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Steve Stockman Can't Lose
The political genius of the wackiest firebrand in Texas.
John Cornyn saw it coming. Even with no real competition on the horizon, the senior senator from Texas had been hiring staff, building his network and choking his state's Internet bandwidth with ads that hinted darkly at Texas's political future without him. Cornyn, an 11-year veteran of the Senate, may have been named the body's second most conservative member by National Journal, but after criticizing Tea Party hero Sen. Ted Cruz during the prelude to the government shutdown this fall, he had good reason to fear a threat from his party's far-right fringe. As chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, Cornyn had told sitting senators to be prepared for primary challenges—and he took his own advice.
There were rumblings of a challenge from several corners. Tea Party leaders had tried to draft Rep. Louie Gohmert, and evangelical historian David Barton had flirted with running. When conservative activists in Texas spoke privately, other names cropped up—like Ted Cruz's father, Rafael, and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst. So when a challenger came—even if he came, like an undergraduate with a term paper, less than half an hour before the filing deadline—Cornyn's team was prepared.
Story Continued Below
But still, Steve Stockman?
Yes, that Stockman, the Republican congressman most famous outside Texas for his bombastic use of social media (his Twitter account is legendary, thanks to declarations like "Obamacare is less popular than Chlamydia" ) and outrageous proclamations (like his now-infamous "If babies had guns they wouldn't be aborted" bumper sticker). For the most part, other Republicans here in Texas seem merely to tolerate him—or, at best, appreciate his ability to fire up the grassroots while maintaining their distance. (One long-time Republican strategist told me the Texas congressional delegation had adopted what he termed the "rabid dog approach" to handling Stockman.) Edward Chen, former vice chairman of the Harris County Republican Party, once summed up Stockman's place in the GOP for Texas Monthly thus: "He's a Republican. As a Republican, he's on our ballot. And that's about the situation."
Just to be clear: Nobody in Texas thinks Stockman has a snowball's chance of winning against Cornyn, and they're probably right. "This is going to be an irritant," says Matt Mackowiak, an Austin-based Republican strategist. "But it's only an irritant." Some argue that a failed primary challenge from Stockman will help burnish Cornyn's credentials and distance him from his party's far right. That may be true—and it may be true, as well, that Stockman's campaign will help break the populist fever afflicting the state's GOP.
Jason Stanford, a Texas Democratic political consultant, sees the race as a useful way to unravel one of the central mysteries about Stockman—one that's been asked many times throughout his career: Is he serious? "It's embarrassing to admit to the outside world, but there are a lot of people in Texas who think like Steve Stockman. He has a significant constituency," Stanford says. "There's a tendency among insiders here to give Tea Party people credit for not really believing what they say. Stockman's candidacy will test the proposition." (Disclosure: Cornyn was a recent sponsor of the political newsletter, Must Read Texas, that Stanford runs with Republican counterpart Mackowiak.)
For now, it remains entirely unclear what Stockman is looking to achieve—if he really thinks he can win; if he's segueing to a lucrative post-politics career as the conservative movement's troll-in-chief; or if, as some speculate, he's running merely to raise money and retire his substantial campaign debt. Requests to speak with Stockman through his legislative office, campaign and spokesman went unanswered.
Whatever Stockman's up to, a look back at his political career makes one thing clear: You don't want to run in a Republican primary against Steve Stockman, even if the outcome is predetermined. Running against Steve Stockman is not fun. Steve Stockman doesn't just burn bridges—he'll burn your house down.
Also, sometimes Steve Stockman wins.
If it weren't for his career in politics, Stockman's personal story might be a template for a certain kind of self-made man—the troubled-but-redeemed self-starter Texans love to love. Born to evangelical Christians in Michigan, he floundered young, dropping out of college and falling prey to what he called the "partying syndrome." He was arrested a few times, and once faced a felony controlled substances charge when cops found 30 milligrams of valium in his underwear during a strip search. In 1979, at the age of 23, he took a bus to Texas, where he lived for about six months in Fort Worth's Water Gardens, a downtown public park—a fact he often recounts when telling the story of his life.
Then he got clean, got serious, went back to college. He re-found Jesus. In 1989, he launched his first congressional campaign. Working as a computer salesman in Friendswood, Texas, he responded to an ad placed in a newspaper by Pol-Serv, the political wing of the Suarez Corporation, an Ohio-based direct mail firm angered by veteran Democratic Rep. Jack Brooks's proposed tax policies on mail-order catalogues. Suarez offered to "help finance and provide expert campaign help to public-minded candidates who will run against Jack Brooks in the next election." Stockman became the Suarez Corp. candidate, and Pol-Serv helped bankroll his campaign—providing "general consulting, brochure production and advertising" services to Stockman. Pol-Serv treated the services as a loan—but the loan was eventually written off.


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PIZZA OVERLOAD?: Saturated with local shops, Torrington getting a Domino's (with map)
Torrington >> Time to make room for another kind of pizza to satisfy those bread and cheese cravings.
With 19 pizza restaurants scattered throughout Torrington, hoping to claim their product as the best, the city is welcoming yet another pizza joint -- a Domino's on 95 South Main St.
The new Domino's, opening in three months, will fill the void of an old convenience store and make its home amongst many other pizza shops -- Pizza Hut directly across and Joe's Pizza a close neighbor.
Even with the abundance of pizza restaurants in town, Rahman Chowdbury of Windsor, owner of the new Domino's, said he is not worried at all about the competition.
"I think it's a good place for business. Everybody does their own thing, the chains and local small businesses, and it gives people a lot of options," the Domino's owner said.
Gluten-free products, offered by the Domino's chain, will give the new business an edge compared to other local pizza shops who do not accommodate to those with that specific dietary need.
Chowdbury is no stranger to running a Domino's location, as he owns three in Hartford.
In order to turn the building into a restaurant zone from its former retail zone, Torrington's Land Use office required approval from the town's Health District and Water Pollution Control Authority.
"That's a permitted use. He (Chowdbury) was made sure of the local competition," said Martin Connor, City Planner at Land Use office. "He (Chowdbury) must feel his product is superior to uphold to the competition."
View Torrington Pizza Places in a larger map
The last pizza joint to open in town was Little Caesar's on 1887 East Main St. which opened Sept. 2011.
Owner David Martinez says that business has been going great and attributed the success to the chain's high quality products and low prices.
"People are catching wind of the value we bring to the city," he said. "The consumers recognize the value and price. They shouldn't have to pay what some of my competitors charge for a pizza."
But price, according to Martinez just isn't enough.
"When it comes down to it, we have a better product than Domino's," Martinez said. "We have a good product and customer service and I believe our customers will remain loyal even with the new chain coming in."
Many of the local, independent pizza restaurants feel the same way, except that the products they create are highly superior to the three chains restaurants in town -- Pizza Hut, Little Caesar's and the new Domino's.
"Our pizza is nothing like anything around here. It's not New York style, it's Neapolitan," said Robert Bayette, manager of Pizzeria Marzano on 1929 East Main St. "We use fresh ingredients and our product is made right on the spot and not in factories."
Lloyd Agor, owner of Berkshire Cafe on 71 Albert St. said competition is always good and "their (big chains) products are cheaper than ours, but the quality of ours is much better. We use the highest quality of everything,"
As Torrington is saturated with local pizza shops with one pizza shop for less than 2,000 residents based on the city's population of 35,202, the wonder is if there are more pizza shops than the population can actually support.
"I guess everyone is going to have to make better pizza to stay afloat," Connor said.
As the abundance of local pizza shops brings the pizza competition to a heightened level, it also opens the door to nutritional concerns.
Though Bill Joslyn, Director of Student and Professional Operations said, "it's not the number of pizza restaurants in town that's the worry, it's providing our children with the information they need on the health risks as a consumer."
He said that in the city's schools, there is always encouragement to put on programs and work with the parents to teach them about healthy choices for their families. As long as the community is taught about the health risks of eating the carbohydrates and fats, that pizza typically includes, the number of pizza shops in the city will not cause a disruption in regards to nutrition, according to Joslyn.
Sarah Bogues can be reached at 860-489-3121, ext. 328.

subset: commoncrawl


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Town hall meetings across the U.S. have stirred the passions of protesters opposed to health care reform in general or opposed to certain aspects of bills currently before Congress. Here's a story about Catholic efforts on the health reform issue, including the viewpoint of Catholics voicing their support for universal health care.
The Catholic Courier, newspaper of the Diocese of Rochester, N.Y., reports that many in that group are calling for a government-run health-insurance plan that would compete with private insurance, and mandate that all Americans have health insurance.


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Welcome to my website! I am a writer and copywriter and here you will find out a bit about me, as well as links to many of my published articles. Please make yourself a cup of tea and read a piece that takes your fancy. Thanks for stopping by! x
All tagged winter


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The 49ers-Seahawks rivalry looms as one of the NFC's juiciest heading into the season, but it was the St. Louis Rams -- not Seattle -- who went undefeated against San Francisco in 2012.
Following a 24-24 tie with the 49ers in Week 10, the Rams knocked off Jim Harbaugh's bunch 16-13 in overtime just three weeks later. Former Rams safety Craig Dahl, now a 49er, says there's a reason for that.
"We had a few tips off film we were able to differentiate between run and pass early," Dahl said Wednesday, per Cam Inman of Bay Area News Group. "So that kind of gave us an added benefit on defense."
Said Dahl: "Different personnel and different alignment stuff really were the big keys as far as giveaways. It's been addressed and corrected. They knew most of it before I even got here. We just reconfirmed it. It's ongoing self-study and self-scouting that got it cleared up, too."
That happens in football, but it's surprising from the 49ers, considering offensive coordinator Greg Roman is among the NFL's most creative play-callers. San Francisco hit defenses with a frenzy of alignments and looks last season.
As Matt Maiocco of Comcast SportsNet Bay Area points out, preventing a repeat of this falls partly on newly hired offensive consultant Eric Mangini, who was brought on to help the team self-scout its tendencies.
Dahl isn't exactly a world-beater at safety, but he has done his part to throw a burning log on the fire of the Rams-49ers hate fest. It's June, and the NFC West looks to be a street fight.
UPDATE: Rams cornerback Cortland Finnegan offered a warning to his former teammate Wednesday, via Twitter.
"Craig Dahl we know how you play thanks for the tips," Finnegan wrote, "we know who to attack early and often."
Follow Marc Sessler on Twitter @MarcSesslerNFL.


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Johann GRABBE (1585- 1655)
Madrigals and Instrumental Works
Felici amanti, udite [2.36]
Ardo, mia vita (2nd part) [5.41]
Intrada a 4 [1.58]
Lasso, perché mi fuggie [ 2.51]
Viva fiamma del seno [3.06]
Ch'io non t'ami [3.11]
O chiome errant [2.46]
Son vivo o morte Amore [3.11]
Amai non amo [2.26]
Canzon á 4 [4.06]
Cor mio, deh, non languire [3.36]
Come sei cieco Amore [2.22]
Ah, misera mia vita [3.41]
Alma afflita,che fai [3.04]
Paduana á 5 [4.58]
O Donna troppo crudo [2.58]
Dolci spirto d'Amore [2.10] Pavan á 5[4.42]
O Filli, se veder patessi il core [2.54]
Ah, dispietata Circe [2.46]
Vero non é, che l'anima mi parta [2.29]
Der Ritter Mascaharada oder Grabbe Schaw á 5 (instrum.) [1.12]
Weser-Renaissance/Manfred Cordes
rec. Schloss Brake Lemgo, West Germany, 14-16 January 2011
Most of us can trot out several English and indeed Italian madrigal composers of the late 16th and early 17th centuries without too much difficulty but what about German composers? It's true that many musicians have forgotten that Schütz, born the same year as Grabbe, brought out a book of Italian madrigals in 1611 as did Hans Leo Hassler but who else? Well, now you can discover for yourselves in this recording of secular vocal works and some instrumental ones by the little known Johann Grabbe.
The extensive booklet notes give us a great deal of background but say next to nothing about this collection nor is any analysis or musical description provided. It took me quite some time to read them and even more time to absorb them.
This is Volume 2 in a collection named 'Renaissance im Norden' which CPO is promulgating. Volume 1 was devoted to Michael Praetorius's Oestermesse.
First, we have an essay 'The Renaissance in the Weser Region' by Heiner Borggrefe. If your sense of German Topography is as limited as mine then the map on page 7 will be useful. The rest of the booklet has been written by Veronika Greul and has three further sections 'Princely Residences in Northern Germany', 'Count Simon VI and Johann Grabbe' and 'Johann Grabbe and the Schamberg Line'. The significance, musically, is that Grabbe was enabled, by his enlightened sponsors including the music-loving Count Simon, and later Ernst II, to study in Italy and to experiment with modernistic techniques on his return. Both Simon and Ernst also encouraged other composers, like Schütz and Pederson (who was Danish), to work at their courts and encouraged many other aspects of the Arts. In the end the family became practically bankrupt.
The vocal pieces here come from Grabbe's 1609 collection, which was printed in Venice. Its frontispiece is illustrated but the booklet is not clear. I assume that the five dances are from elsewhere. The set, which was written as a graduation exercise whilst Grabbe was studying under Gabrieli has been recorded before by Anthony Rooley, on MDG but I have not heard any of it. Rooley only recorded the madrigals.
CPO name and picture a vocal group of six and an instrumental group of eight but the voices are very often most attractively accompanied by the harp. This acts as a simple continuo following a fashion which was already in use in Italy.
These pieces do not consistently grip the attention in the way that similar pieces by the 'greats' of the period do. However many of them have several attractive characteristics, with word-play and word-painting among them. Take, for example, Viva fiamma del seno with its flashing lines for 'Living flames'. Also in O chiome errant listen out for 'How you fly and play' with much inventive emphasis on 'scherzando'. In Ch'io non t'ami, cor mio' an imaginative turn of surprising harmony is employed for the words 'may Death not spare me' - 'morte non mi perdoni'.
The favoured poet is Guaraní, also set by Monteverdi and Lassus. Of subjects of 'languishing', 'death', 'unrequited love', 'unattainable lovers' and intense passion are, as ever, present by the bucketful. Setting 'oime' to a descending tritone is another regular finger-print. This sort of intensity of expression was characteristic of the day. It seems to have been encouraged by Giovanni Gabrieli who, although he did not publish any madrigals after 1597, seems to have taught their use. Yet Grabbe has his own voice and touch, especially harmonically. This can be unpredictable and often quite complex as in Come sei cieceo, Amore and in E tu parti, ben mio.
Perhaps we can blame the large acoustic of Schloss Brake in Lemgo in North-Rhine Westphalia for making the text rather cloudy at times. I got used to the effect; either that or it might be because the madrigals seem to grow in maturity. I'm not sure which, but I gradually found myself warming to this composer and indeed to the performances. At first I found Weser-Renaissance not much more than various shades of grey (not quite fifty!). In madrigals like Lasso, perché mi fuggi I missed several points of expression. However, slowly the subtleties and the increasingly impassioned nature of the renditions began to register and I became more involved in the whole project. This was coupled with the gradual realisation that this is music by a significant master of the period and worthy of the time spent on it. I warmed to the voices and to their approach.
I'm not sure, incidentally, why the booklet cover has a reproduction of a Virgin and child by an artist called Hans Rottenhammer. The music is, after all, clearly secular. This is an important, quite rare and attractive madrigal collection.
Gary Higginson
Attractive - an important and quite rare madrigal collection.
Support us financially by purchasing this disc from


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Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 131 diseños de 40 diseñadores freelance.
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[Introduction: Amy Wallace]
Yes, he made the album of 2012. (Just ask him, he'll tell you.) But that was just the second biggest moment of Frank Ocean's year. Here, while wearing the sport coats of the season and surrounded by his whole Odd Future crew, the ascendant singer opens up to Amy Wallace about his crazy year—including the bomb he dropped on the hip-hop world.
If Frank Ocean wanted to play you a song, you'd drive across town in the pouring rain, right? That's how we've ended up at Jungle City, a sound studio in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood. When we walk in, Ocean leading the way, Pharrell Williams turns down the music and greets him warmly. "Here you are," the prolific rapper and producer tells him. "You've walked in at the right time."
"Sweet," Ocean replies, picking up Pharrell's diamond-studded gold chain that sits—fat as a tow rope—at the edge of the mixing board. Ocean, dressed in a gray Supreme hoodie, jeans, and black Wallabees, smiles as he dons the weighty necklace—it jibes with the new Rolex on his left wrist, the Cartier Juste Un Clou bracelet on his right. In a bit, he'll Instagram a bejeweled portrait of himself, but first he unveils three new tracks, stored on his phone, that Pharrell pronounces "crazy, with a lot of comprehensive layers just sort of living harmoniously." When Ocean says he worries a rap number called "Blue Whale" is "risky because I'm rhyming," Pharrell shakes his head.
"That's not risky. That thought is dead," he says. "It's like, 'You know, I rhyme, too.' "
Turning to me, Pharrell says, "I always call him James Taylor. He's probably the closest thing to a writer's perfect exemplification of the unconscious. All the songs are like movies. All you need to do is close your eyes."
Now it's Pharrell's turn to spin a track-in-progress. They listen, bobbing their heads slightly, occasionally both bursting into song. When the room is quiet again, Ocean says the song "feels like a Rubik's Cube melodically. You want something emotionally rich on that, you know what I'm saying? But if I listen to it enough, I could map a way out." Before we exit, they agree Ocean will come back later this evening to work on it. Pharrell is attending the first show of Jay-Z's eight-night run at the brand-new Barclays Center in Brooklyn, but he says he'll come back, too. "Ain't no afterparty more important than this."
"Map a way out"—it's a phrase Ocean will use more than once during the next four hours as we talk about his life and especially his last few months. He's still just 25, but it feels like he packed ten years' worth of living into 2012 alone, releasing a heralded album, Channel Orange, in July and headlining Saturday Night Live's season premiere in September. Throughout this period he has also been handling the reverberations of something he revealed on Tumblr just before Channel Orange's debut: his memories of an intimate relationship with his first love, a man—a rare admission in the macho world of hip-hop and R&B.
It's important to Ocean to be the master of his own identity: Last year he changed his name from Lonny Breaux to Christopher Francis Ocean, drawing on Frank Sinatra and the original Ocean's 11 film for inspiration. And yet he admits that the failed relationship he mentioned on Tumblr sent him spinning out of control, rocking him even as it improved his musicality, transforming him from a man with skills to a skillful man with something he suddenly was burning to say. What was going through his mind this summer, he tells me, was something like this: "If I'm going to say this, I'm going to be better than all you pieces of shit. What you going to say now? You can't say, 'Oh, they're only listening to him because he said this.' No, they're listening to me because I'm gifted, and this project is brilliant."
GQ: GQ: You were born in Long Beach, California, but moved to New Orleans at age 5. When is the first time you realized you wanted to write and perform music?
Frank Ocean: fo: I feel like I was writing as I was learning to talk. Writing was always a goto form of communication. And I knew I could sing from being in tune with the radio. I would listen to whatever my mom played in the car—the big divas: Whitney, Mariah, Celine, Anita Baker. Then I got exposed to Prince. I think it was "The Beautiful Ones." He was screaming at the end. And this lady who was playing it was saying, "Ain't no man scream like Prince." And I was like, "That's fucking awesome."
GQ: Your dad had left when you were 6, so your mom raised you on her own.
Frank Ocean: I haven't seen him since. And for a while, you know, we were not middle-class. We were poor. But my mom never accepted that. She worked hard to become a residential contractor—got her master's with honors at the University of New Orleans. I used to go to every class with her. Her father was my paternal figure. He'd had a really troubled life with crack, heroin, and alcohol and had kids he wasn't an ideal parent to. I was his second chance, and he gave it his best shot. My grandfather was smart and had a whole lot of pride. He didn't speak a terrible amount, but you could tell there was a ton on his mind—like a quiet acceptance of how life had turned out. He was a mentor at AA and NA, and I would go with him to meetings.
GQ: When did you start recording?
Frank Ocean: I booked my first studio at like 12 or 13. Somewhere in that season of my life, singing along with the radio became me wanting to be on radio, you know. And writing Langston Hughes replica poems became me wanting to write like Stevie Wonder. My dad had been a singer and keyboardist. So my mom was like, "You're going to follow that bum? Maybe you should just go to law school."
GQ: You stayed in New Orleans until after Katrina, then drove cross-country with just $1,100 in your pocket. What made you move to Los Angeles?
Frank Ocean: I had been putting together these demos that I was going to properly record in a real studio in L.A. So I saved up money doing Sheetrocking, and I drove out with my girlfriend at the time. I was only supposed to be there for six weeks. I don't feel like I ever made a conscious decision to stay six years. You just kind of roll. The first four and a half years was me in the studio every day, writing songs for other people. I had jobs, too—eleven jobs. I worked at Kinko's, Fatburger, Subway—I was a sandwich artist—and I was a claims processor at Allstate Insurance.
GQ: So how did you go from Fatburger to writing songs for Brandy and Justin Bieber and John Legend?
Frank Ocean: We're talking about hundreds of things that happened. One night, I went to a listening party just to pick up my backpack from a friend. Next thing I know, I'm in this studio, and everybody's putting their laptops on the pool table, playing songs through these big-ass speakers. It was crazy. And they wanted me to play, so I plugged in, and they were like, "Oh shit." There were producers there, and they said, "You should come up to the studio and write." So I did. I'd sit in those rooms for hours. But I wouldn't write any line that was as good as the lines being written in the rooms next to me. It was just like: I had to elevate. I was looking at it like an athlete then—like I just wanted to be better than everybody else. I hadn't gone through anything emotionally yet. I had never been in love. I had never been heartbroken. When that happened, that's really what changed everything. That turned me into a real artist. It made the difference between somebody hearing something of mine and being like, "Wow, this is a fresh approach," and somebody hearing something and crying, you know?
GQ: You're talking about the relationship you wrote about on your Tumblr page—the one that you likened to "being thrown from a cliff" when you were 19. How did that change your songwriting?
Frank Ocean: It became effortless. Like breathing. Because now I have something I really need to say. It was Mindfuck.net. It was a floodgate. It opened up the works.
GQ: Def Jam reportedly signed you as a recording artist in 2009 but didn't open up its checkbook at that point to help you record. The next year, you met Tyler, the Creator, and the other members of Odd Future. How important was that?
Frank Ocean: I was at a real dark time in my life when I met them. I was looking for just a reprieve. At 20 or 21, I had, I think, a couple hundred thousand dollars [from producing and songwriting], a nice car, a Beverly Hills apartment—and I was miserable. Because of the relationship in part and the heartbreak in part, and also just miserable because of like just carting that around. And here was this group of like-minded individuals whose irreverence made me revere. The do-it-yourself mentality of OF really rubbed off on me.
GQ: They inspired you to record your first album, Nostalgia, Ultra, on your own dime and release it for free, right? Def Jam had signed Lonny Breaux, then this Frank Ocean guy puts out an Internet sensation that makes a lot of best-albums lists. When they tried to sign you again, was it satisfying to say, "Oh, you already have"?
Frank Ocean: Yeah, I just told them, "Give me $1 million if you want the next album."
It's still sprinkling a bit when we dive back into the hired Lexus and head across the East River to the Museum of the Moving Image in Queens. I've suggested it because I know Ocean's love of movies is so engulfing that they've become a part of his vocabulary. On his first album, he sampled some of the dialogue in Stanley Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut, and he tells me he got the inspiration for his hit song "Super Rich Kids" from Steven Soderbergh's Traffic. He has said that he sees writing a song as making a photograph out of materials that aren't visible.
So it's no surprise when Ocean whips out his phone and starts taking pictures—of the Men in Black 3 monster exhibit, of the weird installation with beanbag chairs, even of the angular stairways. But the highlight is when we come upon a collection of vintage arcade games. Anyone who saw Ocean's performance on SNL has an inkling of his love of games. (He finished his set that night by retreating to play Galaga as John Mayer riffed on guitar.) Now, as he spots the original Pong, Super Breakout, Asteroids, Galaxian, Donkey Kong, and Frogger games, all in a row, he steps more quickly, as if greeting old friends.
This, I realize, is a sort of Frank Ocean version of heaven. Because these aren't just decommissioned museum pieces. You can buy tokens and actually play. I buy four, and he chooses Battle Zone, in which you try to sink things that appear on the horizon. His first game he scores 7,000 points, and the machine prompts him to type his initials in the winner's circle: CFO, in seventh place. His fourth game, he racks up 12,000 points—second place. But when I congratulate him, he points to the number one score: it's 12,000, too. "I'm the same as first place," says the man who must be better than all those other pieces of shit. And then we get back in the car.
GQ: Is it true that you wrote the songs for Channel Orange in three weeks?
Frank Ocean: Yeah, then I worked on them for nine months—a typical gestation period.
GQ: You're something of a perfectionist, I gather.
Frank Ocean: John Mayer and I were talking in rehearsal before SNL, and he was like, "You love to take the hardest way. You don't always have to." But I don't know about that. It's like Billy Joel says in that song "Vienna." When the truth is told / That you can get what you want or you can just get old. We all know we have a finite period of time. I just feel if I'm going to be alive, I want to be challenged—to be as immortal as possible. The path to that isn't an easy way, but it's a rewarding way.
I never think about myself as an artist working in this time. I think about it in macro. I feel like Elton John just made "Tiny Dancer." He just made that shit like last night. Jimi Hendrix just burned his fucking guitar onstage. Right? Freddie Mercury just had the half mike stand in his hand in the fucking stadium. Prince was just on the mountain in "Under the Cherry Moon." And I was there. That's how I look at it. Like this shit just went down. You see the mastery that I'm surrounded by? How on earth am I going to take the easiest way? A friend of mine jokes that I have a painstaking royalty complex. Like maybe I was a duke in a past life. But all you have is 100 percent. Period.
GQ: Let's talk about your open letter on Tumblr. Posting that must've felt like the hardest way.
Frank Ocean: Yes, absolutely.
GQ: So why did you do it? Were some people raising questions about the male pronouns in a few of the songs?
Frank Ocean: I had Skyped into a listening session that Def Jam was hosting for Channel Orange, and one of the journalists, very harmlessly—quotation gestures in the air, "very harmlessly"—wrote a piece and mentioned that. I was just like, "Fuck it. Talk about it, don't talk about it—talk about this." No more mystery. Through with that.
GQ: You'd written the letter back in December, for inclusion in the liner notes. Were you afraid of the aftermath when you finally posted it in July?
Frank Ocean: The night I posted it, I cried like a fucking baby. It was like all the frequency just clicked to a change in my head. All the receptors were now receiving a different signal, and I was happy. I hadn't been happy in so long. I've been sad again since, but it's a totally different take on sad. There's just some magic in truth and honesty and openness.
GQ: Exactly how did your perspective change?
Frank Ocean: Whatever I said in that letter, before I posted it, seemed so huge. But when you come out the other side, now your brain—instead of receiving fear—sees "Oh, shit happened and nothing happened." Brain says, "Self, I'm fine." I look around, and I'm touching my fucking limbs, and I'm good. Before anybody called me and said congratulations or anything nice, it had already changed. It wasn't from outside. It was completely in here, in my head.
GQ: Did you worry it would derail your career?
Frank Ocean: I had those fears. In black music, we've got so many leaps and bounds to make with acceptance and tolerance in regard to that issue. It reflects something just ingrained, you know. When I was growing up, there was nobody in my family—not even my mother—who I could look to and be like, "I know you've never said anything homophobic." So, you know, you worry about people in the business who you've heard talk that way. Some of my heroes coming up talk recklessly like that. It's tempting to give those views and words—that ignorance—more attention than they deserve. Very tempting.
Some people said, "He's saying he fell in love with a guy for hype." As if that's the best hype you can get in hip-hop or black music. So I knew that if I was going to say what I said, it had to be in concert with one of the most brilliant pieces of art that has come out in my generation. And that's what I did. Why can I say that? Why I don't have to affect all this humility and shit is because I worked my ass off. I worked my face off. And the part that you love the most is the easiest part for me. So I'll do it again.
GQ: I'm sure if you'd wanted an excuse not to reveal the relationship, you could have found ten people in the industry who would have said, "Wait."
Frank Ocean: The pitch is, "You'll encounter less resistance in life if you say, 'No, I'm going to just keep dating girls.' " But then you're minimizing the resistance that you're feeling from yourself on the inside. There's so much upkeep on that shit. So much upkeep on a lie. But at least everybody else is cool with how you carry on with your life. That's what they say. But know what fear does to your strength. You don't even feel smart or capable. You just feel broken—and not just your heart. Just a broken person.
GQ: So do you consider yourself bisexual?
Frank Ocean: You can move to the next question. I'll respectfully say that life is dynamic and comes along with dynamic experiences, and the same sentiment that I have towards genres of music, I have towards a lot of labels and boxes and shit. I'm in this business to be creative—I'll even diminish it and say to be a content provider. One of the pieces of content that I'm for fuck sure not giving is porn videos. I'm not a centerfold. I'm not trying to sell you sex. People should pay attention to that in the letter: I didn't need to label it for it to have impact. Because people realize everything that I say is so relatable, because when you're talking about romantic love, both sides in all scenarios feel the same shit. As a writer, as a creator, I'm giving you my experiences. But just take what I give you. You ain't got to pry beyond that. I'm giving you what I feel like you can feel. The other shit, you can't feel. You can't feel a box. You can't feel a label. Don't get caught up in that shit. There's so much something in life. Don't get caught up in the nothing. That shit is nothing, you know? It's nothing. Vanish the fear.
As we make our way back from Astoria, Ocean tells me that he's got at least five projects in the works, among them a song he wrote for Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained; songs he's working on for Alicia Keys and Beyoncé; songs for his own third album; and a European tour, which he says he wants to model on Pink Floyd's The Wall tour. He's even thinking about maybe opening his own arcade (though later he'll post on Tumblr that this idea is "morphing").
He is considering buying a place in New York City. He needs a break from L.A.'s relentless sunshine, he says, and right now Manhattan is giving him exactly that: The rain is coming down in sheets. We pull up to his SoHo hotel, and he asks if we can idle while he runs in to get "studio-ready." A few minutes later, he emerges, laptop in hand. He's switched his contacts out for glasses and changed into what looks like board shorts and another Supreme hoodie, this one maroon. It's 9 p.m. on a Friday as we head back to Jungle City. Pharrell is out in Brooklyn, waiting for Jay-Z to take the stage. But not Ocean. He has a song to write.
Amy Wallace is a GQ correspondent.
Frank Ocean's interview for GQ's Men of the year 2012 issue, Published in December of 2012.


text: To a lot of people, Christmas means traditions—but not all of them have to be a big deal. Some of the best ones are the little ones we start with our kids, that, eventually, they can pass on to kids of their own. Here are some fun Christmas traditions for […] Read More »


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Online campus adds to higher ed opportunities in Colorado
By Becky Takeda-Tinker
Guest Commentary
It is apparent that the questions surrounding whether Colorado Community College System colleges should be allowed to offer baccalaureate degrees is an issue that will not subside any time soon. As the debate continues, Coloradans should understand that there are the higher education options currently available that address the issues raised on both sides of the discussion.
Colorado State University-Global Campus (CSU-Global) is the newest public university in Colorado. Created by the CSU System Board of Governors to serve adults seeking to complete their bachelor's and to earn their master's degree, CSU-Global was created to address continuing learners in Colorado and beyond through its 100 percent online programs. Today, CSU-Global serves over 8,000 active students and it does so without the use of state funds (i.e., at no cost to the State of Colorado), operating instead on its own ability to generate revenue through tuition and other entrepreneurial ventures.
The university is statutorily independent and maintains its own accreditation. CSU-Global's novel approach to public education when combined with its asynchronous online courses, student success — focused mission, and unique structure designed to provide individualized student support, provides an effective environment for community college graduates, particularly in Colorado, to continue their education:
Read more…


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SMC, the world's leading provider of pneumatics, is proving to customers that it delivers a fluid, flexible and fast service with its universal 2 port fluid valve range.
Recognising that automation occasionally requires non-pneumatic solutions, SMC has, over the years, used its engineering and design expertise to develop a conventional range of fluid control valves.
The broad range on offer – from compact and light designs to more complete solutions for medium flows and options for applications requiring zero differential pressure to large flows – is showcased in SMC's comprehensive brochure with technical data and parts directory plus an online 2 port valve selector.
SMC's European Fluid Control Project Manager, Sebastian Fabio Agnello said: "We have an enviable global reputation for our pneumatics expertise but we do recognise our customers also require alternative, non-pneumatic options. Increasingly customers wish to work with one, trusted partner so we have adapted our product lines to meet their needs and wrapped this up under the USE concept; Universal valves for standard fluids, Specific valves, optimised for specific fluids and Expert valves for specific applications."
"We also recognise that speed of delivery is essential so our European Central Warehouse is well stocked with our valve range, guaranteeing immediate shipping," continued Fabio Agnello.
The universal range features two direct operated 2 port solenoid valves; the VDW10/20, is ultra-compact and ideal for air, vacuum and fluid handling and the VX2 series is suitable for high temperatures whilst being energy efficient and quiet to operate.
Pilot operated solenoid valve options include the VXD series which is also highly efficient and the zero differential pressure, VXZ series. Alternatively, the robust air operated VNB series is highly versatile and can handle large flows as well as retain reverse pressure.
Supported by a range of specific and expert valves, SMC is now able to provide customers with a valve for any application in any environment.
Recognised as a global technology leader and voted for the third consecutive year as one of the world's most innovative by leading business magazine, Forbes, SMC has a diverse customer base covering all automation industries. For more information about the 2 port fluid valve range, please visit SMC's Product Section at www.smc.eu.
February 2014


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How I Changed A Carnival Policy!by Kuki, CruiseMates Cruise Director
No, they didn't change the rules about bringing your own liquor onboard. Nor did they start serving free drinks to everyone in the casino.
On the third night of our ten night Christmas cruise aboard Carnival's new Triumph, the Maitre D made an announcement in the dining room that the following evening would be the second of four formal night's onboard. FOUR formal nights on a ten night voyage? And, on Carnival, the most laid back cruise ship at sea?
I suspected all the "net buddies" I had been in contact with before departing were going to be very upset, as we'd had the very issue of dress requirements during our pre cruise e-mail exchanges and chat. Several even went so far as to call Carnival's office to check, and were told there would be only two formal nights, and the remaining eight would be casual. When the cruise documents arrived this was confirmed in the accompanying information brochure.
In my past cruise experience it's been very common to have two formal nights and two semi formal (smart casual), on a typical seven night cruise. And to be honest I have never objected; I just packed accordingly. Oddly I don't mind dressing up a bit on occasion. It does help create a more refined ambience onboard. But especially on Carnival ships I've seen nearly half the people change back to casual clothes after dinner so it becomes a mute point.
But I've also observed that passengers now like to dress more casually. This has been the case on my recent cruises aboard Celebrity, RCI, and Carnival ships. Of note here: there were many more men in tuxes on Carnival's Christmas cruise formal nights than has been the case recently on other cruises with Princess, Celebrity, and RCI. The increase in formal nights isn't what one would expect aboard a Carnival ship.
I approached the Maitre D and asked if I had heard wrong but he told me that there were indeed four formal nights's planned. The next morning I called John Heald, Carnival Triumph popular Cruise Director, and we further discussed the issue. He did say they had received instructions from head office to have four formal nights on this particular holiday sailing. However, when I informed him of the misinformation that the Carnival had given passengers before the cruise, he was most receptive. He made a phone call or two and later called to inform me that Carnival had reversed itself and changed the policy to match what we had been informed both in printed material and by calls.
Within minutes, John made a public announcement. He said, even though the "Carnival Capers" stated recommended dress that evening as formal, due to passenger demand, ship's management had changed the dress to casual. The next formal night would be on our second � and last day -- a day at sea.
Kudos must go to Carnival Triumph's John Heald, Hotel Manager Stefan Christofferson, and Captain Marino for reacting to the misinformation provided their passengers, and addressing the situation.
And, since I've never been accused of humility, I got to run around the ship telling everyone I had single handedly changed Carnival's policy. But this also shows that anyone can question a cruise line's policies, especially those you weren't aware of prior to booking, by approaching the ship's Hotel Manager or Cruise Director.
|Copyright © 2000 - 2013 , Cruisemates. All rights reserved.


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This list is a sampling of the kinds of courses offered through the Religious Studies department curriculum. Not all courses shown here will be offered every semester. For a complete list of currently available courses, students may log into their account on Student Center.
Introduction to basic elements entailed in the study of religion such as sacred space, sacred time, ritual, pilgrimage, cosmology, ritual, scripture, and the afterlife. Course explores case studies from various cultural traditions throughout the world.
Investigation of the relevance of the Bible for life in the twenty-first century. Some issues studied from a biblical perspective include sex roles and sexual relations, economic inequities, and legal injustices. Among topics to be covered are marriage and divorce, homosexuality, women's rights, poverty, war, and peace. Open to first year and sophomores only. No prerequisites.
Intensive study of a religious topic, problem, writer, or theme in the field of the history of religions. Offered at the discretion of the department.
Intensive study of a religious topic, problem, writer, or theme in the field of religious thought. Offered at the discretion of the department.
Intensive study of a religious nonwestern topic, problem, writer, or theme in the field of religious thought.
Introduction to ancient Greek in preparation for reading Attic and New Testament texts, with emphasis on vocabulary, pronunciation, morphology, and syntax.
Continuation of Greek I, introduction to ancient Greek in preparation for reading Attic and New Testament texts, with emphasis on vocabulary, pronunciation, morphology, and syntax. Offered every spring. Prerequisite: Greek 101 or placement.
Study of the history, literature, and religion of the Hebrews, from the time of Abraham to about 500 B.C.E. History and culture of Israel are related to those of surrounding nations, with special emphasis on the relevancy of archeological data.
Introduction to writings of the New Testament as they originated in their Greco-Roman milieu. Emphasis is on the distinctive purposes and main content of each writing. Use of source, form, and redaction criticism as tools for the academic study of the New Testament is demonstrated.
Intensive study of a religious topic, problem, writer, or theme.
The story of the life of the Buddha became a pattern for later Buddhist practitioners to emulate in their own lives. Hence, life stories are a particularly important type of literature in the Buddhist tradition. This course explores spiritual autobiographies and biographies written by and about men and women of the Buddhist tradition. Readings include materials from many different geographic regions of the world and survey sources from the earliest periods of Buddhist history to modern times. Writings are selected from Buddhist practitioners from all walks of life: monks and nuns, mountain hermits and hermitesses, social activists, pilgrims, and court ladies. No prior knowledge of the Buddhist tradition is necessary.
Overview of ancient and contemporary Jewish belief and practice through an examination of sacred texts, theology, and history. Special attention is given to Jewish theology, holidays, and life-cycle.
Careful examination and analysis of efforts – whether ultimately Protestant or Roman Catholic -- to reform the Christian Church in the 16th and early 17th centuries.
Examination of the religious traditions of black Americans from 'slave religion' to the present. Course focuses on the religious beliefs of African Americans and the ways those beliefs have been used to develop strategies to achieve freedom and justice. Subjects covered include the influence of African religion, African American religious nationalism, Pentecostalism, spirituals and gospel music, and the Civil Rights movement. Offered in alternate years.
In this course on the phenomenon of religious organization and faith in the civil rights movement, students will analytically consider resources from within black American life (faith, preaching, musical production), resources from America writ large (popular culture, socio-economic growth, and intellectual development) as well as other various forms of support from the religious institutions of Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, black nationalism, agnosticism, and atheism. Students will further analyze issues of religion and American regionalism (both U.S. South and North); of religion and social formation (such as urban, rural, small-town migrations) of religion and racial/cultural identity (concepts of assimilation and middle-class expansion) as well as the religion and the realities of socio-economic poverty and urban rioting. Finally, implications for and considerations of gender and sexuality, human rights, and property concerns as well as the role of media, global awareness and nonprofit organizational growth (including fundraising efforts) are also discussed.
An introduction to the religious traditions of the Native American peoples. This course considers various Native American "ways of life" as fundamentally religious. Ethnographic case studies and contemporary issues are focused upon to reveal the religious importance of land, language, and community to otherwise diverse Native American peoples. Special attention is paid to the ongoing struggle these same peoples face for religious freedom in a country where religion is often thought of as a matter of individual belief rather than communal practice.
Critical examination of relationship between society and religion. Course relies upon theories offered by key thinkers in the study of religion to reveal religious phenomena in the contemporary world as inherently social and as having tremendous impact upon all social structures. Critical reading and writing is emphasized.
Explores instrumental Western Philosophers' discussions of the definitions and characteristics of God, the interrelationship between faith, reason, revelation, the meaning of morality in religious thought and subsequent existential concerns.
An exploration of how religious, spiritual, philosophical and social forces shaped the lives of Martin Luther King Jr., Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Malcolm X. Consideration will be given to how their commitments of justice and their theological understandings impacted movements for change. Sermons, speeches, film and interviews will be among the resources used.
Critical survey of various religious groups and phenomena in the United States. This course will examine the traditional religions whose adherents played significant roles in founding the United States, while also paying attention to the religious traditions of the historically enslaved, colonized, and otherwise oppressed. Special attention will be paid to alternative religious movements and to those religious groups whose members seek greater visibility, freedom, or influence upon the religious character of the United States today.
An exploration of how 20th century Jewish thinkers critically address many of the religious, spiritual, existential, social and ethical issues that face contemporary, Western society. Their insights are used to help us understand the world in which we live. Discussion is an important part of this course.
Religion and Politics in the Middle East is a course designed to introduce students to the variety of ways that Muslims, Christians and Jews in the contemporary Middle East have struggled to define their religious traditions and national aspirations in light of the changes brought about by modernity. The course will specifically look at the role of religion in the political sphere of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
Survey of the Hindu religious tradition from its origins in the Vedic period to the present. Gives attention to Hindu social formations and cultural expressions through an examination of core texts and practices. Focuses on central themes of sacrifice, liberation, devotion, and action, and examines ritual practices, gods and goddesses, temples, pilgrimage, and contemporary guru movements.
A course in the religious imaginations of the world. This class will explore the way that the diverse religious beliefs of Late Antiquity (ca 100-500) helped shaped the worldviews of men and women. Students will investigate the cultural contacts that emerged during Late Antiquity, how ideas and religions developed and grew during this time period, and how men and women in Late Antiquity conceived of the world around them and used religion to make sense and order of the cosmos.
Mythology and religion have always been companions. Course aims at understanding this friendship. Students familiarize themselves with certain mythological artifacts, as well as current 'surrogate myths.' Primary focus is an appreciation of the process of 'mythmaking,' which is approached from several critical viewpoints. Not offered every year.
Introduction to the beliefs and practices of the Buddhist tradition, from their origins in ancient India to their modern interpretations in the writings of the Beat generation in twentieth-century America. Course surveys the development of Buddhism in China, Tibet, and Japan, with attention given to both primary texts and historical studies.
A thematic and conceptual introduction to the religious traditions of India, Pakistan and Nepal through a close examination of primary texts, histories, practices, and founding figures within Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, and Islam. Explores what adherents of these religions have believed and practiced historically and in the present, and engages the worldviews and claims of these religions in various reflective, critical ways.
General introduction to major religious traditions of China through textual, historical, and social studies of Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism. Attention is also given to an assessment of their contemporary viability.
Special emphasis on understanding the religious thinking of the Japanese, ancient and modern, through textual, historical, and cultural study of religious traditions: Shinto and folk beliefs, Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism.
Introduction to the major texts of classical Chinese thought. Survey, in English translation, of the most important thinkers of the Confucian, Taoist, Legalist, and Mohist schools of the fifth to the third centuries B.C.E. These writings have shaped the thinking of over a fourth of the world's population, and we will consider their impact in modern Asia in such areas as education, human rights, and gender issues.
Introduction to the philosophical and religious aspects of traditional Chinese healing practices. Course surveys such topics as the composition of the human body and its relationship with the larger cosmos, the diagnosis of ailments caused by material and spiritual pathogens, the medical and ritual treatment of conditions, and preventative practices such as meditation and exercise. Emphasis is on pre-modern traditions, but some attention is given to their modern applications.
This course explores the beliefs, ritual practices, and material culture of Shinto and Buddhism in Japan as well as those of Shugendo, "new religions", myth, folklore, Yokai, and urban legends. It examines how the Shinto- and Buddhism-derived beliefs, practices, and stories are shown in visual media (anime, films, manga, video games). Students learn to critically interpret how these media representations are perceived by the targeted audience in Japan and across the world. AS 253 and REL 253 are cross-listed.
Survey of the religious and philosophical traditions of Confucianism in East Asia from ancient to modern times. Course explores such notions as ritual, education, human nature, self-cultivation, and quiet sitting. Attention is also given to women's learning and women's education in ancient and later imperial times.
What does religious studies study? Can a religion best be understood from within, or are outsiders better positioned to understand the human phenomenon of religion? In this course students will study the most influential theories of religion and learn the different historical, philosophical, sociological, phenomenological, anthropological, and textual methods that shape the academic discipline of Religious Studies. Beginning with 20th century thinkers this course examines classic and contemporary theories about religion and ways of studying it, including influences such as postcolonial studies and feminist studies, and including critiques of the very idea of "religion" as a universal concept. Prerequisite: One 100 or 200-level course in Religious Studies, or permission of instructor
Course explores major Buddhist scriptures in English translation. Readings include texts from the time of the Buddha (500 BCE) to approximately 1000CE and include selections from South and North Asian traditions. Emphasis is on the scriptures' religious and philosophical content, but consideration is also given to the ritual use of texts. Prerequisite: prior course in Buddhism or permission of the instructor.
This course asks the question "what are the relationships between religion and the environment?" To answer this the course will examine a few key themes: ways in which the environment have been fundamental in shaping religions, ways in which religious thought and traditions have shaped modern conceptions of the environment, and new ways in which religions have approached the environment concerning climate change. Special attention will be paid to Native American relationships with the environment.
This course surveys the historical development of Christian thought and practice from ancient times to the present day. Based on original sources, this course will delve into the distinctive creedal, worship, and prayer traditions - the vision and beliefs-- of the Christian faith. The differences between the Eastern Orthodox and the Western (Roman) Catholic Churches will be explored as well as the relationship of Catholicism to Protestantism. A field trip to visit various Christian sites (the National Cathedral, the Shrine of Immaculate Conception, and St. Sophia Orthodox Church) in Washington, DC, is planned.
A course on the development, thought, and practice of Christianity in the Middle Ages. The class explores different aspects of medieval religion, with a particular emphasis on the development of Christian thought in the Middle Ages and popular religious beliefs and practice. Topics include the conversion of the Barbarian kingdoms, the Carolingian Renaissance, saints and sanctity, monasticism, heresy, superstition, pilgrimage, the origins of the Renaissance and Reformation, and the connections between medieval Christianity and modern media.
A critical exploration of queer theology in Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. This class will explore the ways that queer theory and theology have questioned and shaped religious traditions in the modern period. Topics will include the ways LGBTQ individuals have addressed and interpreted religious traditions and the ways queer readings of traditions have influenced new directions in theology.
Survey of the origins and development of Islamic beliefs and practices from inception to the present. Course examines the growth and development of the cultural, political, legal, theological, and mystical aspects of Islam from the early to the modern periods. Course readings emphasize primary source material.
Survey of the mystical tradition in Islam known as Sufism, from its origins in medieval Iraq to its role in contemporary Islamic societies. Course focuses on how the Sufi pursuit of unity with, or annihilation in, God relates to the core monotheistic beliefs of Islam. Sufi theories and practices are studies through primary source materials and special attention will be paid to issues of orthodoxy, heresy, and anti-social behavior in the history of Sufism.
Course focuses on key issues within the diverse world of global Islam such as gender, justice, colonialism, orientalism, Islamic law, violence, reform and piety movements, and human rights. Topics are examined through the study of autobiographies, religious texts, films, literature, historical writings, and art and architecture.
A survey of the strong, vibrant and often mutually beneficial relationship between religion and democracy in the U.S. from the U.S. founders through nineteenth century reform efforts and touching upon 20th century movements that aimed to increase American participation in democracy such as civil rights, ethnic and racial relations, women's rights, gay rights, etc. When has American religion supported democracy? When have religious practices taken away from democratic processes in this country? Is there a particular U.S. version of the connections between religion and democracy? This course discusses the ideas and case studies utilizing methods and readings from political science, American history, philosophy and sociology.
Confucianism, Judaism, Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, Shinto, Native American Religions, African Diasporic Religions all serve as weekly foci of this course that discusses the rise of religious experiences in modern America with attention to the foundations put in place during the nineteenth century by American Protestantism, Catholicism and Judaism. While an historical framework will be provided during the time devoted to each religion, the method will be largely comparative with attention to dialogue between religious groups during the last weeks.
Exploration of the religious, symbolic, and magical dimensions of cross-cultural concepts of the human body. Course surveys religious attitudes toward such topics as resurrection, reincarnation, mutilation, cannibalism, fasting and body decoration. Not offered every year
The story of the life of the Buddha became a pattern for later Buddhist practitioners to emulate in their own lives. Hence, life stories are a particularly important type of literature in the Buddhist tradition. This course explores spiritual autobiographies and biographies written by and about men and women of the Buddhist tradition. Readings include materials from many different geographic regions of the world and survey sources from the earliest periods of Buddhist history to modern times. Writings are selected from Buddhist practitioners from all walks of life: monks and nuns, mountain hermits and hermitesses, social activists, pilgrims, and court ladies. No prior knowledge of the Buddhist tradition is necessary.
Examination of the Jesus tradition, as interpreted in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, using techniques of source, form, redaction, and literary criticism. Special attention is given to the distinctive perspective of each Gospel. Prerequisite: Religion 205. Not offered every year.
Exploration of the thought and content of the Fourth Gospel. Effort is made to determine the background purposes for writing, and the community addressed by John's Gospel. The question of its relationship to the Synoptic Gospels and the Epistles of John is included. Prerequisite: Religion 205. Not offered every year.
Study of the life, letters, and legacy of the early Christian, Paul, through a careful consideration of primary and selected secondary sources. Particular attention is given to understanding the Pauline literature in its historical context. Ancient and modern interpretations of Paul's life and work are also treated. Prerequisite: Religion 205. Not offered every year.
Critical examination of the relationship between religion and colonialism. The use of religion by some peoples as a colonizing tool is considered alongside the use of religion by other peoples as a tool that facilitates freedom from colonialism. Case studies of colonialism and indigenous resistance against colonialism are drawn from the Americas, Africa, and Asia. Theoretical constructions of religion, colonialism, and postcolonialism are considered, as well.
This course explores modern Jewish thinkers who critically address how technology has changed Western attitudes concerning religion, ethics and community. In addition, we will use the readings as springboards to discuss such issues as alienation, labor, abortion, cloning and more. The insights of these thinkers will help us better understand the world in which we live. An exploration of how modern Jewish thinkers critically address the question of technology and its effect on Western attitudes concerning religion, ethics and community. The course uses the readings as springboards to discuss such issues as alienation, labor, abortion, cloning and more. The insights of these thinkers help to better understand the world in which we live.
An exploration of Jewish responses to the holocaust, looking at Jewish religious, literary, ethical, and philosophical responses to the Holocaust. The theme of the course will be how the Holocaust threatens traditional understandings of Judaism, and monotheism, social ethics, spirituality, and community.
A study of how American religions have shaped public life for centuries. This course analyzes the impact of the rise of democracy during the colonial and Independence periods, the emergence of American voluntarism during the early Republic and antebellum years, the nineteenth-century growth of nonprofit organizations, the evolution of civic participations in the twentieth century, and the presence of contemporary—and often multi-religious--forms of service at the dawn of the twenty first century. Meanwhile, students discover their own voice as emerging participants, servants and leaders in public life—all the while reflecting on issues of race, economics, gender and sexuality.
Introduction to the major texts of classical Chinese thought. Survey, in English translation, of the most important thinkers of the Confucian, Taoist, Legalist, and Mohist schools of the fifth to the third centuries B.C.E. These writings have shaped the thinking of over a fourth of the world's population, and we will consider their impact in modern Asia in such areas as education, human rights, and gender issues.
Introduction to the philosophical and religious aspects of traditional Chinese healing practices. Course surveys such topics as the composition of the human body and its relationship with the larger cosmos, the diagnosis of ailments caused by material and spiritual pathogens, the medical and ritual treatment of conditions, and preventative practices such as meditation and exercise. Emphasis is on pre-modern traditions, but some attention is given to their modern applications.
A seminar on the construction of sexuality and gender in early Christianity. Given the radical nature of early Christianity, this seminar will explore the way that early Christian traditions influenced and reshaped ideas of sexuality in the Late Antique Mediterranean. The seminar will address multiple varieties of early Christianity and their teachings on gender, sex, the body, and the family.
Examines Islam in its diverse forms within South Asia-a region that is home to more Muslims than any other region of the world. The course explores various individual and collective expressions of Muslim belief and practice (Sunni, Shi`i, and Sufi) from our earliest records to the present day. Attention will be given to the historical development of Islam in the region, religio-political movements, popular ritual and devotion, and Islamic mysticism through the study of religious and historical texts, biographies, visual art, and novels. Prerequisite: REL 270 or HIST 208 or permission of the instructor.
This course examines the critical issue of inter-religious conflict and cooperation in India, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka by examining moments of contact between the region's various religious traditions, particularly Hinduism, Islam, and Sikhism. Gives particular attention to historical and contemporary representations of conflict and cooperation, the religious dimensions of conflict and cooperation, and the ways in which religion is intertwined with political, social and cultural dimensions of these phenomena.
Intensive culminating research experience for Religious Studies majors. Seminar is designed around particular topics or areas or debate, which provide unifying themes for students' research projects. Course guides students as they develop their understanding of the study of religion and of religious studies theories, methods, debates, and key issues of inquiry. Requirement for the major. Prerequisite: Declaration of the religious studies major or minor and completion of three 200-level courses. Should be take in the senior year. Beginning with class of 2020, Religious Studies 260 will be a prerequisite.
Individualized tutorial counting toward the minimum requirements in a major or minor, graded A-F
Individualized tutorial not counting in the minimum requirements in a major or minor, graded A-F
Senior Project must be approved by department.
Individualized research counting toward the minimum requirements in a major or minor, graded S/U
Internship counting toward the minimum requirements in a major or minor, graded A-F
Summer Internship graded A-F, counting in the minimum requirements for a major or minor only with written permission filed in the Registrar's Office.
Summer Internship graded S/U, counting in the minimum requirements for a major or minor only with written permission filed in the Registrar's Office


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Doosan DP222LB 12 cylinder engine.
Marelli MJB355MA4 alternator.
Generator Sales – New and Used.
Automatic Transfer Switches – New and Used.
Generator Installation and Commissioning.
Service and Maintenance Contracts.
Worldwide Delivery.
75 point service check
Service & Maintenance
"The service from FW power has been excellent. From information to purchase of new unit to servicing of old . I cannot fault the service and friendliness from the FW team."
L Murphy
"My company have used FW Power for several years now, firstly we bought a new generator from them for our factory and then they have maintained the generator ever since. FW Power have always remained very professional and helpful. Recently Fabian went out of his way to get a part to us which meant we didn't have to stop production. Very much appreciated!" Geoff
G Watson
"FW Power provided us with the opportunity to participate in several projects. FW Power are one of our main dealers and it's employees are very organised and customer focused. Working with FW Power has been always a pleasure. Their commitment to generate a win for all involved is something we appreciate as a supplier. We look forward to participating in future projects with them."
EME Power Solutions Ltd
"We've just collected a 110 kva generator from your site near Crewe and would like to say a big thanks, not just for an excellent machine but also for your friendly and helpful advice before buying. Not having much experience or technical knowledge we could easily have made a bad decision but you helped us through the process with patience and in the end we were confident that we bought the right generator from the right people.Its a good feeling!"
R Farey
"Very friendly and easy to do business with. Recommended!"
Crane Hire Direct
"Thanks so much FW Power - We received our generator couple of months ago for our new events business and I couldn't recommend you enough! Absolutely faultless, runs everyday without a problem and is super quiet!"
The Events Co
I can't say how much we appreciate the time and effort FW Power spent with us. We could have easily been sold something that wasn't right but instead Fabian spent time understanding what our requirements were and sized up a generator that works along side our machines perfectly. Highly recommended.
D Marshall
"We have used FW Power on numerous projects and will continue to do so on an ongoing basis due to their reliability and quick response times. With a professional and personal service, we would have no hesitation in recommending FW power. " Matt
APPM Facilities Services
Thank you for the prompt payment of the generator - It has been a pleasure to do business with, a true Gent.
L DockerillManaging Director,


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The Frankie universal 7 inch tablet case is designed to protect and accessories a whole range of 7/8 inch tablets from the perils of daily use.
This 7" / 8" tablet case collection is crafted using high quality faux-leather for a luxurious feel and tough durability.
Compatible with a variety of leading tablets, these tablet cases are adjustable using stretchy straps, meaning Frankie is the ideal choice whatever your brand preference.
You'll always get the best fit and protection possible with the Frankie universal tablet case while protecting against scratches, drops and knocks from daily use.
Compatible with:
-iPad mini
-iPad mini retina
-Kindle Fire HDX 7"
-Kindle Fire HD 7"
-Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8-inch
-Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 7-inch
-Hudl 7"
-Lifetab 7"
-My Tabletv 7"
-Sumvision Cyclone Voyager 7"
-Tablet CT710 7"
-Tablet CT 1020 8"
-Qilive 8" Dual Core
- Adjustable universal tablet cases for use with a number of 7/8" tablets, including: google Nexus 7, Nexus 7 2013, iPad mini, Kindle Fire, Kindle Fire HD, Galaxy Tab 3 7" / 8" and Galaxy Note 8"
- Elasticated, adjustable bands to secure your tablet
- Stand mode and access to camera lenses
- Lifetime Exchange Warranty
All items will be sent using Royal Mail, followed by your local postal service, absolutely free of charge..
Other faster options are also available:
The free 'standard shipping' option takes between 2-3 working days from the time of dispatch, although we usually find it takes less.
All of our international orders are sent by standard mail worldwide. However, if you would like your order to be tracked, we will happily arrange for it to be sent via other recorded means. You can select the delivery option you would like at the checkout.
Please be aware that your order must be placed before 1pm between Monday to Friday to take advantage of the Next Day delivery option.
Returns Address
To check full details of our returns policy, please visit our Help and Support pages


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Callahead Corp.
Rent 23 EuroHead Toilets
The EUROHEAD is CALLAHEAD's New York short-term portable restroom rental to accommodate any special event. The EUROHEAD is a German made porta potty that will deliver clean and sanitary restroom facilities when you need it.
With its distinct European design and CALLAHEAD's artistic signage that was created especially for the EUROHEAD, it also brings a European flair to any setting. This is a standard size portable restroom equipped with a full-size toilet seat, separate urinal, and dual covered toilet paper dispenser.
Because this porta potty is a CALLAHEAD brand, guests will appreciate that you have provided them with the world's best portable restroom facilities. Whether your gathering is a large catered event or an intimate special gathering, the EUROHEAD will supply guests with privacy and comfort.
The EUROHEAD's spring loaded door locks from the inside and activates the exterior occupancy sign so every user feels confident of a private trip to the restroom. The EUROHEAD has a very spacious interior along with an exterior that is sure to add style to any setting.
The exterior CALLAHEAD signage elegantly displays images of "Water Lilies" by Claude Monet and "Starry Night" by Vincent Van Gogh. Only CALLAHEAD turns a human necessity into works of art. It is just another way CALLAHEAD delivers the highest value to our customers.
1- Choose your Portable Product.
2- Enter your Delivery Date and your Pickup Date.
3- Select the number of portable products needed - use the Toilet Calculator for our portable toilet recommendation!
4- Add to Cart.
5- Browse and select any additional portable toilets and add-ons, such as servicing, accessories, etc.
6- Checkout!
Easy Peasy!


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What to Do if Your Health Spa/Gym Closes
With the current economic crisis, a number of Georgia businesses have closed their doors. Are you a member of a gym that is no longer in business? Although it is not a violation of the law to close a business, the Governor's Office of Consumer Affairs (OCA) must be notified by the business when a health spa or gym closes. OCA is always interested in talking to the owner of each gym to determine the status of the membership contracts.
If a health spa or gym closes its doors without offering an alternate location within ten miles that is substantially similar to the one that closed, then members may act immediately to stop any future payments to that gym. You may contact your bank and terminate any automatic bank drafts, or contact your credit card company and terminate the automatic monthly charge, whichever is appropriate. Be sure to inform them that the business is closed and you are no longer receiving services. Keep a record of the date you contacted the financial institution, along with the identity of the person with whom you spoke.
Consumers who opted to prepay a health spa or gym contract should have been made aware of the following cautionary language within the contract:
"State law requires that we inform you that should you (the buyer) choose to pay for any part of this agreement in advance, be aware that you are paying for future services and may be risking loss of your money in the event this health spa ceases to conduct business. Health spas do not post a bond, and there may be no other protections provided to you should you choose to pay in advance."
This means that consumers who prepaid contracts are not automatically entitled to a prorated refund for the unused portion of the contract, even if the business closed its doors without offering an alternate location as described above. You are encouraged to closely review the terms of your contract and follow its provisions carefully. Consumers may also contact the Governor's Office of Consumer Affairs by calling 404-651-8600 or 800-869-1123.


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YOU CAN CHECK OUT MY OTHER RUSTIC ARTWORK AT https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/RusticEngravings
Custom handmade wooden journal / album with Monogram / personalized engraving
This handmade wooden album / journal is crafted to order from hand cut, sanded, and stained wooden sheets. Each piece of wood is carefully and artistically stained using a layering technique to give it a unique dark rustic look. Genuine cowhide leather is rubbed with mink oil to bring out a nice leathery smell and is formed into the spine of the book. Once the book cover has been made, your monogram is laser engraved into it and a personal message can be added.
Each book comes with your choice of cardstock, cardstock overlaid with clear acid free album sheets, or archival quality acid free 8.5" X 11" photo sleeves. This book is made to have very rustic look and is made to hold a large number of pages while opening flat. Page options in this listing go up to 50, however, a custom book can be created by request to accommodate as many pages as you need. This custom book is made with a hinged back cover so the pages lay flat when the book is opened for better viewing.
The books I create are made to last! Each book is carefully constructed to ensure its durability while maintaining a unique character and a beautiful rustic yet modern look. These books are made to be displayed for a lifetime and the customized engraving adds a personal touch that will be cherished. These books make wonderful personal albums and gifts.
Please note that any of my book styles can be made into a wedding guest book, a family photo album, a baby memory book or a portfolio. You can take a look at the other books styles I create here:
You can find out more details about my handmade books, signs, and paddles at my website www.rusticengravings.com
---=== Urgent Orders===---
If you need your book urgently, you can upgrade to a priority order with Xpresspost shipping. Over night shipping is also an option. To make a request for an urgent order listing please contact me and I will do my best to accommodate you.
Page Option Details:
Premium acid free cardstock
- The pages are hand creased premium heavyweight cardstock that will not degrade your photos, writing, or artwork over time.
This is a good option for a guest book, journal, or sketchbook. To select this option choose "cardstock" in the page options drop-down menu.
Premium cardstock with archival quality clear plastic over each page
- This option includes alternating pages of premium cardstock (described above) and clear archival plastic sheets (every second page is clear plastic). This option makes it easy to access the cardstock to write on or adjust photos, but still adds a layer of protection when viewing the contents of the book. Both the cardstock and the plastic are acid free/archival quality and will not degrade your photos, writing, or artwork over time.
This is a great option for guest books, poetry books, sketchbooks where smudging may be an issue, photo albums, or any book where easy access to delicate archival material is ideal. To select this option choose "cardstock/clear".
"album pages"
Clear archival quality acid free photo pockets
- This option includes scrapbook style photo pockets (one large pocket encasing premium heavyweight cardstock). These clear pockets are inserted with off-white cardstock and they are ideal for photo albums, baby books, scrapbooks, and archival of any delicate material. To select this option, choose "album pages".
Photo pockets can be used in wedding guest books if you plan to add pictures to/and it or the pages are being filled out then added to the book at a later time, otherwise this option is not recommended for guest books. Removing the cardstock from the protective sleeves and then re-inserting it can make signing your guest book a hassle.
If you have any questions about the page options above, or you would like to request a different kind of paper to fill your book with, please send me a message. I am happy to answer any questions.
Alternative page options:
Specialty paper such as artist paper, premium rich-black cardstock, or torn edge pages are also available. Please send me a message to inquire about these options.
I can add a customized engraving to the front and/or back cover of this book for you or I can leave it plain if you would like. Check out my other listings for alternate font options. Send me a message to inquire about different staining options and metal and leather embellishments. You can take a look at my other listings to get a sense of what pieces I have available for corners and latches and what the leather and metal hinges look like. Send me a message describing what you would like and if I can make it for you, I will create you a custom listing. If You don't have any special requests just send me a message in checkout telling me what you would like engraved on your book. Don't forget to choose your font and hinges :)
I take bulk orders (2-20+), just send me a message to make arrangements.
The word 'wisdom' that appears on the back cover. Wisdom is my last name and my way of signing (or branding) my work. I wont include this if you don't want me to. Just send me a message asking me to exclude it.
Paypal and Etsy direct are the preferred methods of payment. Currently I do not accept money orders.
Everything in my shop is made in, and ship from, Canada. If you are having your item shipped outside of Canada, please be aware of the import duties that may be charged to you by your country. I will not cover these charges under any circumstances.
Please complete your payment as soon as possible. I will not start the creation process on your project until payment has been processed and we have communicated details about your project. If I do not receive payment and communication within one week of the order being placed, I will cancel the order.
All orders will be shipped to your Etsy Address. If you would like to arrange for delivery to another address, please contact me to make arrangements.
Please provide a contact phone number with your order. This number will only be used by the courier delivering your package in case of difficulty delivering your package. The courier will only guarantee delivery times if a contact number has been provided.
Since everything I create is made to order and each project can take several weeks to complete, creation + shipping time should be taken into consideration if you need your order by a certain date. If you require rush delivery on an item, please contact me to make arrangements (an additional fee may apply).
Contact me to upgrade your shipping to Priority or Express and tracking.
International shipments outside of Canada and the US are shipped with International Parcel - Surface service and can take up to 3 months to be delivered depending on the country you are in. Larger items may also incur additional shipping fees which will be noted before your project is started. If you need to receive your order quickly you can upgrade the shipping on your package by requesting a shipping upgrade in addition to priority processing.
Shipments to Canada and the US using standard ground shipping typically take 1-10 business days to arrive at their destination. Upgrades to express and overnight shipping services are available (additional fees apply). A different courier and service from the one you selected may be used depending on couriers' history of delivering packages safely and on time to your area - Rustic Engravings will make this call and may contact you if a different shipping method from the one you chose is recommended.
All customs fees will be paid by buyer. If your item is not picked up from the post office or it has an incorrect address, and it is sent back to me as a result, a second shipping fee will be charged to send your package a second time.
Although Rustic Engravings does ship to the US, there may be an additional charge for shipping to Alaska, Hawaii, or Puerto Rico. Also, if you live in an extremely rural area, there is a very small chance that I will not be able to ship to you or there will be an additional fee to cover the extra postage. If you live in the absolute middle of nowhere and you think shipping to your address may incur additional fees, send me a message and I will double check for you. I will not add on any fees without your permission.
Request a cancellation within: 2 days of purchase
But please contact me if you have any problems with your order.
Since the items sold in my store are custom made to order art pieces, no returns will be accepted under any circumstances. These pieces are custom made usable artwork and I check everything before I send it out and I will only ship products that meet my high standards of quality.
Since all items are made to order, wood grain will differ from the example image but I always try to select wood with an interesting grain pattern so each book will have character. Note that creative liberties are taken in the creation of each piece. The coloring and texture of your piece will vary from the original listing as well as from the mockup design. When you are purchasing one of my pieces, you are ordering a unique, customized, made-to-order art piece. If your book contains screws, please note that screw color may also vary. Screws may be black or brass depending on what I have in stock. Screw color is not guaranteed but if you prefer a specific color please send me a message and I will try to accommodate your request.
I can only refund items that are damaged during shipping if you, the recipient, open the package with the mail carrier present and initiate a damage claim through the mail carrier. I can issue a refund once that claim has been resolved.
Please be aware of your country's import laws. Rustic Engravings will not issue a refund for any package that is held at the boarder due to import restrictions. Note that as of 2019 USA import laws have become more strict. All products sold by Rustic Engravings comply with USA import regulations however, you may be required to fill out an additional customs form for importing wooden products to the USA which can delay your package. If you are concerned about a delay, please contact me as soon as possible.
I am happy to work with you to create a custom order. I can also take bulk orders.
If you are having trouble sending me a message using Etsy, please send your message through rusticengravings.com or send a message directly to email@example.com.
Aug 4, 2017
So unbelievably impressed with this book. Ordered for our wedding guest book and it is way beyond expectations. Tylir was great to deal with, she sent a few different layouts for us to choose from (It was hard to choose as we liked all of them!) She was quick to respond and very easy to communicate with. The quality of the book is amazing, down to the very details and the finishes. We are extremely pleased with this purchase and wouldn't hesitate to order from her again.


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Liberty News
Liberty Athletics continues to excel in Director's Cup
Impressive seasons for several of Liberty University's athletes have contributed to another high ranking for the Liberty University Athletics Department. For the third year in a row, Liberty has posted a Top 125 finish in the Division I Learfield Sports Director's Cup, which is compiled annually by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA).
Liberty finished No. 115 out of 335 NCAA Division I programs, thanks to eight Big South Conference team titles, two individual national championships and numerous individual student-athletes who participated in the NCAA postseason in five different sports (men's cross country, men's and women's indoor track, men's outdoor track and men's golf).
- Read more at www.libertyflames.com.