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Summer 1999
"... create the spiritual atmosphere of the first Christians..."
(Leitmotif taken from the Prayer of Pope John Paul II for Vocations)
Mary is the first fruit of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament; through her heedful obedience in faith began the call to follow CHRIST. Mary was accustomed to keep the word of God faithfully in her heart. "Mary kept all these things, pondering them in her heart" (Lk 2,19). The Holy Father Pope John Paul II calls Mary "The model of all vocations." Thus, it is through Mary that we should create "The spiritual atmosphere of the first Christians," "in order to receive the Holy Spirit and His Gifts," so that we can "generously welcome [God's] call" and understand that to follow Him is a goal of fulfillment: "[Lord God,] help them to understand that only in You can they find and achieve their fulfillment." This is the disposition of the new heart, which the Holy Spirit has to create in our days.
To create is an act of God because it means to make something new out of nothing. Only God can do that; but we can help to establish a good spiritual atmosphere so that God can create vocations to the priesthood and to the religious life. Or, to put it in the words mentioned above, so that others be made able "to receive the Holy Spirit and His Gifts"; to welcome His call, and to understand that only in Him can they find and achieve their fulfillment.
In order to establish a "good spiritual atmosphere" for vocations to the priesthood and the religious life, the Church needs, in its foundation, fathers and mothers to radiate this atmosphere.
There is a call; a mission to paternity and to maternity. This mission comes from God, the Giver of life. Paternity and maternity is God's gift to those whom He calls to participate in His creative work. Through the procreative act, parents, as instruments of God, provide the body, as it were, into which God infuses the immortal soul, thus creating the human person. This great mystery of human life, which requires the collaboration of three, God, man and woman, continues to develop in the mother's womb. After birth, this giving and receiving of life continues insofar as the parents accept responsibility for the child. While caring for the natural life of the child, they are also solicitous for its supernatural formation, that it be baptized, and so become an adopted child of God, who as its Creator was already the child's first beginning.
Daily it becomes more clear that God's love for His creatures must be shared and be present in the hearts of fathers and mothers. Without this love -- at the very least on the natural level-- there will be no benevolent ambience which the children require for life and growth. Abortion, in particular, happens first in the heart and then in the womb when the spiritual climate and atmosphere of God's paternity, of God's love as Father and Giver of life, is vanquished by worldly and selfish interests. When idolatry of the false gods of this world replaces the adoration and worship of the true God and the principle set down in Psalm 95 is forgotten: "Come, let us bow down [and worship]".
Our consumer culture of material development has destroyed the atmosphere of benevolence for children (pro-life), and replaced it with malevolence, which is a hostile climate of "anti-life". By means of birth control and abortion, death enters the womb, which ought to be the sacrosanctum of life. What was once said of the Christ Child has become true for a host of children on a vast plane "There was no place for them at the inn". The spiritual atmosphere at Bethlehem was not disposed to receive that gift of life, nor is the modern world.
The same process repeats itself on a spiritual level in the case of vocations which God the Creator offers to the Church. Many vocations do not find a favorable ambience; a good atmosphere in which to develop. This great deficiency may be verified, first, with the parents in the home life, and then later in the seminaries. Healthy foundations for the vocation were not provided and so, tragically, many of those who still pursue this life do not have the strength to persevere through the trials they meet in the course of their later ministry, and so abandon their priestly or religious life. Vocations can only grow and survive and produce fruit in an atmosphere of faith.
Only parents who have faith will desire and pray that God may call one of their children to be consecrated toHim and will encourage him or her. When parents have only one or two children, they want to see their children married with a number of grandchildren. Consequently, there is no place for God's call, and they will not heed His voice. If one of their children were to manifest the holy desire to be consecrated to God, they will probably try to dissuade and discourage him or her. The faith of the majority of parents in our day is too weak to allow the most precious fruit in the kingdom of God, the fruit of a vocation to the consecrated life, to develop and mature. Generally, the climate in the families is too worldly, offering no protection against the evil influences of the world. There is no matrix for a vocation to take root and grow.
A recent issue of the "L'0sservatore Romano" published a report on the Synod for the Church in Asia. A speaker mentioned that the Church in the Netherlands had 2,000 major seminarians in 1963; in 1997, there were only 149 major seminarians. The speaker noted: "A process of secularization is taking place." Using the terminology of our reflections we may say: the spiritual atmosphere has turned into a secular one. This crisis could be compared with the three and a half years of famine in the time of the prophet Elijah in the Old Testament. That was a natural famine, a drought, which reflected the spiritual famine of persecution and of idolatry. The enemy always persecutes the good shepherd first, because he knows: "I will strike the shepherd and the flock will be scattered" (Lk 22,31). In a bad atmosphere, shepherd and flock are wounded alike and are in danger of death. What, then, is God's tactic to remedy such a famine and dryness, namely persecution and idolatry? God provides small places with a beneficial climate for survival. Scripture says in 1 Kg 17,9: "I have commanded a widow there to feed you." This is the place for the prophet to survive.
Our responsibility for priestly and religious vocations and for priests and religious in general calls for a "pro life" movement a '"pro spiritual life movement' in order to create the spiritual atmosphere of the first Christians so as to receive the Holy Spirit and to welcome the call to the priesthood or to the religious life. Read attentively Apoc. 12, 11-17: "And the woman (the surviving Church) fled into the wilderness, where she had a place prepared by God, in which to be nourished." The many widows, who, like the widow of Zarephath, act in a spirit of love and compassion towards the "prophet' in need, will feed and nourish priests, religious and vocations by means of their prayers and sacrifices, that the latter will survive in times of famine and will always find a place and atmosphere in order to survive. Thanks to the poor widow, whose. "jar of meal was not spent," and whose "cruse of oil did not fail" (cf. 1 Kg 17,16). Thanks to the continuous prayers and works of atonement of so many faithful souls.
Besides good parents, the Church needs many prayer groups, victim souls, adopters, "widows of Zarephath" to create the spiritual atmosphere of the first Christians. The widow of Zarephath had her own son, and when the prophet Elijah came into her house, she had another son an "adopted son."
We call adoption the acts done in mercy and love towards a child who does not have parents nor other guardians to provide the human goods and gifts which are necessary for its growth and perfection. It is a juridical act, by which a person accepts the child of another and takes the child into its home as its own. The adoption which we find provided for by the social laws on the natural level find a corresponding reflection in the spiritual life of the Church under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. It belongs to the very nature of charity that we be solicitous for one another, and desire to share the spiritual goods which we have received from God with one another. This is really a living the "communion of saints", which originally meant a common sharing in holy things (graces, and gifts of God), and only subsequently came to mean the group of holy persons involved in this spiritual sharing. It is within this communion of saints that we learn to become givers of love, and assume a sense of responsibility for the supernatural life in the Church. This loving sense of responsibility corresponds to the spirit of adoption we are discussing. The new commandment of love written into our hearts teaches us to help those in need, that they may have the good climate and atmosphere they need for their spiritual growth. At Cana Mary saw the material needs of the wedding couple, and through her intervention helped secure the joyful convivium of the wedding patty with the gift of wine. St. John certainly would have us understand this spiritually: like Mary we should have our eyes open for the spiritual needs of the souls within the Church. "They have no faith!", "They have no more vocations!" The joy (wine) of their vocations is in danger of running out! Certainly Mary the Mother was responding to the impulse of the Holy Spirit. And today the need for "mothers" to respond to this impulse of the Holy Spirit is greater than ever. This is a challenge to look beyond the needs of one's own immediate family, to the needs of the kingdom of God.
Like the widow of Zarephath, God may call you also to such a spiritual adoption: "I have commanded there a widow to feed you." You can be like a mother or father to such an adopted son, by surrounding him with your constant prayers and sacrifices on his behalf; just like the Guardian Angel who is constantly surrounding his protegé with his loving care. And when you learn to fulfill this mission of adoption in collaboration with the Guardian Angels, you will be able to create a new climate~and atmosphere around you. And your protegé will have someone to come to his aid in his spiritual needs and to help him overcome the temptations of stubbornness, indifference, vanity, etc, because then he will have a spiritual atmosphere around him in which he can receive the graces and gifts of the Holy Spirit and generously respond to God's call, "Come, let us sing to the Lord!" And he will understand again and joyfully fulfill his priestly ministry as a good shepherd and his calling to the religious life, because you are spiritually upholding and strengthening him. Thus you will have saved his vocation with the help and grace of God. He is your adopted son. "Behold, your son!", JESUS says from the Cross, establishing with these words a permanent work of spiritual adoption throughout the history of the Church. And Mary's motherhood is the model; it is her Heart that forms and fortifies. By establishing a spiritual motherhood after the example of Mary's motherhood, by adopting a priest, you can miraculously change the condition of the priesthood in the Church.
As a beginner, every human person needs the help of an adult: as learners we need the help of an experienced expert or teacher; so that we will also be perfect one day. Our Mother the Church knows that besides the help of the parents, every baptized person needs another adult as helper to grow in faith. The institution of God-fathers and God-mothers has existed since the first centuries of Christianity we could say, since Jesus introduced Mary into this sacred office, thus becoming the first "God-Mother" of the Apostles, the "atmosphere of the first Christians." How many blessings and how much holiness has come forth from this institution in the Church!
Time and again, the Holy Spirit awakens people in the Church and makes them so strong in faith and love and fills their hearts with the compassionate love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus that God can make use of them in His strategic providence to save souls. We call such persons with this special mission "victim souls." They adopt others for "intensive care." Only God knows how many souls in heaven were saved through this strategic providence. Only God knows how many victim souls are needed to cure the wounds of the priestly and religious state in our days and to awaken and form religious vocations. These souls are a foremost group in the Church, organized, as it were, by the Holy Spirit and imitating the widow of Zarephath.
May St. Therese, the Little Flower, in this year of her solemn proclamation as "Doctor of the Church" show us how she understood this mission of adoption and victimhood in her life and how she fulfilled it. The biography tells us that during the life time of Saint Therese, there lived two notorious sinners who had received a lot of attention in the public life. The story of one of them was published in the newspaper when Therese was fourteen years old. It was Pranzini, who was sentenced to death after having killed three people. He did not manifest any sign of repentance. Nevertheless, Therese could not put up with the idea of seeing him die without being reconciled with God. She decided to pray and make sacrifices for the salvation of his soul during one month. God gave Therese a sign: at the very moment of his execution, this great sinner took the Crucifix and kissed the Wounds of Our Lord three times. When Therese heard about this event, she said to her sister Celine: "He is my first son!" We could add: "whom I have adopted." Later she wrote about this mission: "Only by suffering can people gain souls for Jesus." They have to know and to go the way which Jesus and Mary went.
With this letter, the Work of the Holy Angels wishes to thank you for all your fidelity in organizing and promoting this apostolate for the priests, and for helping create this spiritual atmosphere for the priest. You know who are the Widows of Zarephath in your surroundings, who are well disposed to hear the voice of the Lord, to follow Him and to pursue with fidelity this way of prayer and atonement. Please continue, please sign up and invite others to sign up for the adoption of a priest. Please use the new prayer booklet: "Adopt a Priest!"
With many greetings from Detroit, and sending you my priestly blessing,
Fr. EP
Laborers for the Harvest
O JESUS, Good Shepherd, raise up in all parish communities priests and deacons, religious, consecrated lay people and missionaries according to the needs of the whole world, which You love and want to save. We entrust to You in a particular way our parish community; create in it the spiritual atmosphere of the first Christians in order that it may be a cenacle of prayer where we lovingly receive the Holy Spirit and His Gifts. Assist our pastors and all consecrated souls. Guide the steps of those who have generously welcomed Your call and prepare themselves for Holy Orders or the Profession of the Evangelical Counsels. Direct Your loving gaze to the many well-disposed young people and invite them to follow You. Help them to understand that only in You they can achieve their fulfillment. We entrust these great desires of Your Heart: to the powerful intercession of Mary, Mother and model of all vocations, and beg You to sustain our faith in the certainty that the FATHER will listen to what You Yourself have instructed us to ask for. Amen.
All texts of the Circular Letters are copyrighted and may not be reproduced without written permission except for personal use.
© 2008 Order of the Holy Cross


text: Diversity & Inclusive Excellence Committee Drexel University has a strong commitment to the value of diversity, as elucidated in our University Strategic Plan 2012-2017. In that plan, diversity is included among our shared values. The plan states that Drexel strives to, "Create and support a diverse university in all of its manifestations both because diversity has instrumental value – it makes Drexel's students, faculty, and university community more competitive globally – and because diversity has inherent value – it fosters understanding, respect, and opportunity – thereby forging a better university for all." In keeping with our goal of fostering a diverse and inclusive environment, in 2012 President John Fry and Provost Emeritus Mark Greenberg commissioned the Diversity and Inclusive Excellence Committee. Members Janet Fleetwood, Chair Vice Provost for Strategic Initiatives Director, Office of Faculty Development and Equity Professor, School of Public Health Lucy Kerman Vice Provost, University and Community Partnerships Abieyuwa Aghayere Senior Associate Dean, Goodwin College Professor, Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering Mary Moran Vice President of Medical Affairs Vice Dean for Faculty Affairs and Professional Development Associate Professor of Pediatrics Louis Bellardine Vice President, Human Resources John Rich Interim Dean, School of Public Health Theodore Corbin Medical Director, Healing Hurt People (Violence Intervention Program) Co-Director, Center for Nonviolence & Social Justice Assistant Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine Tina Richardson Associate Dean, School of Education Director of University Assisted Schools Professor, School of Education Stephen Cox Director, Philadelphia Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation Professor of Engineering Anthony Rodriguez Associate Dean for Student Affairs & Diversity Assistant Professor, Family, Community and Preventive Medicine Randall Deike Senior Vice President, Enrollment Management & Student Success Michele Rovinsky-Mayer Associate Vice President, Equality and Diversity Tatiana Diaz Director, Student Center for Inclusion and Culture David Ruth Dean of Students N. John DiNardo Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs Professor of Physics Antoinette Torres Associate Vice Provost, Academic Advising, Retention and Diversity James Herbert Interim Provost and Interim Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Anika Warren Associate Vice President, Foundation and Corporate Relations Ross Hewitt Director of Compensation, Human Resources Rebecca Weidensaul Associate Dean of Students Brian Keech Senior Vice President, Government and Community Relations

subset: commoncrawl


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Dakar — The world's first hospital built to help victims of Female Genital Mutilation, or FGM, is creating a controversy in Burkina Faso. The hospital was due to open Friday but the government now says it won't allow the clinic to open because of licensing issues. The American NGO behind the hospital says the government revoked permission for the clinic in response to pressure from the Catholic Church.
Burkina Faso's first lady, Chantal Compaoré, was scheduled to inaugurate the world's first hospital to reconstruct the clitoris of women who have suffered from female genital mutilation (FGM). The hospital has been under construction in Bobo-Dioulasso since 2011.
But earlier this week, the Ministry of Health said it would not allow the hospital to open its doors.
Lene Sebgo, the minister of health, gave the reason.
"The Ministry of Health can't give permission for the hospital to open on March 7 because there was never any authorization to create it. There are clear rules and regulations for opening a medical clinic, and the government cannot allow the hospital to open now because it has not followed these rules or listed its health workers," he said.
The hospital was created by Clitoraid, a Las Vegas-based non-profit organization, which works to "restore a sense of pleasure" to women who underwent FGM. It was backed by the founder of the International Raelian Movement, a UFO religious sect that promotes sexuality and sensuality.
The surgery, which rebuilds the anatomy of the clitoris, not only repairs the physical damage of FGM, but can also restore sexual sensation.
Abibata Sanon is Clitoraid's Burkina Faso representative and the head of the Association of Female Fulfillment, a local NGO that collaborated with Clitoraid on the hospital. She said she didn't understand why the government wouldn't allow the hospital to open.
"We submitted all the paperwork in 2011, but now the Minister of Health is saying there was a problem of deadline with the files and has asked us to delay the opening of the hospital," she said.
Sanon said the building was complete, the equipment was in place and volunteer surgeons were ready to work.
Clitoraid released a statement on Tuesday saying the government revoked its authorization following pressure from the Catholic Church, which they said was against the restoration of a woman's pleasure.
The Realian Movement and the Catholic Church have butted heads in the past, particularly when it comes to the issue of condoms.
The spokesperson for a national conference of Catholic bishops in Ouagadougou declined to comment.
This is not the first time clitoral repair surgery is being offered to victims of FGM. Doctors have been performing the surgery in private clinics in Burkina Faso since 2006.
Doctors usually present the surgery as a way to relieve health problems caused by FGM, such as burning during urination, painful scar tissue or complications during childbirth.
It remains, however, controversial, as many people in West Africa still view the removal of a girl's clitoris as a rite of passage. Many NGOs working to end the practice of FGM said the surgery could undermine their efforts, if people viewed it as a "quick fix."
Burkina Faso's Minister of the Promotion of Women, Nestorine Sangare, said there were other ways to help a woman find pleasure besides the surgical reconstruction of the clitoris.
She said, "Sex education courses for women can teach them how to discover their body and learn how to have a sex life that is satisfying. The presence or absence of a clitoris isn't the end of the world."
She said when she first heard about plans to open a "pleasure hospital," she was insulted, because such a campaign stigmatized women on account of their sex life.
Clitoraid said that more than 300 women have already signed up for the surgery, which will be offered free of charge.
Sanon said the volunteer surgeons would go ahead and perform the surgeries in other, private clinics over the coming weeks.


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Too often the villains in Marvel properties just aren't up to par with the rest of their movies, which can really leave a bad taste in your mouth. »»
The Undisputed II and III star to reunite with Jean-Claude Van Damme in a sixth Universal Soldier film. »»
Super Soldiers, Federales, Vigilantes, and Dream Thieves! »»
Dolph Lundgren is back again, and out for blood! »»
June's Bad Ass of the Month! Plus Seagal, Lundgren, and the DTV Spielberg! »»
Some ideas for Will Ferrell — plus Universal Solder: The Return. »»


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About Us
The Sydney Hammers supporters club is the officially endorsed supporters club for West Ham United fans living in and around Sydney.
We are the fastest growing and most passionate football fans group in the city, and are committed to following the Hammers through highs and lows from Down Under.
New members are always welcome to join us for live game broadcasts, Sydney FC matches, five-a-side tournaments, inter-club quiz days and more. For more information please join the Sydney Hammers Facebook page.
The group has been in existence since around 2009 but has found particular energy since the 2010/11 season.
Founded originally as a way of bringing West Ham fans together to watch live Hammers matches on Fox Sports, the group has evolved into a highly inclusive and active fan base across the city.
After a quiet period of action, the group upped its profile as a forum on Facebook and quickly saw member numbers rise well above 150.
With a new determination to serve the Sydney supporters of the mighty Hammers, match crowds continued to grow, reaching record numbers of almost 100 for the Manchester United game in April 2010.
The group began meeting in the Royal Exhibition Hotel, in Chalmers Street, Sydney, and the venue has become our home pub for as many live TV games a season as possible.
The website, www.sydneyhammers.com.au, was acquired in late 2011 and started being updated regularly from early 2012.
Content includes news, reviews, and updates from Sydney Hammers events, as well as opinion pieces from members of the group.
We also have a highly active Twitter account, which reaches out to fans, players, owners and other sporting celebrities.
In October 2011 the Sydney Hammers finished runners up in the Football Fans Down Under pub Olympics, hosted at Cheers Bar.
A team representing the Sydney Hammers were losing Semi-finalists on penalties in the FFDU 5-a-side competition, after knocking out the Sydney Spurs in the previous round.
The Sydney Hammers Badge
After seeing a huge growth in the number of members joining the Sydney Hammers, the group felt it wanted to create a unique identity for the club.
The aim was to have something that showed we were West Ham, but something that was distinctively Australia West Ham.
The Committee
After a strong relaunch of the Sydney Hammers group, a committee was formed to oversee some of the organisation of events and ensure momentum was maintained.
The committee consists of:
- President: Simon Mann
- Secretary: Matthew Rossleigh
- Public Relations Co-ordinator: Rob Byrne
- Member: Andrew Paton-Smith
- Member: Mike Bullen
They aim to meet on an informal basis in the second week of every month to talk all things West Ham and Sydney Hammers, as well as arranging social events and match day meet ups.
Members are selected ahead of the start of each season.
Aside from watching live televised matches, the Sydney Hammers have been active in promoting and publicising the West Ham name across the city.
We regularly participate in Football Fans Down Under events and competitions, and have contributed to the Pubcast recording. Read more here…
The www.sydneyhammers.com.au website and our use of Twitter has been nominated for the FFDU fans awards 2012. To vote, click here…
Coverage was given to the efforts of the Sydney Hammers in an article that appeared in the official match day programme for the home game against Peterborough.
The official Sydney Hammers supporters crest has been endorsed by the club, and was incorporated into a t-shirt officially manufactured by West Ham United.
Our Aim
As the Sydney Hammers, our aim is to meet up for every live West Ham game, whatever the time difference.
We want to bring all our fans and their friends and families together to watch the boys in Claret and Blue. We are fully inclusive, and will never tolerate discrimination or derogatory comments of any sort against fellow members or opposition fans.
It is important we represent the West Ham brand with the pride and tradition with which we are renowned throughout the world.
We want to win but above all we want to enjoy ourselves.
We've played in various competitions against other supporters clubs and we hope to further integrate with The Cove at Sydney F.C. We are trying to make the Sydney Hammers the best it can be with our ever growing social calendar.
We have a superb venue, in the Royal Exhibition hotel, ideally located close to all transport links in Sydney, and intend to fully support it as our home venue away from home at every opportunity.


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YIELD: Makes about 3 cups; enough to sauce 6 servings of pasta
Pass the tomatoes through a food mill fitted with the fine disc or crush them as fine as possible in a bowl with a wire whisk.
In a medium-size nonreactive saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and simmer until wilted. Add the carrots and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and bay leaves, season lightly with salt and peperoncino, and heat to a simmer. Simmer the sauce over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until thickened, about 45 mintues. Remove the bay leaves. Check the seasoning and add more salt and peperoncino if necessary.
Reprinted by permission from Lidia's Italian Table by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich
William Morrow and Company


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US wants to finish World Cup qualifying strong
KANSAS CITY, Mo. There is little riding on Friday night's World Cup qualifier against Jamaica for the U.S. men's national team. The Americans have already booked their ticket to Brazil.
Don't try to make that argument to goalkeeper Tim Howard, though.
"I think we'd still like to finish top of the group. That's important to us. We did that last cycle and felt really good," Howard said. "It's also an opportunity to impress. It's an opportunity to be in front of Jurgen (Klinsmann) and the coaching staff."
That may be the most important reason for the U.S. team to show up. There are only five international fixture dates before the start of World Cup training in May, and while Klinsmann is starting to narrow down his potential roster, there are still jobs to be won.
"I always said the door is always open. Maybe there are some surprises still around the corner that we don't know yet," Klinsmann said. "I think we have a pretty good picture to understand where the players are at right now. We have an idea of how we want to plan the team for Brazil. But we still want to use those FIFA fixture dates to the greatest extent."
The U.S. assured its place in Brazil with a 2-0 win over Mexico last month, taking most of the pressure of its final qualifying games against Jamaica and next week against Panama. The winless Reggae Boyz are still mathematically alive, but they need to win their final two matches just to have hope of sneaking into an inter-continental playoff with New Zealand.
"We have to win," Jamaica coach Winfried Schaefer said. "There is no choice for us."
The U.S. already has set a record for wins in a calendar year with a 14-3-2 mark, topping the previous record of 13 wins set in 2005 and 2009.
"We're looking forward to the game, a sellout crowd, a great atmosphere, and like we've said, we want to finish off on a high note," Klinsmann said Thursday. "We want to go for six points in these last two World Cup qualifiers."
That's part of the reason he's brought a veteran roster to Kansas City. Seventeen of the 20 players on the initial training roster were part of the group that prepared for Mexico, and three more veterans joined the fold on Thursday to prepare for Jamaica.
Chris Wondolowski replaced forward Eddie Johnson, who strained his left groin in a training session on Wednesday. Johnson was scheduled for an MRI exam later Thursday.
Midfielder Brad Davis and forward Chris Wondolowski also joined the team. Davis played in Houston's scoreless draw with Sporting Kansas City on Wednesday night, while Wondolowski scored the game-winner and Goodson went 90 minutes in San Jose's 1-0 win over Colorado.
The injury to Johnson came after Klinsmann already had to replace defender Omar Gonzalez, who strained his left hip in an MLS game last week. He was replaced by Michael Orozco.
"We've had some setbacks with injuries," Klinsmann said, "but as always it is what it is. We make the best of it and we still have the same objectives."


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Google Play Store app v4.4: install tutorial, changes and bugsAuthored by: Kris Carlon — Oct 22, 2013
You may have read our article yesterday about the upcoming changes to version 4.4 of the Google Play Store app. It seems Google couldn't wait for their ''evening with Google Play'' event on October 24th and have released the updated app already. Android Police has shared the APK and I've got it up and running. So follow me friends, as I walk you through how to get it on your Android and what you'll find once you do. If you already know how to sideload an APK or want to wait for it to release via normal channels, you can jump to the bottom to see the changes and bugs I found.
Install Play Store v4.4 APK
1. First go into your device's Settings menu, enter your Security settings and tick the box for ''Allow Unknown Sources''.
2. Download the APK from one of the following links: Download #1 or Download #2
3. Open the downloaded APK (run a scan on it first if you wish). If you saved the APK on your phone, open it from there, if you saved it onto your computer, transfer the APK to your phone via a USB cable and then open it.
4. The update requires no new permissions, so just hit ''Install'' and wait for the app to do its thing. Once it's finished, open it up and check out the changes to the Play Store. Don't forget to go back into your device Security settings and uncheck ''Unknown Sources''.
What's new in Play Store v4.4?
Not much. The Play Store app has been brought in line with the other Google apps and now features the same navigation drawer as the rest of the Google suite. The confusing questions we had about navigation and category switching have now been answered. The existing tabs you'd be familiar with in the different categories (Top New, Top Free, Top Grossing, Trending etc) remain, despite the screenshots we saw of a previous version of the Play Store app which had them missing in action.
You can continue to switch between tabs by swiping left and right, but to access the navigation drawer you need to swipe from the far left hand side of the screen. You might accidentally do this a few times when just trying to swtich between tabs, but you'll figure it out soon enough. Alternatively, you can bring out the navigation drawer by tapping the three lines at the top left corner of the page. Options previously accessed via the Action Overflow menu (three dots, top right) appear in the navigation drawer. And that's about it for changes.
Glitches and Bugs
I found a few glitches in the app. When I first started using it, I hit the back arrow to return to the Play Store main page and found a blank screen with status bar, software keys and Play Store banner but nothing in between. After exiting and re-entering the app the problem disappeared though. I also got nothing else on the navigation drawer other than my email account for the first run through. Again, this bug disappeared after I exited and rentered the app. Now it shows all the options I'd expect.
One other weird thing that persists is consistency of navigation in categories. Generally speaking, if you tap the colored banner at the top of a category, say, Apps for example, it will simply toggle the navigation drawer open and closed. The same is true if you are already in the navigation drawer. But in the Games category, if I hit the colored banner, from the Games page or in the navigation drawer, it returns me to the Play Store home page. It's only a bug in the Games category for me at this point. Also, the three-line navigation drawer icon in the top left corner is only visible in the other categories, not in Games, so the Games category still has the back arrow, hence taking you back to the main page. Apparently someone forgot that part (it also explains some of the conusion in the previous screenshots we shared). Once you're back on the main screen the banner will still say ''Games'' though. Teehee.
There's no sign of Google Play Newstand yet either, but it will appear in a purple color according to Android Police and as such means it will most likely combine with the current Magazines category. I don't have access to Magazines in Germany, but it shouldn't be too long beofre that purple box says Newstand instead of Magazines.
Have you installed the new Play Store app? Found any other changes or bugs??
Source: Android Police
2 comments
Kris Carlon
- Admin
- Staff
Really @dinsyamsuddin? I installed the same APK and I can access Paid Apps, as you can see in the screenshots. The official Play Store rollout is happening now anyway so any last minute bugs should have been ironed out by now.
dinsyamsuddin Link to comment
installed and... showing NO PAID APPs.. stupid updates ever.. uninstalling right away


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Album Summary
- Ricarda Merbeth (Soprano)
- Bernarda Fink (Mezzo Soprano)
Notes & Reviews:
Music is the Language of Heart and Soul is the only available documentary about Mariss Jansons from his early days till today. Jansons is one of the leading conductors, performing with the most important orchestras in the world. This 2 DVD-set includes a performance with M. Jansons and Concertgebouw Orchestra of Mahler. "Mariss Jansons is one of the best orchestra builders around." The New York Times "No conductor has a more extraordinary story to tell than Mariss Jansons." The Independent
BBC Music Magazine
Most valuable is the footage of his father, conductor Arvid Jansons, and of his own early days as a Herbert von Karajan protege...Of Jansons's humanity and penetrating gifts as a conductor we hear heartfelt testimony from the pianist Lang Lang...the Mahler film fully displays Jansons's passionate physical engagement with the music.
Gramophone Magazine
The humility everywhere apparent points to the fact that, while much in Jansons's background would indicate musical success...that success was far from assured...The presumptions in the documentary are put well into practice in Mahler's Second Symphony...Jansons deploys his stage forces with such seamless attention to the score that Mahler's eruptions become part of a preconceived plan and not spontaneous outbursts for their own sake.
MusicWeb International, July 2012
The excerpts included in the documentary give evidence of his talent. Yet this documentary also offers some insights into Jansons' artistic temperament, which support the music which he interprets so well...Jansons captures the style of the work from the start, with a dramatically charged interpretation of the opening funeral march...The visual aspects of the DVD fit the music, with crisp images, realistic color and well-thought videography.
Run Time: 142 min.
Region: All
Picture Format: NTSC, 16:9, Color
Sound Format(s): LPCM Stereo, DTS 5.0 Surround
Subtitles: English, French, Spanish, Chinese, Korean
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Also Purchased
Works DetailsMahler, Gustav : Symphony no 2 in C minor "Resurrection"
- Performers: Ricarda Merbeth (Soprano); Bernarda Fink (Mezzo Soprano)
- Conductor: Mariss Jansons
- Ensemble: Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
- Period Time: Post Romantic
- Form: Orchestral
- Written: 1888/1896


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March - Winter begins
Rothera Diary - March 2004
By Julian Klepacki
Time had drawn upon us. It would be soon that RRS Ernest Shackleton would be leaving and isolate the remaining winterers until the following spring. When like great crimson beasts the aircraft would migrate back to this wondrous continent and bring welcomed old faces and no doubt new ones too. March had seen a busy time. With the departing winterers making their final preparations to travel back home and see their friends and loved ones. Though with the base high in emotion and thought, time was found for fun and games a plenty. A particularly lively evening was the 'Spanish Night'. Izzy the departing chef, and Cyril her counterpart had maintained their standards and provided everyone with a five star paella with sangria and wine. John Bursnall was one of the providers of entertainment with an interesting bi-lingual serenade philosophising his return to the U.K. Andy Miller also provided high quality musical entertainment through the evening. This 'themed' evening, as with the majority, appropriate dress was required. All manner of Anglo-Mediterranean attire was devised and provided a very colourful backdrop to the night. Andy 'Z' Wilson can be seen in his impressive bespoke costume. He could often be found cruising the bar looking for 'senoritas' in distress, unsuccessfully I might add. While Paul 'Garnet' Torode kept up the 'stiff lip' on behalf of all ex-pat's.
Above: Spaniard Andy? and Toddy - Click to enlarge.
The imminent departure of the Shackleton saw the base very busy with 'relief' where all the waste produced from the previous winter and summer is sorted, packed up and loaded onto the ship. As well as removing all the waste, hundreds of barrels of fuel were unloaded for use over winter and for next season. As ever relief was executed in a lean professional manner and finished within target.
Shack and Stuff - Click to enlarge.
With Relief finished a slightly more relaxed atmosphere was adopted. All the winterers who were to remain on base had been invited for a 'last night' dinner on RRS Ernest Shackleton. We all donned our best togs and were waited on hand and foot by the sleek professional staff, all eager to please. A thoroughly enjoyable meal was had by all before retiring to the ships bar for a relaxing evening burning the midnight oil. Again an excellent night was had by all.
The Shack departing - Click to enlarge.
The morning after the night that was, saw the departure of the Shackleton. We all gathered at the wharf and saw our new friends that we'd spent so much time with over the summer about to leave. And possibly never see again. For some this bond was all so much greater and the air was thick with emotion. The usual banter was exchanged and in some instances last minute jokes were revealed as when Hamish Campbell's Scottish flag was revealed on board the ship and subsequently on it's way back to the U.K.!! Though I'm sure he'll get it back with the return of post in the spring. An almost melancholy silence came over the wharf when the ship departed. As we all assembled to watch this great vessel and all she stood for slip away into the horizon probably not two thoughts were the same in any two winterers minds. For some of us a new chapter had begun, as we stood there with the Antarctic sky resting in our hands. I'm sure some of us felt short of ragged and naive. The following days saw minor tasks completed around the base in final preparation of winter life. We all then started to initiate our space and routines that would see us through the winter months.
To read about the rest of the month - Click here
This month......
Meet the Winter team
To see who's who at Rothera this winter - Click here
Above: The Winter 2004 team
Winter fire training
To read about the fire training - click here
Cyril's first thoughts on the coming winter
To read what Cyril is thinking - click here
Above: Cyril - Click to enlarge
And finally for this month....some more pictures from around the base
Ice Climbing - Click to enlarge
Next month.....Winter Trips!
Pages by Andrew Porte
Pictures by winter 2004 team


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CLOTHING IS DESPERATELY NEEDED FOR THE POOR AND NEEDY. Every day Fred Jordan Mission provides clothing and shoes to mothers and children in the inner city. If this need touches your heart, please let us know immediately.
• We need clothing and shoes of all sizes to give to those who have little of this world's goods.
• Thousands of children go to school in rags, a humbling consequence of poverty.
• "I want to do something good for myself," said Alvaro, a middle school student. "I try to study, but I don't fit in. They make fun of my clothes."
• Some children go to school in pajamas. Two brothers alternate days in class because they only have one pair of good pants between them.
• Your help with a "clothing drive" will help brighten many faces and lift the spirits of mothers and children.
Consider organizing a clothing drive at your church or temple to collect new clothing for needy families who each day come to Fred Jordan Mission for assistance.
If you have a business—or if you know of a business that wants to be involved in helping to provide clothing for the poor— please contact us immediately. We desperately need large amounts of shoes and clothing at every season of the year.
Tell us that your business is eager to help provide clothing for needy families in our community throughout the year. Please call us at (800) 96-4-FOOD. Or click here and say YES, I/we want families in poverty to have clothing that lifts their spirits and encourages their hearts.
Since 1944, Fred Jordan Missions has worked on the streets of inner city Los Angeles and throughout the world to help share God's love by providing nourishing food, warm clothing, blankets and other vital services for helping people in need. Our homeless ministries lend help for needy families through events, programs and services including: Feeding the homeless on Thanksgiving, Christmas help for needy families, Back to School events, and providing resources to organize food, clothing and toy drives.


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Shooter Receives Maximum Sentence
A man accused of shooting another last fall in a drug-related incident has been sentenced to prison. Richard Hilliard received a 15-year prison sentence this week for shooting David Booker last October, and that 15 year sentence was the maximum for his involuntary manslaughter charge.
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