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Risky Play
Why Children Love It and Need It.
To protect our children we must allow them to play and learn without adult supervision.
Fear, you would think, is a negative experience, to be avoided whenever possible. Yet as everyone who has a child or once was one knows, children love to play in risky ways—ways that combine the joy of freedom with just the right measure of fear to produce the exhilarating blend known as thrill.
Six categories of risky play
Ellen Sandseter, a professor at Queen Maud University in Trondheim, Norway, has identified six categories of risks that seem to attract children everywhere in their play. These are:
Great heights. Children climb trees and other structures to scary heights, from which they gain a bird's-eye view of the world and the thrilling feeling of "I did it!"
Rapid speeds. Children swing on vines, ropes or playground swings; slide on sleds, skis, skates or playground slides; shoot down rapids on logs or boats; and ride bikes, skateboards and other devices fast enough to produce the thrill of almost but not quite losing control.
Dangerous tools. Depending on the culture, children play with knives, bows and arrows, farm machinery (where work and play combine) or other tools known to be potentially dangerous. There is, of course, great satisfaction in being trusted to handle such tools, but there is also thrill in controlling them, knowing that a mistake could hurt.
Dangerous elements. Children love to play with fire, or in and around deep bodies of water, either of which poses some danger.
Rough-and-tumble. Children everywhere chase one another around and fight playfully, and they typically prefer being in the most vulnerable position— the one being chased, or the one underneath in wrestling—the position that involves the most risk of being hurt and requires the most skill to overcome.
Disappearing/getting lost. Little children play hide and seek and experience the thrill of temporary, scary separation from their companions. Older ones venture off on their own, away from adults, into territories that to them are new and filled with imagined dangers, including the danger of getting lost.
The evolutionary value of risky play
Other young mammals also enjoy risky play. Goat kids frolic along steep slopes and leap awkwardly into the air in ways that make landing difficult. Young monkeys playfully swing from branch to branch in trees, far enough apart to challenge their skill and high enough up that a fall could hurt. Young chimpanzees enjoy dropping from high branches and catching themselves on lower ones just before hitting the ground. Young mammals of most species, not just ours, spend great amounts of time chasing one another around and play fighting—and they, too, generally prefer the most vulnerable positions.
From an evolutionary perspective, the obvious question about risky play is this: Why does it exist? It can cause injury (although serious injury is rare) and even (very rarely) death, so why hasn't natural selection weeded it out? The fact that it hasn't been weeded out is evidence that the benefits must outweigh the risks. What are the benefits? Laboratory studies with animals give us some clues.
Researchers have devised ways to deprive young rats of play during a critical phase of their development without depriving them of other social experiences. Rats raised in this way grow up emotionally crippled. When placed in a novel environment, they overact with fear and fail to adapt and explore as a normal rat would. When placed with an unfamiliar peer, they may alternate between freezing in fear and lashing out with inappropriate, ineffective aggression. In earlier experiments, similar findings occurred when young monkeys were deprived of play (though the controls in those experiments were not as good as in the subsequent rat experiments).
Such findings have contributed to the emotion regulation theory of play—the theory that one of play's major functions is to teach young mammals how to regulate fear and anger. In risky play, youngsters dose themselves with manageable quantities of fear and practice keeping their heads and behaving adaptively while experiencing that fear. They learn that they can manage their fear, overcome it, and come out alive. In roughand- tumble play they may also experience anger, as one player may accidentally hurt another. But to continue playing, to continue the fun, they must overcome that anger. If they lash out, the play is over. Thus, according to the emotion regulation theory, play is, among other things, the way that young mammals learn to control their fear and anger so they can encounter real-life dangers, and interact in close quarters with others, without succumbing to negative emotions.
The harmful consequences of play deprivation
On the basis of such research, Sandseter wrote, in a 2011 article in the journal Evolutionary Psychology, "We may observe an increased neuroticism or psychopathology in society if children are hindered from partaking in age-adequate risky play." She wrote this as if it were a prediction for the future, but I've reviewed data— in Free to Learn and elsewhere—indicating that this future is here already and has been for a while.
Briefly, the evidence is this: Over the past 60 years we have witnessed in our culture a continuous, gradual, but ultimately dramatic decline in children's opportunities to play freely, without adult control, and especially in their opportunities to play in risky ways. Over the same 60 years we have also witnessed a continuous, gradual, but ultimately dramatic increase in all sorts of childhood mental disorders, especially emotional disorders.
Look back at that list of six categories of risky play. In the 1950s, even young children regularly played in all of these ways, and adults expected and permitted such play (even if they weren't always happy about it). Now parents who allowed such play would likely be accused of negligence, by their neighbors if not by state authorities.
Here—as an admittedly nostalgic digression—are just a few examples of my own play, as a child in the 1950s:
At the age of 5, I took bike rides with my 6-year-old friend all over the village where I lived and into the surrounding countryside. Our parents gave us some limits as to when we had to be back, but they didn't restrict our range of movement. (And, of course, we had no cell phones then, no means of contacting anyone if we got lost or hurt.)
From the age of 6 on, I, and all the other boys I knew, carried a jackknife. We used it not just for whittling, but also for games that involved throwing knives (never at each other).
At age 8, I recall, my friends and I spent recesses and lunch hours wrestling in the snow or grass on a steep bank near the school. We had tournaments that we arranged ourselves. No teachers or other adults paid attention to our wrestling, or, if they did, they never interfered.
When I was 10 and 11, my friends and I took all-day skating and skiing hikes on the 5-mile-long lake that bordered our northern Minnesota village. We carried matches and occasionally stopped on islands to build fires and warm ourselves, as we pretended to be brave explorers.
Also when I was 10 and 11, I was allowed to operate the big, dangerous, hand-fed printing press at the print shop where my parents worked. In fact, I often took Thursdays off from school (in fifth and sixth grades), to print the town's weekly newspaper. The teachers and principal never complained, at least not that I know of. I think they knew that I was learning more valuable lessons at the print shop than I would have at school.
Such behavior was unexceptional in the 1950s. My parents may have been a bit more trusting and tolerant than most other parents, but not by much. How much of this would be acceptable to most parents and other adult authorities today? Here's an index of how far we have moved: In a recent survey of more than a thousand parents in the United Kingdom, 43 percent believed that children under the age of 14 shouldn't be allowed outside unsupervised, and half of those believed they shouldn't be allowed such freedom until at least 16 years of age! My guess is that roughly the same would be found if that survey were conducted in the United States. Adventures that used to be normal for 6-year-olds are now not allowed even for many teenagers.
As I said, over the same period that we have seen such a dramatic decline in children's freedom to play, and especially in their freedom to embrace risk, we have seen an equally dramatic rise in all sorts of childhood mental disorders. The best evidence for this comes from the analyses of scores on standard clinical assessment questionnaires that have been given in unchanged form to normative groups of children and young adults over the decades. Such analyses reveal that five to eight times as many young people today suffer from clinically significant levels of anxiety and depression, by today's standards, than was true in the 1950s. Just as the decline in children's freedom to embrace risk has been continuous and gradual, so has the rise in children's psychopathology.
The story is both ironic and tragic. We deprive children of free, risky play, ostensibly to protect them from danger, but in the process we set them up for mental breakdowns. Children are designed by nature to teach themselves emotional resilience by playing in risky, emotion-inducing ways. In the long run, we endanger them far more by preventing such play than by allowing it. And, we deprive them of fun.
Free-form play is safer than supervised sports
Children are highly motivated to play in risky ways, but they are also very good at knowing their own capacities and avoiding risks they are not ready to take, either physically or emotionally. Our children know far better than we do what they are ready for. When adults pressure or even encourage children to take risks they aren't ready for, the result may be trauma, not thrill. There are big differences among kids, even among those who are similar in age, size and strength. What is thrilling for one is traumatic for another. When physical education instructors require all of the children in a gym class to climb a rope or pole to the ceiling, some children, for whom the challenge is too great, experience trauma and shame. Instead of helping them learn to climb and experience heights, the experience turns them forever away from such adventures. Children know how to dose themselves with just the right amount of fear for them, and for that knowledge to operate they must be in charge of their own play. (Parenthetically, I note that a relatively small percentage of children are prone to overestimate their abilities and do repeatedly hurt themselves in risky play. These children may need help in learning restraint.)
An ironic fact is that children are far more likely to injure themselves in adult-directed sports than in their own freely chosen, self-directed play. That's because the adult encouragement and competitive nature of the sports lead children to take risks— both of hurting themselves and of hurting others—that they would not choose to take in free play. It is also because they are encouraged, in such sports, to specialize, and therefore overuse specific muscles and joints. According to the latest data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 3.5 million children per year under the age of 14 receive medical treatment for sports injuries. That's about 1 out of every 7 children engaged in youth sports. Sports medicine for children has become a big business, thanks to adults who encourage young pitchers to throw so hard and so often they throw out their elbows, encourage young football linemen to hit so hard they get concussions, encourage young swimmers to practice so often and hard they damage their shoulders to the point of needing surgery. Children playing for fun rarely specialize (they enjoy variety in play), and they stop when it hurts, or they change the way they are playing. Also, because it's all for fun, they take care not to hurt their playmates. Adults, who get all wrapped up in winning and may hope for eventual scholarships, work against nature's means of preventing damage.
So, we prevent children from their own, self-chosen, thrilling play, believing it dangerous when in fact it is not so dangerous and has benefits that outweigh the dangers, and then we encourage children to specialize in a competitive sport, where the dangers of injury are really quite large. It's time to reexamine our priorities.


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I have a root/cold cellar underneath my front porch. The walls appear to be poured concrete as I can't see any bricks or cinder blocks.
The room sweats like crazy so there is an obvious moisture problem. The door to the room is just made of what looks like whatever wood the previous owner had lying around.
I don't use the room and I'd like to eliminate it all together. Is this as simple as removing the door to the room and closing it off?
The only problem I foresee is that the pipe that supplies natural gas runs to my home right through that room.

subset: commoncrawl


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"Billi" is the first album from the artist with Sony Publishing
LOS ANGELES, CA, May 5, 2021, ZEXPRWIRE – New music artist King Pierre is releasing his new project, "Billi," this summer and will be performing throughout the Los Angeles area. The songwriter recently signed a publishing deal with Sony/ATV Publishing, allowing his new album to be streamed worldwide.
King Pierre grew up in Chicago, Illinois and moved to California after signing the publishing deal with Sony. King Pierre is best known for his single, "Treat Me Right," which generated over 1 million streams after the Black Lives Matter protest. He is known for his impact in Chicago with his mixtape "Chi City."
King is an American rapper songwriter, actor and entrepreneur. He began his career as a songwriter for other artists, many of whom are well-known, but recently decided to take a different approach to his career and began recording his own music.
The rapper is known for combining rap with smooth R&B sounds and relevant lyrics. Listen to King Pierre's latest releases on Apple Music or Spotify.
Media Contact
Company Name: JMG Recording & Sony/ATV Publishing
Contact Person: Jamie Jackson
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 5626762945
Address: 6245 Santa Monica Blvd,
City: Los Angeles
State: CA
Country: United States
The post Rap Artist King Pierre Releasing New Album appeared first on Zex PR Wire.


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Johnson Auction
Service Inc. Auctions Held Weekly |
| Johnson Auction Service, Inc. 147 Flaugherty Run Road Moon Township, PA 15108 Phone: 724.457.1100 Fax: 724.457.1302 Email: Email us |
Office hours: Monday - Friday 9am-5pm. Weekends by chance - please call. copyright Johnson Auction Service, Inc. |
AUCTION FAQs
For buyers' convenience and upon finalization of purchase, removal times are extended to one day past the day of the auction.
Goods may be collected between the hours of:
8 a.m. and 6:00pm weekdays Delivery services are also available. Terms of payment are: Cash, Debit Cards, Visa, MasterCard JAS adds a 13% "Buyer's Premium" to the winning bid and is payable as part of the bidder's total purchase price. A 3% discount is applied for payments using cash, debit cards or checks known to us. Absentee bids accepted. Tax-exempt buyers are required by the state of Pennsylvania to provide Johnson Auction Service with a tax-exempt form annually. A standard form can be found at the Pennsylvania State Department of Revenue. Print out the form, fill in the information and bring with you to the next auction. The form can be found here. Close out the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue page to return here.
Prompt attention given to all calls
724.457.1100 Established 30 years ago servicing Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Beaver County, Butler County, & surrounding areas. Member of The Pennsylvania Auction Association, National Auction Association, Auction Marketing Institute Graduate, Master Personal Property Appraiser, Real Estate License |


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Woodland Hills, CA 91364
Tel : 818.222.8541
Contact: Derek Warner
Derek Warner
Got Shade designs, fabricates and installs shade sails, shade structures and shade canopies. Commercial and yes we will work on residential projects.
We will be happy to provide free over the phone consultations for any shade project you may be considering.
Got Shade can work with your designer or architect to create your custom shade systems or our designer can work directly with you to create an eye catching contemporary design that look amazing and will provide lower ambient air temperature thus usually lowering your properties cooling cost.
Shade sails are a great way to introduce color and texture to your project. The best thing is that shade sails are different and new to this area and don't require much structure to erect.
Watch for Got Shade on TV's Yard Crasher's.
Product Categories:
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09700 Wall Finishes, Wall Fabrics + Coverings
10530 Awnings, Canopies + Sun Control
13121 Fabric Structures
13123 Cable Supported + Fabric Structures
Commercial + Residential
Market | Regional |
Founded | 1990 |
Showrooms | 1 |
Employees | 5 |
Showrooms / Distributors:
Got Shade offers total turn key service from design, engineering, plans, permit service, fabrication to installation. We are licensed contractors by the states of California, Nevada, and Arizona. Got Shade is registered with the better business bureau and is fully insured.
Our shade sails are available in a wide range of colors and shapes. They are remarkably strong and constructed to withstand high winds. When tensioned properly, they will not wrinkle, sag or flap in the wind. Got Shade carries a 10 year manufacturer warranty against UV breakdown, mildew, rot or color fading. Our thread is warranted for the life of the shade sail. The use of marine grade stainless steel hardware and rigging adds to the life and looks great for years to come.
Got Shade is proud to be associated with the TV's show Yard Crasher. We will be seen soon again on future episodes so watch for us!
Contact US.
Got Shade can design and fabricate any custom shade sails to cater to your specific requirements. Prices vary depending on your requests and requirements.
In addition to our state of the art custom shade sails we offer the finest hardware available. All cables, rigging, and turnbuckles are made of marine grade stainless steel. Building mounts can be custom fabricated as needed.
New Products:
Roman shades, Trellis Covers and Patio Structure Covers
Roman Shades
Trellis Covers
Patio Structure Covers
Green Statement/Products:
All materials used to fabricate and install our shade sails and shade systems are 98-100% recyclable.
Got Shade's contemporary shade sails and shade systems will provide lower ambient air temperature thus lowering your properties energy consumption and usually lower cooling cost.
Contact us for info
Links: Products Services Photo Gallery Uses |
Technical Links: Color Chart About Us How It Works |


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Your fees would be payable directly to the CNM. Payments can be made by bank transfer, cheque and by most major debit/credit cards.
Monthly Instalments
There is an option to pay monthly instalments by Direct Debit through a third party company that is authorised and regulated by the FCA. All Direct Debits are protected by guarantee. Should you live outside of the UK, there is an alternative instalment option.
Sponsor-funded students
You may be eligible to have your tuition fees sponsored by your employer or other institution. Should you be in a position to receive this sponsorship, CNM accounts can provide you with the relevant documents.
Personal Loans
Lendwise is a specialist loan provider dedicated to education finance for UK residents who are looking to fund their postgraduate studies at leading UK universities and professional qualification course providers. The interest rate offered will depend on the overall applicant profile and the application process is entirely online. Please contact Lendwise directly to apply. Lendwise Ltd, is a private student loans company that is authorised and regulated by the FCA.
Have a question?
Contact us to speak with a course consultant


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Dainty Daisies Collection - Personalized Infant Swaddle
Regular price $12.95Silky soft with a gentle stretch, these swaddles make the best gifts for those little adorable ones. Machine wash cold & tumble dry. Single side printing.
(100% polyester jersey, single side printing. Lightweight and airy with a stretch to wrap baby safely and snug)
Sizes Available:
What are your production time frames?
All items are handmade to order with an average production time of 7-10 business days (this does not include weekends or holidays) therefore the ship-by dates may vary slightly. You will receive shipping confirmation with tracking once your order leaves our facility. We do not accept any RUSH requests at this time.
What do I do if I put in the wrong shipping address?
Contact us immediately if you need to correct your shipping address. We are not responsible for incorrect addresses. If your package is returned, you are responsible for the additional shipping service.
What is your return & exchange policy?
To return items please contact us by email at email@example.com. Unwanted items may be returned for a full refund, as long as they are received back in within 10 days of receipt and in unworn/used condition **This policy excludes custom designs. We are unable to accept returns on custom designed items**. Postage is non refundable and you will be responsible for return postage.
What if my item was delivered damaged?
In the event of damage in transit, please email us immediately. A claim for damage during shipping, missing items, or lost shipments must be made within 10 days of receipt of goods. Defective Goods will be repaired or replaced, or a full credit may be issued at our option within 30 days of receipt of goods.


text: The year is 1173. England and France are at war. The destiny of the two great powers has never been so intertwined. As King Henry's wife, Queen Eleanor, is captured and imprisoned by the king himself, Richard and his brothers lead the fight against their father in a heartless war. Allegiances shift with each victory or defeat as the destinies of England and France keep swaying in a delicate balance.


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In 1957, Arjo was founded in Eslöv by Swedish entrepreneur Arne Johansson. Originally, the company manufactured components and parts for other manufacturers, including for medical equipment.
Arne Johansson was quick to notice a market need for special bathing equipment and walking aids in healthcare and elderly care, as well as patient handling and transfer equipment for healthcare professionals. Arne made the shrewd decision to develop a range of innovative products to meet these needs, which were extremely well received. Shortly thereafter, Arjo began selling its products beyond Sweden's borders.


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The Gravel Doctor™ Edmonton
Driveway Repair Made Easy with The Gravel Doctor®ELIMINATE DRIVEWAY POTHOLES, RUTS, GRASS AND WEEDS!
Commercial or residential – whatever your need, The GRAVEL DOCTOR® is the industry's most innovative provider of gravel and unpaved surface restoration.
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The GRAVEL DOCTOR® machine is versatile and highly maneuverable compared to heavy road construction machinery because it operates in both forward and reverse. It is particularly efficient in operating in areas under 1,000 linear feet and areas adjacent to buildings and curbs where traditional equipment cannot access. Unlike graders and other heavy equipment the Gravel Doctor® can easily service previously inaccessible areas such as corners and areas adjacent to buildings and curbs.
The machine scarifies, remixes, spreads and levels existing gravel or new material. The GRAVEL DOCTOR® equipment is designed to mount on a category one 3-point hitch on a compact 4 wheel drive tractor. The machine is available in 4′ 6" to 8' sizes. Larger sizes can be custom built. There is no direct competition to the Gravel Doctor in the current market place. Tractors, bulldozers, and road graders are considered indirect competition because, unlike The GRAVEL DOCTOR® system, these traditional machines scrape the surface only. When compared to conventional heavy machinery The Gravel Doctor's® design achieves equal or superior results, in less time, while preserving the original landscape.
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Thu, Jul 13
|SharaLife First Aid
Blended Learning CPR-C/AED
Blended Learning CPR-C/AED Course includes an online portion and in class session. *This course does NOT include the standard first aid components.* Only CPR and AED
Registration is closed
See other eventsTime & Location
Jul 13, 2023, 8:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
SharaLife First Aid, 601 45 St E, Saskatoon, SK S7K 0W4, Canada
About the Event
This course consists of an online portion and an in-class portion. Having an online portion allows for a shorter in-class session. The online portion will be emailed to you once the registration is completed. The online portion should be completed prior to the in-class date.
CPR-C/AED Full Course
$100.00Tax: +$11.00 GST/PSTSale ended
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Sparring Partners (Paperback)
NOT on our shelves - Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • John Grisham is the acknowledged master of the legal thriller. In his first collection of novellas, law is a common thread, but America's favorite storyteller has several surprises in store.
"Homecoming" takes us back to Ford County, the fictional setting of many of John Grisham's unforgettable stories. Jake Brigance is back, but he's not in the courtroom. He's called upon to help an old friend, Mack Stafford, a former lawyer in Clanton, who three years earlier became a local legend when he stole money from his clients, divorced his wife, filed for bankruptcy, and left his family in the middle of the night, never to be heard from again—until now. Now Mack is back, and he's leaning on his old pals, Jake and Harry Rex, to help him return. His homecoming does not go as planned.
In "Strawberry Moon," we meet Cody Wallace, a young death row inmate only three hours away from execution. His lawyers can't save him, the courts slam the door, and the governor says no to a last-minute request for clemency. As the clock winds down, Cody has one final request.
The "Sparring Partners" are the Malloy brothers, Kirk and Rusty, two successful young lawyers who inherited a once prosperous firm when its founder, their father, was sent to prison. Kirk and Rusty loathe each other, and speak to each other only when necessary. As the firm disintegrates, the resulting fiasco falls into the lap of Diantha Bradshaw, the only person the partners trust. Can she save the Malloys, or does she take a stand for the first time in her career and try to save herself?
By turns suspenseful, hilarious, powerful, and moving, these are three of the greatest stories John Grisham has ever told.
Don't miss John Grisham's new book, THE EXCHANGE: AFTER THE FIRM!
About the Author
John Grisham is the author of forty-seven consecutive #1 bestsellers, which have been translated into nearly fifty languages. His recent books include The Judge's List, Sooley, and his third Jake Brigance novel, A Time for Mercy, which is being developed by HBO as a limited series.
Grisham is a two-time winner of the Harper Lee Prize for Legal Fiction and was honored with the Library of Congress Creative Achievement Award for Fiction.
When he's not writing, Grisham serves on the board of directors of the Innocence Project and of Centurion Ministries, two national organizations dedicated to exonerating those who have been wrongfully convicted. Much of his fiction explores deep-seated problems in our criminal justice system.
John lives on a farm in central Virginia.
Praise For…
"John Grisham is about as good a storyteller as we've got in the United States these days." —The New York Times Book Review
"Grisham's work—always superior entertainment—is evolving into something more serious, more powerful, more worthy of his exceptional talent." —The Washington Post
"The law, by its nature, creates drama, and a new Grisham promises us an inside look at the dirty machineries of process and power, with plenty of entertainment." —Los Angeles Times
"A legal literary legend." —USA Today


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Wednesday 29 February 2012
In the weekend Brendon and I went up to Auckland to celebrate my good friends birthday with her and her hubby. We discovered a very cute winery, went to a chocolate boutique and had a few drinks at a bar. All in all it was a wonderful day so I thought I'd share some of the photos from our winery adventure.
We did a spot of wine tasting with some srummy nibbles and then went out back to explore the vineyard. We even got to try some of the grapes. Will definitely be coming back here again. Happy birthday babe!
Thursday 16 February 2012
I've just finished making wedding invitations for my good friends James and Caramay. We based the design around these round boxes and I used a 3inch circle punch to cut out all of the circles. I printed the "invitation side" on a thick paper stock and the "photo side" on sticker sheets. I tacked on the invitation side to the ribbon lining it all up and then I peeled off the sticker side and attached it to the back of the invitation.
Each invite has 7 circles on a ribbon which can be hung on a hook or attached to a fridge. I think my poor fingers need a bit of a rest from putting them all together! I must say, I love the little teepee illustration we came up with.
In other news, I bought my first set of watercolours and I can't wait to try them this weekend! Eeee.
Hi guys, since posting this I have had quite a few inquires about this invitation. Unfortunately, due to the time consuming nature of this project – and difficulty of sourcing round boxes – this was a one-off. However, if you would like invites like this (minus the box) or any other custom invitation, feel free to email me at email@example.com. Thanks :)
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Plus500 Withdrawal Fees explained, All you need to know about Plus 500 Withdrawal Fees, Read this article about Plus500 Withdraw charges before open account. For more info about Plus 500 Withdraw charges visit plus500 UK reviews by ForexSQ.com website.
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The recipe for Finnair's beloved blueberry juice drink is changing – more blueberries and a new, carbon-neutral packaging
Finnair is renewing the recipe for its iconic blueberry juice drink and removing the previously used grape juice concentrate from the juice drink. At first, the renewed juice drink will be available at K-Group's grocery stores in Finland, and in the coming weeks it will be gradually served on Finnair flights.
"Our famous signature blueberry juice drink will have an improved taste and consists of 12% blueberries. With product development, we renew the recipe and stop using the grape juice concentrate completely. Since the juice drink will only contain blueberries in the future, the color of the drink will be slightly lighter and may vary depending on the color of the raw material. With the new recipe, the juice drink has a clean and authentic taste of wild blueberries," says Lauri Ahonen, Concept & Category Manager at Finnair Kitchen.
The beverage packaging will also be renewed and will be carbon neutral and more environmentally friendly in the future. The packaging cap will be wood oil-based and even smaller, consuming 35% less material, and the carbon footprint of the packaging will be compensated 100%. Finnair's branded blueberry juice drink is produced in Turku on the southwest coast of Finland, by leading European juice producer, Eckes-Granini. It is manufactured using 100% renewable energy.
The blueberry juice drink is made from wild blueberries that are collected from Finland and other EU countries, depending on the annual yield. The drink does not contain preservatives or artificial colours.
Last year, Finnair also brought its signature blueberry juice drink available to buy in supermarkets across Finland. In 2019, Finnair's customers enjoyed more than 800,000 liters of blueberry juice on Finnair flights.


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Rock N Roll Cheeseburger Episode Eight! YouTube funnyman Jason Horton grills up the comedy burgers with the gang, discussing: Halloween Candy, Last-Minute Costumes, Ghosts, and Facebook Soapboxing. We hear political advertisements from fake candidates Nancy R. Adams and Carl Zerptington. And we rock some wild tunes from "Fire The Animal" and "Mudface". We revisit 60 Second Storyhour with a Halloween edition, including Dan's "Tell-Tale Fart". Tune in next week for the Town Hall Debate with candidates Adams and Zerpington! Until then, plug your burger into an amplifier & rock the cheese off.
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It's spring! (honestly. even if it is raining). & that means that it was my mum's birthday! (& also my sister's birthday and my lovely niece's birthday... although I wasn't on cake duty for them). So, to celebrate, I made my mum a surprise cake. She's an amazing baker & has taught me all I know... and I am slowly but surely getting better at doing bigger cakes, but it means that the pressure is on to make it look good.
I'm afraid I didn't take photos of the actual baking process (as I wasn't even thinking about starting a blog when I made it!), but here's how I did it.
First - bake the cake. I went for a simple vanilla sponge.
Preheat your oven to about 180 degrees whilst you are getting the ingredients ready.
- 200g butter
- 200g caster sugar
- 200g self raising flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 4 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons milk
Bung it all together. Start by mixing the butter & sugar until it's nicely smooth, then add flour, baking powder, & eggs. Start to mix this, pause to add in the milk, then keep going until most of the lumps are out. Be careful! It's better to have a mixture that is very slightly under-mixed and still has lots of air in it, rather than something that is super smooth, but won't rise at all.
Grease & line your cake pan or pans and slop the mixture in. This recipe is great, cause you can play about with it however you want and it takes the rough handling well. I've used it to make cakes in sandwich pans and deep cake tins and both turned out great - just remember and adjust the baking time accordingly! Assuming you are going for a 7 inch deep cake pan - put it in the oven and set your timer for about 30 minutes. DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN DURING THIS TIME. RESIST THE TEMPTATION.
After 30 minutes, have a look through your oven door. If it still looks pale on top then it's not even worth opening the door, just set your timer for another 10 minutes and come back. If it looks like it's colouring nicely then grab the sharpest knife you can, very quickly open the door & do the skewer test. Do not bring the cake out of the oven! Keep it on the shelf whilst doing this, and try and be as quick as possible. If the cake isn't ready & is suddenly cooled then it will sink, you will be sad, and nothing will save it. Protect it from the big, bad cold world.
If the skewer/knife comes out clean and it bounces back nicely when (gently) pressed, then great! Get it out and leave it to cool for ages. If the skewer comes back with cake mixture on it, stick it back in, leave for ten minutes and then repeat.
When the cake is nice and cool to the touch, start getting your decorations ready. For this cake, I made a big batch of buttercream (which was 500g icing sugar with 250g butter aka the best icing in the world). Cut the cake in half (again, assuming it was from a deep cake tin) and put a nice layer of buttercream and jam in the middle (use raspberry! it's the best!). Cover the whole thing in buttercream, starting on the sides, and finally smoothing over the top. I'll take photos of how to do this another time.
Now, the fun bit! Roll out whatever fondant you want to use (I mixed dark blue and white to create the "sky") & gently cover the cake. I can't do this very well, but a bit of speed helps. I smooshed it down too much, and you can see the little cracks in the above picture (oh, the shame). Anyway, it's fine. Practice helps.
Roll out a green strip, cut out triangles to make it spikey, and you have your "grass" which brilliantly is then glued (with buttercream) round the bottom of the cake, hiding the edge of the blue fondant. Stick on mini eggs to hide the edge of the green! Stick on wafer flowers (again, with a wee dab of buttercream) and try to place them evenly around the cake. This is another good opportunity to hide any cracks/marks on the blue fondant. Ice little stems with writing icing & give it a little dash of edible glitter to sparkle. Tada, a spring cake!
Everything (including the cake board) was bought in sainsburys cause I couldn't be bother walking to the cake shop in Edinburgh, so you don't even need to stress about buying fancy cake supplies. This would work pretty well for mother's day too, which is THIS SUNDAY (heads up).


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The Desire of Ages, pages 144-153 (This chapter is based on John 2:1-11.)
Jesus did not begin His ministry by some great work before the Sanhedrin at Jerusalem. At a household gathering in a little Galilean village His power was put forth to add to the joy of a wedding feast. Thus He showed His sympathy with men, and His desire to minister to their happiness. In the wilderness of temptation He Himself had drunk the cup of woe. He came forth to give to men the cup of blessing, by His benediction to hallow the relations of human life.
From the Jordan, Jesus had returned to Galilee. There was to be a marriage at Cana, a little town not far from Nazareth; the parties were relatives of Joseph and Mary; and Jesus, knowing of this family gathering, went to Cana, and with His disciples was invited to the feast.
Again He met His mother, from whom He had for some time been separated. Mary had heard of the manifestation at the Jordan, at His baptism. The tidings had been carried to Nazareth, and had brought to her mind afresh the scenes that for so many years had been hidden in her heart. In common with all Israel, Mary was deeply stirred by the mission of John the Baptist. Well she remembered the prophecy given at his birth. Now his connection with Jesus kindled her hopes anew. But tidings had reached her also of the mysterious departure of Jesus to the wilderness, and she was oppressed with troubled forebodings.
From the day when she heard the angel's announcement in the home at Nazareth Mary had treasured every evidence that Jesus was the Messiah. His sweet, unselfish life assured her that He could be no other than the Sent of God. Yet there came to her also doubts and disappointments, and she had longed for the time when His glory should be revealed. Death had separated her from Joseph, who had shared her knowledge of the mystery of the birth of Jesus. Now there was no one to whom she could confide her hopes and fears. The past two months had been very sorrowful. She had been parted from Jesus, in whose sympathy she found comfort; she pondered upon the words of Simeon, "A sword shall pierce through thy own soul also" (Luke 2:35); she recalled the three days of agony when she thought Jesus lost to her forever; and with an anxious heart she awaited His return.
At the marriage feast she meets Him, the same tender, dutiful son. Yet He is not the same. His countenance is changed. It bears the traces of His conflict in the wilderness, and a new expression of dignity and power gives evidence of His heavenly mission. With Him is a group of young men, whose eyes follow Him with reverence, and who call Him Master. These companions recount to Mary what they have seen and heard at the baptism and elsewhere. They conclude by declaring, "We have found Him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write." John 1:45.
As the guests assemble, many seem to be preoccupied with some topic of absorbing interest. A suppressed excitement pervades the company. Little groups converse together in eager but quiet tones, and wondering glances are turned upon the Son of Mary. As Mary had heard the disciples' testimony in regard to Jesus, she had been gladdened with the assurance that her long-cherished hopes were not in vain. Yet she would have been more than human if there had not mingled with this holy joy a trace of the fond mother's natural pride. As she saw the many glances bent upon Jesus, she longed to have Him prove to the company that He was really the Honored of God. She hoped there might be opportunity for Him to work a miracle before them.
It was the custom of the times for marriage festivities to continue several days. On this occasion, before the feast ended it was found that the supply of wine had failed. This discovery caused much perplexity and regret. It was unusual to dispense with wine on festive occasions, and its absence would seem to indicate a want of hospitality. As a relative of the parties, Mary had assisted in the arrangements for the feast, and she now spoke to Jesus, saying, "They have no wine." These words were a suggestion that He might supply their need. But Jesus answered, "Woman, what have I to do with thee? Mine hour is not yet come."
This answer, abrupt as it seems to us, expressed no coldness or discourtesy. The Savior's form of address to His mother was in accordance with Oriental custom. It was used toward persons to whom it was desired to show respect. Every act of Christ's earthly life was in harmony with the precept He Himself had given, "Honor thy father and thy mother." Ex. 20:12. On the cross, in His last act of tenderness toward His mother, Jesus again addressed her in the same way, as He committed her to the care of His best-loved disciple. Both at the marriage feast and upon the cross, the love expressed in tone and look and manner interpreted His words.
At His visit to the temple in His boyhood, as the mystery of His lifework opened before Him, Christ had said to Mary, "Wist ye not that I must be about My Father's business?" Luke 2:49. These struck the keynote of His whole life and ministry. Everything was held in abeyance to His work, the great work of redemption which He had come into the world to accomplish. Now He repeated the lesson. There was danger that Mary would regard her relationship to Jesus as giving her a special claim upon Him, and the right, in some degree, to direct Him in His mission. For thirty years He had been to her a loving and obedient son, and His love was unchanged; but He must now go about His Father's work. As Son of the Most High, and Savior of the world, no earthly ties must hold Him from His mission, or influence His conduct. He must stand free to do the will of God. This lesson is also for us. The claims of God are paramount even to the ties of human relationship. No earthly attraction should turn our feet from the path in which He bids us walk.
The only hope of redemption for our fallen race is in Christ; Mary could find salvation only through the Lamb of God. In herself she possessed no merit. Her connection with Jesus placed her in no different spiritual relation to Him from that of any other human soul. This is indicated in the Savior's words. He makes clear the distinction between His relation to her as the Son of man and as the Son of God. The tie of kinship between them in no way placed her on an equality with Him.
The words, "Mine hour is not yet come," point to the fact that every act of Christ's life on earth was in fulfillment of the plan that had existed from the days of eternity. Before He came to earth, the plan lay out before Him, perfect in all its details. But as He walked among men, He was guided, step by step, by the Father's will. He did not hesitate to act at the appointed time. With the same submission He waited until the time had come.
In saying to Mary that His hour had not yet come, Jesus was replying to her unspoken thought,--to the expectation she cherished in common with her people. She hoped that He would reveal Himself as the Messiah, and take the throne of Israel. But the time had not come. Not as a King, but as "a Man of Sorrows, and acquainted with grief," had Jesus accepted the lot of humanity.
But though Mary had not a right conception of Christ's mission, she trusted Him implicitly. To this faith Jesus responded. It was to honor Mary's trust, and to strengthen the faith of His disciples, that the first miracle was performed. The disciples were to encounter many and great temptations to unbelief. To them the prophecies had made clear beyond all controversy that Jesus was the Messiah. They looked for the religious leaders to receive Him with confidence even greater than their own. They declared among the people the wonderful works of Christ and their own confidence in His mission, but they were amazed and bitterly disappointed by the unbelief, the deep-seated prejudice, and the enmity to Jesus, displayed by the priests and rabbis. The Savior's early miracles strengthened the disciples to stand against this opposition.
In nowise disconcerted by the words of Jesus, Mary said to those serving at table, "Whatsoever He saith unto you, do it." Thus she did what she could to prepare the way for the work of Christ.
Beside the doorway stood six large stone water jars, and Jesus bade the servants fill these with water. It was done. Then as the wine was wanted for immediate use, He said, "Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast." Instead of the water with which the vessels had been filled, there flowed forth wine. Neither the ruler of the feast nor the guests generally were aware that the supply of wine had failed. Upon tasting that which the servants brought, the ruler found it superior to any he had ever before drunk, and very different from that served at the beginning of the feast. Turning to the bridegroom, he said, "Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now."
As men set forth the best wine first, then afterward that which is worse, so does the world with its gifts. That which it offers may please the eye and fascinate the senses, but it proves to be unsatisfying. The wine turns to bitterness, the gaiety to gloom. That which was begun with songs and mirth ends in weariness and disgust. But the gifts of Jesus are ever fresh and new. The feast that He provides for the soul never fails to give satisfaction and joy. Each new gift increases the capacity of the receiver to appreciate and enjoy the blessings of the Lord. He gives grace for grace. There can be no failure of supply. If you abide in Him, the fact that you receive a rich gift today insures the reception of a richer gift tomorrow. The words of Jesus to Nathanael express the law of God's dealing with the children of faith. With every fresh revelation of His love, He declares to the receptive heart, "Believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these." John 1:50.
The gift of Christ to the marriage feast was a symbol. The water represented baptism into His death; the wine, the shedding of His blood for the sins of the world. The water to fill the jars was brought by human hands, but the word of Christ alone could impart to it life-giving virtue. So with the rites which point to the Savior's death. It is only by the power of Christ, working through faith, that they have efficacy to nourish the soul.
The word of Christ supplied ample provision for the feast. So abundant is the provision of His grace to blot out the iniquities of men, and to renew and sustain the soul.
At the first feast He attended with His disciples, Jesus gave them the cup that symbolized His work for their salvation. At the last supper He gave it again, in the institution of that sacred rite by which His death was to be shown forth "till He come." 1 Cor. 11:26. And the sorrow of the disciples at parting from their Lord was comforted with the promise of reunion, as He said, "I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father's kingdom." Matt. 26:29.
The wine which Christ provided for the feast, and that which He gave to the disciples as a symbol of His own blood, was the pure juice of the grape. To this the prophet Isaiah refers when he speaks of the new wine "in the cluster," and says, "Destroy it not; for a blessing is in it." Isa. 65:8.
It was Christ who in the Old Testament gave the warning to Israel, "Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise." Prov. 20:1. And He Himself provided no such beverage. Satan tempts men to indulgence that will becloud reason and benumb the spiritual perceptions, but Christ teaches us to bring the lower nature into subjection. His whole life was an example of self-denial. In order to break the power of appetite, He suffered in our behalf the severest test that humanity could endure. It was Christ who directed that John the Baptist should drink neither wine nor strong drink. It was He who enjoined similar abstinence upon the wife of Manoah. And He pronounced a curse upon the man who should put the bottle to his neighbor's lips. Christ did not contradict His own teaching. The unfermented wine which He provided for the wedding guests was a wholesome and refreshing drink. Its effect was to bring the taste into harmony with a healthful appetite.
As the guests at the feast remarked upon the quality of the wine, inquiries were made that drew from the servants an account of the miracle. The company were for a time too much amazed to think of Him who had performed the wonderful work. When at length they looked for Him, it was found that He had withdrawn so quietly as to be unnoticed even by His disciples.
The attention of the company was now turned to the disciples. For the first time they had the opportunity of acknowledging their faith in Jesus. They told what they had seen and heard at the Jordan, and there was kindled in many hearts the hope that God had raised up a deliverer for His people. The news of the miracle spread through all that region, and was carried to Jerusalem. With new interest the priests and elders searched the prophecies pointing to Christ's coming. There was eager desire to learn the mission of this new teacher, who appeared among the people in so unassuming a manner.
The ministry of Christ was in marked contrast to that of the Jewish elders. Their regard for tradition and formalism had destroyed all real freedom of thought or action. They lived in continual dread of defilement. To avoid contact with the "unclean," they kept aloof, not only from the Gentiles, but from the majority of their own people, seeking neither to benefit them nor to win their friendship. By dwelling constantly on these matters, they had dwarfed their minds and narrowed the orbit of their lives. Their example encouraged egotism and intolerance among all classes of the people.
Jesus began the work of reformation by coming into close sympathy with humanity. While He showed the greatest reverence for the law of God, He rebuked the pretentious piety of the Pharisees, and tried to free the people from the senseless rules that bound them. He was seeking to break down the barriers which separated the different classes of society, that He might bring men together as children of one family. His attendance at the marriage feast was designed to be a step toward effecting this.
God had directed John the Baptist to dwell in the wilderness, that he might be shielded from the influence of the priests and rabbis, and be prepared for a special mission. But the austerity and isolation of his life were not an example for the people. John himself had not directed his hearers to forsake their former duties. He bade them give evidence of their repentance by faithfulness to God in the place where He had called them.
Jesus reproved self-indulgence in all its forms, yet He was social in His nature. He accepted the hospitality of all classes, visiting the homes of the rich and the poor, the learned and the ignorant, and seeking to elevate their thoughts from questions of commonplace life to those things that are spiritual and eternal. He gave no license to dissipation, and no shadow of worldly levity marred His conduct; yet He found pleasure in scenes of innocent happiness, and by His presence sanctioned the social gathering. A Jewish marriage was an impressive occasion, and its joy was not displeasing to the Son of man. By attending this feast, Jesus honored marriage as a divine institution.
In both the Old and the New Testament, the marriage relation is employed to represent the tender and sacred union that exists between Christ and His people. To the mind of Jesus the gladness of the wedding festivities pointed forward to the rejoicing of that day when He shall bring home His bride to the Father's house, and the redeemed with the Redeemer shall sit down to the marriage supper of the Lamb. He says, "As the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee." "Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; . . . but thou shalt be called My Delight; . . . for the Lord delighteth in thee." "He will rejoice over thee with joy; He will rest in His love, He will joy over thee with singing." Isa. 62:5, 4, margin; Zeph. 3:17. When the vision of heavenly things was granted to John the apostle, he wrote: "I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to Him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife hath made herself ready." "Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb." Rev. 19:6, 7, 9.
Jesus saw in every soul one to whom must be given the call to His kingdom. He reached the hearts of the people by going among them as one who desired their good. He sought them in the public streets, in private houses, on the boats, in the synagogue, by the shores of the lake, and at the marriage feast. He met them at their daily vocations, and manifested an interest in their secular affairs. He carried His instruction into the household, bringing families in their own homes under the influence of His divine presence. His strong personal sympathy helped to win hearts. He often repaired to the mountains for solitary prayer, but this was a preparation for His labor among men in active life. From these seasons He came forth to relieve the sick, to instruct the ignorant, and to break the chains from the captives of Satan.
It was by personal contact and association that Jesus trained His disciples. Sometimes He taught them, sitting among them on the mountainside; sometimes beside the sea, or walking with them by the way, He revealed the mysteries of the kingdom of God. He did not sermonize as men do today. Wherever hearts were open to receive the divine message, He unfolded the truths of the way of salvation. He did not command His disciples to do this or that, but said, "Follow Me." On His journeys through country and cities He took them with Him, that they might see how He taught the people. He linked their interest with His, and they united with Him in the work.
The example of Christ in linking Himself with the interests of humanity should be followed by all who preach His word, and by all who have received the gospel of His grace. We are not to renounce social communion. We should not seclude ourselves from others. In order to reach all classes, we must meet them where they are. They will seldom seek us of their own accord. Not alone from the pulpit are the hearts of men touched by divine truth. There is another field of labor, humbler, it may be, but fully as promising. It is found in the home of the lowly, and in the mansion of the great; at the hospitable board, and in gatherings for innocent social enjoyment.
As disciples of Christ we shall not mingle with the world from a mere love of pleasure, to unite with them in folly. Such associations can result only in harm. We should never give sanction to sin by our words or our deeds, our silence or our presence. Wherever we go, we are to carry Jesus with us, and to reveal to others the preciousness of our Savior. But those who try to preserve their religion by hiding it within stone walls lose precious opportunities of doing good. Through the social relations, Christianity comes in contact with the world. Everyone who has received the divine illumination is to brighten the pathway of those who know not the Light of life.
We should all become witnesses for Jesus. Social power, sanctified by the grace of Christ, must be improved in winning souls to the Savior. Let the world see that we are not selfishly absorbed in our own interests, but that we desire others to share our blessings and privileges. Let them see that our religion does not make us unsympathetic or exacting. Let all who profess to have found Christ, minister as He did for the benefit of men.
We should never give to the world the false impression that Christians are a gloomy, unhappy people. If our eyes are fixed on Jesus, we see a compassionate Redeemer, and shall catch light from His countenance. Wherever His Spirit reigns, there peace abides. And there will be joy also, for there is a calm, holy trust in God.
Christ is pleased with His followers when they show that, though human, they are partakers of the divine nature. They are not statues, but living men and women. Their hearts, refreshed by the dews of divine grace, open and expand to the Sun of Righteousness. The light that shines upon them they reflect upon others in works that are luminous with the love of Christ.


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The masked shiners of La Paz
By Tze-Hung Seeto and John Stuart | Bolivia in South America
SIM workers Randy and Dani Davis are establishing a church called Kayaparu ('at his feet') amongst one of Bolivia's least-reached communities - the shoe shiners of La Paz. SIM missionaries in Bolivia are identifying who the least reached are and what barriers exist between them and hearing the gospel, hoping that all would come to know Christ.
In La Paz, the shiners hide their faces behind masks. Although shoe shiners work in all Bolivia's major cities, a strong sense of shame is associated with being a shiner. There is a feeling that they are invisible in the eyes of society. Crimes on the streets of La Paz are often committed in full view of shiners, because they are not noticed, or are considered insignificant.
Yet shiners perform an integral service. In Bolivian society, polished shoes are a mark of distinction, so shiners represent a key cog of the social hierarchy. So where does the shame come from and why do they wear masks?
Randy revealed that when he first started working in the community, he was surprised to discover that a large proportion of them were actually university students. Of course there are 'career' shiners and those who are homeless or close to homeless. Some are children and youth who just want to make some money. But a good percentage of them are students simply doing what they must to pay tuition.
The shiners themselves are well organised. They have associations requiring dues and offer changing facilities and assigned shining areas. They come to work in their street clothes and change into their mask and uniform. Some are so secretive about their work that spouses don't even know.
The feeling of shame among shiners isn't necessarily from the work - but from the desperation that forces them into becoming a shiner: A husband who can't support his family any other way; a student who dresses well to keep up appearances around his peer group but who cannot afford his clothes or education; a father who has been fired from his job but can't bring himself to tell his family.
On a good day shiners can earn USD 15. Shiners are attracted to the flexible hours they can work around their class schedules.
This shame leads many shiners to separate themselves from society. They are notoriously secretive and closed. Few know who they are because they hide their identities. And few know the things they struggle with because these are the exact things they are trying to hide.
It's taken years for Randy and Dani to become part of the community of shoe shiners and establish trusting relationships. Today, they have earned enough trust to hold a weekly dinner and Bible study in the shiners' own homes. Together they eat and study the Word together. Up to 30 people crowd into a tiny room with one small window, singing, praying and fellowshipping together.
These people are not invisible in God's eyes. What is happening in these tiny rooms, when the masks are removed and the shame is forgotten, is awe-inspiring.
A shoe shiner transformed
Ramiro was in his 20s when he first started coming to Randy's basketball ministry for shiners in La Paz. Ramiro was more interested in chatting than in the basketball, but he kept coming, Randy says. The son of a pastor, Ramiro had a common problem among shiners.
"He was really rebellious then," Randy says of Ramiro. "He had a drinking problem and we walked with him through that. It wasn't a perfect process."
Little by little Ramiro was able to walk away from his addiction and God led him to something bigger.
"Ramiro eventually became a missionary," Randy says. "Three years ago we sent him to Santa Cruz to work with a ministry there. That was really amazing how his life changed and how he's reinvesting in kingdom work."
Shoe shiner church
After three years of these Bible studies, they desire to see a shoe-shiner church started in 2017. This church would serve the shoe shiner community and other workers who do services in the street, including vendors and windshield cleaners.
"We want a church plant for shoe shiners and by shoe shiners," Randy says. "We desire for the church to be self-supporting financially. We also want to become a church that is sending one or more missionaries."
The church will bear the same name as the ministry - Kayuparu. This comes from the local indigenous language, meaning 'at his feet' or 'at their feet.'
"We work at their feet to bring them to His feet... the feet of Christ," Randy says.
Pray for:
• the leaders — for continued wisdom of how to plant a church.
• the relational aspect of ministry and for the church community to meet the needs of the shoe shiners.
• another person or missionary couple to work in this ministry.
• more workers to come minister in the streets on a daily basis, to do church planting and day-to-day ministry.


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02.09. – Happy Birthday !!! When Horace Silver once wrote out his rules for musical composition (in the liner notes to the 1968 record, Serenade to a Soul Sister), he expounded on the importance of "meaningful simplicity."
The pianist could have just as easily been describing his own life. For more than fifty years, Silver has simply written some of the most enduring tunes in jazz while performing them in a distinctively personal style. It's all been straight forward enough, while decades of incredible experiences have provided the meaning.
Silver was born in Norwalk, Connecticut on 1928. His father had immigrated to the United States from Cape Verde—and that island nation's Portuguese influences would play a big part in Silver's own music later on. When Silver was a teenager, he began playing both piano and saxophone while he listened to everything from boogie-woogie and blues to such modern musicians as Bud Powell and Thelonious Monk. As Silver's piano trio was working in Hartford, Connecticut, the group received saxophonist Stan Getz's attention in 1950. The saxophonist brought the band on the road and recorded three of Silver's compositions.
In 1951, Silver moved to New York City where he accompanied saxophonists Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young and many other legends. In the following year, he met the executives at Blue Note while working as a sideman for saxophonist Lou Donaldson. This meeting led to Silver signing with the label where he would remain until 1980. He also collaborated with Art Blakey in forming the Jazz Messengers during the early 1950s (which Blakey would continue to lead after Silver formed his own quintet in 1956).
During these years, Silver helped create the rhythmically forceful branch of jazz known as "hard bop" (chronicled in David H. Rosenthal's 1992 book, Hard Bop: Jazz and Black Music, 1955-1965). He based much of his own writing on blues and gospel—the latter is particularly prominent on one of his biggest tunes, "The Preacher." While his compositions at this time featured surprising tempo shifts and a range of melodic ideas, they immediately caught the attention of a wide audience. Silver's own piano playing easily shifted from aggressively percussive to lushly romantic within just a few bars. At the same time, his sharp use of repetition was funky even before that word could be used in polite company. Along with Silver's own work, his bands often featured such rising jazz stars as saxophonists Junior Cook and Hank Mobley, trumpeter Blue Mitchell, and drummer Louis Hayes. Some of his key albums from this period included Horace Silver Trio (1953), Horace Silver and the Jazz Messengers (1955), Six Pieces of Silver (1956) and Blowin' The Blues Away (1959), which includes his famous, "Sister Sadie." He also combined jazz with a sassy take on pop through the 1961 hit, "Filthy McNasty."
But it was a few years later when Silver would record one of his most famous songs, the title track to his 1964 album, Song For My Father. That piece combined his dad's take on Cape Verdean folk music (with a hint of Brazilian Carnival rhythms) into an enduring F-minor jazz composition. Over the years, it has become an American popular music standard, covered not only by scores of instrumentalists, but also such singers as James Brown.
As social and cultural upheavals shook the nation during the late 1960s and early 1970s, Silver responded to these changes through music. He commented directly on the new scene through a trio of records called United States of Mind (1970-1972) that featured the spirited vocals of Andy Bey. The composer got deeper into cosmic philosophy as his group, Silver 'N Strings, recorded Silver 'N Strings Play The Music of the Spheres (1979).
After Silver's long tenure with Blue Note ended, he continued to create vital music. The 1985 album, Continuity of Spirit (Silveto), features his unique orchestral collaborations. In the 1990s, Silver directly answered the urban popular music that had been largely built from his influence on It's Got To Be Funky (Columbia, 1993). On Jazz Has A Sense of Humor (Verve, 1998), he shows his younger group of sidemen the true meaning of the music.
Now living surrounded by a devoted family in California, Silver has received much of the recognition due a venerable jazz icon. In 2005, the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS) gave him its President's Merit Award. Silver is also anxious to tell the world his life story in his own words as he just completed writing his autobiography, Let's Get To The Nitty Gritty (University of California Press, scheduled for fall 2006 release).


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Dental Implants At Your Greensburg, PA Dentist Help Restore Function to Your Bite
Your smile is one of the first things that someone notices about you, and a missing tooth or multiple teeth can put a damper on that first impression. Dental implants are artificial tooth roots used to support a restoration for a missing tooth or teeth, helping to stop or prevent jaw bone loss. By replacing missing tooth roots, dental implants provide people with the strength and stability to eat all the foods they love without struggling to chew. Dental implants can also stimulate and maintain jaw bone, preventing bone loss and helping to maintain facial features. With a visit to your dentist in Greensburg PA, you can find out if you are a candidate for this smiling saving procedure.
Your Greensburg Dentist Explains How Implants Work
Strategically placed, dental implants can be used to support permanent bridges, eliminating the need for a denture. Implants are synthetic structures that are placed in the tooth where the root normally is contained. They are anchored to the jawbone or metal framework on the bone and act as a foundation for an artificial tooth or permanent bridge. In some cases, dental implants can also be used to attach dentures.
Dental implants today are virtually indistinguishable from your other teeth. The appearance is aided in part by the structural and functional connection between the dental implant and the living bone. Implants are typically placed in one sitting, but require a period of osseointegration, which direct anchorage of the implant root and the bone of the jaw occurs.
Osseointegrated implants are the most commonly used and successful type of dental implant, taking anywhere from three to six months to anchor and heal. Once healed and anchored, your dentist in Greensburg can complete the procedure with the placement of a crown. As soon as the implant has anchored with the jawbone, artificial prosthesis may be attached and the process is completed. If osseointegration does not occur, the implant may fail.
Advantages of Dental Implants
If you, like millions of adults, have lost one or more teeth, then you understand the unpleasant consequences that accompany tooth loss. Missing teeth result in an older appearance, discomfort, inconvenience and an overall less active lifestyle.
Since implants are securely attached, you gain confidence to eat what you like, speak clearly and freedom from embarrassment. Other benefits of implants include:
- Improved Appearance: Dental implants look and feel just like your own teeth.
- Improved Comfort: Implants are securely anchored, so there is no slipping as there is with dentures. This eliminates some of the key inconveniences of dentures, including poor fit, gum irritation, and pain.
- Improved Health: Dental implants can help prevent deterioration of the jawbone caused by loss of teeth, so your face retains its natural shape.
- Durability: Implants are strong and can last a lifetime with proper care.
- Convenience: Unlike dentures, dental implants are permanent, eliminating the inconvenience of removing your dentures. With implants, you can brush and care for your teeth just as you would your natural teeth.
Not everyone is a good candidate for dental implants. If you've lost one or more of your natural teeth, it's possible to continue to live confidently with dental implants from your dentist in Greensburg PA at Dr. Anthony Marchionno D.M.D. They look and feel exactly like your natural teeth, and unlike conventional restoration solutions, implants can last a lifetime. Call today to schedule an appointment (724)836-2911.


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Forty of the 43 American Presidents from George Washington through Barack Obama, with the exception of Martin Van Buren, James K. Polk, and Andrew Johnson, have owned and had pets while they served as President, as well in almost all cases, before and after the Presidential years.
Donald Trump is the first and only President since Andrew Johnson NOT to have pets.
But not only that, but also Donald Trump has utilized the term "dog" and the term "animal" as a pejorative against individuals, such as Omarosa Manigault Newman, and groups, such as Mexican immigrants.
Trump has also declared war on endangered species, and protection of wildlife, including advocacy of hunting and bringing home to America endangered animals from other nations in Africa and around the world as sport. So he disdains any respect for nature, a despicable trait.
Even the pardoning of turkeys before Thanksgiving has led to a hostile reaction by such turkeys and by the President himself, who seems uncomfortable with the holiday tradition.
Most of the Presidents have had dogs, with the exceptions of the following ten:
James Madison
John Quincy Adams
Andrew Jackson
Martin Van Buren
William Henry Harrison
Zachary Taylor
Millard Fillmore
Andrew Johnson
Chester Alan Arthur
William McKinley
Every 20th century President and early 21st century have had dogs as pets, until Donald Trump.
Earlier Presidents mentioned above who did not have dogs still had other pets, including horses, birds, cows, and rabbits, with the exceptions again of Van Buren, Polk, and Andrew Johnson.
Cats are rare pets for Presidents, with only Abraham Lincoln, Rutherford B. Hayes and William McKinley owning cats before the 20th century, and Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, Calvin Coolidge, John F. Kennedy, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush having cats as pets since 1900, so a total of 12 Presidents out of 44.
The eleven Presidents with the most pets were in chronological order:
George Washington (7)
Abraham Lincoln (8)
Rutherford B. Hayes (10)
Theodore Roosevelt (24)
Woodrow Wilson (7)
Calvin Coolidge (25)
Herbert Hoover (10)
Franklin D. Roosevelt (7)
John F. Kennedy (19)
Lyndon B. Johnson (8)
Ronald Reagan (11)
So Calvin Coolidge, Theodore Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan, Herbert Hoover, and Rutherford B. Hayes had pets in double digits, while the other five listed had 8 pets (Lincoln and LBJ) and 7 pets (Washington, Wilson, and FDR).
Among the most famous pets in chronological order:
Warren G. Harding (Laddie Boy)
Calvin Coolidge (Rob Roy)
Franklin D. Roosevelt (Fala)
John F. Kennedy (Macaroni, a pony)
Lyndon B. Johnson (Him) and (Her)
Richard Nixon (Checkers, before the White House years) and (King Timahoe)
Gerald Ford (Liberty)
Ronald Reagan (Rex) and (Lucky)
George H. W. Bush (Millie)
Bill Clinton (Socks, a cat) and (Buddy)
George W. Bush (Barney) and (Miss Beasley)
Barack Obama (Bo) and (Sunny)


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It's a good day for fair use and sane copyright law. After years of litigation, Judge Denny Chin has ruled that the Google Books project does not infringe copyright. Readers, authors, librarians and future fair users can rejoice.
For years, Google has been cooperating with libraries to digitize books and create massive, publicly available and searchable books database. Users can search the database, which includes millions of works for keywords. Results include titles, page numbers, and small snippets of text. It has become an extraordinarily valuable tool for librarians, scholars, and amateur researchers of all kinds. As the court noted (citing an amicus brief EFF filed jointly with several library associations) librarians use the service for a variety of research purposes. Many librarians reported that they have purchased new books for their collections after discovering them through Google Books. Nonetheless, the Authors Guild argues that its members are owed compensation in exchange for their books being digitized and included in the database – even though blocking Google Book Search's digitization wouldn't bring any author any additional revenue.
The court made short shrift of the Authors Guild's arguments on each of the four statutory fair use factors (the purpose of the use, the nature of the original work, the amount used, and the existence of market harm). With respect to whether the purpose of the use (i.e., whether it was transformative and/or noncommercial), the judge properly focused on the project as a whole. The Authors Guild hoped the court would focus on the intermediate copying – Google did, of course, make exact digital copies of entire books in order to include them in the database. As the court recognized however, Google's purpose was to transform "expressive text into a comprehensive word index that helps readers, scholars, researchers, and others find books."
Google Books does not supersede or supplant books because it is not a tool to be used to read books. Instead, it "adds value to the original" and allows for "the creation of new information, new aesthetics, new insights and understandings." Leval, Toward a Fair Use Standard, 103 Harv. L. Rev. at 1111. Hence, the use is transformative.
The court noted that Google is a commercial entity and derived some commercial benefit from the project, but gave that benefit little weight in light of the educational purposes of the project.
With respect to the nature of the work, the court acknowledged that many of the works were fictional (copyright protection tends to be stronger where works are highly creative) but the majority of the works in question were nonfiction and already published.
The court took a puzzling detour in finding that the third fair use factor weighed "slightly" against Google, because Google copied entire works. As the court acknowledged, copying an entire work can be fair if the entire work is necessary to the transformative use. It was surely necessary here, so this factor should have favored Google.
But the court's ruling got right back on track with the fourth factor, market harm. The Authors Guild argued that Google's scans would some how serve as a "market replacement" for books, even insisting that users could use multiple searches for snippets to ultimately access an entire book. The court didn't buy it:
Neither suggestion makes sense. Google does not sell its scans, and the scans do not replace the books. While partner libraries have the ability to download a scan of a book from their collections, they owned the books already -- they provided the original book to Google to scan. Nor is it likely that someone would take the time and energy to input countless searches to try and get enough snippets to comprise an entire book.
To the contrary, a reasonable factfinder could only find that Google Books enhances the sales of books to the benefit of copyright holders. An important factor in the success of an individual title is whether it is discovered -- whether potential readers learn of its existence . . . Many authors have noted that online browsing in general and Google Books in particular helps readers find their work, thus increasing their audiences. Further, Google provides convenient links to booksellers to make it easy for a reader to order a book. In this day and age of on-line shopping, there can be no doubt but that Google Books improves books sales.
Taken as a whole, the ruling is remarkable. Not so much for its conclusions – we've believed from the get-go that the Google Books was a lawful fair use. Instead, what's really refreshing about the ruling is its common sense analysis and its recognition of the key purpose of fair use: to make sure copyright serves, and does not impede, the public interest.
Google Books provides significant public benefits. It advances the progress of the arts and sciences, while maintaining respectful consideration for the rights of authors and other creative individuals, and without adversely impacting the rights of copyright holders. It has become an invaluable research tool that permits students, teachers, librarians, and others to more efficiently identify and locate books. It has given scholars the ability, for the first time, to conduct full-text searches of tens of millions of books. It preserves books, in particular out-of-print and old books that have been forgotten in the bowels of libraries, and it gives them new life. It facilitates access to books for print-disabled and remote or underserved populations. It generates new audiences and creates new sources of income for authors and publishers. Indeed, all society benefits.
Well said, Judge Chin. Let's hope other courts take heed.
The Authors Guild has already declared that it will appeal the ruling. Its membership might want to consider whether they really want to spend more of their dues on this misguided litigation.


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Crime Fiction Pick of the Month 2013 |
Many crime fiction bloggers write a summary post at the end of each month listing what they've read, and some, like me, even go as far as naming their pick of the month.
This meme is an attempt to aggregate those summary posts.
It is an invitation to you to write your own summary post for July 2013, identify your crime fiction best read of the month, and add your post's URL to the Mr Linky below.
If Mr Linky does not appear for you, leave the URL in a comment and I will add it myself.
You can list all the books you've read in the past month on your post, even if some of them are not crime fiction, but I'd like you to nominate your crime fiction pick of the month.
That will be what you will list in Mr Linky too -
ROSEANNA, Maj Sjowall & Per Wahloo - MiP (or Kerrie)
You are welcome to use the image on your post and it would be great if you could link your post back to this post on MYSTERIES in PARADISE.


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How Does This Fit?
Slim Fit ○○○●○○ Loose Fit
Light Weight ○○●○○ Heavy Weight
15.02.24 - Our Sweatshirt fit has now changed to a regular fit and fits true to size. If you are looking for a slimmer fit then please down size.
Design & Deliver
We all love a sweatshirt, they're superbly versatile pieces of apparel, and here at Sutsu we believe that organic sweatshirts are by far the best. Our Head North sweatshirt celebrates the stunning spectacle of birds heading north en masse. When you think about it, the very idea of migration is vaguely astounding. A group activity without discussion, genetic memory in motion.
We have strived to walk our own path since we started Sutsu back in 2004. We truly believe that people are happiest when they live in harmony with the environment. Menswear not only needs to look good but also last a long time - we at Sutsu believe in slow fashion. We have now gone one step further and are transparent about what it costs us to produce this sort of ethical fashion and how to care for it because the best streetwear never goes out of style. We want to see you wearing it, loving it, ten years from now.
Made on Request | No Waste
One of our key production differentiators is that all our Sutsu Sweatshirts are made on request. By holding no stock it means we have less impact on the environment at production level (less farming / carbon footprint etc.) because we don't needlessly produce extra stock, but it also means we reduce our overheads & carbon footprint here in London. This in turn means you benefit in respect of a reduced RRP. We Save You Save.
Please note that this means delivery takes a little longer: UK roughly 3-5 working days (not inclusive of bank holidays or weekends) to be made.
Ethical & Sustainable Responsibility
As a brand (especially in "fashion") we are acutely aware of the impact our business has on mother nature. With this in mind we aim to be environmentally neutral (and if possible positive). we are constantly looking of ways to improve but here is the breakdown of our efforts to improve each Sutsu Sweatshirt:
- 350gsm Certified 100% Combed Organic Cotton
- 2 Trees Planted for every garment sold
- PETA Approved Vegan - made of vegan alternatives to animal-derived materials
- Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) - worldwide leading textile processing standard for organic fibres, including ecological and social criteria, backed up by independent certification of the entire textile supply chain.
- STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX® - tested for harmful substances our T-shirts are therefore harmless for human health
- Fairwear Foundation - realising worker rights to safe, dignified, properly paid employment
- Water-based Ink Printing - free of heavy metals, formaldehyde and Alkylphenol Ethoxylates (APE), making them non-hazardous, non-toxic and biodegradable.
- 90% Carbon Reduction (classed as Climate Neutral) through solar powered factories.
Pricing Transparency
Like all businesses we are here to turn a profit but we also want to offer a better alternative for those of you who care where you put your money. Alongside our environmental and social decisions we want to show you exactly how much each sweatshirt costs us to make, how much goes to the tax man, how much goes to our charitable partner(s) and how much ends up in our bank account. That way we feel you can make an informed decision as to whether to buy from Sutsu or not.
Prices as of 15/02/24 (*Value not inclusive of business or marketing costs):
Blank Cost | £15.25 | Garment Sold | £49.99 |
Print Cost | £3.10 | Charity (20%) | £5.38 |
Neck Print Cost | £0.90 | VAT on Sale | £4.30 |
Production VAT | £3.85 | Corporation Tax | £3.44 |
Total Cost | £23.10 | In the Bank* | £13.77 |
Garment Care
- Please note that our Sutsu Sweatshirt can smell like vinegar when they arrive. This is the fixation smell, it does fade and will wash out.
- Wash in 30 Degree Cold Wash cycle with like colours.
- Do not Tumble Dry
- Iron inside out. If you iron the print directly you will melt the print onto your iron
- There is a <6% Shrinkage. Bear this in mind when purchasing


text: KVOA — This small group has attacked U.S. citizens, and even challenged U.S. federal agents within the U.S. A News 4 Tucson investigation into the dangerous world of rogue soldiers in Mexico's military. In January, soldiers from this lonely outpost of the Mexican Army drew their guns on U.S. Border Patrol agents just 50 yards into the United States. Then in March, they opened fire on Javier Jose Rodriguez, a young Tucson man visiting family in Sásabe when he was driving around the town early on a Saturday morning after drinking beers with friends. Rodriguez was shot in the arm and in the side, he spent three weeks at University of Arizona Medical Center. The United States' reaction has been tepid, angering people who live and patrol along the Arizona border. [Read More]