Bryant last month told The Washington Informer, an African-American newsweekly, "This is the first time in black church history that I'm aware of that black pastors have encouraged their parishioners not to vote." Bryant, who opposes gay marriage, said the president's position on marriage is "at the heart" of the problem.
Bryant was traveling and could not be reached for additional comment, his spokeswoman said.
The circumstances of the 2012 campaign have led to complex conversations about faith, politics and voting.
The Rev. George Nelson Jr., senior pastor of Grace Fellowship Baptist Church in Brenham, Texas, participated in a conference call with other African-American pastors the day after Obama's announcement during which the ministers resolved to oppose gay marriage. Nelson said Obama's statement had caused a "storm" in the African-American community.
Still, he said "I would never vote for a man like Romney," because Nelson has been taught in the Southern Baptist Convention that Mormonism is a cult.
As recently as the 2008 GOP primaries, the SBC's Baptist Press ran articles calling the LDS church a cult. This year, however, prominent Southern Baptists have discouraged use of the term when addressing theological differences with Mormonism. Many Southern Baptist leaders have emphasized there are no religious obstacles to voting for a Mormon.
Nelson planned to vote and has told others to do the same. He declined to say which candidate he would support.
"Because of those that made sacrifices in days gone by and some greater than others with their lives. It would be totally foolish for me to mention staying away from the polls," he said in an email exchange.
Romney has pledged to uphold conservative positions on social issues, including opposing abortion and gay marriage. But many black pastors worry about his Mormon beliefs. Christians generally do not see Mormonism as part of historic Christianity, although Mormons do.
African-Americans generally still view the church as racist. When LDS leaders lifted the ban on blacks in the priesthood in 1978, church authorities never said why. The Mormon community has grown more diverse, and the church has repeatedly condemned racism. However, while most Christian denominations have publicly repented for past discrimination, Latter-day Saints never formally apologized.
Bernard is among the traditional Christians who voted for Obama in 2008 and are now undecided because of the president's support for gay marriage. But Bernard is also troubled by Romney's faith.
"To say you have a value for human life and exclude African-American human life, that's problematic," Bernard said, about the priesthood ban. "How can I judge the degree to which candidate Romney is going to allow his Mormonism to influence his policies? I don't know. I can't."
Romney said in a 2007 speech that LDS authorities would have no influence on his policies as president. He also said he wept when he learned that the priesthood ban had been abolished because he was anxious for it to be lifted. But that has done little to change perceptions among African-Americans and others.
"Obama was supposed to answer for the things that Rev. Wright said," said the Rev. Floyd James of the Greater Rock Missionary Baptist Church in Chicago, at a recent meeting of the historically black National Baptist Convention. "Yet here's a guy (Romney) who was a leader in his own church that has that kind of history, and he isn't held to some kind of account? I have a problem with that."
Obama broke in 2008 with his longtime Chicago pastor, Jeremiah Wright, after videos of his incendiary sermons were broadcast.
Many Democrats and Republicans have argued that Romney's faith should be off limits. The Rev. Derrick Harkins, faith outreach director for the Democratic National Committee, travels around the country speaking to African-American pastors and other clergy. He said concerns over gay marriage have receded as other issues take precedence, and no pastors have raised Mormonism in their conversations with him about the two candidates.
"There's just no space in this campaign for casting aspersions on anyone's faith," Harkins said in a phone interview. "It's not morally upright. It's not ethically appropriate."
The Rev. Howard-John Wesley, who leads the Alfred Street Baptist Church in Alexandria, Va., said he is telling his congregants, "Let's not make the election a decision about someone's salvation." Last spring, when it became clear that Romney would be the GOP nominee, congregants starting asking about Mormonism, so Wesley organized a class on the faith. He said congregants ultimately decided that "we could not put Mormons under the boundaries of orthodox Christianity."
But Wesley said, "I don't want Gov. Romney to have to defend the Mormon church, the way President Obama had to defend Jeremiah Wright." Wesley, whose congregation has more than 5,000 members, said he will be voting for Obama.
The Rev. Lin Hill, an associate pastor of Bethany Baptist Church in Chesapeake, Va., said in a phone interview that he plans to travel with other local pastors to about 50 congregations over two weeks to hold discussions and distribute voter guides that will include a contrast between historic Christianity and Mormonism, and educate congregants about the former priesthood ban.
Hill is active in his local Democratic Party but said he's acting independently of the campaign. He said Mormon theology becomes relevant when congregants argue that they can't vote for Obama because, as a Christian, he should have opposed gay marriage.
"If you're going to take a tenet of a religion and let that dissuade you from voting, then we have to," discuss Mormon doctrine, Hill said. "We want folks to have a balanced view of both parties, but we can't do that without the facts."
The Rev. Dwight McKissic, a prominent Southern Baptist and black preacher, describes himself as a political independent who didn't support Obama in 2008 because of his position on social issues. McKissic said Obama's support for same-gender marriage "betrayed the Bible and the black church." Around the same time, McKissic was researching Mormonism for a sermon and decided to propose a resolution to the annual Southern Baptist Convention that would have condemned Mormon "racist teachings."
McKissic's Mormon resolution failed.
On Election Day, McKissic said, "I plan to go fishing."


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LG 47LG70-UA Power Supply / Backlight Inverter EAY40505303
PART TYPE: Power Supply/ Backlight Inverter
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Old EV Batteries May Power Homes One Day
Partially depleted Chevy Volt batteries could find new life in energy storage applications outside the vehicle.
December 12, 2012
Partially depleted Chevy Volt batteries might find new life one day in energy storage applications outside the vehicle, such as parceling out power to homes during blackouts.
General Motors has entered a pilot program with the residential energy provider Duke Energy to put lithium-ion batteries to work in grid test demonstrations. To learn more about the concept's viability, Duke plans to use a module incorporating five Chevy Volt batteries. "Duke will look at the cost efficiencies and utility of the system to determine whether they can use it in more applications in the future," Kevin Kelly, a spokeman for GM, told us.
Though little is known about Duke's test application, GM says that five Volt batteries, packaged together in a single module, could provide two hours of electricity for five average American homes. In a recent off-grid demonstration using an energy storage inverter from ABB, a prototype module supplied 50kWh of energy to support lighting and audiovisual equipment.
A module with five used Chevy Volt batteries could provide two hours of electricity
to five average American homes.
(Source: GM)
GM engineers say Volt batteries could supply an additional 15 years of energy, even after the cells can no longer be used in a vehicle. The key to such ongoing capability is the way EV batteries are being designed and used in electric cars. To minimize warranty costs, today's EV manufacturers typically make their batteries much larger than they need to be. The batteries operate within large buffer zones, which enhance their automotive life by preventing them from reaching a fully charged or fully discharged state. As a result, the batteries may still have 70 percent of their capacity remaining when they reach the end of their useful automotive life.
Nissan Motor Co., maker of the Leaf electric car, is investigating using its 24kWh lithium-ion batteries in similar applications.
Industry analysts say the concept needs years of testing before it can be called viable. "We're still in the early days of electric vehicle battery usage," Cosmin Laslau, an analyst for Lux Research, told us.
It's probably going to be another five to 10 years before we can fully quantify and understand the wear on the batteries. Right now, we don't really know what a Chevy Volt or Nissan Leaf battery would look like after a decade of real-world use. Even with accelerated testing, it's still difficult to predict.
GM envisions the batteries serving in residential subdivisions near local transformers to provide energy for homes during blackouts or brownouts. Utilities might also use the batteries as a form of storage to back up intermittent renewable sources, such as wind and solar. GM hopes the concept will help delay the inevitable recycling of used EV batteries. "The last thing we are looking at today is recycling," Kelly said. "Secondary life is our focus right now."
Industry analysts say there may be a long wait before anyone knows if utilities will accept the concept. "There's a limited volume of EVs out there right now," Laslau said. "There are thousands of batteries available, but in the grand scheme of things, that's a drop in the bucket for the grid. Until EV sales really pick up, it's going to be hard to get the attention of the major players in the grid space."
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"This is America" Organic Short Sleeve Baby Bodysuit
Regular price
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Let your Toddler get the word out..."This is America" Organic Short Sleeve Baby Bodysuit with Donkey on Board on the back.
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The Obama administration's decision late Tuesday to postpone the requirement for employers with 50 or more workers to offer health coverage or risk fines has satisfied some key members of the coalition that supported the law.
But the one-year reprieve also raises new questions about the administration's ability to get the huge health law up and running in an orderly fashion. The deadline for the new health exchanges to begin enrolling individuals is Oct. 1.
The announcement that the employer provisions would be delayed came in a blog post on the Treasury Department's website.
"We have heard concerns about the complexity of the requirements and the need for more time to implement them effectively," wrote Treasury Assistant Secretary Mark Mazur about long-delayed rules to guide employers in reporting voluminous amounts of information about the insurance they provide to their workers.
But in delaying the reporting requirements by a year, Mazur wrote, "we recognize this transition relief will make it impractical to determine which employers owe shared responsibility payments."
What does that mean? It's a reference to the part of the law that requires employers with 50 or more workers to pay fines if they fail to provide adequate insurance and some of their workers end up claiming federally subsidized coverage in the health exchanges.
The administration delayed that requirement — or at least won't enforce it — for a year as well.
Business groups hailed the decision as a pragmatic one.
"It is welcome relief that the Administration took this step, particularly in light of the numerous questions that remained in terms of how companies were supposed to comply with the employer mandate provisions that were originally set to take effect next year," said Gretchen Young of the ERISA Industry Committee. "We do appreciate the sensitivity of the Administration to our concerns and hope that it will carry forward into other difficult issues as well."
The change, however, doesn't affect the requirement that individuals have coverage starting Jan. 1, 2014. "We are full steam ahead for the Marketplaces opening on October 1," Valerie Jarrett wrote separately on the White House blog Tuesday night.
But critics aren't so sure.
"The ObamaCare Train Derails," crowed the headline on a news release from the Republican National Committee, which goes on to note that "the delay marks another 'significant setback' for Obama."
Douglas Holtz-Eakin, head of the American Action Forum and a longtime critic of the health law, noted that delaying the employer requirements could have the effect of pushing more people into the health exchanges, and because many will qualify for federal help that will make the law more expensive for taxpayers.
"At a minimum, the federal revenue from the fines is gone," he wrote. "More realistically, the costs of already-bloated insurance subsidies will escalate and the red ink will rise."
Meanwhile, delaying the employer provisions through the 2014 election year could have one politically beneficial aspect for the administration, noted Jackson Hewitt Tax Service: "This one-year respite may make employers (e.g., restaurant and retail establishments) less likely to reduce employee hours below 30 hours per week."
Fines apply only for full-time workers, and full-time status is defined in the law as being 30 hours or more. The news has been full of stories of companies cutting workers hours back to stay below the 30-hour threshold as the deadline approaches.
Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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We wanted to follow up on our story about the ultra-Orthodox women in Israel who were running for the local council in El'ad, or Forever God, a small, religious Jewish town.
Five women had challenged not only El'ad's norms, but practices across Israel's various ultra-Orthodox communities just by getting their names on the ballot and running a campaign.
None of them won a seat, but they say they will be back.
"We're not giving up," said Michal Chernovitsky, the leader of Mothers for El'ad, after learning her small coalition of candidates won 260 votes in a community of 17,000 eligible voters.
A minimum of 740 votes was needed to win a spot on the council. Despite earning only a third of that, Chernovitsky, who is ultra-Orthodox, felt victorious.
"We are happy that some people want women [on the council] in an ultra-Orthodox town," she said. "This is amazing to me."
This may also be a reflection of both internal differences and external pressures on Israel's fast-growing ultra-Orthodox population.
All ultra-Orthodox - "Haredi" in Hebrew - are not cut from the same cloth.
Ethnic divides play out in ultra-Orthodox power struggles as they do in the rest of Israel.
Subsects follow different religious leaders, wear different clothes, and hold different attitudes, even toward Israel.
Outside pressure is also challenging ultra-Orthodox communities, which have clashed repeatedly with less strict religious sectors of Israeli society over practices such as separating men and women on public transportation, or walkways in ultra-Orthodox neighborhoods.
The most high-profile fight, over requiring ultra-Orthodox men to serve in the Israeli military, will be dealt with again in a new session of parliament. And as Haredi society grows, the battle lines blur.
One new ultra-Orthodox political movement supports the draft, along with greater integration into wider Israeli society.
That group sticks to tradition in at least one way. Its slate of candidates was all men.
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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Fundraising reports filed last night by the presidential campaigns show President Obama with a slight advantage in fundraising last month, while Republican Mitt Romney has the edge by some other measures.
Each candidate is raising money for his own campaign committee, plus his national party committee and a joint fundraising committee or two.
So what you see depends on what you look at.
In cash on hand, the overall Romney organization finished August with more than $168 million — that's $43 million more than the overall Obama organization.
But Obama outraised Romney, especially when you look at the campaign committees themselves. Donors gave nearly $71 million to Obama for America in August, while Romney for President raised only $27 million.
"Despite the surge that Romney had in the summer in terms of fundraising, you know, Barack Obama remains the king of fundraising," says Bill Allison, editorial director of the nonpartisan Sunlight Foundation, which tracks political money.
August was not a good month for the Romney organization, which this summer looked like a fundraising juggernaut.
Big-donor money earmarked for the primary season started to run out, and there was a sharp falloff in contributions of $200 and less to Romney. That translates into roughly 55,000 fewer small donors than the month before.
The campaign fixed its cash flow with a $20 million loan, which isn't unheard-of in presidential races, and the Romney campaign says it has now paid off $9 million of that loan.
But meanwhile, Romney cut back on TV ads in August, and the Obama campaign was able to dominate in battleground states.
The ads against Obama came mainly from two so-called social welfare organizations, Crossroads GPS and Americans for Prosperity. These groups, unlike the campaigns themselves, have no contribution limits.
"The one saving grace for Mitt Romney, and it's true throughout this campaign — these organizations that draw the bulk of their donations from a very few people are able to have this incredibly outsized impact," says Allison.
Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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This novel began as an older children's story, but it soon became clear that it was an adult tale.
The Golden Bird has been stolen (apparently) and Tik-Tak is sent to fetch it. The naive and dreamy youth rides southwards (it's warmer in that direction), gets kicked out of two kingdoms, meets Erce-Ma, loses his hopeless steed, gains a (much) better one, stumbles into the Undwelling and its townships, descends into Akkman's Dwell, rescues the bird (and other abductees), returns (still not fully awake) with the bird, refuses the hand of the Princess (what!), becomes a successful entrepreneur, is jailed > is released > then steals the bird (wrong order, I know, but that's the truth), returns to Spring, returns to Tansa, gets familied, assumes the kingship and unites the Three Kingdoms (well, it's a work in progress).
The Fetching of Spring, written with a (sometimes) humorous nod to the fairy tale, has a deadly serious subtext. It is an awakening tale, the story all of us are in whether we like it or not. Setting out from the Kingdom of the Golden Bird our (inordinately) nascent hero descends via the earthly into contemporary sub-earthly realms. The story (and it is a story in the sense of storytelling) ends with worn-shoe idealism and a peppering of satire to spice things up.
248 pages, 5.5 x 8.5, soft cover.


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DETROIT (AP) -- Honda is moving its North American leadership from California to a major factory campus in Ohio.
The Japanese automaker said Friday that about 50 leadership and support jobs will move to Marysville, Ohio, near Columbus.
But the company says its American headquarters and about 2,500 workers will remain in Torrance, Calif., near Los Angeles.
Honda has a huge factory complex in Marysville that makes the top-selling Accord midsize car and other vehicles.
Last year the automaker announced plans to have its sales, manufacturing and research operations North America play a greater role in the global business. The company said that the move to Ohio and several executive changes made Friday are the next step in that process.
Honda also said it would form a new services company based in Marysville.
Tetsuo Iwamura, president of Honda North America and CEO of American Honda Motor Co., will have offices in both Marysville and Torrance.
The move will start April 1 and continue through the next year, Honda said in a statement.
The automaker has built cars in Ohio for more than 30 years and has several other factories and research facilities in the region. Currently, more than 13,500 people work for Honda in Ohio at assembly plants in Marysville and East Liberty, an engine plant in Anna north of Dayton and a transmission plant at Russells Point. Honda also has a research and development center in Raymond, the largest such facility outside of Japan.
In November, the company announced it would make more than $200 million in new investments at the Anna and Russells Point plants, creating at least 200 new manufacturing jobs. Honda says it has announced investments of more than $800 million at its Ohio facilities in the past three years. The company employs 13,500 Ohioans.
"The evolutionary step we are announcing today will more efficiently group our regional executive management in one location close to our major manufacturing, purchasing and R&D centers in the region," Honda spokesman Jeffrey Smith said in an e-mail. "So, in that sense the North American regional leadership function of Honda's North American management will be in Ohio."
Honda's automobile and motorcycle sales, dealer relations, marketing, distribution, and other operations will stay in Torrance, Smith said.


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Combine a few of your favorite ingredients and create the BEST no-bake cookie dough energy balls in no time at all! Let's spoil your little...Read more
This "recipe" assumes a slightly-better-than-beginner skill set. All techniques are easily searchable on YouTube. Sourdough starter is...Read more
I think I may have overproofed, before baking the dough was very soft and there were some large bubbles at the surface, I also think that...Read more
I was curious about baking with Einkorn, and I saw some at the market, so I figured I'd give it a try. This is my first time with Einkorn (...Read more
The night before or at least 12 hours before making this recipe, take out 1/2 cup starter from the fridge, place in glass bowl and mix with...Read more
Sourdough Pancakes 2 Cups Active Whole Wheat Sourdough Starter 2 each Eggs 1/3 Cup Non Fat Dry Milk 1 tsp baking Soda Mix the active...Read more
I am a true beliver in multiple long rises, but this sure is a lifesaver when you don't have the time or simply forgot to plan ahead. It...Read more
Levain means wild yeast in French, but is also covers the use of sourdough. A bread kan be called a Levain if the amount of compressed...Read more
This low-gluten bread has a pale, light texture, and a savoury flavorRead more
A large deep dish pizza made in a cast iron frying pan.Read more
I am a newbie here and I want to share my experience with quinoa flour. Recently I saw quinoa flour in an organic supermarket and I wanted...Read more
No sourdough here but at least they have "bread" in the name! I make lots of these every Christmas and they are very popular. This recipe...Read more
You must have some green chili stew with your sourdough bread! This is a hugely popular dish in Colorado, USA, and every cook has their...Read more
This is my second sourdough bread, thanks for sourdough.com, giallozafferano and Luis Felipe Moraes. pagnotta (say paniota) is this shape...Read more
A pretty good English muffin recipe I am working on making betterRead more
A work in progress. Shooting for a soft, fluffy bread.Read more
A good all around dough for french loaves, baguettes, and pretzels.Read more
This is our everyday bread at home. It's about as straightforward as a good daily bread can get. I use a stand mixer and dough hook to make...Read more
I adapted this recipe from the one given on the side of the bag of rye flour I purchased whilst on holiday. The recipe was a fully yeasted...Read more
I have been making Fred Bread for over a year now and haven't really made anything else since I like it so much. Somewhere along the way...Read more
very soft chewy.. and full of taste from the toasted flaxseeds. no doubt, is flaxseeds heaven! a must to tryRead more
I decided to have a go at a country-style miche with my rye starter, and was pleased with the results, especially the sweetness from the...Read more
Hey everyone! I thought I would share with you a recipe passed to me by my mother, it is a 100% rye bread with tons of authority. (My...Read more
In the past I have had difficulty knowing just how much butter to add to sourdough brioche. I recently got the chance to experiment with a...Read more


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Morning Energiser › Lucy & Ben Parker
These practices are great for the morning. They are especially designed to give you some get up and go, no matter how much time you have; if you're giving yourself a short weekday gift of starting the day well or a beautiful, longer energising weekend practice to give yourself the time and space you need to feel just great.
We think you'll find that the day goes with so much more panache and ease after you start the day by getting moving.
We couldn't find a class with your selected search options. Try broadening your search.


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Controlling Loan Portfolio Risk Using Credit Migration Models
Credit union executives struggle to determine the proper amount that needs to be set aside in their Allowances for Loan and Lease Losses (ALLL).
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency has issued a series of Policy Statements intended to guide financial institutions in the calculation of the Reserve for Loan Losses consistent with GAAP. The most recent Policy Statement, published in 2006, identifies Credit Unions and the NCUA as subject to its provisions.
In this policy statement, two specific directives are included that address calculation of the reserve for individually identified loans. They state:
- "For purposes of this policy statement, the term "estimated credit losses" means an estimate of the current amount of loans that is probable the institution will be unable to collect given facts and circumstances of the evaluation date."
- "Under FAS 114, an individual loan is impaired when, based on current information and events, it is probable that a creditor will be unable to collect all amounts due according to contractual terms of the loan agreement. It is implicit in these conditions that it must be probable that one or more future events will occur confirming the fact of loss. Thus, under GAAP, the purpose of the ALLL is not to absorb all the risk in the loan portfolio, but to cover probable credit losses that have already been incurred."
Thompson Consulting and Training (TCT) recently initiated a longitudinal study to quantify the probability of actual loss for loans that become 60 or more days delinquent. Loan data from client credit unions is gathered monthly. The study so far has covered a time period of several years. The study is ongoing. As with any ongoing study, findings may vary over time. But, here is what has been observed to date:
- In a normal environment, with consistent collection activity, between 25% and 35% of unsecured loan balances that become 60 or more days delinquent are eventually charged off
- 80% to 90% of total delinquencies and charge-offs are attributable to loans that have impaired FICO Scores (dropped 2 or more grades)
- Less than 10% of total delinquencies and charge-offs are attributable to loans with an unchanged FICO score
- The most effective way to manage charge-offs is to identify and control loans associated with declining FICO scores
- The largest segment of delinquent loans comes from loans that were originally "B" or "C" grades and subsequently dropped to "D" or "E"
- The most valid indicator of impending delinquency and loan loss for any loan is a declining FICO score
From this study and other research, TCT concludes that an empirical, statistically validated Credit Migration model which includes a reporting system that identifies loans (individually and categorically) that are experiencing declining FICO scores will significantly contribute to:
- Correct placements to ALLL
- Controlling delinquencies and charge-offs more effectively than relying on other reporting systems or subjective methods
- The most up-to-date and effective lending policies and procedures including Concentration Risk policies
- Insight into lending problems that lie ahead and corrective actions needed


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[UPDATE] German government calls security within Windows 8 "unacceptable" – continues switching their machines over to Linux
Do you trust Microsoft's latest operating system, Windows 8? If you are the Federal Republic of Germany, the answer to that question is "no". Last week internal documents from IT professionals within the government showed a strong rejection of the new operating system calling it "unacceptable for the federal administration and the operators of critical infrastructure".
The German government feels technology within the latest operating system create a dangerous backdoor that could allow access to confidential information. With the United States' Nation Security Agency in the not so positive spotlight recently, concerns of keeping confidential data secure is at an all-time high.
The new trust issue is ironically due to the latest version of Trusted Computing – a technology developed to enforce behavior on a PC. The operating system works with a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) chip to coordinate and regulate what software can be run on a PC and how secure data is managed. The idea behind the Trusted Computing platform is to prevent malicious software and code from running on your machine.
The latest edition of the TPM chip included with Windows 8 will come already activated when you receive a new PC. In addition, while you can "disable" the TPM chip, there is no way to completely shut it off and insure that it won't re-enable itself.
While this all might sound keen and dandy to the average user, the new Trusted Computing platform could possibly serve as a backdoor into the system when updates are pushed. The new TPM chip also removes complete control from the user without a firm way to opt-in and opt-out of the technology.
In an official statement, Germany's intelligence agency stated that:
The biggest problem for Microsoft? The Munich city administration in Germany has already decided they prefer to go without Windows and take a different route for increased security in the future – Linux. The city had begun a transition to switch all of their machines from Windows to Linux; the transition began ten years ago, but to government officials today – it doesn't seem to be a bad idea. The entire city administration for Munich expects a completion date sometime in late 2013.
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Here in the United States, the government has been using Linux on its backend servers for a long time, but a strong partnership with Hewlett-Packard keep PCs running Windows XP and Windows 7 front and center.
UPDATE: We are not going as far to insinuate that the NSA or other government agencies would actually use a TPM chip to gain access to a secure machine. In addition, there have been a few reports stating that the German government may have or may not have made certain statements – either way, our focus is to discuss the current possible security faults with the second generation of the Trusted Platform hardware and Microsoft's Windows 8 operating system.
Source: The Register (UK)