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E-textbooks and other digital assets have become extremely important in the world of textbooks. The texts are evolving quickly, in both the way that they are delivered and in the kinds of instructional activities, materials, and collaborations that are included.
Welcome to an interview with Jill Ambrose, Chief Marketing Officer at CourseSmart.
1. What is your name and your relation to e-learning?
Jill Ambrose, chief marketing officer at CourseSmart, the world's largest provider of eTextbooks and digital course materials. CourseSmart believes in anywhere, anytime access of course materials for everyone. Therefore CourseSmart enables and supports access to e-learning.
2. What are some of the latest trends in e-learning?
I would say the two biggest trends in e-learning right now are the push towards mobile access and learning as well as interactive course materials that improve learning outcomes.
With today's students being more tech savvy and taking their college learning experiences beyond just the classroom, mobile access to e-learning tools has become increasingly important. CourseSmart has been committed to meeting the growing mobile needs of today's students, and just this year, we led the industry in mobile innovations by introducing the first eReader app for Android™-based devices which joined our other industry firsts – the iPhone® and iPad® apps, launched in 2009 and 2010, respectively. We also launched an HTML5 single platform reader (another industry first) allowing users to access digital course materials online, offline or on mobile devices. And earlier this summer, CourseSmart launched the industry's first social commerce tab on Facebook, giving students unprecedented access to eTextbooks through a site where they already spend a lot of their time.
CourseSmart is the only digital course provider that offers eResources from multiple publishers. eResources are highly engaging and interactive learning products that make faculty teaching more effective and student learning more engaging by providing immediate feedback to the student to ensure comprehension of key learnings. eResources include an automated, integrated grading system that provides real-time feedback to ensure comprehension of key learnings by the user.
It's not just about what's "fun and interesting" in their eTextbooks, but rather, it's what truly helps students with learning and ultimately the comprehension of that learning experience.
All eResources are not alike but many include quizzes, tutorials, interactive exercises, videos, links to other websites and the digital text.
3. How have digital textbooks changed over the last 5 years?
First off, the content has not changed. Availability and how you interact with the content is where there have been dramatic increases.
Regarding availability, digital course materials and eTextbooks are now available through multiple channels; online, through some Publishers and the campus bookstore. The sheer volume of the CourseSmart catalog of eTextbooks continues to grow everyday and currently includes more than 20,000 eTextbooks which represents 90% of all core higher education textbooks in use today.
How you interact with the content has also changed. Mobile access is a big shift in the last few years with the increase of smartphone and tablet usage as well as emerging mobile app technology. At CourseSmart alone, almost one third of all users (faculty and students alike) prefer to read their materials on a tablet rather than on a computer. Product features have also improved significantly, as CourseSmart has continued to listen to consumer feedback, adapting our features to meet the changing needs of students. This includes improved highlighting and note-taking functionality, the ability to cut and paste sections of text, email select content to classmates, etc.
4. What do you see as some of the main trends in cloud-based digital texts?
An important element that CourseSmart recognizes in the use of digital texts is the ability to access texts when needed, without limiting storage to only one device or access through multiple devices, as well as creating the ability to synchronize notes and highlights when you are working between computers and devices. This is where the case for cloud-based digital textbooks becomes especially relevant to our customers. The availability and portability of cloud-based applications, such as CourseSmart's library of eTextbooks and digital course materials, means that students and faculty can access the texts and course materials anytime, anywhere. Access is available from any web-enabled device or through one of CourseSmart's downloadable apps. Our cloud-based model perfectly fits with the on-the-go lifestyle and need for portability without the burden of carrying around heavy textbooks. Even notes on the texts, if entered within CourseSmart's interface, are portable!
The cloud-based nature of eTextbooks and digital resources also eliminates the need for costly investments in storage and infrastructure by schools and students to store loads of downloaded materials. While CourseSmart eTextbooks and digital course materials can be accessed offline, they remain stored on the cloud, taking advantage of the efficiency of cloud storage.
5. How well do CourseSmart texts integrate with learning management systems?
They integrate extremely well. CourseSmart is dedicated to providing a streamlined teaching and learning experience for faculty and students. CourseSmart Solutions for instructors and institutions can be fully integrated with various learning management systems like Pearson LearningStudio, Blackboard® and Desire2Learn, allowing instructors and students to access their course materials in their current daily workflow. Current solutions may be found at Arizona State University, University of Michigan and Western Governors University to name a few.
6. (Revised) What kinds of multimedia do you typically bundle with an e-text? Do you have standalone audio (mp3 format) that students can download to their portable devices, or do they have to access the e-text through the CourseSmart portal each time they want to watch a video or listen to an audio podcast?
Publishers determine the content that should be offered as an eTextbook or an eResource. The publisher also determines appropriate content that should be bundled with eTextbooks. There are various forms of multimedia used with titles offered by the publishers. Again, these are determined by the publisher. The types of multimedia selected are based on how well they support the concepts being taught.
All of CourseSmart's eTextbooks are stored within the cloud and are accessible to students and faculty anytime, anywhere via a Web-enabled device connected to the Internet. At this time, only CourseSmart's non-multimedia content can be accessed offline.
© 2011 CourseSmart, LLC. All rights reserved. CourseSmart® is a registered trademark of CourseSmart, LLC. All other names may be trademarks of their respective owners.


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So, you want to harvest a massive amount of data from the internet? What better storage mechanism than Cassandra? This is easy to do with Nutch.
Often people use Hbase behind Nutch. This works, but it may not be an ideal solution if you are (or want to be) a Cassandra shop. Fortunately, Nutch 2+ uses the Gora abstraction layer to access its data storage mechanism. Gora supports Cassandra. Thus, with a few tweaks to the configuration, you can use Nutch to harvest content directly into Cassandra.
We'll start with Nutch 2.1... I like to go directly from source:
$ git clone https://github.com/apache/nutch.git -b 2.1
$ ant
After the build, you will have a nutch/runtime/local directory, which contains the binaries for execution. Now let's configure Nutch for Cassandra.
First we need to add an agent to Nutch by adding the following xml element to nutch/conf/nutch-site.xml:
<value>My Nutch Spider</value>
Next we need to tell Nutch to use Gora Cassandra as its persistence mechanism. For that, we add the following element to nutch/conf/nutch-site.xml:
<description>Default class for storing data</description>
Next, we need to tell Gora about Cassandra. Edit the nutch/conf/gora.properties file. Comment out the SQL entries, and uncomment the following line:
Additionally, we need to add a dependency for gora-cassandra. Edit the ivy/ivy.xml file and uncomment the following line:
<dependency org="org.apache.gora" name="gora-cassandra" rev="0.2" conf="*->default" />
Finally, we want to re-generate the runtime with the new configuration and the additional dependency. Do this with the following ant command:
ant runtime
Now we are ready to run!
Create a directory called "urls", with a file named seed.txt that contains the following line:
Next, update the regular expression url in conf/regex-urlfilter.txt to:
Now, crawl!
bin/nutch crawl urls -dir crawl -depth 3 -topN 5
That will harvest webpages to Cassandra!!
Let's go look at the data model for a second...
You will notice that a new keyspace was created: webpage. That keyspace contains three tables: f, p, and sc.
[cqlsh 2.3.0 | Cassandra 1.2.1 | CQL spec 3.0.0 | Thrift protocol 19.35.0]
Use HELP for help.
cqlsh> describe keyspaces;
system webpage druid system_auth system_traces
cqlsh> use webpage;
cqlsh:webpage> describe tables;
f p sc
Each of these tables is a pure key-value store. To understand what is in each of them, take a look at the nutch/conf/gora-cassandra-mapping.xml file. I've included a snippet below:<field name="baseUrl" family="f" qualifier="bas"/>
<field name="status" family="f" qualifier="st"/>
<field name="prevFetchTime" family="f" qualifier="pts"/>
<field name="fetchTime" family="f" qualifier="ts"/>
<field name="fetchInterval" family="f" qualifier="fi"/>
<field name="retriesSinceFetch" family="f" qualifier="rsf"/>
From this mapping file, you can see what it puts in the table, but unfortunately the schema isn't really conducive to exploration from the CQL prompt. (I think there is room for improvement here) It would be nice if there was a CQL friendly schema in place, but that may be difficult to achieve through gora. Alas, that is probably the price of abstraction.
So, the easiest thing is to use the nutch tooling to retrieve the data. You can extract data with the following command:
runtime/local/bin/nutch readdb -dump data -content
When that completes, go into the data directory and you will see the output of the Hadoop job that was used to extract the data. We can then use this for analysis.
I really wish Nutch used a better schema for C*. It would be fantastic if that data was immediately usable from within C*. If someone makes that enhancement, please let me know!

subset: commoncrawl


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Q What is the ideal depth for a koi pond?
A In my 25+ years experience, 4 to 5 feet is ideal. You need a minimum of 3 feet for koi fish for several reasons. Safety for fish from wading cranes they can not wade in 3 feet of water. Plus the water temperature in shallow ponds fluctuates too much with the changes in ambient temperature. The greater the volume of water, the longer it takes for the temperature to change. Warm water or fluctuating temperatures are unhealthy for fish.
Q What is the ideal size for a pond?
A The ideal pond size would be determined by the size of your yard. Its size should be proportional to the size of the yard. Also, the larger the koi pond, the greater the maintenance.
Q What is your opinion on using a liner to construct a pond rather than using a hard molded or concrete one.
A My recommendation is and always has been to use concrete. However, if you are on a tight budget or do not plan on living there for an extended period of time, a liner would be recommended. In this case, you would have to add a thin layer of mortar between the liner and soil to prevent tree roots, ground squirrels, rats, mice, gophers or chipmunks from compromising the liner. The hard molded, preformed plastic ponds become brittle from the sun's UV rays in just a couple of years. No good!
Q What type of pond filter do you recommend?
A That cannot be answered simply because many factors are involved. Do you have an existing pond with a submersible pump or above-ground pump? What's the volume of the pond? Do you have fish, and if so, how many? What size plumbing pipe is being used? This is so involved, I have devoted an entire chapter in my construction manual to the subject. I have an 8000 gallon pond with an above-ground pump and I use a pressurized biological bead filter. It takes 2 minutes to back flush with the turn of a handle and keeps my pond crystal clear.
Q I have tons of algae hanging from the rocks in my falls and growing in clumps in my hand. What can I do to get rid of it?
A When the first Polynesians settled in Hawaii between 300 and 600 AD, they were probably very annoyed by the aggressive, wild, pervasive taro plant, just like you are very annoyed by your algae. They tried to chop it down, burn it, stomp it, but to no avail. It just came back, so they ate it, and still do to this day. In fact, it's a staple like peanut butter is to some Americans. Just kidding! However, if you told me it was watercress I would suggest eating it. Many pond stores will try to sell you a very expensive algaecide to solve your problem, but all you need to do is increase the salt content of your water. Some experts recommend one pound of rock salt to every 100 gallons of water. This will not hurt your fish; in fact, it will help to produce a healthy shiny coat. However, it will harm most of your plants if you apply that dose all at once. Plus the dead and decaying algae will deplete the oxygen and this will harm your fish. Apply it slowly over a week or two, and be patient. It takes longer to kill it this way, but your fish will appreciate it! This topic is also a chapter in my construction manual.
Q Should I keep salt in my pond on a regular basis?
A If you maintain a specific gravity of 1.000, your fish will be less susceptible to ulcer and fin rot. And you will keep the algae from getting out of control.
Q I am considering building a waterfall between my house and my neighbor's against the fence. Will the sound of the falls annoy them if I let it run 24 hours a day?
A The sound generated by a waterfall is called white noise, which is very relaxing and soothing, not annoying. I have several hundred clients who leave their falls running 24/7 and none have ever had a neighbor complain. In fact, they all appreciate the fact that they did not have to spend the money to enjoy the sound.
Q How many koi fish can I put in my koi pond?
A The amount could range from 150 to 250 gallons per fish. If you are starting out with small 6″ to 8″ long koi, they can reach 2 feet in three years, depending on how much food and how often you feed them. They could even grow to over 3 feet long! The overcrowding of fish produces stress and a lot of waste material. It can reduce the health of the fish and result in various diseases. Also, a less crowded pond is more pleasant to look at.
Q Do I really need a filter in my pond?
A Not in every case. If your pond is small and you have any guppies or mosquito fish and adequate water plants covering 1/3 to ́ of your pond, your pond will clean itself by means of the nitrogen cycle. The biological aspects of pond chemistry are well covered in my waterfall and construction manual.
Q How long do koi fish live?
A The average lifespan of koi in Japan is 70 years. Some have been known to live to 100 or more, such as the legendary Hanako, alleged to have lived for over 200 years. Unlike the amazing results of the meticulous care the Japanese give their koi, American koi live a fraction of that time, usually due to neglect and lack of care or proper environment.
Q How can I protect my koi against predators?
Unfortunately, most people that come to me are frustrated people who already have a pond or a rather poorly planned pond. If your pond is shallow, less than 3 feet, or has a shallow end, raccoons, coyotes, cranes, egrets, etc. have easy access to your fish. You may think your fish are safe because you have a deep end for the fish to retreat to. Well, you and your fish are dead wrong. A crane will stand perfectly still for 10 to 20 minutes waiting for the koi to forget he is there. Some will regurgitate chum into the deep pond, luring the fish to the surface. Your only solution is a net, or try the crane statue, scarecrow, or high-frequency sound emitters for smaller animals. However, one of my clients watched a crane land next to his crane statue. While the scarecrow was pelting him with a stream of water, it snatched up one of their prize koi.
A critter-proof pond is over 3 feet everywhere and has a raised deck 13″ minimum over the water surrounding the pond. Raccoons cannot swim and catch fish at the same time, and they or the birds will not be able to reach the water.
Q I would like to have a koi pond but I live in Michigan and every year ponds and lakes freeze over. Will they survive?
A There are fish in those lakes you are talking about: blue gill, bass, sunfish, carp, and they all survive. And guess what? Koi are in the carp family. Koi were originally raised for food in Japan. They would grow rice in the summer and then flood the rice patties and raise koi in the winter, cutting holes in the ice to catch them for food. However, your pond must be 4 ́ to 6 'feet deep to ensure the water stays about 4' to the bottom. Turn off the waterfall and bottom drain, draw water from the skimmer to keep the bottom still. Place swimming pool solar blankets over the surface. If your pond is deep enough, you can let it freeze over. However, you need to install a horse tank heater to keep a hole open in the ice to allow any ammonia gas from rotting debris on the bottom to escape. If your pond is less than 4 ´ feet deep, take the koi indoors for the winter and place them in a garage or basement tank.
Q Can I keep koi and goldfish together?
A Yes, you can. They are both cold water fish and members of the carp family. Most other cold water fish can also swim together, such as shubunkins, rudd, orfe, blue gill, mosquito fish, guppies, sunfish, bass, etc. However, only in deeper ponds where the mean temperature is 65 degrees or less on the bottom for bass, sunfish and bluegill.
Q Should my koi pond have a bottom drain?
A A bottom drain is essential for a healthy koi pond. However, if it is exposed and the suction is strong enough, turtles or fish can get stuck to it and not be able to get loose. Therefore, two drains should be hooked in series to relieve the pressure between them, just as in a swimming pool. Bottom drains draw falling waste from the fish before it reaches the bottom, keeping it clean. Areas where it does build up can be swept to the drains for easy cleaning. If you are using a submersible pump or pulling the water from the skimmer; water is not circulating properly on the bottom of the pond. That is where rotting debris is producing ammonia and other toxic gasses.
Q My pond water is very clear, but my fish are dying. What is wrong?
A Drinking water might taste good, smell good, and look clear. But some of the most toxic chemicals that are known to cause cancer are colorless, odorless and tasteless. I recommend that you purchase a test kit from a pond store and check your water regularly. Nitrates, nitrite and ammonia are all detrimental to fish. Ammonia and nitrite can, at high levels, be fatal to fish. These substances are dissolved in the water and consequently are impossible to detect by the clarity of the water and they can break down the fish's immune system.
Q What type of filter do you recommend?
A For any pond over 1000 gallons, I recommend a pressurized biological bead filter that can be back washed. I have used Aqua Ultraviolet Ultima II filters for years. Most larger pond suppliers carry them. Their filters range from 1000 gallons to 10,000 gallons. Up-flow and gravity flow filters require regular cleaning, which is a filthy job. The filter media is packed with stinky, putrid fish waste and decaying pond scum. As you handle the filter screens, media, scrubbers, etc. you will have little white feces-eating worms that are 1/16″ long crawling on your hands and arms. Not to mention the noxious smell that burns your eyes and lungs.
It cost pennies on the dollar to make, yet dealers charge a fortune. You pay the price for the filter and in the time it takes to maintain it you pay an additional cost for your time maintaining it. With a pressurized filter, it only takes a turn of a handle for 2 to 3 minutes and the filter is clean. The waste water is not wasted either. You can water your plants with it using the discharge hose. If you can imagine, that brown, colored, stinky water is packed with nitrogen. It's better than Miracle Grow T.M. I have used my 6000 gallon Ultima II for over eight years and it works as well now as the day it was installed. Happy, happy fish!
Q How much does an average pond cost?
A What is average? It depends on whether you are talking about a liner pond or a professional concrete and rebar pond. A typical liner pond can be 6 feet by 8 feet, and depending on who is installing it, could cost between $2,500 and $3,500. The other dimensions are pretty much proportionate. Liner ponds are susceptible to leaks from punctures, gophers, and rats, etc. Concrete ponds last for decades and on the average cost only 20% more than liner ponds.
Q My pond is green and I can not see my fish. What should I do?
A Your challenge is algae (suspended planktonic algae), which does not directly hurt the fish. However, algae gives off oxygen during the day from photosynthesis. But unfortunately, it uses up oxygen at night. In addition, it is unsightly and blocks the view of the fish. You can increase the salt content or install an ultraviolet light, which not only kills spore algae but kills the bacteria that causes the water to become murky and stinky.
Q I heard that UV light will also also kill beneficial bacteria. Is that true?
A If I say "No," I am calling many so-called professional experts liars. So I will put it this way. All the beneficial pond bacteria such as aerobic or anaerobic bacteria, nitrobacter, etc., reside in the filter or in the decaying debris at the bottom of the pond. They aren't floating around in the pond. Bacteria and algae containing pathogenic disease are, and as they pass through the UV light, they are eradicated.
Q Do I need a waterfall for my pond?
A YES! Most definitely. First of all, waterfalls are beautiful to look at. The sound is soothing and relaxing and the water moving over rocks generates negative ions which are added to the air. As you breathe negatively charged air, it relieves stress and anxiety. Waterfalls also add extra oxygen to the pond. Waterfalls are a must!
Q I heard concrete ponds will leach alkali into the pond. Is that true?
A Yes and no. A poorly constructed concrete pond will, but only until algae starts growing on the sides. Also if the pond is constructed of 3500 psi concrete and coated with Thoro-seal T.M., it is impossible for alkali to leach out. Plus, if you use Doug Hoover's secret mortar mix formula, the mortar in the waterfall between the rocks will not leach either.
Q What is the advantage of building a waterfall using concrete and mortar?
A A major reason is that the rock will be securely mortared in place, preventing a serious accident from rocks sliding, as with a liner waterfall. Trust me, some day, some adventurous child will climb onto it. That is a lawsuit in the making.
Happy koi, peace & joy.


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Located just eight miles outside of Baltimore, Towson University is the second-largest school in Maryland's public university system, offering its nearly 20,000 students more than sixty undergraduate majors. The "proximity to Baltimore and D.C. are great for job opportunities," and students find "many internships" there too. Since the school offers "a never-ending fountain of free resources," they also have access to tutoring, skills classes, "essay proofreading, [and] laptop repairs" on campus. This support extends beyond the classroom, too: "There are a lot of resources at our disposal if we ever need help academically, physically, or emotionally." This is the result of initiative the school takes in "catering to the students' needs." As another student says, "The campus is constantly striving to improve."
The majority of students agree that faculty are "well-educated and know how to further explain concepts." Professors ensure that when students sit down in class, it "isn't just boring slides," and it "often involves different forms of technology." If a student can't grasp a concept, teachers usually "are willing to go the extra mile until it is understood." And while Towson may be sizable, "there are enough professors here [such] that learning is as personalized as it would be on a smaller campus." That means small class sizes in which "you can get to know your professors and classmates"; group work that "allows you to replicate the skills that you have been learning in class"; and teachers who "relate the material to the real world and show how we will use the material in real-life situations."


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Diversity within the church has existed since its inception. Here we will examine the period "between Jesus and Paul."
From A.D. 30 to 35 the foundations were laid for subsequent Christian missions, as well as for theological reflections. The Church in Jerusalem under the leadership of the Twelve, with its decisiveness in responding to the needs of the faithful and its openness in blessing diversity in the community, prepared the ground for missionary activity in the Hellenistic world.
Our sources for the life and activity of the church in Jerusalem are Acts 1-12, a few fragments in the letters of Paul, and some references in James and Jude. Acts, the main source, has been subjected to stringent historical analysis. As Luke, the author of the book, wrote it in the last quarter of the first century, the time lag has led some interpreters to question its reliability as a source for this period. Their claim is that Acts was written to produce an idealized, generalized portrait of early Christian beginnings, which is reflected in the summaries (Acts 2.42-47; 4.32-35; 5.12-16). But far from offering an "ideal picture," Luke also revealed that the disciples of Christ after Pentecost were not always of "one accord." However, this aspect cannot be properly evaluated if it is not considered in the context of the "ideal" image of the church.
As he compiled the historical record, Luke relied upon the testimony of participants in these early events and may have drawn upon written sources. As Paul's traveling companion (Col. 4.14, Philem. 24) he was with him and James in Jerusalem (Acts 20-21). Before they reached the city they had been guests in Caesarea of "Philip the Evangelist" (Acts 21.8), one of the leaders of the Jewish Christian Hellenists. From him Luke undoubtedly received precious information about Christian beginnings, although he was not Luke's only source. In the first chapters of Acts he shows particular interest in Peter, probably on the basis of accounts which clearly reflect Peter's historical role in the Church of Jerusalem. Many scholars conclude that Luke had access to information about the church in Antioch, which was second to Jerusalem as a Christian center (Acts 6-12).
Luke was not only a record keeper of these first years of the church. He skillfully presented his facts in a theological perspective, weaving and shaping his sources, and grounding his interpretation solidly on concrete facts. Among those who defend the historicity of Acts are specialists in Roman history; A.N. Sherwin-White asserts: "Any attempt to reject the basic historicity of Acts now appears absurd. Roman historians have long taken it for granted."1
The fruit of Christ's death, resurrection, ascension and the giving of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost was koinonia: community, communion, fellowship the Church. In Hebrew the corresponding term is Yahad, used in the Dead Sea Scrolls to denote "unity." With one mind (homothymadon) the members of the community "devoted themselves to apostolic teaching and fellowship (koinonia), to the breaking of bread and prayers" (Acts 2.42). The sacraments of the Eucharist and Baptism served most probably as the setting for the transmission and growth of the Gospel tradition. In connection with the baptism of new converts "in the name of Jesus Christ" (Acts 2.38) Jesus' baptism was recalled. At the time of "breaking of bread" the early Christians in Jerusalem relived Christ's institution of the Eucharist, and the events that culminated in his death on the cross.2 Although Jewish Christians attended Temple worship and practiced circumcision with other Jews, they gathered for the "breaking of bread" in their homes (Acts 2.46), which served as Christian synagogues or house churches. With the growth of the community the number of Christian places of gathering naturally increased. One of these Christian synagogues was "the house of Mary, the mother of John whose other name was Mark" (Acts 12.12), to whom the Gospel of Mark is ascribed. The gathering of Jesus' followers on the day of Pentecost was probably in a private house. Jesus had celebrated the Passover and instituted the Eucharist in such a setting. The evidence from Acts points to the existence from the very beginning of a distinct Christian worship taking place in private houses.
Although Luke in Acts repeats that the earliest Christian community was of "one accord" or of one mind (Acts 1.14; 2.46; 4.24; 5.12), yet it was not without problems. Some members violated the life of koinonia. Ananias and his wife Sapphira tried to serve two masters, God and mammon, held back some of the proceeds of the land and lied "to the Holy Spirit" (Acts 5.1ff), which in this case designates the ideal community, permeated and guided by the Spirit.3
It was not the holding of property in itself which disrupted the community. The surrender of goods in the Christian community was voluntary (Acts 5.4), not mandatory. Barnabas' act of selling his field (Acts 4.37) reveals the spirit of the disciples of Christ and desire for an "economic koinonia," but Barnabas would hardly have been mentioned specifically if every member of the community had done the same.4 In contrast, in the Qumran community, after a year of probation, a member's property would be compulsorily merged with the community's.
The evangelist Luke, in Acts, does not cover up or minimize the "unpleasant disturbances" in the life of the Jerusalem church. With the growth of the community, inevitably other problems confronted the disciples of Christ. They had to deal with them, for the future of the Christian mission and expansion depended upon their solution.
Before Pentecost the group of the followers of Jesus in Jerusalem had been rather small. Of these, the Twelve had from the very beginning been the most prominent. With them were Mary the mother of Jesus, the women who had followed Jesus during his public ministry, and his brothers. The community was in all "about a hundred and twenty" (Acts 1.14-15). After Peter's sermon on the day of Pentecost and his call to repentance and baptism "in the name of Jesus Christ," there were added to the disciples of the Risen Christ "about three thousand souls" (Acts 2.41). Whether or not we take these numbers literally, we cannot doubt the considerable growth of the primitive Christian community on the day of Pentecost. And with this increase in numbers the Christian group soon after experienced dissatisfaction and complaints in its ranks.
The opening verse of Acts 6 points to division as one consequence of this growth; it speaks of "Hellenists" and "Hebrews." The existence of these two distinct groups characterizes the earliest Christian community in Jerusalem. The Hebrews were Jewish Christians who spoke almost exclusively Aramaic, and the Hellenists were also Jewish Christians whose mother tongue was Greek. They were Greek-speaking Jews of the Diaspora, who returned to settle in Jerusalem. To identify them, Luke uses the term Hellenistai. When he had in mind Greeks, gentiles, non-Jews who spoke Greek and lived according to the Greek fashion,then he used the word Hellenes (Acts 21.28). As the very context of Acts 6 makes clear, the Hellenistai are not Hellenes. Much later the term Hellenistai reappears in the fourth century, but it is now synonymous with Hellenes, gentiles who are not Christians.5 In Acts Hellenistai refers either to Jewish Christians or to Mosaic loyalists (Acts 9.29) who were recognized as distinct groups in Jerusalem.
There were undoubtedly Hebrews who knew and spoke some Greek. The disciples from Galilee, Peter among them, as fishermen had had contacts with the inhabitants of Decapolis whose language was Greek. When some Greeks (Hellenes) expressed a desire to see Jesus, they approached Philip (Jn. 12.20f). Paul was at home in both languages. While some Hebrews could cross the language barrier, the same could not be claimed for the Hellenists.
The Hebrews and the Hellenists in the Jerusalem Christian community (koinonia) are characterized as disciples (mathetai) of Christ. This word appears in the Gospels and Acts, never in Paul. A disciple is one who is utterly committed to the person from whom he received a call. They follow Jesus, believe in him, and recognize his voice and teaching. And to follow him means readiness for sacrifice. Paul had fellow workers; only Jesus could have mathetai.
As Acts 6 reports, the Hellenists murmured against the Hebrews because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution, probably meaning "in the giving of sustenance to the poor and needy." The Twelve took the complaint of the Hellenists seriously and dealt decisively with the discontent that was endangering the koinonia. They summoned the body of the faithful (plethos) and asked them to select "seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and wisdom" (Acts 6.3) to serve tables (diakonein trapezais), whom they, the Twelve, would appoint for this duty. And when the plethos put forward seven Hellenists, the Twelve "prayed and laid their hands upon them" (Acts 6.6).
The roles of the Twelve and of the "multitude" (plethos) are clearly defined in the appointment of the Seven. The undisputed leaders, the Twelve, and the community of believers were participating in the decision-making process. The Twelve took the initiative, approved and ordained the seven worthy Hellenists whom the community had picked out from among themselves. The consent of the faithful was indispensable.
Who were these new leaders, appointed for the group of Hellenists, and what was their role in the community? All of them had Greek names. They were not native Greeks, gentiles, but Jews, except one, "Nikolaos, a proselyte of Antioch" (Acts 6.5). The two most prominent among them were Stephen and Philip. The reason given for their selection was to "serve tables." That expression may cover many duties related to economic and financial matters. In addition to caring for the poor and needy, it is clear from Acts 6-8, Stephen and Philip were engaged in preaching, teaching and baptizing. Luke tells us that they were evangelists and preachers. Stephen "did great wonders and signs among the people" (Acts 6.8), and Philip proclaimed Christ in Samaria and on the road from Jerusalem to Gaza, where he baptized the eunuch (Acts 8.38). They were engaged in the service (diakonia) of the community.
The term diakonia is used in Acts 6, but not diakonos. As a distinct group in the hierarchy, diakonos is used only once in Paul's undisputed epistles. He addressed Philippians to "the saints in Christ Jesus . . . with the bishops and deacons (episkopois kai diakonois)." Even here the ministry of diakonos is hardly defined. The term has the meaning of minister or attendant. Nothing is said about the function of deacons in the church of Philippi. In 2 Cor. 3.6 Paul identifies himself and those around him as "ministers (diakonoi) of a new covenant," and in the same epistle (2 Cor. 11.23), attacking his opponents, he writes, "Are they servants of Christ (diakonoi Christou)? I am a better one." He is a better diakonos than they are. In these two examples the title diakonos stands for "the office of preacher and missionary."6 Also in later writings of the New Testament ascribed to Paul or his influence, such as 1 Timothy, the functions of deacons are not mentioned. It is only noted that they "must hold the mystery of the faith with clear conscience" (1 Tim 3.9), which does not distinguish them from any other ministry in the church.
The Seven were appointed probably to be local leaders, administrators in the Christian Hellenist community. The Twelve were in charge of the community of Hebrews as well as of Hellenists, and it appears that they "ordained" from both groups helpers as local leaders. The role and duties of the Seven would correspond to the tasks performed by the elders (presbyteroi, Acts 15.4, 22).7 The appearance of the leaders on a local level reflects Jewish practice (Deut. 16.18). The appointment of the Seven recalls the appointment of the seventy helpers for Moses in Num. 11. Not satisfied with manna, the Israelites in the wilderness complained and asked for meat. "Why have you treated your servant so badly?" Moses asked the Lord. These people, Moses continued, "are too heavy for me . . . . For they come weeping to me and say 'Give us meat to eat!'" (Num. 11.11-13). The burden of Moses was lightened with the appointment of the seventy elders, on whom the Lord put "some of the Spirit" that was on Moses. In Acts the complaints of the Hellenists murmuring over food distribution led to the appointment of the Seven.
Some commentators, noting this similarity, question the historicity of Acts 6, while others, although emphasizing this similarity, note that we are dealing with historical facts and not with Luke's invention. They suppose that Luke used this particular mode of composition to stress the importance of the selection of the Seven. Here it is not a question of invention but of interpretation. What Luke records regarding the selection of the Seven is based upon his sources, and in composing it he wants to bring out as forcefully as possible the meaning of the appointment of the Seven in the life of the new covenantal community. He was not only acquainted with the Old Testament scripture but also possessed an intimate knowledge of the primitive Christian church. He gives the names of the Seven, who thereupon become a distinct group in the apostolic church. When Paul and his companions came to Caesarea on his last visit to Jerusalem they stayed with "Philip the Evangelist, who was one of the Seven" (Acts 21.8). On the basis of the so-called "we" section of Acts (Acts 20-21) Luke was with Paul in Caesarea and in Jerusalem. He presumably learned from Philip, if he had not already been acquainted, about the circumstances that led to their selection and appointment.
The growth of the koinonia in Jerusalem, the persecution of the Hellenists, and the spread of church missions beyond the city followed the appointment and activity of the Seven. The number of disciples considerably increased and "a great many of the priests (hiereon)" joined the Christian community (Acts 6.7). Where did these priests come from? Nothing is said or revealed in Acts. If they came from the official priesthood, one can conclude that the Christian movement had even penetrated the Temple. Or perhaps these priests had belonged previously to the priestly group of Essenes. The Christians were acquainted with the Essenes, having met and observed them in the city of Jerusalem itself. The Essenes were not living only in the wilderness, but in a number of towns in Judaea. According to Josephus they were living in Jerusalem in a very closed community, where they had probably settled after the 31 BC earthquake, which had disrupted their lives at Qumran. It has been argued, on the basis of some archeological findings, that Essenes settled on Mount Zion, which also became the center of Jewish Christianity. This shared proximity facilitated contacts and influences between the disciples of Christ and the Essenes.8
Whether these priests, who became disciples, members of the koinonia, came from the Temple or from the Essenes, they did not perform a special "priestly" role in the church. In the church of the New Testament, hiereus (priest) is never used for an office holder. The author of Hebrews applied the term to Christ, who is "high priest (archierea) of our confession" (Heb. 3.1). The expression "royal priesthood," used in 1 Pet. 2.9, does not refer to one who holds an office in the church but to God's people. The term hiereus (priest) was used for an office holder in the church "only in the last quarter of the second century A.D.," with the final separation of the church from the synagogue; it occurred with "growing recognition of the Eucharist as a sacrifice."9
Stephen's preaching and evangelizing were met with persecution of the Christian Hellenists by other Greek-speaking Jews who had remained loyal to the Law. They disputed with Stephen and his followers, who made inroads into their synagogues. The synagogue of the freedmen is mentioned in Acts 6.9: "Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the freedmen (libertini), and of the Cyrenians and of the Alexandrians, and of those from Cilicia and Asia, arose and disputed with Stephen." They could not all have been members of the same synagogue. The passage suggests that diaspora Jews returning to Jerusalem would keep contact with Jews from their own regions and places in the Hellenistic world which they had left. Each group would try to organize its own house of worship. Some of these house synagogues were more open to new ideas and criticism of the Jewish institutions than others. The Alexandrian Jews were more receptive to Christians than those from Asia Minor. The Hellenists from "Cilicia and Asia" were probably the main opponents and persecutors of Stephen. Paul, who was born at Tarsus in Cilicia (Acts 22.3), was before his vision and conversion a Mosaic loyalist, as were many other Hellenists from "Asia." It is worth noting that later, in 58 A.D., Paul's life was in danger when "the Jews from Asia had seen him in the Temple." They laid hands on him, claiming that he was an opponent of the Law and the Temple (Acts 21.27ff). This same faction, the Asian Jews, was the one that had attacked Stephen about twenty-five years before. And once again their accusations were centered upon the Law and the Temple.
These accusers, the Mosaic loyalists, brought charges against Stephen that he spoke "blasphemous words against Moses and God" (Acts 6.11). The accusations were not entirely false, for Hellenists who had joined the church looked critically upon the Law. The baptism of the eunuch by Philip illustrates their attitude toward the Law. The Ethiopian eunuch was not a proselyte, a convert to Judaism. According to the book of the Law he could not be included in the assembly of God, as he could not be circumcised (Deut. 23.1, Lev. 21.17-23). Philip, a Christian Hellenist, goes beyond this legal requirement. At a time when the Christians in Jerusalem were Jewish Christians, observing the Law and attending the Temple, Philip baptized a eunuch, who could not be a Jew under the Law (Acts 8).
The second accusation against Stephen refers to the Temple. "False witnesses" heard him saying that "Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place, and will change the customs which Moses delivered to us" (Acts 6.14). This accusation was also not a complete invention. Stephen saw clearly the meaning and consequences of Jesus' teaching, as well as of his death and resurrection (Mk. 14.58, Jn. 2.19). He spoke about the Temple in such a way that he provoked a violent reaction among the loyalists. The critical attitude toward the Law led to a negative evaluation of the Temple. Stephen described the Temple as "made with hands" (cheiropoietos), a phrase known to those in the Hellenistic world who opposed idolatry. The Jews in diaspora used the same word to condemn paganism. By applying this expression to the Temple, Stephen identified the place as an idol. "The most High does not dwell in houses made with hands" (Acts 7.48).10
The accusations against Stephen were specific and, soon after, his martyrdom followed. After his lynching, the Hellenists scattered throughout Judaea and Samaria, but the Twelve were not persecuted and remained in Jerusalem (Acts 8.1). Following the death of Stephen, Saul/Paul "laid waste the Church" (Acts 8.3), committed the disciples to prison and consented to the death of many (Acts 26.10). The persecution of the Hellenists brought an unexpected expansion. The spread of the Christian Church in the short period between the death and resurrection of Jesus (30 A.D.) and the vision of Paul on the road to Damascus (c. 35) was phenomenal. Christian communities were organized in Samaria. The church in Antioch, a major city of the East, must have been founded by 35, before Paul's conversion.11 It is probable that Christian missionaries before Paul did not require circumcision of Gentiles (Acts 15.1, 5).
Apparently there were Christians in the city of Damascus even before the expulsion of the Hellenists from Jerusalem. Paul went to Damascus to persecute those who belonged to "the Way" (hodos, designating Christians in Acts, 9.2). Who had founded the church in Damascus? There are also references to Christian communities in Galilee (Acts 9.31). Acts is silent about the missionaries who worked in these areas. On the basis of these references and despite many unsolved questions, we may conclude that even before the Christian Hellenists were driven out of Jerusalem there had been highly successful missionary activities outside Jerusalem and Judaea. Could they be brothers of the Lord, whom Paul refers to as missionaries (1 Cor. 9.5)? An evaluation of all existing references to them in the documents of the first and second centuries might throw light on their special contributions in the post-resurrection period.
The earliest Christian church was a complex phenomenon. Cultural and linguistic diversity between the Hebrews and the Hellenists in the church of Jerusalem necessitated the existence of separate Christian synagogues and worship. Christians were worshipping separately from other Jews from the very beginning, even while joining them in Temple worship.12 Christians meeting in house churches devoted themselves to breaking of bread and prayer in two languages, Hebrew/Aramaic and Greek.
The unquestioned leaders of the Church were the Twelve. On their initiative the hierarchical structure of the Church developed organically. The Seven became the local leaders for the Hellenists, as presbyteroi, (elders) were for the Hebrews. The believers took part in the decisions that affected the life of the community.
The church in Jerusalem was a spectrum of diversity. H.G.N. Flew's aphorism, "God made spectrum; man made the pigeonholes" is aptly applied to the early church of Jerusalem.13 Yet there was an underlying unity behind all the diversity. Christians became disciples of Christ by baptism in his name. They heard the Gospel, the Word of Truth, and committed themselves to be the Lord's witnesses in Jerusalem and to the end of the earth (Acts 1.8). Their witness to and experience of the resurrection became "the mother of christological reflection and thus of early Christian theology generally."14 These earliest Christians indicated the road to be taken in order to reach the gentile world. Before Paul's vision and baptism (Acts 9.18) they understood that the universal Gospel is not only for Jews but for Gentiles as well.
1 A.N. Sherwin-White, Roman Society and Roman Law in the New Testament, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1963, p. 189.
2 Bo Reicke, The Roots of the Synoptic Tradition, Philadelphia, 1986, p. 66.
3 In Paul "Christ" sometimes designates the community of believers (1 Cor. 6.15; 8.12; 12.l2), for the church is the presence of Christ and in the church his saving love is manifested.
4 The New Jerome Biblical Commentary (NJBC) 44.36.
5 Martin Hengel, Between Jesus and Paul, Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1983, p. 8.
6 Helmut Koester, History, Culture and Religion of the Hellenistic Age, Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1982, vol. II, p. 90.
8 See my article, "The Historical Jesus: A Challenge From Jerusalem,"
St. Vladimir's Theological Quarterly, vol. 30, No. 1, 1986, p. 26.
9 Daniel Harrington, Light of All Nations, Wilmington: Michael Glazier, 1982, p. 134.
10 James D. G. Dunn, Unity and Diversity in the New Testament, Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1977, pp. 267ff.
11 H. Koester, op. cit., pp. 91-92.
12 M. Hengel, op. cit., p. 42.
13 See Craig Hill, Hellenists and Hebrews, Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1992, p. 196.
14 M. Hengel, op. cit., p. 45.


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Updated October 3, 2022 at 3:15 PM ET
Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes and four other members of the far-right group tried to change history and disrupt the peaceful transfer of power on Jan. 6, 2021, prosecutor Jeffrey Nestler told jurors hearing the first seditious conspiracy trial to result from the assault on the U.S. Capitol last year.
"They concocted a plan for an armed rebellion to shatter a bedrock of American democracy," Nestler said.
Using text messages, video and recorded calls, the Justice Department is trying to persuade the jury at a federal courthouse in Washington, D.C., that the defendants set out to overturn the results of the 2020 election by storming the Capitol and interrupting the count of electoral votes.
Prosecutors said Rhodes, a graduate of the Yale Law School and known for his distinctive cowboy hat and eye patch, chose his words carefully, speaking in code and in shorthand in the weeks before the assault on the Capitol.
Rhodes never entered the building on Jan. 6, 2021, but he was photographed on the Capitol grounds "surveying" his troops like a battlefield general, the government said. A couple of minutes before 14 people wearing military-style gear marched toward the building's doors and pushed past the police, Rhodes spoke with his fellow defendant Kelly Meggs, Nestler said in remarks that lasted more than an hour.
Lawyers for Rhodes asked the jury to keep an open mind and hold the government to its burden of proof. Attorney Phillip Linder said the Oath Keepers had traveled to Washington to provide security for events in early January 2021.
"Stewart Rhodes meant no harm to the Capitol that day," Linder said.
Describing his client as a "constitutional expert," Linder said Rhodes is "extremely patriotic" and "he loves this country."
As for the volume of texts and video, Linder said the prosecutors are introducing that evidence to alarm and anger the jury.
"My client did nothing illegal that day, even though it may look inflammatory," Linder said, describing Rhodes' hot-tempered statements before and after Jan. 6 as "nothing more than free speech and bravado."
Prosecutors had presented messages in which Rhodes wrote before Jan. 6: "We aren't getting through this without a civil war." And after Jan. 6, Rhodes allegedly said, "my only regret is that they should have brought rifles....we could have fixed it right then and there."
Linder also pledged in his 22-minute opening statement that Rhodes would take the witness stand in his own defense before this trial ends.
The case is closely watched as a rare use of the seditious conspiracy statute, which carries a maximum of 20 years in prison
After defense lawyer Linder mentioned to the jury that most of the defendants are incarcerated and face hefty prison terms, the judge cautioned him to avoid those topics.
The indictment describes conduct weeks before the Capitol siege, when Rhodes and others allegedly stockpiled weapons and equipment for a quick reaction force at a Comfort Inn hotel in Northern Virginia, across the Potomac River from D.C. And it continues through the sometimes violent events of that day.
After the assault, the defendants felt "elated," Assistant U.S. Attorney Nestler said, citing messages they shared boasting about their actions. Rhodes allegedly wrote, "you ain't seen nothing yet." Meggs, who ran the Florida chapter of the Oath Keepers, allegedly wrote, "we aren't quitting!! We are reloading!!"
Defendant Jessica Watkins wrote, "we were in the thick of it and stormed the Capitol ... forced our way into the senate and the house." Defendant Thomas Caldwell wrote "I rolled with the Oath Keepers..... I said, let's storm the place and hang the traitors."
Within a couple of days, the mood had turned, and Rhodes allegedly directed people to "delete your self incriminating comments or those that incriminate others."
In pretrial filings and arguments, defense lawyers had argued Rhodes and the other Oath Keepers had been preparing to assist in the event that former President Trump invoked the Insurrection Act, which gives the president wide authority to call for support in the event of an emergency. Trump never took that action. But Rhodes is expected to make it a key part of his defense. Prosecutors say that's just a cover story.
Defense lawyer David Fischer, who represents defendant Thomas Caldwell, used his opening statement to blast the FBI for conducting what he considered a questionable investigation and misunderstanding military terms used by Caldwell, a disabled U.S. Navy veteran. In another instance, Fischer said, the FBI used statements to support its search of Caldwell's farm that actually came from the cult classic movie, The Princess Bride.
Fischer also said the quick reaction force was a "break the glass in case of emergency" option the Oath Keepers had used at previous rallies in Ferguson, Mo., and in D.C., when Congress was not in session.
"This is the biggest bait and switch in the history of the American justice system here," Fischer said.
A lawyer for Watkins told jurors she is a transgender woman and "she's never felt like she's fit in." Attorney Jonathan Crisp said that dynamic explained some of what Watkins did on Jan. 6 and in other interactions with the Oath Keepers.
Watkins is a "protest junkie" and a former EMT who was there "to help people," Crisp said. Watkins turned herself in voluntarily and spoke with the FBI four times, not what someone trying to overthrow the government would do, Crisp said.
Earlier Monday morning, Judge Amit Mehta denied a request by the defense to move the trial out of D.C., saying the three-day voir dire process had produced a 16-member jury with no bias against the defendants.
The trial is expected to last between four and six weeks.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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Welcome to our new website
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Bell Let's Talk gets people talking
Mar 14, 2022
The latest edition of Bell Let's Talk took over the Twitterverse and airwaves on January 27, and the one-day stigma-busting campaign didn't disappoint. CMHA Ontario did its part join the discussion as well.
CMHA Ontario CEO Camille Quenneville spoke highly of the Bell campaign in CBC.ca article. She also used the story to raise awareness about the chronic shortfall of mental health funding in Canada.
Mark Henick, program manager for CMHA's social enterprise Mental Health Works, was a panellist on The Agenda with Steve Paikin. The focus of the TV Ontario flagship program was workplace mental health and looked at the issue from an employer and employee viewpoint.
Also, CMHA's Durham branch and the Oshawa Generals were featured by CTV News in Toronto. The story centred on the Talk Today program, an anti-stigma, suicide-awareness campaign created by CMHA Ontario in collaboration with the Ontario Hockey League.
With celebrities like Olympic champion Clara Hughes, sports personality Michael Landsberg and funny man Howie Mandel leading the publicity charge, Bell's campaign was close to 100 million interactions on social media at the time this piece was written.
As usual, Bell committed to donating five cents to mental health initiatives for every text, tweet, cell or long-distance call or Facebook share that used #BellLetsTalk.


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In her childhood, Narayani Devi, neice of Srivasa Pandit, became mad with love of God upon receiving the mercy of Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu. Later she gave birth to Vrindavana Dasa, who was the last disciple of Sri Nityananda Prabhu. On his guru's order he wrote Sri Caitanya Bhagavata.
It is practically a law among Vaisnava writers like Sri Rupa Goswami, Sri Sanatana Goswami, Krishna Dasa Kaviraja, and Vrindavana Dasa Thakura to always keep themselves in the background. They never mention anything about their family lineage or personal history. The authors of the best written and most relishable verses collected in Sri Rupa Goswami's Padyavali remain unknown.
During the sixteenth century, entire books of exceptional transcendental prose and poetry were penned by prideless Vaisnavas preferring to remain anonymous. Feeling utmost humility, such Vaisnava writers express themselves only in relation to their preceptors. Krishna Dasa Kaviraja glorifies his gurus at the end of each chapter of Sri Caitanya-caritamrta: sri rupa raghunatha-pade yara asa, caitanya caritamrta kahe krsnadasa.
"Praying at the lotus feet of Sri Rupa and Sri Raghunatha, always desiring their mercy, I, Krishna Dasa, narrate Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, following in their footsteps."
Srila Krishna Dasa Kaviraja Goswami shows his supreme homage and gratitude by honoring Vrindavana Dasa Thakura with the appelation "Vyasa" in the Caitanya-caritamna Antya 20.82: "Vrindavana Dasa Thakura is Lord Nityananda's favorite devotee. And therefore he is the original Vyasadeva in describing the pastimes of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu." As Srila Vyasadeva told Sri Krishna's pastimes in Bhagavatam and other Puranas, Srila Vrindavana Dasa Thakura described Caitanya lila in Caitanya Bhagavata.
The humble heart of Krishna Dasa Kaviraja pours out more praises of Vrindavana Dasa Thakura: "Hearing Caitanya Bhagavata destroys all misfortune. By reading Caitanya Bhagavata one wilL understand the glories of Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityananda. And he will attain the highest perfection of knowledges-pure love of Krishna.
"Since such a wonderful book could not be written by a human being, it seems that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu Himself has spoken it through the mouth of Srila Vrindavana Dasa Thakura. I offer millions of respectful obeisances to the lotus feeL of Vrindavana Dasa Thakura. By compiling such a valuable book he has delivered everyone from the cycle of birth and death." (Caitanya-caritamrta Adi 8.33.42)
At Mamagacchi in Modadrumadvipa (Navadvipa), Vrindavana Dasa Thakura establised Deities of Nitai-Gauranga and 'Sri Jagannatha Deva. He lived there as a celibate and worshiped his beloved Deities. Vrindavana Dasa Thakura had many discipie including Gopinatha Brahmacari, a descendent of Sri Kesava Bharati.
In Krishna's pastimes Vrindavana Dasa Thakura is Srila Vyasadeva. His samadhi is in the 64 Samadhis Area.


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A short interview with an ICSR researcher, Rajan Basra; simply explained as:Link:https://globalriskinsights.com/2018/...w-rajan-basra/Evidence suggests that criminal and jihadist milieus are more and more intertwined, challenging established beliefs about the incompatibility of criminal behavior and religious Islamic fundamentalism.
He was the co-author of a recent ICSR report (54 pgs.) 'Criminal Pasts, Terrorist Futures: European Jihadists and the New Crime-Terror Nexus'.


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Tungsten Ring With Koa Wood Inlaid (8mm Width)
Hawaiian wood rings has unique deep rich colors and varied grain pattern, the Koa wood is native to the Big Island of Hawai'i. It's endemic to the islands and has been used throughout the state's history for items like canoes and Hawaiian musical instruments. The meaning of 'Koa' is strong, brave, fearless in Hawaiian, which are foundational qualities of a relationship. Koa wood tungsten ring would be a perfect gift for your loved one.
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Ring resize service is free of charge, customer only pay for shipping cost. Please see our Exchange & Return Policy for more detail.


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Turbine foes left to twist in the wind
Alena Schram, Special to Financial Post | 13/03/30 | Last Updated:13/03/28 3:32 PM ET
More from Special to Financial Post
A man rides his bike by a wind park in Palm Springs, California. Alena Schram writes how turbines have torn apart her idyllic community of Amherst Island, Ont.
Watch out. It could happen in your community
I love the look of serene, shimmering wind turbines standing sentry on a hill. Especially when they're in some isolated place. In Europe.
And green energy delights me. I'd like to bequeath my grandchildren a clean Earth. And the many billions of dollars they — and the government — will need to pay for it.
I'm resigned to our house value plummeting once the 36 turbines proposed for our small rural community are in place. Our children have promised to look after us when our nest egg suddenly evaporates. "You and Dad just need a bedroom and bathroom, Ma, and a blender in case you sometimes want steak!," son Peter explained obligingly.
I even get that my neighbours who have signed contracts to have turbines installed on their land — especially those tethered to hardscrabble family farms — regard turbine payouts as their pension incomes.
I am, in short, a progressive, responsible, ecologically sound, live-and-let-live sort of person.
I do my live-and-let-living on an idyllic island near Kingston, where the Presbyterians still hold Strawberry Socials each summer; the Anglicans still host Turkey Dinners in autumn; and where, if you go into hospital for even a night, you'd better have a freezer empty enough to hold the casseroles your neighbours will deliver to your door.
We have a volunteer fire department and first response team (the very best, I discovered first-hand last summer), an 1870s clapboard general-store-cum-post-office, a summertime cafe where the old wooden screen door snaps evocatively shut when you let go, and Canada's smallest FM radio station, broadcasting from a silo.
Our ferry connects the 450 permanent residents to the mainland and to each other. In winter we sit in each other's cars, catching up on news or organizing, empathizing, celebrating; and in summer we lean over the deck's railing, watching for Northern Lights, and agreeing how lucky we are to have found — or been born on — such a place.
It's a storybook setting.
Rumours are ricocheting: that it was stealthily planned ("psst, wanna turbine?"); that contracts included non-disclose clauses ("psst, don't tell anyone till it's a done deal!"); that there'll be a turbine right by the primary school ("don't worry, the kids'll be OK"); that the private power company salivating over the possible contract has offered the township a "donation" (taxpayer-funded) of $7.5-million that comes with a gag order.Or at least it was, until wind turbines reared their ugly 507-foot-high heads, threatening to alter the lives of not just the 17 landowners that signed up to host them, but the 96% of islanders that didn't. Now we've got a schism. And it happened before anyone knew it.
The large and active No-Turbines side claims to have the support of the mayor, county council, Conservative MPP and MP, and 90 municipalities. And the Auditor General, Ontario Federation of Agriculture and Fraser Institute seem negatively disposed as well.
Apparently that's not enough. This train with just 17 passengers aboard — and a crew that includes wealthy investors, a clutch of Liberal provincial government ministers, and a gaggle of lobbyists with Liberal party ties — is heading, full steam ahead, right for our heritage village.
Dalton McGuinty used to be on board too, shovelling the coal: He was proud of the $7-billion deal he struck with Samsung, to build these behemoths.
The nays have mobilized (the yeas don't need to: they're clenching signed contracts): They've warned about the documented and mounting dangers to hearing, health, sanity, and birds, especially the owls the island is famous for.
Busloads of island activists have travelled to Toronto to persuade Queen's Park. Letters have appeared in the media. Civic insurrection has even been threatened (and if you're old enough to recall the Sons of Freedom Doukhobors ' protests nearly 60 years ago in Saskatchewan and B.C., you'll understand my apprehension? They made their stand in the nude).
So now here's the loaded question: Whither democracy? How can 17 people with a direct financial interest make decisions that affect an entire community? And how can a private publicly listed corporation with powerful friends and the promise of taxpayer-funded subsidies steam ahead despite widespread protest, and without a referendum?
And the kicker: How can a township duty-bound to represent all its constituents without bias accept funds from an energy company with a whole lot of skin in the game, to pay for a lawyer to represent us all, equally?
Watch out. It could happen in your community.
"Psst, wanna turbine?"
Didn't think so.
Alena Schram is a resident of Amherst Island, Ontario


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Sprint HTC EVO 4G – Vivek's First Impressions
by Vivek Gowri on June 9, 2010 2:48 PM EST
Friday was a pretty big day for Sprint and HTC, joining up to launch the HTC EVO 4G (codename Supersonic). The EVO is the first mainstream 4G smartphone to launch in the US and runs on Sprint's fledgling 4G WiMAX network. I've got one, and I must say, it's a pretty beastly device, for reasons both good and bad. But we'll get to that in a minute. This isn't a full review, Anand is still waiting on his review sample before tackling that beast, but I thought I'd share some of my first impressions.
First off, for those of you who have been hiding under a rock for the last few months, the EVO 4G is basically the biggest, baddest phone on the market. It's similar to the HD2 and carries over the same 4.3" 800x480 capacitive multitouch display and 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon SoC. On top of that, it has 512MB RAM, an 8 megapixel camera with 720p video recording, dual LED flash, a 1.3MP front facing camera for video chatting, Sense UI running on top of Eclair (Android 2.1), a 1500 mAh battery, and an 8GB microSD card included right out of the box. Think of it as a souped-up, Android-running HD2, or even a super-sized HTC Droid Incredible. Either way, this is one serious piece of kit.
In person, it's a pretty huge phone. There's not much wasted space on the device, but the screen itself is nearly the same size as the entire iPhone 3G front face. A few millimeters larger than the iPhone in every direction, it ends up feeling a lot larger. More than the size, though, is the sheer mass of the EVO, weighing in at 6 ounces. That's a full 1.4 oz heavier than the iPhone 3G, and definitely noticeable in hand.
But once you turn it on, all concerns about size wash away - that screen makes it all worth it. I'm a longtime iPhone user, and the WVGA resolution is pretty awesome compared to the 480x320 iPhone screen. Not that the iPhone screen is bad, just that the EVO has 2.5 times the number of pixels. It's so crisp, so amazing. Granted, the new iPhone 4 will ship with a 960x640 IPS screen by the end of the month, so the EVO won't stay amazing for long, but for now, it's a brilliant screen.
Smartphone Spec Comparison | |||||
HTC EVO 4G | Apple iPhone 4 | Apple iPhone 3GS | |||
Network | Sprint 3G/4G | AT&T 3G | AT&T 3G | ||
SoC | 65nm Qualcomm Snapdragon | 45nm Apple A4 | 65nm Apple A3/Samsung | ||
CPU | Qualcomm Scorpion 1GHz | ARM Cortex A8 (1GHz?) | ARM Cortex A8 600MHz | ||
GPU | Qualcomm Adreno 200 | PowerVR SGX 535 200MHz | PowerVR SGX 535 200MHz | ||
Storage | 8GB microSD, up to 32GB | 16GB/32GB on-board NAND | 16GB/32GB on-board NAND | ||
Display | 4.3" 800 x 480 | 3.5" 960 x 640 | 3.5" 480 x 320 | ||
Camera | 8MP Rear + 1.3MP Front | 5MP Rear + VGA Front | 3MP Rear | ||
Video Recording | 720p25 | 720p30 | 480p30 | ||
Dimensions | 4.8" x 2.6" x 0.5" | 4.5" x 2.3" x 0.37" | 4.5" x 2.4" x 0.48" | ||
Weight | 6 oz | 4.8 oz | 4.7 oz | ||
Price | $199 after $100 MIR | $199 - $299 | $199 - $299 at launch |
The Sense UI skin is pretty much the same as previous HTC devices, so it's familiar and works well. The UI is pretty slick, with more eye-candy than the iPhone, but an overall busier user experience. The Snapdragon processor slices through the interface like a hot knife through butter; it makes my old iPhone 3G feel like it operates in slow motion. I haven't run it side by side with an Incredible to verify Engadget's claim that the HTC Incredible runs significantly faster (despite having the same internals and OS), but either way, the EVO is nowhere near slow.
My experience with 4G is still fairly limited at this point - Sprint's WiMax network has pretty good coverage in Seattle (significantly better than T-Mobile in my area, not quite as good as AT&T 3G) and speed tests show around 2.5 Mbps down and 1 Mbps upload. This isn't quite as good as expected, but I have some doubts with the Speedtest.net Android application itself, so we'll see. There are some other well-reviewed speed test apps in the Android Market that I plan to check out.
But regardless of 4G speed, one thing the 4G radio definitely does is massacre battery life. You can basically kiss it goodbye if you have the 4G radio enabled. On launch day, I had to run almost as soon as I got my hands on the phone, so I just basically turned it on and threw it in my backpack. It was at around 40% battery when I did that. Two hours (of completely idle time) later, it gave me a 10% battery warning and a half hour after that it was dead. Apparently, 4G and GPS were enabled out of the box and I hadn't looked at that beforehand. With the 4G radio running, expect around 6 hours of IDLE battery life. If you're really hitting the 4G, expect far, far less than that. When we do our full review of the device we'll have detailed battery life tests.
More reasonable real world battery tests give me more optimism that the EVO can last a full day of use, if you're careful. 15 hours of use with quite a few phone calls, some texting/email, GPS navigation to dinner, and a bit of 3G browsing took me from full charge to about 60% remaining (4G, GPS, Wifi, and Bluetooth radios all off). I got similar battery life on WiFi with zero phone calls, some email and browsing, and a 1 hour long Skype video chat through Fring. So, most people who aren't going crazy with the 4G can get a full day of use out of it (but not more than that).
Still, it's pretty disappointing that the EVO's most touted feature is also the feature to avoid if you actually want to use the phone - I accidentally left 4G running (again), the battery died within a couple of hours, and I was basically without a phone for the rest of the day since I didn't notice the dead battery before running out the door. Essentially, use 4G at your peril. Other than that, though, it's great.
The EVO goes up head to head against the similar HTC Droid Incredible on Verizon, the hotly anticipated iPhone 4 on AT&T, and the Samsung Galaxy S, which is rumoured to launch on T-Mobile this summer. With a lengthy list of standard features, the bleeding edge WiMax network, and Sprint's very reasonable data charges, it's a lot easier to overlook the suspect battery life and any other annoyances. If you're looking for a good reason to go for a more open platform than Apple's iOS, the EVO gives you a very enticing option.
Apparently, the general public thinks so as well, with the EVO 4G selling out nationwide today, just five days after launch. Most stores had lines starting from the night before, and Sprint says this is their most successful device launch ever. After using the EVO 4G for a few days, I think it's easy to see why.
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tipoo - Wednesday, June 9, 2010 - link
Small correction, no one knows the clock speed of the A4 in the iPhone 4. While Jobs was eager to flaunt the 1GHz speed of the iPad's A4, he said nothing about the speed of the iPhone 4's. I'm thinking he would have, if it was 1GHz. More likely its downclocked to maybe 600 ish.
Oh, and first comment, yaaay! -
icrf - Wednesday, June 9, 2010 - link
The iPad was announced as an A4 running at 1 GHz, but everything I read about the iPhone 4 just said A4 with no mention of clockspeed, leading most people to speculate it's been underclocked for some heat/power savings. Have you seen confirmation of 1 GHz elsewhere? -
Assimilator87 - Wednesday, June 9, 2010 - link
I would also like to know what the source is for the info on the iPhone 4 GPU. I was hoping they'd upgrade it. -
solipsism - Wednesday, June 9, 2010 - link
The IPad's A4. It's likely they kept that the same to reduce costs. -
Guspaz - Thursday, June 10, 2010 - link
Even if it's the exact same part, that doesn't mean that wouldn't drop down the clockspeed and voltage to save power. -
joe85 - Wednesday, June 9, 2010 - link
I don't have an EVO but I already charge my phone when I am in my car and I charge it every night. Sometimes I even charge it in the office. So the 15 hour battery life will more than suffice. -
Calin - Thursday, June 10, 2010 - link
Vivek said something about 2 hours from 40% to 10% - that's about six hours from full charge to 10%, idle but with bluetooth and WiMax enabled. -
quiksilvr - Wednesday, June 9, 2010 - link
It looks like every network has an epic Android device:
1) Sprint - HTC EVO 4G
2) Verizon - HTC Incredible
3) T-Mobile - Nexus One
4) AT&T - Uh....Motorola Backflip? :/ -
Brian Klug - Wednesday, June 9, 2010 - link
You could also say that AT&T has the Nexus One as well ;) I know I use mine at least 50/50 with the iPhone lately. -
Affectionate-Bed-980 - Wednesday, June 9, 2010 - link
I used a Nexus One on AT&T and Motorola Milestone (GSM Droid) on AT&T. In fact AT&T has every single Android handset available... it's just not carrier branded. You just need to know how to get it unlocked.
Sony XPeria X10a
HTC Desire
HTC Hero
HTC Nexus One
Motorola Milestone
Acer Liquid
the list goes on. Try doing that on Sprint or Verizon :D


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Art's Bold New Direction
The director of the Smithsonian's Hirshhorn Museum predicts how art will engage us as never before
What will happen in the art world by 2050? I predict that all the smashed plates on Julian Schnabel's paintings will fall off on exactly the same day.
Seriously, though, by 2050, I believe that artists will be exploring and affecting all aspects of our daily environment in the most original ways possible. We're already seeing that artists today are moving beyond the four walls of established institutions (such as museums) and are directly engaging and inspiring a range of new audiences. Through new technologies especially, these audiences will grow, as will artists' presence and influence.
At the Hirshhorn, we're organizing two major initiatives for 2012 that reflect this changing dynamic between artists and society. The first is an exhibition, "Animated World," that will dramatically show how the medium of animation has exceeded the wildest dreams of its original film-based creators and is permeating the entire visual landscape around the world. From cellphone screens to urban spaces, animation is increasingly present in our everyday lives and will proliferate in astonishingly inventive ways. Our other project is a major conference called "Open Source," which will explore the effects of new technologies on art, art-making and culture.
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In the future, the art world will be even more liberated to make use of all the media around us—because artists have this passionate curiosity and ceaseless desire for new ideas.
By 2050, you're going to see a new leadership equation emerge based on what happens in the art world. Traditionally, decisions have been made by political and corporate leadership. In the future, creative individuals—artists, architects and designers—are going to be making major decisions having to do with how we shape our society, and especially in the world's urban environments, since by 2050 the majority of people will be living in cities.
Ultimately, entirely new types of artists will also emerge from all of this. Artists are, at heart, opportunity-seekers who transform the world around us. They give me tremendous optimism. I believe the future is unknowable, but it is not unthinkable.


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The elected council and officers of the American Historical Association, while fully concurring with the commitment expressed by many members of the Texas State Board of Education that historical understanding is an essential element in educating young people in their developing role as citizens of their state, the nation, and the world, called on the Texas State Board of Education to reconsider its proposed amendments to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Social Studies. A statement prepared by key elected officials of the AHA who have studied the documents relevant to the State Board of Education's upcoming decision was endorsed by the Council, and transmitted to the Texas state board on May 18, 2010.
This statement (the text of which is printed below) proposed a constructive way forward for reconsidering the amendments with the goal of enhancing the historical education of Texas school children and called for a delay in the decision on the proposed amendments.
To the Members, Current and Elected, of the Texas State Board of Education:
The State of Texas has a proud record in recognizing the importance and value of historical knowledge and in acting on that recognition. The State Board of Education, the Higher Education Coordinating Board, and the State Legislature have concurred on the designation of U.S. History and Government as crucial components, not only in primary and secondary education, but also as part of the core requirements for an undergraduate degree; both subjects carry a two-semester requirement. Thanks to these arrangements, thousands of young people have gained an informed sense of the past and of their heritage as citizens of Texas, the United States, and the world. As elected officials of the American Historical Association, we are also grateful for the teaching and research opportunities that these wise requirements have offered to many members of our profession. Texans have, by many measures, led the nation in the project of taking history very seriously. The many individuals who figure in the governance and support of K–16 education in Texas and the members of the American Historical Association share an unwavering recognition of the value that historical knowledge offers to young people as they find their bearings in place and in time.
As we have followed recent press coverage of the proposed revisions of the U.S. History standards, it is our conviction that the actual issues raised by the revision of the Texas
U.S. History Curriculum are considerably more complex than most newspapers stories have conveyed. Both the State's Middle School Texas History Curriculum and the High School World History Curriculum are characterized by an exemplary attention to the diversity of the human population, and the ways in which an accurate understanding of the past requires a reckoning with that diversity. We write now to suggest that the U.S. History Curriculum, currently under consideration, would better serve the children of Texas if it were brought into consistency with the standards set forward in the Texas History Curriculum and the World History Curriculum. It is important to note that the inconsistency is much less evident in the standards for U.S. History since 1877, so this letter primarily addresses the standards related to U.S. History before 1877. Nonetheless, we are concerned that, unless the three curricula (Texas History, World History, and U.S. History) are restored to consistency, the U.S. History Curriculum may reduce or render invisible certain individuals and events, considered central to the story for the last fifteen years.
In light of these considerations, we ask the Texas State Board of Education to extend its period of deliberation and decision making and to take up a further review of the proposed U.S. History standards, incorporating the wisdom already at the center of the Texas History Curriculum and World History Curriculum, reinstating the consistency in these matters that an older generation owes to a younger generation. If there is anything that the American Historical Association could do to be helpful in this process of reconsideration, we will welcome the opportunity.
The Texas History standards require teachers to guide students, working with primary and secondary sources, in the examination of "the rich cultural background of Texas" as they identify the different racial and ethnic groups that settled in Texas to build a republic and then a state. Emphasizing the study of "the full scope of Texas History," the standards call for an opening comparative survey of Native American cultures. Moving on to the "Age of Contact," students track the European explorations of Texas. In their study of the Spanish Colonial period, students learn about "the establishment of Catholic missions, towns and ranches."
The proposed U.S. History standards for the period before 1877 make a radical shift from the Texas History standards, almost entirely discounting the importance of human activity in North America before the British colonization of the Atlantic Coast. This reverses the major premises that guide the students' learning in middle school, and such a shift is sure to be disorienting and perplexing to them. Just as important, the U.S. history standards drop the Texas history standards' careful attention to the context of European settlement, and the thorough reckoning with the presence of Indian people and representatives of the various empires. While this omission raises considerations of fairness, there is a larger problem of historical accuracy. The complicated process that led to the creation of the United States involved a great range of people, ideas, and interests. To draw a comparison with science education, no curriculum in chemistry would be of much value to students if it made arbitrary selections and deletions among the elements to be studied; if the focus were to be on oxygen with hydrogen omitted, then students would be at a considerable disadvantage when it came to understanding water. The analogy applies directly to U.S. history: omit the key elements of Indian, Spanish, African, and Mexican people's presence and actions, and the resulting history will not qualify for the adjective accurate. Thus, bringing the proposed U.S. History standards into a direct relationship with the current Texas History standards would not only bring clarity and consistency to hundreds of classrooms, it would also provide a firmer foundation for a more accurate knowledge of American history.
We make the same case for the reinstating of consistency between the U.S. History Curriculum and the High School World History Curriculum. Like the Texas History standards, the World History standards reckon with the importance and diversity of Indian civilizations, the long and complex history of European exploration and expansion, and the complicated history of the Atlantic slave trade. Thus, we repeat our earlier request: that the U.S. History Curriculum be brought into consistency with the standards laid out in the World History Curriculum.
We add one additional proposal. Much of the recent public discussion of the proposed U.S. History standards has hinged on the meaning of two important terms: "constitutional republic" and "representative democracy." A consideration of these phrases can lead very directly to an important and illuminating discussion of the origins of the American nation. Such a consideration can lead to an equally important and illuminating discussion of the nation's current practices of governance and to widely varying appraisals, by citizens today, of those practices. The American Historical Association welcomes this opportunity to bring historical perspective to bear on debates and disputes that, in recent months, have generated more heat than light. Among our membership are many scholars who specialize in the history of the meanings assigned to both "democracy" and "republic," and a number of these scholars are committed to and skilled at engaging public audiences. The reflections of historians, who are often keen observers of public decisionmaking if rarely holders of office themselves, would be deepened and aided by conversations with public officials who are direct participants in these matters of responsible governance and public service. Therefore, we ask the Texas State Board of Education to join us in making the most of the extraordinary opportunity, presented by the recent controversy over the state's History Curriculum, to explore these important concepts and the power they have demonstrated to move Americans to action and reflection over the course of the nation's dynamic history. We all agree that public engagement with history is crucial and that public indifference to or boredom with history is the worst-case scenario. The one clear advantage of controversy is that it lessens the grip of that indifference and boredom, presenting an opportunity that we should not pass up.
For decades, members of our profession have been hard at work, researching the history of this nation. This dedicated labor has produced riches of knowledge for teachers and students. And yet this harvest delivers the disadvantage of abundance: history teachers at every level are overwhelmed by a supply of worthwhile material that simply exceeds the capacity of a semester or school year. We recognize and appreciate that the Texas State Board of Education struggles with this happy dilemma, as, indeed, all teachers and professors do in every course. As we try to make the best choices in designating the individuals, events, and trends that are most important to young people's understanding of history, we would be welladvised to work in collaboration and not in opposition.
Barbara D. Metcalf, president; Anthony T. Grafton, presidentelect;Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, immediate past president; David J. Weber, vice president, Professional Division; Iris Berger vice president, Research Division; Patricia Nelson Limerick, vice president, Teaching Division; Cheryl Ann Cody, councilor, Teaching; Prasenjit Duara, councilor atlarge; Sarah Maza, councilor, Profession; Trudy H. Peterson, councilor atlarge; Laura Isabel Serna, councilor, Profession; Thomas J. Sugrue, councilor, Research; John Kelly Thornton, councilor, Research; Timothy Thurber, Teaching Division; Barbara L. Tischler, councilor, Teaching.
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