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(RNS) — The world's best-selling book has made it to the small screen in what is thought to be the first religiously themed game show on a secular network.
"The American Bible Challenge" tests teams' knowledge of the Old and New Testaments in a quiz show interspersed with stories of the competitors and the charities they play for.
The show represents a bid to tap the religious market by the secular GSN (formerly Game Show Network). The base audience is evangelicals, said consulting producer Maura Dunbar, but she hopes it will appeal to a broader audience, including nonbelievers.
"I think people of faith will have a very good comfort level, and I think this is an opportunity for all of us to hopefully open up the Bible to new audiences and engagement," Dunbar said.
Comedian Jeff Foxworthy, coming from Fox's quiz show, "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?," hosts the Bible challenge. Foxworthy describes himself as a Christian, and details attending Bible study with friends on the American Bible Challenge website.
The show tests biblical knowledge in culture, history, literature and current events. In one segment, players try to differentiate "the Word of the Lord" from "the Lord of the Rings" and identify whether a character comes from the Bible or Star Wars.
"We find ways to open up the biblical word to references that I think make it easy to relate to," Dunbar said. "We had fun with the content, never poking fun at the content."
Dunbar is chief content officer of Odyssey Networks, which co-produces the show and has produced Hallmark Channel films based on Christian novels like Angela Hunt's The Note and Beverly Lewis' The Shunning.
The show brings together the religious message of the multifaith Odyssey Networks, the storytelling of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" producer Tom Forman, and the technical expertise of Embassy Row, which produced "The Glee Project" and "The Newlywed Game."
Religion-themed television can be a gamble for networks.
ABC canceled "GCB" after its unpopular inaugural season. Based on the novel Good Christian Bitches by Kim Gatlin, the show garnered controversy for its title and raunchy depictions of Christian women.
National Geographic Channel's "American Colony: Meet the Hutterites" was accused of exploiting the Montana Anabaptist faith community, first by Hutterites outside the colony, and later by colony leaders.
But some shows with religious themes have staying power. Episodes of "7th Heaven," a show about a family with a minister father, spanned a decade.
Producers face an interesting challenge in creating a Christian game show for an American audience.
A 2010 Pew survey found atheists and agnostics, Jews and Mormons showed the highest levels of overall religious knowledge in the United States.
Mormons scored highest on specific biblical knowledge, followed by white evangelical Protestants, atheists and agnostics, black Protestants and Jews. White mainline Protestants and Catholics scored the lowest.
A poll by the American Bible Society — which sponsors the show — found 85 percent of Americans own a Bible. About one-quarter read the Bible several times a week or every day. However, the same percentage never reads it. The majority reads the Bible less than once a month.
Readers of the New International Version (NIV) translation might want to play along — it's the official Bible of the show.
Viewers can catch "The American Bible Challenge" Thursdays at 8 p.m. on GSN.
— Chris Lisee
© 2012 Religion News Service. Used with permission.
Posted Aug. 30, 2012


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More than his movies
Aram Goudsouzian, University of Memphis
Sidney Poitier, seen here in a 1980 photograph. Photo by Evening Standard/Getty Images |
"He has carved for himself an imperishable niche in the annals of our nation's history," King told the audience of 2,000 delegates. "I consider him a friend. I consider him a great friend of humanity."
That man was Sidney Poitier.
Poitier, who died at 94 on Jan. 7, 2022, broke the mold of what a Black actor could be in Hollywood. Before the 1950s, Black movie characters generally reflected racist stereotypes such as lazy servants and beefy mammies.
Then came Poitier, the only Black man to consistently win leading roles in major films from the late 1950s through the late 1960s. Like King, Poitier projected ideals of respectability and integrity. He attracted not only the loyalty of African Americans, but also the goodwill of white liberals.
In my biography of him, titled "Sidney Poitier: Man, Actor, Icon," I sought to capture his whole life, including his incredible rags-to-riches arc, his sizzling vitality on screen, his personal triumphs and foibles and his quest to live up to the values set forth by his Bahamian parents. But the most fascinating aspect of Poitier's career, to me, was his political and racial symbolism. In many ways, his screen life intertwined with that of the civil rights movement – and King himself.
Photo by Chester Sheard/Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images |
An age of protests
In three separate columns in 1957, 1961 and 1962, a New York Daily News columnist named Dorothy Masters marveled that Poitier had the warmth and charisma of a minister. Poitier lent his name and resources to King's causes, and he participated in demonstrations such as the 1957 Prayer Pilgrimage and the 1963 March on Washington.
In this era of sit-ins, Freedom Rides and mass marches, activists engaged in nonviolent sacrifice not only to highlight racist oppression, but also to win broader sympathy for the cause of civil rights.
In that same vein, Poitier deliberately chose to portray characters who radiated goodness. They had decent values and helped white characters, and they often sacrificed themselves. He earned his first star billing in 1958, in "The Defiant Ones," in which he played an escaped prisoner handcuffed to a racist played by Tony Curtis. At the end, with the chain unbound, Poitier jumps off a train to stick with his new white friend.
Writer James Baldwin reported seeing the film on Broadway, where white audiences clapped with reassurance, their racial guilt alleviated. When he saw it again in Harlem, members of the predominantly Black audience yelled "Get back on the train, you fool!"
King won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. In that same year, Poitier won the Oscar for Best Actor for "Lilies of the Field," in which he played Homer Smith, a traveling handyman who builds a chapel for German nuns out of the goodness of his heart. The sweet, low-budget movie was a surprise hit. In its own way, like the horrifying footage of water hoses and police dogs attacking civil rights activists, it fostered swelling support for racial integration.
Photo by RDB/ullstein bild via Getty Images |
By the time of the actor's Southern Christian Leadership Conference speech, both King and Poitier seemed to have a slipping grip on the American public. Bloody and destructive riots plagued the nation's cities, reflecting the enduring discontent of many poor African Americans. The swelling calls for "Black Power" challenged the ideals of nonviolence and racial brotherhood – ideals associated with both King and Poitier.
When Poitier stepped to the lectern that evening, he lamented the "greed, selfishness, indifference to the suffering of others, corruption of our value system, and a moral deterioration that has already scarred our souls irrevocably." "On my bad days," he said, "I am guilty of suspecting that there is a national death wish."
By the late 1960s, both King and Poitier had reached a crossroads. Federal legislation was dismantling Jim Crow in the South, but African Americans still suffered from limited opportunity. King prescribed a "revolution of values," denounced the Vietnam War, and launched a Poor People's Campaign. Poitier, in his 1967 speech for the SCLC, said that King, by adhering to his convictions for social justice and human dignity, "has made a better man of me."
Exceptional characters
Poitier tried to adhere to his own convictions. As long as he was the only Black leading man, he insisted on playing the same kind of hero. But in the era of Black Power, had Poitier's saintly hero become another stereotype? His rage was repressed, his sexuality stifled. A Black critic, writing in The New York Times, asked "Why Does White America Love Sidney Poitier So?"
Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images |
That critic had a point: As Poitier himself knew, his films created too-perfect characters. Although the films allowed white audiences to appreciate a Black man, they also implied that racial equality depends on such exceptional characters, stripped of any racial baggage.
From late 1967 into early 1968, three of Poitier's movies owned the top spot at the box office, and a poll ranked him the most bankable star in Hollywood.
Each film provided a hero who soothed the liberal center. His mannered schoolteacher in "To Sir, With Love" tames a class of teenage ruffians in London's East End.
His razor-sharp detective in "In the Heat of the Night" helps a crotchety white Southern sheriff solve a murder. His world-renowned doctor in "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" marries a white woman, but only after winning the blessing of her parents.
"I try to make movies about the dignity, nobility, the magnificence of human life," he insisted. Audiences flocked to his films, in part, because he transcended racial division and social despair – even as more African Americans, baby boomers and film critics tired of the old-fashioned do-gooder spirit of these movies.
Intertwined lives
And then, the lives of Martin Luther King Jr. and Sidney Poitier intersected one final time. After King's assassination on April 4, 1968, Poitier was a stand-in for the ideal that King embodied. When he presented at the Academy Awards, Poitier won a massive ovation. "In the Heat of the Night" and "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" captured most of the major awards. Hollywood again dealt with the nation's racial upheaval through Poitier movies.
But after King's violent murder, the Poitier icon no longer captured the national mood. In the 1970s, a generation of "Blaxploitation" films featured violent, sexually charged heroes. They were a reaction against the image of a Black leading man associated with Poitier.
Although his career evolved, Poitier was no longer a superstar, and he no longer bore the burden of representing the Black freedom movement. Yet for a generation, he had served as popular culture's preeminent expression of the ideals of Martin Luther King.
[Get the best of The Conversation, every weekend. Sign up for our weekly newsletter.]
Aram Goudsouzian, Bizot Family Professor of History, University of Memphis
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.


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Download Policy If you wish to report an instance of bullying, please refer to: The Digital Version of the JICK E1 Reporting Form, or The Paper Version of the JICK E1 Reporting Form (if you wish to report anonymously, please submit this paper form to your school or administrative office) I. Introduction
It is our goal for our schools to be a safe and secure learning environment for all students. It is the intent of the M.S.A.D. No. 75 Board to provide all students with an equitable opportunity to learn. To that end, the Board has a significant interest in providing a safe, orderly, and respectful school environment that is conducive to teaching and learning.
Bullying and other forms of mistreatment are detrimental to the school environment as well as student learning, achievement and well-being. Mistreatment interferes with the mission of the schools to educate their students and disrupts the operations of the schools. Bullying and other forms of mistreatment affect not only students who are targets but also those who participate in and witness such behavior. These behaviors must be addressed to insure student safety and an inclusive learning environment.
It is not the Board's intent to prohibit students from expressing their ideas, including ideas that may offend the sensibilities of others, or from engaging in civil debate. However, the Board does not condone and will take action in response to conduct that interferes with students' well-being, the educational mission of the M.S.A.D. No. 75 schools, or the operation of the schools.
II. Prohibited Behavior
The following behaviors are prohibited:
1. Bullying;
2. Cyberbullying;
3. Harassment and Sexual Harassment (as defined in Board Policy ACAA Student Protection from Harassment and Sexual Harassment);
4. Retaliation against those reporting such defined behaviors; and
5. Making knowingly false accusations of bullying behavior.
Any person who engages in any of these prohibited behaviors that constitutes bullying shall be subject to appropriate disciplinary actions.
III. Bullying and Cyberbullying Defined
"Bullying" and "Cyberbullying" have the same meaning in this policy as in Maine Law.
A. Bullying" includes, but is not limited to, a written, oral or electronic expression or a physical act or gesture or any combination thereof directed at a student or students that:
(1) Has,or a reasonable person would expect it to have, the effect of:
(a) Physically harming a student or damaging a student's property; or
(b) Placing a student in reasonable fear of physical harm or damage to the student's property;
(2) Interferes with the rights of a student by:
(a) Creating an intimidating or hostile educational environment for the student; or
(b) Interfering with the student's academic performance or ability to participate in or benefit from the services, activities or privileges provided by a school;
(3) Is based on a student's actual or perceived race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, physical or mental disability, gender (included identity of expression), sex, sexual orientation, or any other distinguishing characteristic, or is based on a student's association with a person with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics, and that has the effect described in subparagraph (1) or (2) above. (These behaviors might also meet the criteria for harassment as defined in Board Policy ACAA Student Protection from Harassment and Sexual Harassment.)
Examples of conduct that may constitute bullying include, but are not limited to:
1. Repeated or pervasive taunting, name-calling, belittling, mocking, put-downs, or demeaning humor;
2. Behavior that is likely to harm someone by damaging or manipulating his or her relationships with others, including but not limited to gossip, spreading rumors, and social exclusion;
3. Non-verbal threats and/or intimidations such as use of aggressive, menacing, or disrespectful gestures;
4. Threats of harm to a student, to his/her possessions, or to other individuals, whether transmitted verbally or in writing;
5. Blackmail, extortion, demands for protections money, or involuntary loans or donations;
6. Blocking access to school properties or facilities;
7. Stealing or hiding books, backpacks, electronic devices, or other possessions;
8. Stalking; and
9. Physical contact or injury to another person or his/her property.
B. "Cyberbullying" means bullying through the use of technology or any electronic communication, including, but not limited to, a transfer of signs, signals, writing, images, sounds, data or intelligence of any nature transmitted by the use of any electronic device, including, but not limited to, a computer, telephone, cellular telephone, text messaging device and personal digital assistant.
Examples of conduct that may constitute cyberbullying include, but are not limited to the following actions on any electronic medium:
1. Posting slurs or rumors or displaying any defamatory, inaccurate, disparaging, violent, abusive, profane, or sexually-oriented material about an individual on a website, an app, in social media, or any other electronic platform;
2. Posting misleading, altered, or fake image(s) or digital video footage on websites or creating fake websites or social networking profiles in the guise of posting as the targeted individual;
3. Impersonating or representing another individual through the use of that other individual's electronic device or account to send e-mail, text messages, instant messages (IM), phone calls or other messages on a social media website;
4. Sending e-mail, text messages, "sexting," IM, or leaving voice mail messages that are mean or threatening, or so numerous as to bombard the target's e-mail account, IM account, or cell phone; and
5. Using a camera phone, digital video camera, or other electronic device to take and/or send unauthorized or sexually explicit photographs.
C. "Retaliation" means an act or gesture against a student for asserting or alleging an act of bullying. "Retaliation" also includes knowingly falsely reporting an act of bullying.
D. "Substantiated" means that the outcomes of the investigation on the Responding Form (JICK-E2) provide clear evidence to prove that bullying or cyberbullying, as defined in policy, did occur.
E. "Alternative discipline" means disciplinary action other than suspension or expulsion from school that is designed to correct and address the root causes of a student's specific misbehavior while retaining the student in class or school, or restorative school practices (see VII B below) to repair the harm done to relationships and persons from the student's misbehavior.
IV. Application of Policy
A. This policy applies to any student, school employee, contractor, visitor or volunteer who engages in conduct that constitutes bullying or retaliation, all of whom have the responsibility to comply with this policy.
B. This policy applies to bullying that:
1. Takes place at school or on school grounds, meaning: a school building; property on which a school building or facility is located; and property that is owned, leased or used by a school for a school-sponsored activity, function, program, instruction or training. "School grounds" also includes school-related transportation vehicles.
2. Takes place while students are being transported to or from schools or school-sponsored events;
3. Takes place at any school-sponsored event, activity, function, program, instruction or training; or
4. Takes place elsewhere (such as through the use of technology), but only if the bullying also infringes on the rights of the student at school as set forth in this policy's definition of bullying.
Refer to the Reporting Form – JICK-R1.
Bullying or suspected bullying is reportable in person or in writing (including anonymously) to school personnel.
A. School staff, coaches and advisors for extracurricular and co-curricular activities are required to report alleged incidents of bullying to the school principal or other school personnel designated by the Superintendent. Any other adult working or volunteering in a school will be strongly encouraged to promptly report observed or suspected alleged incidents of bullying to the building principal or school personnel designated by the Superintendent.
B. Students who are believed to have been bullied or are aware of incidents of bullying are strongly encouraged to promptly report this behavior to a parent, staff member or school administrator.
C. Parents and other adults who believe that an incident of bullying has occurred are strongly encouraged to promptly report this behavior to a staff member or school administrator.
D. Acts of reprisal or retaliation against any person who reports an alleged incident of bullying are prohibited. Any student who is determined to have knowingly falsely accused another of bullying shall be subject to disciplinary consequences.
VI. Responding
Refer to the Responding Form – JICK-E2.
After receipt of a report of alleged bullying, the school principal or a Superintendent's designee will:
A. Inform parent(s)/guardian(s) of involved students that an initial investigation into a peer conflict will occur;
B. Based on the initial investigation, and within 20 school days, investigate and respond to potential bullying behavior;
C. Keep written documentation of all allegations of bullying behavior and outcomes of the investigations, and report alleged and substantiated incidents to the Superintendent;
D. Communicate to the parent(s/guardian(s) of a student(s) who are believed to have been bullied, as well as the measures being taken to ensure the immediate and long-term safety of the student(s) involved, and to prevent any additional acts of bullying;
E. Inform parent(s) or guardian(s) of the students involved the findings of the investigation and actions to be taken which are applicable to their child;
F. Communicate with local or state law enforcement agency if it's believed that the pursuit of criminal charges or a civil action under the Maine Civil Rights Act may be appropriate.
VII. Remediation
Refer to the Remediation Form – JICK-E3.
The school principal or a Superintendent's designee will:
A. Identify the specific nature(s) of the incident.
B. Apply disciplinary actions, which may include but are limited to, imposing a series of graduated consequences that include alternative discipline. In determining the appropriate response to students who engage in bullying behavior, school administrators should consider the type of behaviors, the frequency and/or pattern of behaviors, and other relevant circumstances. Responses may include, but are not limited to:
1. Meeting with the student and the student's parents/guardian;
2. Reflective activities, such as requiring the student to write an essay about the student's misbehavior;
3. Mediation, but only when there is mutual conflict between peers, rather than one-way negative behavior, and both parties voluntarily choose this option;
4. Counseling (anger management, mental health, health, etc.)
5. Participation in skills building, resolution circles and restorative conferencing;
6. Youth Court or other restorative community programming;
7. Community service;
8. Safety assessment; and
9. In-school detention or suspension, which may take place during lunchtime, after school.
C. Remediate any substantiated incident of bullying to counter the negative impact of the bullying and reduce the risk of future bullying incidents, which may include referring the victim, perpetrator or other involved persons to counseling or other appropriate services.
VIII. Appeal
Notification shall be provided to parent(s), guardian(s) and students of the right to appeal a decision of a school principal or a Superintendent's designee related to taking or not taking remedial action in accordance with this policy. The appeals procedure must be consistent with other appeals procedures established by the School Board and may include an appeal to the Superintendent.
IX. Assignment of Responsibility
A. The School Board is responsible for:
1. Annually providing written versions of this policy and related procedures to students, parent(s) and guardian(s), volunteers, administrators, teachers and school staff;
2. Posting this policy and related procedures on the School District's publicly-accessible website; and
3. Including in student handbooks a section that addresses in detail this policy and related procedures.
B. The Superintendent is responsible for:
1. Oversight, implementation, and enforcement of this policy and its procedures;
2. Designating a school principal or other school personnel to administer the policies at the school level;
3. The Superintendent's designee or designees for administering this policy at the school level is identified in each school handbook.
4. Ensuring that the prohibition on bullying and retaliation and the attendant consequences apply to any student, school employee, contractor, visitor or volunteer who engages in conduct that constitutes bullying or retaliation;
5. Ensuring that any organization affiliated with the school that authorizes or engages in bullying or retaliation forfeits permission for that organization to operate on school grounds or receive any other benefit of affiliation with the school;
6. Providing professional development and staff training in the best practices in prevention of bullying and harassment and implementation of this policy;
7. Filing the District policy that addresses bullying and cyberbullying with the Maine Department of Education; and
8. Ensuring that substantiated incidents of bullying and cyberbullying are reported to the Maine Department of Education on at least an annual basis.
Legal Reference: 20-A M.R.S.A. § 254 (11-A)
Maine Public Law, Chapter 659
Cross Reference: AC – Affirmative Action
ACAA – Student Protection from Harassment and Sexual Harassment
AD – Educational Philosophy/Mission
IJNDB – Student Computer and Internet Use
IJNDB-R – Student Computer and Internet Use Rules
JK – Student Discipline
JKD – Suspension of Students
JKE – Expulsion of Students
FIRST READING: May 10, 2018
SECOND READING: June 14, 2018
ADOPTION: June 14, 2018


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Christ almighty, would you look at the state of that
Hello you! I've done a few talks and podcasts of late and I thought it might be useful and/or interesting and narcissistic to do a round up of them all. So here they are.
Snoop Bloggy Blog |
...wherin I talk (argue) about 2-screen with the lovely Barry Pilling, Dan Biddle and Kat Sommers of Off the Wall Post. I make a joke about breasts!
I was asked to do a brief talk at the Coney (a wonderful playful theatre group) and Somethin' Else salon. Which is a fancy word for show and tell. I took along a Neo Geo AES cartridge, pulled it out of my bag and made a bunch of shit up. Now you too can enjoy the sound of me making shit up.
A great chat with Paulina Bozek, Will Luton and Dan Pearson on a bunch of quite serious issues, including the perpetual bugbear of gamers being, largely, a bunch of horrible pricks.
OMG YOU CAN SEE MY FACE AND BODY. Seriously now, this one is a goddamn video. I spend 16 minutes being miserable about second screen and telling everyone to calm down and stop being silly.
Notorious B.L.O.G. |
And that's it. I apologise wholeheartedly for how horribly self-centred this post is, but I'm a terrible person.


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Thank you for your interest in Dune Side Table & Coffee Table. Please include the information you seek, and any questions, in the Comments/Notes section below.
If you have a visitor account please Sign In and the information below will be filled out automatically. Or Sign Up to create an account and enjoy the benefits of doing so.


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Retail Volunteer (Furniture Store - Glasgow Great Western Road)
Our amazing team of vibrant & diverse volunteers helps us run over 600 shops. Our stores sell lots of great donated & new goods to help raise vital funds to make a real difference to disadvantaged children, young people and families across the UK.
Our retail stores are the face of our charity on the high-street and in local communities. We have loads of amazing stock donated to us every week, and this all needs to be sorted, tagged and put on the shop-floor for sale!
Making sure our shops look fantastic is another task you can get involved with. You may also be required to help out on the till too, but we will show you how that works during your time volunteering with us. We value the contribution of everyone who supports Barnardo's.
You will be a friendly face of Barnardo's by volunteering in one of our shops. It would be great if you could volunteer one shift a week (or even more if you want) but we're always happy to be flexible to work around your availability.


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On Jan. 15, Kent State University launches a new partnership with Zipcar, Inc., the world's leading car-sharing network, to offer a Zipcar car-sharing program on its Kent Campus. The convenient transportation option is now available at an affordable rate 24 hours a day, seven days a week for students, faculty and staff ages 18 and older, as well as members of the local community ages 21 and over.
Kent State will initially offer four vehicles – two Ford Focus 2014 vehicles – one of which will be called "Flashes" in honor of the university's athletic team name – along with a Toyota Prius and a Kia Soul. The vehicles will be located on campus in the R-3 Baumgardner Circle parking lot, which is behind the Terrace Hall Annex, and the R-6 Fletcher Hall parking lot. Zipcars are available on-demand and can be easily reserved and accessed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. A Zipcar representative will be on campus Jan. 15 and 16 on the second floor of the Kent Student Center from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. to help introduce the new service and answer questions.
This year, Kent State members can join for $25, with rates for Zipcar vehicles on campus starting as low as $7.50 per hour and $69 per day. After the first year, members will pay an annual membership fee of $35. Gas, insurance, a reserved parking spot and up to 180 miles of driving per day are included in Zipcar rates, and cars can be reserved for as little as an hour or for multiple days. Kent State students, faculty and staff can join Zipcar at www.zipcar.com/kent.
"Bringing Zipcar to campus is about providing transportation options to students," said Melanie Knowles, sustainability manager at Kent State. "We work to make the campus more walkable and bikeable, provide free PARTA (Portage Area Regional Transportation Authority) bus service and free bike sharing. Car sharing is another piece of the puzzle, and it may allow some students to avoid bringing a car to campus."
Participating members with smartphones, including iPhones and Android devices, may download the Zipcar mobile application to make reservations, lock and unlock the vehicles and honk the horn to help locate the vehicle. Reservations also can be made over the phone or on Zipcar's website.
"Zipcar will give the Kent State community the freedom and flexibility to attend job interviews and participate in off-campus activities like internships without the hassle of owning a car," said Katelyn Lopresti, general manager for Zipcar University. "At the same time, students, faculty and staff members alike can be proud that they are reducing the carbon footprint of their campus by using alternative transportation methods like car sharing."
With the new Zipcar program available on campus, student organizations at Kent State also now have the opportunity to participate in the "Students with Drive" grant program sponsored by Zipcar and Ford Motor Company, which provides students with Zipcar membership and driving credit to support student organizations on campus.
Through the "Students with Drive" grant program, Ford and Zipcar will provide $300,000 in grants to be awarded to student organizations at eligible Zipcar colleges and universities. The program is running now through April 2014 and will culminate with one student organization being awarded a grand prize of $5,000 in Zipcar driving credit, $10,000 in cash for the student organization to put toward its cause and $10,000 in cash to be awarded to the student organization's school. For more information and to participate in the program, students can visit the "Students with Drive" tab on Zipcar's University Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ZipcarU.
Zipcar has established relationships with more than 300 universities across North America. For more information and how to become a member of Zipcar at Kent State, please visit www.zipcar.com/kent. Additional information and promotions can also being found by following @ZipcarU on Twitter.
To learn more about sustainability initiatives at Kent State, visit www.kent.edu/sustainability.
About Zipcar
Zipcar, the world's leading car-sharing network, has operations in urban areas and college campuses throughout the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Spain and Austria. Zipcar offers more than 30 makes and models of self-service vehicles by the hour or day to residents and businesses looking for smart, simple and convenient solutions to their urban and campus transportation needs. Zipcar is a subsidiary of Avis Budget Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: CAR), a global leader in car-sharing and vehicle rental services. More information is available at www.zipcar.com.
About Kent State University
Kent State University is Northeast Ohio's leading public research university with more than 42,000 students. The university's eight-campus system is among the largest regional systems in the country. Today, Kent State has become an engine for economic, cultural and workforce development – locally and internationally – as one of the premier Ohio universities. The university is ranked among the nation's 77 public research universities demonstrating high-research activity by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. For more information about Kent State, visit www.kent.edu.
# # #
Media Contacts:
CJ Himberg, Communications Coordinator for Zipcar, email@example.com, 617-336-4537
Emily Vincent, Director of University Media Relations for Kent State University, email@example.com, 330-672-8595


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The Python community has been fortunate to experience a lot of growth over the last few years, especially when it comes to user groups and conferences. A lot of these meetings have seen huge attendance, with PyCon having sold out the last three years, regional conferences seeing sharp growth, and some monthly meetups occasionally "selling out" (they're free, but attract more than the venue can hold). On top of those existing events growing, we're seeing more events pop up around the world.
We just got word that another new conference is starting up: Python Namibia, taking place February 2-5. This first time conference is taking place in Windhoek at the University of Namibia, with collaboration from Cardiff University, giving a group of students an opportunity to attend as part of their studies!
"Open-source software represents an opportunity for developing nations to become owners and producers of the software that they need; it's a key to their future prosperity," said organizer Daniele Procida. "There's an enormous benefit to software developers in being part of a supportive community."
The conference plans to start with two days of talks, a day of workshops and tutorials, and concluding with collaborative activities like sprints, as well as planning work for hosting a PyCon Namibia in 2016.
"We hope that this event will help programmers in Namibia feel that they belong to a welcoming international community that values their participation - and that it will help set a series of virtuous circles into motion," says Daniele.
Keep an eye on http://python-namibia.org/ and follow @PythonNamibia for more info!


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Roulette was first played in France back in the 17th century. It is now one of the most popular European gambling games and Monte Carlo in Monaco is a well known and famous casino centre for playing roulette.
Roulette straight-up bet
Roulette straight-up bet or single number bet. Pays 35 to 1
Roulette split bet
A two-number bet, called split bet. Pays 17 to 1. (Place bet on the line between 2 numbers)
Roulette street bet
A three-number bet, called street bet, pays 11 to 1.
Roulette square bet
A four-number bet, called Square bet and corner bet. Pays 8 to 1
Roulette Line bets
Six numbers bet Line Bet. Pays 5 to 1
Roulette Low or High Bet
1 to 18 = Low and 19 to 36 = High. Pays 1 to 1.
Roulette Black or Red
Black or Red bet. Pays 1 to 1
Roulette Odd or Even
Odd and Even bet. Pays 1 to 1
Roulette Collum Bet
12 number bets. The above example is the 3rd collum. Pays 2 to 1
Roulette Dozens Bet
Another 12 number bet. The above example is 1st Dozen. Pays 2 to 1
0 is neither Black or Red, Odd or Even, Low or High, Dozen and Collum therefore if 0 is the winning number then all outside bets lose.


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Whether you're working in a heavy-industrial environment or a domestic setting, maintaining hygiene and cleanliness is highly important. Not only for the health, safety & wellbeing of yourself and others, but also to ensure that all machines and systems involved continue to work to the best of their ability.
At RS, we carry a wide range of cleaning sprays and fluids to ensure that all our customers can maintain their working environments easily and efficiently. From multipurpose cleaners to specialised products, we are sure you will find what you need.
Adhesive Removers–formulated around solvents that dissolve stubborn adhesive ingredients, these cleaners can remove substances such as glues, labels, wax and gum from a wide variety of materials.
Air Dusters–cannisters of compressed gas used to remove dust, dirt and airborne debris from equipment, electronics and hard-to-reach areas. Typically used to clean computer fans, circuit boards, computer keyboards and laptops, air dusters are ideal for cleaning sensitive equipment as they do not produce any moisture.
Degreasers – for stubborn substances or stains that don't respond well to cleaning with water, such as greases, lubricants and oils.
Disinfectants and Sanitisers –for cleaning and sanitising an area or surface, these products introduce high concentrates of chemicals designed to remove bacteria and viruses. These may be chemicals to specifically kill certain types of micro-organisms or to target a smaller range of diseases, and can be liquid or air-based, depending on the specific requirements of each situation.
Multi-Purpose Cleaners – Using a combination of chemicals that are commonly used for different appliances, multi-purpose cleaners are compatible with a wide range of surfaces and/or devices (always read the manual or instructions to ensure compatibility).
Screen Wash – One of the simplest elements of car maintenance, screen wash is designed to remove road grime, bugs and dirt to maintain a clean and clear windscreen while driving.


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I've been testing an iPad, on loan from Mac Create, for the past few days with a focus on, travel, blogging, and biking (topics familiar to Bike Hugger readers). It is like a giant iPhone/iPad Touch and for those wondering what you'd do with this "third device," we took it with us to a bike race.
That's what I think the iPad does well. It's a more portable Mac, intended for consuming media and some light media creation. Also think of it as another computer that you can share family photos, or the finish of the race, without standing around a desktop or laptop. Just hand it over and wait for a while to get it back.
Before the race, I checked the flyer, weather, and maps. The 3G model isn't out yet, so on-the-road use was limited. I don't know if he did that on purpose, cause he don't need no iPad, but Andrew had a Verizon Aircard streaming Paris Roubaix. Despite a new iPad, I wasn't doing that. Innovation has it's limits. In this version of the iPad, at least.
The Same Only Different
You can delve into all the blogs posts about the iPad praising and loathing it with the current debate being about Flash and a closed system. I've got my take on those topics, but will keep this review focused on how it works for what I do. As a person that doesn't base buying decisions on snarky blog posts for or against, I'm considered the device on the merits of what I do: mobile blogging.
I own a Macbook Air and it's my most favorite computer and the reason is the lightness and minimalism are liberating. The iPad is even more liberating. It's like my other computers and phone, just different. It's in between them and in a sweet spot.
A quick business trip to meet or speak? Yep, bring your presentation with you, pass through TSA without taking it out of your bag, check email, read a book, and you're good. Later back in the hotel, you can watch a movie, read the news, and relax. For the first time, an Apple battery actually exceeds expectations.
As much as I like my Macbook Air, it's about to get bumped from trip rotation.
On Tour, Your Commute
I don't think anyone will put an iPad on their handlebars, but do bring it with you to a race, tour, or ride. Get a waterproof case or protect it in a pannier and take it on the bike. It's light, sturdy, and has limited parts to break. I don't like carrying a laptop on my back and the Air is just tolerable. An iPad weighs less that my lightest racing shoes. I'll toss it into a messenger bag and ride to a meeting or to get caught up on email in a coffee shop. For my weekly radio gig, I ride a folding bike to the bus or water taxi. Taking the iPad with me is easy. Tossing it into a pannier, like a notebook.
Do Not Like
Now we get to the but and well and other complaints part of the review. In a post for Mac Create, I'll investigate travel and bike-related apps. To date, we haven't been wowed by any yet.
As with any new Apple device, it has the prerequisite dongles. Like the smaller iPhones and iPods, the iPad has a Dock Connector that connects to USB. For everything but the included power cord, you've got to buy it. Need to connect to a projector for your presentation? Yep there's a dongle for that.
There are ergonomic challenges with the iPad. Besides finding the right positions to type (it doesn't fit in the palm of your hand), having to backhand and twist to get to the Home Button is very awkward. The iPad sensors are more sensitive and it'll rotate 360 degrees instead of just landscape mode for the iPhone. You can find yourself using it upside down and not realize that until you need to get home to launch another app. Future versions should have a home button that floats in the bezel. There are external keyboards that connect to the iPad for power typing, but then you still have to touch the screen. That means you're typing at arms length and then leaning into to touch. Eventually, you're like Crouching Typist Hidden Toucher.
I'll have to channel Gruber and the best of Daring Fireball, to describe this annoyance. Predictive typing, spell check, undo, and more touchy features means you're occasionally chasing the cursor back and forth. Sometimes it's not where you think it is and then you get into Initial Cap fights. Unexplained, the iPad decides you're at the end of a sentence period or not and will insist you cap the next word. I've never used the backspace key so much. If the glass ever wears out on this thing, it'll do so on that key.
Touch screening is like learning how to play guitar and getting the chord combinations right or not dropping your chain when shifting to the small ring on a hill. You get better with practice.
What you've likely heard
It's fast – I type really fast, in a blast of typo-laden bursts, and the iPad is the first computer that can keep up with me and then some.
Magical – the magic is how fast and fluid it is. If Bike Snob snobbed computer reviews, he'd likely diss the use of fast and fluid as overwrought. Each new computer promises that, but this is different because the iPad does it without any heat, noise or fans blowing and the battery lasts. It really does.
Revolutionary – I wrote about the iPad revolution on Textura Design's blog, and said
"I'm old enough to remember the desktop publishing revolution, there for blogging, and it seems I'll see another with the iPad."
The revolution isn't about the publishing industry or books. I think ezines will return. Call them iPadzines or whatever, but expect premium content from small publishers, authors and bloggers like us.
Need to Know
Boohoo it doesn't multitask – To that I say, I'm glad it doesn't! I need to focus more, multitask less. Besides in iPhone 4, it does. Apple didn't do it before because it blows through battery life. They're doing it now to aggressively address their competition too, as Jason Snell writes about for Macworld.
Closed system – I've got a post to write about that on another blog, but for now show me an open system that has produced anything close to what I'm writing this review on and we'll talk more.
Most importantly – The iPad is the sign of the Mobile Apocalypse. After it will come more mobile devices and your business should ready itself. Design for mobile first and then the rest of the web. Even if you're not a Web designer or developer, you're going to hear more about HTML5 and CSS3. Those are technologies building the mobile web. Soon a tech pundit will call it Web Three O. Shudder yes, but realize that this isn't just Apple, but devices from Microsoft and Google.
Should you iPad?
Yes. It does what it's supposed to do. I work on my iPhone and will work more on the iPad. That work is on the couch, a hotel room, and on the road with my bike.
I liken it to another set of wheels. The old ones work sure, but these aero ones for the flats, sure are fast with those deep rims. Where I'd just check email and moblog with my iPhone, I can write longer posts and present at conferences. As I wrote above, this is really only for light media creation and you'll want to tone down your presentations and documents for this device.
Check all these errors from a presentation I imported.
…We're riding townies, adventure, and mountain bikes. Find recommendations on our store page. As Amazon Associates we earn from qualifying purchases.


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Privacy Policy
Keeping It Social Privacy Policy
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Keeping It Social respects the privacy of every individual who visits this website, provides personal information to us via interactive features of this website, or sends e-mails to Keeping It Social via this website. This privacy policy outlines the information Keeping It Social will collect via this website and how Keeping It Social will use that information. This statement will also instruct you on what to do if you do not want your personal information collected or shared when you visit this website or send us e-mails via this website. This privacy statement does not cover our use of information collected through any other means.
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Although this question may seem trivial, it is indeed a serious shaylah that requires explanation. Sometimes, one may smell an esrog, while at other times one may not. Why is this true? Also, when it is permitted to smell an esrog, do I recite a bracha beforehand? If I do, which bracha do I recite?
We may ask similar questions regarding the hadasim, although the answers are not always the same. May I smell my hadasim, and which bracha do I recite before smelling them?
In order to explain the background to these questions, I first need to explain two very different areas of halacha, one concerning the laws of muktzah, and the other concerning the laws of brachos on fragrances.
The Gemara teaches us the following: One may not smell (during Sukkos) the hadas that is set aside for the mitzvah, but one may smell the esrog. The Gemara asks, "Why is there a difference between the hadas and the esrog?" The Gemara replies that since the main use of a hadas is for fragrance, it becomes muktzah, and one may not smell it. But since the main "use" of an esrog is for food, one may not eat it, but one may smell it (Sukkah 37b). This is the explanation of what the Gemara means.
This Gemara teaches that an item used for a mitzvah becomes muktzah machmas mitzvah; that is, designated solely for its specific mitzvah and not for a different use. This category of muktzah is different from the more familiar types of muktzah in several ways:
- As the Gemara teaches elsewhere (Sukkah 9a), this type of muktzah is prohibited min Hatorah, whereas other forms of muktzah are prohibited only miderabbanan.
- These items are muktzah only to the extent that one may not use them, but one may move them. This is different from most types of muktzah, which one may not move on Shabbos or Yom Tov.
- These items are muktzah only with regard to their primary, normal purpose: for example, one may not smell a hadas that is muktzah machmas mitzvah because the primary purpose of a hadas is for fragrance. However, one may use it (or them) for a secondary use, and that is why, according to the Gemara, one may smell the esrog. (A person who is interested in purchasing a fragrant item would consider buying hadasim, not an esrog.)
- This type of muktzah is prohibited even on Chol Hamoed, whereas other types of muktzah are prohibited only on Shabbos and Yom Tov.
Thus, it would seem that we may answer the original question I asked: May I smell my esrog and hadas on Sukkos? And the answer is that I may smell my esrog, but I may not smell my hadas, because it is muktzah for its mitzvah.
However, the Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chayim 653:1) rules that I should also avoid smelling my esrog on Sukkos. Why does the Shulchan Aruch prohibit something that the Gemara explicitly permits?
The answer to this question takes us to the other topic — when does one recite a bracha before smelling a fragrance? Although the Gemara explicitly permits smelling an esrog on Sukkos, the Gemara does not mention whether one recites a bracha before smelling it.
Indeed, the Rishonim dispute whether one is required to recite a bracha before smelling an esrog. Rabbeinu Simcha, one of the late baalei Tosafos, rules that one may not recite a bracha before smelling an esrog that is being used for the mitzvah on Sukkos, whereas the Ravyah, an early Ashkenazi posek, rules that one must recite a bracha. The later poskim conclude that this dispute is unresolved, and that, therefore, one may not smell an esrog during Sukkos, when reciting a bracha would be a question. This topic requires some explanation: Why should an esrog on Sukkos be different from an esrog any other time of the year?
One recites a bracha only on a fragrance that is avida lereicha, literally, "made for fragrance" (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 217:2). In the words of the Chazon Ish (Orach Chayim 35:1), "Anything whose current purpose is not for aroma is not considered a fragrance" (regarding recitation of a bracha). Therefore, one does not recite a bracha before smelling a deodorizer, even if it has an extremely pleasant fragrance, since its purpose is not aroma, but to mask unpleasant odor. Similarly, smelling the tantalizing aroma of a food or food flavoring does not warrant a bracha, since its purpose is not enjoyment of their aroma, per se. (I have written several other articles germane to the brachos on fragrances, which are available on the RabbiKaganoff.com website; to find them, use the search word fragrance.) Furthermore, when the halacha rules that one is not required to recite a bracha, one is not permitted to recite the bracha, as doing so constitutes a bracha l'vatalah, a bracha recited in vain.
When showing a house that is for sale, some people toast cinnamon in the oven or open essential oils and other fragrances around the house to make the house more appealing. Since the purpose of these fragrances is to give the house a pleasant aroma and not to entice people to smell or purchase the fragrance, one does not recite a bracha.
Based on the foregoing introduction, we can now explain the above-quoted dispute whether to recite a bracha before smelling an esrog on Sukkos. Rabbeinu Simcha contends that although one may smell an esrog on Sukkos, and it is not prohibited due to its being muktzah, this does not warrant making a bracha. The esrog on Sukkos is still primarily intended for the mitzvah, and not for fragrance; therefore, smelling it does not require a bracha. In Rabbeinu Simcha's opinion, reciting a bracha in this case constitutes a bracha l'vatalah.
The Ravyah disagrees, maintaining that since it is permitted to smell an esrog, it is considered to be meant for fragrance, and requires one to recite a bracha before smelling it (Mordechai, Sukkah #751; Tur Orach Chayim 653).
This dispute places us in a predicament. The halacha is that one may not benefit from something in this world without first reciting a bracha, and if, indeed, one is required to recite a bracha before smelling an esrog, then one may not smell it without reciting a bracha (Brachos 35a; Hagahos Smaq 193:11). On the other hand, if one is not required to recite a bracha before smelling it, then one may not recite the bracha, and doing so involves reciting a bracha in vain, a bracha l'vatalah.
Since we are not in a position to resolve this dispute, the poskim contend that one should avoid smelling the esrog used for the mitzvah during Sukkos (Shulchan Aruch 653), even though there is no muktzah violation in smelling it. Furthermore, one may smell the esrog if he first recited a bracha on a different fragrant fruit.
As I mentioned above, Rabbeinu Simcha contends that an esrog is not considered avida lereicha, meant for fragrance, and therefore one does not recite a bracha before smelling it. Does this halacha apply the entire week of Sukkos, or only when I pick up the esrog to fulfill the mitzvah? What if I smell the esrog on Shabbos, when there is no mitzvah to perform, or I pick it up on a day of Sukkos after I have already fulfilled the mitzvah? Do I recite a bracha before smelling it, according to his opinion?
Let us compare this shaylah to the following case:
Someone who enters a spice merchant's store recites a bracha, because the owner wants customers to smell his wares so that they will purchase them (Berachos 53a). If these items are in his warehouse, where he is not soliciting customers, one does not recite a bracha (Magen Avraham 217:1).
Why does one recite a bracha on the spices in the store, but not on those that are in the warehouse? This is because the spices in the store are there to be smelled and enjoyed, and are therefore avida lereicha. However, the spices in the warehouse are not meant to be smelled – therefore, they are not avida lereicha. Note that we are discussing the same spices, and the only difference is where they are located.
Let's assume you are back in the spice merchant's warehouse or in a flavor factory, and you know that you do not make a bracha on the incredible fragrance that is wafting through the air. What happens if you approach some of the spices to take a pleasant whiff, or you pick up some of the spice in order to smell it? Do you recite a bracha?
The poskim dispute what to do in this case. The Mishnah Berurah (217:1) contends that whenever you do something to smell the fragrance, such as moving towards the source of the fragrance in order to smell it, picking it up, or putting some into your hand, you should recite a bracha. Any such act makes the fragrance avida lereicha.
However, the Chazon Ish disagrees, maintaining that if you will return the spice afterwards to the storage bin in the warehouse, it is not avida lereicha, and you do not recite a bracha (Chazon Ish, Orach Chayim 35:1). The Chazon Ish agrees that if the manufacturer has samples available that he wants people to smell and buy, one does recite a bracha on them, and he also agrees that if you remove some of the spices to smell and will not return them, you do recite a bracha.
There is a common, practical difference in halacha between the approaches of these two Gedolim regarding kitchen spices. Suppose you want to enjoy the smell of the cinnamon or the oregano on your kitchen shelf. According to the Mishnah Berurah, if you remove a container from the shelf to smell it, you recite a bracha on the spice, even though you intend to return the spice to the shelf after smelling it, and it will eventually be added to food. (By the way, the poskim dispute which bracha one recites before smelling cinnamon. The accepted practice is to recite borei minei besamim.) However, according to the Chazon Ish, you do not recite a bracha on this spice, unless you no longer intend to cook with it. Someone who wants to avoid the dispute should sprinkle a little bit of spice into his hand and make a bracha on that. Since you are neither going to return this spice to the container nor cook with it, according to all opinions, one recites a bracha before smelling it.
Some poskim explain that this opinion of the Chazon Ish is the reason for the widespread minhag to set aside special besamim for havdalah on Motza'ei Shabbos (Shemiras Shabbos Kehilchasah, Vol. 2 pg. 262).
A dispute similar to the one quoted above exists concerning smelling my esrog on Shabbos, or picking up the esrog to smell it after I have fulfilled the mitzvah for the day.
The Magen Avraham rules that I recite a bracha before smelling the esrog under these circumstances, even according to Rabbeinu Simcha. Therefore, in his opinion, one may pick up the esrog specifically to smell it, and one recites the bracha before smelling it.
However, the Taz implies that one may not smell the esrog anytime during Sukkos. According to the Chazon Ish's analysis of the subject, one can explain the Taz's approach as follows: Since the esrog is meant for the mitzvah, it is not considered avida lereicha that warrants a bracha, unless one permanently makes it into a fragrance. Thus, if an esrog became pasul, or for some other reason can no longer be used for the mitzvah, it will be called avida lereicha and warrant a bracha. Under any other circumstance, it remains a safek bracha, and one should not smell it until Yom Tov is over. One may recite a bracha and smell it on Shemini Atzeres or Simchas Torah, since it no longer serves any mitzvah purpose. Thus, it appears that the dispute between the Magen Avraham and the Taz is identical to the dispute between the Mishnah Berurah and the Chazon Ish.
Everyone agrees that one may smell an esrog that will no longer be used for the mitzvah, and that one must recite a bracha before smelling it. In such a case, which bracha do I recite?
Chazal established five different brachos that relate to scent, each for a different category of fragrance.
- Borei shemen areiv, "The Creator of pleasant oil," is recited only on the fragrant oil extracted from the balsam tree (Mishnah Berurah 216:22). Because this tree was important and grew in Eretz Yisroel, Chazal established for it a special bracha (Rabbeinu Yonah, Brachos 43a).
- Hanosein rei'ach tov ba'peiros, "He who bestows pleasant fragrances in fruits" (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 216:2). We recite this bracha before smelling fragrant, edible fruits and other foods (Rama 216:14). Some poskim rule that the proper text for this bracha should be in past tense: Asher nasan rei'ach tov ba'peiros, "He who bestowed pleasant fragrances in fruits" (Mishnah Berurah 216:9). This is the bracha one recites before smelling an esrog.
Many poskim state that the custom today is to not make a bracha on smelling a fruit, unless it has a pronounced aroma (see Vezos Haberacha pg. 174). For this reason, one should be certain that the esrog one holds has a strong, pleasant fragrance before reciting a bracha. If one is uncertain, one may smell the esrog first to see that it is fragrant, and then, if it is fragrant, recite the bracha hanosein rei'ach tov ba'peiros and smell it again.
- Borei atzei besamim, "The Creator of fragrant wood (or trees)." One recites this bracha before smelling fragrant, woody plants and trees, or their leaves, flowers, wood, or oils. Hadasim are certainly in this category. Although we mentioned above that it is prohibited to smell a hadas that is being used for the mitzvah on Sukkos, hadasim that one does not intend to use for the mitzvah may be smelled on Sukkos, and he should recite this bracha before smelling them.
Incidentally, the correct bracha to recite before smelling citrus blossoms or flowers is Borei atzei besamim, since the flower is not edible.
- Borei isvei besamim, "The Creator of fragrant grasses." We recite this bracha before smelling non-woody plants, their parts or extracts. Before smelling a fragrant hyacinth, narcissus, or lily one recites this bracha. The custom among Sefardim is to recite this bracha before smelling mint, although, for reasons beyond the scope of this article, Ashkenazim recite borei minei besamim before smelling mint.
- Borei minei besamim, "The Creator of different types of fragrances." This is the "catch-all" bracha for all fragrances, the equivalent of reciting a shehakol on food. Sometimes, it is the preferred bracha, and sometimes it is the bracha used to resolve uncertainties. Although I have not seen poskim discuss this case, it would seem to be permitted to recite a bracha on an item whose bracha is borei minei besamim and have in mind to include the esrog and then be able to smell the esrog. This would provide a method whereby one could smell one's esrog on Yom Tov, according to all opinions.
Question: Why did Chazal create a unique bracha prior to smelling aromatic fruits?
Answer: Whenever one benefits from this world, one must recite a bracha. Thus, Chazal instituted brachos that are appropriate for fragrances. However, the other brachos on fragrance are not appropriate for smelling fragrant foods, since they praise Hashem for creating fragrances, whereas fruits are not usually described as fragrances, but as foods that are fragrant. Therefore, Chazal needed to establish a special bracha for aromatic fruits (see Beis Yosef, Orach Chayim end of Chapter 297).
The Gemara (Berachos 43b) teaches, "How do we know that one must recite a bracha on a fragrance? Because the pasuk (Tehillim 150:6) says, 'Every neshamah praises Hashem,' – What exists in the world that the soul benefits from, but not the body? Only fragrance."
Because fragrance provides some physical pleasure, but no nutritional benefit, the sense of smell represents an interface between the spiritual and the physical. Similarly, we find that we offer korbanos as rei'ach nicho'ach, a fragrance demonstrating one's desire to be close to Hashem. We should always take advantage of the opportunity to smell fragrant items as a steppingstone towards greater mitzvah observance and spirituality.


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Studying William Blake in context pt.2 (lecture)
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Video podcast of lecture by David Higgins, University of Leeds, accompanied by discussion board.
Synopsis: "This podcast will help your understanding of Blake's work by placing it in the context of attitudes to childhood in the late eighteenth century. We will see how poetry for children in the period often sought to make them pious and moral, and to control what were seen as their bad impulses. In contrast, Blake's work emphasises freedom, imagination, and often refuses to resolve itself with a straightforward 'message'. We conclude by examining the complex relationship between innocence and experience in two poems from Songs of Innocence: 'Nurses Song' and 'The Chimney Sweeper'."
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Most often an issue with older gas furnaces or boilers, CO risk is best avoided through regular maintenance. During our inspection, our heater service expert will carefully examine your heat exchanger for signs of gaps, cracks, or damage. If this is spotted, they will recommend shutting the system down immediately. Replacement is typically recommended, particularly if the unit is older or if the heat exchanger became compromised because too large a system was installed for the size of your home.
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Docs Home → Develop Applications → MongoDB Manual
Data Models
Data in MongoDB has a flexible schema. Collections do not enforce document structure by default. This flexibility gives you data-modeling choices to match your application and its performance requirements.
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