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Building Patterned Retaining Walls
Patterned retaining walls resemble hand-laid stone walls, and will require a certain level of detail and craftsmanship to construct. Some custom fitting of blocks will be required. Plan on taking a little extra time to build, particularly when building one for the first time.
Choosing the Right Pattern
Both the AB Collection and AB Europa Collections can be used to create a variety of pre-set and random patterns. (See the Pattern Chart for more details). A pre-set pattern is repeated every two or three courses of block.
A single course consists of a full size block, approximately 8 in. (200 mm) high. Random patterns used on a reinforced wall require a level surface every 2 courses for proper installation of geogrid. Check your approved plans for geogrid placement.
- Patterned walls will have a 6° setback.
- Walls with curves should always use the 2 course pattern to minimize cutting and fitting.
- For Standard Patterns, the base course needs to be a full course of full size blocks and for Lite Patterns, half width blocks. For each 10 ft. (3 m) length you will need the equivalent of 7 full size blocks.
A Dash of Ashlar
The AB Collections have been created in modular sizes to allow for easy construction of patterned walls. Selected areas of non-patterned walls can also contain patterns. With the modular design, the blocks can be installed with ease.
Pattern Construction Tips
Install base course with full size units and compact
Install geogrid
Stack first course of pattern and backfill wall rock in block cores
Compact wall rock and backfill materials parallel to the retaining wall
Compact on blocks first and then the wall rock and backfill materials when the pattern is completed
Install geogrid and additional patterns. Offset patterns to randomize the look
AB Ashlar Pattern Retaining Wall
AB Abbey Blend Pattern Retaining Wall
Compact retaining wall with shovel
AB Abbey Blend patterned retaining wall
Patterned retaining wall with stairs
Patterned retaining wall with stairs
Patterned retaining wall with stairs
Patterned retaining wall with stairs
Excavation and Installing Base Course
Full-sized blocks should always be used for the base course with a Standard Pattern, and for Lite Patterns, half width blocks. This will speed the leveling and installation of the first course.
- Refer to the gravity wall instructions for a detailed description on how to install the base course. Basic steps include: site prep and excavation, installing base material, base course, wall rock, backfill materials, geogrid - if necessary and compacting.
Installing Reinforcement
Refer to the plans for placement of grid; this example requires grid on top of the base course.
- Remove all excess material and slag from the top surface of the base course. This prepares a smooth surface for placement of the geogrid and the next course of blocks.
- Cut sections of geogrid to specified lengths. Check manufacturer's grid specifications for strength and roll or machine direction. Refer to the approved plans for exact size and location.
- Install the layer of geogrid by placing the cut edge up to the back of the raised front lip and roll the layer out to the back of the excavation area to the length specified in the approved plans.
- For retaining walls that require geogrid reinforcement, selection of which pattern to use is determined by the grid spacing shown on the approved plans. If grid is required every 2 courses, then use a 2 course pattern; if 3 course grid spacing is required, use a 3 course pattern.
- If building with a random pattern, the pattern must be leveled off at the appropriate courses to allow for the installation of geogrid on a flat surface.
Patterned wall with reinforcement
Install the Multi-Course Pattern
The retaining wall example shown here uses a two (2) course pattern. Check the approved plans to determine the best pattern option for the project
- Stack the first course of the pattern on top of the geogrid and the base course.
- Check blocks for level, and make adjustments as needed. Pull on the back of the geogrid to remove any slack. If necessary, stake in place.
- Install the wall rock in the block cores and 12 in. (300 mm) behind the blocks to the height of the blocks.
- Compact inside the block cores using a shovel handle. Check blocks for level. Learn more about compaction in the block cores.
- Use infill or approved on-site soils to backfill behind the wall rockin the reinforced zone. The height of the wall rock and backfill material cannot exceed 8 in. (200 mm) before compacting. The top of the blocks will not always match up with each lift of soil.
- Using a mechanical plate compactor, compact the wall rock and infill materials behind the block in maximum 8 in. (200 mm) lifts. Compact directly behind the blocks in a path parallel to the wall, working from the back of the wall to the back of the excavated area. Compact to a minimum of 95% Standard Proctor.
- Check blocks for level. and then install the remainder of the 2 course pattern. Install wall rock in the block cores and behind the blocks as before. Use approved infill soils to backfill behind wall rock. Check blocks for level and for batter.
- With the first multiple-course pattern completed, use a plate compactor to compact the wall rock in the block cores and the wall rock behind the blocks. The first pass of the plate compactor should be directly over the top of the block cores.
- After running the plate compactor on top of the blocks and wall rock, compact the infill material immediately behind the wall. Compact in a path parallel to the wall, working from the front of the wall to the back of the infill material. Compact to a minimum of 95% Standard Proctor.
- Check and adjust for level and alignment and wall batter as the wall stacks up. It is acceptable to shim under blocks to compensate for a build up of tolerances or an out of level base condition. Asphalt shingles or geogrid work well when shims are required. The maximum allowable shim thickness per course is 1/8 in. (3 mm).
- Keep all heavy equipment at least 3 ft. (0.9 m) away from the back of the wall.
Installing the Second Multiple-Course Pattern
Offset the patterns
- Refer to your approved plans to determine if reinforcement will be required. If so, repeat the previous process to install geogrid between the patterns.
- Install the next pattern section as done in the previous steps. Each additional pattern will need to be offset from the pattern below to avoid a repetitive look. Remember to offset the vertical seams by at least 1/4 of the block whenever possible.
- Two course patterns should be selected for most projects. Three course patterns can be used for gravity walls or to top off a reinforced wall where geogrid is not required within the top three courses.
Ending and Topping off the Retaining Wall
Ending patterned retaining walls
Patterned walls may be ended with a step-down or a turn-in. When ending a patterned wall, discontinue the pattern and randomly adjust as necessary to meet the site conditions.
- Finishing a patterned wall is the same as finishing a standard retaining wall. The only requirement is that a multiple course pattern must be completed so that the top course of blocks forms a level surface.
- Use 8 in. (200 mm) of impermeable fill on the last lift to finish off wall.
Compacting Patterned Retaining Walls
- Compaction in the block cores needs to be done regularly when working with patterned walls. This can be done by using the end of a shovel to compact the wall rock, adding additional rock if necessary.
- At each 8 in. (200 mm) lift, compact the block cores with the end of a shovel, and the area directly behind the block with a plate compactor.
- At the conclusion of each pattern, the top of the wall will be level. Run the plate compactor over the top of the blocks to consolidate the wall rock. Place geogrid if required, and begin the next pattern.
When building curves, the 2 course pattern is easier to work with than the 3 course pattern. The 3 course pattern will require more custom fitting or cutting of blocks to ensure a tight fit.
Inside curved walls are easily constructed by maintaining a tight spacing at the front of the wall face. For tighter radii, it may be necessary to cut out parts of the bottom notch in order for the blocks to fit tightly together. See more on curve installation.
Outside curved walls The wall will "tighten" as the height increases. There are three methods to adjust for the tightening effect:
- On the first course of the pattern, open the spacing between blocks slightly so that the top course(s) of the pattern will need minimal cutting.
- Reduce the lengths of the blocks by shortening them, using a saw with a diamond blade.
- Remove parts of the bottom notch for the blocks to fit tightly together. See more on curve installation.
The best answer is to always use the 2 course pattern when building curves.
Patterned walls with corners
Outside corners are easily built using AB Corner Blocks.
- Start at the corner and build the wall working out in both directions
- When ending a patterned wall with a corner, use a random selection of blocks to transition from the patterned courses into the AB Corner Blocks.
Note: Always start the base course at the lowest elevation, then beginning additional courses at the corner will minimize cutting.
Inside corners are constructed in the same manner as for non-patterned walls.
- Remove the top lip of the course where the walls intersect. See more on corner installation.
When building steps into patterned walls, use the full-sized AB Blocks for step blocks. See more on stair construction details.
When building a retaining wall always start the base course at the lowest elevation. See more information on base construction.
Construction Tips for Patterned Retaining Walls
Cutting block in half
- When building an AB Ashlar Blend or an AB Aztec Blend retaining wall, if an AB Junior Lite or AB Aztec Jr Lite is not available, the AB Lite Stones or AB Aztec Lite Stones can be cut to produce two (2) AB Half Lites. It is good practice to pre-cut the desired number of blocks ahead of time to speed up the installation process.
- Offset each new pattern from the pattern below to maintain the "random" appearance.
- Use a two (2) course pattern on retaining walls that have numerous inside and outside curves. This will speed up the installation process.
- Use the two (2) course pattern when building a patterned curve. It is easier to work with than the three (3) course pattern. Learn how to build curves with this easy step-by-step process. To build tighter inside or outside curves learn how here.


text:
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present a petition regarding the closure of the Kitsilano Coast Guard station. Thousands of petitioners are calling upon the federal government to reverse the decision to close the Coast Guard station, which is one of the busiest ports in Canada.
House of Commons Hansard #145 of the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was parks.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
DB150 5 Amp DCC Command Station/Booster with Intelligent AutoReverse
This product has been replaced by the Single 3/5/8 Amp AutoReversing DCC Booster (DB210) and is no longer available. Click here to view the DB210.DB150 5 Amp AutoReversing DCC Command Station/Booster makes your layout more fun to run more trains, manage short circuit shutdowns and add automatic reversing.
The DB150 is the base command station/booster for the Super Empire Builder Xtra sets and is also available separately an add on.
Great for upgrading your basic LocoNet system.
DB150 Command Station / Booster:
Full LocoNet Capabilities for easy plug 'n play installation and system expansion
Run up to 22 locos and 22 throttles in command station mode.
Provides additional power to run more trains in booster mode.
Can be used as an Intelligent Auto Reversing Booster
Use with any LocoNet throttle
Built in broadcast write only programmer
Built in 5 Amp Digital Command Control Booster Rated at 80VA.
Many command station options are user customizable.
Auto resetting over temperature & short circuit protection.
User selectable multi-scale operation for N, HO, and large-scale layouts
Track Status indicator shows voltage and signal type (DCC or "Zero Stretch" Analog Signal for conventional operation.)
Stabilized Track Drive Output.
Over Voltage Protected.
Sync output configures DB150 Operating Mode & connects the DB150 to expansion boosters
High impedance balanced or unbalanced signal input receivers on the LocoNet Interface allow boosting of several different types of command control signals.
Auto shutdown if command control drive signal is lost so that the layout will not convert to DC operation if a cable or connection is broken. The trains won't just "take-off" if they are not getting the DCC signal.
Complies with FCC Part 15, Class B RFI Requirements.
DCC Compatible.
Note: Accepts either 50/60 Hz AC or DC input from power supply (sold separately). Recommended power supply: Digitrax PS514 or equivalent. Maximum input 22 volts AC or 28 volts DC Minimum input 12 volts AC or 15 volts DC.
Technical Note About DCC Booster Output Ratings: Digitrax boosters have maximum output current limits of either 5 or 8 amps. The actual continuous output current that your booster will provide to the layout depends on several factors including the input supply voltage, the ambient room temperature and air flow over the booster's heat sink. Higher input voltages increase the amount of heat that must be dissipated by the booster's heat sink. If the heat sink does not get enough air flow to allow for heat dissipation, the booster will eventually reach an over temperature state and shut down. A small fan blowing across the heat sink on your booster will increase the maximum sustained current output capacity of your booster.
Each DCC company specifies the output capacity of its boosters according to their own internal standards. Tests designed and performed by several model railroaders have shown wide variations in the actual output capacity of DCC boosters. In most cases the tests were designed to overload boosters and cause them to shut down. The conclusion based on these tests is that each manufacturer uses a different way of determining booster output capacity, Digitrax tends to be more conservative in stating booster output ratings. The factor that is most important for achieving maximum output capacity is the booster's heat sinking ability. In these tests, Digitrax boosters have demonstrated excellent heat sinking capabilities and the ability to consistently output the advertised 5 or 8 amps when appropriate fans are added in high temperature situations.
- Original Release Date
- 01-15-1999
- Warranty
- No Worries Warranty (read more)
Digitrax gives a one year "No Worries" Warranty against manufacturing defects and accidental customer damage
on all Digitrax command stations, boosters, throttles, decoders, power supplies and layout control devices.
That's it! A simple, straightforward warranty with no tricky language!
Repairs are simple, too! Just fill out the form and return your items directly to Digitrax for repair. We'll get them fixed up and return them to you as quickly as possible. Please DO NOT return items for repair to the place of purchase.
Make Sure Your Item Needs To Be Repaired Before Sending It To Us! Many of the units we receive for repair do not need any repairs at all. Before you send any units for repair, please take a few minutes to review our Support Options.
1. Check the Tech Support Depot for help. Search for troubleshooting guides.
2. Click here to send Digitrax Tech Support a message.
Please give your name, e-mail address, phone number and when is the best time to contact you. Please give a complete description of the issue you are having.
Many problems are easily resolved by contacting Digitrax Tech Support without having to send in your unit.
Note: Some Digitrax products are no longer repairable due to unavailability of repair parts. Un-repairable items will be returned to you at no charge with no repairs made.
Please Note: Most of our products are not user serviceable. If a defect or accidental damage occurs, return the unit directly to Digitrax for service. Please do not open the Command Station/Boosters (except for making voltage adjustments or changing batteries per the manuals). Please do not remove the shrink wrap protective sleeves from the Digitrax decoders. Shrink may be peeled back to expose pads for adding function wires.
Accessory items that are not covered under the No Worries Warranty carry a 90 day warranty against defects in materials and workmanship. This includes speakers, wire, cables, battery covers, etc.
Intentional damage and customer modifications outside the scope of instructions provided with the product are not covered by this warranty.
Do NOT send a locomotive with your decoder. If a locomotive is sent to Digitrax, Digitrax will ship the entire package back, unrepaired.
Product Support
Supporting Documentation
Tech Support Depot
This product is also included as part of the following sets:
- SEBX Super Empire Builder Xtra
- SEBXD Super Empire Builder Xtra Duplex Radio Equipped
- SEBXDCE Super Empire Builder Xtra Duplex Radio Equipped CE for Europe
- GEN Genesis
- EB Empire Builder
- EBRE Empire Builder Simplex Radio Equipped
- EBRE Empire Builder II Simplex Radio Equipped
- EBII Empire Builder II
- GEN Genesis II
- SEB Super Empire Builder
- SEBRE Super Empire Builder Simplex Radio Equipped


text:
Référence : 0000918
Ajouté le 11 Juillet 2021
Boite : Avec
Notice : Avec
Complet : Oui
The top seed is back. Take to the courts of Virtua Tennis 2 as you compete to become the world No1. Serve, smash and lob your way through 16 internationally top-ranked male and female players as you go head to head in singles matches or compete with up to 4 players in doubles and mixed doubles matches. With revamped Tournament, Exhibition and World Tour modes its game set and match Virtua Tennis 2.


text:
Why is w pronounced double u, but m is not pronounced double n?
Submit Your Comment
Interesting. So why do the French pronouce "W" as "doobleh-vay" - while pronouncing "U" as "oo" and "V" as "vay?"
But they didn't, of course.
M was never two N's. They were always different letters. But when "W" was still "UU" and looked more like "VV", one would write:
Quote: "Why do they even call it Double-U if all it is is two V's put together?
V was the symbol for U long ago. They got a lot of mileage out of it too, until V, U and W officially became three separate letters. If you look at some old monuments you'll see all sorts of V's where there would now be U's.
"E PLVRIBVS VNVM." Just kind of rolls off the tongue, don't it?
Why do they even call it Double-U if all it is is two V's put together?
in older versions of english, there was no "W." instead the sound was made by putting two "U"s together. at one point they combined UU and made it W.
Do you have a question? Submit your question here


text:
Here's how middle-aged people – especially women – can help avoid a heart attack
By American Heart Association News
Physical fitness is good for the heart, brain and overall health. But a specific type called cardiorespiratory fitness may help predict the odds of having a heart attack, especially for women, new research shows.
Higher cardiorespiratory fitness translated to lower heart attack risk, with women appearing to benefit the most. The findings suggest "cardiorespiratory fitness can be used as a risk calculator for first heart attacks," said Rajesh Shigdel, lead author of the Norwegian study published Wednesday in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
"Measuring cardiorespiratory fitness will tell you which risk group you are in," said Shigdel, a researcher in the Department of Public Health and Nursing at Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim, Norway.
Cardiorespiratory fitness reflects the body's ability to transport oxygen during sustained physical activity. It can be measured using VO2 max, the maximum amount of oxygen the body can use during exercise. A higher VO2 max indicates higher cardiorespiratory fitness.
Relying on data from one of the largest health studies ever performed, Shigdel and his team estimated cardiorespiratory fitness for more than 26,000 Norwegians who were 56 years old on average and free of heart disease when the study began. Researchers tracked their health for up to 15 years.
Because VO2 max scores were not available for all participants, researchers estimated cardiorespiratory fitness based on the length and intensity of physical activity each week. Among women, those with high levels of cardiorespiratory fitness were 25% less likely to have a first heart attack than those with low levels, whereas men with high levels of fitness were 10% less likely to suffer a heart attack than those in the low fitness group.
People who want to increase cardiorespiratory fitness should strive to be physically active at least 150 minutes each week and minimize time spent being sedentary, Shigdel said.
But that doesn't have to mean spending hours at the gym each day. "Those who are somewhat active will still have some benefit," he said. "It's better to have something than nothing."
It's unclear why exercise affects men and women differently, said Dr. Aaron L. Baggish, director of the Cardiovascular Performance Program at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. But he cautioned against placing too much weight on the finding that women reaped a greater protective benefit than men.
"The take-home message for this study should not be that fitness doesn't matter for men," said Baggish, who co-authored an editorial accompanying the study. "The message should be that the fitter you are, the less likely you are to have your first heart attack."
Previous studies have consistently shown higher levels of cardiorespiratory fitness are associated with fewer heart problems. However, most prior studies either haven't included women or didn't report findings by gender, said Shigdel, despite the fact that heart disease behaves differently in women versus men. For example, women ages 45 and older are more likely to die within a year of a first heart attack than men of the same age.
Most research also has looked only at whether fitness was related to a higher risk of death from cardiovascular disease, rather than a first heart attack – an important distinction because heart attacks are not always fatal. "Our results are better suited for assessing disease risk," the authors noted.
In terms of cardiovascular risk, Baggish warned against focusing on physical fitness at the exclusion of other factors. It is equally important, he said, to quit smoking, eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, stay away from processed foods and avoid stress.
"If you have high blood pressure, high cholesterol and other risk factors, you can't exercise yourself out of trouble," he said. "Nobody can exercise enough to get complete immunity from heart disease."
If you have questions or comments about this story, please email [email protected].


text:
Code: 14047
10 Koruna František Josef I. 1913 KB
Nádherný sbírkový stav, zbytky ražebního lesku v opisu. místy jemné rysečky.
Nominal: 10 Koruna
Minted: 137 443 kusů
Material: Zlato 900/1000
Average: 19 mm
Weight: 3,387 g
Year of minting: 1913
Coin Mint: Kremnica
Reference: Frühwald 2103
We sold "10 Koruna František Josef I. 1913 KB" this product in September 2022 at a price 34 500 Kč.
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text:
Wow, what a collection! Too bad they don't make 'em like they used to - they were beautiful and charming. Happy Thanksgiving to you, too!
What a joy to see this collection of expressions of thanks. Some almost seemed to have Valentine sentiments. I guess we won't ever see a return to these unique sentiments. Thank you for posting them!


text:
As one of the subsidiaries of Hyosung Group, Galaxia Electronics Co., Ltd., which values people and philosophy, specializes in LED applications.
We provide efficient technology solutions based on user-oriented research and continue to expand into global business area through customer-oriented business.
An enterprise that creates "the light to deliver warmth for humans"
Global network built through extensive global sales and service channel
Specialized competence of design, research, development, etc. through the R&D center
Specialized design to provide various field-optimized solutions
Globally networked partnership to provide timely maintenance
© GALAXIA ELECTRONICS Corp.
50, Omokcheon-ro, 132beon-gil, Gwonseon-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do 16642


text:
Hey Colossus - In Black and Gold
(Out on Rocket in Feb, Hey Colossus produce their best ever album...like Swans meets Spacemen 3, Part Chimp meets Gnod, Butthole Surfers meets13th Floor Elevators...but also sounding completely fresh and unlike nobody else.)
Hey Colossus
Mamuthones / Evil Blizzard - Collisions 04
(Out on Rocket in Jan. Proud to be putting out Evil Blizzard's best ever track plus a mesmerising Teeth of the Sea remix of it AND Italian Occult Psych band Mamuthones bring 20 mins of jaw dropping Can meets The Fall (via Eno/Byrne) grooves! Best Collisions to date? we think so.)
Evil Blizzard
Gnod / Eternal Tapestry - Split 7"
(First split from a mouth watering series on the new God Unknown Record label that sounds and looks fantastic, This is a stunning Gnod track of looped horns and electronic pulses, hopefully a signal of what is to come from the mighty collective.)
Dead Sea Apes - High Evolutionary
(Another month another two Cardinal Fuzz releases!! The first is a new album by the great Dead Sea Apes.)
Dead Sea Apes
Lumerians - Transmissions from Telos Vol.III
(Second album from CF is the great follow up to the AMAZING Vol.IV which was our fave record of 2013!)
Skull Defects - Holy Drums are singing
(Loving this track of grooved out psych-post-punk on the mighty Diagonal records)
Skull Defects
Black Tempest - introverture
(Nice track of kosmiche acid off his Astral Voayages tape on the marvellous Zam Zam)
Black Tempest
Neil Ardley - Kaleidoscope Of Rainbows
(Teeth of the Sea's Sam barton turned us onto this great piece of mid 70's British Jazz.)
Neil Ardley
Love Cult take Druss - Nonplusultra
(Nice psyched minimal techno from the Gnod man and friends)
Love Cult take Druss
Gary Numan Replicas/Tubeway Army/The pleasure principal
(Numan's first three albums – full of kraut pop and electro punk repetition)
Gary Numan


text:
Sleep, that restful and relaxing time that is vital to your health, is best with the right bed, mattress, bedsheets, and pillows. If you're like the average individual, then you spend approximately a third of your life asleep. So, if you're going to end up spending that much time in bed, why not make sure you pick the most comfortable bed?
Whether you're in the market for new bedroom décor, or you've decided to replace your traditional bed, you might want to consider a platform bed. Picture the most comfortable bed in the world, what comes to mind? If it's a cabin bed, you're in good company. Because, while sheets and pillows do help you get a good night's sleep, the bed frame and the mattress you choose are as crucial as cozy blankets and bedsheets in sending you off to the land of dreams.
The type of bed you have is undoubtedly an essential piece of the slumber puzzle. Choose the wrong bed frame, and you'll end up trading peaceful winks for restless tossing and turning.
What Is A Platform Bed?
Whether you're looking for the best bed for your bedroom, your guest room, hotel, motel, or kid's room, platform beds are an excellent choice. But what exactly distinguishes a cabin bed from the rest? Well, a platform bed is a type of bed frame (also referred to as a European or cabin bed) that features sturdy built-in mattress support and does not need a box spring. Platform beds have a raised base with carefully set latticed structures or slats to support just the top mattress.
This kind of bed can also be lofted to create a roomy space below it, a popular option among college students and those living in small or tiny homes. Platforms beds make excellent alternatives to traditional bed frames – not only are they more affordable, but they also provide firmer support because the mattress rests directly on the base.
Solid Or Slatted Base? Which Is The Right Base For My Platform Bed?
If you're in the market for a platform bed, then you've probably bumped into cabin beds with solid surfaces and others with bed slats. So, which type of base is the best for your bed?
Slats are a series of connected bars – usually made of wood – that lie across the width of the bed frame. These slats work in conjunction with your mattress to provide support. Typically, there are two types of slats:
– Solid Slats: These are often made of wood (pine), with each slat running across the width of the frame to create a firmer bed. Solid slats are ideal for those who prefer a firmer bed.
– Sprung Slats: These are made of flexible wood with an upward-facing arch. Sprung slats help create a more cushioned bed, which means they also help reduce the strain on your mattress. Cabin beds with sprung slats will often feature two rows of slats that are connected by a support rail at the center. These upward-facing curved slats respond to your weight to offer more flexible support. Sprung slats are ideal for those who don't like a really firm bed.
Solid base platform beds have just that: a solid support surface for your mattress without slats. Below is an overview of what both slatted and solid base cabin beds beds have to offer:
Solid Slatted Base
– Can accommodate different types and mattress sizes
– Breathable
– Most affordable as compared to a majority of traditional bed frames
– Offer excellent weight distribution
– Some are adjustable
– Offers firmer support compared to a sprung slatted base
– Popular with hybrid mattress choices
– May sit too low
– May not have extra storage
Sprung Slatted Base
– Offer a cushioned and comfortable support
– Breathable
– Offer excellent weight distribution
– Good with different mattress sizes
– A sturdier bed frame structure
– Respond to individual weight
– May not have extra storage beneath them
– May sit too low
Flat Solid Base
– May have extra space beneath them
– Can accommodate different mattress sizes
– May extend past the mattress edges to create a sleek design
– Popular with memory foam mattress
– Provide firm support
– Low breathability which means moisture and allergens may build-up
Do you sleep hot? Do you like a firm or soft sleeping surface? These are the questions you must ask when choosing a base for your cabin bed. For instance, if you sleep hot, then a breathable base could be the secret to a cooler night's sleep. If you need to create extra space in your bedroom, then it makes sense to go with a solid base for your cabin bed.
Reasons To Love Platform Beds
Many people today are opting to go with platform beds and for a good reason. Platforms beds have a ton of benefits, including:
1. Affordable
While platform beds have a lot to offer, perhaps the most notable benefit is their affordability. Most cabin beds are easy to construct and require minimal materials. Plus, since a box spring or any other mattress foundation is nor required, you can save when buying a platform bed and concentrate your money and get a high-quality hybrid mattress. Besides, the absence of uncomfortable springs means better rest for you.
2. Aesthetic Appeal
Another significant benefit of platform beds is their aesthetic appeal. Everybody loves an aesthetically appealing bedroom. You aren't going to pick a drab looking bed frame and damp it in your bedroom, are you? European beds will blend with different decors and even room paintings. So, if you're looking to upgrade the appearance of your bedroom to reflect your modern or sleek lifestyle, then cabin beds could be an excellent choice. Not to mention, they help your bedroom space feel and look bigger.
3. Variety
Platform beds come in a variety of styles, from basic models without headboards to dazzling designs from a contemporary space. Not to mention, platform beds are constructed from different materials, including fabric, leather, wood, and metal. That means you can't miss finding a style that blends with your décor. European beds don't narrow your choice to one or two finishes or designs.
4. Mattress Protection & Support
When you've spent your hard-earned money to get a new mattress, you'll want to make sure that your bed frame offers the best support. European beds not only make the bed more stable but also protects your mattress. Thanks to slats, you can rest easy knowing you won't have to worry about mold issues. Plus, slates make sure that your mattress won't sag. The sturdy platform ensures that your mattress has adequate support, which is suitable for heavier individuals and people who toss and turn a lot in bed.
5. Extra Storage Space
Not many people have the privilege of living in spacious homes. Luckily, a European bed can help solve your space problems and even make your bedroom look bigger. Many platform beds have built-in storage drawers under the mattress platform. Some leave plenty of space below the base, which can help you reduce the amount of clutter in your bedroom. Such spaces can be used to for keeping a suitcase, boxes, and things you use less often.
What To Watch Out For
Unfortunately, many issues surrounding platform beds have to do with sleep comfort and storage. For instance, slatted cabin beds with additional space may affect airflow capabilities. That means you should always pay attention to the space between the stored items and the bottom of the platform.
Also, a flat base doesn't help the mattress with weight and pressure distribution, which can be a problem for heavier individuals. Luckily, there is an easy way to combat this issue: pick a mattress that can distribute pressure and support your weight on its own.
Which Is The Best Mattress For A Platform Bed?
Can I use any mattress for my European bed? This is a question that many shoppers find themselves asking when buying platform beds. Well, yes, you can use any type of mattress for your cabin bed from hybrid mattresses to memory foam mattresses to classic coil mattresses. Often, people complain of poor mattress comfort, only to learn later that it was the mattress-bed combination that caused the issue. Make sure that you're getting the right mattress for your cabin bed.
Do you prefer a firmer bed for a good night's sleep? If so, then we recommend you choose a solid slatted bed or a flat base European bed. If you like a soft and gentle surface, a sprung slatted could be an excellent pick. Choosing a platform bed or a mattress for your platform bed is the last thing you want to experience buyer's remorse from. When shopping for a cabin bed or mattress, it's important to know and understand the qualities of each. Depending on your needs, you will find one type perfect for you.
If you have any questions regarding cabin beds, or maybe you want to know how to go about choosing a mattress for your king size platform bed, we can help.


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Following the huge success of his Channel 4 show The Supervet, Professor Noel Fitzpatrick, is delighted to be bringing his first ever live stage show Welcome to My World to major arenas and theatres across the UK & Ireland this year.
This groundbreaking new show - a must for all animal lovers and fans of the TV show alike - will see Noel enlighten audiences with his incredible life story and explain how he became The Supervet we know and love.
When Noel Fitzpatrick first conceived The Supervet for Channel 4, he wanted to tell a story about love, a story about hope, with incredible science in the background. He recognised the important bond humans have with animals, how they really are part of the family and how much families will do for them in return for the unconditional love which they give.
Join Noel on a journey from his early years in Ireland, where he was full of fantastical ideas through to today where the future of medicine is full of incredible promise.
Supervet Live is a deeply immersive experience, which will transport Noel into a virtual theatre thanks to the very latest in creative technology, allowing him to illustrate some of his remarkable techniques in front of the audience.
This is a unique opportunity to encounter Noel's pioneering bionic inventions first hand, as he takes to the stage to share how his past has paved the way for a more compassionate future for animals and those who love them.
Welcome To My World is a brand new live experience to really understand all that may be possible in the future within this breathtaking production.
"Come with me on my journey from a field in Ireland to a fantastical world of bionics and regeneration, where everything becomes possible. I am so excited to bring to you my live show and share with you my story. Welcome to my world."


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Open your Bible, if you will, to Luke 23. Luke chapter 23. I think I have a little explaining to do with regard to the title of the message. No doubt when you looked down at the bulletin today and you saw "The Comedy at Calvary," you were stunned by that. It is a shocking idea. It is an irreverent notion. In fact it is, on the surface, cruel and could well be considered blasphemous to think of Calvary as a comedy. And certainly, you have never thought of it as such. When you think of Calvary you think of its horrors, its cruelties, its agonies. You do not think of it as a comedy nor should you. I don't think of it as a comedy. But the people who participated in it when it happened turned it into a comedy. For them, Calvary was a joke. The classic dictionary definition of a comedy is, "A ludicrous or farcical event." That's Webster. If you wanted a synonym for that definition of comedy, it might be satire, farce, parody, burlesque, vaudeville, or you just might call it a joke – a rather extended joke.
And from the viewpoint of the crucifiers of Jesus, the whole event had been twisted into a perverted and extended joke. Truly it was, in their view, a comedy and Jesus was the butt of the joke. What was the joke? This is the King of the Jews. Laughable to them. Now remember, Jesus had already been stripped of his freedom when he was arrested, stripped of his rights when he was unjustly condemned, stripped of his friends when they all forsook him, stripped of his ministry. He had been stripped of his clothing, down to a loincloth, but that was not enough. They were about to strip him of his life, but in the process they wanted to make sure they stripped him of his honor and any respect that he might still possess. And so the execution of Jesus is designed to be one big laugh – comic satire. This is a King? Luke says very few words about the crucifixion, very few, but says many words about the attitude of the people who were there. Scorn, sneering, mockery, sarcasm, all at the laughable King of the Jews. Now obviously from God's viewpoint, what the crucifiers thought was so ironically ridiculous and funny was deadly serious. The Jews joined the comedic game with Jesus as the target of their sarcasm and ridicule, maybe to assuage their guilt. And the Roman soldiers, of course, joined the comedic game with Jesus as their target perhaps to assuage their boredom. But Luke describes for us the comedy at Calvary. How wrong can people be? How far from reality can they get?
Let's listen to what Luke writes starting in verse 33 of Luke 23, "When they came to the place called The Skull, there they crucified him and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left. But Jesus was saying, "Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing." They cast lots dividing up his garments among themselves and the people stood by looking on. And even the rulers were sneering at him, saying, "He's saved others. Let him save himself if this is the Christ of God, His Chosen One." And the soldiers also mocked him. They were coming up to him offering him sour wine and saying, "Since you are the King of the Jews, save yourself." Now there was also an inscription above him, "This is the King of the Jews." And one of the criminals who was hanged there was hurling abuse at him saying, "You are the Christ, aren't you? Save yourself and us." There are three verbal actions described here, sneering, mocking and hurling abuse. And they define for us the attitude of the crowd, both the Jews and the Romans, all of them throwing scorn at Jesus. There are three statements that reinforce the intent of those three actions, three snide, sarcastic, mocking, ironic statements. "He saved others, can't he save himself?" "Since you are the Son of God, save yourself and us." "You are the Christ, aren't you? Save yourself and us." All intended as sarcasm at this laughable claim that was placed above his head, "This is the King of the Jews."
It was actually more than just their taunts that makes this a comedy. They had staged this comedy very carefully. They had enthroned Jesus like a king is enthroned above the people, only on a cross. They had placed on his head a crown. Not a gold crown, but a crown of thorns digging into his brow, sending blood streaming down his face. And then is their diabolical comedy they had crucified one thief on the right and the one of the left. This is to parody a king who has on his right and his left his two leading courtiers, the second and the third-most honorable people in the court. And so they put two criminals, one on each side of this king, as if they were his most respected courtiers, and then they offer him mock royal wine as if doing their duty to serve the need of the monarch. It didn't just start there. He had been wearing the crown of thorns for awhile, and earlier when he was in Pilate's judgment hall, they had put a mock robe on him – a mock royal robe on him – and they had put a scepter in his hand, a reed, and they had hailed him as a king and then taken the reed and beat him in the head with it and spit on him to show their disdain for the notion that this was a king.
The whole joke really kind of started there and then it began to escalate and the Romans really turned it into a full-grown comedic melodrama, and it was all under the title, "This is the King of the Jews." What a laugh. The Jews laughed at it. The cross to them, Paul says, was a stumbling block. There was no way that their Messiah, that the son of God would ever be crucified. It was a joke to think of him as their king, their Messiah – a crucified man, crucified by their arch enemies, the pagan, idolatrous Romans? It was equally ludicrous for the Romans who saw a crucified God as "foolishness," Paul says in 1 Corinthians 1. Impossible to believe. He claimed to be a king, he had no army. He claimed to be a king, he had no entourage. He claimed to be a king, he had no territory. He claimed to be a king, he conquered no one ever. What a joke. What a joke. And so they extended the joke into a full parody and it was all just a big laugh. And they were so cruel in their comedy as to cast these sarcastic insults in the face of the crucified Christ. As we learned in the previous text, this was not a time for laughing. If you go back to verse 27, they're following Jesus on the way to the cross, the great multitude of the people, and among them women who were mourning and lamenting him. They were the official, dutiful hired mourners who went along at events like this. But Jesus, turning to them in verse 28 said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, stop weeping for me, but weep for yourselves and your children." This is not a time to laugh, this is, in fact, a time for weeping and not weeping for me, but weeping for yourselves because you have rejected me and God has rejected you.
You'd better come to the cross with the right attitude. You don't want to laugh at your own eternal expense. Given the brutal character of crucifixion to start with, it should have been enough that Jesus was crucified without adding insult to injury and turning it into a joke and mocking him as he hung there in agony. Now let's go back to verse 33. "When they came to the place called The Skull, there they crucified him and the criminals; one on the right and the other on the left." Do I need to say to you that the New Testament is extremely restrained in how it describes the crucifixion of Jesus? Extremely restrained. Three Greek words there, "there they crucified him." Four words in English. That's all it says. There they crucified him. That's all it says. That's all it says in Matthew. That's all it says in Mark. That's all it says in Luke and that's all it says in John. There are no details at all. None. Not about the hammers, not about the nails, not about anything physical whatsoever. Just three words, "there they crucified him." Why is there not a further explanation of what this involved? Because to all the readers at the time the New Testament was written, they knew well what it was to be crucified.
Crucifixion was common. We're told that as many as 30,000 people were crucified in the land of Israel around the time of Christ. Thirty thousand. The Romans always crucified them in public places along highways and on hills so that everybody would see the results of rebellion against Rome. They were well aware of what a crucifixion involved. No need to describe it and there's no need for the Bible writer to describe Jesus and the actual crucifixion that he endured because it would have been exactly the same as everybody else endured. I probably need to remind you, although it's very obvious, that it says, "There they crucified him and the criminals." Whatever they did to him they did to them. So the crucifixion of Jesus Christ is not a solitary experience for him, not by any means. There were tens of thousands of people who were crucified in the ancient world until it was finally outlawed in the 3rd or 4th Century A.D. Tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, were crucified and in one way or another that it was the same for all of them. So the Bible is not concerned to give us details about the actual physical elements of it, for that's not the point and that was very familiar to everyone.
Crucifixion goes back, actually, to 500 B.C., the 6th Century. It seems to have been invented by the Persians. Darius crucifies 3,000 Babylonians. That's the first time we read about it. Alexander the Great, in the great Greek Empire, crucified 2,000 citizens of the City of Tyre in vengeance over the way they treated him, and put them up on crosses along the shore for everyone to see. Around 100 B.C., Alexander Jannaeus crucified 800 Pharisees and made their wives and children watch them be crucified. The Romans came to power in 63 B.C. and used crucifixion extensively and perfected it as a fine art of torture. In 70 A.D. when the Romans did conquer Israel and destroyed the temple and slaughtered the Jews historians say that Titus used so many crosses to crucify Jews they ran out of lumber. Crucifixion was very common. It didn't need an explanation. But the Jews couldn't comprehend that their Messiah would be crucified. He was to come as a conqueror, not one conquered. And especially that he would be crucified by being rejected by the leaders of Israel and then executed by Pagan idolatrous Romans. This is not their Messiah, this is an agent from Satan who does what he does through the power of Satan and he died a common death like tens of thousands of other low-life, riff-raff, common criminals because crucifixion was reserved only for them.
This was so impossible an idea, that Jesus was truly the King of the Jews, that for them it was an absolute joke. The joke lingered, by the way, after Calvary. On my several visits to the City of Rome, I'm always fascinated when I'm able to do it, to go over to the Palatine Hill near Circus Maximus, and to go into what was once a guardhouse for Roman soldiers. And in the guardhouse there is some ancient graffiti that goes back to the early centuries. The graffiti picture is literally scraped into the stone, a crucified body of a man with the head of a jackass. And below the crucified man with the head of a jackass is a Christian bowing down and the graffiti says, "Alexamenos worships his God." What a joke. What a joke. A crucified God. Nothing more than worshipping a jackass. Justin Martyr, a Christian apologist, in his first apology A.D. 152, summarized the view of Christ that was held by people in the world and essentially they thought it was a joke. They say, writes Justin, "Our madness consists in this, that we give to a crucified man a place equal to the unchangeable and eternal creator God." So if you think a crucified man is the eternal creator God, you are a fool and that is a joke. It was shear insanity to the murderers of Jesus to consider him any different than others who were crucified. In fact, for the Jews his crucifixion sealed the fact that he was not the Messiah, because Deuteronomy 21:23 says, "Cursed is anyone who hangs on a tree; cursed by God."
Anyone, therefore, who was crucified, was treated with contempt, treated with disdain. It was reserved for the worst and the lowest, the social pariahs, the outcasts. And so when they came to the cross, typically they came to the cross with scorn, and the idea that Jesus claimed to be God's anointed king and Messiah, was just laughable – so laughable, so bizarre, so ludicrous and so ridiculous that they managed to turn the whole thing into a comic melodrama. For them a man like Jesus, claiming to be a king, only demonstrated that he belonged in an asylum for the insane. However, he was King and one person recognized it. Go down to verse 42. "One of the two thieves who was put in a position to be part of the comedy said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom." He could see through the joke. He could see through the farce, the parody, the vaudeville, to the truth. For the moment, Jesus looks to be a prince of fools. How wrong an assessment that is. Back to verse 33. "When they came to the place called The Skull" – we don't know where that place is. There is a traditional site. There is a more contemporary site. There's discussion about whether it's one or the other or perhaps another site. We don't know. Nothing in the New Testament says it was a hill, nothing, but it was traditionally the Roman way to crucify people in an elevated place so that people could see them.
They wanted to make their point, so traditionally it has been considered that it was some kind of a high ground and it was called The Skull perhaps because it had some kind of configuration that represented or resembled a skull. That's all we know. We do know it was called The Skull, Golgotha in Aramaic or Hebrew, Calvaria in Latin or Calvary. Some have said it was called The Skull because of the Skulls of the people who were crucified were lying around. I don't think so. I don't think the Jews would have a place where skulls were lying all over the place. But it's interesting that its name is associated with the gruesome reality of what went on there – death. "And there they crucified him." That's the same phrase in all four gospels. Very restrained. "They" means the Roman soldiers. You can see that in Mark 15 versus 16 to 24. It was the Roman soldiers who actually crucified Jesus. Before they crucified him, according to Matthew 27:34, they gave him wine to drink mingled with gall. What was this? Well, as cruel as they were there was a little bit of human sensibility in them so that they gave to the person who was to be crucified a mild sedative; perhaps not coming close to easing the agonies of crucifixion, but sedating them enough so they could get them nailed to the cross without a fight. They didn't need to sedate Jesus and so after tasting it, he was unwilling to drink.
He would take it all with full senses. He didn't need to be sedated to get him nailed there. He would put his hands there and his feet there willingly. That's all we know. They crucified him and he refused the sedative, but he wasn't crucified alone. Two criminals, some think co-conspirators with Barabbas because Barabbas, though he was a murderer, was also an insurrectionist and you don't lead an insurrection by yourself. And Barabbas had been released because it was the custom to release a prisoner at the Passover and they wanted Barabbas and not Jesus. Perhaps these were two co-conspirators with Barabbas who were guilty of some elements of insurrection. They are referred to in the scripture a couple of ways; criminals and they are also called robbers, so we can't be sure. But all three of them are crucified in the same way. Back now to Luke 23, "There they crucified him and the criminals." I think sometimes we want to isolate Jesus out of that scene but we can't do that. Whatever Jesus experienced they experienced, too. All three of them got the exact same treatment. All three are crucified in the exact same way, as thousands of others before them and after them would be. And I know when you read, "There they crucified him," you wish you knew more and you have a right to know more. They understood when they read this in its original because they were experiencing the reality of crucifixion right on into the 4th Century A.D.
So maybe a little bit of a summary just so you understand what was going on, but what I want you to keep in mind is this was being done to three people, not one, and it had been done to thousands and thousands of others before and would be after. Through the years there has been a lot of study of this. There have been a lot of interested people who have looked at the crucifixion of Christ from the historical, biblical and even pathological viewpoint, bringing to bear upon it everything e can out of history of other crucifixions and forms of torture and even in the more modern world looking at it from a medical viewpoint. Perhaps the most concise and helpful treatment appeared March 21, 1986 in JAMA, The Journal of the American Medical Association, which is a prestigious journal, as you know. And this particular study of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ was done by the Department of Pathology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, a very fine institution. They took the precise statements of the four gospels, the accurate historical sources and their pathological and medical knowledge and they put together a very helpful article which you may want to find for yourself. JAMA, March 21, 1986.
All their study included the fact that everyone who was crucified was beaten before crucifixion. This was always done. Braided leather thongs with bits of metal and sheep bone or some other kind of animal bone embedded in them were used to lash the victim from the bottom of the neck all the way down to the back of the knees. At the time that he was being lashed, his arms were extended up and tied to a pole. He was in a slumped position. Two lictors hit him with alternating blows. We don't know whether or not they followed the Jewish prescription of no more than 40 lashes. We don't know how many lashes these people received. There is no indication. But all the results would be that the bone and the metal ripped into the flesh, deep contusions, lacerations into subcutaneous tissues, into the fabric of the muscles. Pain, blood loss, circulatory shock would ensue. All three received this. Maybe Jesus had some exacerbated agonies because it is said of Jesus that when they took him back into the judgment hall after this, they put a robe on him. It would be a crusty, old robe made of wool that would do nothing be agitate and irritate his open wounds. And then they jammed a crown of thorns on his head, hit him in the head with a stick and spit on him and at some point they ripped the robe back off him, which would again agitate and rip the wounds. There would be intense pain, blood loss, hematidrosis making the skin hypersensitive. Add to that lack of sleep, lack of food, lack of water, and after all of that then came crucifixion for all three of them.
The Romans didn't invent it, but boy did they perfect it. It was a low death with maximum agony. The victims carried the cross, perhaps a cross apiece, across the back of their neck and their shoulders, and their arms were tied to it. Jesus received help because apparently he wasn't moving fast enough or some other motivation. So Simon of Cyrene was asked to carry his cross and either he took the piece off the shoulders of Jesus and carried it for him, or Jesus was actually carrying his whole cross and Simon picked up the bottom of it that was banging along the cobblestones because Luke says he carried it behind him. Arriving at the place of crucifixion they would be offered that sedation which Jesus refused, then they would be thrown to the ground on their backs. The cross piece would then be pulled under their shoulders and their arms were nailed to the cross piece. The Romans used nails. Archeologists have found the remains of crucified victims from as early as the 1st Century and earlier, and the nails were tapered iron spikes five to seven inches long, about a half inch in diameter square. They were driven through the wrists, right here rather than the palms of the hands, so they could carry the full weight of the slumping body. And so lying on his back on the ground, each of these three would be nailed to the cross piece with these great, square spikes driven through each wrist.
The impaled victim was then lifted up and the cross piece was attached to the horizontal, often called the stipes. The feet were then nailed, the knees bent up. The feet were nailed with one nail, one foot upon the other so that the victim could push up to breathe, to inhale and exhale and pull up on the wounds to do the same. And whether pulling with the wrists or pushing with the feet, they would be pulling and pushing against the wound. By the way, the slumping condition and the bent knees was so severe that you couldn't breathe in that position. The soldiers could bring death in minutes by breaking the legs. If they broke the legs and the victim couldn't push up, he would die in minutes because he couldn't breathe. To survive, the victim would push up and pull up on the wounds. Insects would burrow into the wounds, into the eyes, the ears, the nose. Birds of prey would tear at the open sites. By the way, no one survived crucifixion.
To confirm death in hours or days when the Romans thought the person might be dead, the body was pierced with a lance and it was pierced in precisely the exact spot in the heart in which the flow of blood and water, as it's described in the Bible, would come out to indicate death. And by the way, all Roman soldiers were taught the most precise place in a human anatomy to put your lance. If they were soldiers, they were killers. Each effort of the person on the cross to breathe would mean he had to pull himself up or push himself up, which would then rub the open wounds up the course of the rugged cross and then back again ripping and shredding those wounds further. The nails in the wrists would crush or sever the large sensory right motor median nerve, and when a nerve is damaged and the nerve is pierced, the bolts of pain are relentless. The nails in the feet would likely pierce the deep peroneal nerve – the planter nerve – with the same result. So you have viscous, relentless nerve pain through your feel and through your hands. The weight of the body pulling against all these agonizing, torturous bolts of pain, struggles pulling itself up, pushing itself up, breathing is shallow. You don't get enough oxygen, what do you get? Tetanic contractions, muscle cramps. Add to that dehydration, arrhythmias, congestive heart failure, plural effusions. One can't even comprehend how painful all of it is. There's a word for it: excruciating. Excruciating. That's the most extreme word we know in English to describe pain and it comes the Latin excruci – "out of the cross." Out of the cross. This is the experience of all three men, all three, but for one of those three it was his destiny. But not just his destiny, ours as well.
Now the Jews should have known, but instead of this proving that Jesus is not their Messiah, it did just the opposite. It proved that he was the Messiah. Look at Psalm 22. Let's go a thousand years before, Psalm 22, a thousand years earlier to the time of David. Nobody has seen crucifixion. It doesn't exist until 500 years before Christ. This is a thousand years. Verse 12, Psalm 22, "Many bulls have surrounded me, strong bulls of Bashan have encircled me." What is this? What is this? Bashan was originally Amorite land – Amorite land east of the Jordan and south of Mount Hermon – way up in the north of Israel; a beautiful, lush land. The snow on Mount Hermon sent down plenty of water into the north. These were well-watered pasture lands. Consequently, they were lands were cattle was raised. Great, strong bulls grew in the land of Bashan. Amos 4:1 says it was the land of cows, where if you have bulls you have cows and so this was a flourishing, fertile area. Once the territory of the Amorites, but given by God to Israel. It represents the powerful and the strong and so it is a symbol of the Jews, the powerful, the flourishing, the well-fed, the well-watered Jews. They surround me, they encircle me. They open wide their mouth at me as a ravening and a roaring lion. This is hatred, animosity, hostility, which is precisely what those well-fed and flourishing leaders of Israel were doing to Jesus as they surrounded him at the cross.
Then he begins to describe something of what crucifixion is, even though no one had ever seen such. "I am poured out like water. All my bones are out of joint. My heart is like wax melted within me. My strength is dried up like a potsherd. My tongue cleaves to my jaws. Thou dost lay me in the dust of death for dogs and other symbols have surrounded me, abandoned evildoers encompass me. They pierced my hands and my feet." Wow. "I can count all my bones. They look. They stare at me. They divided my garments among them and for my clothing they cast lots." No surprises, folks. What was going on there, hat was going on there was God bringing to pass the fulfillment of a prophecy from a thousand years before. Three hundred years later, in 700, along came a prophet by the name of Isaiah and in Isaiah 53, that great chapter in his prophecy, Isaiah describes this crucifixion before anyone had ever seen a crucifixion. Isaiah says this, Isaiah 53 verse 5, "He was pierced through for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities. This chastening for our wellbeing fell on him and by his scourgings we are healed." In the next verse he says, "God has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on him. He is pierced for our transgressions." A Psalmist a thousand years before says he will be pierced. His hands and his feet will be pierced. Seven hundred years before, the prophet Isaiah says that he will be pierced not for his own transgressions, but for our transgressions. There you have, folks, what sets Jesus apart from the other two. They were pierced for their own transgressions, he was pierced for ours.
It is not the physical sufferings of Jesus that are unique, it is the thing they accomplish that is unique. A hundred and fifty years later, still long before the Jews have been exposed to crucifixion, along comes another prophet by the name of Zechariah. And Zechariah, looking into the future says, "Someday I will pour out on the House of David," chapter twelve, verse 10, "and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and supplication, so that they will look on me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him." While once they laughed when they pierced him, in the future they will mourn when they look back on what they did. David predicted the piercing of Jesus. Isaiah predicted the piercing of Jesus. Five hundred and fifty years before the cross, Zechariah predicts the piercing of Jesus and a time when the Jews will look back and realize what they did. How could they have known this? How could they have known the Messiah would be pierced? Crucifixion didn't exist. This becomes the mark of his Messiahship. Listen to Revelations 1:7, "Behold he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over him." Who is even those who pierced him? The Jews. Someday they're going to look on the one they pierced – so they pierced him and they pierced the thief on the left hand and they pierced the thief on the right hand. The thieves were pierced for their own transgressions. He was pierced through for our transgressions. It was not the physical elements of his crucifixion that were unique. They were not unique. It was the purpose and the achievement of his crucifixion that is unique. Yes he was cursed, but he was made a curse for us. Yes he was pierced, but he was pierced for our transgressions. It was foolishness to the Greeks. It was a stumbling block to the Jews and they turned it into a joke, a farce, and a mockery.
Someday, in the future, the Jews will view it differently. They will not laugh. They will weep. Once Jesus was dead and the Jews had managed to lie about and bribe the Roman soldiers to lie about the resurrection, they had to justify what they had done. They had to keep up the joke that this Jesus was the King. They had to keep it up. So even after he's gone, even after he's died and they've denied his resurrection, he ascended into heaven, they've got to keep up the comedy. Guess what, 70 A.D. the comedy ended and it ended seriously and deadly. You may not laugh at the cross and you may not see it as comedy. Perhaps most people don't, but I'll assure you of this. Most people don't take it seriously enough. How serious is the cross? There is no salvation, no forgiveness, no heaven unless you embrace Jesus as your Lord and Savior and believe in the sacrifice that he offered at the cross to pay the penalty for your sins. You either take the cross seriously or you become an eternal tragedy. Well, next time we'll look a little more closely at the comedy. As I said, most people probably don't laugh at the cross. That was the ultimate blasphemy and it's amazing when you look at that account and you realize that Luke says virtually nothing about the actual crucifixion of Jesus; just there, they crucified him. But all his words have to do with the attitude of the people because he's painting for us this final apostasy of Israel, the horror of such blasphemy to turn the son of God into a joke. This also speaks to the issue of the grace of God because it was from that cross, in the middle of the comedy, that Jesus said, "Father" – what – "forgive them." Was there ever a greater illustration of grace? I trust that your view of the cross is the right one, the savings one.
Father, now send us on our way. Bring some into the prayer room, Lord, that you would desire to come. Lift up your son. It's in his name we pray. Amen.
This article is also available and sold as a booklet.


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The whole grain in nutritrional terms is very rich in proteins, providing highest levels of calcium and high levels of dietary fibre. It helps in control of blood glucose levels in diabetics.
In Karnataka its also consumed in many forms like Ragi balls (Ragi Mudde) dipped in sambar, Malt and Koozhu. Ragi Seri can be fed for infants above 6 months since its high in calcium. Whenever we are preparing the flour at home have to be very careful since it contains small muddy particles or stones. When you buy Ragi flour from supermarkets its better to seive 2 to 3 times and then use it.
Here is a simple and easy recipe for Ragi Roti which is high in nutrition and healthy food.
Green chilli - 2nos chopped (As per your taste)
My other entries for breakfast are
Thanks to Ramya and Sanghi for Scrumptious Awards and Rekha for Kreative, Scrumptious and Fabulous Awards. I thank from my bottom of the heart for passing on these wonderful awards to me. I feel very happy and encouraged at the end of the day seeing my blog with awards.
The Rules:
1. Link the person who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Share the ABCs of you.
4. Tag 4 people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs.
5. Let the 4 tagged people know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their website.
6. Do not tag the same person repeatedly but try to tag different people, so that there is a big network of bloggers doing this tag.
The Tag:
1. A – Available/Single? Married
2. B – Best friend? Rashmi
3. C – Cake or Pie? Cake
4. D – Drink of choice? Coffee
5. E – Essential item you use every day? Internet
6. F – Favorite color? Blue
7. G – Gummy Bears Or Worms? -
8. H – Hometown? Bangalore
9. I – Indulgence? Salted potato chips of India
11. K – Kids & their names? 1 Son named Siddarth
12. L – Life is incomplete without? Family
13. M – Marriage date? 24th Aug 2006
14. N – Number of siblings? one elder bro
15. O – Oranges or Apples? both
16. P – Phobias/Fears? Fears
17. Q – Quote for today? Be Cool and patient
18. R – Reason to smile? My son
19. S – Season? Winter
20. T – Tag 4 People?
21. U – Unknown fact about me?unknown
22. V – Vegetable you don't like? mostly i like all thinking....
23. W – Worst habit? loose temper rarely and shout
24. X – X-rays you've had? for tooth
25. Y – Your favorite food? Bisibelebath, gobi manchurian, akki roti, fried rice, many more
26. Z – Zodiac sign? libra


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Note from Kalen: This article is a little wayyy longer than normal, but it's a great story. I highly suggest finding the time to read the whole thing. Take it away, Steve!
"Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in that grey twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat." – Theodore Roosevelt
It's so easy for us to fall into the pattern of working really hard on goals that we picked up through social conditioning but never really consciously chose. However, when we work on such goals, we often hit nothing but roadblocks until we figure out what it is we truly want.
A major shift in my personal growth occurred when I reached the point of letting go of socially conditioned ideas regarding what I should want and finally got clear about what I really did want.
A Personal Failure Story
During my mid-20s I decided I wanted to build a business and get rich. That seemed like something very important to accomplish. I was inspired by Think and Grow Rich and other books of a similar nature. I'd visualize myself having lots of money. I thought about how great my life would be if I had lots of money and a successful business.
For a while I seemed to be making progress. When I was 25 years old, I landed a publishing deal for one of my computer game prototypes. I was pretty excited to receive the first advance payment of $50,000. The total advance was to be $675,000, paid out over several months. That was a reasonable advance for the type of game my small studio was developing, especially since I had to hire other team members and acquire certain software licenses. Compared to other retail game budgets at the time, this project was fairly inexpensive title, definitely not something that was striving to be a major retail hit. Today that level of funding would be ridiculously cheap for a serious retail PC game.
Almost from day one, things were problematic with this publisher. They were unresponsive to communication requests, they tried changing the terms of the deal after we started working together, and they failed to send my team what we needed in a timely manner. After a couple of months trying to work with them, they missed making the next advance payment. Then they unilaterally pulled out of the deal, breaching our signed agreement. To top it all off, they filed a lawsuit against me to get the first advance payment back, filling it with false accusations that had absolutely no basis in reality. It was a ridiculous bullying strategy.
Their actions made little business sense to me unless they were simply trying to tie up our project to get it off the market and prevent a timely release. Unfortunately some publishers have been known to employ this tactic when they have a competing title in the works. I don't know if that was the motivation — I don't recall this publisher developing any games in the same genre at the time. I suspect we were simply victims of crazed corporate-level decision making. I have no other good explanation for why they handled this relationship the way they did. I'm certainly not the only developer to have a bad experience working with this publisher. One involved a very messy, very public battle that went on for years.
Since I couldn't think of a better solution, I called their CEO directly and basically said, "I really don't understand what you're doing here. We spent the first advance payment working on this game for you, you block us nearly every step of the way, you breach our contract, and then you turn around and sue us with a list of phony charges? I don't get it. This makes no sense to me. But I can't fight you, so I give up. The money was spent on development, so there's nothing to return [this was true]. If you proceed with this lawsuit, you're just going to put us out of business. Is that your goal?" At first he seemed a bit stunned by my directness, but after a few minutes he agreed to drop the lawsuit. We agreed to peacefully go our separate ways. I simply wanted nothing more to do with this publisher, and I (gladly) never worked with them again.
Legally I was in the right and probably could have won a sizeable judgment against them for breach of contract if I could have managed the legal fees ($20,000 retainer just to get started), but I wanted to spend my time making games, not giving depositions to attorneys and having this thing linger on for years. Suing people just isn't my way. To date I've never sued anyone, despite having some occasions like this when it might have seemed justified.
Years later I learned that this same publisher and many of its officers (including that same CEO) were publicly exposed for a massive accounting scandal, defrauding their investors by artificially inflating their stock price. They were sued by the Securities and Exchange Commission and had to pay millions of dollars in damages. I can't say I was surprised. Even though I didn't understand polarity at the time, looking back it's pretty clear to me that this CEO and I were of opposite polarities. Incidentally, their games continue to emphasize violence and killing more than ever, and those games have been accused of spawning real-world acts of violence too.
Bit of irrelevant trivia: While having a meeting with my attorney regarding this issue on a patio in Century City (Los Angeles) one morning, he notices a guy walking down the street, waves to him, and shouts, "Bill!" The guy turns and walks up to us. Turns out it was William Shatner. My attorney was working on a book deal for him. Since I was a big Trekkie at the time, I doubt I could have been any dorkier during that conversation. Of all the attorneys I've had to deal with in the course of business, that was the only one I've ever truly enjoyed working with. Too bad he retired from law shortly after that.
The following year I landed a game development deal with a different publisher. This publisher seemed fairly honest, and I liked the CEO. Unfortunately they weren't doing well financially and had to unilaterally pull out of our deal after nearly a year of working together. But up until that point, they were pretty good about making payments on time and providing reasonable support. We did have some rough spots working with them, but most of those problems seemed to stem from their declining financial situation. They had to cut our project due to lack of funds, and that was a big disappointment to all of us. At least nobody threatened to sue anybody, so we parted ways as amicably as possible.
After these two deals crashed and burned, I was left with about $150,000 of debt that built up over several years. That money was spent trying to keep projects going without sufficient publisher support. With virtually no income coming in and my credit exhausted, I didn't see any reasonable choice but to declare bankruptcy. With a new publishing deal and a steady stream of advances, I might have been able to gradually work off that debt (almost all of which was on unsecured credit cards), but it was clear I wouldn't be able to secure a new deal within a timeline that would appease the creditors.
Our debts were soon sold to collection agencies, and their primary collection tactic seemed to be to flood us with letters and phone calls. I was naive at the time and honestly tried to explain the situation to those who called, sharing what I thought were my best options for eventually paying off the debt. But soon I understood that they didn't care what I said. They just assumed I was lying and tried to use whatever I said against me. They'd keep calling every day asking the same questions, acting as if I was somehow withholding a wad of cash. It was like they were just using a script of tactics. I caught no glimpse of real-time intelligence in their communication at all, so eventually I just stopped taking their calls, and we changed our phone number. That at least gave us some breathing room.
Due to the downward spiral this caused, Erin and I had to abandon our office lease prematurely and sell off most of our equipment and furniture. A few months later we were kicked out of our apartment because we were behind in our rent. This was all happening in late 1998 to early 1999. We had to scramble to find a new place to live, borrowing money from a relative for the security deposit.
All the while we were continuing to work full-time and beyond to keep our primary project going, figuring we couldn't afford to let it fail because of all that we'd invested in it. Erin and I got married in 1998, and relatives gave us money so we could at least afford to have a small wedding. We took a very short honeymoon to Las Vegas since we felt we needed to get back to work as soon as possible.
During this time I remember sitting on the beach one day, looking out at the ocean and saying, "Well… at least you're free." I remember thinking that no matter how bad my financial situation was, I could at least enjoy the ocean. Just because my finances were screwed up didn't mean my whole life had to be a mess. That was an important lesson to me.
Since Erin and I were married, all our debt was shared, so we both went bankrupt together. My business was only a sole proprietorship, so all of the business debt was personal debt. (Today I run StevePavlina.com as an LLC). Erin and I were very much in love, but getting kicked out of our apartment 9 months after our wedding wasn't such a great turn of events.
I remember we had multiple garage sales to sell off most of what we owned. We even returned many of our wedding gifts to raise extra cash to pay our bills.
After working very hard on my business (sometimes even sleeping at the office) for five years, I had nothing to show for it but a bankruptcy. I started with $20,000 cash (money I'd been saving since childhood) and turned it into $150,000 debt. I had no money to finish the game projects I started, and the opportunities that spawned them were long past. Fortunately most of the debt was eliminated by the bankruptcy (except for several thousand dollars we owed to relatives), but of course our credit rating was trashed. It seemed like we were basically starting over from scratch.
I was so frustrated because all I wanted to do was make computer games, and aside from a few small shareware games I released along the way, all my big projects had been killed off. Imagine devoting years of your life to projects that only got canceled in the end and never saw the light of day.
Learning Experiences
Despite these challenges, Erin and I grew closer than ever. I think going through these rough times is one of the reasons we're so close today. We know we'll be there to support each other if the going gets tough. We're also very grateful for the abundance we now enjoy.
Even as I went through these experiences, I was reading personal development books and applying what I learned. I was vigilant about visualizing my game projects succeeding. I'd imagine seeing my games on the store shelves. I even made a self-hypnosis tape to help condition the belief that my projects would succeed. I took tons of action and put in a lot of long hours. I really stretched myself to do the best I could.
It wasn't until everything collapsed that I realized I'd been working on the wrong goals all along. Somehow I got caught up following someone else's idea of what I should be doing. I thought I needed to build a games studio, get an office, and land a publishing deal. So that's exactly what I did.
It wasn't until after the crash that I realized that none of those goals were truly my own. My true desire was simply to make a game. When I realized that, I reached a new level of clarity.
A New Vision
Even though my financial life was in ruins, I decided that before I gave up for good, I was going to do one last thing. I was going to design, develop, and release an original game, a game I could be proud of. I decided I'd simply shut out my financial problems and make that happen no matter what.
Due to all the problems I ran into with money, I also decided I was going to get this game done for free. I wasn't going to spend any money to develop it. I didn't care that it seemed impossible to make something decent with no budget. I just resolved to make it happen.
In order to make ends meet, I did some computer consulting and tutoring on the side, while Erin helped small businesses make web sites (and I occasionally helped her with that too). We made just enough money to scrape by, often ending the month with less than $100 to our names.
It took about six months and a lot of creativity, but the game was completed. I did the design and programming myself. The artist agreed to work for no pay in exchange for royalties from sales (which paid off nicely for him in the long run). Erin found a young local musician who was willing to license a few tunes in exchange for professional credit. I made the sound effects myself or grabbed them from a royalty-free effects CD left over from a previous project. Friends and relatives helped test the game. The project was completed in about six months with no budget.
The irony was that I enjoyed this project immensely, much more than the more ambitious projects that were funded by publisher advances. I finally got to sit down and be creative without distractions such as deadlines and budget concerns. I didn't know if the game would sell, but I just put myself in a place of absolutely not caring about the money. I just wanted the opportunity to finally create something and put it out into the world. I often pretended I was living in a dream world where money was irrelevant. I wanted to add my game to that world simply because it seemed like an interesting challenge.
I released the game as shareware in June 1999, initially pricing it very low at $9.95. I knew the game was worth more than that, but I wanted everyone to be able to afford it. Within a few months it was earning enough money to cover all our expenses. It even won a couple awards, including Shareware Game of the Year. My small company finally became profitable and remained so every year thereafter. I stopped updating the game around 2003 and discontinued it in 2006. The site where I sold it has long since been shut down. But I continue to get at least one or two emails about it each month. What's much more important to me than the game was the lessons I learned by developing it.
Key Lessons
One key to this turnaround was understanding what I really, truly wanted. I didn't really want to build a game studio. I didn't really care about earning lots of money. I didn't want to be working with dishonest or financially troubled publishers. I just wanted to create something new for the sheer joy of creation. I wanted to add something to the world that didn't previously exist. That was the part that gave me joy. All the rest was distraction.
Another key was realizing that I can still do what I love even when I'm dead broke, deep in debt, or bankrupt. A lack of money is no excuse. I would sooner lose all my stuff, write articles from a park bench, and post them on bathroom walls than take on work that didn't allow me to express my creativity.
An even more important lesson was that by centering my life on creative self-expression, I also center my life on service to others because my own creativity is the most valuable thing I have to share. And by sharing my greatest value, I'm also doing the very thing that people are willing to exchange their value for… which makes it easy to generate abundant income. "Do what you love, and the money will follow" is a bit oversimplified, but it's essentially correct. The challenge is being able to get yourself to the place where you can commit to doing what you love and saying "piss off" to everything else.
By ignoring the various problems in my life and focusing on creative self-expression, the major problems solved themselves. For example, within about a year of releasing my game, I landed a licensing deal for it that earned several thousand dollars in the first month, just enough to pay off the rest of my family debt, allowing me and Erin to be debt-free for the first time in about six years.
If all the scaffolding of your career and finances were to come crashing down around you, what would you be left with? What really matters to you? Have you figured out what you truly love to do? Or are you stuck doing what you think you're supposed to do?
It took many years for me to figure out what excites me most. This includes learning and growing, creatively expressing myself, connecting with people, helping people, being courageous, having new experiences, building a positive community, sharing ideas, making people laugh, acting on my intuition, etc.
The hard part was giving myself permission to pursue what I really wanted, regardless of what anyone else thought about it. Before that I was constantly obsessing over goals that didn't make me happy.
Applying the Lessons
These difficult lessons really paid off when I launched my personal development business in October 2004. Instead of pouring my life savings into it and going into debt trying to build a business (the way my naive 23-year old self thought it had to be done), I just decided to spend the bulk of my time doing what I loved without spending money. I loved writing personal growth articles, so that's what I did.
My total investment to launch this business was $9 to buy the domain name for the first year. I didn't even have to pay for web hosting at first because I piggybacked the site on the same server I was using for my games business. So $9 was my only real out-of-pocket cost. In the past four years, that's as deep as I ever had to dig into my pockets to fund this business. All the other expenses that came up were easily paid from the income generated.
The site didn't make a lot of money at first, but it also didn't cost anything to run except for my time, so I didn't really care. I had already learned the tough lesson that I just need to focus on creative self-expression, and the rest will largely take care of itself.
When I wrote my book, I put myself into that same frame of mind. I didn't worry about whether it would sell well or how many people would buy it. I just stayed in that place of creative self-expression without getting attached to outcomes. Last week the book hit the Amazon top 100 bestseller list for a short time, and its current sales rank is still pretty good for a book that's three months from release.
It's funny that when I tried to make money and build a successful business, I went bankrupt. But when I just tried to creatively express myself and share the results with others, I was able to earn plenty of income and build a successful business.
Perhaps the most important lesson is that money and business/career success are side effects of expressing your creativity. Be careful not to mistake them for goals unto themselves. Isn't it beautiful that you can actually have all of the above though? You don't have to choose one or the other. But you do have to focus on those core acts of creativity, not on the side effects.
If you were broke, bankrupt, and homeless and couldn't spend any money, what activities would give you the most joy? Are you centering your life around those activities today? If not, then you must ask yourself, "Why not?" If you aren't doing those things, then you're already as broke as a human being can possibly be. If you want to stop being broke, then be creative instead. It's a lot easier in the long run. Believe me — I learned this the hard way.
This article originally appear on StevePavlina.com.