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Country Guide : Study in Malaysia
A country split by the South China Sea and home to an array of cultures, a diverse geography and a futuristic capital city, Malaysia is a unique place of color and multiculturalism, in both its surroundings and its citizens.
Choose to study in Malaysia and you'll discover that the country's natural beauty extends way beyond its ancient rainforests, national parks and glorious beaches. In the cities too, there's plenty to keep all the senses occupied, from colorful and varied markets to the mosques, Buddhist temples and Hindu shrines that are often found side-by-side, and the profusion of annual festivals celebrating both traditional and modern aspects of Malaysian culture. One of the world's most politically stable countries, Malaysia may be second to Singapore in terms of regional economic clout, but it also offers a much more organic lifestyle than its city-state rival. Although this means the country lacks some of the organization and clear-cut infrastructure of Singapore, it also means that citizens tend to be a little more laidback and perhaps more sociable.
One half of the country, situated on the southern tip of the peninsula below Thailand, is known as Peninsular Malaysia. This is where all of the highest ranked universities in Malaysia can be found, along with the most diverse and vibrant urban areas. The other half, Malaysian Borneo, shares an island with Indonesia and remains the quieter of the two halves, offering solitude, authenticity and jungle life.
Universities in Malaysia
Although not yet quite at the same level of Asian higher-education leaders such as China, Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore, Malaysia is thriving as a study destination for international students and is emerging as a strong contender thanks to heavy investment in the education sector.
A large part of Malaysia's plan for higher education expansion is in welcoming international branch campuses, which are run by universities based in other countries. Existing branch campuses include those operated by the UK's University of Nottingham and Australia's Monash University.
Part of Malaysia's investment in branch campuses is the new EduCity development in Johor, at the southernmost tip of Peninsular Malaysia, just 5km north of Singapore. EduCity Iskandar is a 350-acre campus to be shared by eight international branches, four of which are already operational. The initiative will allow Malaysia to compete with the growth of transnational education globally by creating a giant, international student village to attract leading institutions and top students.
EduCity Iskandar, to be fully completed in the year 2018, will be made up of leading universities around the world, including the University of Reading, the University of Southampton and Newcastle University Medicine all hailing from the UK, the Netherlands' Maritime Institute of Technology, Singapore's private Raffles University and the University of Southern California's School of Cinematic Arts from the US. Once fully completed, the site will offer a range of degrees accredited by internationally prestigious institutions, as well as shared facilities far more impressive than an individual university would be able to afford – including an Olympic-sized swimming pool and a 14,000-seat sports stadium.
But, while the growing presence of overseas universities in Malaysia is broadening the country's higher education offering, its home-grown universities should certainly not be overlooked.
Universiti Malaya (UM)
The highest ranked and oldest of all the universities in Malaysia, Universiti Malaya (UM) is ranked 151= in the QS World University Rankings® 2014/15 and is located in central Kuala Lumpur. With a student population of over 21,000, Universiti Malaya (UM) has been steadily growing its multidisciplinary reputation, appearing in the global top 200 for 14 of the subjects covered by the QS World University rankings by Subject 2014; its computer science, engineering and education programs are all in the world's top 100.
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM)
Located in Bangi, Selangor, approximately 35km south of Kuala Lumpur city center, the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) is ranked 259= in the world. Hosting a current student community of just over 22,600, the school boasts particularly strong programs in the fields of education, politics, engineering, law and mathematics. The Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia also has a graduate school on its main campus and a medical school located in the suburb of Cheras, with a branch campus within the capital.
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM)
Also ranked among the world's top 300 universities is Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM). The oldest public engineering and technology university in the country, UTM specializes in technical studies and offers a comprehensive engineering division.
Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM)
Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), otherwise known as the University of Science Malaysia, is the only university in Malaysia to reach the top 50 in a subject area, ranking joint 28th in the world for its environmental studies program according to the 2014 QS World University Rankings by Subject. The school has three campuses, with its main campus in Penang, its health campus in Kelantan and its engineering campus in Nibong Tibal. The school also has plans to open a global campus in the capital.
Also featured in the QS World University Rankings are: Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), the International Islamic University Malaysia and Universiti Teknologi MARA – UiTM. And also deserving a mention for their new positions in this year's QS World University Rankings by Subject are Universiti Teknologi Petronas, located in Batu Gajah approximately halfway from Penang and Kuala Lumpur and owned by a subsidiary of a national oil company, and Multimedia University in Melaka, halfway between Kuala Lumpur and Johor Bahru.
Many private universities in Malaysia offer a 'twinning' or '2+1' degree option. An idea that has been running in Malaysia for around 20 years, this allows students to complete part of their degree in Malaysia and part at a partner institution in another country. This option has been popular, as it offers the chance to gain a degree accredited by a prestigious university in an established higher education destination (such as the UK, US, Australia, New Zealand, France or Germany) without paying the full costs of studying abroad for the entire length of the degree.
Student cities in Malaysia
Although a key attraction of studying in Malaysia is the relatively low cost of fees and living expenses – certainly when compared to countries like the UK and US – Malaysia is much more than just a budget option for international students.
Home to one of Asia's most exciting cities, Malaysia offers beautiful landscapes and traditional Malay culture juxtaposed with breathtaking modern architecture. Combined with the influences of indigenous groups and the external cultures of India, China and Britain, the region boasts one of the world's most culturally diverse societies.
For those who want to make their study-abroad experience a real adventure, there's plenty of scope to explore a diverse variety of landscapes – from orangutan sanctuaries and rainforest to beautiful beaches and islands.
While Malaysia is a very tolerant and open society, it can be rather conservative in regards to dress code. You should be aware of local norms and in order to respect these, you'll need to stay fairly well covered when out and about, especially outside of the capital.
Kuala Lumpur
A buzzing metropolis boasting the tallest skyscrapers in Southeast Asia, Kuala Lumpur is home to many of the top universities in Malaysia, including Universiti Malaya, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Universiti Putra Malaysia, the International Islamic University Malaysia and Universiti Teknologi MARA.
The city is a jumble of styles, with the grand 19th century buildings of Merdeka Square, holding the remnants of the British Empire's cultural influence, now in the shadows of the contemporary high-rise architecture soaring above the city center. The Golden Triangle is Kuala Lumpur's most famous shopping and entertainment district, boasting malls, museums, high-rise towers and five-star hotels.
On the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia, Penang is home to another of the leading universities in Malaysia, the Universiti Sains Malaysia.
As the East India Company's first settlement on the Malay Peninsula, Penang, a formerly unpopulated, 28 square-kilometer 'nut island', became an important trade port. Although Penang's power waned along with the collapse of the British Empire, its trading legacy lives on with a diverse population of entrepreneurial settlers of all origins, most notably from China. Today Penang trades in technology, having become Malaysia's answer to 'Silicon Valley'. The bustling capital of Georgetown, brim full of both ancient and modern trades, is where most of the thrills are, but the area also offers beachside resorts such as Batu Ferringhi and quiet fishing villages such as Teluk Bahang.
Johor Bahru
Just north of the city state of Singapore, connected via a 1038-meter-long causeway, Johor Bahru, once a shabby border town, is morphing into a hub of global education thanks to the EduCity development plan, all set to join the top local university, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.
With the attention and investment the area is receiving, Johor Bahru has very recently become a lively and popular place to explore, to shop and to hang out. The weekends see Singaporeans flock to the area, though few travelling foreigners have yet to see the appeal of the cheaper and more authentic attractions and options in Johor. Change will continue for the next few years with the region set to see a steady influx of international university faculty and students, which will further promote a young and vibrant atmosphere of diversity and promise.
Malaysian Borneo
The western part of the country, attached to the island of Indonesia, comprises more than 50% of Malaysia's area. Although not home to any ranked institutions, Malaysian Borneo offers diverse scenery perfect for adventurous, outdoorsy students.
Malaysian Borneo is divided into the states of Sarawak and Sabah, with the small enclave of Brunei in between. Both areas are covered by dense jungle, with many large rivers running through them, particularly in Sarawak. Sabah is also home to Malaysia's highest mountain, Mt Kinabalu, standing at 4,101 meters.
Applications, fees and visas
Already the world's 11th most popular study destination according to UNESCO figures, Malaysia has even grander ambitions, aiming to be the sixth-largest education provider by 2020 with a target of gaining 200,000 international students by this date.
Among the development initiatives introduced to achieve this is a new agency known as Education Malaysia Global Services (EMGS), which will provide assistance for foreign students applying to study in Malaysia. As of 2013, students wishing to apply to private universities in Malaysia will need to apply via EMGS with a 'one stop application', intended to make the process more efficient and allowing students to apply for multiple courses at multiple institutions in one go. International students looking to study in Malaysia at a public university, however, will still need to apply for their desired program directly through each individual university.
Student passes and visas for Malaysia
All international students will also need a "Student Pass" and student visa. Gaining your Student Pass is simple and, once you are accepted onto a program (at an accredited university in Malaysia), the school itself will directly apply for the pass on your behalf.
Once both your acceptance and Student Pass have been approved, all students (for both private and public universities), will need to apply separately for a single-entry student visa through the Malaysian embassy or high commission in their home country. For this you will need to provide evidence of your offer of study and your Student Pass, have proof of financial stability to meet tuition and living fees, show that you are "in good health and of good character", and confirm that you intend to live in Malaysia solely for study.
Tuition fees and living costs
Fees differ between universities in Malaysia, with the prevalence of international branch campuses and private institutions bringing the overall average up. In general however, studying in Malaysia is cheaper than many countries, with average tuition fees currently standing at approximately US$6,000 per year.
Surprisingly, the highest ranked university in the country, Universiti Malaya (UM), as a public institution, has an average which is again much lower, standing at just US$1,700 per year for international undergraduates.
Although the prices of programs at Malaysia's international branch campuses tend to be higher, they are still much cheaper than their international counterparts, while offering the same prestige. For example, if you were to take a bachelor's degree in computer science from Monash University's Malaysian branch campus it would cost US$8,650 a year, while at the original Monash University in Australia the price would be double, currently US$17,000 a year.
Living costs in Malaysia are equally appealing, with averages standing at US$6,000 a year (or US$500 a month). While this is relatively low compared to many destinations, it is of course still important to plan your budget as early as possible, especially as your visa application will require proof of available funds.
You will also need to bear in mind that international students are unable to work during term time (the only permitted time students can work is during school holidays of more than seven days, for no more than 20 hours a week). This means that earning your tuition and living expenses as you go is not an option.
Scholarships and grants are a common way for students to find funding to study in Malaysia. Individual universities in Malaysia will often offer scholarships or fellowships to international as well as domestic students, and information on these is available on their websites.
The Malaysian government also offers funds for international students, one such fund being the Malaysian Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan (CSFP), available to both undergraduate and postgraduate students with a 2:1 degree or higher.


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News & Events
View the latest company and product news, events and customer stories.Learn More
Designed to handle a wide array of materials in a variety of operating conditions.
|78.0 in 1981.0 mm
|More Less
|Height - Grapples Closed
|20.7 in 525.0 mm
|More Less
|Jaw Opening
|40.0 in 1016.0 mm
|More Less
|29.5 in 749.0 mm
|More Less
|1115.5 lb 506.0 kg
|More Less
|Base Edge Thickness
|0.75 in 19.0 mm
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|Operating Pressure
|3336.0 psi 23000.0 kPa
|More Less
Excellent clamping force and independently controlled grapple assemblies allow for easy grasping of irregularly shaped objects.
Wide vertical jaw opening allows for handling of large, bulky material.
Grapple assemblies incorporate thick, high strength steel to resist bending and increase durability. Each grapple is reinforced with a full width formed plate and rigid box section for additional strength and cylinder protection.
Designed to handle bulky, irregularly shaped objects found in demolition, industrial, construction and recycling. Ideal for railroad ties, trees, large rocks, brush, industrial and demolition scrap, and recycling debris.
View the latest offers available on a range of Cat® equipment and genuine parts.Learn More
Connect with us to learn more about our company, products, services and customers.Learn More
With branches across the UK & Ireland, you can be sure that we're never far away.Learn More
Effectively manage your equipment to reduce operating costs and improve efficiency.Learn More
Integrated technology can help you understand your equipment's output and help extend its lifespan.Learn More

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Parents Who Wanted a Larger Family
An area for parents who wanted a bigger family, but at the moment that is not an option for them
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Since the 5.1 hotfixes hit, I've noticed a HUUUUGE influx of reported posts and threads. Here's the thing though, out of the 20+ reports I get a day, only 3-5 are ACTUAL reports that are based on forum rules. The remainder comes from people not liking the tone or point-of-view of the reported poster. Reporting a post as "rude" does nothing to help us make decisions since it's subjective, and something you may find rude may, in fact, not be against forum rules and we therefore can't do anything about it.
Further, please do NOT report a post more than ONCE. That is key. I get your notifications, I really do, but we moderators have lives ourselves, and I'm not tethered to my computer or the internet 24/7 to cater to every report whim that may strike some of you. Further, reporting more than twice is against the rules itself and I may infract you for abusing the system, and be well within my rights/power as a moderator. Please don't make me have to do that, I really don't enjoy being this anal, but things are really getting out of hand.
Please, for my sake, for the sake of Shangalar, and mostly for your own sakes, re-read the forum rules before you post and, equally important, before you report. Christmas is around the corner for non-Orthodox folks, so please don't make me give out extended holiday vacations from these forums to coincide with real life vacations that may take place.
Thanks and have a nice December.


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ELLE's Literary Editor Anna James gives her take on the six-book shortlist.
#LoveIsLove: Celebrities React To Orlando Shooting
ELLE's Literary Editor Anna James gives her take on the six-book shortlist.
The winner of the 2016 Baileys Prize for Women's Fiction will be announced at the Royal Festival Hall on Wednesday night and I've been busy reading the six books on the shortlist.
For me, book prizes are all about celebrating the innovative and the creative and the cleverly executed; I want more than just a good read from a prizewinner, I want to be challenged, excited and moved.
The six books on this year's shortlist make for a nice collection, there really is something for everyone and it's an eclectic mix of voices and styles.
Which makes choosing a winner even tougher.
So here's my verdict to help you decide which of the six to delve into first.More
A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara (Picador)
This book has been splitting opinion and causing Twitter arguments since it came out last year. An epic story of the lives of four young men, focusing on severely troubled Jude. While I found passages to be incredibly beautiful, and I loved much of the first half as Yanagihara explored the men's burgeoning friendship, for me it tipped over into parody around the halfway point.
The Improbability of Love by Hannah Rothschild (Bloomsbury)
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this but in my view it's not a prizewinner. It's pacy, witty and has some glorious descriptions of food and art, but it never really challenged me in any way other than the fact that I felt like I didn't really get a lot of the jokes that often revolved around being really rich.
There is some slightly awkward romanticising of the woes of the ultra-wealthy, but if you take it as a satirical romp through the London art world, there's lots of fun to be had.
Celebrity Instagrams: June 2016


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Two Arrested After Albuquerque Bank Robbery
|FBI Albuquerque April 20, 2013
Two Albuquerque residents have been arrested in connection with the robbery Saturday, April 20, 2013 robbery of the Bank of the West branch at 1422 Carlisle Blvd NE, Albuquerque.
Anthony Paloni, 50, and Daisy Alaniz, 26, are expected to appear in U.S. District Court in Albuquerque on Monday.
Witnesses say a woman entered the bank at approximately 9:12 a.m., put a bag on the counter, and demanded money from a teller.
The teller gave an undisclosed amount of money to the woman, who fled the bank.
Albuquerque Police arrested Alaniz and Paloni at a truck stop a short time later.
No further details will be released until after the court hearing.
The public is reminded that those arrested are presumed innocent until convicted in a court of law.


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Baseball season is in full swing and in celebration of the new CitiField and Yankee Stadium, The Roosevelt Hotel New York is offering a For Love of the Game experience.
Starting at a rate of $215, now through the end of baseball season, The Roosevelt Hotel will provide you with everything you need for the ultimate all-American baseball weekend. All the bases are covered from an exclusive pre-game tour of the stadium to an NYC food tour.
Here's the deal…prior to arriving, you will receive ticket advice to make sure that you get the best tickets available within your price range for which ever game you prefer. Once that is set and you're on your way, you will check into The Roosevelt Hotel, where you will find your baseball (for signing!) and a three day Metro Card. Then, you'll meet up for the Food For Fans Tour and venture through the city for a real taste of New York. How? By subway of course, like any other New Yorker!
Next up, all of you baseball enthusiasts will journey to a pre-game tour of CitiField or Yankee Stadium to get a behind the scenes look from tour professionals who will guide you through New York baseball and the stadium's history.
Not bad, right? This is the year to come to the Big Apple and experience these new stadiums. I have been to Citifield (yes, I am a Mets fan!) and the stadium is really amazing. I won't divulge too much, you have to come and see it for yourself. Whether a Yankee fan, a Mets fan or just a baseball fan, this is a great experience.
For more information about this package or to book the "For the Love Of The Game" special, click HERE.


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TexMessage: Benghazi bill receives backing of victim's family, U.S. vets and Steve Stockman
By Joanna Raines on April 12, 2013 at 3:43 AM
TexMessage Friday, April 12 Good morning, TexMessagers! Do you support a special committee to investigate Benghazi? TEXclusive A score of Texas lawmakers have co-sponsored a bill that would establish …
TexMessage: Homeland Security heads say border more secure than in decades
By coreykane on April 11, 2013 at 4:36 AM
TexMessage Thursday, April 11 Good morning, TexMessagers! How do we know when the border is secure?) TEXclusive On Capitol Hill, the immigration debate has created sharp division, but one area with a …
TexMessage: John McCain supports John Cornyn's re-election
By Joanna Raines on April 10, 2013 at 6:56 AM
TexMessage Tuesday, April 9 Good morning, TexMessagers! Do you think John Cornyn deserves re-election 2014? (John McCain thinks so.) TEXclusive Sen. JohnMcCain, R-Ariz., is putting his money on John …
TexMessage: Connecticut rifle manufacturer opening plant in North Texas
By coreykane on April 9, 2013 at 6:36 AM
TexMessage Tuesday, April 9 Good morning, TexMessagers! Should states ban high capacity firearms? TEXclusive A Connecticut rifle manufacturer is opening a plant in Breckenridge, possibly presaging a …
TexMessage: Cruz's father says GOP cause is 'best way to achieve the American dream'
By Alison Sullivan on April 8, 2013 at 3:09 AM
TexMessage Monday, April 8 TEXclusive Good morning, TexMessagers! What should Republicans do to cater to Latinos? Raphael Cruz, father of the famous (or some may argue notorious) Texas lawmaker says …
TexMessage: Steve Stockman no fan of NASA scientist and climate change advocate James Hansen
By coreykane on April 4, 2013 at 2:47 AM
TexMessage Thursday, April 4 TEXclusive Good morning, TexMessagers! What's the future of NASA climate science? Normally, Rep. Steve Stockman, R-Friendswood, has nothing but praise for the scientists …
TexMessage: Sheila Jackson Lee takes on Ted Cruz on gun control
By Joanna Raines on April 3, 2013 at 3:01 AM
TexMessage Wednesday, April 3 TEXclusive Good morning, TexMessagers! What do you think of a filibuster on gun control? Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Houston, is perhaps the Texas delegation's most active …
TexMessage: Future of Texas Medicaid debated by future and current Texas political heavyweights
By coreykane on April 2, 2013 at 9:32 AM
TexMessage Tuesday, April 2 TEXclusive Good morning, TexMessagers! Should Texas expand Medicaid? Texas political titans took to the airwaves yesterday, with Democrats calling for an expansion of …
TexMessage: Cruz nixes mention of climate change in International Women's Day resolution
By Alison Sullivan on April 1, 2013 at 3:37 AM
TexMessage Monday, April 1 TEXclusive Good morning, TexMessagers! Do you think the word 'climate' should have been omitted? No joke. Sen. Ted Cruz strikes again! This time, he asked for wording in a …
TexMessage: Is the border secure? Administration says yes, Cornyn says no, no, NO!
By Joanna Raines on March 29, 2013 at 2:52 AM
TexMessage Thursday, March 28 Good morning, TexMessagers! Do you think our border is secure? TEXclusive President Obama spoke confidently about immigration reform this week, saying he believes he …


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We are a LOCAL, family owned and operated tour company sharing with you what we love about our charming city of Portland and great state of Maine! All of our tours are conducted in comfortable, air conditioned, 20 passenger shuttle bus vehicles. All tours are fully narrated by LOCAL Mainers. Our friendly, fun, and knowledgeable guides love what they do and want to share their excitement with you!
Due to the overwhelming demand for our tours when cruise ships are in town, we have shifted our focus. We will only be operating on days that ships are visiting Portland (excluding private tours). What does this mean? Whether you are a cruise passenger or not, you can tour with us on those select days. All days of operation are visible through our reservations.
Private Tours
We also provide private tours that are customizable and available anytime with ample notice. Reservations required. All private tours are conducted in a 12 passenger van unless the group is larger. Please call 207.518.3342 for details and bookings.
Why choose The Scenic Route Maine Tours LLC? Our small group style means a lot to us. It allows for more interaction, exceptional service and an opportunity for us to answer any questions and provide personal recommendations. Our stellar TripAdvisor reviews proves that small groups and excellent value, combined with premium quality are a great mix. Other companies use larger vehicles with more people which allows for little to no interaction. With our LOCAL and knowledgeable guides you can enjoy traditional highlights of the area AND get a backstage view of traditional, daily Maine life. Join us and discover The Scenic Route 'small group' difference, we are here to make your Portland experience a memorable one. Let's get to know each other...
City & Lighthouse Tour
~ 1 hour & 50 minutes ~ $31
This is the best way to get a taste of what our great city of has to offer. First introducing city highlights including the Portland Observatory, Fort Allen Park, Longfellow Square, The Victoria Mansion, and the vibrant Arts District. After making your way through the city known for its contemporary flair, sit back and relax as we make our way to Fort Williams Park, home of Portland Head Light. Here we will set you free for 30 minutes (longer than any tour in town) alongside Maine's oldest and North America's most photographed lighthouse. Take in the awe inspiring views of our famous rocky coastline and breath in the salty air. While making our way back downtown, hear more about what has shaped the small city of Portland into one of the most historical and unique cities in the nation.
We have the BEST City & Lighthouse Tour in Portland!
We sell the LEAST expensive tickets to the VICTORIA MANSION! $13pp Ask when you check in for your tour!
Kennebunkport Tour
~ 3 hours & 30 minutes ~ $57
Enjoy the scenic drive to the lovely seaside village of Kennebunkport. Here the lobster men still rule and locals treat you as a long lost friend. You will hear about the town's history, see the one of a kind Wedding Cake House and stunning ocean vistas. You will have 90 minutes of free time to enjoy however you please, with no lack of ways to spend your time! Don't forget to try one of the best lobster rolls in the country at the Food Network's featured, "The Clam Shack," right downtown. On the way back we will drive by Walker's Point, where you will see the picturesque Bush summer home. Because we use smaller vehicles, we have access to many places that the larger tour buses cannot get to. Sit back, relax and enjoy our beautiful state.


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BP settlement in 2010 oil spill moves closer to approval AP 20 hrs ago
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Details will be known soon in an $18 billion settlement agreement announced in July to resolve years of legal fighting over damage done by the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill.
The Justice Department says the agreement involving the federal government, five Gulf states and BP PLC will be filed Monday. Then comes a 60-day public comment period — the next step toward final court approval.The settlement would end battles over economic and environmental damage done by the nearly 134-million-gallon spill. The […]
View Original: BP settlement in 2010 oil spill moves closer to approval


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Shannox then what?
looking for a list.
Shannox then what?
looking for a list.
Shannox, rhyolith, alysrazor, beth'thilac, baleroc and yada yada
shannox, rhyolith, alysrazor, baleroc, majordomo, beth'tilac
Shannox > Majordomo > Rhyolith > Alysrazor > Baleroc > Beth'tilac.
Beth'tilac is quite an insane boss if you are not extremely synchronized, also Majordomo is a joke, a simple tank and spank basically.
This is atleast what I think after doing them all on HM.
From my exp on normal majordomo is a joke but it is a sort of gear check as the fight gets progressively harder the longer it goes. What kind of gear did your raid have when doing HM domo?
My guild didn't get a chance to do Beth'Tilac we got stuck bashing our phase in on Baleroc, I assume they fixed the corpse glitch? If they did (at least for 25 man) it's
Shannox -> Rhyolith -> Majordomo -> Alysrazor -> Beth'Tilac -> Baleroc (Fuckin' need high as hell DPS, we had over 60 sub 5% wipes over the past 3 nights. Pissed us all the hell off. Closest Baleroc had 100k health, 100k! God damn it.)
If they haven't fixed the corpse glitch
Shannox -> Beth'Tilac -> Rhyolith -> Majordomo -> Alysrazor -> Baleroc
From a 10 man standpoint, i can only help with the first couple. My 10 man guild went Shannox -> Rhyolith -> Alysrazor, we're stuck on Beth'Tilac right now.
Last edited by trev1776; 2011-07-18 at 05:03 AM.
Shannox heroic is almost easier as the non heroic version
Rhyolith got nerfed to the ground and is a joke
Baleroc can be a bitch to your healers but is pretty straightforward as dps
Alysrazor doesn't look that hard either, just some "avoid this shit and that. Ohh and that+that+that. At the same time".
Beth'tilac is kinda challenging.
Haven't seen anything else, so I'd say: Shannox > Rhyolith > Alysrazor > (Majordomo ?) > Baleroc > Beth > (Ragnaros ?)
This was what I thought about Locktanking before Scumbag Greg took it away
Envý - Kult der Schattenflamme
Based on my pick-up experience, I think that Ryolith is more harder than beth'tilac...
For beth you have to AoE and know when go down.
shannox ---> lord ---> beth'tilac (if u manage dps correctly) / alysrazor (if u dont lack movement ;P) ---> Majordomus --> Baleroc


text: Happy November! I am just coming down from a chaotic wrap-up of October, but feel calm and excited as November gears up and I delve into the season of holidays, families, delicious food, homemade gifts, and more. I have a lot of new things planned for the upcoming months so keep your eye on The(…)


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Shipping costs
Orders with items which are not in stock will be shipped after the missing items have arrived. A partial shipment of orders is not possible. You have these shipping options and costs:
UPS Express Saver - Economic - 7 USD 4 to 6 days (low priorized processing)
UPS Express Saver - Standard - 10 USD 2 to 4 days (standard processing)
UPS Express Saver - Prime - 15 USD 2 to 3 days (immediate internal processing)
UPS Express - 20 USD 1 to 2 days (express processing)
the minimum order quantity is 75USD (plus shipping).
Free shipping for oders above 300 USD with UPS Express Saver - Economic
all prices plus sales tax. These shipping costs only apply if you use Paypal. For other payment methods there may be an additional fee that will be calculated in your order process depending on the shipment data (weight / amount).


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The Moon is probably the easiest and most interesting celestial object to photograph with a camera and lens. It's bright, it's large, it changes every day and the surface has lots of detail. Photography of the moon can be done with the simplest equipment. Any moderate telephoto lens and any tripod should be good enough to get pleasing images.
Since the moon is about the same distance from the sun as the earth it gets about the same amount of sunlight that we do, so exposure values for the moon are abound the same as you would use for daylight exposures on earth. However just as on earth exposure changes from sunrise to noon to sunset and when you look at the moon different parts are at different times of the lunar day. The area between dark and light (known as the terminator) is at lunar dawn or dusk. For the full moon, the center of the disk is at lunar noon. This means that exposure is often a compromise. For the quarter moon (1/2 of it illuminated) a good place to start is with an exposure of around 1/100s at ISO 400 and f9. For the full moon you need about 2 stops less exposure, which would be around 1/400s at ISO 400 and f9. For a very thin crescent just after new moon you can try 2 stops more exposure, which would be 1/25s at ISO 400 and f9.
Images of the moon can often be blown up to a large size while still retaining detail. Below is a 100% crop from an image taken with a 500mm lens - 2x TC using and EOS 7D. The smallest features visible are on the order of 5km across. The small crater in the yellow box at the upper right is called Ptolemaeus A (also known as Ammonius) and is listed as being 9km in diameter.
You can get more colorful images during a lunar eclipse (when the earth passes between the sun and the moon). Eclipses can be partial of total, umbral or penumbral and the color of the moon can vary from a pale pink to a deep, dark red. At the peak of some total lunar eclipses to moon can almost vanish. This makes giving exposure suggestions very difficult. Below is an example from 2008.
The sun is easy to photograph with the right equipment. It's big so you don't need an ultra telephoto lens and it's bright so you can use very short exposures and don't have to worry about movement. The only problem is that it is VERY bright, in fact dangerously bright. To photograph the sun you need a filter that's built for the purpose of solar photography or visual solar observing. These are usually a metal film deposited on either optical quality glass or very thin mylar. On the scale of prices for photo graphic filters, solar filters are not particularly expensive. However they are normally made to fit telescopes rather than lenses, so they don't usually have "screw-in" mounts. Some adaptation is usually needed to use them with camera lenses. However Thousand Oaks Optical do have a line of "black polymer" solar filters in threaded mounts up to 82mm in diameter. The 77mm and 82mm filters are currently $59 plus $10 shipping). These filters are thick plastic rather than glass so their optical quality may not be quite as good as the metalized glass filters or the very thin aluminized mylar filters.
One general word of warning here. The filter MUST go over the front of the lens and be securely attached. Many long telephotos have small rear mounting filters and even if you found a solar filter that would fit, you should NOT use it in a rear mounting slot. The heat of the sun concentrated onto the small filter by the lens could cause it to shatter.
For photography and visual use you need a filter with an optical density of about 5, which will let about 1/1000th of 1% of the light through. The darkest "normal" photographic ND filter that I own is a Hoya NDx400. An exposure with the NDx400 requires an exposure 400x longer then without the filter. That's about 9 stops and the filter lets through about 1/5th of 1% of the light and absorbs the rest. For an acceptable exposure of the sun when it's high in the sky I found that 1/8000s at f45 and ISO 100 was required. Clearly it's not really dense enough for solar photography. A solar filter designed for both visual and photographic use is more like a 100000x filter, or close to 17 stops. Solar filters also reflect the light (and heat) rather than absorb it. They reflect 99.999% of the light and let 0.001% through. You can get either aluminized mylar filters or metal-on-glass filters. The glass filters are more durable. They are available is sizes from about 4" in diameter all the way up to 8" and more, but the smaller 4"-6" filters will fit over the front of most long telephoto lenses and they're priced from from $60-$100. For purely photographic use you can use a physically similar but less optically dense filter designed for photography only, something with an optical density around 3 to 4, i.e. one that transmits about ,1% to .01% of the incoming light. This allows very short exposure times, but it is not safe to look at the sun through by eye though such a filter. Note that an filter with an optical density of 5 (OD5 or ND5) is very, very dark. Some photographic filters may be sold with a designation like "ND5x" meaning they increase exposure time by a factor of 5 or maybe by 5 stops. That's very different. Basically if you can see anything through the filter looking at anything but the sun, it's not dark enough for visual use.
The sun changes from day to day. Sunspots (when present) grow and shrink while they move across the sun's disk. The sun at the equator rotates once every 24.5 days so spots move from one side to the other in about 12 days. The darkening at the edges of the sun that you see in the image above is real and is known as "limb darkening" and occurs because at the edges of the disk you are looking at (and though) a part of the sun that's cooler and less dense then the interior (or as far as you can see into the interior).
Once in a while you also get a solar eclipse. Partial eclipses are fairly common but total eclipses are very rare for any fixed geographic location. The next total solar eclipse visible from the USA will be on August 21st 2017, so get ready for it! Maximum duration of totality (over 2.5 minutes) will be in parts of Kentucky. Much of the rest of the USA will see a partial eclipse on that date. A little sooner is an annular solar eclipse (where the moon is smaller than the sun and so won't cover it all) which will take place on May 20th this year (2012) and will be visible as annular from parts of several western states from Texas to California. Aberquerque New Mexico will get a good view. Much of the rest of the USA will see it as a partial eclipse, though the sun will have set on the East coast at the time of the eclipse and so it will not be visible from the eastern seaboard.
Photography of a total eclipse is a complex subject since brightness varies so much between the partial and total phases. If you have the chance to see a total solar eclipse you should visit one of the websites devoted to eclipse viewing and photography, such as the NASA website at http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEhelp/eclipsePhoto.html
While it should go without saying, I'll say it anyway. It's not safe to look directly at the sun unless you are looking through a filter which is designed for safe solar viewing. You can damage your retina looking directly at the sun with the naked eye and you can do even more damage looking at the sun through a telescope. You can also damage your camera unless you have a proper solar filter over the lens before pointing it directly at the sun.
Planets are tiny (angularly speaking). The only planets you have any real hope of photographing as disks are Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn. Venus is really tricky because it can be so bright and has no easily discernible surface features. All you see are the tops of the cloud layers which are brilliant white. Images of Venus will show up every trace of chromatic aberration in your lens! Venus shows phases like the moon, and that's what you may be able to capture. It can be the largest angular diameter planet, reaching as much as 66" (arc seconds) at its largest (the moon and sun measure about 1800 arc seconds or 1/2 a degree). This is followed by Jupiter at 50" maximum, Mars at 25" maximum and Saturn at 20" maximum. To put these numbers in perspective, each pixel of an EOS 7D with a 1000mm lens attached covers about 1". So the largest image a Jupiter you will see will only be 50 pixels wide, and the largest Mars can ever be is only 20 pixels wide. The image of Jupiter on the left is around 40 pixels wide. There is clearly no room here or missed focus or image trailing due to long exposures.
The image of Jupiter above on the left was taken using a 500mm f4.5 lens with a 2xTC and exposure was around 1/50s at f9 at an ISO 400 setting on an EOS 7D. It shows the two major equatorial belts quite clearly, with other features (like darkening towards the poles) visible but subtle. Changes in the appearance of the planet over time can be recorded. For example the image of Jupiter on the right was taken two years ago in 2010. You can see that one of the equatorial belts was much darker in color and more prominent than it appears now.
The planets are very small targets, so you're not likely to be able to record many surface details using a normal camera and lens. You may record some of the dark bands on Jupiter, the rings of Saturn (see image on left) and perhaps the polar caps of Mars when it's at its closest to earth. The image of Saturn was recorded at 1/25s at f9 and ISO 400 with a 1000mm lens (500mm + 2xTC). You can also record the positions of Jupiter's brightest 4 moons by overexposing the planet itself and/or by manipulating the image histogram. an exposure of 1/25s at ISO 800 and f9 should be enough to record the moon's positions, especially if you shoot RAW and add +2 exposure in DPP. You can then blend a properly exposed image of the planet with an overexposed image of the planet showing the moons and create an image like the one below.
The moons can be identified using a website such as http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/objects/javascript/jupiter which provides a real time prediction of the moon positions for any given time and date.
Of course not everyone has an expensive telephoto lens. A current 600mm f4 lens like the Canon EF 600/4L IS II USM sells for around $12,000 and even a used 500mm f4 lens that's 10-20 years old still commands a price in the $5000 region. However you can use much cheaper lenses and still get reasonable results. For example the shot of Jupiter on the left was taken with a Tamron 500mm f8 mirror lens (1/30s, ISO 100, f8). Mirror lenses work well for astrophotography since they are small and light and can be found at reasonable prices. Many (in fact most) telescopes use mirrors rather than lenses. Mirror lenses have low (or no) chromatic aberration and their drawbacks such as undesirable artifacts in the out of focus regions of an image don't matter since everything in the image will be in focus. Used lenses like the Tamron 500/8 SP (which is one of the better mirror lenses) can be found for a few hundred dollars. I don't know how well the really cheap (~$150) generic brand mirror lenses would work for this application.
As I said at the beginning of this article, I'm not going to deal in any depth with star trail photography. With a fixed tripod that presents some problems since exposures must be short to prevent star trailing and stars don't appear to be very bright, so it's hard, but not impossible, to get good images. For example on the left is a 600% crop from an image shot with a 24mm lens and an exposure of about 20s. If you look at the table at the start of this article you'll see that 20s is given as the maximum exposure if you want stars to appear as points in a small print. However it's obvious that close up, those "points" are in fact short trails. Looked at closely, the trail is about 10 pixels long and 2 pixels wide. That means we'd need an exposure 5 times shorter, or about 4 seconds to see no trail and the initial table here suggested 2 seconds to be safe and to theoretically be below 1 pixel of movement. So we're obviously not going to collect a lot of light in that time.
Photographs of the stars are a pretty severe test of a lens. Typically any lens shot wide open will show vignetting (darker corners) and star images away from the center of the frame may be smeared (astigmatism and coma) as well as show some color fringing (chromatic aberration). For the best quality images a lens may need to be stopped down by a stop or two from wide open. This means that faint stars won't be recorded, but the image quality of the brighter stars will be higher.
There are a few of ways to maximize light collection and record faint stars. One is to use a lens with a wide physical aperture. Another is to use a high ISO setting (though that brings along noise issues). A third is to stack together a large number of properly aligned short exposures using software such as Registax as I described earlier in this article. Stacking multiple images lowers background noise (which is random) but adds together pixels which are the images of stars. In most city and suburban environments the length of exposures may be limited by the brightness of the sky due to artificial light sources (street lights, building lighting, advertising signs etc.) as much as by stars trailing as is shown in the example below:
From time to time you may see streaks on star field images. The unwanted cause of these are often aircraft, but they can also be caused by meteors or orbital spacecraft. The website http://www.heavens-above.com has visibility predictions for objects in earth orbit (including the Hubble Space Telescope and the International Space Station). It also has information on the position in the sky of the Sun, moon and planets as well as a chart of what stars will be visible in the night sky from anywhere on earth for any time, day and year.
If you live in high northern or southern latitudes you may be fortunate enough to see the aurora caused by charged particles from the sun caught by the earth's magnetic field and interacting with the earth's atmosphere. These can be photographed with a static camera. Exposures can run from seconds to 10s of seconds using moderately fast lenses (f2.8-f4) and low to medium ISO settings (ISO 100-800) They do move around, so extended exposures are neither necessary nor desirable.
While normal photographic lenses can be used for astrophotography, telescopes are generally better for work with the sun, moon, planets and small deep sky objects (galaxies etc.). There are several reason why this is the case. The main reason is that telescopes are often cheaper than equivalent telephoto lenses because they don't need to be optimized for a large flat image field. They're also often of longer focal length because they generally don't need fast optics. They also don't need focusing motors or variable aperture. This means they can be both mechanically and optically more simple than camera lenses. Most lower priced telescopes use mirrors rather than lenses, which allows the use large diameter optics since mirrors are much cheaper than equivalent sized refractive lenses. While they have central obstructions just like camera mirror lenses, you don't need to worry about bokeh with a telescope!
For the price of a rather modest telephoto camera lens you can get a telescope with a tripod and a computerized controller which will let you find and track sky objects automatically. Attaching a camera is normally a simple matter of getting the right adapter for your camera. Such adapters are usually quite inexpensive ($25-$50). If the astronomy and astrophotography bug bites you, you might want to consider buying a small telescope. Here are a few good choices for starter scopes:


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Sen. Richard Miranda, a Democrat from Tolleson, will run for the House this year.
Miranda cannot seek re-election to the 30-person chamber because he has reached his term limit.
Miranda said he will make his candidacy for the House official on Feb. 9 when he files his campaign paperwork.
Miranda has several goals for the coming years.
He said he wants to make sure a Latino person becomes a member of the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission. A new commission will be formed in early 2011 for the next redistricting cycle.
"I want to make sure that Latino communities are protected as communities of interest," Miranda said, referring to the next legislative redistricting cycle.
Miranda, who first joined the Legislature as a representative in 1999, will have served his district for 12 years by the end of his Senate term. Miranda is co-chairman of the Arizona Legislative Latino Caucus.


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Great Moments In Giant History: John Montefusco's DebutJanuary 25, 2010
As a kid, I watched every baseball game I could. Of course, back in those ancient times, I suppose I should have been grateful we had a color television and - with cable - about 6 or 8 channels. Every Giant-Dodger game from Los Angeles was televised along with another 10-20 Giants game plus the game of the week with Curt Gowdy. If you were like me, all of those Giant-Dodger games were big events. While there were a number of memorable games between the two rivals, I'll never forget the debut of "The Count."
Unfortunately, a quick check of baseball-reference.com shows me I didn't remember it as well as I thought, but the main facts are still pretty clear. Ron Bryant, a 1973 24 game winner for the Giants, started the game after the Giants took a 2 run lead in the top of the first. It did not go well. When "The Count" was summoned to the mound, The Giants already trailed 3-2, the bases were loaded, and there was still nobody out. It was noted at the time that Montefusco had arrived at the ballpark about 45 minutes before the game. Whether he came by bus or plane from Phoenix, I can't remember.
Montefusco retired the first batter he faced on a ground ball fielder's choice to make the score 4-2, but then struck out the next two hitters.
Montefusco batted in the top of the second and walked in his first plate appearance, eventually scoring on a Gary Matthews grand slam. which gave the Giants a 6-4 lead. The Count got through the bottom of the second facing the top of the order, allowing 2 singles and a walk, before retiring Ron Cey on a ground out to end the inning.
After a two out hit batsman in the top of the third, Montefusco cemented a place in history by smashing a two run homer off Charlie Hough. The Giants were up 8-4.
I can't remember if it was the sixth or seventh inning, but a Dodger hit a line drive off Montefusco's shin for a single. The trainer went out to check him and he stayed in the game. No way would that happen in today's game. The Giants led 9-5 going in to the bottom of the ninth. Ron Cey singled to lead off, and with one out, Willie Crawford added another single. For you youngsters out there you might not believe what happened next. The Count - who was given that nickname that very night - stayed in the game and retired the last two hitters for his first major league victory.
Montefusco did not get credit for a complete game as he entered the game in relief, but he did retire 27 batters. He allowed 1 earned run, striking out 7 and walking 5. I'd be curious to find out his pitch count! Add in a home run in his first official major league at bat, and I'd say you have one of the greatest debuts in major league history!
Just to make sure I give credit where credit is due, many of the details of the game were looked up on baseball-reference.com. A magnificent site you should check out if you like to check out the details of any game you have ever seen or heard about.


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Home > Kitchen > Kitchen Textiles
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A whirligig is a device, moved by the wind, which whirls and turns on a pivot. Many are simple in design while others have been exceedingly complicated.
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With the NBA offseason comes free agency and one of the not-so-sublte moves seems to be Ray Allen switching his allegiance from the Celtics to their Eastern Conference foe, the Heat. And in the new buddy-buddy system of works in the league, LeBron James made it known via Twitter that he welcomes the idea of playing with Allen.
While watching the Draft my son Bryce ask "Is Ray Allen gonna play for the Heat". I said "I don't know, I hope so".
— LeBron James (@KingJames) June 29, 2012
If you remember the end of Game 7 of the ECF, Ray Allen was basically the only Celtic who stayed around and hugged every Heat player. Or as Bill Simmons put it, Allen "was doing everything short of handing out his résumé."


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Red Sox notebook
Lucchino has another sit-down with Beattie
By Gordon Edes Globe Staff / December 2, 2005
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The perception that Jim Beattie remains the only outside candidate still under serious consideration to become Red Sox general manager gained further credence last night when an acquaintance of Beattie said Beattie and Red Sox CEO Larry Lucchino met for dinner last night in Boston. (Full article: 349 words)
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Difference between revisions of "San Joaquin County, California Genealogy"
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Revision as of 20:16, 24 May 2010
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Please review the contributor help to assist you in editing.
- 1 County Courthouse
- 2 History
- 3 Places/Localities
- 4 Resources
- 5 Societies and Libraries
- 6 Web Sites
- 7 References
County Courthouse
Parent County
1850--San Joaquin was created 18 February 1850 as an original county. County seat: Stockton [1]
Boundary Changes
Record Loss
Populated Places
Neighboring Counties
Cherokee Memorial Park Hwy 99 E Harney Lane Lodi, CA 95240 209-334-9613
Park View Cemetery 3661 E. French Camp Rd. Manteca, CA 95336 209-982-1661
San Joaquin Catholic Cemetery Cemetery Lane Stockton, CA 209-466-6202
Stockton Rural Cemetery 2350 Cemetery Lane Stockton, CA 95204 209-465-5213
The following web sites have entries for people buried in San Joaquin County. None have complete lists:
In the Family History Library Catalog Place Search on FamilySearch, for San Joaquin, California, look at the list of records for Cemeteries. Films can be sent to family history centers. Public libraries may have copies of the books or can obtain them through Interlibrary Loan.
LDS Ward and Branch Records
- Stockton
- Tracy
Local Histories
Google Books has some books about the history and people in San Joaquin County, California. Try various search terms, including the names of people. Books designated with "Full view" can be read online.
In the Family History Library Catalog Place Search on FamilySearch, for San Joaquin County, California, look at the list of records for History and History - Indexes. Films can be sent to family history centers. Public libraries may have copies of the books or can obtain them through Interlibrary Loan.
For historical maps,search the following free sites:
• Maps-Historical-Sate of California, the Carlifornia government's site. Links to American Memory (Library of Congress), California Missions, and the State Library
• Historical Maps of California
• California Maps - HSU Library, also lists and links to gazetteers
• David Rumsey Collection for San Joaquin, California
• Perry-Castaneda Map Collection for California
The California State Military Museum has a great deal of historical information and links to other military web sites.
Ancestry.com has Records of California men in the War of the Rebellion, 1861 to 1867
The California Digital Newspaper Collection has newspapers from 1848 through 1922. You can search by keyword, including names, and/or by date.
Vital Records
For early marriages see Western States Marriage Index.
Societies and Libraries
Web Sites
- USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.
- Family History Library Catalog
- ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America,10th ed. (Draper, UT:Everton Publishers, 2002).


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The Farmers of the Philippines
Fr. Serge C. Maniba
(On 11 November 2016, Fr. Serge C. Maniba gave this presentation during the Missiology Forum held at the Institute for Consecrated Life.)
This talk is about mercy and compassion: the essence of mission in Asia. The focus of my talk is about the farmers of the Philippines. In this talk I will try to answer the following questions: Who are the farmers of the Philippines? What are their faces? What is their situation? How should mercy and compassion be communicated, preached, shared with them?
According to Dr. Marilyn Elauria, in her paper submitted as a country paper for the International Seminar on Cultivating the Young Generation of Farmers with Farmland Policy Implications,1 May 25-29, 2015, MARDI, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia, of the 30 million hectares total land area of the Philippines, 9.67 million hectares is an agricultural area or about 30 percent of the total land area is cultivated by almost 5 million farmers. These farmers are spread all over the country from Luzon, down to Visayas and Mindanao.
I don't intend to cover all the farmers of the Philippines because that is impossible to do. Instead, I will limit my scope to the "faces" of the farmers of Antique, of whom I am part of, and with whom I share life and ministry with.
There are different kinds of farmers in the Philippines. A few who own a vast track of land and hire hundreds of workers to work in their farm: these are the rich farmers of the country. There are also farmers who are not so rich but own a considerable size of land and enjoy the fruits of their labors the whole year round without worrying where to get their food for their families. These are the middle class farmers and those others who live above the poverty line. And there are farmers who work hard in the farm but don't own a land because they have no resources to buy their land. Either they are legal tenants of land owners or squatters in the land, or those we call illegal settlers because they cannot afford to reach even the level of legal tenancy. These are the poor farmers who are hired by land owners to work in their farms and receive a little from their labor; or the farmers who scour the land after harvest time to pick up and gather whatever is left in the farm, or those refuse that had fallen back to the ground after harvest time. These are the marginalized farmers, often faceless because they are unknown, thus nameless, and the poorest of the farmers.
Of these three categories of farmers, I will share with you something about those poorest, faceless, nameless, unknown farmers of the Philippines, specifically situated in Antique, a place where mountains meet the sea.
I am a rural boy and I carry with me different faces of farmers. I have beautiful memories of the life in the farm as well as the sad voices of groaning and suffering of farmers and their families that echo in the country side, filling every corner of the farmlands.
I was born in a family of farmers. I know the season of planting, growing, and harvesting. I know how to feed animals like goats, cows, carabaos, etc. Early in my life, I was privileged to experience what it means to be a child of farmers and to work by tilling the land. I volunteered, together with other children, to work during planting season so that we earn a little more for our school allowance because we get little from our parents. I know how to wait for the rice we planted until they yield their fruits on harvest time. And the time of waiting means shortage of food in the table of farmers, increase in loans as they have to borrow money to buy rice and other basic needs of their families, and hungry stomach for many children when their parents cannot anymore find people who will lend them more money.
When I was ordained as priest of the Diocese of San Jose, Antique, these "faces" of the farmers, and "faces" of the fisher folks as well, who are also faces of the poor, became clearer to me. The villages of the parishes I served are both situated in the mountains and near the sea. When I visit the mountain villages, I see farmers tilling the land either under the heavy down pour of the rain or under the scorching heat of the sun. Their physical built, small stature and wasted bodies, and the color of their skins already tell the tale of their stories: stories of poverty and their search for liberation and fullness of life. Taking a little time to listen to their stories, I heard the "cry of the poor" echoed in the groaning of these farmers.
Back in the comfort of parish rectory, the poor, most of them farmers, will knock at my door bringing with them a list of their needs, hoping the Church can provide them answers. 1. Money to buy seeds for planting; 2. Money to buy fertilizers when planting is over; 3. Money for the tuition fee of their children in school, as well as for school supplies, uniforms, and other miscellaneous fees. 4. Money to buy rice, oil for their lamps, fish, salt, etc. 4. Money for medicine or pay for hospital bills as many of them are sick and have no money to buy medicine or to pay the hospitalization. 5. Money for the casket and the burial of their sick who died due to lack of proper care, food, and medicine. The list is long and endless.
Encountering these marginalized farmers who belong to the category we call "the poor", the face and names of these faceless and nameless farmers begin to emerge:
1.The small, dark-skinned, thin, "men", head of the families or male children able to work in the farm.
2.The small, dark-skinned, thin, women, mothers nursing their malnourished kids, from a breast emptied of milk due to malnutrition.
3.Small, dark-skinned, malnourished, children crying for milk or food because their stomach still feel empty.
4.Small, dark-skinned, wasted physically, young people, going to school walking long distances, hungry because their breakfast has to be eaten later in the morning to serve as their lunch as well. They call their meal "brunch": combination of breakfast and lunch. Many of them drop out of school when harvest season arrives because they have to go to the farm and help in harvesting the crops.
These are some of the faces of poverty of the farmers of the Philippines as revealed by the farmers of Antique.
There are many factors that cause the poverty of these farmer. One comes from the cycle of nature as the Philippines is visited by typhoons more than twenty times each year. Farms and the crops of the farmers, costing millions, are destroyed and lost in just a day or two when strong typhoons come. Worst and tragic of all is the loss of thousands of human lives that had been recorded just a few years ago. This week of, Yolanda victims, still carrying the wounds and pains of the tragedy, are commemorating the strongest typhoon that hit the Philippines (November 8, 2013) and had destroyed the thousand lives in Visayas.
Then comes the human factors that aggravate the situation of the poor farmers. Government policies and programs that are designed to alleviate the poverty of the people are riddled by corruption that siphoned the resources of the government, meant for the basic services of the people, into the pockets of unscrupulous politicians in cahoots with a few greedy individuals and their shadowy business transactions. Families of the victims of typhoon Yolanda continue to complain that government help comes so slow, while other victims of previous typhoons had lost the hope of ever receiving the aid promised them.
Corruption in the Philippines has many other faces than what I had mentioned. But sufficed to say here that natural calamities and corruption in the government have been the greatest cross the poor Filipino people, majority of them are farmers, have to carry each day.
Given this situation of the poorest of the farmers of the Philippines, revealed concretely in the many faces of poverty of the farmers of Antique, what is the mission of the Church towards them? And how should mission be done with them, among them, and for them?
As the theme of our forum today says: Mercy and Compassion is the essence of Mission in Asia. Pope Francis says: "The Church is commissioned to announce the mercy of God, the beating heart of the Gospel, which in its own way must penetrate the heart and mind of every person."2 With these words Pope Francis invited the Church to celebrate the Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy, which is a pilgrimage, a journey to the mercy of God. This journey is traditionally symbolized as a pilgrimage to Rome, during which the pilgrim crosses the threshold of the Holy Doors, at the four great basilicas in Rome.3 Here in the Philippines, Churches had been declared as pilgrim sites, just like in Rome, where people can go and cross the threshold of the Holy Doors of the Church as a symbolic act of crossing the threshold of God's mercy.
Doing mission with mercy and compassion towards the farmers of the Philippines, is first of all, a spiritual journey into the heart of God, the source of mission. It is first an invitation to experience that mercy and compassion had been given us. Interpreting the invitation of Pope Francis, Mark-David Janus says that "crossing the threshold means leaving behind doubt and fear and allowing God's love to embrace us. It is a spiritual journey representing the journey of our lives, a journey through our self-understanding, a journey that leads us to a complete and final trust in the love God is for us.4 There, in the merciful and compassionate heart of God, the individual believer and the Church as communion of believers, are transformed. We experience conversion, which is the transformation of hearts effected by the embrace of the merciful and compassionate Father.
This merciful and compassionate heart of God is revealed in the Sacred Scriptures. In Exodus 3: 1-22, when God called Moses through the burning bush, he said to Moses in verse 7: "I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt; I have heard their cry on account of their taskmasters. Indeed, I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them from the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land and to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey." The groaning of the suffering Israelites had reached heaven, had penetrated the heart of God, and evoked his mercy and compassion. Moved by their suffering, God had come down to deliver them from their misery caused by their fellow human beings, in the person of the Egyptians.
The farmers of the Philippines had been crying out in pain year after year. In faith we can say that their cries had reached heaven, heard by God, touched the heart of God; and as he came down from heaven to deliver the Israelites from their slavery, so God does today for all the suffering people of the world, the farmers included. His saving mercy and compassion had never been withdrawn since the time he had done it to the Israelites. The Sacred Scriptures recorded this enduring mercy and compassion of God translated in concrete through the mission of Moses, the prophets of the Old Testament, our Lord, Jesus Christ, his apostles, and the Early Church.
The essence of mission in Asia today is the nothing but the same mission that flows from the merciful and compassionate heart of God. This mercy and compassion is fully revealed in the life, ministry, suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Pope Francis said that "the message of Jesus is mercy…it is the Lord's strongest message."5 In the opening of the Holy Door at St. Peter's Basilica, Rome, on December 8, 2015, Pope Francis reminded the Church that "Mercy is very foundation of the Church's life. All her pastoral activity should be caught up in the tenderness she makes present to believers; nothing in her preaching and in her witness to the world can be lacking in mercy. The Church's very credibility is seen in how she shows merciful and compassionate love."6 He continues to say: "The time has come for the Church to take up the joyful call to mercy once more. It is time to return to the basics and to bear the weaknesses and struggles of our brothers and sisters. Mercy is the force that reawakens us to new life and instills in us the courage to look to the future with hope."7
This is the Church that is born out of the heart of Jesus on the Cross: a missionary Church, as Jesus is the Missionary Son born out of the heart of a Missionary God. In Evangelii Gaudium 27, Pope Francis shares his dream of a Church that moves away from "conservation mode" to the "missionary mode;" from "mere administration" to "permanently in a state of mission;" an "outward-looking, rather than an inward-looking, church; a church more concerned about affairs "ad-extra" rather than issues "ad-intra" (EG 27-28)- preferring a "church bruised, hurting and dirty because it has been out on the streets, rather than a church which is unhealthy from being confined and from clinging to its own security" (EG 49).8
This Missionary Church takes the poor, here the farmers, at heart and embraces them with mercy and compassion. The deepest and ultimate reason for this, according to Pope Francis, is the fact that:
"Our faith in Christ, who became poor and was always close to the poor and the outcast, is the basis of our concern for the integral development of society's most neglected members (EG 186). Each individual Christian and every community is called to be instrument of God for the liberation and the promotion of the poor, and for enabling them to be fully part of society (EG 187). That is why, (says Pope Francis), I want a Church which is poor and for the poor. They have much to teach us…We need to let ourselves be evangelized by them. The new evangelization, (which is based on mercy and compassion), is an invitation to acknowledge the saving power at work in their lives and to put them at the center of the Church's pilgrim way (EG 198)."9
The "mercy and compassion as essence of mission" transforms the Church to be the house of the Father, with doors always wide open.10 Concretely, it means that the doors of our churches and parish rectories, are wide open to welcome the poor farmers with their long list of needs, even if we know we cannot answer all of them. It means welcoming the small-dark skinned, thin, men, women, young people, and children into our table and share with them our food as guests, friends, brothers and sisters, and not as beggars. It also means, we are willing to go out the doors of our comforts and enter the homes of the poor/farmers in the mountains and farmlands; to share a meal with them; listen to their stories of suffering as well as their dreams for a better life; and willing to stand up and walk with them as they claim their dignity as children of God, members of the household of God, in a society that had rejected them and relegated them to the margins of social, political, economic, and religious life.
To conclude this talk, let me quote the epilogue of Mark-David Janus, in his book Crossing the Threshold of Mercy. He said:
"God has chosen the path of mercy as the road Christian walk. During this holy year, we have been pilgrims on this road, journeying to the mercy of God. This is not a geographic pilgrimage, there were no mile markers, no fixed destinations, and this side of heaven, there is no end to our travels. This is a pilgrimage of the soul. We make the journey only to remind ourselves what we seek: the mercy of God, which by God's mercy we already possess. We pilgrims make the journey together to encourage ourselves to keep believing in this merciful love, to believe it so deeply that we live it, to believe it so deeply that we bet our life on it, this life and our life hereafter.
Mercy is the path we aspire to walk; only mercy gives us the strength to live a life of mercy, and that same mercy leads to our ultimate destination, the last threshold we shall ever cross:"11
"See, the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them as their God; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them; he will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away.
And the one who was seated on the throne said, "See, I am making all things new…I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life. Those who conquer will inherit these things, I will be their God and they will be my children." (Revelation 21: 3-7)"
1Marirlyn M. Elauria, "Farm Land Policy and Financing Program for Young Generation in the Philippines" (2015-06-09), http://ap.fftc.agnet.org/ap_db.php?id=448 (accessed November 9, 2016).
2Mark David Janus, Crossing the Threshold of Mercy (New York: Paulist Press, 2015), 1.
4Janus, Crossing the Threshold, 1.
5Andrea Tornielli, The Name of God is Mercy, translated by Oonagh Stransky (London: Bluebird Books of Life, 2016), ix.
6Ibid., 39
7Janus, Crossing the Threshold, 5.
8See Antonio Pernia, "The Stranger and the Poor: Two Challenges to the Missionary Church in Evangelii Gaudium", in Missio Inter Gentes vol. 1, no. 1 (January 2015), 37-56.
9Ibid., 39.
10Janus, Crossing the Threshold of Mercy, 5.
11Janus, Crossing the Threshold of Mercy, 151-152.


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I love all things New Orleans, as you know – so trying okra seemed like a no brainer.
Okra is actually from the mallow family, which includes hibiscus and and cotton. Who knew? Okra is also called lady finger in some parts of the world, although not sure what lady has fingers that look like this. Swamp lady, maybe?
I really, really wanted to batter and fry these (why is it that I have been wanting to fry things lately?). But, I figured that was the easy way out to eat it LOL. Instead, I just sprayed with some cooking spray, salt and pepper and roasted in the toaster oven for 15-20 minutes:
They actually looked pretty good. I then bit into one:
Hmmm…… tried another bite and got a mucousy string. I was expecting some sliminess, but I didn't like it. The taste was good, kind of earthy and green. A little like zuchinni, I thought. It was the texture, and you all know how I can have a texture problem with my veggies.
So, I won't be getting okra again to eat like this. Might keep some on hand frozen for gumbo, since that gelatin is good for thickening.


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Green Teacher 64, Spring 2001
Brain-Compatible Learning by Jane McGeehan
Neuroscientists are mapping the pathways between body and brain, providing tangible evidence of the benefits of hands-on, experiential learning. The author explains the educational implications of current brain research findings.
Successful School Composting by Rhea Dawn Mahar
Successful school composting programs have in common a supportive educational program, school-wide participation, and a consistent maintenance schedule. This article examines the various elements that were needed to successfully implement school composting programs in a number of schools throughout Canada and the U.S.
Greening High Schools: Leaping Subject Barriers by Barbara Kerby and John Egana
This article discusses the unique set of challenges faced by secondary schools attempting school ground greening projects. The author offers solutions to these challenges, and demonstrates the positive impact that greening projects can have specifically on high schools, particularly in promoting subject integration, and forging links among students, teachers and the surrounding community.
Tips and Tricks for Taking Kids Outside by Nalani McCutcheon and Andrea Swanson
Teaching in a classroom without walls can be discomforting at first. The authors offer useful advice for teachers who would like to move their classroom outdoors.
Catching the Rain: Retention Ponds and Natural Wetlands by Jackie Oblak
Establishing a natural wetlands on your school ground is an ideal way to provide students with a living example of an ecosystem at work, and to capture runoff and reduce water pollution while providing habitat for a variety of organisms. The author explores the issues and challenges involved in creating a wetland on your school ground.
Schoolyard Ponds: Safety and Liability by Sharon Gamson Danks
Schoolyard ponds create potential safety hazards for your students. However, with creative thinking, you can meet safety requirements without sacrificing the educational and aesthetic potential of your pond.
Moving Math Outdoors by Char Bezanson and Judith Killion
Schoolyard math problems invite subject integration and answer that age-old question "When am I ever going to use this?" The authors' share their favorite outdoor math activities.
School Grounds in a Box by Ann Coffey
The author examines what is involved in creating a physical model of your school ground greening project. This important first step in the process of schoolyard transformation will help you to assess your site, try out design ideas and generate enthusiasm.
And as always, over 20 new educational resources are profiled and evaluated in this issue of Green Teacher.


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A statue of Jackie Robinson outside of MCU Park in Coney Island, home of the Mets' NY-Penn League affiliate Brooklyn Cyclones, has been vandalized. According to a report from 1010 WINS in New York, the statue (which features Pee Wee Reese along with his Brooklyn Dodgers' teammate Robinson) was spray painted with swastikas and racial epithets, and team staffers noticed when they arrived to the ballpark on Wednesday morning.
Brooklyn's News 12 tweeted out a picture of officers at the scene, along with the attempted clean-up job of the staff. The solution that was being used to remove the graffiti wasn't effective, and as a temporary solution, the hate speech was covered with duct tape and what appears to be a tarp or a trash bag.
The Cyclones hosted the Connecticut Tigers at 11 AM today, and team officials needed to at least have some sort of temporary fix in place before fans began to arrive to the ballpark. Cyclones director of communications Billy Harner said that the team does have video surveillance of the area, and that they're working with the NYPD in order to catch the culprit.
[CBS New York via Sporting News]