text:
Musician M.
S. Subbulakshmi
on September 16, 1916 in Madurai, Kunjamma, as M. S.
Subbulakshmi was known as a child, grew up in an atmosphere
of music.
Without any formal lessons in music, the little girl
sitting in her modest house in a lane near the famed
Meenakshi temple, used to hum along with the notes of
the nadaswaram which filled the air during festivals
and the strains of veena played by her mother.
Soon, she graduated from providing vocal support to
her mother to solo performances. Endowed with good looks,
she took to the silver screen in the backdrop of the
freedom struggle and the social reform movement. Her
first role in Seva Sadanam (1938), focussed on women's
After her marriage with Thyagarajan Sadasivam, a freedom
fighter who took to film making, a couple of films followed.
The film `Meera', was a runaway success and MS became
a household name across the country.
Ms. Subbulakshmi also got the Ramon Magsaysay Award
in 1974, Spirit of Freedom Award in 1988 and the Indira
Gandhi Award for National Integration in 1990. Recently
she was conferred with the Bharat Ratna, India's highest
award. Her other major honours include the Padma Vibhushan,
the Kalidas Samman, the Desikotthama, and the Sangeeta
India has a flourishing tradition of classical music
enriched by great artists in every generation. What
sets MS apart is perhaps the complete self forgetfulness
she achieves for herself and her listeners from the
first note - the shadja - with which she aligns herself
to the tambura strings; to the last gandhara in the
upper register, as she concludes with a prayer for the
welfare of humanity.
From a trilling nightingale to a soaring seeker of the
supreme sound, the Nadabrahman, MS' journey was long
but seemingly effortless, almost pre-ordained. Husband
Sadasivam played a major role in the evolution of the
eclecticism of her music, her keen understanding of
the languages in which she sang, her painstaking labours
to master the enunciation of their lyrics. These songs
in numerous Indian languages from her vast repertoire
which made up her concerts, were meant to knit India
together. But in reality the words were quite immaterial.
She only had to open her mouth and sing a single note
in perfect unison with the sruti, to cast a resonant
spell on her audiences, regardless of region or nationality.
That is why she won Western audiences, the first Carnatic
musician to do so, at the Edinburgh Festival (1963),
at the United Nations (1966), at the Carnegie Hall in
New York and at the Festivals of India in Great Britain
and the erstwhile Soviet Union.
MS is also remembered for her roles in films ``Sevasadan'',
``Savitri'', ``Sakuntalai'' where her songs and duets
with G.N. Balasubramanian were instant hits, and ``Meera''
whose Hindi version made her a national celebrity overnight.
Fifty years after the film was released, Meera bhajans
continue to be a moving part of the MS concert. They
underscore the fact that the 20th Century vocalist follows
the path of the saint-poet- composers of the bhakti
MS is likely to tell you that the most memorable moments
in her career were when she sang kritis on the Devi
as the Paramacharya performed elaborate pujas during
the seven days of Navaratri. Or when Mahatma Gandhi
asked her to sing the Ramdhun during evening prayers
at Sabarmati.


text:
It shouldn't be surprising that a nation as populous as China would use large amounts of fertilizer to grow crops. Lots of food to grow.
It also probably shouldn't be surprising that Chinese companies produce an abundance of industrial waste while manufacturing the phosphate fertilizer used on Chinese farms.
And, of course, no one should be surprised to learn that this industrial waste – a noxious potpourri of toxic chemicals and heavy metals known as fluorosilicic acid – is treated as a pollutant unfit for disposal in natural water ways, and certainly unfit for human consumption.
It should, however, be very surprising – if not horrifying – to know that tons of this pollutant are shipped out of China and into the United States every year for a healthy Chinese profit.
Why, you may ask, would the US purchase toxic industrial waste from Chinese fertilizer manufacturers? Too put it in our drinking water, of course!
What a triumph of efficiency! Not only are we helping prevent the pollution and degradation of our natural environment, but we get ourselves some fancy sets of shiny, white, decay-resistant chompers on top of it!
It's really nothing to joke about. The fluorosilicic (also hexa- or hydrofluorosilicic) acid produced in these industrial processes is not approved or regulated as a food or drug. In fact, independent studies have shown wide varieties of non-fluorine substances in various samples of the product. Researchers commonly find toxic substances like arsenic, lead, tungsten – even uranium in the same fluorosilicic acid compound that is being added to the majority of Americans' water supplies.
To be clear, this isn't intended to criticize the import of Chinese waste products when we have perfectly good fertilizer production right here in the US (incidentally, most of the fluorosilicic acid used for water fluoridation came from US sources until recently, as Chinese companies have been able to offer lower prices).
It is meant more as a question like: What the hell are we doing – and are we sure there's not a better way?

subset: commoncrawl


text:
TOPIC: What Is A Good Way To Introduce A New Sport To A Beginner?
The Question:
People will often try to pressure their friends or kids into music, food, movies, etc. Sports are no different. Sometimes they will fall in love with the sport, and sometimes they won't even make an attempt to give it a try.
What is a good way to introduce a new sport to a beginner?
For a kid, what is the best sport to first introduce them with? Why?
Is it easier to introduce a team sport (baseball, basketball, etc.) or a solo sport (boxing, bowling, etc.)?
Which is the easiest sport to introduce to a friend? Which is the toughest to introduce?
Show off your knowledge to the world!
The Winners:
- sc1 View Profile
- Backa53 View Profile
1st place - 75 in store credit.
To use your credit, e-mail Will @ firstname.lastname@example.com for more info.
1st Place - sc1
View This Author's Profile Here.
A new sport can be intimidating to anyone. When introducing a beginner to a new sport, you want to make it as comfortable and non-threatening as possible. So first and foremost, you must select the right activity.
Age, sex, lifestyle, body type and personality can all play a factor in deciding on a new sport. When helping others find a new sport, we must put aside our personal preferences and desires and think about these factors.
You may like free-style skateboarding, but your grandmother will probably be a bit nervous about it. I love to dance, but my 230-pound father isn't likely to take up ballet. What are they drawn to? What makes them excited? What fits their personality?
Once you begin to narrow down the options, it's time to think about more practical matters. Research has shown convenience is one of the biggest factors in program adherence. Is there a facility/field nearby? Do the practices or game schedules fit into their schedule? Cost and equipment can also be a factor.
Some sports, like lacrosse, entail a heavy investment in equipment. Individual sports, like martial arts or boxing, may require expensive training fees and team sports often involve team fees and league dues. Make sure you research all the hidden costs and commitments before embarking on a new program.
Start Off Slow:
You've finally found a sport and are ready to help your friend on their way. What now? Start slow! You may be a pro, but beginners should be encouraged ease their way in. One on one instruction can be a great way for a beginner to get their feet wet and get familiar with the rules of the sport.
Whether you go with private lessons or small group lessons, look for trainers that offer specific lessons for beginners. Often times, you can also find beginner clinics that teach the basics of the sport in a fun, camp-like setting. Your local college is a great resource for inexpensive training. Non-credit courses are often offered for a variety of sports both from community colleges and larger universities.
In team sports, seek out leagues that have different divisions. Many sports have several different divisions for every level. Age specific divisions, like an over-40 league, can be much less intimidating for older adults who don't want to compete with 18-year olds. In addition, don't overlook co-ed leagues.
Co-ed leagues can be competitive, but often they are more social than anything and can be more welcoming for beginners. If you can't find what you're looking for in the city league, check out YMCAs and community centers for low-key team activities. Pick-up games can also be a great way to ease into things.
If you drive down to the city park on a sunny Saturday with a football, soccer ball or volleyball, you may try to get a casual game together. The web can also be a good resource to find informal pick-up games and individuals with similar interest.
Try posting on the community section of your local paper or a site like www.craigslist.org. Other sites, like BodySpace are popping up all over the place to make it easier to find and meet people with similar desires.
Finally, when you introduce someone to a new program, make sure they have a support system. Having friends and family members who support their new program and/or participate will increase the likelihood that they stick with it.
Just For Kids
For A Kid, What Is The Best Sport To First Introduce Them With? Why?
Just like adults, some kids will be better suited to some sports than others and should be encouraged to experiment! However, as a starting point, soccer is a good choice. Soccer is one of the biggest youth sports in America. It requires little in the way of equipment (shinguards, cleats and a ball) and is fairly inexpensive and easy to learn at the recreational level.
A big benefit of soccer is that in most locals, it is offered at every age group and in a wide variety of levels so that everyone can play in an appropriate environment. Kids can begin playing soccer in recreational leagues as young as 4 or 5. Unlike Pop Warner football, equal opportunities exist here for both your bouncing boy AND your darling daughter.
Team Or Solo
Is It Easier To Introduce A Team Sport (Baseball, Basketball, Etc.) Or A Solo Sport (Boxing, Bowling, Etc.)?
When starting a new sport for the first time, participating in a team sport has many advantages over a solo sport. Most of us don't start a new sport with hopes of being an Olympic athlete. We may want to learn something new or stay fit, but mostly importantly, we want to have fun.
The social aspect of team sports is a critical "fun factor". For many recreational adult players, hanging out with the team after the game is as much fun as the game itself and can be a great motivating factor. Making friends, meeting new people and sharing common experiences can greatly enhance the sporting experience.
Furthermore, in a team environment, new beginners can find mentors to help ease them into the sport. More experienced athletes are there to show them the ropes and teach them the rules. Carpooling, equipment loans and fee-sharing are all possible with team sports.
Team sports can help make hold people accountable and stick to the program as well. I remember many a Sunday 8 a.m. games in which I just wanted to pull the covers over my head and go back to bed. Just knowing that there are other people depending on your attendance can make or break your likelihood of sticking to it!
Easiest & Toughest
Which Is The Easiest Sport To Introduce To A Friend? Which Is The Toughest To Introduce?
Most people are much less intimidated by a new sport if they have a general understanding of the game and know some of the rules. You'd be hard pressed to find many people who aren't at least a little familiar with the traditional American pastime - baseball.
Baseball (and softball) is a sport that is easy for beginners to understand and doesn't require a vast amount of expensive equipment to get started. There are also a plethora of leagues at levels.
In a typical neighborhood co-rec softball league, you can find men and women, of all ages, abilities and body types sharing a good time on the field. You don't have be in great cardiovascular shape or be super strong to be able to participate and contribute.
Sports that are tough for beginners include those that require learning a whole skill. For example, if you have never ice skated before, taking up figure skating or playing hockey would require learning how to skate before one even begins learning the fundamentals of the sport!
Physically demanding sports, like football and rugby can be also be intimidating and even dangerous for a new beginner to "tackle" right away.
2nd Place - Backa53
View This Author's Profile Here.
Sport, like many athletes on this forum and across the globe, has been the way I have grown up. The sports I play define me in my mind and in the minds of those who know me. My love for the game of football as well as sports in general is an unconditional one. It will remain a large part of my life in some way for the rest of my life.
Despite my unconditional love for football, I may have never discovered it and certainly would not have flourished in the sport the way I have without being introduced to it at the age I was.
My mother tried hard to get me to embrace the sport she loves—Equestrian. The first sport in which I participated was horse-back riding. I have an older brother and sister who also were brought up to ride and stuck with it and now call the sport their professions.
Equestrian Events - Dressage: 1 of 3:
Dressage ('training' in French) involves the progressive training of the horse to a high level of impulsion, collection and obedience.
Competitive dressage has the goal of showing the horse carrying out, on request, the natural movements that it performs without thinking while running loose.
One dressage master has defined it as 'returning the freedom of the horse while carrying the rider.'
My brother Paul, competing as an Equestrian:
I rode at a barn that neighbored the field where the local High School and minor football teams played. The sport quickly drew my interests away from riding. My older siblings also are Colorado natives and really helped peak my interest in the sport when the Denver Broncos made their title runs of the 1990's.
Ultimately despite my mother's greatest intentions of pushing me away from the sport, it was not to be. Ultimately a child must truly love a sport in order to receive all the great benefits that come with sport.
New Sport
What Is A Good Way To Introduce A New Sport To A Beginner?
The best way to introduce a beginner to a sport is to help them discover a true enjoyment within the sport. Whether one is trying to get their son or daughter to play a sport to be active or whether one is egging on that friend who is big and strong that will help your team win a championship, the only way everyone will benefit is if the individual is truly happy playing the game.
Many parents try to live through their children and have them succeed at the sport they played in their youth. But it must be the child's ultimate decision as to which sport they want to play. I believe all children should be encouraged to give sports a try. And there are few young children that simply do not want to give sports a try.
Just make sure their first participation in the sport a fun one and good things will happen.
Just For Kids
For A Kid, What Is The Best Sport To First Introduce Them With? Why?
I believe it is best to introduce children to whichever sport they truly want to play. If a child wants dearly to play basketball, despite how much you loved your soccer-filled childhood, basketball just may be the right choice for him or her.
Team Or Solo
Is It Easier To Introduce A Team Sport (Baseball, Basketball, Etc.) Or A Solo Sport (Boxing, Bowling, Etc.)?
Everyone is individual, but for the most part I would believe a team sport is the more desirable one in the eyes of a beginner. Friendship and camaraderie are perhaps the truly appealing aspect of sports in many minds. Teammates often become best friends and lifelong friends.
Solo sports are wonderful and can be much more appealing to some people. It really depends on the personality of a person.
Easiest & Toughest
Which Is The Easiest Sport To Introduce To A friend? Which Is The Toughest To Introduce?
Environment is a large depending factor. I live in Canada and it is much easier to get someone involved in hockey around here than it is in Texas. In the same sense there is much less interest in baseball where I come from compared to the United States. People in Canada are familiar with our sports. Everyone knows someone who knows someone in the NHL. Sidney Crosby, of the NHL, grew up 20 minutes' drive from my house.
But it all depends on individual circumstance. The three sports I love most are Football, Baseball and Track & Field. I have never played competitive Hockey or Basketball which are both big where I live.
The smallest events can change one's life. Young minds can be molded in many ways. Some end up in sports, others music and so on. You can call in destiny, faith, karma or a slew of other reasons why we end up the way we do. Sometimes we just have to roll with the punches and end up wherever they take us.


text:
Clan Europe Forums ~ Official OSRS Memberlist ~ Clan Europe YouTube Channel
Clan Europe was founded in 2006 by Dimitrix as an active Warring clan. In late 2007, we took Clan Europe in a different direction to become a Continent Clan, a "secondary clan/team" for any active, war loving Europeans. If you meet our requirements and enjoy CWA events in a suitable GMT timezone, CE could be a good clan to join.
Since the release of CWA, we've made that our home, working our way to become one of the most organized and respected forces in CWA to date. We take pride in being one of the only Continent Clans and while staying organized and competitive, we strive to maintain a relaxed community with mutual respect between members and our opponents. Maintaining a prestigious reputation is of utmost importance to us!
If this introduction appeals to you, please read further to see if you would be interested in joining Clan Europe!
|OSRS Memberlist:
CE Strives to deliver it's members with a good OSRS events in the GMT timezone. As an active CWA based warring clan, we aim to provide our members with a vast array of different CWA Wars against a variety of clans, but we also host Fun Events such as Boss Hunts, EXP Competitions with prizes and awards and occasional PK Trips/PvP Wars. If anything we give Europeans who all enjoy the same thing a place to meet new friends in lots of different clans who might not normally come into contact with one another.
Clan Europe can help improve its members which can also help the members' Senior Clan by giving them more war experience but also by encouraging combat training, obtaining useful items for wars or even just making money for rune sets.
We encourage training and obtaining items useful to warring such as:
- High Combat and High Magic levels to improve overall warring ability,
To maintain our strong warring ability and event activity we require the joining members to:
Full Members
- You must live in Europe (GMT Timezone)
- 120+ F2P Combat, 70+ prayer with either:
- 96+ Ranged and 90+ Magic OR 96+ Magic,
- Discord & TS3 Downloaded
- Have the required gear and
- Have a respectable personality, with
- Understandable English
Stat requirements apply to OSRS.
These requirements are warring based and will not bend in any case. We thoroughly check all applicants before acceptance. Any NH background reduces your chances to join Clan Europe.
Clan Friends
- Meet all of the above Full Member Requirements,
- Must be a Close Friend to a current CE Member (Clan Friend is 'invitation Only'),
- Must Apply as Normal Member,
- You must live outside of Europe
As of the 14th of March 2014, Clan Europe has opened it's doors to Clan Friends. There's a few requirements that you have to meet if you wish to become affiliated to Clan Europe, without being an European yourself.
We do not accept Europeans as Clan Friend. If you are European and wish to be affiliated to Clan Europe, fill out an application as normal Full Member.
Everyone is however free to join our ingame Clan Chat to come and have a chat!
Most wars take place then, sometimes earlier, rarely later. Most Fun Events are held mid-afternoon. As stated before, we are based around CWA warring but we also have Fun Events and competitions to break up our warring regime. Being part of any secondary clan is about having fun and that is what we want!
As a secondary clan we tend to pull between 20-40% of our Memberlist to wars, however with larger preps we can pull a lot higher. Our maximum pull ever was to a Full Out War vs Dragon Hunters where we pulled 73 people and won, a record broken from earlier that week in fact where we pulled 70 against RSD! Since that record two years ago, in the Full Out Category of the 2010 CJ Tournament, we pulled 71 people and won!
Some events we have hosted in the past include:
- Wars -&- CWRIs; full out, matched, F2P and P2P.
- PK Trips; occasionally we will make short prep fun PK Trips.
- Boss Hunts; God Wars, Corporeal Beast and more ...
- Competitions; With cash prizes and awards, these can be EXP related through to Deathmatch or Chess tournaments!
Since our existence as a country clan (since 2007), we have achieved quite a lot and more than some clans who have been alive twice as long! Our best achievements include the following and we are always on the prowl to increase the length of this list:
|4th Best Country Clan
|We beat FOOLS for their place as 4th Best on the RSC Country Clan RAW List!
|Top 15 on the UCL
|After the RAW List, CE was ranked in the top 15 on RSC's Ultimate Clan List!
|2nd in the 20-vs-20 CJ Tournament '09
|We made it to the Finals of the 20-vs-20 second only to the all-tournament undefeated RDC!
|1st in the 20-vs-20 Tip.It Tournament '10
|We beat Team TKO Blitz to claim the 20-vs-20 Champion title!
|3rd in the 2-vs-2 Tip.It Tournament '10
|Randomly paired with SE, we lost to TR+NBK & TT+NBK in the round robin Semi-Final!
|Clan Europe Tournament 2010 & 2013
|We are the only clan to host a large scale clan tournament where 40 different clans, including top 10, participated!
|2nd place F2P JaGeX Cup 2013
|After just 2 months in the EoC We were undefeated up until we were up againt TR, who had the more luck with the default rules in their favour.
|Winners 100+ JaGeX Cup 2014
|After our tough luck last year, we were stoked to take home at least one of the finals. After a good battle againt NP, we took home the win.
|2nd Place 20 v 20 JaGeX Cup 2014
|Facing WF, we unfortunatly lost our tight organisation early on in the fight as they targetted our callers. This resulted in them winning, no shame in taking second place though.
Pictures & Videos:
Our latest wars:
Whats required from you:
We want our members to be active, we have frequent activity checks and you will be placed on our retired list if you fail to post or attend a Sign Up War. You have to ask us to get removed.
We ask that all of our members attend events when they can. If not, then they should post on our forums at least once each day. Once a day is not a lot - it just shows your willingness and devotion to CE.
Our clan rules can be found on our Board but they are almost fully composed of rules which a normal clan will have. We rely on the common sense of our members, everyone has a conscience, everyone knows right from wrong. We will punish those who cross the line but our members rarely do so. We are always quick to remove those members who have a knack for causing trouble, our interviews on members are one of the first filters.
Always remember: It's not what your clan mates can do for you, but what you can do for your clan mates.
- Fire Hawk154
- Miroorules
- Michael
- Jelle
- Rams
- Joku
If you have any questions or war requests, come into our Discord and PM an Official.
That is Clan Europe. Our calling is battle, our strength is friendship and our desire is beauty.
Edited by Vornollo, 06 June 2018 - 4:55 PM.
Fixed the images.


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RITES - Engineer Posts- 10 Vacancies
Start date
Last date
RITES or Rail India Technical and Economic Service announced notification for Recruitment 2018 for the post of Engineer. Total vacancies are 10 and the last date to apply is 03-05-2018. (आरआईटीईएस या रेल इंडिया तकनीकी और आर्थिक सेवा अभियंता पद के लिए भर्ती 2018 के लिए अधिसूचना की घोषणा की। कुल रिक्तियों 10 हैं और आवेदन करने की अंतिम तारीख 03-05-2018 है।)
Post-Wise Vacancy details -
|Post Name
|No. of Vacancies
|Salary Details
|Engineer (Civil)
|Rs. 16,400 - 40,500/-
About RITES - RITES Limited (राइट्स लिमिटेड) is an engineering consultancy company, specializing in the field of transport infrastructure. Established in 1974 by the Government of India, the company's initial charter was to provide consultancy services in rail transport management to operators in India and abroad. RITES has since diversified into planning and consulting services for other infrastructure, including airports, ports, highways and urban planning. (आरआईटीईएस लिमिटेड (राइट्स लिमिटेड) एक इंजीनियरिंग कंसल्टेंसी कंपनी है, जो कि परिवहन बुनियादी ढांचे के क्षेत्र में विशेषज्ञता है। भारत सरकार द्वारा 1974 में स्थापित, कंपनी का प्रारंभिक चार्टर भारत और विदेशों में ऑपरेटरों को रेल परिवहन प्रबंधन में परामर्श सेवाएं प्रदान करना था। आरआईटीईएस ने हवाई अड्डों, बंदरगाहों, राजमार्गों और शहरी नियोजन सहित अन्य अवसंरचनाओं के लिए योजना और परामर्श सेवाओं में विविधता प्राप्त की है।)
Age Limit
Job Location
Employment Type
Hiring Organization
Educational Qualification
|Post Name
|Full Time First Class Graduate Degree in Civil Engineering
|Experience of minimum 2 years in one or more of civil engineering fields as mentioned below: 1. Planning & execution of Major Railway Project 2. Design & construction of structures including workshops, Depot, Major Bridges, Viaduct, ROBs, Track works 3. Building constructions, Industrial building constructions 4. Contract Management Candidates who have worked in Railways or PSUs of Railways will be preferred
Selection Process
Candidates will be shortlisted for selection if their applications received before 09.03.2018 in Hard Copy. Then Company will shortlist the number of candidates for Written Test/ Interview out of eligible candidates.
Based on the performance in the Written Test, candidates shall be shortlisted for Interview. Candidates have the option to appear for interview either in Hindi or English. Appointment of Selected Candidates will be given after medical Test Result.
How to apply
Application Fees: There is no application fee for the given post.
How To Apply:
1. Interested candidates are required to apply online in the registration format available in the Career Section of RITES website - http://www.rites.com.
2. After submitting the online application; the system would generate 'Registration No.'
3. Candidate needs to send printed application form along with the Self-Attested hard copy of the following documents in the given order only (from top to bottom):
a. Two recent passport size colour photographs
b. High School certificate for proof of Date of Birth
c. Certificates of Academic & Professional qualifications and statements of marks of all the qualifications for all semesters/years (Xth, XIIth, Diploma/ Graduation/ Post-Graduation as applicable)
d. SC/ST/OBC Certificate in the prescribed format by Govt. of India (if applicable)
e. Proof of Identity & Address (Passport, Voter ID, Driving License, Adhaar Card etc)
f. PAN Card
g. Proof of different periods of experience as claimed in the Application Form (if applicable)
h. Any other document in support of your candidature
i. PWD Certificate as per latest format (if applicable).
4. Application Form along with above documents are to be sent through post to "Assistant Manager (P)/Rectt., RITES Ltd., RITES Bhawan, Plot No.1, Sector-29, Gurgaon – 122001, Haryana"; within the date specified for the purpose.
5. Also, attach copies of experience certificates from your previous employment if claims made by you in your application. In respect of current employment, experience certificate/ joining letter along with last months' salary slips, or, Form 16 and other documents which clearly prove your continuity in the job are to be attached.
6. Candidates should submit the only single online application for one Post and if want to apply for more than one post will have to apply separately for each Post. A valid e-mail ID is essential for submission of the online application.
For Detailed Notification - Official Notification


text:
h&m shirt | boyboyboy top | cubus jeans | gina tricot necklace
Sunday, March 10, 2013
New outfit: Does it really get this dark in the day?
4 comments:
Wow, such a nice blog you have here♥ReplyDelete
You can check out mine too, maybe you'd like to follow each other.
Have a beautiful day!
Du bist aber eine Hübsche! Tolles Outfit und wirklich schöne Seite. Ich würde mich freuen, wenn wir einander folgen würden.ReplyDelete
Liebe Grüße.
Wow we really like your outfit and style, and your blog! We would love for you to guest post for us, and we will help promote your brand! Email us at email@example.com for details! Tripanista.comReplyDelete
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text:
Nanny knows best
Michael Stewart
- Kinnock by Michael Leapman
Unwin Hyman, 217 pp, £11.95, May 1987, ISBN 0 04 440006 3
- The Thatcher Years: A Decade of Revolution in British Politics by John Cole
BBC, 216 pp, £12.95, April 1987, ISBN 0 563 20572 5
- Thatcherism and British Politics: The End of Consensus? by Dennis Kavanagh
Oxford, 334 pp, £22.50, March 1987, ISBN 0 19 827522 6
- The New Right: The Counter-Revolution in Political, Social and Economic Thought by David Green
Wheatsheaf, 238 pp, £22.50, March 1987, ISBN 0 7450 0127 0
Let us begin with Kinnock, in order, so to speak, to get him out of the way. If one's view is that Neil Kinnock is a good man in a position made impossible by historical developments, one will not find much in either Michael Leapman's sympathetic and readable portrait, or John Cole's lively and good-humoured canter over the events of the last decade, to change one's mind.
The nature of the Labour Party's – and Kinnock's – problem was vividly illustrated by what happened when James Callaghan resigned the leadership late in 1980. At that point the new machinery for electing the leader – designed to outweigh the traditionally right-wing bias of the Parliamentary Labour Party – had not yet been established, and the election was decided by MPs alone. They voted 139 for Michael Foot, 129 for Denis Healey. This, to put it mildly, was asking for trouble: and the 1983 election duly delivered it. Few people can doubt that Mrs Thatcher would have faced a far more formidable foe in Healey, and it is not absurd to imagine that the election result might have been different. But the hypothesis is unreal, for if Healey had been elected leader by MPs, the Party would have been hopelessly split; there might even have been what John Cole calls 'the two Popes problem', with a different leader elected by the new electoral college. In the aftermath of the 1979 electoral defeat only somebody with impeccable left-wing credentials, committed to unilateral nuclear disarmament, could hope to impose even a semblance of unity on the Labour Party. Yet such a person would find it very difficult to win a general election. (It is the same dilemma that sometimes arises in American Presidential politics: some hopefuls are regarded by commentators as nominable by their parties, but not electable; others are judged to be electable, but not nominable.)
The situation recurred, in spades, after the 1983 election disaster. That Kinnock is not electable has yet, of course, to be demonstrated: but it is clear that nobody else would have been acceptable as party leader. He got 71 per cent of the votes in the new electoral college; the runner-up – Roy Hattersley – got 19 per cent. Healey did not even bother to stand.
Michael Leapman does not duck the fact that Kinnock has made some mistakes and had some failures. In the 1984-85 miners' strike, for example, he got the worst of both worlds. Many of his constituents are miners, and his own roots are deep in the valleys of South Wales. His emotional attachment to the miners and their cause inhibited him for far too long from denouncing the illegitimacy of the strike and condemning the violence which Scargill was condoning and encouraging. But the fact that this brought him so much obloquy from moderate opinion did not prevent him from coming under heavy fire from the hard left of his own party as well. This was because Kinnock's distrust of Scargill and his destructive philosophy – 'the Labour movement's nearest equivalent of a First World War general' he had presciently called him in 1983 – made him refuse to even visit a picket line until the strike was almost over. Another setback was the failure to do the spadework necessary to ensure enough votes at the 1984 Annual Conference for his proposal that all party members, and not just the activists, should be entitled to vote in the selection and reselection of Parliamentary candidates – with the consequence that the next Parliament, particularly if Labour does relatively well, will contain a quite disproportionate number of representatives of the hard left. And – something Leapman perhaps passes over too lightly – his failure in the Westland debate in January 1986 to knock the Prime Minister off an exceedingly precarious perch must have been a source of bitter regret to Kinnock himself.
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Vol. 9 No. 11 · 4 June 1987 » Michael Stewart » Nanny knows best
pages 8-9 | 3003 words


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The continuing Japanese whaling saga is ultimately a tale of subsidies. As reported in The Guardian, the money-losing Japanese whaling fleet got a nice boost this year - from the earthquake/tsunami recovery fund. Soon it will return to the Antarctic to kill some more whales whose meat will sit indefinitely in a freezer. The reason is that one of the towns affected by the tsunami was a whaling port. The article does not specify if the port was involved in Antarctic whaling or local coastal whaling. The whaling program received an additional $30 million in US dollars from the recovery fund. Without this money, the unprofitability of whaling would likely doom it to a quick end.
In fact, subsidies are behind a lot of environmental problems. While most conservationists aren't eager to let the free market completely take over, many will agree that ending subsidies would be a quick way to solve a lot of problems. For an example, destructive high-seas bottom trawling fishing vessels often receive fuel subsidies that keep their operations profitable. If new WTO rules were imposed on fisheries subsidies, we could possibly avoid arguing about how much of the seafloor it's ok to destroy and just sit back and watch deep-sea trawlers slink on home.
It would seem like a no-brainer that subsidies to industries that are causing environmental damage and aren't really making any money are a waste of government resources and should be ended. On the other hand, a case can be made that judicious government investments can help promising industries get off the ground, and I'd be unwilling to condemn all subsidies for this reason. Unfortunately, thanks to the deeply entrenched influence of many lobby groups - farmers, fishers, whalers, oil companies - most subsidies are not designed to help new, environmentally responsible businesses get off the ground. So next time you see that your government is subsidizing something that's not benefiting the public as a whole, let them know how angry you are. Don't let industry do all the talking.


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Friday, 28 January 2011
The First day of Temptation!
5 comments:
- LandGirl1980 said...
It sounds like you had a lovely day. You will not regret that book to get you started on vintage hair styling at home.
I am LOVING your ethos of make-not-buy! If I had any decent skill in dress/clothes making - I think I would tag along for the ride. This is where charity shops step in for me. And sales. I cannot remember the last time I bought something new or full price. However - that means I get a bit of charity shop frenzy and have a bit of a splurge, all the time convincing myself that its ok because it "going to a good cause". My bank balance thinks differently.
- 28 January 2011 at 23:46
- rachel / Red Lips Vintage said...
I feel the same way about UO clothing. The price is jacked up so far past it's actual worth!
I bet you can make something similar/better!
- 29 January 2011 at 00:46
- Miss Katie said...
LandGirl1980 - Hi again! I have that same problem in vintage or charity shops, it's one of the many reasons I started this challenge! I tend to fall head over heels in love with an item of clothing without really thinking about whether I'll wear it, I just love pretty things :) And the book is brilliant, have you used it yourself? The second I get some spare time I'm going to give it a whirl.
Rachel - I think I may revisit this dress at a later date and try making something similar. After all it's basically a chemise, so I could just adapt a lingerie pattern. Like most things in life for me it all comes back to lingerie! :)
- 29 January 2011 at 16:45
- Tasha said...
Hi there, followed your over here from a comment on my knit-along post on my blog. Congrats on the challenge you've set for yourself and making it through your first shopping trip. :)
p.s That pink cupcake with the rose, omg! I want!
- 29 January 2011 at 18:02
- Miss Katie said...
Tasha, lovely to have you here, I love your blog :) I'm excited about the knit-along, I love all the patterns you've picked to choose from, can't wait to hear the decision!
- 29 January 2011 at 21:11


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|Flohr vs Botvinnik, probably in 1935
The results:
Flohr 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 0 0 ½ ½ 6.0
Botvinnik 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 1 ½ ½ 6.0
Shortly after the Soviet Championship in 1933 Botvinnik was informed that a match between him and Salo Flohr had been proposed. This was big news because at the time Flohr was near his peak and according to Chessmetrics was rated only behind Alekhine and Kashdan.
Botvinnik needed to get approval for the match and that was going to be iffy. At the time, Flohr was a citizen of Czechoslovakia and for Botvinnik to lose a match to a foreigner would be disastrous. All the strong Moscow players were of the opinion that Botvinnik would lose the match and suggested a tournament instead.
Nikolai Krylenko, on the other hand, claimed that Botvinnik and the new generation of players needed to be tested and that he had faith in Botvinnik. Krylenko was able to convince authorities to release Botvinnik from his work as an electrical engineer and he immediately set about preparing. The authorities gave Botvinnik the use of a rest home for scientists.
He managed to find about 110 of Flohr's games from which he concluded that Flohr had originally preferred tactics and attacking play, but by about 1932 he was leaning more towards positional play, exchanges and endings, relying mostly on technique. He also came to the conclusion that psychologically Flohr was not very stable.
This psychological observation was probably based on the fact that Flohr, who was born in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, had his parents butchered during World War One. And, as a result, Flohr and his brother were orphans who ended up in Czechoslovakia in 1916. Flohr had trouble with school and problems finding a normal profession. At some point he ended up in Prague where the cafes filled with chess players allowed his talent for blitz to enable him to earn a living playing for stakes.
House of Staunton's replica of set used in the match
Botvinnik was satisfied with drawing the match and although it was not the result Krylenko had hoped for, it gave the Soviet players and authorities a lot of confidence with the result that they began meeting foreign competition more frequently.
The following game, the first game of the match, was won by Flohr who later stated that it was marred by nervousness on the part of both players and he won because or greater experience and tactical preparedness.


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Town Mission 7: Destroy all Enemies in the New City! is the seventh Town Mission in Sonic's story in Sonic the Hedgehog (2006).
Badniks have appeared in New City, Soleanna and have stolen a disk containing classified data from Rimlight, a company which specializes in the energy produced by Light Cores. Sandro, a representative of Rimlight, asks Sonic to destroy the enemies and obtain the stolen disk before he is fired and the company is shut down.
A relatively easy mission, the player's task is to run through the city while destroying the robots along a particular path. Throughout the course, the player must find three sparkling, square-shaped disks lying around (they are usually guarded by large robots such as Egg Guardians) and collect each one of them. It is recommended to take advantage of the explosive containers when dealing with enemies, as they are especially useful for taking out swarms. The Town Mission is cleared when all robots have been defeated and all three disks have been gathered.


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This lake is best known for its rainbow trout fishing. It is very popular with fly anglers in the spring and early summer providing great chironomid fishing for the months of March, April and May.
Despite its reputation as a trout fishery this lake provides fishing opportunties for yellow perch, black crappie and largemouth bass. This lake is in a remote location but there is a BLM Campground and boat launch available. The campground allows anglers to stay overnight and enjoy the lake after the long trek to reach their angling destination. The campground operates on a first-come, first-served basis.
Lake Information
Lake Management TypeMixed species - Trout emphasis
Sport Fishing Regulations & Seasons
Emergency Rule Updates
Fishing closures and openings happen constantly throughout the year. The E-Rules keep you up-to-date.
Special Fishing Restrictions
Access Sites / Boat Ramps on this Lake
Other Lake Access
Fish Plants & Stocking Reports
Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
Forest Service (USFS)
National Park Service (NPS)
United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)
United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)
About WDFW
Wildlife Viewing
Licensing & Permits
Living with Wildlife
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Privacy Statement
Fish Washington
Private Lands Hunting Access
Wildlife Areas
Water Access Sites
Find a license dealer
Weekender Report
GoHunt (mapping)
Contact WDFW
Mailing Lists
RSS Feeds
WDFW Publications
Maps & Data Products
Hunter Education
Report a Violation
WDFW Police Facebook


text:
How to build MonotrOndes Part 2
I'm using 3-pin DIN Connectors for connecting the Pitch Controller-module to Synth+expression-module of the MonotrOndes. I'm only using 2 pins and a ground point in this connector. You can choose a different type of connector. Or you can choose to make a non-modular version of MonotrOndes where everything is in fixed place without connectors and cables. But I have a point! The left-handed player can put the synth+expression-module on the right side of the pitch controller-module so he/she can play expression lever with his/her right hand. It's also nice to have a possibility to position the modules in a way that suits to your playing style.
3-pin DIN Connector
Here is an aluminum box that contains the multiturn pot. DIN connector at the top.
Multiturn pot is connected to a pulley.
Here is the wiring inside the aluminum box.
And here is the pitch control wiring inside the Synth+expression-module!
Stay tuned! :)


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Lost & Found Property
Did you lose or misplace any items while visiting Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area?
- For items lost in the North District (Fort Smith, Montana) call: (406) 666-2452.
- For all other lost items call: (307) 548-5406 (Lovell, Wyoming).
Please take found items to the Afterbay Contact Station at Fort Smith, Montana or the Bighorn Canyon Visitor Center at Lovell, Wyoming.
You are invited to make a lost property report by sending us the following information:
- name
- mailing address
- telephone number
- item lost
- description of item lost with name of manufacturer, model number, color, and any specifics that will help us identify your property
- date lost
- where you believe the item was lost
Email this information to e-mail us.
Or, if you wish to leave a report in person, come to:
North District - Afterbay Contact Station at Fort Smith, Montana
South District - Bighorn Canyon Visitor Center at Lovell, Wyoming. .
Or write us at: Lost and Found Office, Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area, 5 Avenue B, P.O. Box 7458, Fort Smith, MT 59035.


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How to Repair the Ear Piece on Your Glasses
Eyeglasses are expensive, yet necessary vision tools for people who wear them. Prices for a complete set of frames and lenses can run hundreds of dollars. Consequently, when a problem with the frames arises, many people prefer to see if they can salvage the glasses, rather than purchase another expensive pair. Repairing the earpiece with glue is a simple method of prolonging the life of a pair of eyeglasses. Be aware that not all damaged earpieces are repairable. An entirely new frame is necessary under some circumstances.
Assess the Damage
Inspect the glasses to determine the damage. If the earpiece is intact, but is no longer attached to the frame (or is loose), skip to Section 2. If the earpiece is broken completely (not just cracked) or is missing, continue to Step 2.
Contact a retailer of eyeglasses parts to find a suitable earpiece, also know as eyeglasses temple tips, for the current earpiece for the frame.
Purchase two matching earpieces and replace them both using the procedure below. In the event that the earpiece is damaged and replacement is not possible, try to repair the earpiece using the procedure below as a temporary solution only.
Repair with Glue
Ensure that affected surfaces on the earpiece and frame are clean and dry. If necessary, wash the earpiece and frame with soap and water and dry thoroughly before starting. Oils or debris from skin can interfere with adhesive bonding.
Place a drop of glue onto the surface of the area where the frame meets the earpiece, and hold in place for a few seconds while it sets. Be sure not to apply too much glue at once. Doing so may cause the glue to run, making it more difficult to control application. As an optional step, use a toothpick to spread the glue evenly before it sets.
Repeat Step 2, in order to apply additional layers of adhesive as needed. If the earpiece is cracked, use the glue and toothpicks to fill the crack and remove excess glue.
Allow bonding to set for at least 30 minutes before attempting to wear the glasses. Using glasses too soon can compromise the adhesive bond.
When gluing the earpiece, it's helpful to have a second person available to help with the process. They can hold the frame and earpiece tightly in place as additional layers of glue are added.
Always wear goggles or other protective eye equipment when using strong adhesives to prevent injury.
Be sure the area has adequate ventilation when using strong adhesives.
Photo Credits
- eyeglasses and green case image by Kokhanchikov from Fotolia.com


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Statues at Nemrut Mountain, Kahta, SE Turkey.
The impressive Lycian Rock tombs, carved in Limestone, birth place of Santa Claous, Demre, Antalya, Turkey.
Rumeli Fortress, Bosphorus, Istanbul, Turkey
Sumela Monastry, Macka, Trabzon, Turkey.
Poseidon Mosaic, Antakya,Turkey.
A girl in traditional folkloric dressing, Ankara, Turkey.
Turkish carpet sale, Kale, Antalya, Turkey.
An old man and his donkey, Kahta, Adiyaman, SE Turkey.
Mind boggling Covered Bazaar, 4000 shops, 65 labyrinthed streets and 28 gates, Istanbul, Turkey.
The Ottoman Sultan's monogram, Istanbul, Turkey.
Phaselis harbor, Camyuva, Antalya, Turkey.
An old man with his astonishing eyebrows, Kahta, Adiyaman, SE Turkey.
An old stone bridge still in use in Eastern Black Sea, Gümüshane, Turkey.
Epheseus Ampitheatre, Efes, Aydın, Turkey.
Cendere Bridge, built in 2000 BC by the Romans, Kahta, SE Turkey
Sultan Ahmet mosque in Istanbul, Turkey
St. Sophia Church / Ayasofya mosque and museum, Istanbul, Turkey.
Carved Atatürk's picture (400 sq meter) on a limestone cliff, Erzincan, Turkey.
Memkaure Pyramite of Egypt, Cairo
Chefren Pyramite of Egypt, Cairo
The Head of Medussa, Didim, Aydin, Turkey
The Ruins of Milletos, Milet, Aydin, Turkey
The Temple of Zues, built in 117-136 AD, Euromos ( Selcuk), Aydın, Turkey.
Cendere Bridge, built 2000 BC, over Kahta River, Adıyaman, Turkey
Floor mosaics at Antakya museum


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text:
This is a recent interview with Jesuit liberation theologian, Jon Sobrino.
by Asteko Elkarrizketa (English translation by Rebel Girl)
They tell me - in jest -- that you're angry with the world and I've also heard more than once that you want to be able to live without feeling ashamed of human beings ... Why?
Sometimes I feel ashamed. For example, are we really interested in Haiti? Obviously it raised interest in the beginning, and there have been some serious responses. But time goes by and it doesn't matter ... Another example I've told other times: in one soccer game of elite teams playing in the Champions League, I calculated that on the field, between the 22 players, there was twice the budget of Chad ... That angers and embarrasses me. Something very profound has to change in this world ...
Where are neoliberalism and globalization taking us?
The disaster is such that, in large part, it has led some to respond humanely: volunteers, NGOs, many churches -- Catholic and Protestant, other religions ... But I think the so-called First World -- one quarter of humanity -- continues to put the meaning of history in accumulation and the enjoyment that accumulation allows. Entertainment, for example, is a multinational mega-industry -- elite sports, tourism ...
Ellacuría called this the "civilization of capital", which produces a very sick society, in a fateful and fatal trance. And I used to say that the solution is to turn it around, so I concocted the term that we need a "civilization of poverty". Ellacuría was stubborn about this: it must be turned around; the engine of history can not be accumulating but solving the basic needs of 6.5 billion human beings, and the meaning of history is spirited solidarity.
In our society, it's common for large companies to hold very mediagenic "solidarity campaigns" with charity events, sponsorships, sending aid, etc ... Is the concept of solidarity being distorted?
I understand the question, but I think both things happen. On the one hand, a certain well-being and material affluence make it easier to give aid, and if one doesn't have a heart of stone, as the prophet Ezekiel said, it becomes somewhat of a heart of flesh and one helps. I think part of that solidarity is authentic.
However, such solidarity is also often used to hide the shame of the lack of a greater and more fundamental solidarity, and not only that, but also the oppression of the great powers over small countries.
Maybe it serves to mask the roots of the problems?
It can be used this way, although, ironically, many of the NGOs exist precisely to tell the truth -- though they don't pay much attention to them -- not just to help financially, but also to defend human rights. I see it as complex and each situation must be analyzed. It's clear that power subjects the whole world, but everyone must push the car of history as they can. Certainly, what we are being offered as solutions makes me indignant and sad.
Does the average citizen in the developed world have some responsibility for the poverty, oppression and wars that plague the planet?
Objectively, yes. Who declares the great wars? Governments, driven by oligarchies, but elected by the citizens. When governments offer war directly, some elect them and others not, but I don't hear of a leader offering to live worse off, at a lower level, so that many others might rise somewhat. In that sense, objectively we are co-responsible. The world is divided between oppressors and oppressed, there's no getting around it ...
In 2006, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith issued a "Notificatio" in which it deems that you distort the figure of the historical Jesus to emphasize His humanity too much at the expense of His divinity. It's the argument of the old heresy ...
What I'm saying is that through the human reality of Jesus of Nazareth, God has made Himself present. But they tell me that I don't end up really saying He is God, and that I speak of Jesus of Nazareth too specifically, and even that I turn Him into a politician, and, in general, the authorities of the Roman curia and the diocesan ones too, don't tend to like that. It happened to several theologians; in my case, it began in 1976.
In the Notificatio, they said two of my books contained dangerous misstatements. Earlier, they had been given to seven serious theologians to read and none of them told me there was any problem of possibility of heresy ... I think Jesus of Nazareth always disturbs us. God disturbs us less because He is so untouchable, so unpalpable ... I think we have a tendency in the Church to distance ourselves from Jesus of Nazareth. It doesn't mean we don't speak of Christ, but Christ is "the anointed one", an adjective.
I think the most dangerous thing is to ignore the fact that Jesus did not just die, but they executed Him, and they killed Him because He stood up to the power of the chief priests and, indirectly, to the Roman powers. Clearly, Jesus didn't just do that; He preached very beautiful and very difficult things: the Beatitudes, mercy towards people, prayer to the Father ... It's nice to see Jesus, but it's something serious too, and if anyone wants to follow the way of Jesus, it's going to cost them ... So I think that, overall, the Church often distances itself from Him so as not to be bothered. But, thank God, there are people and groups who are drawn to Jesus. I've seen it in El Salvador, especially among the poor and their advocates.
After the "Notificatio" you sent a letter to the Jesuit General Peter Hans Kolvenbach, which stated that various theologians didn't find any incompatibility with Church doctrine, that the campaign against you and liberation theology came from 30 years ago and that Ratzinger, in his time as cardinal, had already taken your thoughts and expressions out of context. I gather that there's premeditated harassment against you ...
I wouldn't call it harassment, but bias against me and many others. Then-Cardinal Ratzinger [now Pope Benedict XVI], in an article in 1984-85, criticized me on five points, but also criticized Gustavo Gutiérrez, Ignacio Ellacuría and Hugo Assmann, the four us were in the current that was called liberation theology. Ratzinger was already against this current. If I meet him someday, I hope we can talk as friends...
By the way, one doesn't hear much talk of liberation theology now. Has something changed, perhaps?
Liberation theology was born some fifty years ago in Latin America, a continent of great poverty and Christian faith. Something burst forth there. Something exploded. What erupted? The truth of the poor, which was the reality for centuries. The Church had seen them and had helped them in various ways, but ... when something is so real and explodes, it affects you, shakes you and encourages you to do something.
Thus began the so-called liberation theology, which intended that the poor have life, justice and dignity. For Christian churches, that was God's main will. And in that sense God also "exploded". And then there were two reactions. One, outside the churches. U.S. Vice President [Nelson] Rockefeller, was traveling through Latin America in the seventies and said, among other things: "If what the bishops in Medellin [the 1968 Bishops' Conference, where liberation theology took ecclesial shape] are saying is realized, our interests are endangered." Within the institutional church there was also a backlash from some bishops and cardinals. So liberation theology was born and confrontations ensued. All this led to something unique in the history of Latin America. They wanted to stop it in different ways; one was by killing. They killed dozens of priests, men and women religious, and four bishops. Two others were saved by mistake. And what's less well known: thousands of lay people, most of them poor.
Liberation theology triggered a lifestyle based on compassion, then materialized in forms of justice, based on love for the poor. This now has dropped at the level of the Church and bishops who advocate that line.
Monsignor Romero [Archbishop of San Salvador] said weeks before he was killed in 1980 that "a Christian who sides with the oppressor is not a true Christian" ...
Obviously. To identify with the oppressor means belonging to that group of human beings that is oppressing and taking the lives of others, slowly, through poverty and repression. That person is not Christian. How does he look like Jesus if he is just the opposite? And moreover, he isn't humane. Monsignor Romero was right.
Recently, at a conference of Christian thinkers, you said, paraphrasing the theologian José María Díez Alegría, that "the Church has betrayed Jesus", "this Church is not what Jesus wanted". Where is the Catholic Church's hierarchy leading it?
I didn't paraphrase Díez Alegría, but rather quoted him literally. He said that "overall, the Catholic Church has betrayed Jesus," and I think it's an important reflection. Obviously, not all the Church. I think he is saying that Jesus of Nazareth is disturbing, and so the Church betrays Him. José Antonio Pagola says: what is most needed today is "to mobilize ourselves and join forces urgently to focus the Church more truly and rapidly on the person of Jesus and His plan of the kingdom of God." According to Christian belief, the kingdom of God is the will of God for this world that there be life for all, starting with the poor. And Pagola ended with these words: "Many things will have to be done in the Catholic Church, but none is more crucial than this conversion."
I love the use of the word "conversion" -- it's a radical change. I see nothing more important than returning to this Jesus because we tend to separate from Him, not always, not everyone, not in all ways, but ...
To put it quite simply: when one hears Christian men and women, priests, bishops and non bishops, one rarely hears them talking about Jesus of Nazareth, telling what He said and what He did ... We are losing the essence of Jesus, that's what I meant at the conference. In Latin America it was very present in Don Helder Camara, in Don Pedro Casaldaliga, in many others ... But there's also the temptation to say, like the Grand Inquisitor in the novel "The Brothers Karamazov": "Go and never come back ..."
Even dramatically ... I remember the slogan of the extreme right and the army at the time of repression and war in El Salvador, "be a patriot, kill a priest." Why did they persecute them so cruelly?
They didn't just persecute us, priests and Christian groups, but above all the peasants ... With the Medellin Conference of Bishops of 1968, there was a big change, a breakthrough, and Jesus of Nazareth was present. Being a Christian was following the life of this Jesus, being with the victims, the poor, and, to defend them, confronting the powerful. The oligarchy didn't tolerate this, much less that it came from well-known people of the Church. We priests might be better or worse, but we were an important symbol in the country. That Church that they wanted to have on their side got away from them, so they killed the first priest, Rutilio Grande, a Jesuit, a great friend, on March 12, 1977. A great commotion arose and Romero made a very important decision: he denounced it, he said he would never appear in public civil activities until the crime was solved. And on the Sunday of the funeral, he ordered that there only be a single mass. The people with money, the oligarchy, got angrier: "We have killed one of their priests and they continue ..." They continued to kill priests and distributed leaflets with this sentence: "Be a patriot, kill a priest." In June, they gave us Jesuits a month to leave the country or they would kill us all ... We left. They continued to kill priests and nuns, and especially peasants ...
In this context came the killing of the six Jesuit priests and two women [9/16/1989] in the Central American University (UCA). You were also one of the targets of the military, but were saved by being in Thailand attending a conference. How do you remember those events?
A friend called me from London, he asked if I was sitting and if I had a pencil to write with. And he began: "They killed Ellacuría and ...". I felt like they had ripped my skin to shreds, but when I got angriest was when they told me they had killed the cook and her daughter. That they killed Ellacuría, he "had it coming" -- like Jesus of Nazareth. But killing a cook and her fifteen year-old daughter...!
I also remember that a Thai who had converted to Catholicism asked if in El Salvador, there were Catholics who killed priests. He understood well the horror that entailed. In El Salvador, killing priests now entailed not breaking the rules of good, but those of evil. Anything could happen. And it happened ...
Have you often feared for your life?
Yes and no ... Several times bombs exploded in the UCA and in our house. We were on the lists, Ellacuría first, and the others too. Sometimes in the newspapers, I was singled out too. But to think that what happened to Rutilio Grande, to Father Alfonso Navarro, to Archbishop Romero could happen to us... did not cause us to fear. They used to ask us why we didn't leave the country and we replied that we would be ashamed to go, we would be ashamed to say that we must be with people and then leave. I also taught classes on Christology and had to talk about the life of Jesus. How could I talk about Jesus if I left? And we didn't leave, above all, because we felt part of something larger, an entire people whom we loved and who loved us ... For me, it was a gift to have gone to El Salvador. I will be grateful for life.
You've been living there for over half a century. Some things have changed a lot in El Salvador, but poverty continues, the situation has even worsened with crime and youth gang violence ...
El Salvador, as is happening in Haiti, disappeared from the news. Peace treaties were signed and something important happened: two armies agreed not to continue to fight militarily. And that's very good. Furthermore, in the peace agreements it was decided to investigate serious human rights violations on both sides. The United Nations did a quite serious study about it. But what happened? Before the UN report came out, President Cristiani granted amnesty to those who appeared in it. Such an amnesty is not an act of reconciliation, of humanization: it served mainly so that it would not touch the government. Nobody has been convicted yet for the murder of Monsignor Romero -- nor has the Vatican canonized him...
Because of the short time framework, the agreements didn't sufficiently address the economy either, and that is still being felt. I'm not saying that with good agreements on the means of production, labor law, etc ... much would have changed. I'm not very optimistic but, by doing nothing, the unfair economic situation continues with no sign of a solution.
And there have been two other major negative things: Many Salvadorans -- two to three million -- go to the U.S. to find work, which brings many human problems, division of families, etc ... The other problem is the violence of the gangs, that have generated a kind of life in which young people find a sense of identity and are prepared to kill and be killed. And we must add the mafias, drug trafficking, kidnapping ... I wonder sometimes, tragically, why in El Salvador, and in similar countries, they have not decided on collective suicide. For many people, that is not living. But in the people, there is a greater force to move forward and face the most difficult problems. This force is expressed in the effort to survive, the attempts to organize. It is nurtured by many good people, the martyrs with Romero at the top. I think this is difficult to understand here.
I'm surprised how little Salvadoran accent you have ... In El Salvador do they still think of you as Basque?
Admittedly, I haven't changed accents. As far as what is Basque, I haven't lost my roots ... But nor is it an absolute ... Nor is it that I feel Salvadoran, although that is what I most feel I am. I think what has happened to me in El Salvador is a greater openness to all that is human, beyond localities ...
You've put aside coming back to Basque Country to stay ...
What's normal is not coming back to stay; if I come back, I will have to figure out what to do to help here. I would love to cooperate, do good, but I have no recipe. The change would be great. In El Salvador are the poor who don't take life for granted and have almost all the world powers against them. Here in Europe, life is taken for granted, and with much power in their favor. If I may say metaphysically: the poor are "those who are not real." Here we think we're what's real. Being in El Salvador means cooperating for all to live, and the dream of doing it as brothers and sisters. Here I would have to rethink it, though I see good people and things to which I could point.


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Product Description
Our advanced workshops are held four times a year and they cater for those with a natural flair and understanding for floral design work so are therefore not recommended for beginners.
- Advanced workshops are held on Tuesdays from 12-4pm
- Duration of class is approximately 3-4 hours
Advanced workshops include:
- Seasonal fresh flowers & greenery and other materials
- Luxury Pots, metal frames, stone feet and other mechanics
- Huge selection of decorative and unusual materials
- Binding materials such as wires, ribbons, ropes, glues, etc.
- The use of all necessary tools, no toolbox needed
- Variety of frothy coffees, teas, homemade cakes and other yummy refreshments


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Job Description Head of Product - Technology About Element Group Want to work on the front lines for an exciting and rapidly growing star...
Job Description
Head of Product - Technology
About Element Group
Want to work on the front lines for an exciting and rapidly growing startup at the crossroads of Finance, Cryptocurrency, and Technology? Are you passionate about learning and contributing to a growing business? Ready to roll up your sleeves and do whatever it takes to help build our technology services function and build the best platform out there? Are you fascinated by the blockchain revolution taking place and want to be a part of it?
We are a dynamic financial services and technology firm looking to hire an experienced product manager with a big vision and entrepreneurial drive to join our team! We are in an exciting and rapidly growing digital asset and cryptocurrency space, and are leading the charge on multiple fronts to expand the company and create new opportunities for the team. This will be a key role supporting our technology expansion and building the core product of the company. As we build our team, we will also consider filling this role with an outstanding candidate seeking a contractor or part-time role.
About The Role
Element Capital Group is seeking a Head of Product for the Technical Services division of our business. This position reports to CEO and CTO.
The ideal candidate will have in-depth experience in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment, be organized and focused, and possess excellent leadership, management and communication skills. Candidate should be experienced enough to autonomously lead and own the development of the product, and potentially the marketing function.
The role requires the ability to lead and deliver on various competing projects; perform well under pressure; and excel in providing reliable and clear communication to the external and internal clients. The position is based in our Santa Monica, CA headquarters.
Essential Job Functions
The Head of Product will have accountability for the following areas:
Lead execution of product strategy and vision; work closely with development teams to execute product development strategy and deliver products to market.
Learn product requirements through thorough market (competitive) review and formal requirements elicitation methods.
Articulate clear vision for new products and work cross-functionally with executive, engineering and growth teams to, define strategic projects, determine prioritization for them, and develop a product roadmap
Identify, evaluate and functionally integrate third party vendors when needed to deliver complete solution.
Negotiate product requirements with software architecture and design teams.
Work with Product Marketing team to identify and craft appropriate product positioning approach.
Attend and participate in industry related events and tradeshows to maintain visibility and market awareness.
Support sales and services as needed in regards to your product category including formal presentations to clients and prospects.
Spearhead all customer development activities including user testing, feedback collection, and conversion optimization. No one should understand our users better than you.
Be able to drive product development as an independent business unit and focused on a cost structure. Lead sales efforts and deliver product to the market
Generate clients flow and communication with end users to deliver demanded features and requirements.
Expected Areas of Competence
Minimum of 5 years of experience is required in the field of product management.
Successful track-record as a head of product, or experienced product leader with potential to step into a role at this scale and with this scope of responsibility.
Strong business focus and orientation with history of successfully managing the product development processes and cross-functional teams
Experience working with key opinion leaders in the field to identify market requirements and translate them into product features.
Strong entrepreneurial spirit
Excellent written, verbal and presentation skills.
Extensive knowledge of one or more of the following markets: blockchain, adtech, crowdfunding.
An attractive compensation package will be offered to an exceptional candidate including :
Exceptional wage
75% medical and dental
Paid vacation and holidays
Plus we are a great place to work!
We thank everyone for their interest but only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.


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I have here for sale, a code for Window 10 Home Retail 32/64 Bit.
I purchased this in August 2015 directly from Microsoft online for use on a PC that never had a license, however since then the install was removed, the PC sold on, and the key has sat doing nothing ever since. I have not had need to use it since then as everything I have purchased since then has had its own Windows 10 key baked in.
I can provide the purchase information I…
Genuine Windows 10 Home Retail Key (Purchased from Microsoft – with proof) – Reduced to £55


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Because it's winter the shadows were long but very pretty.
We always eat fish when we go to Spain and this is the kind of stuff we buy for souvenirs.
Yes, Spanish dancing outfits. The twins already have them as their other grandparents have a holiday home in Spain. They don't half look cute in them.
About midday, we strolled down to the port, recently redesigned in striking style with a dazzling white canopy like a snake skeleton. It was like being inside a giant architectural model, all clean lines and glass, a beautiful bit of architecture. You can see the canopy reflections in the shot below, which was taken through a sheet of glass. I love the bright blue and white feeling of it all. It reminds me of my childhood when I would get on a boat often to go somewhere new.
All so bright and twinkly.
Further along there is the wide sandy beach, swept clean, with empty kids' play equipment and nobody swimming. February is February, after all!
There's an old Moorish castle on the hill above Malaga so we went there as the afternoon siesta took hold of the town and all the shops closed.
Past the cathedral en route.
And from the castle, there were wide views over the town. The holiday flats in the background are typical of the places that give the Costa del Sol a bad name, although I expect those who own them have a great view of the sea!
The castle's main structure is restored, though the elaborate interiors have been mostly left plain; I can't begin to think of the cost of restoring those. It's none the worse for it, though, and we were happy to amble round the gardens and pathways and sit in the shady corners.
I wished, though, that I could have brought along my friend Yehuda, a keen amateur bricklayer who would have gone into raptures over this restored ceiling.
By 7 PM the streets were bustling with shoppers, the marble pavements reflecting the light from the windows. I bought some almonds from the almond seller who had been sitting there all day. There he is on the left, with his tray of almonds.
And by 8.30 the bars and restaurants were showing a few signs of life. I've never got used to the late eating hours in Spain, and in February the old town doesn't have all that many foreign tourists who keep earlier hours. This is the El Jardin restaurant and bar.
Here's a close up of the traditional Amstel pump on that counter.
A fantastic paella and a lovely evening. Guitarists jammed away happily in the dark shadows nearby
And the cats came out to claim the night.
PS. I didn't mention the Picasso Museum, but it deserves a post of its own. Since I can't do it justice here, this video might give you a taste of it, and
here is one of my favourite pictures in it.
It is also a gorgeous building. Look at the contrast of this wooden ceiling with the plain walls and staircase. One of the things I love about Spain is the sense of style.


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From its beginnings in Singapore over 20 years ago, JEB has grown and expanded throughout the Asia Pacific and Middle East. Now, the company is set to make its mark on Australia. Indesignlive finds out more about how JEB is innovating the world of partitioning systems.
April 12th, 2012
What does your company supply?
JEB designs and supplies world class innovative partitioning systems.
How did the company start?
JEB started in Singapore in 1990 as a small dealer of partition frames. The company expanded to Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia, China and has distribution in 10 other countries across the Asia Pacific and Middle East.
Where do you distribute?
JEB has offices in Hong Kong, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Beijing, Shanghai and Dubai. Our dealers are all around the world, including the Philippines, India, Thailand, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman and Australia.
Describe your customers.
JEB's customers are generally well known Fortune 500 companies, however we approach every project with the same passion and commitment.
What sets your company apart?
JEB is continually innovating and contributing to design. We collaborate with architects and designers, pushing the boundaries with our products in both standard and bespoke applications.
We have the deepest product portfolio of any partition company in the world.
JEB is continually setting the benchmark for quality finishes, and innovating products and materials to meet market changes.
What are your clients' priorities at the moment?
Our clients look for value for money and a point of difference when using high end products, whether that be in a better resolved and designed product or better service in specifying the right product for their individual needs.
Across the region, we often see end users and designers alike wanting to use space in a more effective manner. We have developed products that focus on performance and functionality in response to this need.
What is good design to you?
Good design is when you look at a product and it is immediately understood in terms of its function and aesthetic.
What does the future hold for JEB?
The future is very bright, especially in Australia where we have had a fantastic welcome back to our spiritual home.
We have a just released our 'Integra' double glazed operable wall (pictured above), the first flush glazed operable wall on the market, which is providing end users more flexibility of their space. We're finding that front of house meeting rooms are being moved away for the space to double as a function area.
In 2012, JEB is also releasing an exciting new range of aluminium and timber finishes. Watch this space!
To find out more about the JEB product range, contact Timothy Burndred at email@example.com
INDESIGN is on instagram
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A searchable and comprehensive guide for specifying leading products and their suppliers
The internet never sleeps! Here's the stuff you might have missed


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Some take issue with the designation of "war". I think this was the rationale behind President Obama dropping the name. He has opted for a bureaucratic and innocuous sounding name, "Overseas Contingency Operation." With large numbers of troops in both Iraq and Afghanistan where bullets and bombs continue to kill, it seems a bit disingenuous to call those conflicts anything other than wars.
Others take issue with the term "terror." Pastor Rick Warren actually made this point in a recent "tweet".
Terrorism is a TACTIC. You dont fight a war against a method (like blitzkrieg) It's a battle of ideas, a war of worldviewsI actually tend to agree with this argument. The battle is with a particular terrorist entity and perhaps the failed nation-states who harbor them. I found Peter Breinart helpful as he describes the conflict with Al Qaeda as a long-term ideological struggle. Just like the "Cold War", this struggle will be fought with military and law enforcement, but also with education, diplomacy, and economic aid.
That being said, I do find something useful in the designation, "War on Terror." In its imperfect and clunky way, the title suggests that terrorism is out-of-bounds. If we are entering a period of history marked by the clash of civilizations and ideologies, then we should establish some ground rules. However legitimate our concerns, we cannot further our political ends by terrorism. The person or group who commits terrorist acts has given up the right to be heard.
For example, the abolitionist cause in the United States before the Civil War was just. However, John Brown's armed insurrection disqualified him personally from taking part in the debate. Likewise, I found Chris Kennedy's position on refusing William Ayers emeritis status at the University of Illinois at Chicago correct:
"There is nothing more antithetical to the hopes for a university that is lively and yet civil, or to the hopes of our founding fathers for their great experiment of a self-governing people, than to permanently seal off debate with one's opponents by killing them."My only regret is that William Ayers was given a teaching position in the first place. Can someone renounce violence and return to the debate? Yes, I certainly would welcome that possibility. Nonetheless, our methods are as important as our ends. Frankly, I may be naive, but I have confidence that truth will ultimately succeed if civility rules the debate.


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I should be posting about the fantastic Jawbone UP, but I will jump right in and talk about my experience with their customer services team. Since I believe you can always tell a company but how it handles problems.... its not just sell, sell, sell, its should be support, support, support. Especially when you are launching a brand new device.
Anyway the way I wear the small cover on my Jawbone is with the silver side towards the skin. Well after a good few sessions sweating the silver cap started to perish:
So I tweeted out to @Jawbone got a reply to email them and within a few days had a few replacements sent out to me (FedEx!). The lovely Jawbone customer advocate "Marika" was a pleasure to deal with, she even contacted me after they arrived to make sure I was happy.
...its doesn't take much to make people happy does it..??
Next post will be a review of the Jawbone UP


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Design and development of a 7′ tall mascot costume we named "Franklin"
Mobile Banking App Design
From The Weather Channel to our credit union clients, Ethic has the experience and knowledge to extend your brand across all platforms.
HELOC TV Advertising
Development of a 30 second animated TV advertising spot for Ascentra's HELOC loan. Ethic created a full print and digital marketing campaign for the launch.
Promotional Branding
Here are a few of our favorite internal and external identities we created for Ascentra over the years.
Community Growth Campaign
Switch campaign included TV, Radio, Print & Banner Ads, Post Cards, Statement Stuffers, Billboards & social media marketing.
Financial Brochures
Eight years after the Ascentra rebrand, it was time to freshen up their brochures to fit more into the evolution of the corporate brand.
Check Selfies
Multi-platform campaign for Ascentra Credit Union's new Mobile Check Deposits
Ascentra HELOC Print Ad
Print ad campaign for Ascentra's new Home Equity Line of Credit, dares you to Dream Big.
Digital Marketing
Digital marketing assets for campaign: web banners, social media advertising, a home-page marketing take over and a dedicated "Real Stories" web page


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The most recent short interest data has been released for the 11/15/2017 settlement date, and we here at Dividend Channel like to sift through this fresh data and order the underlying components of the Nasdaq 100 by "days to cover." There are a number of ways to look at short data, for example the total number of shares short; but one metric that we find particularly useful is the "days to cover" metric because it considers both the total shares short and the average daily volume of shares typically traded. The number of shares short is then compared to the average daily volume, in order to calculate the total number of trading days it would take to close out all of the open short positions if every share traded represented a short position being closed.In our new rank based on the most recent short interest data, Express Scripts Holding Co ( ESRX) has taken over the position of #6 most shorted Nasdaq 100 component, from Cintas Corporation ( CTAS) which is now in the #9 spot. The "days to cover" at 11/15/2017 was 11.18 for ESRX, and 7.32 for CTAS; this compares to the average across all Nasdaq 100 components of 4.10 (up from the average back on the 10/31/2017 settlement date of 3.77). The chart below shows the movement over time of the "days to cover" values of both ESRX and CTAS, versus the average Nasdaq 100 component.
Top 25 S.A.F.E. Dividend Stocks »


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Saira Banu's 'Kise Apna Kahein' on Sahara from 26 May
MUMBAI: Sahara Manoranjan, the entertainment channel's fascination for Bollywood continues. With the fate of its magnum opus - Karishma,The Miracles Of Destiny still on tenterhooks, the channel has announced the launch of Kise Apna Kahein, produced by Saira Banu, the popular Bollywood actor of yesteryears.
The daily soap which debuts on 26 May 2003, will be presented by the living Bollywood legend Dilip Kumar. It will air Monday to Thursday at 10 pm.
According to an official release, the soap is a social drama which revolves around Noor- a beautiful, educated wealthy girl. The story starts from the conjuncture where Noor gets married to Arshad. Noor like any other girl steps on a journey of love, hate, pain and humiliation with the advent of this new life, where she is face-to-face with the realities of this selfish world.
Noor discovers that the man she chose as her husband, does not care much for her but is only concerned with the wealth she is going to inherit. It is a triangular relationship of love and hate between Noor , her husband Arshad and her husband's friend Danish.
The soap has been directed by Inderjit of Amanat fame. It's music has been composed by Lalit Sen and title song has been sung by Alka Yagnik, the release adds.


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Engagement Session at Jonas Green Park in Annapolis – I was so excited to meet up with this cat-loving, cycling-enthusiast duo, Tracy and Fran, for their engagement session at Jonas Green Park in Annapolis. I've actually known Tracy since the 6th grade so it's awesome to see that she's met her perfect match in Fran. Tracy is one of the most active, energetic people I know so it's no surprise that she fell in love with Fran, an Ultra Marathoner!
Jonas Green Park is located on the Severn River at the base of the Naval Academy Bridge. It offers a visitors center, a boat launch site, environmental plantings, and a fishing pier. It's the perfect secluded spot for an engagement photo shoot with its variety of backdrops.
Tracy and Fran are planning a formal wedding this fall at the Annapolis Waterfront Hotel. Tracy has been a dancer her whole life so I can't wait to watch the two newlyweds on the dance floor busting some moves!
Tracy and Fran, thanks for meeting me on such a HOT day for your engagement session at Jonas Green Park in Annapolis. I can't wait for the wedding!
♥ Jess


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2nd Annual Tribal Leaders Summit on Climate Change Leaning into Our Resilience: Adapting Our Way
Meeting Date: 9/14/2016
- 9/15/2016
Location: Ferndale, WA
Website: Website
The Tulalip Tribes and ATNI present 2nd Annual Tribal Leaders Summit on Climate Change Leaning into Our Resilience: Adapting Our Way
Silver Reef Hotel Casino Spa, 4876 Haxton Way, Ferndale, WA 98248
September 14-15, 2016 ~ 8:30 am to 4:30 pm
We are very excited about the engaging and informative program for the upcoming 2nd Annual Tribal Leaders Climate Summit, co-hosted by The Tulalip Tribes and Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians (ATNI) on September 14-15, 2016 at the Silver Reef Hotel Casino Spa in Ferndale, Washington. Day 1 of this 2-day Summit will focus on the challenges, opportunities and needs to best develop and implement tribal climate adaptation plans and will include scenario planning. The theme for Day 2 is "Tribal Rights and Authorities and Climate Change" addressing policy direction and needs across all levels of government including state/local, regional, national, and international. Meeting attendees will include tribal leadership and staff from the greater ATNI region as well as Alaska, United Southern and Eastern Tribes, NW Indian Fisheries Commission, Columbia River Intertribal Fisheries Commission, federal agency representatives, and other intertribal and intergovernmental organizations. Please don't miss this important gathering.
The meeting format is designed for learning. Each morning plenary speakers will share information pertinent to the theme for that day. Then in the afternoon, we'll organize ourselves into small working groups using the principles of Open Space, a dynamic meeting process that helps us build the agenda of concurrent sessions for each afternoon. Anyone in the room is invited to convene a topic/question/conversation. Please bring your questions and knowledge about what we most need to be learning, sharing and talking about. A team of writers will capture the questions and insights from each small group session and these will be posted online and made available to all of the attendees after the meeting.
Logistics Driving directions to the Silver Reef Hotel Casino Spa: From I-5, take Exit 260, Slater Road, just north of Bellingham, WA. Head west over the freeway, 6 miles to Haxton Way (about 4 minutes drive), turn left and the Silver Reef Casino will be on the left. From Seattle: 98 Miles, estimated drive time is 2 hours 17 minute The Bellingham International Airport is nearby, only 1 exit to the south of Slater Road (Exit 260).
Lodging: Silver Reef Casino, 4876 Haxton Way, Ferndale, WA 98248 Phone: (360) 383-0777 ext. 4254 Toll Free: (866) 383-0777 Please mention the "Climate Forum Hotel Block" when reserving and checking into their rooms.
Overflow lodging is available at the La Quinta Inn (360 738-7088) and the Hampton Inn (360 676-7700), both in Bellingham, off the Bakerview/Airport Exit.


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When you're a freelance copywriter, one way to keep up with the content trends of the day is to simply pay attention to the leads that come through your inbox. Last year the vast majority of my leads were looking for blog posts for their own website. Now, those leads still show up but they've been joined by two main new types of work: long-form content pieces and guest posts.
The former's straightforward enough and makes sense, both readers and the ever powerful Google have made it clear that they value long-form content. The latter's where things can get a little tricky.
Guest posts are a powerful method for promoting your brand and expertise. I've done a few myself on sites like the Content Marketing Institute Blog and Firepole Marketing to help raise exposure for Austin Copywriter. Both of those posts took time to write, but also, notably, took time to pitch and edit to the blog editors' liking. You know what else took time? The pitches and guest posts I've written that didn't get published for whatever reason.
I put in the time for my own business because I know the results can be meaningful, but being asked to do it for hire presents some complications.
How Not to Hire a Freelance Writer for Guest Posts
I'm sorry to say some businesses and agencies are going about this all wrong. They're either skirting ethical boundaries in what they're asking for, or grossly underestimating what's involved in getting a high-quality guest post published on a popular blog.
- Don't act like it's one job.
When you're hiring someone to pitch guest blogs and write a post you're asking them to do two different kinds of work: writing and PR. While some PR specialists are good at writing, and some writers are experienced in PR, these are two distinct skill sets. Many writers (myself included) will decline the PR part of the work, but you may get lucky and find someone prepared to take on both jobs.
Whatever pricing structure you set up needs to acknowledge the two different types of work at play here and the (often extensive) amount of time that goes into building relationships and sending pitches. You'll probably need to consider an hourly rate for the PR work, along with a project rate for published pieces.
- Don't offer an insulting rate.
In doing research for this post, I came across a job ad looking for "experienced, well-connected bloggers" offering $30-$60 per published guest post. Sorry to break it to you, but you won't find experienced bloggers willing to write high-quality posts for that amount. And the kind of rushed, low-quality work that might be worth $30 a pop isn't going to get you featured on the big-shot blogs you want to target. This isn't anywhere close to a reasonable rate for a guest post worthy of a popular blog. Don't just think double – think 10 times this amount if you actually want to end up with a post worth using.
I know that's not what you want to hear, but really high-quality posts – the kind these blogs will publish – take lots of research, lots of time, and lots of work. That's going to cost you.
- Keep your expectations reasonable.
Often a very good idea or post won't get accepted for reasons no writer or PR person can guess – maybe the blog already has a post scheduled on a similar topic, or they just decided yesterday they're moving in a new direction for their topic focus. Even if the freelance blogger you hire puts in the legwork, they can get rejected. Understand that there will likely be more misses than hits.
- Don't ask the writer to leverage their own contacts.
Carol Tice recently went so far as to call this kind of writing opportunity a scam. Freelance writers work hard to develop our contacts and earn the trust of our clients. Expecting us to ask those hard-earned contacts for a favor to promote another business just doesn't make sense in most cases. If a writer sees an opportunity that's beneficial for both parties – the client and the blog or publication they have a relationship with, then they might feel comfortable reaching out. But don't demand it or be upset if they turn down that request.
On the other hand, one of the main jobs of a PR professional is developing contacts they can leverage on behalf of their clients. Consider hiring a PR consultant to do what they're good at, and a writer to do the writing.
- Don't ask for posts that are overly promotional about your business.
I once pitched a piece on a relevant subject for my client to a publication, got accepted, wrote it up and passed it over to the client for review before submitting it. The client went through and added several specific mentions of the company's product. You probably see where this is going – when I submitted the piece, the editor said "This is great! Except for all those brand mentions. I took those out and now it's ready to run."
Very few blogs or publications are going to accept a guest post that's blatantly promotional. Your piece can't be all about you. It has to be about something valuable to the blog's audience. If you don't get that, you'll waste a lot of time working on posts and pitches that get no responses.
- Don't demand links within the post itself.
Many big blogs see a submission with a lot of links back to the company's site and immediately label it spam. Every once in a while, there's a topic that lends itself to internal links that are natural and useful to the reader, but most of the time they look spammy and will get your guest post rejected outright (or they'll just be removed like the brand mentions in my previous example).
Guest posts will pretty much always earn you at least one link to your website in the byline, along with some links to social media profiles. Treat this as your goal, since it's an actually obtainable one.
How to Get Hired Guest Posting Right
That's a long list of don'ts, but that doesn't mean you necessarily have to rule out the idea entirely. You can hire someone to write guest posts for you in a way that's legitimate.
- Do the pitching and relationship building yourself.
Or hire a PR person for that, as already suggested. Doing all the preliminary work of researching a blog, trying to understand its audience, generating relevant topic ideas, and sending pitches – that's not writing. When you hire a professional writer to do writing, you get good results. When you hire us for something else that isn't our specialty, the results will be more mixed.
Note: It especially makes sense to do your own pitching if you want a guest post to go up under your name rather than the name of the freelance blogger you hire.
- Do be upfront about disclosing your company's connection to the post.
You don't get to casually slip in links to your website and hope no one notices. And you certainly don't get to expect freelance writers to do that for you and risk their reputation in the process. That's how you lose trust in the online marketing world and alienate the people who could be the best allies for your brand.
- Hiring a writer to ghost write guest posts is fine, but will probably cost more.
Some writers aren't crazy about ghost writing. I've read some eloquent criticisms of the practice, but I also know a lot of professional copywriters that are happy to do it for the right price. The thing you have to keep in mind though, is that if a freelance writer is going to do the hard work of writing a post worthy of a popular blog for the sake of someone else's business and reputation, the price has to be right.
I know I keep coming back to price, but with good reason. It's important for you to understand that if you want to take the road of hiring someone to write guest posts, you have to set enough budget aside for it. Guest posting is a competitive arena, especially on the blogs most worth landing a post on. You can't go halfway on this. If you want to get the benefits of guest posting, you have to do it right.