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For only the third time since the Industrial Revolution, the world may be entering a long-term growth cycle that will lift all economies simultaneously, driving bond yields and commodity prices higher, according to leading economists attending the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
The depth and scope of the expansion will be a focus for discussion at this week's annual meeting of the WEF. Evidence of a broadening global recovery will enable U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner, investor George Soros and 2,500 political, business and academic leaders to shift their emphasis away from crisis- fighting. Yet doubts remain over how much rich nations will be able to benefit from growth which is increasingly driven by the emerging world.
With the economic and investment outlooks "much better" than in recent years, "people are talking about how to get back to business as normal and what comes next," said Jitesh Gadhia, a delegate to the conference and the London-based senior managing director at Blackstone Group LP, which runs the world's largest buyout fund.
Goldman Sachs Group Inc., PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP and London's Standard Chartered Bank are among the financial companies sending executives to the meeting. Their economists predict a growth spurt in coming decades led by emerging nations that will be strong enough to boost developed countries.
Global gross domestic product will swell to US$143-trillion by 2030, allowing for inflation and market-exchange rates, from US$62-trillion in 2010, with China and other emerging markets accounting for about two thirds of the rise, estimates Gerard Lyons, chief economist and group head of global research in London for Standard Chartered, which generates most of its earnings from Asia.
Lyons and his colleagues predict a "super-cycle" of historically high growth that will last at least a generation and will be led by booming trade, investment and urbanization, according to a report published in November. He reckons such a cycle has occurred only twice since the end of the 18th century: the four decades before the First World War and the three following the Second World War. He's betting the new phase will contribute to a reversal in the three-decade decline for U.S. bond yields after 10-year Treasury notes lost an average 40 basis points a year since the early 1980s.
Richard Dobbs, a director of the research division at New York-based McKinsey & Co., will use the Davos meeting to highlight a study by the international consulting firm that sees an imminent end to cheap capital. The causes are a building bonanza in developing economies and aging populations who are draining their savings, according to the report, which was released Dec. 9.
"It's a topic capturing the attention of people who want to think beyond the crisis," said Seoul-based Dobbs.
While Goldman Sachs Asset Management Chairman Jim O'Neill has found fame for promoting the "BRIC" economies of Brazil, Russia, India and China, he says their rise has positive impact beyond their borders, with Chinese imports totaling about US$400-billion, almost the equivalent of South Africa's economy last year. That should attract investors to rich-nation companies with links to these markets, and the resurgence in the U.S. economy has prompted O'Neill to predict higher U.S. bond yields in 2011.
"World-trend economic growth is being lifted," said London-based O'Neill, who helps manage US$840-billion. "The notion that BRICs benefit at the expense of others is increasingly out of date."
Investors should buy copper, coal and oil to take advantage of the growth of cities in emerging markets, according to Standard Chartered, which says the Chinese yuan, Indian rupee and Korean won will appreciate on strengthening domestic growth.
Developed nations also will benefit as their emerging- market counterparts invest more abroad, hire more of their workers and rely on their expertise in areas such as financial services, said Mr. Lyons, who will be at Davos. He predicts both the U.S. and European Union will enjoy an average trend growth of 2.5% through 2030, compared with the 1.9% and 1.7% he forecasts for this year.
"It's a win-win situation," said Mr. Lyons, who concedes growth won't always be strong and continuous during the entire period.
The increasing integration of China and other developing economies will boost commerce and investment worldwide, agrees Edward Prescott, a senior monetary adviser to the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis who shared the 2004 Nobel Prize for analysis of business cycles and economic policy.
Prescott points to South Carolina, which has benefited from new factories opened by Chinese companies such as appliance maker Haier Group. The International Monetary Fund projects this year will be the first in which Chinese foreign investment outpaces inward flows.
"The whole world's going to be rich by the end of this century," Mr. Prescott said.
Such euphoria may not be the only view in Davos, given the European sovereign-debt crisis, fears of a real-estate bubble in China and mounting public-debt burdens, said Nariman Behravesh, chief economist at consultants IHS in Lexington, Massachusetts, who is attending the meeting.
"There's going to be more optimism but still some worries," he said.
Talk of a super-cycle gets little support from Joseph Stiglitz, a Davos veteran and 2001 Nobel laureate. He contends that globalization and free trade may be stymied by unemployment in rich nations and the risk that more of these countries' jobs will be lost abroad. The U.S. jobless rate has remained above 9% since May 2009.
"Standard Chartered works mostly in developing markets, and that shapes its world view," said Mr. Stiglitz, an economics professor at Columbia University in New York. "If you work in emerging markets, you feel the energy. If you are in the U.S. or Europe, you see the numbers and it's hard not to feel depressed."
The difference reflects a "shift in the center of gravity in the world economy, in which the West is struggling to keep up with turbo-charged," emerging markets, says Stephen King, chief global economist in London at HSBC Holdings Plc and a former U.K. Treasury official. He will outline in Davos what he calls the next phase of globalization: increased trade among emerging countries.
His team calculated this month that by 2050, global output will have trebled and average annual growth will accelerate toward 3% from 2% in the last decade, with emerging markets contributing twice as much to the expansion as the developed world.
Ian Bremmer, president and founder of the Eurasia Group, a political-risk consulting company in New York, is more downbeat as he heads to the Swiss ski resort. He predicts what he calls a "G-Zero" era in which no country has the political or economic leverage to dominate the international agenda and all nations focus on their own priorities. That will reduce economic efficiency and prompt trade conflicts, he said.
The subsequent volatility and uncertainty mean U.S. assets will prove the "comparative safest bet" and the price of gold will stay high, Bremmer said, after touching a record US$1,432.50 an ounce on Dec. 7. Fixed-income securities still may suffer as nations impose capital controls, which Brazil and South Korea have done lately, while companies will continue saving rather than spending, he predicted.
John Hawksworth, the London-based head of macroeconomics at PricewaterhouseCoopers, is confident a so-called zero-sum world isn't in the cards. His own attempt to see into the future this month generated a projection that a bloc of seven leading emerging markets, including India and China, will be 64% larger than the current Group of Seven by 2050 at market- exchange rates, compared with 36% smaller today.
Even so, average income levels in the G7 countries will rise in absolute terms as new market opportunities open up for their businesses, and consumers will benefit from lower-cost imports, predicts Mr. Hawksworth, who has served as a consultant to the World Bank and whose company will release its annual survey of executives in Davos tomorrow.
"There is a shift in economic power from West to East, but the West can still do well," Mr. Lyons said.
Bloomberg News


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AMD shows off Radeon R9 Fury X2 dual-GPU at VRLA 2016
Featured in new 4-inch wide Falcon Northwest custom PC
At the Virtual Reality Los Angeles (VRLA) 2016 Winter Expo this weekend in Southern California, AMD showed off its upcoming Radeon R9 Fury X dual-GPU powered by two 28nm Fiji GPUs.
AMD Fiji has two GPUs
Liquid VR and sources offer proof
It has been a while since we saw the first factual proof of the existence of Fiji, the next generation flagship AMD GPU, that will be the first graphics card to come with High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) memory.
Gainward GTX 690 reviewed
Review: New driver boosts performance even further
Nvidia GTX 690 reviews show up
Roundup: Reaches GTX 680 SLI levels easy
Nvidia officially unveils the GTX 690
Dual-GPU GK104 Kepler for US $999
Nvidia preparing big announcement for April 28th
"It's coming" at Nvidia Gaming Festival in China
Nvidia's mystery announcement is about GTX 690
Dual-GPU Kepler coming before May 5th
More info on Kepler GK104 dual-GPU shows up
28nm GeForce 600 Series dual-GPU card
Radeon HD 7000 dual on the way
Coming by late Q1 2012
AMD HD 6990 up and running at Cebit
CeBIT 2011: Coming on March 8th

subset: commoncrawl


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New strategy to guide forest restoration across watershed
Targeted tree plantings could improve the environment and our quality of life.
Clean air, clean water and healthy communities: the benefits of forests are vast. But as populations rise and development pressure expands, forests across the Chesapeake Bay watershed are fragmented and cut down.
In an effort to slow the loss of Chesapeake forests, the U.S. Forest Service has released a restoration strategy that outlines how officials and individuals alike can improve the environment and their communities by planting and caring for native trees.
According to the strategy, which has been endorsed by each of the watershed's seven State Foresters, expanding forest cover is critical to improving our air and water, restoring wildlife habitat, sequestering carbon and curbing home energy use.
To ensure we get the most "bang" for our tree-planting buck, the strategy targets restoration efforts toward those places in which forests would provide the greatest benefits, from wildlife corridors along streams and rivers to towns, cities and farms.
Trees along the edges of streams and rivers—called a riparian forest buffer—can keep nutrients and sediment out of our waters and nurture critters with vital habitat and food to eat. Trees in towns and cities—called an urban tree canopy—can clean and cool the air, protect drinking water and boost property values, improving the well-being of an entire neighborhood at a low cost. And trees on farms—in the form of wind breaks, forest buffers or large stands of trees—can protect crops, livestock and local wildlife while providing a farmer with a new form of sustainable income.
Other areas targeted for forest restoration include abandoned mine lands in headwater states and contaminated sites where certain tree species could remove toxic metals from the soil.
Learn more about the Chesapeake Forest Restoration Strategy.


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We thank the Lord that His precious Word is so available to us today.
It has not always been so. In fact, from the sixth to the fourteenth centuries, the Bible was largely inaccessible to the public. During this period, the bright light contained in the Bible and many of the precious truths revealed in it and enjoyed by the early Christians were not generally available. Since the 1500s, beginning with Martin Luther's groundbreaking realization that justification is by faith, the Lord has continued to gradually recover more light and truth from His Word. This recovery in spiritual and scriptural understanding has ushered in a corresponding recovery in both the individual and the corporate aspects of the Christian life. The Recovery Version of the Bible is so named because its text and footnotes crystallize many of these truths and experiences.
In 1385 John Wycliffe translated the Bible into English from the Latin Vulgate. This translation and its subsequent distribution was instrumental in opening the door to the spread of the truth. Around 1525 the Bible was translated into English directly from the original languages by William Tyndale. Since then many excellent English translations have followed. The Recovery Version of the Bible is translated from the original languages according to principles and standards of translation established by major English translations of the last five centuries.
The Recovery Version of the Bible was translated and revised by the Editorial Section of Living Stream Ministry from 1974 to 2003. The Recovery Version of the Bible contains numerous study aids, including, the subject and background of each book; detailed, interpretive outlines; enlightening footnotes, valuable cross references, and a variety of useful charts and maps. All of these study aids were written by Witness Lee, who received much help from the writings of noted Bible expositors throughout church history, including his co-worker, Watchman Nee. The New Testament Recovery Version in its current format in English was published in 1991, and it is also available in Chinese, Spanish, Russian, Japanese, and several other languages. The Recovery Version of the Bible, including outlines, footnotes, and cross references for both the Old and New Testaments, is now available.


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EXPO 'Butcher, Baker, Candlestickmaker' – Caroline Van Hoek gallery, Bruxelles (BE) – 4-23 Aout 2012
« Butcher, Baker, Candlestick maker » – Caroline Van Hoek gallery (Brussels, Belgium) 04-Aug-2012 – 23-Aug-2012
A project generously hosted by Caroline Van Hoek gallery to promote young work in contemporary jewelry. Works by Cranbrook Academy of Art, USA.
The breakdown of material-specific practice is an opportunity to acknowledge and re-engage the long-standing culture of borrowing within the maker's studio. This exhibition examines the loss in reducing our identity as makers from goldsmiths, silversmiths, blacksmiths, and whitesmiths to generalized "metalsmiths" and the gain in casting lines to outside archetypes as concepts continue to override materials in our collective system of making. Now, in addition to our traditional practices, we are dissecting carcasses, hanging cuts to cure, greasing our molds, kneading and salting our dough, dipping and re-dipping our waxes in order to glean foreign phrases from exterior societal crafts whose methods increase the potency of our own.
curated by Timothy Mc Mahon
Artists: Laura Bombach — Kathleen Janvier — Alissa Lamarre — Réka Fekete — Rebekah Frank — Julia Heineccius – Tiff Massey – Jane Ritchie — Amy Weiks.
Caroline Van Hoek gallery
Rue Van Eyck 57
1050 – Brussels
Telephone: + 32 2 6444511
website: www.carolinevanhoek.be
mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
mail: email@example.com


text: With nationally recognized attorneys, an impeccable reputation and an impressive breadth of knowledge, Donahue Tucker & Ciandella is one of the state's leading law firms. From estate planning, business law to real estate, land use, environmental and municipal law, we provide a full spectrum of legal services. Above all, we are completely dedicated to each client.


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Date: 8th April 2014
Orlando Bloom has revealed he had initial doubts about starring in a Romeo And Juliet film.
The Lord Of The Rings star reprised his Broadway role after the production of William Shakespeare's tragedy was adapted for the big screen, which co-stars Condola Rashad as Juliet.
"I was honestly sceptical at the idea. It was my first time with Shakespeare since drama school. I hadn't really tackled a leading role in Shakespeare and it was my Broadway debut, so there were a lot of firsts," he said.
"But I was also kind of excited by the challenge and by the possibility, and it lived up to all my hopes and expectations."
The 37-year-old added: "I felt very lucky to be playing Romeo on Broadway. It's sort of every actor's dream to play Romeo, let alone on Broadway. I had never thought that would be on my cards but it's been amazing. It was a really rewarding experience."
Orlando, who was recently awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, joked he is a spitting image to the lothario.
" I'm just like Romeo. That's why it's so easy for me to do," he quipped.
"He's passionate, he's a lover, he's romantic, he's virile, desperate and fearless, and all of those qualities I ran to embrace. There are parts (of me) that like to think I'm a bit like Romeo but I certainly enjoyed stepping into his skin for that period. It was a real gift."
The actor is now looking to do more theatre work.
"I'd love to do more Shakespeare but I'd also love to do more contemporary work. I'd also love to come back to Broadway or off-Broadway and do something completely different, so I'm not at all blinkered to anything really," he said.
Source: Press Release
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About this Show
After serving as a British Army nurse in World War II, Claire Randall is enjoying a second honeymoon in Scotland with husband Frank, an MI6 officer looking forward to a new career as an Oxford historian. Suddenly, Claire is transported to 1743 and into a mysterious world where her freedom and life are threatened. To survive, she marries Jamie Fraser, a strapping Scots warrior with a complicated past and a disarming sense of humor. A passionate relationship ensues, and Claire is caught between two vastly different men in two inharmonious lives. "Outlander" is adapted from the best-selling books by Diana Gabaldon.
Starring: Caitriona BalfeSam HeughanSophie SkeltonRichard RankinDavid Berry
Creator: Ronald D. Moore


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WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama held a White House meeting Saturday with the Dalai Lama, a fellow Nobel Peace laureate, hours after China called on the U.S. to rescind an invitation that could sour relations with Beijing.
The Tibetan spiritual leader has been in Washington for an 11-day Buddhist ritual. Thousands of expatriate Tibetans joined a 76th birthday celebration Wednesday for the Dalai Lama, who's just relinquished leadership of Tibet's government-in-exile.
The White House said that during the 45-minute private session in the Map Room, Obama "underscored the importance of the protection of human rights of Tibetans in China." In a statement issued after the meeting, the White House also said Obama reiterated his support for the preservation of Tibet's religious, cultural and linguistic traditions.
Obama restated U.S. policy that it does not support Tibetan independence, a goal that the Dalai Lama said he also does not seek.
In a nod to the criticism from Beijing, Obama also stressed to the Dalai Lama that he considers a cooperative relationship between the United States and China to be important, according to the White House statement.
In remarks after the meeting forwarded by Kate Saunders from the International Campaign for Tibet, the Dalai Lama said of his visit with Obama: "Firstly we developed a very close sort of feeling for each other." He said Obama expressed his concern over basic human values, such as human rights and religious freedoms. "So naturally he shows genuine concern about suffering in Tibet and other places."
A Chinese crackdown led the Dalai Lama to flee into exile in India in 1959. China says he's welcome to return if he drops his separatist activities, accepts Tibet as an inalienable part of China and recognizes Taiwan as a province of China.
Hours before the Dalai Lama's arrival, the Chinese Foreign Ministry urged the White House to cancel the visit.
"We firmly oppose any foreign official to meet with the Dalai Lama in any form," Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said in a statement posted on the ministry's website.
"We request the U.S. side to honor its serious commitment that recognizes Tibet as part of China and opposes Tibet independence," Hong said.
The White House kept the meeting low-key, closing it from news reporters and photographers. It chose the Map Room for the visit instead of the Oval Office, which is reserved for visiting heads of state.
The visit comes less than 10 days before U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is expected to visit the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen. Vice President Joseph Biden is also scheduled to visit China this summer, followed by a trip to Washington by his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping.
Obama had been criticized by pro-Tibetan activists for putting off an invitation during the Dalai Lama's stay in the capital. White House officials said the president's schedule had been occupied with debt-limit negotiations with congressional leaders.
Obama last met the Dalai Lama in February 2010.


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Dr. David Lieberman, Ph.D. |
Relationships and Self Esteem
How to love and be loved
by Dr. David Lieberman, Ph.D.
Emotionally healthy people generally have positive relationships. Conversely, those who don't seem to get along with anyone are often emotionally unstable. Our self-esteem has a direct impact on the quality of our relationships.
To the degree that we lack self-esteem, we cannot love ourselves fully. To fill this emotional void, we turn to the world for approval. This behavior illuminates the source of all negative emotions and interpersonal conflicts. The acceptance and recognition that we crave comes in the form of respect. We erroneously believe that if only others would respect us, we would be able to respect ourselves by converting the adoration and praise of others into self-love. Our self-worth is therefore dependent on others' opinions.
When we depend on others for validation, we become tense and vulnerable, as we over-analyze every fleeting glance and passing comment. It does not matter how much respect and adoration we receive; we are like a cup without a bottom: the moment we stop receiving this undivided attention, we are as empty and as thirsty as we were before. Yes, there are moments of fleeting satisfaction, but ultimately we remain empty inside.
No-Win or Win-Win
A healthy sense of self-esteem endows us with the ability to give. To the degree that we do not like ourselves, we cannot receive, we can only take. The more self-esteem we have, the more we are whole, as receiving is a natural consequence of giving. This cycle of giving and receiving creates the perfect union. When we take, however, we do so in an attempt to fill a void -- leaving us still empty, and forced, once again, to take in a vain attempt to feel complete. Such behavior only reinforces our dependency, and continues to exhaust us emotionally, spiritually, and physically. Man is the sum total of what he gives; and he loses a piece of himself every time he takes.
Only someone who has higher self-esteem is able to give -- love, respect, time, and attention -- to both himself and to others.
Without enough self-esteem, every relationship is rigged for a no-win scenario. For example, someone asks us for a favor, but we do not want to do it, for good reason. Giving out of fear or guilt does nothing to enhance self-esteem. To the contrary, it diminishes it. Such a situation is not really giving; it is the other person taking. If we acquiesce, then we are angry at ourselves or the other person, and if we do not do it, we feel guilty. Whatever we do leads to further justification; we cannot win. The ego swells in both scenarios and neither situation boosts self-esteem.
Through this paradigm we learn how to tell if someone has high or low self-esteem. It is reflected in how he treats himself and others. A person who lacks self-esteem may indulge in things to satisfy only his own desires, and he will not treat others particularly well (a product of an arrogant mentality). Alternatively, this person may cater to others because he so craves their approval and respect, but he does not take care of his own needs (a product of the doormat mentality). Only someone who has higher self-esteem is able to give -- love, respect, time, and attention -- to both himself and to others.
Giving Vs. Taking
When a person gives, he loves the object of his giving more -- and so love is planted and grows. A child receives and a parent gives; who loves who more? The child cannot wait to get out of the house, while the parent is forever concerned with the child's wellbeing.
Every positive emotion stems from giving and flows outward from us to others, whereas every negative emotion revolves around taking. Indeed, the root of the Hebrew word, ahavah, love, is hav, to give.
Lust is the opposite of love. When we lust after someone or something, our interest is purely selfish in our desire to feel complete. When we love, however, our focus is on how we can express our love, and give to the other person. It makes us feel good to give, and we do so happily. When someone we love is in pain, we feel pain. When someone after whom we lust is in pain, however, we think only about how this person's situation will affect us, in terms of our own inconvenience or discomfort.
Love is limitless. A parent does not love her second child less because she already has one child. She loves each child, gives to each child, and does not run out of love. Compare this to someone who acquires a work of art that he "loves." Over time, his fascination with the piece wanes, and when he acquires a new work, all of his attention, affection, and joy is redirected from the old art to the new art because, in truth, he does not love his art. He loves himself, and his art makes him happy. He is not giving to his art; his art gives to him, and so he takes.
Our feelings of self-worth betray us when we consider whether God really cares about little old me, with all the billions of people in the world. There are no limitations to God's love. He created the world expressly for us as if we were His only child. Just as a loving parent is concerned and consumed by each and every aspect of the child's wellbeing, so, too, is God's interest in our lives.
Difficult People: The Solution, not the Problem
The image on the right demonstrates negative space. Focus on the white image and we see a vase; focus on the black space and we see two profiles facing each other. Each space, positive and negative, defines the other. The vase cannot maintain the integrity of its shape unless the white space does the same.
No matter how much we work on ourselves, we will never be successful at transforming any aspect of our character, if our new self cannot exist in our world. Reshaping ourselves into the desired vessel can only be accomplished by redefining current relationships, and better understanding the role that difficult people play in our lives.
We are no good to anyone if we are no good to ourselves.
Flight attendants begin each trip by informing passengers that in the event of the oxygen masks dropping down during the flight, those traveling with children should secure their own masks first, and then secure the masks on their children. We are no good to anyone if we are no good to ourselves. Whenever we redraw lines in relationships, one person gets less territory; but without boundaries, there is no definition of self. While some relationships benefit from having no boundaries, allowing those who are toxic make the rules and shape us is not healthy. It certain instances, then, we are obligated to say, "Enough is enough."
We are mistaken to believe that the larger solution is cutting out of our lives those people who are difficult; rarely is this required. It is only when we respond to another's' cruelty with like, that we move to a mode of dependence, and so pain. There is no way to get around this. Guilt will seep in, our ego engages to fortify our actions and our beliefs, and all the while, our self-esteem and emotional wellbeing slowly melt.
Sometimes the closer we are to someone, the worse we treat them. Too often, a person shows more gratitude to the toll collector than to his own spouse; indeed, sometimes we deliver kindness to a stranger but ignore the needs of our own family.
One reason we do not give is because we do not get. A person holds back from another because he does not feel that his own emotional needs are being met. On the other side of the coin, strangers are quick to offer their appreciation and to give us the respect we crave when we come to their aid. Will a family member even acknowledge our efforts? It does not matter. Our actions must be independent of the response or of our own feelings of whether or not the other party in the relationship deserves our kindness and love.
The temptation to do otherwise is strong, particularly if we suffer from low self-esteem. By definition, low self-esteem means that a person does not feel in control -- remember, self-respect comes from self-control. So the less control we exert over ourselves, the more we attempt to control or manipulate the world and the people in it.
Now we understand why it is that we hurt -- either overtly or passive aggressively -- the ones closest to us. The closer we are to someone, the more power we have over them, and the more we can attack their weaknesses with pinpoint accuracy. When we lack self-control, hurting those who love us gives us the most traction to cause something to happen. It is the last vestige of power for the person who has so little of it.
When a person has very low self-esteem, it does not matter how accomplished he appears; such a person is dependent upon everyone and everything to feed his ego.
We do not feel complete when we are feuding or estranged from a member of our immediate family. But God does not leave our wellbeing at the doorstep of other people, let alone those who are not well. If we do everything that we can, when we can, for as long as we can, to have the healthiest relationship possible, and we still don't get anywhere, then we find that while we have compassion for the other, and perhaps some sadness over the loss of the relationship, we do not feel less good about ourselves.
Our strife with another need not cause discord within ourselves. Our willingness to do what is necessary to bring peace, is what will give us peace, regardless of the outcome. There is one major caveat. When we say that we need to do everything possible to make peace, we do not mean that we try our very best to make our point, and present a clear and rational argument as to why we are right. Only an attempt at peace that comes by way of complete humility, will keep our trust in God intact and our conscience absolved of guilt.
It is our responsibility to perceive the wider reality, which is that God is speaking to us through every person and situation. Relationships are a very common area in which people often miss the message and focus on the messenger.
The prerequisite for growing in any area is not to blame, but to ask oneself practically, "What does God want from me now?"
Difficult people are not in our lives to add to our woes, but to help us; and we need to realize this, or they will keep coming around again and again -- and so may we keep coming around, again and again.
The prerequisite for growing in any area is not to blame, or be enraged at the injustice of the situation, but to ask oneself practically, "What does God want from me now?"
While we are in blame-mode, we are also not solution-oriented, and therefore cannot see, let alone investigate, ways to improve the situation. What would happen if you would stop looking at yourself as a victim?
Our Parents
An adult's self-esteem is often damaged as a result of suffering from lack of love or experiencing intense turmoil at an early age. This is because children gain their self-esteem largely from their parents (or primary caregivers). Children do not possess the reasoning faculties to make choices as adults do, and thus they cannot gain self-respect through self-control. Our personal sense of right and wrong is not fully established until our early teens.
For egocentric beings (children), it is easy to ascribe a failure within ourselves as the "reason" behind a parent's behavior. A parent becomes angry with the child, and so the child naturally concludes that there is a flaw within herself. She translates her parent's anger into, "I am unworthy of his love," which soon becomes, "I am not worthy of being loved." Now, if a child can form these conclusions -- as many do -- with loving parents, imagine how easy it is for the child to draw the conclusion that she is unlovable or bad when she is being raised by abusive parents. The child will understandably feel, "If my parents' can do this to me, then what am I worth?"
If we did not receive love from our parents as children, or felt that our lives were out of control due to trauma or domestic volatility, we may needlessly spend the rest of our lives craving love and acceptance. Everything we do is intended to bring us to that end.
The love that parents give children is determined by their own limitations, not those of the children. It never occurs to us as children that maybe it has nothing to do with us.
As adults, it can still be difficult to internalize the fact that our self-worth isn't contingent upon our parents' approval of us, but we can recreate this imprint. Once we do, our lives can be forever changed, and the damage that has disfigured us for decades can be undone.
We will not find an emotionally healthy person with considerable unresolved anger towards a parent. It is highly probable that this person will have difficulty enjoying positive, let alone deep and meaningful, relationships while this anger exists. Anyone who feels anger towards a parent must make it a priority to move past the negative feelings.
Revisiting the Past
Experiments in the field of quantum mechanics reveal something most intriguing: the quantum eraser effect. Physicists have determined that something happening after the fact can change or "erase" the way particles have behaved at an earlier point in time. As strange as this seems, not only do we shape reality, but we can recreate what has already unfolded. This means that a shift in perspective now allows us to "undo" our past and permanently alter how we see ourselves and our world. In an address to physicists, Albert Einstein pronounced: "People like us, who believe in physics, know that the distinction between past, present, and future is only a stubbornly persistent illusion."
It is difficult to grasp the concept that reality is not linear, where a shift in perspective can create retroactive change. Since human beings are locked in time and space, we cannot easily see how the future can change the past.
Imagine an elderly woman, who, after believing that she was happily married for 60 years, is told on her deathbed that her recently departed husband never loved her - he was a paid actor hired by her parents. Can we say that she was happy her entire life and that only the last thirty seconds were difficult? Did the birthday celebrations, anniversaries, walks, conversations, laughter, and memories of beautiful vacations disappear? No. They are there in memory, but changed. Her past is now different.
If, after hearing this revelation, someone were to ask this woman, "How was your life?" what would she answer? Would she easily answer "Wonderful?" More likely, her response would be that it was awful, sad, and heartbreaking. The characters and events are still fixed in time, but we have a glimpse of how the now has an impact on the before.
That is not to say that we should attempt to convince ourselves that our past carries no meaning. Instead, we should simply allow for the possibility that the meaning we have assigned to events may not be true; that how we feel about ourselves, based on how our parents (or anyone else for that matter) treated us, may be an inaccurately formed conclusion.
We continuously re-energize painful experiences by rehearsing the fictitious causal correlation between an event and our feelings. Our memory of the experience is locked in a false impression, and we file that negative memory away in our minds as fact.
It is not the circumstance, but rather our thoughts about the situationthat gives rise to the emotions, that determine the impact and lasting influence. Taking responsibility for our lives now, wherever we are, converts the pain into fuel that ignites our emotional freedom.


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This question exists because it has historical significance, but it is not considered a good, on-topic question for this site, so please do not use it as evidence that you can ask similar questions here. See the FAQ for more information.
What games are available that run natively on Ubuntu?
Please limit one game per answer - and include why you enjoy the game.


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Looking for the perfect bodysuit that will literally work for any occasion? Our Twyla bodysuit has you covered! She features an elbow length sleeve with a small puff, a surplice neckline with a snap for additional coverage, and a double snap closure. Tucked into your favorite shorts of jeans, she is a staple piece that can be tailored to fit any look!
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Course Chapters
Section Tests Online Calculators Linear Least Squares Regression Newton's Method Equation Solver Related Information Links |
Numbers in Science
Scientific NotationWhen scientists measure a quantity, they actually measure two pieces of information--the value they think they have measured, and the uncertainty. This can be stated as "We measured ten, plus or minus one", and often scientists do use these terms. However, this notation gets cumbersome fast. We need a quick, generally accepted method by which we can indicate the precision of our measurements.Scientists put only the digits they can reasonably be certain of in their numbers. They might say, for example, that they measured "10." cm (note the presence of the decimal point). This is actually different from saying that they measured "10" cm. The use of the decimal point indicates that the scientist is sure of both digits to some reasonable degree -- it is "10 point something", not 11 or 9, even though rounding both of these numbers to one digit gives 10. The number "10." is said to have two significant digits, or significant figures, the 1 and the 0. The number 1.0 also has two significant digits. So does the number 130, but 10 and 100 only have one "sig fig" as written. Zeros that only hold places are not considered to be significant. So, how does a scientist indicate that two of the digits in 100 are significant?? We can't put in a decimal point alone to make 100. because that would indicate 3 digits. What should we do? Scientists use scientific notation to handle this problem. Scientific notation makes sure that everything but the first digit of a number is after the decimal place and therefore either certain or not used. Here are some numbers in scientific notation to study:
See the differences? In the first and second example, the zeros are really only place holders. In the third example, the extraneous decimal place is used to mean we are certain of all three digits. In the fourth example the extra zeros (on the right!) are used to indicate that we have extra certainty. In the fifth example, we have finally seen how to represent 100 with exactly two significant figures. Scientific Notation on Your CalculatorHere is one way to type these numbers into your TI 83 calculator: = 2.183 ∗ 10 ^ 3 - 1.1 ∗ 10 ^ -2 = 2182.989 When you are using your calculator, typing "something times ten to the something" over and over again gets to be a pain. Most calculators have an "EE" button, to help you out. EE means "times ten to the", so that: = 2.183E3 - 1.1E-2 = 2182.989 Note that when you type the EE key, most calculators simply display "E"! Do not be alarmed by this. This is not the E that means error. Be careful! It's easy to make the following common mistake: Remember that EE -- times ten to the -- is not the same as ^ -- "to the"! Our next question needs to be, "What happens to the number of sig figs when we perform calculations?" When scientists are calculating with significant figures, the precision of the result should reflect the uncertainty of the numbers that went into it. If you add 0.25 to 100, given that 100 only has one sig fig and therefore we don't trust even the two zeros, can you really say you have 100.25? That would be saying that you were sure the first 100 was, in fact, 100.00. If the 100 had five sig figs, why didn't someone say so? What are the rules, exactly? Adding and SubtractingWhen you are adding or subtracting with significant figures, look where the right-most significant figures is in each number. The number that has its right-most sig fig in the higher place governs what is significant in the result. Watch: 1.0750 + 32,110.31 = 32,111.3850 last sig fig: .000x .0x use the .0x (highest place) = 32,111.39 Be careful when the numbers are in scientific notation: = 99.6x103 + 2.51x103 = 102.11x103 ≈ 102.1x103 (for one decimal place) = 1.021x105 What did we do??
Multiplying and DividingMultiplication and division also have rules about this. When you are multiplying or dividing, you look at how many significant figures are in each number. The fewest of these is the number of significant figures the result will have. For example: 3.212x104 * 2.51x103 = 80621200 = 8.06x107 (4 sig figs) (3 sig figs) (3 sig figs) Notice that the fewest number of sig figs is three so we put three in the result. Exponentiation (including square root) works like multiplication -- since it is based on multiplication. Try It Out:The first three problems below deal with the following situation: You want to find out how many minutes are in a year. Problem 1:1. There are 365.24 days in a year and exactly 1440 minutes in a day. How many significant digits are in 365.24? How many are in 1440.?
[Numbers and their Properties] [Numbers in Science] [Ratios and Proportions] [Units, Dimensions, and Conversions] [Percents] [Simple Statistics] [Logarithms] |
Copyright © 1996-2008 Shodor
Please direct questions and comments about this page to


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They make lichess possible
They offer their work. Thank you!
Big thanks go to all translators, for their amazing translation efforts.
Special thanks go to:
Clarkey for:
- the cheat detection engine
- the puzzle creator
- the magnificent, unique wooden chess board (http://i.imgur.com/Zw8IO7v.jpg)
- moderation work, mockups, communication, brilliant ideas and much more.
Evropi for:
- contributing to the wiki and translations
- writing the amazing translation contexts
- moderation work, communication, testing, and much more.
- Mephostophilis for writing Lichess Wiki, leading the cheater hunt and moderating the site.
- Smiling Bishop, legend, mb, Iron_Logician, and all the moderators who spent time keeping the site enjoyable
- Steibock for board theming
- Yusuke Kamiyamane for the fugue icons
- pgn4web for the analysis board
- chessboardjs for the board editor
- chess.js for the client-side chess logic
Thanks to all players for feeding the database.


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Carrollton Locksmith Service Keyless Entry Locks Commercial Carrollton, TX
Carrying around a bunch of keys for a commercial building can be tiresome as well as inconvenient. Keys also tend to get lost and break every once in a while – not to mention the fact that if someone has your key, they can use it to open your lock without your permission. Keyless locks are a great alternative to regular key based locks for commercial businesses. If you are a business located in the Carrollton, TX area then Carrollton Locksmith Service can set you up with the best commercial keyless entry locks in the market. Our service has installed plenty of locking systems over the past decade, so you can trust us to do the job effectively.
Great advantages offered
These systems offer a large number of advantages to business owners. Here are some of the biggest ones:
- No need to carry keys: With keyless locks, you won't have to lug around a bunch of keys with you anymore.
- Access hierarchy: If you want certain parts of your property accessible only to certain people, these are a great way to gain access control.
- Never get locked out: Because these locks require no keys, you won't ever lose them and lock yourself out of your property.
- High security: Many keyless systems are high-security – meaning they provide you with maximum possible protection against external threats.
- Super convenient: It's very easy to open keyless locks. All you need, usually, is a fob or a swipe of a finger.
Choose from an extensive inventory
We carry an extensive variety of keyless entry locks commercial grade. Grade 1 locks, according to the American Locking Standards Institute, provide the maximum possible protection against external threats. We source locks from reputed manufacturers and have both mechanical as well as electronic variants on offer. Some locking systems are combination based while others work with a fob, your finger, or even your smartphone.
Free consultations
For those undecided on the type of commercial keyless entry locks that they need, we offer free consultations. Our locksmiths will inspect your property and give you some expert advice on the kind of locks you could get, depending on your budget as well as the layout of the building. Our locksmiths are experienced professionals, so you can rely on their expert advice.
For new keyless entry locks for commercial buildings, call us on 972-512-0943 !


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Airport noise contours are a graphical representation of projected noise exposure levels associated with aircraft operations in areas adjacent to an airport.
Washington Dulles International Airport
The following describe the noise contours associated with Washington Dulles International Airport:
- The noise contours have been developed by the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) through the use of the Federal Aviation Administration's Integrated Noise Model.
- The Integrated Noise Model takes into consideration the following information when developing the noise contours:
- Information and projections regarding the locations and use of average flight paths.
- The frequency of use of each runway.
- Aircraft operating procedures.
- The average number of daily operations by type of aircraft and time of day were taken into account by MWAA in this model.
- The noise contours reflect long-term average projected noise conditions and do not necessarily reflect the conditions that may exist on any given day.
- Actual noise exposure on any given day will vary from the noise exposures shown on noise contour maps.
- The contours reflect average, rather than event-specific, noise exposure conditions.
The noise contours for Washington Dulles International Airport are depicted in the Overview section of the Area III volume of the Comprehensive Plan. (PDF-Page 21)
- These contours are based on the most recent official noise contour projections provided by MWAA.
- The DNL 60 dBA, DNL 65 dBA, DNL 70 dBA and DNL 75 dBA noise contours have been adopted within the Comprehensive Plan, and the DNL 65 dBA, DNL 70 dBA and DNL 75 dBA noise contours have been adopted within the Zoning Ordinance.
- Visit the Noise Basics page for guidance on dBA and DNL.
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport
The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) has developed noise projections and contours for Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.This information is presented in the airport's FAR Part 150 Noise Exposure Maps and Noise Compatibility Program.
While flights from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport generate noise in Fairfax County (particularly in areas near the Potomac River), the county is located outside of the airport's DNL 65 dBA noise contour, and no impacts above DNL 60 dBA from the airport have been projected within Fairfax County.


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Life Insurance Needs in Your 60s and 70s
The older we get, the more acutely aware we become of our mortality. Part of this realization is thinking more often about how we can help protect our family members in the case of an untimely death. Since death is an inevitable part of life, chances are a life insurance policy will not be purchased in vain.
According to a report published by Atidot, an insurance technology company providing artificial intelligence, big data, and predictive analytics tools for the life insurance industry, many people with life insurance policies are actually under-insured, with only about 28 percent of total coverage needs being met, leaving approximately 72 percent of needs unmet by coverage. Additionally, LIMRA's 2018 Insurance Barometer Study found that about one in five people who had life insurance said that they did not have enough. If you're in your sixties or seventies, there are a variety of factors to consider when you are evaluating your life insurance needs.1,2
Am I Too Old for Life Insurance?
From a mortgage to home repairs, there are many expenses your spouse could incur in the event of your passing. By purchasing a life insurance policy, you're providing both you and your family with peace of mind; you will know that these types of expenses will not lead to the loss of a house or more. A common belief about life insurance is that it's expensive, especially when purchased later in life. However, a couple in their sixties or seventies may not need as substantial a policy as a younger couple given that the policy would need to financially cover fewer years of life for the remaining spouse.
When considering whether you should purchase life insurance, it's important to evaluate how many people rely on you for financial support, as well as the level of that support. If your spouse doesn't work or only works part-time, then they will most likely require additional income in the event of your passing. In such a case, purchasing a life insurance policy is highly recommended if you want to make sure your partner is protected from excessive financial stress after you're gone.
For people with large estates, it's often recommended to take out whole life insurance to minimize estate taxes. Other people choose to fund their retirement with the cash value of their whole life insurance. If this is your plan, then you will want to purchase a policy.
Life Insurance and Your Health Status
Typically, the older you are, the more expensive your life insurance quote will be. This is in part due to the fact that the older you are, the more health problems you could have. In some cases, you may be better off investing your money instead. If you're in good health, it may make more sense for you to purchase a shorter term policy. For those with health problems, you may want to consider purchasing guaranteed issue life insurance, which anyone can obtain regardless of their health issues.
Renewing and Extending Your Life Insurance Policy
If you have a term policy—even one purchased many years ago—you may want to consider extending your coverage if you aren't able to cover your retirement costs with your pension and savings. You can do this by either renewing your current policy or converting it to a whole life insurance policy. If you choose to renew, it's important to note that your premium could increase, and some companies may not even allow you to renew, depending on your age.
What to Do Next
Regardless of your age, it's always recommended to consult with a financial professional who can evaluate your individual situation and needs to determine whether life insurance makes sense for you. If a policy is recommended, they can help you choose the type of life insurance that offers the most benefits for you and your family.
1. Atidot.com, 2022
2. Limra.com, 2022
The content is developed from sources believed to be providing accurate information. The information in this material is not intended as tax or legal advice. It may not be used for the purpose of avoiding any federal tax penalties. Please consult legal or tax professionals for specific information regarding your individual situation. This material was developed and produced by FMG Suite to provide information on a topic that may be of interest. FMG, LLC, is not affiliated with the named broker-dealer, state- or SEC-registered investment advisory firm. The opinions expressed and material provided are for general information, and should not be considered a solicitation for the purchase or sale of any security. Copyright FMG Suite.


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'Terminator' Reboot Casts 'Halt and Catch Fire's Mackenzie Davis
The fun thing about the Terminator franchise is how its wacky timeline justifies ignoring any bad sequels or reboots — like Genisys, a movie you probably forgot existed until this very moment. In the world of Terminator, every movie is a do-over; it's sort of meta, when you think about it. So it's not surprising that Arnold Schwarzenegger is at it again with another reboot, and he's found his leading lady in Mackenzie Davis.
According to Variety, Davis is in talks to join the upcoming Terminator reboot, which will begin production this year under director Tim Miller (Deadpool). Davis, best known for playing computer genius Cameron Howe on AMC's Halt and Catch Fire, will reportedly have a role similar to Linda Hamilton's in the original Terminator and its sequel.
Hamilton will reprise her role as Sarah Connor opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger's titular hero in the project, which is both a reboot and a direct sequel to Terminator 2: Judgment Day. Original director James Cameron is returning to produce the new film, based on a story idea he developed with Miller and Skydance's David Ellison.
Plot details are unknown, but I'm sure the reboot involves Schwarzenegger teaming up with Sarah Connor to stop evil robots and prevent an apocalypse. Maybe in this timeline, Sarah Connor had a daughter instead of a son — you know, since it's been like five movies and a TV show and that dude hasn't been able to keep the world from going to hell.
In addition to Halt and Catch Fire, Davis is known for her roles in the award-winning Black Mirror episode "San Junipero," as well as Blade Runner 2049. She can be seen next opposite Charlize Theron in Jason Reitman and Diablo Cody's Tully.
The Terminator reboot hits theaters on July 26, 2019.


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Recent News & Accomplishments
Mohammad Hajiaghayi received a Google Research Award for his proposal "Online Auctions" in the area of algorithms and mechanism design. read more
Professor Emeritus Jack Minker presented invited lectures at two workshops in Lexington, Kentucky, during November 2010 read more
The department's ACM team, comprising of undergraduates Anirudh Bandi, Holman Gao, and Scott Zimmermann, has advanced to the 2011 ACM Intercollegiate Programming Contest (ICPC) World Finals, to be held in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. The team is one of 100 teams chosen from over 8700 teams that participated in regional contests worldwide. read more
Robert Kleinberg, Cornell, talks about Converting any algorithm into an incentive-compatible mechanism". Date: November 19, 2010 Time: 1:00 pm Location: CSIC 2107 Does the complexity of algorithms increase dramatically when redesigning them to account for the incentives of selfish users? The theory of algorithmic mechanism design is largely founded on the presumption that the answer is affirmative, a presumption that has been rigorously confirmed under various interpretations of the question. This is unfortunate, since it would be very convenient if there existed generic procedures to convert... read more
Vikash Mansinghka, CTO of Navia Systems talks about Natively Probabilistic Computation: Principles, Artifacts and Applications". Date: November 15, 2010 Time: 1:00 pm Location: AV Williams 3258 Complex probabilistic models and Bayesian inference are becoming increasingly critical across science and industry, especially in large-scale data analysis. They are also central to our best computational accounts of human cognition, perception and action. However, all these efforts struggle with the infamous curse of dimensionality. Rich probabilistic models can seem hard to write and even harder to... read more
Professor Mark D. Hill, University of Wisconsin-Madison talks about Amdahl's Law in the Multicore Era". Date: November 15, 2010 Time: 2:00 pm Location: AV Williams 2460 Over the last several decades computer architects have been phenomenally successful turning the transistor bounty provided by Moore's Law into chips with ever increasing single-threaded performance. During many of these successful years, however, many researchers paid scant attention to multiprocessor work. Now as vendors turn to multicore chips, researchers are reacting with more papers on multi-threaded systems. While this... read more
Graham Cormode, AT&T Labs-Research talks about "Streaming Graph Computations with a Helpful Advisor". Date: November 12, 2010 Time: 1:00 pm Location: CSIC 3117 When handling large quantities of data, it is desirable to outsource the computational effort to a third party: this captures current efforts in cloud computing, but also scenarios within trusted computing systems and inter-organizational data sharing. When the third party is not fully trusted, it is necessary to give assurance that the computation has been perfomed correctly. This talk presents some recent results in designing new... read more
Anthony Hunter, Professor of Artificial Intelligence, and Head of the Intelligent Systems Group, in the UCL Department of Computer Science talks about "Introduction to Computational Models of Argument". Date: November 10, 2010 Time: 11:00 am Location: AV Williams 3258 Computational models of argument are being developed with the aim of reflecting how human argumentation uses conflicting information to construct and analyse arguments. Argumentation involves identifying arguments and counterarguments relevant to an issue (e.g. What are the pros and cons for the safety of mobile phones for... read more
James Pinkerton and Rafael Setra, two students from Montgomery Blair High School mentored by Prof. Bill Gasarch, are national finalist for the Siemens competition. They will compete with 5 other teams for the top prize on Dec 4, 2010. Full article: Md. student team takes top prize in Siemens STEM Competition read more
Distinguished Lecture Series presents Andrew Odlyzko on November 8, 2010. Title: Providing Security with Insecure Systems Date: Monday November 8, 2010 Time: 4pm Location: CSIC Building, Room 1115 Network security is terrible, and we are constantly threatened with the prospect of imminent doom. Yet such warnings have been common for the last two decades. In spite of that, the situation has not gotten any better. On the other hand, there have not been any great disasters either. To understand this paradox, we need to consider not just the technology, but also the economics, sociology, and... read more


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We want to make a difference. We are in the fortunate position of being able to build a home from
scratch. We hope that the many hours of research and the lessons that we have learned will help
others change the way they live.
This website has been created to educate you, the consumer, by helping you differentiate fact from fiction. Most information on the Internet isn't regulated, nor is it checked for inaccuracies. Many companies spin clever marketing campaigns to sell their products and services. There are so many 'Green-Washing' campaigns, and catchy 'Green' advertisements to draw your attention. Who are we all supposed to believe? Our website will provide you with facts based on real-life occurrences, as opposed to 'mis-information' driven by shareholder dividends and sales people looking to make commissions.
One fact rings true, and almost everyone in business agrees: by adopting a 'Green' lifestyle, you can protect the earth and safeguard the environment for future generations. Did you know that being 'Green' also improves the indoor environment of your home, and your family's well-being?
The 'Holistic-Green' philosophy for the 'Green Log Home' is born from real-life experiences, and countless hours of research. We are not scientists, nor do we claim that our choices are the best ones for you. These experiences are intended to point you in the right direction, by providing information that will enable you to make informed choices and decisions.
Major changes don't happen overnight. Taking small steps, and altering your current lifestyle will eventually lead to greater cost savings, a self-sustained existence and a healthier home.
Follow our progress, as we film the making of the 'Green Log Home'. Learn how to: find, purchase and build on the most appropriate parcel of land; deal with realtors, surveyors, engineers, contractors and manufacturers; learn about making sustainable choices, and last, but not least, discover how to make your home a safer place to live in.
Join us on our adventure!
Fred and Natasha Ruckel
"The significant problems we face cannot be solved by the same level of thinking that created them"
- Albert Einstein
Our goal is to build a green log home by the end of 2010, in time for Christmas. This home will be like no other. Not a fancy, large luxury home, but one that is green, very friendly to the environment and completely self-sufficient. From solar power to geothermal heating and cooling, we aim to show how, step-by-step through various processes or through small changes that it is possible to save energy and preserve the environment for future generations.


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We're pleased to welcome Donna Fawcett and Duke the Chihuahua today at InScribe Writers Online as our special Guest Bloggers.
Duke and I have had a very fulfilling year. He has quite an eye for editing although he wouldn't call himself an editor and I must admit that he thinks in an abstract way--something I value in order to stay on track. I asked Duke what we should share in this blog post and he immediately jumped to your suggested topic of Closing Out the Year Right.
We conversed about it and this is what he had to say:
"Writing isn't just a career. No matter what a person--or dog--believes in, writing is an expression of that belief. We, as authors and writers, strive to convey our beliefs to the reader whether it is a conscious or unconscious effort. Knowing this, Donna and I always return to our main focus--why do we write?
We need to answer that question continually in order to fulfill our mission as writers. So why do we write? Do we write simply to be read? Or do we have a deep-seated desire to share truth with those around us? If so, what exactly is that truth? Donna and I look to the Bible to find our truth and once we've found it, we look for the most professional way of sharing that truth. We can't afford sloppy writing because it hints at sloppy subject matter and there is nothing sloppy about Biblical truth!
As you close out your year, ask yourself why you write. Ask yourself what you believe in and why you believe in it. Push the line and search your heart for the answer to the question 'why do I believe what I believe'. You need to know all of that. If you don't, your readers won't find that your writing carries the conviction needed to convince them. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a rather delicious-looking bowl of kibble waiting for me."
While I agree with Duke's assessment of the purpose of writing, I must admit that he needs a bit of tweaking in the manners department. At any rate, it is very important for a writer to understand the 'why' behind writing. For myself, I know I have been put on this earth to glorify God. My writing is an extension of that glorification. Its purpose is to show Christ to readers in a way that will draw them--not preach at them. As Duke and I approach year's end, we remind each other to look to the reason not only for the season but for all that we do.
~ Donna Fawcett
Duke and Donna have recently published their fun, new book entitled Duke the Chihuahua Writes! A Tutorial for Beginning Writers.
It's available on smashwords.com and can be purchased for $.99 US.
Donna Fawcett is the former creative writing instructor for Fanshawe College. Donna has had the honour of receiving awards for her writing (Inscribe contest finalist, The Word Awards Best Contemporary Novel for Rescued and Vengeance, Best Song Lyrics for Heaven's Light, Polar Expressions finalist, top ninety in The Writer's Union contest, Canada Reads Pick of the Day.) Donna teamed up with Duke the Chihuahua after recognizing his incredible gift for finding the flaws in her writing. Donna suspects that Duke would love to find the flaws in many other areas of her life as well, but isn't willing to give him that opportunity. You can find Donna at: www.donnafawcett.com.
Duke the Chihuahua is a canine turned writer/proof reader. In spite of his diminutive size and lack of chompers, Duke can tackle the scariest manuscript and take more than a bite out of the sloppy writing there. Duke and his side-kick, Bee (a juvenile German Shepherd) feel it is their mission in life to keep author, singer, songwriter Donna Fawcett on the literary straight and narrow. Here is their link: www.dukeandbeewrite.com.