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For the best cleaning a patio wexford company, call Southeast Contractors.
Cushions covers is a way to spruce up an entire room after spring cleaning or for protection during events where you want to keep unpleasant substances from destroying the look and usefulness of your expensive upholstered furniture.
cushion covers, cushion cover, Embroidered cushions covers
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Cushions covers is a way to spruce up an entire room after spring cleaning or for protection during events where you want to keep unpleasant substances from destroying the look and usefulness of your expensive upholstered furniture.
Cushions covers have been traditionally used contain padding, provide extra detail and cushioning, or for simply decorative reasons. Cushions covers appear in portrait detail from the Middle Ages when they tended to be much more elaborate, including embroidered details, blackwork and scarletwork embroidery, lace or tatting. Cushions covers in silk were common, and the interior padding or stuffing might be made of horsehair or other organic materials such as straw or reeds.
Embroidered cushions covers on a heavy cotton backing were common in historical working class family homes. Since it was considered almost a sin for hands to be idle, embroidery was used by young and old women alike to add a touch of beauty to household items such as cushions covers.
With the influence of plastic in everyday life, cushions covers made of clear plastic were quite common additions to even living room furniture. The clear plastic allowed the cushion of silk or cotton fabric to be seen while protecting it from unwanted spills and stains. Unfortunately sitting on plastic is not the most comfortable way to relax, so the reverse action became quite prevalent. Plastic cushions were covered with lightweight silk or cotton cushions covers which could be removed for washing or dry cleaning.
Although upholstery fabric has become much more stain resistant, its still nice to be able to remove and clean soiled cushions covers with ease. In fact, it is fairly common to provide either removable cushions covers or extra cushions covers to allow for replacement either due to wear or for cleaning. In this way, the cushions and upholstery on your couch can remain fresh and new looking in spite of hard usage.
Cushions covers in fabric or silk are also quite common for dining room chairs. Many people like the look of solid wood, but prefer something a bit softer for comfort while eating. Detachable cushions covers for seats and backs of wood chairs are available in fabrics ranging from silk to plastic. The detachable cushion appearance is often found in Early American style furniture
Whether you choose cushions covers for looks, durability or simply to accent the style of your furniture they are an attractive and economical way to renovate your d cor.


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To some, following the life and times of the British Royal Family is of great importance. Be it an interest in the family's vast history, or the ability to delve deeper into their lives via news reports and tabloids, the Royals can be a subject worth obsessing over. On the other side of the table, there are those who could do without the pageantry of Queen Elizabeth II and those related to her.
In a new, poll conducted by Forum Research, it was determined that 43% of Canadians (1,150 polled) were against dissolving the monarchy once Queen Elizabeth II dies. Interestingly, when Forum asked this question in the summer of 2016, the result went the other way: 43% in favour of eliminating the monarchy.
"Canadians have been divided on the abolition of the monarchy for some time, and while the margins shift a few points up and down with each poll, it has remained a divisive issue, with no side gaining traction," explained Lorne Bozinoff, President of Forum Research.
He added: "Many Canadians continue to support Queen Elizabeth II, but the same might not be said for her successor, Prince Charles, considering Prince William is the most admired Royal Family member."
Speaking of Prince Charles, reports circulated earlier this month that Queen Elizabeth II would give up her throne to him if she were to reach 95-years-old. That notion has since been debunked by numerous sources.
That said, when Canadians were asked about the possibility of Charles becoming King that way, only 37% of respondents liked such an idea. Meanwhile, 17% of respondents strongly disliked it.
In 2016, a poll by Angus Reid Institute asked Canadians which five words they would use to describe Queen Elizabeth II. 'Respected' was the most used word at 67%, followed by 'influential' and 'strong,' at 39% apiece. Sadly for Prince Charles, the word most used by Canadians to describe him was 'boring' (40%) – ouch.
-Adam Grant

subset: commoncrawl


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Intelligent warewashing technology for the commercial sector, outstanding service, and superb problem-solving capabilities for wash-up areas in hotels, restaurants, and canteens – these are the key selling points which have prompted such international renown for the company Meiko Maschinenbau GmbH & Co. KG, which is based in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Now the company has introduced another exciting innovation – and this time it's not a new product, but an innovative service specially designed for commercial kitchen planners and architects. "We're delighted to be able to offer state-of-the-art support in the field of building information modelling systems to our partners in the planning sector in the form of the 3D application M-iPlan, which was designed and developed in-house by Meiko", says Dr.-Ing. Thomas Peukert, Executive Vice President Research and Development.
Ever since early December 2015, commercial kitchen planners have been able to use Meiko's online configurator to provide their customers with 3D models which comply with building information modelling (BIM) requirements, providing the perfect visualisation of plans for the wash-up areas of commercial kitchens. As the company announced in a press release, these BIM-compliant 3D models specifically tailored to commercial warewashing systems are currently only commercially available from Meiko.
M-iPlan is one of the industry solutions developed in-house by Meiko, whose planning department carried out the technical adaptations for the 3D application. "M-iPlan not only provides planners with a tool that makes their work easier, but also fulfils a market requirement in the field of commercial warewashing systems which also benefits end customers by allowing them to see at a glance exactly what they're buying," says Jürgen Walter, who heads up the planning department at Meiko. The application has been available to Meiko partners from the Meiko website's download area since March 2016 – at no charge.
"As you would expect from a BIM-compliant solution, we have also provided the 3D models with technical information which can easily be controlled using the mouse," explains Thomas Peukert. The technical details provided in parallel by Meiko should make planning firms' work even easier. "Meiko is a trusted partner who provides solutions for all aspects of the work involved in designing and planning wash-up areas. And that doesn't just apply to the people who use our products, but also to our partners at planning and architects' firms. We could never have achieved our decades of success in this market without their assistance, and we have always strived to maintain close ties which have only grown stronger over the years," says Peukert.


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Panasonic-backed Yohana partners with Stripe to help busy families thrive
In 1918, Panasonic founder Konosuke Matsushita devoted the global electronics conglomerate to the development of society and the well-being of people. A century later, Panasonic continues that vision by supporting Yohana, an independent subsidiary that provides tech-enabled concierge services to busy families.
The Yohana membership is the first-ever concierge service that matches families with a team of specialists to help manage their busy lives. Families are paired with a guide to map their goals, and with a team of specialists who manage everything from household tasks to family to-dos to creating memorable experiences like vacations. Members also gain access to the Yohana Pro & Partner Network, which features local businesses that can tackle bigger projects for the home and family.
Yohana leverages the reach of the Panasonic Group to enhance its relationships in the home services industry. The platform launched in the US and is expanding to Japan as part of an ambitious growth plan that also serves as a homecoming.
Rapid expansion with a single integration
Yohana was founded in 2021 by Yoky Matsuoka, a former Google executive and a mom of four. The service helps parents tackle everything from home maintenance to kids' activities, calendar coordination, self-care, and personal to-dos. Unlike productivity apps that can create more to manage, Yohana creates space for families to prioritize well-being.
The platform has grown to help families across all 50 US states with more than 50,000 tasks. Yohana has used Stripe since its founding to offer a range of convenient payment options, saving some families as many as 8–10 hours per week.
Yohana begun Japanese operations in Kanagawa Prefecture, south of Tokyo, with plans to expand into the rest of the country, and beyond. Stripe's investment in Japan made it easy for Yohana to enter the country and scale quickly.
"Stripe is a trusted partner to Yohana," said Shoma Yamamoto, Japan Pro Team manager of Yohana Japan. "The ease, security, and reliability of Stripe's payment capabilities and global support make it easy for us to quickly realize our growth and expansion ambitions wherever we operate in the world."
Helping busy modern families live better
With Stripe, Yohana members can pay using popular credit cards issued by JCB, Visa, and Mastercard, among others. These convenient options enhance the time-saving benefits of the app, by sparing members the tedious process of initiating a traditional bank transfer, which is how home services in Japan are typically paid for. For Yohana, building on Stripe has further simplified every step in the payment process, from providing appraisals to issuing invoices and receipts.
"Yohana partnered with Stripe to create a rapidly scalable financial services infrastructure that allows us to focus on our members. We look forward to building on our mutual strengths for the progress and development of society, as well as the well-being of people that Panasonic's founder promised all those years ago," said Yamamoto.
"We're encouraged to see how the Stripe financial services platform helps translate business goals into transformative societal benefit," said Daniel Heffernan, representative director for Stripe in Japan. "We look forward to working closer with Yohana to help busy families in Japan and beyond free up time so that they can focus on the things that matter most in their lives."


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Hi Vis trousers are designed to provide visibility and multi-protection to the wearer when working in high-risk environments such as motorways and traffic. As well as providing extra visibility, these trousers are wind and rain-resistant with PU coating and welded seams to give protection against moisture. Hi-Vis trousers are made to a high specification with most complying with the EN471 standards for high-visibility workwear
We put customer satisfaction at the forefront of our business, we've been established since 1936 and have unrivalled expertise when it comes to providing customers with PPE workwear. We support engineers all over the world, distributing tools to customers in over 160 countries, who know they can rely on our product quality and superb customer service.


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Monday, August 31, 2015
Tinsel Gift Tag Runner (with Tag Block Tutorial)
Almost as soon as I finished my Luggage Tag Quilt, I immediately started pulling fabric for a smaller version, a Christmas Gift Tag Runner. I've been saving Cotton + Steel's adorable Tinsel collection for this year's Christmas sewing, and these prints couldn't be more perfect for this project.
For those of you who might be interested in making a "gift tag" project of your own, I made each of these blocks using one 3 x 4.5" rectangle and two 1" squares.
Just place the squares at the top corners of the rectangle (right sides of the fabric together) and sew diagonally across from the outside lower corner of the square to the inside upper corner. Trim the seam allowance and press the seam open.
And there you have it...a simple little tag block perfect for projects that feature luggage tags, gift tags, price tags -- you name it! If you make any projects with one of these, be sure to tag me @fabricmutt on Instagram.
I would have spaced these blocks apart a bit further, but I really wanted to use that lime green fabric for the sashing even though I didn't have much left. The runner is backed in a Tinsel washi tape print, and I bound it in a Stitched Circles print from Zen Chic's amazing new Modern Background collection. I used my favorite wavy stitch on my sewing machine for the quilting.
I don't think I've ever gotten such a head start on my Christmas sewing. It feels amazing to be so ahead of the game...for today anyway!
Wednesday, August 19, 2015
The Square Box
Every now and then I get to test a pattern for a friend, and it's always such an honor. My friend Amber has been turning out a series of unbelievably clever little boxes that are sewn completely by hand using English Paper Piecing methods. I got the chance to test out her new Square Box last week, and I absolutely love how it turned out.
My version is slightly smaller than the original pattern, finishing at just 7" square, but it's still very roomy. I didn't have fusible Pellon 71F on hand, but I made do with Pellon Peltex 70 and some adhesive basting spray which worked quite nicely. The combination of firm interfacing, hand sewing, and linen fabrics makes this an incredibly sturdy little box. I can tell that it's going to hold up well with use.
I've been needing a bigger container to hold my button collection, which had outgrown the little tin pail I was using. This box not only gives me plenty of space, but it looks just plain adorable sitting on the shelf in my sewing room. Visit Amber's pattern store on Craftsy to make one of your own!
Sunday, August 16, 2015
The Luggage Tag Quilt
Up until that point, my family was traveling back and forth between Southern California and South America where my dad supervised the building and operation of what was, back then, the largest recording studio in Bolivia. The work was sponsored by a non-profit mission organization started by my great grandfather, and it had a huge impact on our family. My parents often reminisce about how young and naive they were as they jumped into that new adventure with two little girls, my sister so young that she was still wearing diapers. Neither of them spoke Spanish when they first arrived (my dad went through intensive language training for the first few months at a local Catholic school), and they had few people to depend on for help. Friends came from unlikely places. My dad loves to tell the story about how my sister and I spent an evening in the convent after one of the nuns at his school insisted on giving my parents a much needed date night. And every time we passed through Rio de Janiero on our way to Bolivia, a kind cab driver named Umberto was always our guide around the city to tourist spots like the Christo and Sugarloaf Mountain, both of which I absolutely adored. He even saved my life once when I accidentally started across a busy street by myself, pulling me back to the curb before I could be run down by an oncoming car.
My sister and I, sitting in front of the studio in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, with our beloved guard dog Mickey |
I have a hundred memories from those days that come back at unexpected times, but somehow it's the smells I remember most: the vinyl and cigarette smoke of taxi cabs, the sausages in the butcher shop, the potatoes in the outdoor market where we bought most of our groceries. I remember that inflation was so bad in those days that the money was worth hardly anything, so my dad had to carry around a briefcase full of bills like a mobster in order to do our weekly shopping. My sister and I went to the local mission school, but it seemed like most of our time was spent in the little apartment that was built into the recording studio building where our family lived. Amy and I rode bicycles, played games, and fell madly in love with reading. I even had my tonsils out at the hospital down there, where the nurses gave me Jello in recovery instead of the ice cream I'd been promised (I always say that I've been trying to make up that ice cream deficit ever since). My parents insist that they were flying by the seat of their pants back then, trying to keep everything going, but I disagree. In their humble earnestness, I saw a daily example of perseverance, courage, faithfulness, and love that made an enormous impression on me as a child. It's one that I strive to follow even now in my own journey as a parent.
By the time I was eight years old, I had spent more time on a plane than many people do in a lifetime, and to this day, I have a love for all things travel related, particularly vintage travel. So when I spotted Places to Go, People to See by the talented people at Kate Spade, I couldn't resist it. The photo of luggage tags stood out to me above all else -- I was sure there was a quilt in there somewhere. And when I spotted the rainbow Suzuko Koseki bundles at Sew Me a Song, I knew that I had found the perfect fabric to make that quilt a reality. I emailed Becca immediately, asking if she'd let me do a promotional project on my blog, and she was sweet enough to send me this bundle. Thus, the Lugguge Tag Quilt was born.
It was such fun to make the tag blocks for this quilt simply by sewing diagonally across squares at the top corners of a rectangle. A few of these rectangles are pieced, but mostly I wanted to see how many different designs I could come up with by carefully fussy cutting the prints. I adore Suzuko Koseki's fabrics for their vintage style and originality. Her work has so much personality to it, and I was thrilled to have an entire color spectrum of prints to choose from. With a little input from my friends on Instagram, I decided to add a suitcase to my quilt as well, using some yardage of another Koseki print that I had on hand. Quilter's Linen adds a bit of texture and makes a nice neutral background.
The quilt backing is made entirely of scraps leftover from the original bundle. I sewed pieces together into rows and then sewed the rows together, going in color order as I went. The result is a backing that I love just as much as the front. I quilted wavy lines down the sashing strips and bound the quilt in a pink and navy floral print that I absolutely love to use for binding. It looks great around just about any patchwork quilt I've held it up to yet.
Of course, now that I've started thinking about tags, it occurs to me that a "gift tag" pillow would be absolutely perfect for Christmas. Meanwhile, so many thanks to Becca for letting me play with this gorgeous bundle, and thanks also to my sweet friends on Instagram who were so encouraging as I shared my progress.
This lovely little quilt is now draped over the end of our couch in the family room where it will be waiting the next time my youngest daughter comes up to me and says, "Mommy, I'm your cold little Mousie. Can you snuggle me in a quilt?"
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The process of finding a good mover can seem daunting. But doing a little research is worth it. By shopping around, you can save money (sometimes more than $1,000) and avoid scams. RealSimple.com has put together 12 steps to help you through the process. If you or a loved one is downsizing, Sherry Brown and Organizing This! Can help you through the process. Call today – 765-625-0480!
1.Get recommendations. Ask friends, coworkers, and local real estate agents. Look in the phone book for moving companies that have offices near your home. You're going to want to get an in-person estimate of how much your move will cost. Don't rely on any estimate that comes from someone who hasn't looked in every one of your closets. Don't assume that big-name companies are best. Do not get estimates through websites that offer to "find you a mover." Find the mover yourself and avoid the numerous scams associated with some of these sites. And don't use household-goods brokerage services that find a moving company for you―they are not regulated by the laws that movers must follow.
2. Do an initial screening. When you have a list of recommended movers, go online to do a quick background check (you can do a more thorough check later). Call or go to the website of the Better Business Bureau (bbb.org). You also can call or e-mail the American Moving and Storage Association (moving.org, 703-683-7410, firstname.lastname@example.com) to see if a moving company is a member, which means it has agreed to abide by the organization's published tariffs and to participate in its arbitration program. AMSA membership is voluntary. As long as a moving company checks out in all other ways, the fact that it is not a member shouldn't rule it out.
Be sure to check the consumer-advocacy sites movingscam.com. Each of these has a blacklist of companies with a history of consumer complaints, as well as tips and general information about the moving industry. You can also do a search using the company name at Rip-off Report (ripoffreport.com).
3. You should end up with at least three or four companies to call for an in-home estimate. If you're moving to another state, ask if the company will give you a written binding estimate or, even better, a binding not-to-exceed estimate. Both types of estimates put a guaranteed cap on what you will pay for your move. While nonbinding estimates are legal (as long as they're given free), as the U.S. Department of Transportation moving guide warns, "You should expect the final cost to be more than the estimate." And while interstate movers are allowed to charge you for binding estimates, most will offer them free. Estimates for interstate moves will be based on the weight of the items you're moving and the distance of the move. For moves within the same state, rules about estimates vary: Some states (such as California) require that movers give a written and signed binding estimate; others (like Illinois) forbid them to. Either way, estimates for these movers are based on the amount of time the move will take.
Want a timeline to keep the hiring process on track? See the Moving Checklist.
4. When an estimator comes to your home, show him everything you want to have moved―in the closets, the backyard, the basement, the attic. If on your moving day the foreman believes you have significantly more stuff than was calculated in your estimate, he can "challenge" the original estimate (before everything is on the truck, not after). He can't force you to pay a higher amount, but he doesn't have to move your stuff for the original amount, either. And at that point you probably don't have a lot of other options. Also, make sure the estimator knows about any conditions at your new home that might complicate the move, such as stairs, elevators, or a significant distance from the curb to the closest door. While the estimator is at your home, get as much information as you can about the company. Make sure it will be moving you itself, not contracting the job out to another mover. Find out how long the company has been in business. (You want one that's been around a few years at least, and ideally 10 or more.) By the time the estimator leaves, you should have collected all of the following:
- The company's full name and any other names under which it does business.
- The company's address, phone numbers, and e-mail and website addresses.
- Names and contact information for the company's references.
- USDOT (U.S. Department of Transportation) and MC (motor carrier) license numbers.
- The U.S. Department of Transportation booklet called "Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move." Federal law requires any interstate mover to provide you with this guide, which is the official rule book of the interstate moving industry. (You can download a copy at dot.gov.) For in-state moves, movers are regulated by the state's department of transportation or its public utilities or commerce commission. Some states publish their own moving-guide pamphlets.
5. Review the estimate. The estimate may be a combined document that, when signed by you and the moving-company representative, serves as your order for service and bill of lading, too. These, along with the inventory list created when your goods are loaded, are the basic documents any mover should provide you with. Make sure you see the words "written binding estimate" up top, as well as the mover's signature with a date at the bottom. For an interstate move, the estimate should clearly describe the type and quantity of goods you're shipping, the distance to your new home, when your things will be picked up and delivered, and any additional services (such as packing) and supplies the moving company is providing. If you want to purchase additional insurance from your mover (above the standard 60 cents a pound that the mover's insurance covers), make sure you understand the costs and details of that coverage. For an in-state move, for which you can't get a binding estimate, you should still get a written estimate that sets out the hourly rates and any additional costs you may incur (for supplies, tolls, driving time to and from the mover's facilities). If you're not sure about anything in the estimate, call and ask. And have the company send you a revised written estimate if necessary―don't just take someone's word for anything.
6. As you get estimates, collect them in a brightly colored (that is, hard-to-lose) moving folder. Keep this folder open in plain sight as later estimators come in. This shows them you're doing your homework, which encourages them to be honest and perhaps give you a more competitive quote.
7. When you've gotten all your estimates in, compare the bids. Be wary of any company that comes in much lower than the others. Look at high bids to see where the extra costs are coming from. Call and ask questions if you don't understand anything. If you have several reasonable-sounding bids from reputable companies, don't be afraid to negotiate to get the best possible rate. Especially in a market where there's lots of competition, most movers will work with you on pricing.
8. Now check out the contenders in more detail. Take the information you've gathered and get back online. First, make sure they're incorporated in your state―and confirm how long they've been in business―by checking your secretary of state's office. Some have searchable databases of businesses online; if not, call the number in the government pages of the phone book.
9. Next, make sure your moving company has the license and insurance it needs to move you legally. (Yes, there are movers who solicit business without the legal authority to do so.) Go to safersys.org, the website of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), and enter the company's USDOT number and click on "Search" (you can also search by name or MC number). If you have an accurate DOT number, you'll be shown a screen with lots of information on the company. Here's what to look for:
- The company's name, address, and phone numbers. Are they the same ones the company gave you?
- The "Out of Service" field, at the upper left of the form, should say "No."
- The fields labeled "Power Units" and "Drivers" tell you how many trucks and drivers the company has. A company that claims to do 100 moves a month but has only two trucks deserves skeptical treatment.
- Under "Operation Classification," there should be an X next to "Auth. for Hire."
- Under "Carrier Operation," if you are moving out of state, there should be an X next to "Interstate."
- Under "Cargo Carried," there should be an X next to "Household Goods."
- Farther down, in the "Inspections/Crashes" section, you should be concerned if the company's average is much higher than the national average shown. In the "Safety Rating" section, if there has been a review, the results should be "Satisfactory."
- At the bottom of the page, click on the "FMCSA Licensing & Insurance site" link. On the next page, click on either the "HTML" or the "Report" button under "View Details" to get to the "Motor Carrier Details" page. Under the column "Authority Type," there are three listings: "Common," "Contract," and "Broker." The "Authority Status" column to the right tells you if the company's authority is active. At least "Common" should be listed as active, with "No" under "Application Pending."
- In the next table down, there should be a "Yes" under "Household Goods."
- The bottom table contains insurance information. A moving company is required to have both bodily-injury and property-damage (BIPD) insurance ($750,000 minimum) and cargo insurance filed. Under the heading "Insurance on File," BIPD should be at least $750,000, and "Cargo" should say "Yes."
- You can also call the FMCSA to get information on the status of a company's licensing (202-366-9805) and insurance (202-385-2423).
10. Finally, call the FMCSA's Safety Violation and Consumer Complaints hotline at 888-368-7238 (open 24/7) and ask about complaints against your moving company. And, if possible, go to the company's address and check out the facilities in person.
11. Now you can select a mover. You should feel confident about any company you've run through the checks above. Confirm the dates and details of your move, and make sure you get a signed order for service and a bill of lading.
12. On moving day, get a written copy of the mover's inventory list, provide the movers with specific directions for getting to your new home, and make sure you have a number where you can reach the movers throughout the move.
Parts of this article can be found at http://www.realsimple.com/home-organizing/organizing/moving/12-steps-hiring-mover


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John Loftus gives a preview of Carrier's new book on his Debunking Christianity website. Let's listen in, then respond, in a provisional way, to some of the arguments Richard seems to be making:
Carrier gives four reasons as summarized by Confessions of a Doubting Thomas:
Richard Carrier is not a "doubting Thomas," of course: he is a highly committed atheist, who does not at all want to believe in God. Plenty of people in the 1st Century scoffed at Christian claims: Carrier might more accurately identify himself with one of the scoffers, not with Thomas.
God is Silent: that is, if God is as most Christians describe him, he should be able to make his message clear to everybody. And what's more he should be willing to make his message clear to everybody. The reality is, however, that most people are not aware of a clear message from God, and the message that seems to be heard by believers is not a consistent or even a non-contradictory one. Different believers get different messages and these conflict, and these lead (quite literally) to conflict. God appears to be unable to deliver a simple message to his people, let alone to everyone else. Thus, the Christian God is refuted by his silence."
If God is silent, why do billions of human beings today, believe they have heard from him? (Including me?)
I remember inviting an Egyptian Muslim over to our home for Christmas one year in Japan. She shared her reasons for believing in God. They had to do with perceptions of a designer that had come to her through nature, creatures in the Red Sea, pictures of which she showed me, for instance.
The Bible says Nature reveals God. It is legitimate to argue about cosmological arguments, or about design arguments. But even if these arguments fail, Nature itself is read as a language that seems to tell many or most people, "I am here, and I am not silent!"
This is why early scientists spoke of the "Book of Nature."
Suppose you are a prison guard in Hanoi. Suppose you hear some sound, and suspect that the prisoners are communicating with one another. But how? You listen late at night, and hear some scraping. Maybe it's just the rats! Maybe people are striking their cups against the wall at random, as they move in closed quarters. It doesn't sound like a language to you.
Suppose you then find that spontaneously, all around the prison, your American wards are putting up little decorations, and singing songs. You bring some of the prisoners into your office, and interrogate them. "It's Christmas today!" They tell you. But they refuse to say how they found out.
Maybe they have all calculated the days, and independently concluded that it is Christmas. Or maybe they have communicated -- maybe those scrapings, which sound random to you, are in fact a secret language.
If you know the language, you can be sure that you have received a real message. But if you do not know the language, you may suppose it is either a series of random noises, or perhaps a language, but like Jabberwocky, contains no coherent message.
Is that because the language is, in fact, garbled? Or because we are still learning to listen? Maybe it is in part garbled so that those who overhear it with hostility, will dismiss it.
Maybe you don't want it to be a language, because you're like Seargent Shultz, and really just want to get along, without any such complications in your life.
Even new prisoners, who are still learning the code, may be unsure if a given series of scrapings is, indeed, a message, or what it means.
"I hear NUUTHEENG!" |
There are other languages, too, like the words of Jesus and the prophets, miracles, the conscience, our perceptions of beauty and justice, and our intuitive love of truth. One might be able to explain these things in terms of evolution -- I know many have tried -- but can one justify them, or give them the normative stature we know they deserve?
It is also a fact that peoples in hundreds or thousands of cultures around the world, contrary to skeptical assumptions, have come to a coherent concept of the Supreme God who transcends any one culture. This is a subject I have written a lot on, including in this previous blog.
So Carrier's first premise seems contradicted by a multiplicity of facts.
The fact that people hold some different beliefs about ultimate truth, follows from the fact that God is also hidden, as he must be, if we are to be free. If it were impossible to believe anything but the truth about God, could we be free? Thus even in Star Trek, the "Prime Directive" is to allow otherworldly cultures to develop on their own, without outside interference.
God is Inert: that is, there is no evidence that there is a loving and supremely powerful God at work in the world. Innocent children suffer and die. Good people suffer and die. Innocent children of good Christian people suffer and die. God apparently does nothing to stop this. This is inconsistent with the claimed character of the Christian God, thus, God is refuted by his inactivity.
The Problem of Pain has been discussed by believers and unbelievers since ancient Greece, if not earlier. Ancient Jews and Christians were of course more familiar with pain than we are, in our anti-septic world. Most babies died. Epidemics swept whole populations out of existence. Warfare was more common. Yet people came to the conclusion that God does care, and does act in the world. This is the strongest argument in the atheist arsenal, but it is curious that its force seems to be strongest just when we have found so many devices to get rid of pain.
Wrong Evidence: basically, extraordinary claims need extraordinary evidence, and the biblical evidence is barely even mundane. The best evidence for the death and resurrection of Jesus is four non-eyewitness accounts, which contradict each other on important issues, and a bunch of letters, ostensibly from someone who never met Jesus in the flesh and only had a vision of him. And all these were written a couple of decades after the alleged events, at the earliest. How is all that sufficient evidence for the greatest claim ever made?
Here we come into all sorts of disagreements, which one can only list, and not respond to at length on the spot:
* Is Carrier begging the question with his term "extraordinary claim?" Maybe for him, the idea that God would act in the world is "extraordinary." Maybe for me, the idea that God would NOT act is "extraordinary." Choosing between these options would take quite a bit of discussion; maybe we should return to this question at some point.
* I think the NT evidence IS extraordinary, for reasons I gave in Why the Jesus Seminar can't find Jesus, and Grandma Marshall Could.
* There are, in fact, between three and five eyewitness accounts of the risen Jesus, in the New Testament, along with numerous close second-hand accounts.
* Carrier's description of what the Bible claims about Paul's meeting with Jesus is incorrect, as NT Wright demonstrates. That meeting cannot validly be described as "only had a vision of him." For one thing, visions do not ordinarily render a person blind, then accurately tell him about a stranger who will come and cure him some days hence. We might call this a "smart vision."
* What's wrong with writing about events a couple decades later? I do that all the time, as (I have found) do my seniors. If Dr. Carrier is fortunate enough to reach a similiar or later stage of maturity (may he enjoy good health), he may find himself referring to events he has himself witnessed a couple decades later, and still remembers quite clearly.
Wrong Universe: the Christian claim is that God made the universe and put us, the pinnacle of creation, into it. So why is 99.99999% of all creation hostile to us?
Is it? I can't live in space, but does that make space "hostile" to me? Be careful what writers smuggle in with their anthropomorphisms.
As far as we can tell, if you scaled the entire universe down to the equivalent size of a house, then the tiny zone which is capable of sustaining human life is as small as a single proton! Invisibly and insignificantly small. This is not what we would expect if the universe was intelligently designed for us, but is exactly what you would expect if we are merely an accidental by-product of a chaotic universe.
I know of no suggestion in the Bible that God created all the universe just for us. Maybe He likes lots of stars; if so, who can blame Him?
Aside from which, if we live in three-dimensional space, that space will either be bounded or not. If unbounded, it will either be full of things, or empty. If full of things, those things will either include sentient life, or not. Every possibility will be used by skeptics of this mind-set as an argument against God. Why did God create so much empty space? Why so many dead planets with atmospheres of sulfer-dioxide or carbon dioxide? Why, we know we're just one rational species out of ten trillion! Why should God care anything about us?
All such arguments are as vacuous as most of space itself. There simply seems to be no relationship between premises and conclusion. If nothing else, the astounding discoveries of modern astronomy underline the ancient phrase, "the Heavens declare the glory of God."


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June 13 Online Auction Awesomeness
13% buyer's premium added to high bid to determine final purchase price
All property is sold AS IS, WITH ALL FAULTS, AND WITHOUT ANY WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, INCLUDING EXPRESS WARRANTIES AND IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR MERCHANTABILITY. Buckeye Auction Group reserve the right to add or delete items prior to sale time. We welcome all your questions so please email us before the final day so we are sure to answer in time for you to bid. On-line Bidding Terms:
1. Our auctions move fast! If you are interested in an item, bid quickly. Buckeye Auction Group has put forth every effort in preparing the catalog for this auction to provide accurate descriptions of all items. All property is sold 'as-is' and it is the bidder's responsibility to determine the exact condition of each item. Printed statements or descriptions by staff are provided in good faith and are matters of opinion. Absolutely NO refunds will be offered. Auctions have a staggered ending. A certain qty (usually 2 or 3) of items will close every minute, so any closing time is the start of the whole auction no specifically any one item. Individual items have a countdown and could be well after the advertised closing time. For any item with bids placed within the last minute of open bidding, the closing time is extended by 2 minutes. This continues until a winning bidder is established. If you have any questions on bidding or the closing of the auction, you must ask before the end of the auction.
2. There is a 13% Buyer's Premium added to your total purchase.
3. All accounts will be settled at the conclusion of the auction. We accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express.
4. NO lots may be picked up before payment is made in full. All items must be removed during the schedule pickup time(s) unless other arrangements have been made. Any items not removed during the pickup times will become the property of Buckeye Auction Group & will be handled at our discretion. Please bring plenty of help and proper equipment needed to remove your items. Auction staff is not available to assist with loading.
5. If you win an item in the auction you will be notified by email the next business day. All items will be charged to the credit card on file unless other arrangements are made PRIOR to online auction start time as listed. The invoice you receive on the day after the auction will be used for billing- we will bill the credit card on file. Any credit cards that are declined at check-out will be charged a $25 processing fee to run another credit card- Absolutely NO Exceptions!
6. In order to better serve our customers, all bidders must provide their name, address, daytime phone number, and email address at which they can be contacted. This is to ensure good communication between Buckeye Auction Group and the bidder throughout the entire auction process.
7. The purchaser agrees to pay all reasonable attorney fees and costs incurred by the auction company in the collection of funds. The purchaser also agrees that a fee of 2% per month be added to the balance of any unpaid balance due the auction company and any other costs or losses incurred by the purchaser' s failure to adhere to these terms. Any debt collection or dispute proceedings will be heard in Wayne County, Ohio.
8. Buckeye Auction Group shall be the final judge in all bidding disputes and shall name a bidder as the purchaser.
9. In the event of an internet outage, cloudflare outage or any other type of internet problem that would prevent potential bidders from accessing the online bidding site and/or placing bids in the final minutes of the lot ending will result in the auction either being paused or restarted from the time of the outage forward. In the event the auction would need to be restarted the lots would be resold even if you received an automatic email after the auction stating you won. This is a rare event but if this were to happen this is the way it will be handled so that everyone has the same opportunity to buy the items.
10. All sales are final.
11. By bidding on any item, the bidder shows acceptance of the terms of the auction.
12. The auction company reserves the right to refuse service or decline registration to any person.
Ohio Auction Firm License Issued by Ohio Dept of Agriculture #2022000214
Bonded in favor of the State of Ohio


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3-Minute Devotions for Men: 180 Encouraging Readings (Paperback)
3 Minutes of Encouragement: Scripture, Devotion, and Prayer
Here you'll find the encouraging pick-me-up you need in 3-Minute Devotions for Men. Written especially for the modern man, this devotional packs a powerful dose of challenge and encouragement into just-right-sized readings for men of all ages.
Minute 1: scripture to meditate on
Minute 2: a short devotional reading
Minute 3: a prayer to jump-start a conversation with God.
Each reading addresses topics that are important to you--like courage, leadership, Bible study, and prayer--and is the ideal way to begin or end the day.
Barbour Publishing is a leading Christian book publisher offering bestselling books featuring exceptional value, biblical encouragement, and the highest quality. Barbour is the home of New York Times Bestselling author Wanda E. Brunstetter along with well-known fiction authors Gilbert Morris, Olivia Newport, Michelle Griep and many others. If your interest is Christian Living or Bible Reference, you'll find excellent titles by bestselling authors Josh McDowell, Jonathan McKee, Debora Coty, and Stephen M. Miller's The Complete Guide to the Bible. Barbour also publishes the top classic devotionals God Calling by A.J. Russell, and Come Away My Beloved by Frances J. Roberts. With inspirational Christian books available in all genres--fiction for adults and children, Bible Promise books, devotionals, Bibles, Bible reference, puzzle books, and gift books there's something for everyone to enjoy.


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Seattle Daily Photo
One Photo a Day From the Emerald City of the Pacific Northwest
Wednesday, December 31, 2014
Paris Daily Photo Ends Its 10 Year Run Today
Text & Photo © 2014 Seattle Daily Photo, All Rights Reserved
A special salute to Eric Tenin of Paris Daily Photo who today finishes his nearly 10 year run of posting one photo a day from the City of Lights with great commentary, not missing a day, and bringing so much enjoyment to so many. As you ride off into the sunset to your new life in sunny Malta, I bid adieu to your wonderful photoblog. Happy trails, Eric! Merci beaucoup, mon ami!
Saturday, February 22, 2014
Friday, February 21, 2014
Olympic Iliad
Photo & Text © 2014 Seattle Daily Photo. All rights reserved.
Alexander Liberman's bright red mammoth 1984 sculpture Olympic Iliad seemed a good candidate for today's photo with the 2014 Winter Olympic games winding down in Sochi. 1984's summer games were held on the west coast in Los Angeles the year this sculpture was installed at Seattle Center. I don't know if that's what Lieberman had in mind for the title of this, his largest piece, or if it is a reference to the nearby mountain chain or to Greece. Liberman was born in Kiev, Ukraine, went to boarding school in London and was raised in Paris. He was a designer and art director at many publications and for 50 years was an editor at Condé Nast.Thursday, February 20, 2014
All Blues
Photo & Text © 2014 Seattle Daily Photo. All rights reserved.
Sunset reflection on the blue portion of Frank Gahry's flowing "melting guitar" design of the Experience Music Project's exterior at Seattle Center.The lanky image of the Space Needle is reflected in the shiny blue shingles. I'm kinda blue, and this image helps me reflect about a longtime friend who passed away this week, way too young. Dang cancer. He was 6 foot 4 inches tall and such a caring, wonderful man. He made a large, loving and lasting impression on all who knew and loved him, despite his sun setting so early on a winter day. So long, sweet Mayor of Curtis Street, it's been good to know you.Wednesday, February 19, 2014
Photo & Text © 2014 Seattle Daily Photo. All rights reserved.
I was heading down the stairs of the north base of the Fremont Bridge to the foot and bike path below when I noticed someone's comment written on the mossy structure. What do you think when you see, "More," written there? I walked away thinking of the lyrics to an old song, More Not More, by Canadian Bruce Cockburn. Off in the distance across the ship canal you can see a boat and floating home marina.Tuesday, February 18, 2014
History House
Photo & Text © 2014 Seattle Daily Photo. All rights reserved.
Under the shadow of the Aurora Bridge in Fremont is History House. The whimsical metal work fencing and gate that surrounds it is inviting. Can you see a Humpty Dumpty figure holding the Fremont rocket and a salmon? From the funky Fremont troll model flying on a wall in the courtyard to detailed histories of each of Seattle's distinct neighborhoods, there's a lot to keep one interested and informed. Right now, "Current exhibits feature pictorial histories of the Wallingford, Georgetown, Madison Park, Fremont, Queen Anne and Ballard neighborhoods. We are also showing histories of the Woodland Park Zoo, Ross School, the Great Northern Railroad, and B.F.Day School. A special exhibit, created through a collaboration between the U.S. Corps of Engineers and History House, presents a step-by-step pictorial history of the construction of the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks."Monday, February 17, 2014
Seattlite Monday #7
Photo & Text © 2014 Seattle Daily Photo. All rights reserved.
This scene unfolded in a Cupcake Royale on a Valentine's Day Evening as I was sipping my coffee. Six or seven women came in together, each dressed to the nines in party attire. This lovely photographer among them started snapping photos of her companions. It's the seventh in a little Monday series of candids featuring Seattlites in their environs, and also adds to my long-running series called "shoot the photographer."Sunday, February 16, 2014
Interesting Building
Photo & Text © 2014 Seattle Daily Photo. All rights reserved.
Not quite a flatiron, maybe a boomerang shape? Whatever architectural shape it is, this building makes up its own little island in a sea of diagonal intersections and curving streets. I saw this unique corner looking down from the observation deck of Smith Tower in the Pioneer Square neighborhood. A lone seagull soars over the scene.Saturday, February 15, 2014
Friday, February 14, 2014
Snowy Seattle Valentine
Photo & Text © 2014 Seattle Daily Photo. All rights reserved.
There is a house on Queen Anne Hill that always has elaborate Valentine's Day yard and window decorations. I showed you a night photo of the place a few years back. I happened to pass by it on last weekend's snowy day and just had to stop and take a few iPhone shots. The across the street neighbor appears to be getting into the spirit of things, too, and has decorated a bush in the parking strip with pink and red circlets.Thursday, February 13, 2014
Begonia Dreams
Photo & Text © 2014 Seattle Daily Photo. All rights reserved.
Bright hot pink begonias enjoy the steamy interior of the West Greenhouse behind the Conservatory at Volunteer Park on a cold winter day. This is a view most visitors don't see. This greenhouse forms the physical boundary between Lake View Cemetery and the main Conservatory buildings. Seattle's Volunteer Park Conservatory is 102 years old. It's plant collections are claimed to be more rich an varied than any other on the west coast. Below is a view of the Conservatory's front and the statue of Seward that stands in the circular drive.Wednesday, February 12, 2014
Outside Gallery 9
Photo & Text © 2014 Seattle Daily Photo. All rights reserved.
Rainy day sidewalk scene from a day trip to Port Townsend, a charming community just a ferry ride and short drive north of Seattle. I loved seeing these folks just stopping and conversing on the street. You may remember a shot I took awhile back of a couple who own their fishing boat and who bicycle on custom working cycles with their line caught, flash frozen catch from Port Townsend via ferry to sell their salmon at the Ballard Farmers market in Seattle. There's a real sense of community among the people in Port Townsend that comes through even on the streets.
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As part of the Real World Windows Azure customer interview series, I talked to Marc Slovak, Vice President Product Technology, and Manish Bhargava, Product Manager, at LexisNexis about their new offerings on Windows Azure Marketplace. Here's what they had to say:
Himanshu Kumar Singh: Tell me about LexisNexis.
Marc Slovak: LexisNexis is a leading global provider of content-enabled workflow solutions designed specifically for professionals in the legal, risk management, corporate, government, law enforcement, accounting, and academic markets. We serve customers in more than 100 countries with more than 15,000 employees worldwide with access to billions of searchable documents and records from more than 45,000 legal, news and business sources.
Manish Bhargava: Lawyers.com is a free service from LexisNexis Martindale-Hubbell designed specifically for individuals and small businesses. Lawyers.com provides a variety of services:
- Accurate and reliable profiles of over one million lawyers and firms worldwide
- A wealth of information that helps users better understand the law, make more informed personal legal choices and identify high quality legal representation
- Helpful tips on selecting an attorney, preparing to meet with an attorney and working with an attorney
- An interactive discussion community of individuals and lawyers covering hundreds of legal topics
- Consumer friendly explanations of major areas of law, articles on current legal topics, links to legal resources on the web, a glossary of 10,000 legal terms, and more
HKS: What's the issue you've had to address?
MB: Lawyers.com has more than 3,000 consumer-facing legal articles authored by lawyers themselves, with more added daily. These articles are written in a manner that's authoritative and informative, yet easy enough for a non-lawyer to understand. Articles pertain to sought-after areas of practice, including child custody, divorce, immigration, bankruptcy, employment and so on. We get over two million visitors every month looking for legal information.
All this is great. The problem is that these valuable articles are housed within lawyers.com, which means consumers and small business users have to somehow find these articles and read them on lawyers.com. This requires us to do a damn good job on search engine optimization (SEO). We thought, what if we also allow external clients to take these articles and host it on their websites via web services? This would increase 'eyeballs' on our content. To do this we either needed to build our own API layer, which is a big investment and an area with which we are not yet comfortable, or use Windows Azure Marketplace to host our dataset. It was a no-brainer for us to choose to go the Microsoft route.
HKS: Tell us about your offerings on Windows Azure Marketplace.
HKS: Your other offering is for the LexisNexis Communities. What are they?
MS: The LexisNexis Communities are places where tens of thousands of legal professionals explore the latest legal trends, information, and resources available for FREE. Our online content includes blog posts (written by prominent legal professionals), podcasts, video, commentary and the latest news on emerging issues and top cases in sixteen practice areas including Bankruptcy Law, Insurance Law, Patents and Trademarks, Environmental Law, and Real Estate Law to name a few. Our most recently released community addresses Immigration Law. In addition to our practice area communities we have professional communities that provide resources and support to librarians, paralegals, new associates and government information workers.
HKS: Why are you making this content available on Windows Azure Marketplace?
MS: Many of our members have asked about reproducing our content on their intranets or their public facing websites. We made the decision to make our blog posts and podcasts available through the Windows Azure Marketplace to satisfy this need. Windows Azure Marketplace provides a variety of tools and resources to access and use our content in a variety of ways.
HKS: Is there a sample application similar to the one Manish described for Lawyers.com?
MS: Absolutely. Since the content we are providing is not tabular data we felt that it was important to illustrate techniques for accessing and using the content. The idea behind our sample site is to provide a use case and the sample code used to create the site. There are some differences between this site and the Lawyers.com implementation so the two examples taken together illustrate a substantial amount of functionality derived through the OData API layer.
Learn more about the Lawyers.com Consumer Legal Articles data on the Windows Azure Marketplace
Learn more about the LexisNexis Legal Communities data on the Windows Azure Marketplace.
Read more Windows Azure customer success stories.


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After a five week trial, four defendants have been convicted for their roles in one of the largest bank fraud and identity theft schemes in California history, with dozens of victims in four states and millions of dollars in losses.
The convictions were announced by Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department's Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Andre Birotte, Jr. of the Central District of California; Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI's Los Angeles Field Office Steven Martinez; and Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service (USSS) Joseph Beaty.
Arman Sharopetrosian, Karen Markosian, Artush Margaryan, and Kristine Ogandzhanyan were found guilty of conspiring to commit bank fraud, attempted bank fraud, and various counts of aggravated identity theft. Sharopetrosian, Markosian, and Ogandzhanyan waived a jury trial and consented to trial by the judge, and Margaryan proceeded with a jury trial.
Yesterday, U.S. District Judge David O. Carter found Ogandzhanyan, 28, of Burbank, California, guilty of one count of bank fraud conspiracy, two counts of attempted bank fraud, and four counts of aggravated identity theft. On March 16, 2012, the judge found Sharopetrosian, 33, of Burbank, guilty of one count of bank fraud conspiracy, four counts of bank fraud, and seven counts of aggravated identify theft. On March 16, 2012, the judge also found Markosian, 39, of Glendale, California, guilty of one count of bank fraud conspiracy, one count of attempted bank fraud, and two counts of aggravated identity theft. A jury convicted the fourth defendant, Artush Margaryan, 28, of Van Nuys, California, on March 16, 2012 of one count of bank fraud conspiracy, one count of attempted bank fraud, and three counts of aggravated identity theft.
Evidence was presented at trial that Sharopetrosian is a member of the Armenian Power organized crime group, and Margaryan, Markosian, and Ogandzhanyan are Armenian Power associates.
According to evidence presented at trial, Sharopetrosian directed the massive fraud scheme along with co-defendant Angus Brown while the two were incarcerated at Avenal State Prison. Using cellular telephones that were smuggled into the prison, Sharopetrosian and Brown worked from behind bars to coordinate with others, including Ogandzhanyn, Markosian, and Margaryan, to obtain confidential bank profile information and steal money from victim account holders. Often targeting high-value bank accounts, the defendants used account holders' personal identifying information—including names, Social Security numbers, and dates of birth—to impersonate victims in phone calls to the bank. The defendants gathered account information, transferred funds between victims' accounts, and placed unauthorized check orders for the accounts. They then stole the checks, obtained the victims' signatures from public documents, and paid conspirators to cash the forged checks. Over the course of the six-year conspiracy, the defendants and their co-conspirators caused more than $10 million dollars in losses to victims in Southern California, Nevada, Arizona, and Texas.
"These defendants, including two individuals who were operating from a prison cell, perpetrated a massive fraudulent scheme on behalf of a dangerous criminal enterprise," said Assistant Attorney General Breuer. "As members and associates of Armenian Power, they stole sensitive personal and financial information from innocent consumers and caused millions of dollars in losses. Whether organized criminal groups traffic in drugs, commit financial fraud or wreak other havoc to keep themselves going, they must be stopped. We are doing everything possible to shut down dangerous gangs like Armenian Power."
"The safety and sanctity of confidential financial information is paramount in today's society," said U.S. Attorney Birotte. "Identity theft is a fundamental invasion of consumer privacy that cannot be tolerated. These convictions demonstrate that violators, whoever and wherever they may be, will be caught and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the federal law."
"The defendants were convicted in a trial that uncovered a sophisticated and lengthy scheme that targeted victims in multiple states and included disturbing details, such as orders made from within prison walls and assistance from bank insiders enlisted by the defendants," said FBI Assistant Director Martinez. "This case is also indicative of the growing trend of gang or organized crime-affiliated groups now engaging in identity theft and other financial crimes in furtherance of their enterprise."
These defendants are four of 20 defendants who were charged with operating the bank fraud and identity theft scheme in one of a series of federal indictments unsealed on February 16, 2011. The indictments allege various federal crimes against members and associates of the Armenian Power criminal organization. To date, 19 of the 20 defendants charged in the bank fraud indictment have been convicted, including Brown. One defendant, Faye Bell, was arrested earlier this year and is still awaiting trial.
Sharopetrosian, Margaryan, Markosian, and Ogandzhanyan face maximum sentences of 30 years in federal prison for each count of bank fraud, 30 years for each count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and additional mandatory two year sentences for each count of aggravated identity theft.
Sentencing for all four defendants is scheduled for August 6, 2012 before Judge Carter.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Martin Estrada and Joseph McNally of the Central District of California and Trial Attorney Cristina Moreno of the Organized Crime and Gang Section in the Justice Department's Criminal Division. The case was investigated by the Eurasian Organized Crime Task Force, which includes the FBI, the USSS, the Los Angeles Police Department, the Glendale Police Department, the Burbank Police Department, the Internal Revenue Service, and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.


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- 20" L x 12.2" W
- Ceramic body and pewter rim
- Each platter is individually made by hand
- Lead free alloy of tin, copper and antimony
- FDA approved and food safe
- Handmade by artisans in Northern Italy
Please note: Handmade products have slight variations that are to be expected and are the nature of the product. These variations are not considered flaws, but are part of the desired character of each individual handmade piece.
Care: To ensure the longevity of these beautiful plates, we recommend washing by hand or in the dishwasher on the lowest temperature for washing and drying, and letting it cool before removing. Please do not pre-soak. Pewter tarnishes very slowly and requires almost no maintenance. To clean your pewter hand wash in warm water with a liquid dish soap. Be sure to dry the pewter completely, as water allowed to dry on pewter may cause spots. Any spots that appear can be easily removed by polishing or by gently rubbing the area in small circular motions with very fine "0000" steel wool.


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Floor Care
- Frequently moved furniture should be equipped with felt pads to avoid scratching the floor. Heavy furniture and appliances should be equipped with non staining large surface floor protectors. Furniture with castors or wheels must be easy swiveling, large surface non-staining and suitable for resilient floors. Do not use ball type castors as they can damage the floor.
- Avoid exposure to long periods of direct sunlight. Close blinds or drapes during peak sunlight hours.
- Use walk off mats at entrances to prevent dirt and grit from being tracked on to the floor.
- Sweep or vacuum the floor regularly to remove loose dirt. Avoid using a vacuum with a beater bar.
- Clean up spills immediately.
- Damp mop as needed using clean water and a diluted floor cleaner. Do not use harsh cleaners or chemicals on the floor.
Store Hours
Monday – Friday 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Saturday: By Appt Only
Sunday CLOSED


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Poems by Goldsmith and ParnellW. Bulmer and Company Shakspeare Printing Office, Cleveland-Row, 1804 - 68 "‰ «·'ðÕ« |
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Amidst thy bending beneath Bewick bless'd blessings bliss boast bosom breast calm charms cheer Cheshire Cleveland Row climes Clogher crown'd display Dublin e'en Edmund Burke fame fire flies friends gale guests happiness heart Heaven HERMIT Hoards honour horrours humble Ireland kind kings labour land Lord loveliest luxury mansion master merit mind mirth morn musick native nature's o'er OLIVER GOLDSMITH pain parterre pass'd peasant pleased pleasure poem poet pomp poor praise pride proud PUBLIC LIBRARY ASTOR Published January reign repose rich rise round Samuel Johnson sculp seem'd shade Shakspeare Printing Office shed shore sinks sire skies smiling solitary sorrow soul splendid splendour spread supplied swain sway SWEET Auburn TETIGIT thine THOMAS PARNELL Thou thy bowers toil truth turn Twas tyrant village virtue wandering wealth wept Westminster Abbey where-e'er wild William Bulmer wish'd wretched YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY youth
"Þ«ÿ⁄ "'ÂÊ—…
«·'ðÕ… 26 - In all my wanderings round this world of care, In all my griefs - and God has given my share I still had hopes my latest hours to crown, Amidst these humble bowers to lay me down; To husband our life's taper at the close And keep the flame from wasting by repose.˛
«·'ðÕ… 32 - For e'en though vanquished, he could argue still ; While words of learned length and thundering sound, Amazed the gazing rustics ranged around; And still they gazed, and still the wonder grew, That one small head could carry all he knew.˛
«·'ðÕ… 31 - A man severe he was, and stern to view, I knew him well, and every truant knew; Well had the boding tremblers learned to trace The day's disasters in his morning face ; Full well they laugh'd with counterfeited glee, At all his jokes, for many a joke had he...˛
«·'ðÕ… 26 - A time there was, ere England's griefs began, When every rood of ground maintained its man ; For him light labour spread her wholesome store, Just gave what life required, but gave no more : His best companions, innocence and health ; And his best riches, ignorance of wealth.˛
«·'ðÕ… 30 - Careless their merits or their faults to scan, His pity gave ere charity began.˛
«·'ðÕ… 38 - Where the dark scorpion gathers death around ; Where at each step the stranger fears to wake The rattling terrors of the vengeful snake ; Where crouching tigers wait their hapless prey. And savage men more murderous still than they; While oft in whirls the mad tornado flies, Mingling the ravaged landscape with the skies.˛
«·'ðÕ… 2 - Where all the ruddy family around Laugh at the jests or pranks that never fail, Or sigh with pity at some mournful tale ; Or press the bashful stranger to his food, And learn the luxury of doing good...˛
«·'ðÕ… 38 - Altama murmurs to their woe. Far different there from all that charm'd before, The various terrors of that horrid shore; Those blazing suns that dart a downward ray, And fiercely shed intolerable day...˛
«·'ðÕ… 36 - Tumultuous grandeur crowds the blazing square, The rattling chariots clash, the torches glare. Sure scenes like these no troubles e'er annoy ! Sure these denote one universal joy ! Are these thy serious thoughts ? ó Ah, turn thine eyes Where the poor houseless shivering female lies.˛
«·'ðÕ… 2 - Impell'd, with steps unceasing, to pursue Some fleeting good, that mocks me with the view ; That, like the circle bounding earth and skies, Allures from far, yet, as I follow, flies ; My fortune leads to traverse realms alone, And find no spot of all the world my own.˛


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Queenship Of the Blessed Virgin
Last week was the Feast of the Assumption of Mary and today, August 22 is the Queenship of Mary.
The other day a man called to say my argument for the Assumption of Mary from the Old Testament was wrong. I had quoted 1 Kings 2:19 where Solomon had raised his mother to Queen of the Kingdom was the ONLY case of a mother being queen in the Old Testament. He prefaced his comment by saying he knew the Old Testament. Well, it seems he is incorrect.
In the Old Testament, the queens of the Judean kings were their mothers — with one exception of the queen being a grandmother. Solomon had 1,000 wives and concubines — but he only had one mother. Click here to read the section on The Great Lady or Queen Mother in Roland de Vaux's book Ancient Israel: Its Life and Institution.
The Queen Mothers of the earthly kings of Judah were not always good queens. Many of them were sinners and would make improper intercessions to the king. But, this takes nothing away from the perfect King and Queen –Jesus and his mother Mary. It is the pattern and the office that is important.
Jesus is a king sitting on the throne of his fathers David and Solomon and all the subsequent kings of Judah. They all had queens and the queens were not their wives, they were their mothers. This is the pattern and ultimately Christianity and the Kingdom of God are based on the Old Testament model.
Follow the logic: 1) The kings of Judah, following Solomon who raised his mother to Queenship, had their mothers as queens which became established as an official office; 2) the mothers were referred to as the Queen Mothers or the Great Lady; 3) they sat on a throne near their sons (1 Ki 2:19); 4)Jesus is the quintessential Jewish King with an eternal kingdom; 5) Jesus is the fulfillment of the Israelite offices of Prophet, Priest & King; 6) As the Davidic king, Jesus would honor his mother more than earthy kings honored their mothers; 7) It is biblical, historical, and reasonable to expect the perfect Jewish king to follow in the stead of the kingdom and his fathers by assuming his mother to a throne at his right hand. 8) It is proper and biblical to consider Mary in a position of intercessor.
Read more at Catholic Convert.


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Learn how the AI Coach platform engages teachers in an evidence-based learning process focused on the actual teaching and learning within their classrooms — tactical and practical feedback tailored to each teacher's needs, and teachers interact with the computerized coach when it's convenient for their schedules.
Google for Education has released the first report from a massive, two-year study considering the role of education in a "radically different future," and what that might look like, focusing on big-picture themes seen as most likely to impact education and the future workforce in the coming years and decades.
PBLWorks has opened registration for its annual project-based learning professional development conference and awards to be held June 26-29, 2023, and the discounted early bird registration deadline is Dec. 30, 2022 for the annual event whose 2023 theme is "Sharing Stories of High Quality Project Based Learning."
When COVID-19 prevented in-person coaching, observing, and co-teaching, the North Carolina New Teacher Support Program started using video and continued in full force, with over 1,000 teachers participating in the 2020–21 school year and the program has continued growing, with nearly 1,400 teachers participating this school year — data shows it is indeed helping the state retain teachers.
The National Science Teaching Association is accepting nominations through Dec. 21, 2022, for its annual teacher awards, with grant prizes totaling over $60,000. The awards recognize informal and classroom educators, researchers, new teachers, longtime teachers, and more.
SXSW EDU has unveiled nearly half of the lineup for the 2023 event scheduled for March 6–9, 2023, in Austin, featuring topics considered the most pressing in education, the organization said, after more than 1,200 proposals were whittled down by conference organizers and voting through PanelPicker.
A 15-year study of 18 million Facebook posts linked to U.S. schools and school districts shows that millions of students have been unintentionally put at risk by identifiable images, names, and locations available to the public.
Two national nonprofits, EdTech Evidence Exchange and InnovateEDU, are merging in hopes of accelerating their work to improve outcomes and efficiencies in the usage of technology K–12 education, the organizations announced.
Apple recently announced a number of updates and new resources for K–12 educators, including new instructional resources emphasizing project-based learning, creativity, and collaboration, as well as professional learning opportunities.
THEJournal.com editor and host Kristal Kuykendall visits with several K–12 educators, instructional coaches, and education technology specialists who participated in the Apple Learning Coach pilot program before it was launched publicly this past March and they share deep insights and inspiring stories about how ALC has been a change agent at their schools: from helping spark new enthusiasm among students and teachers, and improving the frameworks of existing teacher coaching programs, to building technology-powered instruction that dramatically increases student engagement, creation, and collaboration.
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It is with deep regret that we announce that Neil Stuart Lawson was killed on the 9th of August 2005 in a tragic and unfortunate gliding accident. His photo library is the legacy he leaves behind, and this web site will be left as a tribute to his exceptional work. To view the condolences, please click here.
Neil's parents, Jean and Michael, would like to convey their sincere thanks to all his many kind friends and acquaintances for their comforting messages, cards and letters of condolence at the loss of their dear son. They are truly gratified to hear that his work was so much admired and has given so much pleasure to so many.
FA18C0018 - McDonnell Douglas F/A18C J-5014/014 Swiss Air Force
all images and parts thereof are the property of the originator copyright the White Planes picture co. - permission to use must be obtained
website design © www.launch-point.co.uk


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Check your Cheese Nips -- the cracker's parent company has issued a voluntary recall.
Mondelēz Global LLC issued the recall for a limited quantity of Cheese Nips the United States due to the potential presence of plastic pieces from a food scraper. The company told the Food and Drug Administration that the particles were incorporated into the production process and impact a small amount of product.
"The company became aware of this issue when yellow plastic pieces were noticed on the manufacturing equipment," the recall statement said.
Only Cheese Nips boxes of 11 ounces that have a "best by" date of May 18, 19 or 20, 2020, could be contaminated.
No other products were impacted, and no illness or injury has come from the particles, according to the FDA.


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This specification defines Cascading Style Sheets, level 2 (CSS2). CSS2 is a style sheet language that allows authors and users to attach style (e.g., fonts, spacing, and aural cues) to structured documents (e.g., HTML documents and XML applications). By separating the presentation style of documents from the content of documents, CSS2 simplifies Web authoring and site maintenance.
CSS2 builds on CSS1 (see [CSS1]) and, with very few exceptions, all valid CSS1 style sheets are valid CSS2 style sheets. CSS2 supports media-specific style sheets so that authors may tailor the presentation of their documents to visual browsers, aural devices, printers, braille devices, handheld devices, etc. This specification also supports content positioning, downloadable fonts, table layout, features for internationalization, automatic counters and numbering, and some properties related to user interface.
This document has been reviewed by W3C Members and other interested parties and has been endorsed by the Director as a W3C Recommendation. It is a stable document and may be used as reference material or cited as a normative reference from another document. W3C's role in making the Recommendation is to draw attention to the specification and to promote its widespread deployment. This enhances the functionality and interoperability of the Web.
A list of current W3C Recommendations and other technical documents can be found at http://www.w3.org/TR.
Public discussion of CSS features takes place on email@example.com.
The CSS2 specification is available in the following formats:
In case of a discrepancy between the various forms of the specification, http://www.w3.org/TR/1998/REC-CSS2-19980512 is considered the definitive version.
The English version of this specification is the only normative version. However, for translations in other languages see http://www.w3.org/Style/css2-updates/translations.html.
The list of known errors in this specification is available at http://www.w3.org/Style/css2-updates/REC-CSS2-19980512-errata.html. Please report errors in this document to firstname.lastname@example.com.
Copyright © 1998 W3C (MIT, INRIA, Keio ), All Rights Reserved.


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I've spent quite a bit of the past decade trying to figure out how to create portable temporary animal fencing. My previous attempts were mostly focused on cattle because that's what we had, but now that we have sheep and goats instead, the durability needs of the solution has changed.
My latest attempt uses 3/4in EMT conduit to build a frame to support 10ft sections of sheep fencing held on by 16 gauge wire. The secret to this assembly is the handy fittings from MakerPipe that allow me to assemble the frames with little more than cutting the pipe to length and wiring on the fence.
These panels are very lightweight but strong enough to resist rubbing by our sheep and goats and our livestock guardian dogs leaning on them. Once I get enough built to show them in use, I'll post an update. –DLH


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Wow, how lucky are we to have uncovered this deleted scene from The Notebook?!
Most people don't know that the famous Ferris Wheel scene was originally a lot longer, but for some reason the director chose to cut out the two extras with a lot to say on Noah's flirting style. Thank goodness Soren and Jolles sent us the extended cut. Because it's friggin hilarious.


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DOTmed Certified Randall Jones at Resonance Innovations LLC makes the antennae that enhance MRI reception.
Researchers say CT scans help identify those patients at risk.
New technology known as high resolution confocal endomicroscopy makes this possible; DOTmed News spoke to the lead researcher in this groundbreaking study.
The device detects diabetes and pre-diabetes without the use of blood tests or fasting.
The DOTmed 100 company targets the non-hospital market according to DOTmed Certified Boyd Campbell.
Barrett's is a condition that can lead to esophageal cancer; comes from acid reflex and GERD.
DOTmed Certified Elmer Ruder tells how Johnson & Johnson's sale of its electronics divisions after the second Tylenol scare led to his company's founding.
C. difficile, a bacterial infection that can be fatal, was found on even the cleanest toilets.
ProNet Medical's inventory is patient-ready and can be shipped same day.
DOTmed Certified Scott Wasson says DR is the wave of the future.
Hospitals, which are tightening their belts, are buying refurbished equipment at huge cost savings, according to DOTmed Certified Sales Coordinator Ben Holloway.
Account rep Grant Norris is DOTmed Certified.
But users in this region are hedging their bets due to skyrocketing transportation costs.
DOTmed Certified Jason Eden scouts hospitals for never-used equipment.
DOTmed Certified David Bullington, President of Bullington Associates, is helping doctors survive the crunch by providing "everything but the patient."
Twenty years as a medical technician gives Walter Allen the edge.
PolyGen GmbH has recently launched a new 12 column DNA/RNA Oligonucleotide Synthesizer which uses their patented Slider Block Technology.


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All Care Guides
Exercising Your Cat
Cats are notorious for preferring sleep to exercise. However, regular exercise is important to your cat's health because it burns calories, reduces appetite, maintains muscle tone, and increases metabolism (the rate at which calories are burned).
Read More Exercising Your Dog
Exercise can have many health benefits for your dog. Regular exercise burns calories, reduces appetite, improves muscle tone, increases metabolism, and improves temperature regulation. It can be a valuable contributor to weight loss and maintenance. Exercise can also help stimulate your dog's mind, thereby preventing boredom and destructive behaviors.
Read More Exotic Pet Fecal Testing
Gastrointestinal (GI) parasites include any parasites that live in the digestive tract of a host. A variety of GI parasites affect exotic pets such as rabbits, rats, mice, gerbils, hamsters, and guinea pigs. The most common GI parasites in these pets are pinworms, tapeworms, Giardia, and coccidia.
Read More Explaining Pet Loss to Children
Our companion animals are often treasured members of the family, and we mourn for them when they die or are euthanized. It is important to recognize your feelings of loss and grief and to express them in your own way. In addition, when your child is attached to a pet that dies or is euthanized, it is important to recognize his or her feelings of loss and help your child express those feelings.
Read More Eye Discharge
Eye discharge can refer to any type of fluid that comes from the eye. Most healthy pets have eyes that are clear, bright, and have minimal discharge. However, some types of eye discharge are completely normal. Each time your pet blinks, tears are released from tear ducts and bathe the surface of the eye to provide moisture and deliver oxygen and nutrients. Some pets produce more tears than others, so increased wetness of the eye is not always a medical problem. Some pets can also have crusty material at the corners of their eyes when they wake up. This is usually easy to clean with a damp tissue and is not considered a problem in most cases.
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