text:
Romantic Panentheism: A Review of One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp
Critical Issues Commentary, Issue 120
by Christian researcher and apologist, Bob DeWaay; reprinted with permission
If I were to write this review in the style Ann Voskamp used in writing her book, it would read like this:
Sunlight streams through window. Shadows on keyboard. I sit here. I want to separate substance from style and deal only with substance as I contemplate a book. Before me lies One Thousand Gifts, a book written by Ann Voskamp, farmer's wife, Canadian. Ann writes in person first, tense present, style poetic. Two hundred thirty-seven pages speak of angst personal and thankfulness God-given and quote Julian of Norwich, Annie Dillard, Brennan Manning, Henri Nouwen, Teilard de Chardin and others. The style I find difficult. Of that I will not speak. The substance is of concern. Of that I will speak.But let us leave the first person present poetic to her and deal with her message.
Let me state this clearly: Ann Voskamp has written a book sharing her pain and offering help through her discovery of eucharisteo_ (to give thanks). She chose a literary style that I and other reviewers found difficult to work with, but the style she chooses is her prerogative. Where her work warrants challenge is in her reliance on panentheism, romanticism, sensual language and those whose viewpoints she approvingly cites. What follows is my evaluation of Voskamp's contribution, and, through my analysis I intend to protect her readers from the errors she has introduced.
Ann Voskamp Author, One Thousand Gifts |
Voskamp weaves a tale of discovery, finding devotion to God through encounters with nature and art, and in her experience, uncovering the secret to joy through what she calls eucharisteo_ ("giving thanks" transliterated from the Greek).
Begrudging Voskamp her religious feelings is not my purpose here, nor is disagreeing with the basic thesis that Christians ought to give thanks to God in all things. But I do object to the panentheistic worldview Voskamp espouses in the book and the accompanying romanticism. First we will explore panentheism and romanticism to show why these ideas are of concern.
Voskamp sees God in everything, and that concept has a name—panentheism. We must distinguish panentheism from pantheism, the belief that God is everything. If we accept that God is in everything, then we accept that God can be discovered and understood through encounters with nature. Voskamp shows that she knows what is wrong with pantheism:
Pantheism, seeing the natural world as divine, is a very different thing than seeing divine God present in all things. I know it here kneeling, the twilight so still: nature is not God but God revealing the weight of Himself, all His glory, through the looking glass of nature. (Voskamp: 110)But she falls into a trap when she replaces it with panentheism.2 Furthermore, her conclusion that passages like those in Psalm 19 and Romans 1 speak of God in everything is not a valid implication. Why? Because these passages speak of general revelation. Nature, the vehicle for God's expressing general revelation, is fallen and does not reveal "all His glory." Christ does that, and what can be discerned about God through nature is not saving knowledge, but condemning knowledge. The book of Romans makes that clear:
For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God, or give thanks; but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures. (Romans 1:20-23)The nature religions of the pagans see God in creation, worship creation, and do not come to messianic salvation. Paul claims that salvation comes only through the gospel, which comes to us through special, not general, revelation. Voskamp confuses these two categories throughout her book. For example: "And every moment is a message from the Word-God who can't stop writing His heart" (Voskamp: 86). Voskamp claims that the ability to see God in everything is the key to getting such messages. Pagans live in the same time-space world we do and do not receive infallible, inerrant, and binding revelation from God from that world. Instead, they live in darkness, and if they seek messages from God through the moments in this world, what they receive will lead to pagan mysticism and not anything that is clearly and bindingly revealed by God.
Voskamp would likely recoil from the notion that she is promoting pagan nature religion. But she puts Christians on the same footing as the pagans by taking them on a journey to find God in nature and art. She thereby promotes mysticism. Her concepts about God that are distinctively Christian are borrowed from special revelation (the Bible). But she never makes a distinction between general revelation and special revelation, and by integrating the two so seamlessly, she elevates nature to the status of saving revelation. Since God is supposedly in everything, then God can be found in everything. And that is panentheism.
Much of the current evangelical world is being seduced by panentheism, and we need to understand what is unbiblical about it. Many think that panentheism is a logical implication from the Christian concept of omnipresence—that God is everywhere. Their confusion has left the door open for the New Age to enter the church.
Here is what we are dealing with. God is not limited spatially—that is a valid Biblical concept. This means there is nowhere where He is not – Psalm 139:7-10. But panentheism describes an ontological (ontology—the study of being, what a thing is in its essential nature), not spatial category. Panentheism teaches that God's essence or being is in everything. This is not the same as the doctrine of omnipresence, though panentheism would agree that God is everywhere.
Here is the problem. If God in His essence and essential being is found in everything, then there is nothing unique about Christ (which is precisely the New Age claim). Biblically, Christ reveals God and His glory in a way nature does not. Nature reveals God obliquely, not concretely and verbally. Jesus, on the other hand, spoke inerrant, binding words that will judge us on the last day (John 12:48). The moon does no such thing.
Panentheism permeates Voskamp's One Thousand Gifts. As an example of her panentheism, Voskamp describes an experience where she finds salvation by gazing at a full moon in a harvested wheat field:
Has His love lured me out here to really save me? I sit up in the wheat stubble, drawn. That He would care to save. Moon face glows. We are head to head. I am bare; He is bare. All Eye sees me (Voskamp: 115).Her experience is described in salvific terms: "It's dawning, my full moon rising. I was lost but know I am found again" (Voskamp: 118). She claims an "inner eye" that sees God in a panentheistic way: "If my inner eye has God seeping up through all things, then can't I give thanks for anything? . . . The art of deep seeing makes gratitude possible" (Voskamp: 118). In Romans 1, "seeing" God through general revelation in a way that makes all humans culpable is true for all, not just for special enlightened ones like Voskamp.
The claim that salvation can be found in seeing God in the harvest moon introduces some troubling factors. One is that Voskamp implies that for her, "salvation" is being saved from an unhappy life filled with ingratitude. She never mentions God's wrath against sin (she does mention sin but not in the context of substitutionary atonement). Another is that she completely confuses then merges general and special revelation. General revelation does not offer saving knowledge, whatever she meant to convey of her experience "chasing the moon" (her terminology). Yet another is that panentheism is again implied here as it has been throughout the book.
Before we go further we must consider two theological terms important in Christian teaching: immanence, meaning God is close at hand, and transcendence, meaning God is exalted above and beyond us and the creation. These are relational and ontological categories and not spatial ones as I mentioned before. Voskamp confuses these two concepts and, like many liberal and Emergent theologians, promotes God's immanence at the expense of His transcendence. I am concerned that her confusion will likely be imparted to most of her readers.
Consider this passage from Isaiah that reveals both immanence and transcendence: "For thus says the high and exalted One Who lives forever, whose name is Holy, 'I dwell on a high and holy place, And also with the contrite and lowly of spirit In order to revive the spirit of the lowly And to revive the heart of the contrite'" (Isaiah 57:15). That God is "high and exalted" means that the Creator is separate from His creation, is above and beyond it, and thus transcendent. God is not one of the many nature gods of the pagans. "Above" and "beyond," when used in this way, denote God's essence and being (ontology), not His spatial relationship to the universe.
But God is also "with the contrite." Here we see the key to understanding immanence. It does not say that God is universally "with" all people only if they have the right "inner eye." The Bible says "The Lord is far from the wicked, But He hears the prayer of the righteous" (Proverbs 15:29). "Far from" and "near" in such contexts are also relational and not spatial. God hears prayers and personally relates to those who seek Him and are willing to come to Him on His terms. This relationship is available through Jesus Christ who is to be believed and trusted and is not available through the moon. God is near to all sinners spatially, because in Him they live and move and have existence (Acts 17:28). But if they refuse to repent and believe God as He has revealed Himself through Jesus Christ whom He raised from the dead, they will remain far from Him in a relational sense (see Acts 17:30-32). The moon cannot resolve the problem of sinners' lost condition, but the Son will if they repent (Acts 17:30, 31).
Voskamp's panentheism is not compatible with Christian theism. This worldview is very popular in today's culture, inside and outside the church, but it is not from God. Rather, it is a departure from the faith once for all delivered to the saints. My notes taken as I read Voskamp reveal panentheism on many pages (16, 31, 54, 89, 109, 110, 112, 118, 119, 124, 137, 138, 185, and 195). It is no exaggeration to say that the entire book is written from a panentheistic perspective.
Voskamp even finds Christ in everyone, including the lost encountered in the inner city: "A long night doing what we've come to do, to bless Christ in the other" (Voskamp: 185). The Bible claims that only believers are indwelt by Christ through the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:9). Voskamp's panentheism spills into universalism as it does in Emergent and the New Age. It colors everything she teaches.
Voskamp displays Romanticism throughout her book so we must address its impact here. Romanticism—the idea that truth could be found in feelings, art, and the intuitive rather than through empirical investigation and the rational—arose in the early 19th Century as a reaction against the Enlightenment and rationalism. I believe the Emergent movement is a new Romanticism,3 and I am quite sure that this assessment is accurate. Romanticism, old and new, has a common enemy which is the Enlightenment.
Voskamp is not so concerned about the Enlightenment or other philosophical considerations but presents Romanticism throughout her book. In fact, One Thousand Gifts could be mistaken for a romance novel with God the desired lover. Here is an example:
I long to merge with Beauty, breathe it into lungs, feel it heavy on skin. To beat on the door of the universe, pound the chest of God . . . No matter how manifested, beauty is what sparks the romance and we are the Bride pursued, the Lover pursuing, and known or unbeknownst, He woos us in the romance of all time, beyond time. I ache for oneness (Voskamp: 119).The Bible speaks of the church as the Bride of Christ but does not describe the universal call of the gospel in sensual terms of a lover pursuing His love interest (who may have no interest in return). God is commanding sinners to repent. The gospel calls for repentance and faith, not romantic feelings looking for satisfaction.
Voskamp's romanticism is enhanced by her skill at describing things in a most sensual manner. The sensual terminology is designed to create a mood, a feeling, a sense of romantic mystery that longs for discovery and fulfillment. Those like me who relish clear description of theological concepts meant to be understood and discerned, will be horribly frustrated by the book. Her book is not meant to be a theological text filled with ideas to be judged true or false, but is instead a literary piece filled with feelings to be relished. For example:
The full life, the one spilling joy and peace, happens only as I come to trust the caress of the Lover, Lover who never burdens His children with shame or self-condemnation but keeps stroking the fears with gentle grace (Voskamp: 146).This sensuality finds its apex in the last chapter of the book which begins with this sentence: "I fly to Paris and discover how to make love to God" (Voskamp: 201). As a true romantic, she finds the ultimate intimacy (her term) through various experiences in Paris. I will deal with that in a section about mysticism, but for now I will point out that the term "intimacy" is not found in the Bible. It is a sensual term that enhances the romantic appeal of Voskamp's book.
As a reviewer I would like to skirt the subject of intimacy and other sensual terminology, but sensual terminology permeates the book. There is a whole chapter inspired by a soap bubble in a sink, one about driving across a bridge, and the aforementioned one on gazing at the moon. For those who have not read the book, I offer an example of over-wrought sensual (in the broad sense of appealing to one's senses) terminology:
April sun pools into a dishwater sink, liquid daylight on hands. The water is hot. I wash dishes. On my arms, just below the hiked sleeves, suds leave delicate water marks. Suds glisten. And over the soaking pots, the soap bubbles stack. This fragile tension arched in spheres of slick elastic sheets. Light impinges on slippery film. And I only notice because I'm looking for this and it's the rays falling, reflecting off the outer surface of a bubble . . . off the rim of the bubble's inner skin . . . and where they meet, this interference of light, iridescence on the bubble's arch, violet, magenta, blue-green, yellow-gold. Like the glimmer on raven wing, the angles, the hues, the brilliant fluid, light on the waves (Voskamp: 62).This is how the entire book reads. Sensuality pervades throughout. Romanticism, which values feelings and experience over truth and concrete data, reigns. If washing dishes can be turned into a romantic experience, the job becomes something special, as does life. Yes, this is a literary style, but I'm afraid it is employed at the expense of truth. Voskamp delivers what she seems to want for her readers: an escape from the mundane through seeing beauty in all things.
God and Time
In the soap bubble chapter Voskamp teaches the theological error that time is the essence and nature of God when she writes: "Time is where God is. In the present. I AM – His very name" (69). She gains that idea through wrongly interpreting the self-designation of God as I AM to be proof that time is of the essence of God, so therefore God is to be found in the present (Voskamp: 69, 70). Her ideas are remarkably similar to Echkart Tolle's (New Age pantheist) ideas taught in his books The Power of Now and The New Earth,4 where he speaks of "Presence, and I AM" as realities to be discovered by enlightened ones. Voskamp writes: "Time is where God is. In the present. I AM – His very name" (69). When God referred to Himself as I AM, His point in revealing Himself to Moses was not that God is in the present. He was telling Moses that He, God, is the eternal existent One whose being is not contingent on anything outside of Himself. Finding God in the present is the point driven home by Eckhart Tolle; it is not a Biblical idea.
Voskamp makes other statements that teach serious theological errors: "I hardly breathe . . . time is only of the essence, because time is the essence of God, I AM" (Voskamp: 69, 70).5 The theological debate about God's relationship to time is very complex. Some teach that God is timeless based on the idea of God's changelessness and the fact that time involves change. But changeless and timeless are two different things—that time is God's essence is not an implication of I AM terminology and is theologically false. Tolle teaches a concept called "being present" which to him is linked to consciousness of deity. Voskamp has a similar idea: "When I'm present, I meet I AM, the very presence of a present God" (Voskamp: 70). What would it mean to be "not present"? Evidently "being present" for Voskamp has to do with some sort of consciousness that is not always true.
God's relationship to time is a worthy topic, albeit a very difficult and complex one. But Voskamp is not really interested in theology understood cognitively, but rather in romantic feelings about God. Her chapter on time, based as it is on the soap bubble, is about feelings and discovery, not theological conceptions:
I am a hunter of beauty and I move slow [sic] and I keep the eyes wide, every fiber of every muscle sensing all wonder and this is the thrill of the hunt and I could be an expert on life full, the beauty meat that lurks in every moment. I hunger to taste life. God. (Voskamp: 71)This is about seeing God in the moment (an art for the spiritually enlightened) and in all things (panentheism). Voskamp's chapter is not really about God's relationship to time, but about our attentiveness and awareness that will cause us to see God (Voskamp: 77). In her view, God's relationship to time is a romantic notion, not so much a theological one.
New Age Sensibilities
One Thousand Gifts is filled with New Age ideas. For example, Voskamp cites Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, a darling with New Age writers: "Nothing here below is profane for those who know how to see" (Chardin as cited by Voskamp: 122). It is possible that a false teacher like de Chardin could have some true ideas, but Voskamp cites him as part of the heading of a chapter precisely at his point of error (and hers). The idea that everything is holy and nothing profane is popular, but unbiblical, and comports with the idea of panentheism. If indeed God is in everything, then nothing is profane. Rob Bell makes the same error in Velvet Elvis when he claims everything is holy.6 The Bible tells us to separate the holy from the profane: "Moreover, they shall teach My people the difference between the holy and the profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean" (Ezekiel 44:23). The concept of the profane is also found in the New Testament. What is holy and what is unholy are revealed by God, and to say that certain enlightened ones with an elevated ability to see everything as holy is unbiblical. Heightened feelings and sensibilities that cause everything to be holy and beautiful—Voskamp's point—is a wonderfully romantic notion, but it leads her readers astray because it is wrong. She cites de Chardin because she shares his ideas.
New Age panentheist Matthew Fox also approves of de Chardin:
Teilhard de Chardin calls the Cosmic Christ the "third nature" of Christ, meaning that it takes us beyond the fourth-century conciliar definitions of Christ's human and divine natures into a third realm, "neither human nor divine, but cosmic." He comments that this has "not noticeably attracted the explicit attention of the faithful or of theologians." Clearly Chardin saw the paradigm shift that was implicit in powerful celebration of the Cosmic Christ.7Fox describes himself as a panentheist who sees God in all things.8 Though Voskamp may not have gotten her ideas from Fox, the similarity of their ideas is easy to see. But why are Christian authors like Voskamp teaching panentheism and promoting New Age ideas?
Emergent writers speak of the "rhythm of God in the world." In their thinking one can tune into this rhythm through man-invented practices.9 The ideas that nothing is profane and that God's rhythm can be found in all things are panentheistic, not Christian. The Christian view is that the created order, because of sin and rebellion, contains good and evil, the holy and the profane. Satan deceives people into thinking that they can tap into something good by using the right techniques rather than by listening to what God has said in the Bible.
Voskamp promotes a means of "seeing" that reminiscent of Emergent teachers:
I speak the unseen into seeing and I can feel it, this steady breathing in the rhythm of grace—give thanks (in), give thanks (out). The eyes focus, apertures capturing Beauty in ugliness. There's a doxology of praise that splits the domestic dark. (Voskamp: 128).What she means is that seeing God (holiness) in all things is a special spiritual ability obtained by those who learn how: "Contemplative simplicity isn't a matter of circumstances; it's a matter of "focus" (Voskamp: 127). Voskamp cites postmodern mystic Annie Dillard favorably in regard to "seeing" in the contemplative sense (Voskamp: 127). Voskamp tells her son about "seeing" as she understands it—which is so very New Age:
"The practice of giving thanks . . . eucharisteo . . . this is the way we practice the presence of God, stay present to His presence, and it is always a practice of the eyes. We don't have to change what we see. Only the way we see." (Voskamp: 135).Seeing God in all things in Voskamp's view, becomes the mechanism for transcending the sorrows of the mundane and finding good feelings to overcome the bad ones. She continues to teach: "The only way to fight a feeling is with a feeling" (Voskamp: 136). I counter that Biblical truth would be an alternative. Like all postmodern panentheists, for her the subjective rules over the objective. This, by the way, is also the essence of romanticism.
The real problem is not our failure to see God in everything, but our failure to believe what God has said, and by grace obey. The grand claim of the Bible is that "God has spoken" (Hebrews 1:1, 2). The question is whether we will listen to what God has said or not. Those who are totally alienated from God and teach pagan ideas claim to see God in everything (e.g. Echart Tolle). Voskamp offers what is also offered by the New Age panentheists. The reality is that feeling close to God is not the same as the drawing near to God as discussed in the Bible. Voskamp offers romantic feelings.
A Romantic Encounter with God
Voskamp's romanticism reaches its pinnacle in chapter 11. There she describes a trip to Paris where she has an intimate encounter with God through art and architecture. God "woos" her through this encounter and she falls in love. She writes, "I am falling in love. . . . I'm accompanied by this Voice whispering to me new words, new love—urging me, "Respond, respond" (Voskamp: 206). The entire chapter is laced with sensual terminology.
At Notre Dame Cathedral, carried away by the experience, she claims to have found the holy: "This air is old, the ground, holy" (Voskamp: 207). Hold it. On the contrary, the New Testament does not describe holy places, especially not Roman Catholic cathedrals filled with pagan icons and grotesque gargoyles such as at Notre Dame (which means "our lady" referring to the virgin Mary). What exactly, from a Biblical perspective, makes Notre Dame Cathedral "holy"? Are Roman Catholic buildings and statuary inherently holy? Evidently Voskamp thinks so. But then again, a romantic will see that which is good and desirable in any and all things.
There, in a Roman Catholic cathedral which ought to invoke our objection, Voskamp, as do her role models, the mystics of the Middle Ages, finds "intimate union" with God. She describes her experience in this way:
My eyes follow the stone arches rising over us, granite hands clasped in prayer over souls. I think of all who have gone before, the hands of medieval peasants who chiseled the stone under which I now stand. I think of those long-ago believers who had a way of entering into the full life, of finding a passage into God, a historical model of intimacy with God. I lean back to see the spires. (Voskamp: 208).As mentioned before, the Bible never uses the term "intimacy." We take a huge leap of faith to assume that medieval mystics found a secret to intimacy with God through means other than the gospel itself. Medieval mystical practices are not prescribed in the Bible. Yet Voskamp favorably cites Catholic mystic Henri Nouwen (Voskamp: 205). Mystical teachers and a pagan religious site inspire Voskamp's journey to find romantic intimacy with God.
Purgation, Illumination, Union: Mystical Union with God
Then, without apology, Voskamp teaches "purgation, illumination, union," the path to mystical union that has its roots in ancient, pagan, Rome. This path is taught in the Catholic Encyclopedia.10 This threefold path is "common to all forms of mysticism, Christian or otherwise" writes Pastor Gary Gilley who rightly warns the church about it.11
Voskamp next extols the medieval mystics who were instrumental in the building of Notre Dame (Voskamp: 208). She writes about them:
I think how lives, whole generations, were laid down to built this edifice, to find a way in. But they thought the steps to God-consummation were but three: purgation, illumination, union. (Voskamp: 208)She then describes these steps in glowing terms as she experienced them (Voskamp: 209).
New Age teacher Matthew Fox also endorses these steps and others as the means of a paradigm shift from the Christ of the Bible to the cosmic Christ:
In terms of the history of spirituality, this paradigm shift is from the three stages of purification, illumination, and union that mysticism inherited from Proclus and Plotinus (not from Jesus or the Hebrew Bible since neither of these thinkers was either Jewish or Christian) to the four paths of delight (via positive), letting go (via negative), creativity (via creativa), compassion, i.e., celebration and justicemaking (via transformative). Today "to enter the mysteries" means to enter the mysteries of the four paths of creation spirituality—mysteries of delight, darkness, birthing, compassion. In this section we will explore more fully how the paradigm shift can also be named as moving from the quest for the historical Jesus to the quest for the Cosmic Christ.12Mysticism and the practices Voskamp endorses that promote it, do lead to a Cosmic Christ, that is a creation-centered one rather than the Christ who bodily ascended to heaven and is seated at the right hand of God. The mystical Christ is immanent only, not transcendent. He is contacted by unbiblical, mystical means rather than through the gospel that saves us from God's wrath against sin.
Voskamp admits that union with Christ is true for all who have repented and believed (Voskamp: 209, 210). She thereby has an understanding that was lacking for the Roman Catholic mystics she extols. So to keep the experience and practice, she posits the union of the threefold path as a higher order experience for Christians: "An ever deepening union, one we experience on the skin and in the vein, feel in the deep pit of the being, an ever-fuller realization of the Christ communion" (Voskamp: 210). So, ordinary Christians have union, but not the deep union that mystics enjoy. This union is what she has as a sister to Brother Lawrence (Voskamp: 210). She describes the experience of union:
I remember this feeling. The way my apron billowed in the running, the light, the air. The harvest moon. I remember. The yearning. To merge with Beauty Himself. But here . . . Now? Really? . . . I am not at all certain that I want consummation. (Voskamp: 211)She then describes this consummation in yet more sensual terms, as being "courted by God" (Voskamp: 211).
Since this idea of consummation (union) is obviously a higher order experience she seeks and finds in Paris, it is therefore something beyond what ordinary Christians have. Voskamp is a mystical pietist.13 She ponders: "I am not at all certain that I want consummation . . . And who wouldn't cower at the invitation to communion with limitless Holiness Himself?" (Voskamp: 211). Obviously, for her "consummation" is a sensual term, that is not true for all Christians or reserved for the eschaton (and still true for all Christians). It is a higher order experience for certain Christians to be had now if they have the ability to see and experience. This experience is mediated, for Voskamp, by the romantic feelings of Paris.
To state this simply: The sensuality of her terminology is inappropriate. She cites 1Corinthians 6:17 which is a warning against fornication and is about all Christians being "joined to the Lord" and applies it to the sensual, higher order experience to which she is wooed in Paris (Voskamp: 211). Since 1Corithians 6:17 is about what is already true for all Christians, how does it apply to her invitation to some sort of sensual consummation for Christians? It does not. So she is abusing the passage to promote her unbiblical, pietistic experience. Here is her description of what happens (found in the same paragraph with the citation from 1Corinthians 6:17):
I run my hand along the beams over my loft bed, wood hewn by a hand several hundred years ago. I can hear Him. He's calling for a response; He's calling for oneness. Communion (Voskamp: 211).This sensually described invitation to oneness and consummation is presented as a union that is a higher order experience, otherwise she would not need it and would, frankly, have nothing special to offer her readers. She is being "wooed" into "mystical union" (Voskamp: 212, 213) which she calls a romance (Voskamp: 213).
The sensual terms she applies are piled one upon another, painting a picture quite graphic and I think horribly inappropriate. Terms found just on two pages include: "wooing, intimate pursuit, passionate love, caressed, making love, embrace, union, burning of the heart, intercourse disrobed, and etc." (Voskamp: 216, 217). She makes explicit what she is speaking of: "To know Him the way Adam knew Eve" (Voskamp: 217). This terminology goes on, page after page: "intercourse, climax, cohabit, delight wildly, union experientially, leap into Arms" (Voskamp: 218, 219).
She offers a higher order experience for Christians, described in the most sensual and provocative terms. This experience is to be had now, and is not the eschatological consummation all Christians await. It helps to go to Paris and to a Roman Catholic cathedral to find this experience. There is nothing in this that is Biblical. There are not two types of Christians—ordinary ones and others who have achieved the ultimate, mystical union. This sort of false thinking is what led people into monasteries to waste their lives looking for something that evidently the gospel itself does not offer. Do we need to mimic the error of the monastic mystics?
As fraught with theological error that this book is, its basic premise is true: as Christians we ought to be thankful people who give thanks in all things. The Bible teaches us that. But do we need to jettison Christian theism in favor of panentheism, objective truth, romantic feelings, and higher order experiences to become thankful? No! God has already provided everything that pertains to life and godliness (2Peter 1:3). When Peter urged Christians to grow in their faith and in Christian virtues, he did not point to a higher order experience based on romantic feelings—he called them to remember:
Therefore, I shall always be ready to remind you of these things, even though you already know them, and have been established in the truth which is present with you. And I consider it right, as long as I am in this earthly dwelling, to stir you up by way of reminder, (2Peter 1:12, 13)Peter also mentions sensuality and it is not good: "For speaking out arrogant words of vanity they entice by fleshly desires, by sensuality, those who barely escape from the ones who live in error," (2Peter 2:18).
There is enough sensuality in the world without us having sensual desires stirred up under the guise of a higher order religious experience in the context of a panentheistic worldview. Voskamp's book feeds into the romantic sensibilities of its postmodern readers, but it does nothing to promote the faith once for all delivered to the saints. One Thousand Gifts pushes the church even farther down the unbiblical road of mysticism that so many are already on. We need to reject this and instead return to objective, Biblical truth.
1. Ann Voskamp, One Thousand Gifts; (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2010) 110. All further references from this book will be in brackets within this article.
2. We first warned our readers about panentheism in 1994: CIC Issue 23.
3. Bob DeWaay, The Emergent Church – Undefining Christianity; (Minneapolis: DeWaay, 2009), 204.
4. http://www.eckharttolle.com/ see my review of Tolle's The New Earth
5. The ellipses are in the original and used to create a pause.
6. See CIC Issue 104b for a discussion of Bell's misuse of the term "holy"
7. Matthew Fox, The Coming of the Cosmic Christ, (New York: HarperCollins, 1988), 83.
8. Ibid. 70.
9. I discuss Doug Pagitt's idea of God's "rhythm" here: CIC Issue 99
10. www.newadvent.org/cathen/14254a.htm
11. http://www.svchapel.org/resources/book-reviews/4-christian-living/121-finding-our-way-again-the-return-to-the-ancient-practices-by-brian-mclaren
12. Op. Cit.; Fox, 82.
13. See my article on pietism: How Pietism Deceives Christians, CIC Issue 101


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This month I will focus on the land-based fishing areas at the mouth of Breakfast Creek and the surrounding rock walls. First, let's see what has been biting around the mighty Brisbane River.
Snapper are showing up in patches, all the way from the city to the mouth. I've seen pictures of snapper to 2kg caught from as far up the river as UQ. Anglers who search for 'new' areas are landing some great catches. Most of the fish are still being caught in the usual spots like Claras Rocks, the Pinkenba rock walls and the Hamilton stretch.
Crab numbers will start to slow in April but if last year is any indication, they won't stop in the river. It will still be worth chasing them around the mouth of the river with the first couple of hours in the morning the best time.
Bream, flathead and whiting are around in reasonable numbers in the Boat Passage and around the mouth of the river. These bread and butter species inhabit this area and can be caught all year round. At times, especially around breeding cycles, their numbers increase dramatically but anglers can usually land a feed of these fish most days.
Bait fishing is definitely the way to go for all-round success but soft plastics and hard-body lures will also work. My favourite bait for the river is yabbies, fished unweighted along rock walls or around the shallow flats at the mouth. All saltwater species love yabbies and will eat your bait offerings. Yabbies can be collected around the mouth in several areas but won't be around in huge numbers. If you go for a wander at low tide you will definitely find some useable patches.
Lure anglers should fish Ecogear CK40-F7s and SX40s around the rock walls for mixed bags. These hard-body lures will catch just about everything that lives around these rock walls.
Baitfish are schooling in the shallows of Mud Island and predatory fish are taking advantage of this easy feed. This island fishes best after dark for reef dwelling species but I prefer to fish during the day for bream, mackerel and tuna.
Tailor should start to show up in reasonable numbers and feed on the bait schools as they head north to breed. Some anglers think it's too early to start targeting tailor but Moreton Bay seems to hold these fish all year round. For the last few years I've caught some good fish around the newly reclaimed section at the mouth during April.
Threadfin salmon are starting to show up in numbers throughout the river system. Like last season, the threadies will come out to play when the prawns school up around the mouth. Most anglers catch these fish as a by-catch when fishing for snapper or jew, but some anglers are catching them on a regular basis with live prawns and small poddy mullet rigs.
Most fish are being taken around structure like jetties or bridges that are well lighted at night. There's a tip.
Breakfast Creek is a land-based river hot-spot where anglers can successfully target snapper, jew, cod and threadies. A lot of the river's land-based spots hold good numbers of fish but the amount of structure or fighting area to subdue a big fish greatly reduces your chances.
So why is this area so good? It's on a predominant bend of the river that receives excellent tidal flow and is on a junction of a creek and the main river. There is deep water within casting range and lots of structure, it has good fishing vantage points, can be accessed by everybody (it's even wheelchair friendly) and there are plenty of lights that attract baitfish after dark. It's one area that is known for producing big jew and threadfin salmon.
This area can be fished on both sides of the creek and the southern (Newstead House) side has the best vantage points. The southern side also has a jetty where anglers can gather live bait or fish off.
Most anglers fish this area with live baits but you can catch bream, cod and catfish with dead bait. Mullet, herring, prawns and just legal bream are the best live baits for the area. River perch also make great live baits if they are in the area.
Once you have rigged your live baits it's just a matter of casting them to different depths and waiting. If you have two rods and work different depths or distances from the bank you can cover more ground.
When the tide slows around the creek mouth try fishing your live bait unweighted or under a float so the surface feeding jew and threadies have a chance to find it.
Rod and reel outfits for this area can be anything that holds around 10kg main line. I fish this area with long rock/surf outfits with Alvey reels but have seen anglers fishing with boat rods and hand lines.
Tides and boat traffic play a big part in whether fish will turn up or stay away. Night time highs after the City Cat stops and the kids go to bed seem to produce better fishing. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights are great times to fish.
Breakfast Creek is a great place for land-based anglers to wet a line with relative ease, with the chance of landing a monster.
Reads: 203961

subset: commoncrawl


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Sat. Fat
Fresh, thin-sliced, boneless skinless chicken breasts. Aged on the bone for incredible tenderness and a natural bite. Available at select grocers.
Where to Buy
Product Handling
Raw chicken (fresh and frozen) should be handled with care to avoid food born illness. Frozen chicken should be cooked from frozen, or thawed overnight in a refrigerator or slowly in cool water. Frozen chicken products are typically good for up to 12 months when kept frozen. Fresh chicken should be either cooked or frozen prior to the best by/use by/sell-by date on the package. Expired chicken should always be discarded, regardless of appearance or smell.
Cooking Instructions
Chicken is a versatile product that can be prepared in many ways: grilling, smoking, baking, frying, slow cooking, air frying, and other methods. Regardless of the chosen cooking method, all chicken products should be cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees. We recommend cooking chicken products that contain bones, such as thighs and drumsticks, to an internal temperature of 180 degrees to ensure the product is cooked completely. A digital thermometer is recommended. While commonplace methods such as cooking chicken until the juice runs clear may work, we always tell our consumers to use a digital thermometer.


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California signed up an estimated 450,000 people under Medicaid expansion who may not have been eligible for coverage, according to a report by the U.S. Health and Human Services' chief watchdog.
In a Feb. 21 report, the HHS' inspector general estimated that California spent $738.2 million on 366,078 expansion beneficiaries who were ineligible. It spent an additional $416.5 million for 79,055 expansion enrollees who were "potentially" ineligible, auditors found.
Auditors said nearly 90 percent of the $1.15 billion in questionable payments involved federal money, while the rest came from the state's Medicaid program, known as Medi-Cal. They examined a six-month period from Oct. 1, 2014, to March 31, 2015, when Medicaid payments of $6.2 billion were made, related to 1.9 million newly eligible enrollees.
There were limitations to the California review, however. The audit extrapolated from a sample of 150 beneficiaries. The authors reported a 90 percent confidence level in their results — whereas 95 percent would be more common. That meant that the number of those ineligible could have been as low as 260,000 or as high as 630,000.
"If HHS has a strong reason to believe that California is systematically making enrollment errors, it would be helpful to show that in a more robust analysis," said Ben Ippolito, a health care economist at the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank. "The federal government should ensure that states are being good stewards of federal money."
Nonetheless, the audit highlighted weaknesses in California's Medicaid program, the largest in the nation, with 13.4 million enrollees and an annual budget topping $100 billion, counting federal and state money. Medicaid covers 1 in 3 Californians.
The inspector general found deficiencies in the state's computer system for verifying eligibility, and discovered errors by caseworkers. The Medicaid payments cited in the report covered people in the state's fee-for-service system, managed-care plans, drug treatment programs and those receiving mental health services.
California's Department of Health Care Services, which runs Medi-Cal, said in a statement that it agreed with nearly all of the auditors' recommendations and that the agency "has taken steps to address all of the findings."
In a written response to the inspector general, California officials said several computer upgrades were made after the audit period and before publication of the report that should improve the accuracy of eligibility decisions.
Among the 150 expansion enrollees analyzed in detail, 75 percent, or 112, were deemed eligible for the Medicaid program in California. Auditors discovered a variety of problems with the other 38 enrollees.
During the audit period, 12 enrollees in the sample group had incomes above 138 percent of the federal poverty line, making them ineligible financially for public assistance, according to the report.
In other instances, beneficiaries were already enrolled in Medicare, the federal health insurance for people 65 and older or who have severe disabilities, and did not qualify for Medi-Cal. One woman indicated she didn't want Medi-Cal but was enrolled anyway.
In 2014, the state struggled to clear a massive backlog of Medi-Cal applications, which reached about 900,000 at one point. Many people complained about being mistakenly rejected for coverage, or their applications were lost in the state or county computer systems.
California was one of 31 states to expand Medicaid under the 2010 Affordable Care Act. The health law established a higher federal reimbursement for these newly eligible patients, primarily low-income adults without children. After expansion started in 2014, the HHS inspector general's office began reviewing whether states were determining eligibility correctly and spending taxpayer dollars appropriately.
In a similar audit released in January, the inspector general estimated that New York spent $26.2 million in federal Medicaid money on 47,271 expansion enrollees who were ineligible for coverage. (The sample size there was 130 enrollees.) Overall, New York had far fewer expansion enrollees and related spending compared to California.
Audits of other states' records are planned.
Nationwide, Medicaid, the state-federal health insurance program designed for the poor, is the country's largest health insurance program, covering 74 million Americans. In the past year, Republican efforts to reduce Medicaid funding and enrollment have sparked intense political debates and loud protests over the size and scope of the public program.
The federal government footed the entire cost of Medicaid expansion during the first three years, instead of taking the usual approach of splitting the costs with states. Now, states are picking up more of the bill. Their share of the costs grows to 10 percent by 2020.


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Development of a competence-oriented teaching project
The participants…
- design a teaching-related project according to current needs in medical education, take into account general and local conditions and locate it within the given curricular context
- research appropriate (medical) didactic resources as well as professional and other sources for evidence-based teaching in the sense of the scientific nature of teaching
- outline - for themselves and others in a forward-looking manner - the feasibility and implementation of the project (e.g. responsible persons, planning steps, time horizon)
- reflect and communicate challenges, potentials and deficits of a project.
Note: In this course, a rough concept will be created in each case, which can then be expanded in the practical phase.


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Main > Northeastern > Surin
จำนวน : 1,381,761คน
Slogan :Surin the city of big elephent, beautiful silk, many castle, sweet lettuce ,smell rice so good, nice culture.
The land of big elephants, prestigious silk, beautiful rosary, many Khmer ruins, sweet radish, fragrant rice, and rich culture.
Surin is a large province in the Mun River Basin of Thailand's Northeastern Isan region. Although the exact history of the town itself is not well known, the people of the region have always been highly regarded for a particular skill: capturing and taming elephants.
The Suay or Kuay (meaning simply "people") migrated to the area perhaps thousands of years ago and established a reputation for their elephant handling prowess that is still celebrated to this day. Since 1960, around the time that elephants were being replaced by machines for most of their laboring jobs, the Surin Elephant Round-Up has been an annual event known both locally and internationally.
During this celebration of both the elephants and the training skills of the Surin people, the gigantic pachyderms impress everyone with their cleverness and charm, an event that is the embodiment of the unique character of the province.
In addition to elephants, Surin features many ruins from the era when the Khmer of Angkor controlled the region, and Surin is also known for producing beautiful silk and growing Thailand's famous jasmine rice.
For most of the year Surin province is a sleepy agricultural province, quietly growing jasmine rice and weaving beautiful silk. Come November however, the spotlight shines on Surin province as Thais and foreign visitors congregate in the province to witness one of Thailand's most iconic celebrations: the Surin Elephant Round-Up. As much a celebration of the mighty elephants as the local people who are so skilled in training them, the Elephant Round up features hundreds of elephants showcasing their skills, including a man vs elephant tug-of-war and full fledged battle re-enactments.
Those visiting other times of the year or just before, after the big event will enjoy the bucolic environment that surrounds a number of charming handicraft villages and a handful of Khmer ruins, abandoned for half a millennia following the fall of the Khmer Empire at Angkor.
Key Tips
- Hotels are generally full during the elephant round up so book ahead!
- Visitors can interact with the elephants at the end of the day's performances.


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COLUMBIA, Mo. - A University of Missouri doctoral student has developed a technique that uses digital imaging of soil samples to take some of the guesswork out of wetland identification.
Identifying wetlands isn't always easy. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' manual on wetlands identification is 143 pages long. Land that is wet isn't necessarily a wetland, and some wetlands aren't always wet. One important tool is looking at the soil for colors and patterns characteristic of frequent and prolonged saturation, said Kevin O'Donnell, a doctoral student in soil science at MU.
Chronic saturation changes a soil's structure and chemical composition and affects the types of microorganisms it harbors. These changes determine the colors and other visible features of soil. Soil scientists use those features to identify what they call "hydric soils."
A trusty companion of soil scientists in the field is a small loose-leaf binder holding a set of "Munsell Soil Color Charts," which contains 238 color chips and other visual aides for classifying soils.
There's a small hole adjacent to each chip that lets you compare the color chip and soil sample side-by-side.
"There's a lot of room for error," O'Donnell said. Cloud cover, time of day and many other factors can affect perception of a soil's appearance. Experienced soil scientists learn to take this into account, but even seasoned pros might come to different conclusions about a given sample.
"You're dealing with jurisdictional identification of wetlands," he said. "Imagine you're a landowner and a soil scientist comes out and says you have a hydric soil."
Wetlands are protected under the federal law, so landowners can end up facing restrictions on developing or farming their land based on a subjective assessment of the soil. "Will that hold up in court? I saw some major issues there."
In an earlier project, O'Donnell used software to analyze aerial photos of large areas and determine land use based on color and other attributes. "Why not use that technology on a smaller scale?"
He decided to bring soil samples to the laboratory and photograph them under controlled conditions.
For advice on photo equipment, O'Donnell sought out David Rees, chair of photojournalism at MU. O'Donnell procured a Nikon D80 camera, a 60mm f/2.8 macro lens and a pair of lens-mounted flashes to provide uniform, consistent lighting. His equipment purchases were funded in part by a scholarship named in honor of the late C.E. Marshall, an MU soil scientist and, as it turned out, the father-in-law of David Rees.
O'Donnell calibrated the software by photographing a brand-new set of Munsell color charts.
"I didn't know if this was going to work," O'Donnell recalled. The goal was to precisely quantify a soil sample's dominant colors in terms of hue, chroma (saturation) and value (lightness or darkness), as well as the abundance and distribution of those colors.
"It turns out that it works really well," he said. "The color identification was approximately 99 percent accurate for all the colors in the book."
Not only does the technique provide a more reliable way to identify hydric soils, it opens an avenue for collaboration with other disciplines by producing data about soil in a standardized, quantitative form, he said.
"Once you get here it opens up a door to new ways of looking at soils that haven't been looked at in the past," he said.
"It is a pretty ingenious amalgamation of techniques and ideas that provides soil scientists with a new tool for the 21st century," said Keith Goyne, an MU soil scientist.
O'Donnell describes his project in a paper that appeared recently in "Geoderma," considered a top-tier journal by soil scientists. O'Donnell's co-authors on the paper were Goyne, Stephen Anderson and Randall Miles of MU, and Claire Baffaut and Kenneth Sudduth of the USDA Agricultural Research Service.
O'Donnell's research is funded by a grant from the USDA's Conservation Effects Assessment Project with partial support from the University of Missouri Research Council.
O'Donnell said that it should be possible to adapt his system for use in the field by attaching a box to the camera to block out natural light when photographing a soil sample. In certain instances, this would avoid the expense and burden of extracting hefty core samples and hauling them to the lab.


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Photos and Contact Info
Available Kittens
Kitten reservations
Expected kittens
Available Young Adults
Photo Bloopers
Muse Coons in their New Homes
Christmas Story
Welcome to Muse Coons Cattery
We are a small cattery in South Western Ohio,
where we share our home with these lovely cats. Our cats live in the house as part of our family and are very special to us. They have the run of the house, and sleep on our beds. They are always around, chatting to us, sharing our chores, and warming our laps.
We breed Maine coons because we love everything about the breed from their beautiful coats to their loving gentle personalities. They are fabulous with children and other pets.
Each kitten stays with us until the age of 12 weeks. Our kittens are warranted to be HCM DNA N/N, and free of FelV, FIV and any internal or external parasites at the time of leaving the cattery.
All of our kittens are registered with the CFA and leave us with a contract, vet health check, at two sets of vaccinations, worming, litter training, and a whole lot of love. [It is also possible that they may be somewhat spoiled.] The kittens also leave with a kitten file, feeding regime information, grooming and care advice, and food samples to get them started. For kittens sold as pets, a pedigree will be provided after proof of neutering or spaying.
We love to stay in touch with our kittens once they are in their new homes and are always willing to offer support and help with any questions that their new families may have.
Thank you for visiting our site and we hope you enjoy it.
You may also see photos of Muse Coons cats and kittens posted by their forever families at the Muse Coons Cattery page on Facebook.
Please feel free to contact us for any further information.


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Mick Mars Says He Was 'Joking' About Free Motley Crue Tickets
Mick Mars said his Thanksgiving dinner will consist of "crow and humble pie" for comments he made five years ago concerning Motley Crue's decision to stop touring.
Apparently, many fans didn't forget that, five years ago, Mars appeared on Eddie Trunk's That Metal Show and discussed the possibility of Motley Crue coming back after the end of what they were calling the Final Tour. "Let me put it this way," he said. "If that happens, I will invite the world to come for free. Free."
You can watch the moment below.
With the band blowing up their "Cessation of Touring Agreement" in anticipation of tour announcement last week, fans reminded Mars of his offer, which prompted a response posted on Instagram.
"While I was clearly joking about free tickets that night on TMS, I was also deeply convinced that we would never ever be touring again," he wrote. "I would have never expected to be facing a whole new generation of fans demanding to see us play. In fact, touring with Motley Crue comes at a weird place in time, since my solo record is almost complete after such a long time of writing and recording. But I put our fans first. Anyways, I am eating a lot of crow and humble pie this Thanksgiving for those remarks and accept that some of you see this as me being dishonest. I said what I said, and I was wrong. Peace."
In the years since Motley Crue's last concert, Mars worked with onetime Crue singer John Corabi on a project that never saw the light of day, with only snippets of a couple songs surfacing before the record faded.
Mars discussed his debut solo album in March, at which point he had only the drum tracks and some bass parts recorded and was still searching for singers.
He described the material he's written as being "more of a heavier rock thing, but I don't wanna even try to 'out-heavy' the heavies, you know what I mean? It's just something hopefully just a little different than what's going on now. You're not gonna hear a Motley-flavored song, except for the guitar, [because] that's me. They're gonna be a bit harder than that, but not as hard as the heavies, like Ministry and some of those guys."


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Version 44 (modified by knpa, 14 years ago) (diff) |
NEODC Data Delivery
This page documents the procedure to follow when delivering data to NEODC.
First, we need to have some data to send - these should be datasets that are 'completed'.
All sensors need to be delivered and r-synced. Check with whoever processed each sensor if need be.
- Move workspace project into workspace/being_archived
- Prepare the relevant datasets:
- Make sure everything is where it should be! (see Processing/FilenameConventions for the layout)
- Check everything is there (LIDAR DELIVERY DEM, PDF logsheet, delivery directories, scripts, applanix/rinex data)
- Add a copy of the relevant trac ticket(s) ; run:
mkdir -p admin/trac_ticket pushd admin/trac_ticket wget --recursive --level 1 --convert-links --html-extension http://arsf-dan.nerc.ac.uk/trac/ticket/TICKETNUMBER popd
- Delete the contents of the lev1/ subdirectory, where these are duplicates of the delivery directory.
- Scan the filesystem for any 'bad' things and fix them:
- delete any unnecessary files - backups of DEMs that weren't used, temp files created by gedit (~ at end of filename), hidden files etc
- Remove executable bit on all files (except the point cloud filter and the run[aceh] scripts) -> find -type f -not -wholename '*pt_cloud_filter*' -and -not -regex '.*/run[aceh]/.*sh' -and -perm /a=x -exec chmod a-x {} \;
- Find all files/dirs with unusual characters (space, brackets, etc) - use find -regex '.*[^-0-9a-zA-Z/._].*' | ~arsf/usr/bin/fix_naughty_chars.py to give suggested commands, but check first
- Give everyone read permissions (and execute if it has user execute) for the current directory and below - chmod -R a+rX .
- Create an archive tarball for NEODC to download:
su - arsf cd ~/arsf_data/archived/ # figure out what you want to archive, e.g. all in 20080219 archive dir, then qsub_archiver.sh 20080219/2007/flight_data/uk/* # note you need to specify dirs at the project level, hence the * above # To run the archiving locally rather than via the grid engine, use: ./archive_helper-justdoit.sh 20080219/2007/flight_data/uk/*
- When complete, this will have dumped the data into ~arsf/arsf_data/archived/neodc_transfer_area/staging/. Check it looks ok then move it up one level so NEODC can rsync it.
- Notify NEODC they can download the data.
- When NEODC have the data:
- Remove it from the transfer area
- Note on ticket that it's been sent to neodc (with date.)
- When NEODC confirm they have backed up the data:
- Create a directory on /data/larsenb1/archived/arsf/<original path from ~arsf/arsf_data/> and move the data to it.
e.g. mv ~arsf/2008/flight_data/uk/CEH08_01/ /data/larsenb1/archived/arsf/2008/flight_data/uk/CEH08_01 - Create a symlink to the project in it's original location. Point the symlink through ~arsf/arsf_data/archived rather than directly to larsen
e.g. ln -s ~arsf/arsf_data/archived/2008/flight_data/uk/CEH08_01 ~arsf/arsf_data/2008/flight_data/uk/CEH08_01 - Note in ticket that it has been backed up NEODC and give new data location.
- Create a directory on /data/larsenb1/archived/arsf/<original path from ~arsf/arsf_data/> and move the data to it.
- when NEODC confirm that everything appears to be in order (maybe wait a week):
- Close the ticket
- Delete the workspace copy in being_archived


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P-Shaped Conservatory Specialists, Essex
Choices Online specialise in P-shaped conservatories for your home
Ideal for all styles of houses and bungalows
The attraction of a P-shaped conservatory is that it brings the feel of adding almost two more rooms to your home. This is because one area can be used for dining in, while the other section can be enjoyed as an area of relaxation.
One of the great things about P-shaped conservatories is that they can be adapted to suit all styles of houses and bungalows. When it comes to adapting the conservatory to bungalows - or in any circumstances where there are height restrictions in place - a hipped-back roof with box gutter is often supplied.
And if you prefer the look of real wood, 'Choices' can cater for that too, foil options include White Ash, Cream, Rosewood and Golden Oak foils amongst others.


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LA's Ultimate Pop Culture Experience to Host Celebrities, Exclusives, Reunions, Gaming, Shopping and More
Santa Monica, CA – October 22, 2013 – Stan Lee's Comikaze Expo presented by POW! Entertainment, and co-owned by the largest producer of trade shows and events in the nation, Advanstar Communications, Inc., returns to Los Angeles next month. Stan Lee's Comikaze Expo kicks off this November 1-3, 2013 at the Los Angeles Convention Center and promises an incredible experience for fans of comics, gaming, horror, sci-fi, fantasy and anime. This year's event will feature an amazing line-up of attractions from vendors and exhibitors, interactive contests, celebrity autograph signings, screenings, renowned panel sessions and gaming tournaments.
"I'm beyond excited for this year's Comikaze Expo," stated Stan Lee, Chairman and Founder of POW! Entertainment. "Comikaze continues to grow bigger and better every year and the offerings this year are going to be immensely enjoyable for all of our attendees. It's great to have such a fun-filled expo that attracts the Hollywood crowd just as much as the geek, comic and gaming crowd and it's all right here in our backyard – Los Angeles!"
This year fans can experience NERD Black Friday and also have access to geeky shopping, see all the new toys, games and movies as well as meet all of their favorite actors and celebrities. Fans can shop from retailers like Hot Topic, Toynamii, Mattel, Tokidoki as well as from new emerging artists and creators. These retailers have created exclusive items available only at Stan Lee's Comikaze Expo.
"My partners and I are committed to creating a unique, one-of-a-kind fan experience that will be enjoyed by all. I am proud to bring Stan Lee's Comikaze back to your great city. Comikaze is a show for fans by fans…it embodies everything that is LA," said Regina Carpinelli, founder and CEO, Stan Lee's Comikaze Expo. "Part of fulfilling that goal is to partner with industry giants like Diamond Comics, Hot Topic, SyFy Channel and many others! Together we can create amazing and unique fan experiences to make Comikaze one of the world's largest and most diverse pop culture conventions."
Additionally, Stan Lee will be on hand to meet his fans, and share with them the largest collection of Marvel movie props and memorabilia ever assembled in one place. On site will also be amazing movie props that Stan Winston Legacy Studios created for hits like Iron Man, Captain America and Thor. Additionally, Stan Lee's POW! Entertainment will play a big role with several panels at Comikaze, including a special Slam 7 announcement, an unveiling from Mattel, and an introduction of a new app game, along with others. As always, Stan Lee may drop in on other panels as a special guest.
"Comikaze is part of the fan community. Our experience in events, licensing and entertainment will help them exponentially expand their reach and concept globally. We couldn't be more excited to be part of the Comikaze team!" said Chris DeMoulin, Executive Vice President of Customer Development and President of Licensing for Advanstar.
Celebrities making an appearance at Comikaze include Stan Lee, Elvira, Bruce Campbell, Weird Al, LeVar Burton, Tara Strong, John Romita Jr, Marc Silvestri he entire cast of AMC's Comic Book Men, and many more. Panel discussions run the gamut, with topics regarding new movie and television show premiers to in-depth comic discussions and workshops on how to become a voice actor to break into the comics industry. The full listing of panels will be available soon at www.comikazeexpo.com.
"POW! Entertainment will have a significant presence at this year's Comikaze Expo," stated Gill Champion, President and CEO of POW! Entertainment. "We are excited to host our own pop culture expo in our backyard to share with the fans and Hollywood crowd alike, and showcase Los Angeles as the center of pop culture."
Take a look behind the scenes at Stan Lee's Comikaze Expo by watching the SyFy Network's new hit show "Fangasm," which features seven super-nerd fan boys and fan girls who move into the same house in LA, and work as interns for Stan Lee's Comikaze. New episodes of "Fangasm" air every Tuesday night at 10pm on SyFy.
Buy tickets at Comikazeexpo.com or at the door!
- Friday, November 1, from 1p.m. to 8 p.m.
- Saturday, November 2, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Sunday, November 3, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
$25 per day, or $60 for 3-day pass
FREE for children under 12
Los Angeles Convention Center
1201 South Figueroa Street, South Hall
Los Angeles, CA 90015


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Walmart expands health benefits to cover heart and spine surgeries with no out-of-pocket costs
Bentonville, Ark. -- Walmart is expanding its Centers of Excellence program to offer its associates health care with no out-of-pocket cost for heart, spine, and transplant surgeries at six of the nation's leading hospital and health systems.
"We devoted extensive time developing Centers of Excellence in order to improve the quality of care our associates' receive," said Sally Welborn, senior VP of global benefits at Walmart. "We have identified six renowned health care systems that meet the highest quality standards for heart, spine and transplant surgery. Through these hospital systems, our associates will have no out-of-pocket expenses and a greater peace of mind knowing they are receiving exceptional care from a facility that specializes in the procedure they require. This is the first time a retailer has offered a comprehensive, nationwide program for heart, spine and transplant surgery."
The six designated health care organizations include the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland; Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, Pa.; Mayo Clinic sites in Rochester, Minn., Scottsdale/Phoenix, Ariz., and Jacksonville, Fla.; Mercy Hospital Springfield in Springfield, Mo; Scott & White Memorial Hospital in Temple, Texas; and Virginia Mason Medical Center in Seattle, Wash.
The new Centers of Excellence program is being expanded from covering transplants, which began with the Mayo Clinic in 1996, to include treatment for certain heart and spine surgeries. Walmart's associates and their dependents who are enrolled in the company's medical plans will receive consultations and care covered at 100 percent without deductible or coinsurance, plus travel, lodging and food for the patient and a caregiver.


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To accelerate an early stage, disruptive technology company to the next stage of growth typically requires investment. Many automatically assume that this means cash. However, if accepted
too early, cash injections from Angel and Venture Capitalists can have a negative impact on the business. Possible outcomes are reduced Founder shareholder value, limited business strategy direction or insufficient access to the necessary additional resources required to move the business forward.
SSAAS offers a mutual risk and reward model based on human capital investment. By making the right choices in personnel and skills the majority of your early-stage company's development needs are addressed. You can rapidly develop your business growth strategy and channels to market to achieve the sales revenue success required to attract the right investors at the right time.
Learn how our customers increased their attraction to investors
SSAAS's team of experience business and technology professionals focus on generating more leads, customers and revenue. We offer a complete range of services that are essential for an early-stage company to move to the next stage of expansion.
Our CEO, Dave Berry, founded SSAAS in 2006 and has over 35 years' experience in the software industry working with blue chip IT organisations and many software start ups, Dave has built up an impressive network of senior executives, investors and partners whom will all testify to his ability to build strong relationships and foster business development opportunities.
Find out for yourself… Connect to Dave via LinkedIn or Arrange a call today
Dave Berry, has 35 years' experience in the software industry working with blue chip IT organisations and many software start ups. Arrange a call today to discuss the possibilities for your early-stage company.


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Jake Owen and Loretta Lynn Have Both Lived in This Amazing Mansion! [Pictures]
Jake Owen had no problem selling the rural estate that he bought from Loretta Lynn, and from the looks of the beautiful listing photos, the price was a steal.
Owen was asking $1.5 million for his 4,918 square foot home in Kingston Springs, Tenn., a rural community just outside of Nashville that is home to many in the country music business. According to Zillow, that broke down to $305 per square foot, and financing would break it into monthly payments of $5,851. He officially sold the home on Dec. 21 for $1,310,000, and since then the estimated value of the property has gone up to $1,317,855.
The single home family was built in 2006 and features top-shelf amenities including four bedrooms, four-and-a-half baths, a fully appointed workout room and a built-in recording studio that has enough space for live drums. The three-story home boasts two master suites, an outdoor tiki bar, a hot tub and a massive chef's kitchen, and if you don't want to climb all those stairs, you can always take the elevator.
See Inside Jason Aldean's Amazing Rural Mansion!
According to records, the property previously sold for $625,000 in 2012. It's situated on a private, very wooded seven-acre lot that is secluded and quiet, but just 30 minutes from downtown Nashville. Nashville's Tennessean newspaper reports that Owen lived in the house for five-and-a-half years before listing it for sale.
Owen has scored a string of hits that includes "Barefoot Blue Jean Night," "Alone With You," "Anywhere With You" and "Beachin'." He scored his most recent No. 1 single, "Homemade," from his latest album, Greetings From ... Jake.
The singer ended up downsizing considerably when he sold the mansion. As he explained in an interview with the Bobby Bones Show, he had bought another piece of land in the same community so that he could fulfill his dream of building a home from scratch.
"What happened is, I sold my house, not thinking I was going to sell it that fast," he said. "I put it on the market on a Monday, and it sold on a Wednesday. [The buyers] wanted to be in basically by Christmas."
As a result, Owen wound up living on his new land in a 400-square-foot tiny house while he built himself a new home.
See Miranda Lambert's Beautiful Tennessee Estate


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Dallas, TX, October 25, 2017 –(PR.com)– The Board of Directors of BURNCO USA is thrilled to announce the appointment of Clifford Hahne, to President, BURNCO USA. Mr. Hahne has been developing, as VP Operations, BURNCO USA for the past three years. In this time, he has led acquisitions and built BURNCO's businesses in Texas and, most recently, in Colorado with February's acquisition of Bestway Concrete, Inc.
Mr. Hahne is an industry veteran with over 30 years' experience, holding multiple senior management roles in the Ready-mix Concrete, Aggregates, Cement and Pipe industries and having leadership roles for international companies Pioneer Concrete, Hanson, and Heidelberg.
"Clifford Hahne's new role will position BURNCO to fulfill our desire for pursuing continued prudent growth opportunities in America's numerous and exciting markets. Bringing Clifford's leadership, and BURNCO's culture to new and bustling areas in the United States as well as empowering his direct reports to build our existing businesses will be his mandate," stated Scott Burns, Chairman in announcing this senior-most posting today. Mr. Hahne's leadership team will continue to be Paul Rouse, GM in Texas and Gene Wagner, GM in Colorado, as well as Ron Douglas, another industry veteran recently recruited to lead our US aggregate Operations.
Today's organizational announcement is another building block in BURNCO's transformational journey. They are moving quickly to structure their Companies for faster, prudent growth, ensuring they can respond to the wants and needs of their customers, organization and employees in the USA. BURNCO has a renewed focus toward collaboration, striving toward their goals as a capable team, requiring integrity and passionately seeking excellence.
About BURNCO
BURNCO is a 105 year old, 4th generation family business with operations in the USA and Canada in the aggregate-based construction materials business. Our 1500 employees are united in a desire to meet and exceed the needs of our customers in the construction industry.
Contact Information:
Kimberly Overton
(403) 440-3761
Contact via Email
Read the full story here: http://www.pr.com/press-release/734004
Press Release Distributed by PR.com


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Gift Ideas from the Gift Guy
You know those incredible people that give fun and creative gifts that don\'t really cost a lot but impress everyone like crazy? Want to be one of them?
You know those guys that know what romance means, and score points for it? Want to be one of them?
Gift ideas from the Gift Guy make giving giving fun instead of frantic or frustrating. (Receiving gets more fun, too!)
You\'ll be amazed at what you can do with little things you pick up at the grocery store. We won\'t even get into Internet treasures. (yet)
Did we mention the free gifts?
Once in a while, we give gifts to our subscribers. Just because. Aren\'t \"just because\" gifts fun? If your name is chosen, you get to decide if you want to keep it, or give it to a loved one.
Why not join us? It\'s fun – and it\'s free.
It\'s the most fun you can have with your clothes on. (Well, almost)
[contact-form-7 id=\"5772\" title=\"Email List\"]
Are you a Nifty Cool reseller, wholesaler or distributor?
We\'ll help you sell well. When you join our distributor\'s list, we\'ll give you the scoop on promotions that we\'re running and let you know about new items or clearouts.
We\'ll also share our nifty gift ideas so you can offer your customers a fun newsletter, too.
Didn\'t know you could resell our merchandise, but definitely interested? Click here for more info
Want to join our distributor\'s mailing list? It\'s free.
[contact-form-7 id=\"6610\" title=\"Email List Wholesale\"]


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Organizing Your Desktop with ObjectDock
ObjectDock 2.1 is now available, and it has been one of my personal favorite apps for a long time. I like to keep a more minimal and organized desktop, which can become difficult--considering the wide variety of projects I have going on at any given time.
That said, I would like to share several setups using ObjectDock that will give you some help organizing your desktop.
Use the "Tabbed Docks" feature
If I had to pick my favorite feature from ObjectDock, it would be the tabbed docks. This will help you with getting an organized desktop quickly/easily, and that's why I'm talking about it first. I like to have tons of shortcuts on my desktop, but also want to get to them quickly. The best solution for me is to create several tabs with different app categories in one dock, then place my shortcuts into the desired tabs.
The image above shows an example of a tabbed dock I have on my desktop. I have more categories to add, but for now I am featuring the ones I use the most. The "Office" tab has the Microsoft Office shortcuts I use the most – Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote and Publisher. I've done the same with my "Adobe" tab which holds the various Creative Cloud apps like Photoshop and Lightroom. You can configure the tabbed docks in a way that works perfect for YOU. This is also a great way to keep your favorite game shortcuts handy as well.
Go Minimal
If you really want a clean desktop, you can replace the Windows taskbar AND desktop icons with ObjectDock dock. There's an option on the configuration screen that allows you to hide the Windows taskbar, so your custom dock is the only one showing on your desktop. You can configure your dock to display the system tray and running tasks, too.
You can also add a start button to your dock. If you are on Windows 7, the start button will bring up your normal start menu. If you are on Windows 8, the start button will take you to the Win8 start screen. However, if you have Start8 installed, it will bring up the Start8 start menu. (If you don't have Start8, you should get it here)
Use Multiple Docks
You don't have to limit yourself to one dock. ObjectDock allows you have multiple docks on your desktop. Use one for shortcuts to websites, and have another with flyout menus for your documents folder.
ObjectDock is easy to setup and configure for what you need. Create docks, move them around to different locations, try different setups. It's a very useful tool for desktop productivity and organization!


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Great Raft and Restaurant Cotton made a dangerous combination |
Grilled Watermelon, Radish, Cress, Lime, Pink Pepper |
Our dinner started boldly with the Make Believer Session IPA accompanied by grilled watermelon in a salad with thinly sliced radish, leaves of cress, a squeeze of lime juice, and crushed pink peppercorns. The compressed watermelon presented a unique texture while its inherent sweetness matched the acidity of the lime juice and the potency of the pink pepper. The mildly hoped and very drinkable IPA added some fruit and floral notes of its own to create a beautiful medley in my mouth.
Ipswich Scallop, Turnip, Vanilla, Grapefruit, Salsa Verde |
The second course of the evening featured succulent seared scallops with turnips, vanilla grapefruit foam, and salsa verde partnered with the Commotion Pale Ale. The modern technique in the foam matched the precision in the textbook seared scallops. The flavors were interesting and resounding, creating a lasting flavor that somehow worked despite their perceived contradiction.
The third plate presented pecan smoked pork belly. Nothing else would be necessary. Still, Chef Bahr decided to partner that with house pickled beets, sweet potato puree, and a root beer syrup then pair the course with Great Raft's Disaster Proof. The earthy flavors highlighted each bite as the pork belly melted in my mouth and melded with the sugary and acidic notes of the accouterments. The Disaster Proof, a special release rye lager with floral New Zealand hops worked marvelously well as the beer cut through the fat of the belly while playing with the subtle herbaceous of the root beer syrup.
Venison Schnitzel, Stewed White Beans, Fried Carrots, Bacon Beer Mustard Jus |
Next up came the dish I most eagerly anticipated. Pounded out, battered, and fried venison rested atop a slathering of white beans with fried carrots and a jus teeming with bacon, beer, and mustard. The rustic and hearty dish put a smile on my face as it elevated my childhood deer camp memories to a new level. Paired with Nobody's Darling, an imperial Schwarzbier brewed in collaboration with Bluejacket, the schnitzel popped even more. The beer, a generously hopped black lager, contained all of the right flavors to both pair with roastiness and toastiness as well as contrast with the appropriately delicate bitterness.
Braised Rabbit, Sweet Peas, Gnocchi, Smoked Mushrooms, Parmesan |
Our final entree course brought another rustic yet still incredibly contemporary dish. Chef Bahr went back to the game with braised rabbit served in a medley of gnocchi, sweet peas, smoked mushrooms and a little shaved parmesan. It is a hard to argue with a dish like this. Impeccable execution of every element on the plate made it hard to put the fork down even to get a swallow of the Southern Drawl beer from Great Raft which accompanied the course.
LA Strawberry Gelato, Cured LA Strawberries, Torn Lemon Cake, Buttermilk Crumbs, Basil Seeds, Dill |
All good meals end with something sweet. In this case, diners enjoyed a strawberry delight served alongside one of Great Raft's flagship brews. Reasonably Corrupt, the dark lager with a malty sweetness and notes of coffee and chocolate, provided the necessary counter balance to the fruity sweetness in the dessert. Strawberry gelato accompanied cured Louisiana strawberries, lemon cake, buttermilk crumbs, basil seeds, and a garnish of fresh dill. The deconstructed strawberry shortcake set my stomach right to end the evening in a magical way. Content with pure gastronomic glee, all I could do was tip my cap to Chef Bahr and to the great folks at Great Raft.


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Profoto A1X AirTTL-S Studio Light Officially Announced, Price $1,095
The new Profoto A1X AirTTL-S Studio Light for Sony is now officially announced. The US price is $1,095. Now the new Profoto A1X AirTTL-S Studio Light for Sony is now in stock at B&H, Adorama. Order now if you are interested.
Profoto A1X AirTTL-S Studio Light: $1,095 at B&H, Adorama
Key Features:
- Built-In AirTTL, Use On or Off Camera
- Faster Recycling: 1 sec
- Upgraded Battery: 450 Full Power Flashes
- High-Speed Sync, LED Modeling Light
- 9-Stop Power Range, 76Ws Output
- Weighs 1.2 lb Including Battery
- Optional Wireless TTL with Air Remote
- Includes Bounce Card, Dome Diffuser
- Wide Lens, Flash Stand, USB Cable
- A1 Bag with Shoulder Strap
The Profoto A1X is designed with light shaping capabilities; it has a unique round head with a soft, smooth fall-off that makes it easy to create a natural and beautiful light. It also includes a smart magnetic mount and dedicated Light Shaping Tools that click on and off quickly and easily. They can be stacked for more creative options. The A1X also offers a built-in LED modeling light that makes it easy to position the light and understand how light and shadows work together.
And it's extremely easy to use. The user interface is large, clean and clear. Like all Profoto products, it's intuitive to use and you don't need to read a long instruction manual to understand how it works. AirTTL remote is also built in to the A1X. With AirTTL and HSS you create professional results fast and easy and with the remote you can seamless connect to other Profoto flashes and control them easily from the A1X.
Profoto A1X is not only an on-camera flash, it's also very effective off-camera as a standalone unit. The A1X has its own Li-Ion high capacity exchangeable battery that lasts up to four times longer than AA batteries with no performance fade, and a facility to recharge quickly – so you can shoot for longer with confidence. And the A1X can keep up with you because it recycles four times faster than other on-camera solutions – that's 1.0s at full power. Put simply, you'll never miss a shot.


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The Art Deco & Modernism Society of Australia Inc (ADMSA) was formed in Melbourne in 1992 and has active chapters in Adelaide and Brisbane.
ADMSA is dedicated to the preservation and celebration of aspects Art Deco and Modernism, such as architecture, landscaping, furniture, industrial design, fashion, graphics, art, jewellery, entertainment and transport.
The Society hosts regular presentations, conducts walks and produces a quarterly journal, SPIRIT OF PROGRESS, named after the classic train which also features as our logo.
Members of the Art Deco and Modernism Society of Australia (ADMSA) are drawn from diverse backgrounds and from all walks of life but all have a love of the era.
Whether you are renovating, collecting or just love the style, why not join a network of people dedicated to celebrating Art Deco and Modernism.


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I'm a 26-year-old single bi woman. Sometimes my roommate/best friend and I have drunken threesomes with men. We've had some great one-night stands (less scary with a friend!), but recently we slept with a man I've been (drunkenly) sleeping with over a period of months, my "friend with benefits." I shared my FWB with my roommate because she wanted to have sex, and I shared my roommate with my FWB because he wanted to experience a threesome. I told my roommate afterward that I wouldn't like it if she slept with my FWB on her own, and I told my FWB that we should have discussed having a threesome before it happened. We went out drinking another night, I left early, and they wound up sleeping together. I was upset with my roommate, because she knew how I felt. But I am disgusted and angry with my FWB because he had to "work" to convince my roommate to get her into bed. I have forgiven my roommate—she says she is mad at herself and at him—but it's hard to blame these two friends for hurting me because people make mistakes when they're drunk. Still, this whole ordeal has made me reconsider my friendship with my FWB. He thinks we're just friends, but I have now realized that I have deeper feelings for him. I feel very close to him, and we do a lot of fun things together. I've been pretty open with him about my feelings, but he hasn't shared how he feels. Can I continue being friends with my FWB? Or do I need to break off my friendship with my FWB because I actually want something more with him? What can my FWB do to mend this? What can I do?
Best Friend Fucker
I had to read your letter three times to figure out who did what—and I had to shorten it considerably (and edit for clarity)—and honestly, BFF, I'm still a little fuzzy on the violations. But I think it goes like this: You asked your roommate not to fuck your FWB in your absence despite having already invited her to fuck him in your presence and your roommate went ahead and fucked your FWB anyway (violation #1), and you told your FWB that a threesome with your roommate without prior discussion was a misdemeanor so he should've known that initiating a twosome with your roommate would be a felony but he went ahead and twosomed the shit out of your roommate anyway (violation #2).
Taking your questions one at a time: Can you continue being friends with your FWB? That depends on what your roommate means by "work." If she means your FWB overcame her initial reluctance to fuck him solo with some flirty talk and assurances that you wouldn't mind, then, yeah, you can continue to be friends with your FWB. People have managed to salvage friendships out of relationships that imploded much more spectacularly, BFF. If someone can get past an infidelity or a betrayal or a child conceived with a piece-on-the-side and remain on friendly terms with their cheating, lying, breeding ex, you should be able to work through this. But if what your roommate means by "work" is that your FWB coerced her into having sex, you shouldn't want to salvage a friendship with that rapey POS.
Do you need to break off your friendship with your FWB because you've realized you want something more from him, i.e., a committed relationship? Someone in a FWB arrangement wanting to be more than friends—boyfriend or girlfriend or nonbinaryfriend—is the leading cause of death for FWB arrangements. And while normally the friend who wants to keep things casual is the one who ends the arrangement, BFF, if you want more and you know he can't give it to you, or if you fear you can't trust him around current and future roommates, then feel free to end it. But if you really like him—despite the violation and, emphasizing this again, only if the "work" he did on your roommate wasn't coercive or rapey—then go ahead and ask him to upgrade your FWB arrangement to GF/BF relationship.
What can your FWB do to mend this? He can apologize to you and your roommate and toss his dick around more considerately in the future.
What can you do? You can try to see this for what it was: Two people who'd already fucked—two people who fucked in front of you at your invitation—got drunk and fucked again. You can choose to see that encounter as a violation that requires drastic retaliatory measures (friendships ended, leases broken), BFF, or you can choose to see it as the messy denouement of an ill-advised/rushed threesome that you set in motion.
What does it mean when you find a pair of tit clamps in your "vanilla" boyfriend's dresser?
Told Him I'm Not Kinky
It means he's the pope—what the fuck do you think it means? It means he owns a pair of tit clamps. It could mean he's slightly less vanilla than he's let on, THINK, or it could mean he has a kinky ex who left a pair of tit clamps behind, or it could mean he got a pair of tit clamps as a dirty Secret Santa gift and isn't phobic about being perceived as even slightly kinky so he tossed them in a drawer without a second thought.
Straight man, married for 12 years, love my wife very much. We have a great relationship, and I cannot see myself being with anyone else. A few years ago, she came out to me as bisexual. At the time, it hit me harder than I would have expected. Part of the reason was she explained that she often fantasizes about women when we have sex in order to come. She says she is attracted to me and loves our sex life. We have exhausted the topic of bringing someone else into our relationship and recommitted to monogamy. Is it inevitable that she will cheat to satisfy her curiosity? She says she wouldn't, and I have to trust that, but it is always in the back of my head. What do I do?
Just One Exception
I can't promise you that your wife won't ever cheat—not because she's bisexual, JOE, but because she's human. Women who are 100 percent straight cheat on their husbands every day; husbands who are 100 percent straight cheat on their wives every day. And while on the one hand, it's unfortunate your wife told you she sometimes has to think about women to get off during sex with you (not everything has to be shared, people), the fact that she trusted you/burdened you with that information says a lot about your relationship.
So what do you do? Two things: Continue to put your trust in your wife, while at the same time reassuring yourself that your absolute worst-case scenario—your wife sleeps with a woman—will result in the destruction of your marriage only if you define a single infidelity as a relationship-extinction-level event. A pass to fuck a woman at some point in her life may not be something you can let your wife have, JOE, but it may be something you could let yourself forgive.
On the Lovecast: It's the dick show! Listen at savagelovecast.com.
[email protected], @fakedansavage on Twitter


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2010 BMW X5 M Base AWD 4dr
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All Wheel Drive, 4dr, 4WD Sport Utility Vehicle
12 mpg city / 17 mpg hwy
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May 4, 2019 by Brian Alexander, Road Test Editor
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DriverSide Overview
Has BMW's M division completely lost its collective sanity? Once the purveyor of some of the world's most lithe, tactile, naturally aspirated sports machines, they've gone and made this: a near three-ton, twin-turbo SUV. In the '80s and '90s, this would be borderline unforgiveable. So what gives? Well, despite a shrinking global economy and uncertain automotive industry, the super-ute market remains an untapped resource for BMW. And, surprisingly, these super-fast behemoths are still selling. Even given the highly capable competition (we're looking at you,
Porsche Cayenne
Turbo S), the X5 M remains highly impressive, able to sprint from 0-60 in under five seconds courtesy of its sledgehammer 555 horsepower twin-turbo V-8 engine. And it's pretty capable in the bends too, with its four-wheel drive system and massive 20-inch wheels offering tons of grip. Compared to the
, it's incredibly practical as well, even though practicality was never really the idea behind this car.
What's to Like
For a giant, cumbersome SUV, the X5 M manages to feel surprisingly agile, and the ample turbo torque means massive acceleration is available whenever you please. It's a fantastic tourer, with very comfortable seats and a supple ride when you want it, thanks to the variable suspension system.
What's Not to Like
Fuel economy is inexcusably dismal and you'll be lucky to see mid-to-high teens, even if you drive almost exclusively on the highway. It might have a V-8 and boast well over 500 hp, but where is the accompanying soundtrack? Unlike BMW's 4.8-liter, the engine in the X5 M has no deep rumble to it whatsoever.
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The Drive:
DriverSide Driving Impressions
The X5 M is all about mid-range turbo grunt, delivering a heavy thud of torque from just above idle that doesn't let up until 6,000 rpm. It's a fantastically flexible engine, feeling every bit as manic at 3,000 rpm as it does at redline, even if the V-8 is wanting for better vocals. The automatic transmission shifts incredibly fast but sacrifices none of the buttery-smooth off-the-line characteristics that some dual clutches have trouble replicating. Get it into a corner and the balance and grip are surprising to say the least, but feel through the steering wheel is frighteningly vague for a BMW. Still, the X5 M feels like it has all the ability of the much less practical X6 M, but in this package we like it a whole lot more.
Engine and Drivetrain
The X5 M is powered by a 4.4-liter twin-turbo four cam V-8 engine that produces 555 horsepower and 500 lb-ft of torque at as low as 1,500 rpm. Power is driven to all four wheels via a six-speed automatic gearbox with steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters.
Interesting Vehicle Features and Option
There aren't a lot of options available, but one cool add-on is the Driver Assistance Package, which adds a heads-up display, automatic headlights and rearview camera with a very cool top-down view that makes parking feel like a video game.
Key Technology Evaluation
BMW's recently reworked iDrive system comes standard, and if you've heard horror stories from the past, you can relax. The new system is a substantial achievement in usability, technological integration and, er, common sense compatibility. We find it a bit ridiculous that iPod and USB adaptors don't come standard in a car this price.
Green Evaluation/Gas Mileage
Brace yourself. This car has come to our planet to consume all of our fossil fuels with its ruthless thirst, returning 12 mpg city, 17 mpg highway. You'll rarely see above 17 mpg, even if you consider yourself an avid supporter of the speed limits and cruise control. It weighs over 5,300 lbs, after all.
A Closer Look: Vehicle Details
Inside, the X5 is quite roomy and has a refreshing amount of space when compared with the claustrophobic X6 M. iDrive has significantly simplified the console layout and the carbon fiber on the dash and console perfectly fit the car's brute force, high-tech attitude.
Lower side skirts, blistering wheel arches and gaping front-end air vents give the X5 M the presence of a bare-knuckle boxer in a room full of accountants. All of the new panels and low ride height hide the car's tall-ish stature, like a hatchback that's had everything turned up to 11.
Market Segment and Pricing
The 2010 BMW X5 M comes in at an MSRP of $85,400, but keep in mind that the price of entry into the super-ute club is quite high, as is evidenced by its competitors. These include the
Porsche Cayenne
Turbo ($99,900),
Mercedes-Benz ML
63 AMG ($91,050) and, of course, the
What We Think
The X5 M may eat more fuel than a medium-sized helicopter and cost as much as a Porsche 911, but it's a damn sight more practical that the X6 M with which it shares its drivetrain. We didn't think anything would come along that could genuinely rival the Porsche Cayenne Turbo, but the X5 M is a serious contender for the super-ute crown.
See more reviews >>
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Micron 27-30, Staple length approx. 11cm (4¼")
Corriedale wool has a defined, even crimp and is smooth and easy to spin or felt. You can spin a fine to medium woollen, worsted or semi-worsted yarn. Corriedale will bulk after washing and has good elasticity. It is ideal for baby wear, woven, knitted or crocheted garments, and is very popular for needle felting projects.