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[...]the people this reverse Robin Hooding benefits are rich service providers, whose swollen profits perfectly mirror the lost receipts of the music business.
We're the post office, they tell us; who knows what's in the brown-paper packages? But we know from America's noble effort to stop child pornography, not to mention China's ignoble effort to suppress online dissent, that it's perfectly possible to track content.
Rebecca MacKinnon today released her prepared Congressional testimony on the effects of Chinese net-blocking - I recommend reading the whole thing, but as the British Phonographic Industry took Bono up on his challenge, and wrote internet blocking by BPI fiat into the UK Digital Economy Bill, I thought I'd look at the parallels. A previous draft of the Bill compared poorly to Magna Carta; how does it line up against Chinese practice?
Filtering or "blocking:" This is the original and best understood form of Internet censorship. Internet users on a particular network are blocked from accessing specific websites. The technical term for this kind of censorship is "filtering." Some congressional proceedings and legislation have also referred to this kind of censorship as "Internet jamming." Filtering can range in scope from a home network, a school network, university network, corporate network, the entire service of a particular commercial Internet Service Provider (ISP), or all Internet connections within a specific country. It is called "filtering" because a network administrator uses special software or hardware to block access to specified web pages by banning access to certain designated domain names, Internet addresses, or any page containing specified keywords or phrases.
Digital Economy Bill, Clause 18:
18 Preventing access to specified online locations for the prevention of online copyright infringement
In Part 1 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, after section 97A insert—
"97B Preventing access to specified online locations for the prevention of online copyright infringement
(1) The High Court (in Scotland, the Court of Session) shall have power to grant an injunction against a service provider, requiring it to prevent access to online locations specified in the order of the Court for the prevention of online copyright infringement.[...]
the Court shall order the service provider to pay the copyright owner's costs of the application unless there were exceptional circumstances justifying the service provider's failure to prevent access despite notification by the copyright owner.
Note the insidious allocation of costs there, which is designed to ensure that ISPs block access or remove content on accusation, before an injunction is applied for. Here's Rebecca again on how this works in practice in China:
Deletion and removal of content: Filtering is the primary means of censoring content over which the Chinese government has no jurisdiction. When it comes to websites and Internet services over which Chinese authorities do have legal jurisdiction – usually because at least some of the company's operations and computer servers are located in-country – why merely block or filter content when you can delete it from the Internet entirely? In Anglo-European legal parlance, the legal mechanism used to implement such a system is called "intermediary liability." The Chinese government calls it "self-discipline," but it amounts to the same thing, and it is precisely the legal mechanism through which Google's Chinese search engine, Google.cn, was required to censor its search results.[7]
All Internet companies operating within Chinese jurisdiction – domestic or foreign – are held liable for everything appearing on their search engines, blogging platforms, and social networking services. They are also legally responsible for everything their users discuss or organize through chat clients and messaging services. In this way, much of the censorship and surveillance work is delegated and outsourced by the government to the private sector – who, if they fail to censor and monitor their users to the government's satisfaction, will lose their business license and be forced to shut down. It is also the mechanism through which China-based companies must monitor and censor the conversations of more than fifty million Chinese bloggers. Politically sensitive postings are deleted or blocked from ever being published. Bloggers who get too influential in the wrong ways can have their accounts shut down and their entire blogs erased. That work is done primarily not by "Internet police" but by employees of Internet companies.[8]
The language of clause 18 reflects this implied goal of "self-discipline" too:
(2)(b) the extent to which the operator of each specified online location has taken reasonable steps to prevent copyright infringement content being accessed at or via that online location or taken reasonable steps to remove copyright infringing content from that online location (or both),
(c) whether the service provider has itself taken reasonable steps to prevent access to the specified online location,
(3) An application for an injunction under subsection (1) shall be made on notice to the service provider and to the operator of each specified online location in relation to which an injunction is sought and to the Secretary of State.
[...](4)(b) the owner of copyright before making the application made a written request to the service provider giving it a reasonable period of time to take measures to prevent its service being used to access the specified online location in the injunction, and no steps were taken,
The Chinese government has also used its control over the domain name system to block dissent. Here's Rebecca's summary again:
Domain name controls: In December, the government-affiliated China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC) announced that it would no longer allow individuals to register Internet domain names ending in .cn. Only companies or organizations would be able to use the .cn domain.[16] While authorities explained that this measure was aimed at cleaning up pornography, fraud, and spam, a group of Chinese webmasters protested that it also violated individual rights.[17]
Authorities announced that more than 130,000 websites had shut down in the cleanup. In January a Chinese newspaper reported that self-employed individuals and freelancers conducting online business had been badly hurt by the measure.[18] Later in February, CNNIC backtracked somewhat, announcing that individuals will once again be allowed to register .cn domains, but all applicants must appear in person to confirm their registration, show a government ID, and submit a photo of themselves with their application. [19] This eliminates the possibility of anonymous domain name registration under .cn and makes it easier for authorities to warn or intimidate website operators when "objectionable" content appears.
Up to now, the UK registrar has been broadly neutral and independent of the Government, but Clause 19 of the DE Bill grabs new broad powers:
19 Powers in relation to internet domain registries
After section 124N of the Communications Act 2003 insert—
"Powers in relation to internet domain registries
124O Notification of failure in relation to internet domain registry
(1) This section applies where the Secretary of State—
(a) is satisfied that a serious relevant failure in relation to a qualifying internet domain registry is taking place or has taken place, and
(b) wishes to exercise the powers under section 124P or 124R.
(2) The Secretary of State must notify the internet domain registry, specifying the failure and a period during which the registry has the opportunity to make representations to the Secretary of State.
(3) There is a relevant failure in relation to a qualifying internet domain registry if—
(a) the registry, or any of its registrars or end-users, engages in prescribed practices that are unfair or involve the misuse of internet domain names, or
(b) the arrangements made by the registry for dealing with complaints in connection with internet domain names do not comply with prescribed requirements.
(4) A relevant failure is serious, for the purposes of this section, if it has adversely affected or is likely adversely to affect—
(a) the reputation or availability of electronic communications networks or electronic communications services provided in the United Kingdom or a part of the United Kingdom, or
(b) the interests of consumers or members of the public in the United Kingdom or a part of the United Kingdom.
(5) In subsection (3) "prescribed" means prescribed by regulations made by the Secretary of State.
In other words, the Secretary of State gets to decide what counts as misuse, and reputational damage. Clauses 20 and 21 give further powers to take over management of a registry and change it's constitution, again by fiat.
What else does China do? It selectively disconnects people from the net. Here's Rebecca again:
Localized disconnection and restriction: In times of crisis when the government wants to ensure that people cannot use the Internet or mobile phones to organize protests, connections are shut down entirely or heavily restricted in specific locations. There have been anecdotal reports of Internet connections going down or text-messaging services suddenly not working in counties or towns immediately after local disturbances broke out. The most extreme case however is Xinjiang province, a traditionally Muslim region bordering Pakistan, Kazakhstan, and Afghanistan in China's far Northwest. After ethnic riots took place in July of last year, the Internet was cut off in the entire province for six months, along with most mobile text messaging and international phone service. Nobody in Xinjiang could send e-mail or access any website – domestic or foreign. Businesspeople had to travel to the bordering province of Gansu just to communicate with customers.[20]
Internet access and phone service have now been restored, but with severe limitations on the number of text messages people can send on their mobile phones per day, no access to overseas websites, and even very limited access to domestic Chinese websites. Xinjiang-based Internet users can only access specially watered-down versions of official Chinese news and information sites, with many of the functions such as blogging or comments disabled.[21]
Clause 10 of the Digital Economy Bill makes Localized disconnection and restriction possible through 'technical obligations' imposed on ISPs:
10 Obligations to limit internet access: assessment and preparation
After section 124F of the Communications Act 2003 insert—
"124G Obligations to limit internet access: assessment and preparation
(1) The Secretary of State may direct OFCOM to—
(a) assess whether one or more technical obligations should be imposed on internet service providers;
(b) take steps to prepare for the obligations;
(c) provide a report on the assessment or steps to the Secretary of State.
(2) A "technical obligation", in relation to an internet service provider, is an obligation for the provider to take a technical measure against some or all relevant subscribers to its service for the purpose of preventing or reducing infringement of copyright by means of the internet.
(3) A "technical measure" is a measure that—
(a) limits the speed or other capacity of the service provided to a subscriber;
(b) prevents a subscriber from using the service to gain access to particular material, or limits such use;
(c) suspends the service provided to a subscriber; or
(d) limits the service provided to a subscriber in another way.
These clauses are in the Bill as it currently stands. They are not scheduled to be debated properly in the Commons. Harriet Harman, as leader of the Commons gets to decide if they are debated. The Open Rights Group has ways to take action, including writing to Harriet Harman and joining the protests in London on Wednesday 24th March.


text:
Ray Harryhausen [1920-2013]
Ray Harryhausen's name was one you would mention only to your friends who were really into movies. Or if you had just met someone and you wanted to test their credits-throw in a Harryhausen reference. If they nodded and agreed, you knew you were in good company.

subset: commoncrawl


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Receive a Free Estimate for Your Pool Renovation
Receive a Free Estimate for Your Pool Renovation
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to discuss options for your pool contact us here.


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How Peter Came to Know Jesus
During the time that Peter spent with Jesus, he saw many lovable characteristics in Jesus, many aspects worthy of emulation, and many which supplied him. Although Peter saw the being of God in Jesus in many ways, and saw many lovable qualities, at first he did not know Jesus. Peter began following Jesus when he was 20 years old, and continued so for six years. During that time, he never came to know Jesus, but was willing to follow Him purely out of admiration for Him. When Jesus first called to him on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, He asked: "Simon, son of Jonah, will you follow Me?" Peter said: "I must follow he who is sent by the heavenly Father. I must acknowledge he who is chosen by the Holy Spirit. I will follow You." At the time, Peter had heard tell of a man named Jesus, the greatest of the prophets, God's beloved Son, and Peter was constantly hoping to find Him, hoping for a chance to see Him (because that is how he was then led by the Holy Spirit). Although he had never seen Him and had only heard rumors about Him, gradually a yearning and adoration for Jesus grew in his heart, and he often yearned to one day look upon Jesus. And how did Jesus call upon Peter? He too had heard tell of a man called Peter, and it was not that the Holy Spirit instructed Him: "Go to the Sea of Galilee, where there is one called Simon, son of Jonah." Jesus heard someone say that there was one called Simon, son of Jonah, and that people had heard his sermon, that he too preached the gospel of the kingdom of heaven, and that the people who heard him were all moved to tears. After hearing this, Jesus followed that person, and made for the Sea of Galilee; when Peter accepted Jesus' call, he followed Him.
During his time following Jesus, he had many opinions of Him and always judged Him from his own perspective. Although he had a certain degree of understanding of the Spirit, Peter was not very enlightened, hence his words when he said: "I must follow he who is sent by the heavenly Father. I must acknowledge he who is chosen by the Holy Spirit." He did not understand the things Jesus did and received no enlightenment. After following Him for some time he grew interested in what He did and said, and in Jesus Himself. He came to feel that Jesus inspired both affection and respect; he liked to associate with Him and stay beside Him, and listening to Jesus' words rendered him supply and help. Over the time he followed Jesus, Peter observed and took to heart everything about His life: His actions, words, movements, and expressions. He gained a deep understanding that Jesus was not like ordinary men. Although His human appearance was exceedingly ordinary, He was full of love, compassion, and tolerance for man. Everything He did or said was of great aid to others, and by His side Peter saw and learned things he had never seen or had before. He saw that although Jesus had neither a grand stature nor unusual humanity, He had a truly extraordinary and uncommon air about Him. Although Peter couldn't fully explain it, he could see that Jesus acted different from everyone else, for He did things far different from that done by ordinary man. From his time in contact with Jesus, Peter also realized that His character was different from that of an ordinary man. He always acted steadily and never with haste, never exaggerated nor underplayed a subject, and conducted His life in a way that was both normal and admirable. In conversation, Jesus was elegant and graceful, open and cheerful yet serene, and never lost His dignity in the execution of His work. Peter saw that Jesus was sometimes taciturn, yet other times talked incessantly. He was sometimes so happy that He became agile and lively like a dove, and yet sometimes so sad that He did not talk at all, as if He were a weather-beaten mother. At times He was filled with anger, like a brave soldier charging off to kill enemies, and sometimes even like a roaring lion. Sometimes He laughed; other times He prayed and wept. No matter how Jesus acted, Peter grew to have boundless love and respect for Him. Jesus' laughter filled him up with happiness, His sorrow plunged him into grief, His anger frightened him, while His mercy, forgiveness, and strictness made him come to truly love Jesus, developing a true reverence and longing for Him. Of course, Peter only gradually came to realize all of this once he had lived alongside Jesus for a few years.
Peter was a particularly sensible man, born with natural intelligence, yet he did a good many foolish things when following Jesus. At the very start, he had some notions about Jesus. He asked: "People say You are a prophet, so when You were eight and old enough to understand things, did You know You were God? Did You know You were conceived by the Holy Spirit?" Jesus replied: "No, I didn't! Don't I seem just like a very ordinary person to you? I am the same as anyone else. The person the Father sends is a regular person, not an extraordinary one. And though the work I do represents My heavenly Father, My image, My person, and My flesh cannot fully represent My heavenly Father, only one part of Him. Although I came from the Spirit, I am still a normal person, and My Father sent Me on earth as a regular person, not an extraordinary one." Only when Peter heard this did he gain a slight understanding of Jesus. And it was only after he had gone through countless hours of Jesus' work, of His teaching, His shepherding, and His sustaining, that he gained a much deeper understanding. In His 30th year, Jesus told Peter of His upcoming crucifixion, that He had come to do the work of crucifixion to redeem all mankind. He also told him that three days after the crucifixion, the Son of man would rise again, and once risen would appear to the people for 40 days. Peter was sad on hearing these words, but grew ever closer to Jesus as he took His words to heart.
After experiencing for some time, Peter came to realize that everything Jesus did was of the being of God, and he came to think that Jesus was exceptionally lovable. Only when he came to have this understanding did the Holy Spirit enlighten him from within. Then Jesus turned to His disciples and other followers and asked: "John, who do you say that I am?" John replied: "You are Moses." He then turned to Luke: "And you, Luke, who do you say that I am?" Luke replied: "You are the greatest of the prophets." He then asked a sister: "Who do you say that I am?" The sister replied: "You are the greatest of prophets who speaks many words from everlasting to everlasting. No one's prophecies are as great as Yours, nor anyone's wisdom more profound; You are a prophet." Then Jesus turned to Peter and asked: "Peter, who do you say that I am?" Peter replied: "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. You come from heaven, You are not of the earth, You are not the same as God's creations. We are on earth and You are here with us, but You are of heaven, You are not of the world, and You are not of the earth." It was through his experience that the Holy Spirit enlightened him, which enabled him to come to this understanding. After this enlightenment, he admired everything Jesus had done even more, thought of Him as even more lovable, and was always in his heart reluctant to be parted with Jesus. So, the first time Jesus revealed Himself to Peter after He was crucified and resurrected Peter cried with exceptional happiness: "Lord! You are risen!" Then, weeping, he caught an extremely large fish, cooked it and served it to Jesus. Jesus smiled, but did not speak. Although Peter knew Jesus had been resurrected, he did not understand the mystery of it. When he gave Jesus the fish to eat, Jesus did not refuse and yet did not speak or sit down to eat, but instead suddenly vanished. This was an enormous shock to Peter, and only then did he understand that Jesus resurrected was different from the Jesus before. Once he realized this, Peter was grieved, but also gained comfort from knowing that the Lord had completed His task. He knew that Jesus had completed His task, that His time staying with man was over, and that man would have to walk his own path from then on. Jesus had once told him: "You too must drink from the bitter cup I have drunk from (this is what He said after the resurrection), you too must walk the path I have walked, you must lay down your life for Me." Unlike now, work at that time did not take the form of a face-to-face conversation. During the Age of Grace, the work of the Holy Spirit was very hidden, and Peter suffered through much hardship, and would sometimes reach the point of exclaiming: "God! I have nothing but this life. Although it is not worth much to You, I wish to dedicate it to You. Although men are unworthy to love You, and their love and hearts are worthless, I believe You can see the intent in men's hearts. And even though the bodies of men do not meet with Your acceptance, I wish for You to accept my heart." Upon uttering these prayers he would receive encouragement, especially when he prayed: "I'll dedicate my heart wholly to God. Even though I'm unable to do anything for God, I'll loyally satisfy God and devote myself to Him wholeheartedly. I believe God must look upon my heart." He said: "I ask for nothing in my life but that my thoughts of love for God and my heart's desire be accepted by God. I was with the Lord Jesus for so long, yet I never loved Him, this is my biggest debt. Even though I stayed with Him, I did not know Him, and even spoke irreverent words behind His back. Thinking of these things makes me feel even more indebted to the Lord Jesus." He always prayed in this manner. He said: "I am less than dust. I can do nothing but dedicate this loyal heart to God."
There was a climax in Peter's experiences, when his body was almost totally broken, but Jesus gave him encouragement within. And He appeared to him once. When Peter was in tremendous suffering and his heart was broken, Jesus instructed him: "You were with Me on earth, and I was here with you. And though before we were together in heaven, it is, after all, of the spiritual world. Now I am returned to the spiritual world, and you are on earth. For I am not of earth, and though you too are not of earth, you have to fulfill your function on earth. As you are a servant, you must do your duty to the best of your ability." Peter was comforted, having heard he could return to God's side. When Peter was in such agony that he was almost bedridden, he felt remorse to the point of saying: "I am so corrupted, I am not able to satisfy God." Jesus appeared to him and said: "Peter, could it be that you have forgotten the resolution you once made before Me? Have you really forgotten everything I said? Have you forgotten the resolution you made to Me?" Peter saw that it was Jesus and rose from the bed, and Jesus comforted him: "I am not of the earth, I have already told you — this you must understand, but have you forgotten something else I told you? 'You are also not of the earth, not of the world.' Right now there is work that you need to do, you cannot be grieved like this, you cannot suffer like this. Although men and God cannot coexist in the same world, I have My work and you have yours, and one day when your work is finished, we will be together in one realm, and I will lead you to be with Me forever." Peter was comforted and reassured after hearing these words. He knew that this suffering was something he had to endure and experience, and was inspired from then on. Jesus specially appeared to him at every key moment, giving him special enlightenment and guidance, and doing much work in him. And what did Peter regret the most? Jesus asked Peter another question (although it is not recorded in the Bible in this way) not long after Peter had said "You are the Son of the living God," and that question was: "Peter! Have you ever loved Me?" Peter understood what He meant, and said: "Lord! I once loved the Father in heaven, but I admit I have never loved You." Jesus then said: "If people do not love the Father in heaven, how can they love the Son on earth? And if people do not love the Son sent by God the Father, how can they love the Father in heaven? If people truly love the Son on earth, then they truly love the Father in heaven." When Peter heard these words he realized his lack. He always felt remorse to the point of tears over his words "I once loved the Father in heaven, but I have never loved You." After the resurrection and ascension of Jesus he felt even more remorse and grief over them. Recalling his past work and his present stature, he would often come to Jesus in prayer, always feeling regret and a debt due to his not having satisfied God's desire, and not measuring up to God's standards. These issues became his biggest burden. He said: "One day I will dedicate to You everything I have and everything I am, I will give You whatever is most valuable." He said: "God! I have only one faith and only one love. My life is worth nothing, and my body is worth nothing. I have only one faith and only one love. I have faith in You in my mind and love for You in my heart; these two things only have I to give to You, and nothing else." Peter was greatly encouraged by Jesus' words, because before Jesus was crucified He had said to him: "I am not of this world, and you too are not of this world." Later, when Peter reached a point of great pain, Jesus reminded him: "Peter, have you forgotten? I am not of the world, and it was only for My work that I departed earlier. You too are not of the world, have you forgotten? I have told you twice, do you not remember?" Peter heard Him and said: "I have not forgotten!" Jesus then said: "You once spent a happy time gathered with Me in heaven and a period of time by My side. You miss Me, and I miss you. Although the creatures are not worth mentioning in My eyes, how can I not love one who is innocent and lovable? Have you forgotten My promise? You must accept My commission on earth; you must fulfill the task that I entrusted you with. One day I will certainly lead you to be by My side." After hearing this, Peter became even more encouraged, and received even greater inspiration, such that when he was on the cross, he was able to say: "God! I cannot love You enough! Even if You ask me to die, I still cannot love You enough! Wherever You send my soul, whether or not You fulfill Your promises, whatever You do afterward, I love You and believe in You." What he held onto was his faith, and true love.
One evening, several of the disciples, including Peter, were on the fishing boat. They were all together with Jesus, and Peter asked Jesus a very naive question: "Lord! There is a question I have had for a very long time that I would like to ask You." Jesus replied: "Then please ask!" Peter then asked: "Was the work done during the Age of Law Your doing?" Jesus smiled, as if saying: "This child, how naive he is!" He then continued with purpose: "It was not Mine, it was Jehovah and Moses' doing." Peter heard this and exclaimed: "Oh! So it was not Your doing." Once Peter had said this, Jesus spoke no more. Peter thought to himself: "It was not You that did it, so no wonder You have come to destroy the law, as it was not Your doing." His heart was also "eased." Afterward, Jesus realized that Peter was quite naive, but because he didn't have any insight at the time, Jesus didn't say anything else or directly refute him. Once Jesus gave a sermon in a synagogue, and many people were present, including Peter, to hear Him preach. Jesus said: "The One that will come from everlasting to everlasting will do the work of redemption during the Age of Grace, to redeem all of mankind from sin, but He will not be constrained by any regulation in leading man out of sin. He will walk out of the law and enter into the Age of Grace. He will redeem all of mankind. He will stride forward from the Age of Law into that of Grace, yet none know Him, He who came from Jehovah. The work Moses did was granted by Jehovah; Moses drafted the law because of the work Jehovah had done." Once this was said, He continued: "Those who abolish the commandments of the Age of Grace during the Age of Grace will meet with calamity. They must stand in the temple and receive God's destruction, and fire shall come upon them." When Peter had finished listening to this, he had somewhat of a reaction. During a period of his experience, Jesus shepherded and sustained Peter, speaking heart-to-heart with him, which gave Peter a slightly better understanding of Jesus. As Peter thought of the preaching of Jesus that day, then the question he had asked Him when they were on the fishing boat and the response Jesus had given, as well as how He had laughed, it was then that he understood it all. Afterward, the Holy Spirit enlightened Peter, and only through this did he understand that Jesus was the Son of the living God. Peter's understanding came from the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit, but there was a process to his understanding. It was through asking questions, hearing Jesus preach, then through receiving Jesus' special fellowship and His special shepherding, that Peter came to realize Jesus was the Son of the living God. It was not achieved overnight; it was a process, and this became a help to him in his later experiences. Why did Jesus not do the work of perfection in other people, but just in Peter? Because only Peter understood that Jesus was the Son of the living God, and none other knew this. Though there were many disciples who knew much in their time following Him, their knowledge was superficial. This is why Peter was chosen by Jesus as the exemplar of being made perfect. What Jesus said to Peter then is what He says to people today, whose knowledge and life entry must reach that of Peter. It is in accordance with this requirement and this path that God will perfect everyone. Why are people today required to have real faith and true love? What Peter experienced you too must experience, what fruits Peter gained from his experiences must too be manifested in you, and the pain that Peter suffered, you too must surely undergo. The path you walk is the same that Peter walked. The pain you suffer is the pain that Peter suffered. When you receive glory and when you live out a real life, then you live out the image of Peter. The path is the same, and in accordance with this is one made perfect. However, the caliber of the people of today is somewhat lacking in comparison to that of Peter, for times have changed, and so too has the extent of corruption. And also for Judea was a long-standing kingdom with an ancient culture. So you must try to improve your caliber.
Peter was a very sensible person, keen in everything he did, and also extremely honest. He suffered many setbacks. He came into contact with society at the age of 14, attending school while also often going to the synagogue. He had a lot of enthusiasm and was always willing to attend meetings. At the time, Jesus had not yet officially started His work; this was just the beginning of the Age of Grace. Peter started coming into contact with religious figures when he was 14; by the time he was 18 he was in contact with the religious elite, but after he had seen the religious chaos behind the scenes, he left. Seeing how crafty, cunning, and wrought by strife these people were, he became extremely disgusted (this was how the Holy Spirit worked at the time, to make him perfect. He especially moved him and did some special work in him), and so he withdrew from the synagogue at the age of 18. His parents persecuted him and would not let him believe (they belonged to the devil, and had no faith). Finally, Peter left home and traveled at will, fishing and preaching for two years, during which time he also led a fair few people. Now you should be able to clearly see the path that was taken by Peter. If you have seen this clearly, then you will have determined the work being done today, so you would not complain or be passive, or long for anything. You should experience Peter's mood at the time: He was stricken with sorrow; he no longer asked for a future or any blessing. He did not seek the profit, happiness, fame, or fortune of the world, and only sought to live a most meaningful life, which was to repay God's love and dedicate what he held most precious to God. Then he would be satisfied in his heart. He often prayed to Jesus with the words: "Lord Jesus Christ, I once loved You, but I did not truly love You. Though I said I had faith in You, I never loved You with a true heart. I only looked up to You, adored You, and missed You, but never loved You or truly had faith in You." He always prayed to make his resolution, he was constantly encouraged by the words of Jesus[a] and converted them to motivation. Later, after a period of experience, Jesus tested him, provoking him to yearn for Him further. He said: "Lord Jesus Christ! How I miss You, and long to look upon You. I lack too much, and cannot make up for Your love. I beg You to soon take me away. When will You have need of me? When will You take me away? When will I once again look upon Your face? I do not wish to live any longer in this body, to continue becoming corrupted, and neither do I wish to rebel any further. I am ready to dedicate all I have to You as soon as I can, and I do not wish to sadden You any further." This is how he prayed, but he did not know at the time what Jesus would perfect in him. During the agony of his test, Jesus appeared to him again and said: "Peter, I wish to make you perfect, such that you become a piece of fruit, one that is the crystallization of My perfection of you, and which I will enjoy. Can you truly testify for Me? Have you done what I ask you to do? Have you lived out the words I have spoken? You once loved Me, but though you loved Me, have you lived Me out? What have you done for Me? You recognize that you are unworthy of My love, but what have you done for Me?" Peter saw that he had done nothing for Jesus and remembered his previous oath to give his life for God. And so, he no longer complained, and his prayers afterward grew much better. He prayed, saying: "Lord Jesus Christ! I once left You, and You too once left me. We have spent time apart, and time together in company. Yet You love me more than all else. I have repeatedly rebelled against You and repeatedly grieved You. How can I forget such things? The work You have done in me and what You have entrusted me with I always bear in mind, I never forget. With the work You have done in me I have tried my best. You know what I can do, and You further know what role I can play. Your wish is my command and I will dedicate everything I have to You. Only You know what I can do for You. Although Satan fooled me so much and I rebelled against You, I believe You do not remember me for those transgressions, that You do not treat me based on them. I wish to dedicate my entire life to You. I ask for nothing, and neither do I have other hopes or plans; I only wish to act according to Your intention and to do Your will. I will drink from Your bitter cup, and I am Yours to command."
You must be clear about the path you walk; you must be clear about the path you will take in future, what it is that God will make perfect, and what has been entrusted upon you. One day, perhaps, you will be tested, and if then you are able to gain inspiration from Peter's experiences, it will show that you are truly walking Peter's path. Peter was commended by God for his true faith and love, and for his loyalty to God. And it was for his honesty and longing for God in his heart that God made him perfect. If you truly have the same love and faith as Peter, then Jesus will surely make you perfect.
a. The original text reads "by these words."
from The Word Appears in the Flesh
Source by:Find the shepherd


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Your child's first tooth is a big developmental milestone, so it's important for you to know what to expect and how to maintain your child's teeth when they start coming in. It's just as vital to take care of baby teeth as it is permanent teeth, even though the baby teeth eventually fall out. Improper dental hygiene can set your child up for oral complications early on, as well as poor dental hygiene habits down the road, including more severe oral issues. Be sure to look for the signs that their baby teeth are coming in and take the proper steps to keeping them healthy.
Eruption of Baby Teeth
Baby teeth typically erupt in the lower front teeth region, with most children obtaining all their baby teeth by three years old. For some children, this timeline varies. Some may not experience their first erupted baby tooth until their first birthday.
Teething is an indicator that your child's baby teeth are coming in, and is usually accompanied by slight discomfort, excessive drooling, and swollen or tender gums. Some tips to remember when teething begins include:
- Massage your child's gums with a clean finger to ease some discomfort.
- Offer a solid, not liquid-filled, teething ring (can be frozen).
- Offer a clean, frozen, or wet washcloth.
- Offer a teething biscuit, but be sure to monitor your child while they eat it.
- If discomfort persists, talk to your child's pediatrician about a safe dose of liquid acetaminophen.
- Avoid teething tablets that contain belladonna and benzocaine gel, as these substances can be potentially toxic to your child.
- Never use a teething necklace, as your child will be at risk for strangulation or choking.
Proper Oral Hygiene
Once your child's first tooth comes in, you will need to begin an oral hygiene routine with them. The process slightly changes as they grow, so some helpful tips include:
- Brushing twice a day with a grain-of-rice-sized dollop of fluoride toothpaste, especially after consuming foods or beverages.
- Refrain from letting your child go to bed with a bottle since this can lead to tooth decay.
- When your child turns three years old, you may increase fluoride toothpaste to a pea-sized amount when brushing.
- When your child is at the developmental stage where they can spit, teach them to spit out the excess toothpaste after brushing.
- It's recommended that the parent place the toothpaste on their child's toothbrush until they reach six years of age.
- Parents should monitor and assist their child while brushing until they reach seven or eight years old.
Importance of Fluoride
Fluoride is an essential mineral for preventing tooth decay, as it works to harden the enamel of the teeth. Fluoride is often found in tap water, rarely ever bottled, so it's a good idea to give your child tap water when they begin eating solid foods. If you feel that your child is not consuming enough fluoride, talk to your pediatric dentist about fluoride supplements.


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Financial Planning for Children or Adults with Special Needs
Financial Planning for Children or Adults with Special Needs
Planning to meet the needs of children or adults who have special needs is often complex. Special financial planning techniques may be needed so you don't jeopardize any government benefits they may be receiving. Many who have special needs require advice and protection throughout their lifetime from someone with legal authority. This person has the authority to act on their behalf. For most persons with special needs two types of protections are required:
1. protection of the estate left to the individual;
2. protection of his or her person in some form of guardianship.
In practice, provisions for these two types of protection often overlap.
Why should families plan?
Some parents of a child with special needs are not able to see the necessity or benefit of estate planning for that child. Although they are genuinely concerned about the long-term welfare of their child. Their child's basic needs are presently being met by the state. In their thinking this need will likely always be met by various levels of government funding. They, therefore, see no need to make provision in their will(s) for the needs of their child. Some parents want to plan, but have been told the child cannot have assets if government benefits are payable. Specific planning options should be developed as a means of addressing the problem. In this case, Financial Planning for special needs is critical.
Will and trust provisions
The will should address such issues as guardianship of the child. Further, if funds are to be left at death, a trust can be established. This is done under the will to deal with the assets and provide for income to the child. If the child has a source of income, then he or she may be entitled to assistance. The amount to assistance is dependent on the amount of income. If the child owns marketable assets the authorities, in most circumstances, reject an application for assistance. This is in place until such time as money realized for the assets have been depleted. In order to avoid a refusal of social assistance, the following points ought to be kept in mind:
Social Assistance
- As it is unlikely that the survivor with special needs will ever be able to have the earning capacity that someone without special needs would have, they will be unable to purchase many of the same material items and afford the same travel expenses. Therefore, it is important to make provision in the will which will provide for those expenditures while not impairing the survivor's entitlement to social assistance. As long as the testamentary gift or trust does not result in the hands of the survivor, he or she does not have an interest in the estate, and does not have an income which will affect his or her ability to receive social assistance.
- It is very important to a family of limited means that what little savings they have at time of death not be depleted. It is important that their life savings be used over time to supplement what social assistance will provide to their survivor.
- Social assistance and other forms of government assistance only provides a minimum standard of living to recipients and occasionally will not pay for all programs which are available or in the best interests of the survivor with special needs. The vehicle available to avoid the depletion referred to above and to provide the material items, travel expenses and other amenities of life to the survivor without impairing their ability to receive social assistance is the discretionary trust.
How should the trust be worded?
During Financial Planning, A discretionary trust usually results from either:
- a specific fund of a specific amount being established in the will, or
- a portion of the residue constituting the trust. As long as the wording of the discretionary trust does not legally enable the survivor to the right to receive benefits from the trustee, the survivor does not have an asset. Drafting of the trust provision is therefore very important. In particular, the trust should be worded in such a way which will preclude the survivor from being in a position to demand or force the trustee to make payment on his or her behalf. The payments are therefore entirely at the "discretion" of the trustee.
Financial Planning: Guardianship
In most cases, it is advisable to appoint a guardian for the adult survivor who has special needs. The guardian is an advocate of the survivor. They make decisions regarding the well-being of the survivor. This is key where the survivor is not capable of making such decisions. Again, the will can be used to make provision for the guardianship.
Financial Planning: Life insurance
Some parents who do not have a large estate will wish to build up a fund for the child by naming him or her as a beneficiary of a life insurance policy. While insurance is a very useful method of increasing the family's assets, it is generally not a good idea to make the child a beneficiary of the policy. If there are any serious questions as to the child's ability to handle money, the insurance proceeds should be made payable to the parent's estate in which event the money will be dealt with under the will of the deceased person. Alternatively, it could be paid directly into a trust established outside of the will in which case the trustee will dispose of the insurance proceeds in the manner described in the trust agreement.
The above should not be taken as providing legal, accounting or tax advice. You should obtain your own independent professional advice from your lawyer and/or accountant to take into account your particular circumstances.


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For immediate release
Allyse Sanchez
303-839-1415, ext. 41
[email protected]
Robert Con Davis
Executive Director, World Literature Today
[email protected]
The 23rd Biennial Neustadt International Prize for Literature Nominees Announced
Nine writers each select a nominee for the $50,000 award
NORMAN, Okla. (July 16, 2013) – World Literature Today, the University of Oklahoma's award-winning international literature and culture magazine, today announced the shortlist of nominees for the 2014 Neustadt International Prize for Literature. The Neustadt Prize is the most prestigious international literary award given in the United States, often cited as "the American Nobel," and is chosen solely on the basis of literary merit. On this year's shortlist are César Aira, Mia Couto, Duong Thu Huong, Edward P. Jones, Ilya Kaminsky, Chang-rae Lee, Edouard Maunick, Haruki Murakami, and Ghassan Zaqtan. For the first time ever, authors have been nominated from Mauritius, Mozambique, Palestine and Ukraine. Additionally, Jones is the first male African American writer to be nominated in the 44-year history of the prize.
In the next stage of the award process, jury members will convene at OU in October for deliberations. The jury will then vote on the shortlist of nominees to select the winner of the prize, who will be announced on Nov. 1 during the Neustadt Festival of International Literature and Culture. The laureate will receive $50,000, a replica of an eagle feather cast in silver, and a certificate of recognition at a ceremony at OU in fall 2014. For more information on the Neustadt Prize and the fall 2013 festival, visit www.neustadtprize.org.
The Nominees
César Aira
Aira is an Argentine writer, translator and exponent of contemporary Argentine literature. He has published more than 70 books of stories, novels and essays. He writes at a fast rate, producing two to four novella-length books each year since 1993. He also has translated and edited books from France, England, Italy, Brazil, Spain, Mexico and Venezuela. Aira is nominated by Cristina Rivera-Garza, and his representative work is How I Became a Nun.
Mia Couto
Couto is the first Mozambican author to be nominated for the Neustadt International Prize for Literature. Couto published a poetry collection, Raiz de Orvalho (Root of dew), in 1983. His first book of short stories, Vozes Anoitecidas, was critically acclaimed in Portugal. An international jury at the Zimbabwe International Book Fair named his first novel, Terra Sonâmbula (1992; Eng. Sleepwalking Land, 2006), one of the 12 best African books of the 20th century. Couto is nominated by Gabriella Ghermandi, and his representative work is Sleepwalking Land.
Duong Thu Huong
Duong's first novels, Journey into Childhood, Beyond Illusions, Paradise of the Blind and The Lost Life, became bestsellers in Vietnam before they were banned. Her next three works, Novel Without a Name, Memories of a Pure Spring and No Man's Land, have only been published in foreign countries. She was named a Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French government in recognition of significant contributions to the arts and literature in France. Duong is nominated by Andrew Lam, and her representative work is No Man's Land.
Edward P. Jones
Jones is the author of The Known World, for which he won the 2004 Pulitzer Prize and the 2005 International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award. His third book, All Aunt Hagar's Children, was a finalist for the PEN/Faulkner Award in 2006. Jones, an American author, also was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship in 2005 and the PEN/Malamud Award for Excellence in the art of the short story. Jones is nominated by Laleh Khadivi, and his representative work is All Aunt Hagar's Children.
Ilya Kaminsky
Kaminsky is the first Ukrainian-born author to be nominated for the Neustadt International Prize for Literature. His verse collection Dancing in Odessa won the Whiting Writer's Award, the American Academy of Arts & Letters Metcalf Award, the Dorset Prize, Poetry magazine's Ruth Lilly Fellowship, and was named 2004's Best Poetry Book of the Year by ForeWord magazine. Kaminsky's latest manuscript, Deaf Republic, also won Poetry magazine's Levinson Prize. Kaminsky is nominated by Lauren Camp, and his representative work is Dancing in Odessa.
Chang-rae Lee
Lee was born in Seoul, South Korea, and immigrated to the United States in 1968 at the age of 2. His first novel, Native Speaker, won the PEN/Hemingway Award, the American Book Award and the ALA Book of the Year Award. Lee currently teaches creative writing at Princeton University's Lewis Center for the Arts. Lee is nominated by Krys Lee, and his representative work is The Surrendered.
Edouard Maunick
Maunick is a native of Mauritius, which makes him the first Mauritian to be nominated for the Neustadt International Prize for Literature. His first poetry collection, Les Oiseaux du Sang, was published in 1954, followed by Les Manèges de la Mer (1964), Mascaret ou le Livre de la Mer et de la Mort (1966), Fusillez-moi (1970), Africaines du Temps Jadis (1976) and En Mémoire du Mémorable suivi de Jusqu'en Terre Yoruba (1979). Maunick is nominated by Ananda Devi, and his representative work is Mandéla mort et vif (1987; Eng. Mandela, Dead and Alive, 2001).
Haruki Murakami
Murakami, a Japanese author, has been praised by the British newspaper The Guardian as one of "the world's greatest living novelists." Murakami was previously nominated for the Neustadt Prize in 2008 and 2010, and he received the Frank Kafka Prize in 2006. His most recent book in English is IQ84. Murakami is up for his third nomination by Deji Olukotun, and his representative work is The Elephant Vanishes.
Ghassan Zaqtan
Zaqtan is the first Palestinian to be nominated for the Neustadt Prize. He is a poet, novelist and editor who has written many collections, including Like a Straw Bird It Follows Me and the play The Narrow Sea. Zaqtan is the founding director of the House of Poetry in the city of Ramallah and has served as director of the Palestine Ministry of Culture's literature and publishing department. Zaqtan is nominated by Fady Joudah, and his representative work is Like a Straw Bird It Follows Me.
About the Neustadt International Prize for Literature
The Neustadt International Prize for Literature is a $50,000 biennial prize funded by a generous endowment from the Neustadt family of Ardmore, Okla., and Dallas. The Neustadt Prize is the first international literary award of its scope to originate in the United States and is one of the very few international prizes for which poets, novelists and playwrights are equally eligible. The charter of the award stipulates that the Neustadt Prize be conferred solely on the basis of literary merit, and each laureate is chosen by a jury of writers that World Literature Today convenes on the University of Oklahoma campus.
About World Literature Today
Founded in 1927, World Literature Today is the University of Oklahoma's bimonthly magazine of international literature and culture. The mission of WLT is to serve the international, state and university communities by achieving excellence as a literary publication, a sponsor of literary prizes and a cultural center for students. Now in its ninth decade of continuous publication, WLT has been recognized by the Nobel Prize committee as one of the "best edited and most informative literary publications" in the world, and was recently called "an excellent source of writings from around the globe by authors who write as if their lives depend on it" (Utne Reader, January 2005).


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The world's two largest markets for organic food expand organic market access
NUREMBERG, Germany, and WASHINGTON, D.C. – At a press event today at BioFach Germany, European Commissioner Dacian Cioloş for the European Union's (EU) Agriculture and Rural Development and Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan of the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the signing of an organic equivalence arrangement between the world's two largest markets for organic food. Under the arrangement, the EU and United States will work together to promote strong organic programs, protect organic standards, enhance cooperation, and facilitate trade in organic products.
Officials noted the EU - U.S. organic equivalence cooperation arrangement will expand market access for organic producers and companies by reducing duplicative requirements and certification costs on both sides of the ocean while continuing to protect organic integrity.
"This monumental agreement will further create jobs in the already growing and healthy U.S. organic sector, spark additional market growth, and be mutually beneficial to farmers both in the United States and European Union as well as to consumers who choose organic products," said Christine Bushway, Executive Director and CEO of the U.S.-based Organic Trade Association (OTA). She added, "Equivalence with the EU will be an historic game changer."
As a result, certified organic products as of June 1 can move freely between the United States and EU borders provided they meet the terms of the new arrangement. Under the agreement, the EU will recognize the USDA National Organic Program (NOP) as equivalent to the EU Organic Program and allow products produced and certified as meeting USDA NOP standards to be marketed as organic in the EU. Likewise, the United States will allow European products produced and certified under the EU Organic Program to be marketed as organic in the United States.
The agreement will allow access to each other's markets provided (1) antibiotics were not administered to animals for products entering the United States, and (2) antibiotics were not used to control fire blight in apples and pears for products entering the European Union. To facilitate trade, the EU and United States have agreed to work together to promote electronic certification of import transaction certificates.
The arrangement is limited to organic products of U.S. or EU origin produced, processed or packaged within these jurisdictions. Additionally, both programs have agreed to exchange information on animal welfare issues, and on methods to avoid contamination of organic products from genetically modified organisms. General country labeling requirements must still be met.
"On behalf of the U.S. organic industry, OTA extends its sincere appreciation to the U.S. Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), National Organic Program, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), and OTA's U.S.-EU Equivalency Task Force for all their efforts in maintaining and expanding foreign export markets for USDA certified organic products globally. The results are mutually beneficial arrangements with our major trading partners that uphold the integrity of food grown and labeled as organic," Bushway said.
OTA convened its U.S.-EU Equivalency Task Force in May 2010 to monitor, analyze and discuss emerging issues from organic equivalency discussions between the United States and EU, and directly advised FAS and USTR on the industry's perspective on these negotiations and market potential. This task force is made up of 34 industry volunteers from across the supply chain, from produce and grain companies to dairy producers and certification agencies. It is led by OTA's Executive Vice President Laura Batcha and Jake Lewin of California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) as co-chairs, with Bob Anderson (Sustainable Strategies—Advisors in Food & Agriculture) serving as ex officio.
For more information, see OTA's US EU Equivalency page, or USDA's website. For a high-resolution photo of the signing, contact Barbara Haumann.
Photo caption: Taking part at the historic organic equivalence signing were (from left) European Commissioner Dacian Cioloş, U.S. Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Kathleen Merrigan, and Ambassador Isi Siddiqui, U.S. Trade Representative's Chief Agriculture Negotiator.
The Organic Trade Association (OTA) is the membership-based business association for organic agriculture and products in North America. OTA is the leading voice for the organic trade in the United States, representing over 6,500 organic businesses across 49 states. Its members include growers, shippers, processors, certifiers, farmers' associations, distributors, importers, exporters, consultants, retailers and others. OTA's Board of Directors is democratically elected by its members. OTA's mission is to promote and protect the growth of organic trade to benefit the environment, farmers, the public and the economy.


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Ododu Home
Introduction to ODODU
Overview of ODODU
Technical Summary
The ODODU Language
The Derivation of Numbers
Derivation of Mathematics
Math & Science
Science & Technology
Relational Symmetry Paradigm
The Grammar Dictionaries
The Core Concept Dictionary
Ododu Home
Introduction to ODODU
Overview of ODODU
Technical Summary
The ODODU Language
The Derivation of Numbers
Derivation of Mathematics
Math & Science
Science & Technology
Relational Symmetry Paradigm
The Grammar Dictionaries
The Core Concept Dictionary
Evolution of Ododu
ODODU is attempting to become a Universal Language. It is constructed to be a continually evolving language which keeps getting closer and closer to the concept of an optimal Universal Language as it evolves. For this to occur in a manageable fashion there needs to be a formal procedure by which the language is constructed, and protocols by which meaning can be assigned to symbols, letters, and words. Procedures also need to be specified for changing the language structure and the meaning assignments as the language evolves in a community of use.
The sign structure of ODODU is simple and can be understood independently of any specific meanings which may be assigned to the individual symbols.
The general rational for this structure is described in The Theoretical Foundations of ODODU. The basic structure itself is as follows:
Begin by assuming that language is the connection between conscious entities and that conscious entities are essentially similar to you and I. Let C1 and C2 be two such conscious entities which are communicating with each other in ODODU. They each construct ODODU in the same way.
From C1's perspective:
The first four letters, the vowels U, I, E, and A, describe the essence of C1. They are the relations and/or dimensions of C1.
The next four letters, the vowels O, Q, Y, and H, describe the essence of C2. They are the relations and/or dimensions of C2 as viewed from the perspective of C1.
The sixteen consonants, D, P, R, B, C, L, T, K, S, G, F, X, N, M, W, and Z each describe how one of the vowels of C2 changes relative to how one of the vowels of C1 changes.
C1 then takes all known experiences, both personal and learned, and assigns them to the consonants. Each consonant will then have a unique collection of experiential meanings and every aspect of all experiences will be assigned to some consonant. This generates sixteen archetypal and very general categories which encompasses all known and knowable experiences for C1.
C2 follows exactly the same process that C1 does and assigns all of C2's experience to the consonants to create C2's archetypal categories. Then C1 and C2 compare their concepts for the vowels and how they allocated their known experiences to the consonants. If there are differences, other than that of individual perspectives, they need to be discussed and some agreement made as to how they will be reconciled. Once there is a common understanding of what and how experience is assigned then C1 and C2 can proceed to word construction. In all aspects of the following presentation this procedure of individual construction and derivation followed by a cooperative collaboration and reconciliation of differences will be followed.
Words are then constructed in the following manner:
All words begin and end with vowels.
The vowel preceding the first consonant is the classifying vowel. It indicates what kind of word it is
The last vowel indicates how the word is used.
The letters between the classifying and last vowel are defined as the core of the word. They specify the meaning of the word.
All consonants must be preceded and followed by a vowel.
No more than two vowels may occur consecutively in a word and this can only occur at the beginning and end of a word.
From these rules a 64 word grammar is constructed. Each word in the grammar contains two vowels. The first vowel specifies one of eight types of words. The last vowel specifies how that word is used in its context.
By combining a core of one consonant, or a consonant vowel combination, with a two vowel grammar word more elaborate words can be constructed. The core is simply inserted between the two vowels of the grammar word which now serves to define a specific grammatical context for that core meaning.
In some cases words may end with two vowels. In this case the first of the ending vowel pair must be a U, I, E, or A. This provides a four fold extension of the word core concept.
The words of ODODU are conceptually organized into Sections according to the degree of specificity which the word possesses. As the number of letters in a word increases the specificity increases. In the case of an archetypal one consonant core word, a Section 1 word, many different experiences are lumped together in a very general category to constitute the meaning of the word.
This one consonant core can be expanded into a Section 2 core by following it with one of the vowels U, I, E, or A, creating four new consonant - vowel cores. These in turn represent four new subcategories of the initial broad category of experience which constituted the one consonant archetypal concept. The cores which end in vowels are thus expansions of the cores which end in consonants.
Section 3 cores are constructed according to a consonant - vowel - consonant format. Here any of the sixteen consonants or eight vowels may be used for any position within the core. This does not represent a more specific expansion of the prior consonant - vowel core but the creation of a new concept constructed by interrelating the two consonant concepts in a manner specified by the interior vowel. The new concept so created will be more specific than the Section 1 or 2 concepts which use one of the same consonants, and while it will be related to them in its meaning, it will be a new concept and not just an expansion of the prior concepts.
When these cores are expanded to Section 4 a new vowel is added to the end of the Section 3 core. However, as before, this new vowel can only be a U, I, E, or A. This again generates a four fold expansion of the prior consonant - vowel - consonant cores.
Section 5 cores then create a new group of concepts which interrelate three consonant concepts in a manner specified by the two interior vowels. Any of the eight vowels can serve as one of these interior vowels.
This process can be repeated indefinitely by expanding any core by adding vowels to the end of prior cores which end with consonants, or by creating new concepts by adding consonants to the end of prior cores which end with vowels. All new cores will always follow the alternating consonant - vowel - consonant - etc. format and all of their individual meanings will be related to, and be more precise and specific than, the preceding core meanings. Thus the pattern is; create new concepts by ending cores with consonants, expand existing concepts by ending cores with vowels.
To the Top
To illustrate these Sections and the construction principle let V be any one of the four vowels U, I, E, or A if it occurs at the end of a core and let it represent any of the eight vowels U, I, E, A, O, Q, Y, or H if it occurs within the core. Then let J be any one of the 16 ODODU consonants. The core Sections are:
They are organized as concept creation cores or concept expansion cores as follows:
Concept Creation Cores
Concept Expansion Cores
To summarize:
The Alphabet
The Grammar
The Core Dictionary
Where V is any vowel U I E A if it occurs at the end of the core, and any vowel U, I, E, A, O, Q, Y, or H if it occurs in the middle of a core,
and J is any consonant D P R B C L T K S G F X N M W Z
The derivational structure presented above takes very general archetypal concepts and subdivides them into a series of groups of words with each successive group having progressively more specific meanings. This dynamic structure allows us to generate words of arbitrary precision to describe any facet of our experience. We can be as detailed as we want or need to be on any subject by simply creating increasingly precise and powerful words to describe that subject.
To create an evolving language ODODU has taken this dynamic derivational structure and combined it with a pragmatic process which continually assigns and reassigns our experiences to the various symbols of the language. Such a process will automatically incorporate new experiences into the language as they occur or are encountered. The process does not need to change the structure of ODODU, although it may do so, but it does need to periodically reassign meaning over the words of the language. The procedure needs to be done in a formal and managed manner in order for the language to evolve and survive and to optimize the utility of ODODU.
Thus on a periodic basis the following steps need to be taken. This procedure is called QGI ODODU (deriving ODODU).
1. Reexamine the structure of the language and make changes if they are necessary or relevant.
2. Reassign experience and meaning to the symbols and words. This will be done in the following sequence.
A) U I E A. These are the relations and/or dimensions of my perspective of myself.
B) O Q Y H. These are the relations and /or dimensions of my perspective of you or others or the universe.
C) D P R B C L T K S G F X N M W Z. Allocate all known experience to these sixteen consonants to create the most general and broadest archetypal concepts possible.
D) Redefine the 64 two vowel grammatical words. Make sure that the resulting grammar is as complete as possible.
E) Construct the Section 1 words by combining the sixteen consonants with the 64 word grammar. Verify that the constructs deriving from the sixteen archetypes cover all possible experience.
F) Reexamine the rule by which words begin with two leading vowels. The first vowel should qualify the remaining vowel - consonant - vowel word in a consistent and reasonable manner.
G) Construct Section 2 words with cores of a consonant - vowel structure. Do this expansion by applying more detailed and specific experience to each of the one consonant cores and dividing this added specific experience up among the resulting four new consonant - vowel cores which stem from the original consonant. This will extend the specificity and precision of the meaning of the initial one consonant core into four new derivative words.
H) Create new cores with a consonant - vowel - consonant structure. This will derive the Section 3 words.
I) Repeat the G) through H) processes by alternately adding vowels and consonants to the ends of the previously defined cores for as many additional word Sections as you can.
3. Once the derivation of meaning for the ODODU words is complete then begin using the "new" language. This use will in turn generate new experiences which will be useful in the next iteration of the evolutionary derivational process. These new experiences, and any problems or ideas for improvements, should be recorded for use in the next iteration.
4. Use the records made in 3. and repeat the step 1. and 2. processes.
Ododu Home
Introduction to ODODU
Overview of ODODU
Technical Summary
The ODODU Language
The Derivation of Numbers
Derivation of Mathematics
Math & Science
Science & Technology
Relational Symmetry Paradigm
The Grammar Dictionaries
The Core Concept Dictionary


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Liberation Day: Stories (Hardcover)
Not in Store - Usually Ships in 2-7 Days from Warehouse
November 2022 Indie Next List
"When I read this collection, I knew I was looking at one of the finest, most complete, most skillfully-created literary works I have ever experienced. A masterwork that will surely become one of the most noteworthy books of the decade."
— Sophia Hardin, Third Place Books, Lake Forest Park, WA
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • "One of our most inventive purveyors of the form returns with pitch-perfect, genre-bending stories that stare into the abyss of our national character. . . . An exquisite work from a writer whose reach is galactic."—Oprah Daily
Booker Prize winner George Saunders returns with his first collection of short stories since the New York Times bestseller Tenth of December.
ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: The New York Times Book Review, The New Yorker, Oprah Daily, NPR, Time, USA Today, The Guardian, Esquire, Newsweek, Kirkus Reviews, Booklist, Library Journal
The "best short-story writer in English" (Time) is back with a masterful collection that explores ideas of power, ethics, and justice and cuts to the very heart of what it means to live in community with our fellow humans. With his trademark prose—wickedly funny, unsentimental, and exquisitely tuned—Saunders continues to challenge and surprise: Here is a collection of prismatic, resonant stories that encompass joy and despair, oppression and revolution, bizarre fantasy and brutal reality.
"Love Letter" is a tender missive from grandfather to grandson, in the midst of a dystopian political situation in the (not too distant, all too believable) future, that reminds us of our obligations to our ideals, ourselves, and one another. "Ghoul" is set in a Hell-themed section of an underground amusement park in Colorado and follows the exploits of a lonely, morally complex character named Brian, who comes to question everything he takes for granted about his reality. In "Mother's Day," two women who loved the same man come to an existential reckoning in the middle of a hailstorm. In "Elliott Spencer," our eighty-nine-year-old protagonist finds himself brainwashed, his memory "scraped"—a victim of a scheme in which poor, vulnerable people are reprogrammed and deployed as political protesters. And "My House"—in a mere seven pages—comes to terms with the haunting nature of unfulfilled dreams and the inevitability of decay.
Together, these nine subversive, profound, and essential stories coalesce into a case for viewing the world with the same generosity and clear-eyed attention Saunders does, even in the most absurd of circumstances.
About the Author
George Saunders is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of eleven books, including A Swim in a Pond in the Rain; Lincoln in the Bardo, which won the Booker Prize; Congratulations, by the Way; Tenth of December, a finalist for the National Book Award and winner of the inaugural Folio Award; The Braindead Megaphone; and the critically acclaimed collections CivilWarLand in Bad Decline, Pastoralia, and In Persuasion Nation. He teaches in the creative writing program at Syracuse University.
Praise For…
"It's that equilibrium of groundbreaking craft and bone-deep compassion—plus his rangy, tilt-a-whirl voice—that raises Saunders above other masters of the form."—The Boston Globe
"Part of the Saunders elixir is that we feel more empathetic after reading his work."—The San Francisco Chronicle
"Liberation Day is great art … winningly readable … Whether exploring recognisable social and political dilemmas, taking us somewhere else entirely, or doing both at the same time, Saunders never denies us the solid satisfactions of plot, jokes, character, pacing and lovely phrasemaking."—The Daily Telegraph (UK)
"The nine stories in Liberation Day are by turn exhilarating, sad, mindbendingly bizarre and wickedly funny. All are stamped with Saunders's quirky, profoundly moral sensibility, and his fury at repression and coercion."—The Sunday Times (UK)
"Utterly moving … terrific … Worth reading for 'Love Letter' alone."—The Independent (UK)
"Masterful"—i paper (UK)
"Saunders has revealed himself to be nothing less than an American Gogol: funny, pointed, full of nuance, and always writing with a moral heart. This, his first book of short fiction in nearly a decade, only cements the validity of such a point of view. The nine pieces here are smart and funny, speculative yet at the same time written on a human scale, narratives full of love and loss and longing and the necessity of trying to connect."—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"Saunders's vision of diabolically intrusive tyranny undermining democracy possesses the keen absurdity of Kurt Vonnegut, while his more subtle stories align with the gothic edge of Shirley Jackson. . . . Each of these flawless fables inspires reflection on the fragility of freedom and the valor of the human spirit."—Booklist (starred review)


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The Bookmobile will be at this location and available to the public at this time. Stop by and check out your next read!
Quebec Community Center: 11846 Rosman Hwy. Lake Toxaway, NC 28747
Driving on highways and back country roads from Penrose to Sapphire, we strive to serve all corners of Transylvania County. Bookmobile stops are made at child care centers, senior centers, outlying community centers and post offices. Home bound patrons are also visited upon request. The bookmobile is a public library branch on wheels containing approximately 3600 frequently changed items for both adults and children. Books checked out on the Bookmobile are free. All you need is a library card! Patrons can register for a free library card on the bookmobile with the proper ID. Books checked out from the bookmobile can be returned to the main library. Likewise books checked out at the main library can be returned to the Bookmobile. For more information, reserves, or requests, please call 884-3151 ext. 1825 or email Brenda Ivers.


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New Delhi: Silicon-based electronic circuits are getting smaller. The Taiwanese manufacturer TSMC currently makes chips with the smallest feature of the circuit measuring just 7 nanometers, with millions of such components packed on a single chip. The process of manufacturing such ultra-dense circuits is complex. Despite world-class control, there are tiny fluctuations in the nanoscale dimensions. Thus, each transistor is slightly different from another across chips and even on the same chip. A circuit designer must account for such variations to ensure that each of the billions of chips produced works as expected. Thus, a model to account for such nanoscale variations in manufacturing is essential.
DrAmitaRawat and Prof UdayanGanguly from the Department of Electrical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay (IIT Bombay), in collaboration with researchers from IMEC, Leuven, Belgium, have experimentally validated their previously proposed method to estimate the change in performance of an electronic circuit caused by manufacturing variations. This is the first time that the experimental validation of variations predicted using physics-based modeling has been reported. The predictions can be integrated with circuit design software, thus making it possible to design better-performing circuits. This work was partially funded by the Indian Institute of Technology Nano Fabrication Lab (IITBNF Lab), the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), and the Department of Science and Technology (DST).
Patterns are drawn using UV light on semiconductor chips to mark the channel, gate, interconnects, and other circuit components. Patterns with lines and spaces smaller than 10 nanometer tend to have fluctuations of about a nanometer. It is also challenging to place dopant atoms perfectly. The gate metal has nanoscale crystals that are not oriented uniformly in the same direction leading to different atomic interfaces between metal crystal and gate insulator. These local physical variations can significantly affect the electrical properties of the transistor. "For example, the variation in how metal is deposited affects the value of the gate voltage at which the transistor starts conducting current," explains Dr Rawat, the lead author of the study.
As the building blocks of electronic circuits approach the atomic scale, the physical variations become substantial compared to the component dimensions. In commercially-used design and simulation softwares, circuit performance is inexactly evaluated based on simple variation in electrical properties of the transistor that is increasingly inaccurate as transistors shrink. "We provide process specific physics-based estimates of the electrical variation. It enables a more accurate evaluation of the circuit performance," says DrRawat. "The designers can also get an idea of how the variation will alter if they change from one manufacturing process to another," she adds.
To find the influence of the physical variations on the circuit performance, engineers first need to evaluate its effect on the transistor's electrical properties. Currently, computational methods are used to study the structures of a few hundreds of transistors to find variations in electrical properties. With hours of costly simulations needed to calculate each transistor's parameters, the process is computationally expensive and time-consuming. "Also, this method does not provide a simple, intuitive model connecting the structural variations to electrical variations of the transistors, necessary for the circuit designers," comments Prof Ganguly.
"Our team developed the theoretical modelling of variability over nine years and three PhD theses. The journey is chronicled in a magazine article in IEEE Nanotechnology Magazine. Now our work has reached the experimental validation phase," says Prof Ganguly.
The researchers created a mathematical model that accurately predicts variations in the transistor electrical properties based on the changes in the physical parameters, such as fluctuations of the pattern lines or metal nanocrystal orientation. The same model works for any manufacturing process. They used this transistor variation data to create a 'variabilityaware' transistor model to be used in a commercial design and simulation software. Thus circuits designed using this model capture the actual variability due to the manufacturing process, and designers can get an accurate estimation of the circuit performance. "The beauty of our platform is that the circuit performance prediction can be made available commercially, without significantly adding to the cost," comments DrRawat.
"In addition to making it easier to design better-performing circuits, the proposed method can also provide feedback to the foundry team for improving their processes," says DrRawat. The process designer can determine which process dependent inputs give the desired physical variability parameters. "It is like building a bridge between the circuit designers and the process team."
In the current study, the researchers used their model to predict the physical variations for the 14nm technology process. They compared these values with the experimentally measured physical variations and found them to match well. They also estimated the variations in electrical properties of the transistor, and these agreed with the experimentally measured variations of a cluster of 250 transistors made with the 14nm technology. The worst and best case errors were within acceptable limits. "Such elaborate experimental validation has not been reported earlier," remarks DrRawat.
The researchers plan to provide this framework as a technology package to be plugged into the circuit design software. "We need to collaborate with foundries to access the latest data of manufacturing processes they use. We can create the process-specific package and get it validated from the foundry. It can evolve into an industry standard," said DrRawat. (India Science Wire)


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Sooner or later every aquarist reaches the point where he wants more than "just" an aquarium with fish and plants. Perhaps he wants to simulate a landscape above water, such as a mountain range with woods or some special habitat (biotope), inside his aquarium. This is the first step to becoming a Proscaper!
Being a ProScaper will bring different requirements to being an average aquarist: You will be caring for more and also more demanding plants and you will have fewer fish to look after in your aquarium. And precisely this is where the main differences to "normal" community tanks lie: In a community tank the fish stock is generally higher and as a result is more highly fed. Thus a certain amount of macronutrients like nitrogen in the form of nitrates, and phosphorus in the form of phosphates is added. In a plant-based aquarium these nutrients are often scarce and need to be added separately (NPK fertilizer). In a community tank this would lead to an over-fertilization and is thus unnecessary. You can use tests to determine the individual fertilizer components in the water and thus adjust the dosage exactly for your aquarium.
Every ProScaper needs the right Herramientas to work on their aquarium. There are also big differences to consider when choosing the substrates: Aquascapers use special burnt soils which are called soils ( Sustrato ) . For aquascape aquariums without invertebrates there are soils full of plant nutrients ( JBL PROSCAPE PLANT SOIL BROWN ). For aquariums with invertebrates there is a second soil type, which is identical to JBL PlantSoil, except that it contains NO additional fertilizer.
Fertilisers and Trace Elements
As soon as an aquarist becomes a Proscaper, the stock of his aquarium changes. His Proscape aquarium no longer contains many fish and invertebrates (if any) and this affects the nutrient supply to the plants. Nitrogens, phosphorus and other minerals become rare and have to be actively replenished.
Professional Tools
Every ProScaper needs the right tools to design and maintain their scapes. Designed to fit perfectly to the requirements of professional aquascaping. Made of high-quality steel, made in Japan, (with an extremely smooth surface) for scissors with the best quality and the highest cutting precision. The pincers have crosswise fluted tips to reach the plants in an optimum manner and to prevent squeezing them. All tools are weight-optimized for fatigue-free working. They make working in the aquarium more fun!
Soils / Substrates
Ideal substrates for the professional care of plants and shrimps. Proscapers often use special substrates (soils), which have been especially adapted to their requirements. Unlike "normal" substrates (sand, gravel), soils are not water-neutral, but have a softening effect. They make the water softer and acidify the water just enough to slide the pH value slightly into the acidic range. The JBL plant soils are rich in nutrients and supply the plants with both nutrients and minerals, whereas the shrimp soils are free of nutrients.
Test para el agua
The most important water parameters for plant aquariums with new, highly sensitive test sets. Proscapers always know exactly what's going on in their aquarium. For this they need a water analysis! These tests enable every proscaper to analyse the most important water parameters in his water, to measure the exact dosage of the individual fertilizer components, and so on.


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After over 30 years of doing theoretical and experimental research, the authors of this document (Newtech Co., Ltd. in Quy Nhon city, Binh Dinh and Tan My Kim Co., Ltd. in Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam), until now, have completed all not only modern but also cheap & user-friendly technology solutions which can help the poor all over the world do cooking by gas generated at their home without buying any drops of liquefied gas.
These technologies solutions can be developed in a country or in a big city or small town in any countries in the world, even it is in America, Europe, Australia and especially in Asia and Africa.
The authors believe that the modern but simple technology solutions stated hereby will start an era of a great revolution in cooking for billions of the poor all over the world and they hope that such technology will satisfy all poor persons.
The authors are very willingly to transfer these technologies to the countries in accordance with the international law in order to be together with such countries to help the poor all over the world.


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Raging Phoenix
[Yesasia] [IMDB]
I would love to cite Raging Phoenix as the first awesome martial arts film with a female lead. I would love to do that. But its choreographers and writers conspire against me.
Raging Phoenix is the story of a young female rocker (played by Jeeja Yanin) who gets caught up in a ruthless kidnapping ring. Women are abducted off the streets of Thailand, drugged, and taken to a secret laboratory hidden within a Temple of Doom, which is in turn hidden within a metropolitan sewage system. Naturally, the women's tears are harvested there, to concoct a patent medicine for eccentric billionaires.
Only one force is strong enough to thwart the kidnapper's plans: a small group of drunken vigilantes who learned to combine Muay Thai boxing with stylish hip-hop dance moves.


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The Inter/National Coalition for Electronic Portfolio Research convenes research/practitioners to study the impact of eportfolios on student learning and educational outcomes. Each year ten institutions selected through an application process constitute a three-year cohort. Each campus works on an individual project that asks "What learning is taking place as a function of electronic portfolios?" and "How do we know?"
Institutions also address a common question or theme. Cohorts I, II, and V (2003-2006, 2004-2007, 2008-2011) focus collectively on the effect on learning of reflection supported by eportfolio use. Cohort III (2006-2009), supported by NASPA Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education, includes campuses at which academic affairs and student affairs educators are collaborating to support in-class and out-of-class learning through eportfolios. Cohort IV (2007-2010), supported by the Higher Education Academy and administered by the Centre for Recording Achievement in the UK, engages institutions in England, Scotland, the US, and the Netherlands, in studying personal planning and other processes supported by technology through eportfolios. Cohort VI (2010-2013) focuses on assessment as supported by the distinctive capabilities of eportfolios. Supported by the top online casinos .
Cohort VI Members Chosen | Cohort IV Final Reports Published | Perfect casino employee E-Portfolio | The Betting Game Aviator Defining Today?s Era | The Art of Building a Stellar Online Casino Portfolio


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Uşak - Kocaeli flight ticket
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Transportation form City Center to Uşak Airport
Transportation from Kocaeli Airport to City Center
Things you need to know to reach from Cengiz Topel Airport to city centre
Cengiz Topel Airport
Cengiz Topel Airport is within Kartepe district of Kocaeli and the airport is 15 km away from İzmit city centre and 30 km away from Adapazarı. Cengiz Topel Airport is used as an alternative to İstanbul Sabiha Gökçen and Atatürk Airport. Additionally, this airport eases the transportation to destinations like Kocaeli, Sakarya, and Adapazarı. There are few methods to reach your destination from the airport.
Aerobilet transfer services
Fast, safe, and comfortable transfer service of Aerobilet are waiting for you to reach from Cengiz Topel Airport to city centre. You can benefit from the cheapest flights and the cheapest hotels on Aerobilet. Also, you can benefit from transfer services from Cengiz Topel Airport to Kocaeli, Sapanca, Sakarya, and Gebze.
Depending on flight hours, Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality organised bus services to Cengiz Topel Airport. If you want, you can use economic public buses to reach the city centre in addition to your cheapest flight and cheapest hotel your booked on Aerobilet. Additionally, public buses offer transportation from Kocaeli and Sakarya to Cengiz Topel Airport. You can learn more about routes and hours from Sakarya and Kocaeli municipalities websites.
City centre takes 40 minutes from Cengiz Topel Airport by taxi. You can find taxis at the exit of Cengiz Topel Airport. Additionally, Sakarya will take half an hour, Adapazarı will take 40 minutes, Gölcük will take 45 minutes, and Sapanca will take 25 minutes from the airport. You can use taxi for these destinations. You can choose taxi to directly reach your destination.


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Home › magazine › latest news › 2012
Up to a third go on Facebook and Twitter in the loo
31st of December 2012Up to a third of us regularly go on social networking sites Twitter and Facebook in the toilet, according to new research.
A report by NM Incite in the US has revealed that 25 per cent of people aged 25 to 34 access some social networking sites via their mobile phones during their washroom breaks. The same applies to 21 per cent of adults in the
Menus and restaurant seats are rife with germs
27th of December 2012Restaurant seats and menu cards are among the dirtiest surfaces in a typical eating house, according to a small-scale US study.
And lemons in drinks and salt and pepper shakers were also found to be among the most bacteria-laden items.
US TV reporter Elisabeth Leamy of ABC News went undercover at 10 restaurants in three states and took swab
Kimberly-Clark one of best companies to work for
24th of December 2012Kimberly-Clark Corporation has been named one of the best multinational companies to work for in a league table compiled by the Great Place to Work Institute.The company was placed fourth in the Institute's latest World's 25 Best Multinational Workplaces ranking.
This is based on the results of an international survey of 2.5 million employees,
Decontamination device kills hospital germs
20th of December 2012A new decontamination device for use in hospital wards is said to have helped control an outbreak of the winter vomiting bug norovirus.
The Deprox device, which is around the size of a domestic bin, releases hydrogen peroxide vapour into the air which is claimed to kill all germs in the part of the hospital while the unit is in operation.
Hygiene at risk in debt-stricken Greek hospitals
18th of December 2012Greek hospitals are in such dire straits that staff are failing to keep up basic disease controls such as using gloves and gowns according to Europe's top health official.
Reuters reports that Greece already has one of the worst problems in Europe with hospital-acquired infections, and disease experts fear this is being made worse by an economic
How can we shape our future?
14th of December 2012Markus Asch, vice chairman of the management board at cleaning equipment manufacturer Kärcher and president of EUnited Cleaning, writes his latest blog for the ECJ website. He believes that although the industry is in difficult times, there are still opportunities for growth.