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Even as the clearing up, forensic work, medical treatment and mourning continues in the aftermath of the terrible bomb attacks against London on 7 July 2005, policy makers in government and civil society are necessarily required to think about the response to these awful events.
One of the few consolations of tragedy is that it provides an opportunity to stop and reflect about fundamental issues as well as immediate steps. As a Christian think tank concerned specifically with the intersection of public policy and theological understanding, Ekklesia sees its role as highlighting not just 'the religious dimension' of the situation, but the character of the underlying moral and political choices which have to be faced.
1. It is important that Britain's politicians should avoid framing their response to these tragic events in the language of a 'war on terror'. Such rhetoric merely serves to cloud complex issues. It imports revenge and violence as part of the solution, when in fact they are part of the root problem. Insurgents believe that politics grows out of the barrel of a gun. By contrast, practical politicians should be clear that terror cannot be defeated by military means. Its resolution can only be moral and political. As even US defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld has admitted, we lack the metrics to know whether a 'war on terror' is being won or lost. Such terminology rapidly descends to the phantasmagorical.
2. Modern insurgency is asymmetric. It operates across conventional borders and depends upon small networks of highly motivated, discontented people who see themselves acting according to different standards to those they attack, and who consider themselves otherwise disenfranchised within wider political systems. In the understandable rush to condemn what they do, it is important not to reinforce these perceptions. Dialogue with those who perpetrate acts of terror is probably not possible in the short run, but dialogue with those who back and reinforce them is absolutely essential. Conversation should not be confused with consent, nor talking with betrayal. What those who use armed means rely upon is an armed response. From their point of view it legitimates their actions and motivates recruits. We should deny the further oxygen of militarism to those who maim and kill.
3. The role of individuals, civil society and religious mediators is of crucial importance in facing insurgency and terror. Back in March 2005 Ekklesia reported on the work of former senior MI6 officer Alistair Crooke, who achieved an historic first by establishing an informal meeting in Beirut between satellite American security, military and diplomatic experts and significant figures from Arab and Muslim groups classified as banned terrorist organisations in the USA.
4. The search for sustainable security beyond conflict and violence involves risk. But the risks involved in conversation are small compared to those of military adventurism. Experience clearly demonstrates that the difficult path away from both independent and state terror in places like Kenya, South Africa and Northern Ireland has always involved dialogue with enemies. The new globalised face of insurgency adds immeasurably to the challenge involved, and requires much more direct investment in independent agencies with proven capacities in mediation and non-violent conflict resolution. But it is not beyond our capacity.
5. It easy to pontificate on the 'causes' of events like the London bombings, but it is much more difficult to face up to the complex intertwining of factors. The British government says that these actions are an 'attack on our way of life' (Tony Blair) and are highly likely to have been carried out by internal and/or external sympathisers with the shadowy Al Qaeda network. The latter is likely to be true. The former is far more questionable. Throughout the Arab world opinion surveys show that democratic institutions, human rights and civic freedom are seen as goods, and are associated with the West. But the actions of Western governments in what is seen to be the invasion and occupation of Afghanistan and Iraq, denial of justice to the Palestinians, and support for autocracies across the Middle East for many years are the major sources of discontent for a large majority of people. They breed the anger that in turn produces an unaccountable minority willing to use terror tactics.
6. Western commentators and politicians similarly find it very hard to face up to the undeniably religious character of this conflict, even though they helped to generate it. Post 9/11, the US administration and its allies used reckless language about a 'crusade' against its enemies, reinforced and employed the dubious concept of a 'clash of civilisations'. What they have failed to appreciate is the concomitant extent to which American-led foreign policy is overwhelmingly seen by Muslims as an assault on the Islamic world involving a huge degree of indiscriminate slaughter (far greater than that created by insurgency), the reduction of international law to Western self-interest, and the humiliation of Muslims in places like Guantanamo and Abu Ghraib. We may argue about such judgments. What is beyond doubt is the loathing they have engendered.
7. Mike Scheuer, who headed the CIA's Bin Laden Unit from 1996-2000, points out that all 23 countries named as targets by Bin Laden and his deputy Zawahiri as a result of their involvement in Iraq have now been hit. Without a major change in Western attitude and policy the global insurgency cannot be isolated and tackled, as he says. Such analysis is routinely dismissed as defeatism or negativity by American and British government spokespeople. It is not. The rigorous pursuit of a bipartisan solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, dialogue rather than diatribe with Iran and Syria, equanimity in standards of human treatment, and a return to international law in matters of military intervention are not concessions to terrorists. They are essential components of a workable world system. Similarly, the multilateral institutions of global governance (both formal and informal) need to be opened up to include India, China and the Muslim world.
8. It is inevitable that in the wake of bombings in Bali, Morocco, Turkey, Madrid and now London, both local and global security measures will be increased. But as the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 illustrates, legislation hurried through in the face of emergency situations can be severely deficient. Detention without trial and due process feeds the conditions it claims to combat. Lord Carlile of Berriew, the Liberal Democrat peer who has been given the job of being an independent scrutineer of such legislation, has said as much himself. A much wider panel of civic and political representatives, including human rights organisations, needs to be established to ensure that security legislation is fair, proportionate and as transparent as possible.
9. Ekklesia has already spoken out against the denial of rights to migrants, refugees and asylum seekers perpetrated by current government policies, sadly with wide endorsement or collusion across the political spectrum. It is important to remain vigilant against the further denial of rights in the name of emergency powers. Christians have a special duty to stand with the marginalised, the disempowered and the oppressed.
10. The media has a particular responsibility for careful, balanced and accurate reporting at the current time. The week before the London bombings, some 200 people were killed in Afghanistan. Every day, the insurgency in Iraq is claiming lives, sometimes dozens or scores of them. Though it is right and appropriate that our domestic press, broadcasting and web casting should focus on the suffering of those caught up in this latest tragedy, we should not narrow our vision. Rather, this is a moment for broadening perception and understanding. Overcoming religious stereotypes is an important part of that process, as is learning to view the world through the eyes of apparently incommensurate others.
11. In the aftermath of the London bombings, it is encouraging to see how the different faith communities have been prepared to speak and act together. This should not be a one-off response to these awful attacks, but a move towards ever-deeper relationships. As the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has pointed out, differences within and between religions are significant. So are the differences between those who emphasise the positive features of religion and those who take a critical or anti-religious stance, we should add. We should not ignore these. Rather, we must be willing to face them positively.
12. Ekklesia is especially concerned to see, and to contribute to, a more honest, open and rigorous conversation about the religious roots of war and terror. It is right to say that those who plant bombs to kill civilians are a tiny and unrepresentative group of people associated with the Muslim community. Christians have a significant responsibility to resist discrimination and hate speech against their Muslim neighbours based on allegations to the contrary. But all faith communities (including Christian ones) should acknowledge that there are texts, traditions and historical realities which point to a deep and uncomfortable connection between conventional religious faith and the unacceptable use of violence. How we handle and interpret them is of enormous significance not just to our own integrity but to the wellbeing of humankind. It is a primary theological task.
13. In associating with the actively non-violent strands of Christianity (exemplified by the Historic Peace Churches, but also seen as a vital minority tradition among Catholics, Protestants and others), Ekklesia believes that the churches in Britain and Ireland are offered, in the aftermath of the tragic events in London this week, a major opportunity to clarify their rejection of violence as a political method. So far participation from these islands in the World Council of Churches' Decade to overcome violence: Churches seeking reconciliation and peace (2001 - 2010) has been minimal. It would significantly enhance the integrity and witness of the Christian community if it was able to make this a priority, and to do so in conversation and cooperation with other faith communities – as they too are encouraged to discover and renew the sources of overcoming violence within their own traditions.
14. In Britain the great majority of Muslims and Christians opposed the use of pre-emptive military force as a solution to the deep problems of Iraq and Afghanistan, pointing out that the longer-term consequences of this approach would be deep and disturbing. Similarly, the overwhelming number of Muslims and Christians reject both the tactics of terror and the reactive politics of revenge. It is up to people of faith to persuade governments and civic communities to develop policies which move away from reliance on force as a means of conflict resolution, and towards frameworks for building a just peace.
15. From the Christian perspective, our vision is one of communion and sharing in God's peaceable kingdom. By seeking to follow the crucified and risen Jesus in a violent world, we recognise both the realities and contingencies in which we are immersed, but also the call to model a faith rooted in the power of love overcoming the love of power. For the community that wishes to be identified with the way of Christ, the one that calls itself 'church' (ekklesia) because its public space is structured on relationships and principles inimical to violence and injustice, what is seen as possible ought to be far greater than that delineated by realpolitik. But it cannot be less substantial. What is required right now is a politics of hope to overcome the politics of fear.


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In 2017, the majority of the most popular articles published on our website related to healthcare and pensions. Potential healthcare reform sparked a flurry of papers from Milliman consultants, and seven healthcare articles made the top 15 list. But other articles—including on the rise of InsurTech and the challenges of IFRS 17—managed to crack the list of the most popular articles for the year. Below is a list of the top 15 articles worldwide for 2017.
Milliman Medical Index , By Christopher Girod, Susan Hart, and Scott Weltz
In 2017, the cost of healthcare for a typical American family of four covered by an average employer-sponsored preferred provider organization plan is $26,944, according to the Milliman Medical Index.
Pension Funding Index , By Zorast Wadia and Charles Clark
Monthly reports on the funded status of the 100 largest corporate defined benefit pension plans as measured by the Milliman 100 Pension Funding Index.
The most recent Pension Funding Index indicates that with only one month left in 2017, the funded ratio for the Milliman 100 plans is on track to exceed that of 2016, with strong double-digit returns for the year (barring an exceptional event).
Corporate Pension Funding Study , By Zorast Wadia, Alan Perry, and Charles Clark
The 100 largest corporate defined benefit pension plans finished 2016 with pension assets of $1.395 trillion and projected benefit obligations of $1.718 trillion.
Impact of the transition from RAPS to EDS on Medicare Advantage risk scores , By Deana Bell, David Koenig, and Charlie Mills
A study of how the transition from Risk Adjustment Processing System data to Encounter Data System (EDS) data is affecting the payment year 2016 risk scores and revenue for Medicare Advantage, also known as Medicare Part C.
The paper found that the transition to EDS-based risk scores will have a significant effect on Medicare Advantage organizations in payment year 2016 and future years.
Summary of individual market enrollment and Affordable Care Act subsidies , By Paul Houchens, Jason Clarkson, and Zachary Fohl
A profile of the individual health insurance market for each state along with the District of Columbia, summarizing insurer financials, marketplace enrollment, and federal assistance provided to households purchasing insurance coverage through the insurance marketplaces, incorporating recently released data from the 2017 open enrollment period.
2017 Public Pension Funding Study , By Rebecca Sielman
An annual exploration of the funded status of the 100 largest U.S. public pension plans.
The study found that as of June 30, 2017, the aggregate funded ratio is estimated to be 70.7%, as assets experienced healthy growth. It also found that one-third of the plans reduced the interest rate assumptions they use for determining contribution amounts.
Figure 1: Aggregate system-reported funded status ($ trillions)
Note: The plan liability amounts from the 2014 and 2015 studies are the accrued liability used for determining contribution amounts; the 2016 and 2017 studies report the GASB 67/68 Total Pension Liability.
The employer stop-loss insurance marketplace since the Affordable Care Act , By Mehb Khoja
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act has considerably increased the need for and expanded employer interest in stop-loss coverage due to several factors, including the removal of annual and lifetime maximums and the removal of pre-existing condition exclusions, among others.
InsurTech: Innovation in the P&C insurance space , By Thomas Ryan
While the number of InsurTech deals may have peaked in the first quarter of 2016 (59 deals for $783 million), the market still appears to be very active (38 deals for $283 million in the first quarter of 2017). To determine what may be the hype curve for InsurTech, it's valuable to pause and survey the current landscape.
Overview and practical considerations of the new insurance contract standard: IFRS 17 , By Gillian Tucker and Andrew Kay
This briefing note discusses some of the challenges companies will face when adopting and applying IFRS 17.
Building blocks: Block grants, per capita caps, and Medicaid reform , By Justin Birrell, Jennifer Gerstorff, Nicholas Johnson, and Brad Armstrong
While a main topic in news discussions has been proposed reforms to health insurance exchanges created by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, Medicaid reform has the potential to affect more people than any other source of coverage. Understanding the implications of Republican Medicaid reform proposals requires consideration of several factors.
Figure 2: Potential risk by funding source
|Funding scenarios
|Funding attribute
|Block grant
|Per capita cap
|Funding limit
|None, as long as regulatory requirements are met.
|Established in advance, unchanged with population growth or environmental factors.
|Established in advance, varies based on population size, but unchanged for environmental factors.
|State vs. federal medical growth rate
|Consistent growth rates.
|Federal growth defined in advance. State growth leveraged based on overall growth.
|Federal growth is mitigated. State growth may be leveraged if cost per enrollee is more than projected.
|Enrollment mix change risk
|Federal risk varies by FMAP: if populations with higher federal match increase at a faster rate than the overall population, state share of bill is lower. For states with low/no expansion enrollment, match is relatively steady.
|Federal government transfers risk to states.
|Depends on structure. If cap is per capita on an aid category basis, then risk is similar to current. If not based on aid category, mix of members by aid category could negatively impact states as population groups age and LTSS become more prevalent.
|Enrollment growth mix
|Consistent risk state versus federal.
|Federal government transfers risk to states.
|Consistent risk state versus federal, as long as new members don't have higher-than-average cost.
Effective employee communication: The benefits of best practices , By Jessica Gonchar, Heidi tenBroek, and Sharon Stocker
Communications is vital to inform and influence how employees think about their benefits, workplace, and employer.
MACRA and Medicare Advantage plans: Synergies and potential opportunities , By Christopher Kunkel, Drew Osborne, Lynn Dong, Michael Polakowski, Noah Champagne, and Charlie Mills
While MACRA primarily affects Part B clinicians, there are numerous implications, synergies, and opportunities for Medicare Advantage plans.
Figure 1 – 2015 Medicare expenditures
The American Health Care Act , By Jason Karcher
The American Health Care Act would impose several reforms on the commercial market, repeal several taxes introduced under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, and fundamentally reform the Medicaid funding process while allowing a glide path for the end of enhanced federal funding for the Medicaid expansion.
Multiemployer Pension Funding Study , By Kevin Campe
This study updates the estimated funded status of all U.S. multiemployer plans as of June 30, 2017, showing the change in funding levels from December 31, 2016. Among the findings from the study is that multiemployer plan funding as of June 30 is nearing its best position since the market collapse of 2008.
Figure 2: Aggregate multiemployer plan historical funded percentage – market value basis
MACRA: Key Considerations for health plans , By Colleen Norris and Mary van der Heijde
The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 represents a tectonic shift in how providers are reimbursed for the services they provide to Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries.

subset: commoncrawl


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I frequently disagree with Financial Times writer Wolfgang Münchau, especially on keeping the eurozone and EU intact.
Today, I largely agree (but sometimes for opposite reasons) with Münchau's take in Britain's bluster serves the eurozone well.
Münchau: The singular importance of the budget negotiations, and of British prime minister David Cameron's insistence on an EU budget freeze, lies in what they reveal about the future of the EU itself. A frozen budget means that the EU is stuck with what it does. Forget the Agenda 2020, or any other pretence at growth-enhancing policies.
What the fraught budget negotiations tell us is that the process of European integration – at the level of the EU – is largely completed. In that sense it matters little whether the UK, for example, stays inside or not. In formally leaving the EU, there would be no need for the UK to give up on any existing rights, including the right to take up work and residence in the EU and, of course access to the single market – whatever that is worth. The terms of a withdrawal from the EU are freely negotiable. Even now, it does not feel that different, apart from the temperature, whether you are in Britain inside the EU, or in Norway outside the EU.
Mish: From the point of view of the EU, Münchau is largely correct. The EU can blunder along in its creation of an economic nannyzone with or without the UK, but not with or without Germany.
However, from the point of view of the UK, it would be better for the the UK to leave. The UK does not need inane EU agricultural subsidies, inane financial regulations, inane work rules, or this endless bickering over rules and budgets that the EU nannyzone requires of member states.
Münchau: Today's EU has two important functions left. Some readers may find my list shockingly short. The first is that it provides the institutions and legal framework for the eurozone to muddle through to a solution of its crisis. I am not saying that the eurozone will necessarily achieve that goal. There is a non-trivial probability that it will not.
The banking union could be a first step towards a single market for finance at eurozone level. Ultimately, I would also expect a single market for labour and for services, all at eurozone level. If there is a fiscal union, its budget will end up not only bigger than the EU's, but also different in composition – to fulfil the purpose of macroeconomic stabilisation.
Mish: I advise betting on the "non-trivial probability" things do not work out as Münchau sees. Ironically, the more "success" the EU has on achieving one-size fits none "nannyrules" for everything under the sun, the lower the overall growth in the region because the bureaucracy, financial taxes, agricultural rules, etc., are generally headed in the wrong direction.
Münchau:The EU's second important function is to serve as a waiting room for member states who are not yet in the eurozone, but are willing to enter it at some point in the future.
In the end, it does not matter whether the outs leave the EU formally, linger compliantly on the fringes or whether the eurozone leaves them. A messy divorce of some sort will take place, at some point, possibly still quite a few years away. It could take numerous forms. A formal separation is only one of several possibilities. But it is not sustainable for a group of permanent outsiders to enjoy permanent co-decision rights, even though the EU is endlessly patient when it comes to accepting transitional arrangements. The reality is that there is no sustainable biosphere that is outside the eurozone, but inside the EU.
Mish: There is a big difference between the UK sitting on the fence and the Czech Republic, Denmark, or Sweden sitting on the fence. The difference is the UK's size and ability to make waves.
However, let's assume Münchau is correct, that "there is no sustainable biosphere that is outside the eurozone, but inside the EU".
Given there is very little chance of the UK joining the eurozone, the sooner the UK leaves the EU, the better. Since that is what Münchau implies (assuming he agrees the UK will not join the eurozone), we are largely in agreement.
Münchau: By insisting on an EU budget freeze, Mr Cameron is ultimately doing the eurozone a favour. By undermining the EU, he provides further incentives for the eurozone to grasp its collective interest. I support him.
Mish: Not quite. Cameron sits like a wimp on a fence unable to do what needs to be done, nor will he even put the matter to a vote.
Monti Presses Cameron for EU Referendum
Most likely to the shock and horror of the bulk of nannycrats, Monti presses Cameron for EU referendum.
Italy's prime minister has publicly urged David Cameron to call a decisive referendum on "the fundamental question" of whether Britain should remain in the EU.
In comments that will complicate the British prime minister's efforts to fend off Eurosceptic demands for an "in-out" vote, Mario Monti argued that an unambiguous plebiscite was the best way to address "the British problem" and prevent an exit.
He added: "Above all, one day Britain must – I spoke with David Cameron about this last week – Britain must ask their electorate, not whether they agree or disagree on the latest change . . . but pose the fundamental question: do you want to remain in the European Union?"
Opinion polls suggest a majority of Britons want to leave the EU. A ComRes survey for the Independent newspaper, released on Tuesday, showed 54 per cent wanted Britain to exit and maintain close trading links.
While Mr Cameron has indicated he favours a referendum on a new "settlement" between Britain and an increasingly integrated eurozone, he makes it clear he wants the UK to retain its membership. He has refused to yield to pressure from his own Conservative party to hold an in-out vote.
The prospect of reopening Tory splits on Europe haunts Mr Cameron; the two previous Conservative premiers – Margaret Thatcher and John Major – were both brought down by party infighting over Europe.
Michael Fabricant, a Conservative vice-chairman, on Monday called on Mr Cameron to offer a referendum non-aggression pact at the next election with the Eurosceptic UK Independence party. He warned the Conservatives could otherwise lose 20-40 seats.
But Mr Cameron rejected the idea, saying there would be "no pacts" with Ukip, which secured its best-ever parliamentary by-election result last week. Nigel Farage, Ukip leader, said he could not do a deal with the Tories while Mr Cameron was in post.
Meanwhile, Mr Cameron said on Monday that a deal on the EU's long-term budget was "still doable" in spite of a breakdown of talks in Brussels last Friday. Britain sided with other EU paymasters – including Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands and Finland – in calling for cuts to proposed spending.
Wimping Along
Cameron has not yet figured out there will only be positive ramifications to jettisoning the nannycrats instead of attempting to influence them.
Compromise is silly with so many major differences including the overall budget, financial transaction taxes, agricultural subsidies, tariffs in general, and work rules.
Here is the problem as I stated in Pin the Tail on the Scapegoat.
Losing by Winning
Cameron raised the EU's bluff and Merkel promptly folded.
The problem is the UK would be far better off by having a straight up or down vote on the EU by British citizens (which I am sure would be rejected), and sadly that outcome was avoided.
Instead, Cameron has decided to plod along instead of doing what needs to be done: having a national referendum on UK membership in the EU.
Cameron's Self-Serving Policies
Cameron will not do what polls suggest or even what his own party wants. Why? Like most politicians, Cameron is acting in his own self-interests hoping to offend the fewest number of people.
The risk is Labor wins the next election anyway, making an exit impossible.
Worse yet, the next prime minister could conceivably sell the UK down the river by agreeing to implement financial transaction taxes and imposing other nannycrat idiocies.
What Cameron really needs to do is not only call for a referendum, but also encourage people to vote to kiss the nannycrats goodbye.
Mike "Mish" Shedlock


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My anonymous (love her like a sister) sister in law recently made a gorgeous spring lunch for her closest relatives, and I just had to share it with all of you. Feast your eyes on this fabulous lunch menu and hot pink accented table top decor. Though she claims that she made up some of the recipes, I am slowly trying to drag all of the secret info out of her, so please bear with me. One recipe that I can share with all of you is the one that I passed on to her, and you can find the recipe for Panko Encrusted Goat Cheese Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash and Pumpkin Seeds HERE. The rest of the recipes will g-d willing come ASAP!!!
Notice how the HOT PINK placemats and center napkins took center stage and made this table shout, "ITS SPRINGTIME, LADIES!!! EVERYBODY SMILE!!"
Which we absolutely did!!!
As a special bonus HOSTESS tip-
The circular straw placemats can be purchased at Gracious Home.
If you want a POP of color without spending a fortune, you can purchase these MY DRAP disposable placemats and napkins (in the center of the table pictured below) from Amazon. Usable up to 5 times- you get a lot of bang for your buck!


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I cannot believe this past weekend happened. It seriously was a dream out of a book that I never thought could ever happen in my entire life.
Absolutely nothing went wrong. I was so happy and the best part of the day was marrying B! Everything was flawless and David and his team totally surprised me again and again throughout the day. Everything is so real and genuine and I cannot thank David and his team enough for creating such a special, amazing and fun day for us and our guests. It just went by all too quickly.
Sadly, I can't share many pictures…. but I will in due time! I'm waiting for our photographer to send me just one to post. And that will have to tide everyone over for a while. I am SO excited to see our photographs from him. He did such an amazing job and I know I will be blown away! He even put up with me trying to remind him of what to take pictures of.
We also got great news on Friday night that our offer was verbally accepted on the house and now we just have to wait to get it in writing! We are going to open escrow hopefully before we leave for our trip to Europe in August.
The details, the love, everything was amazing, amazing, amazing. From beginning to end, my girls, our make up, the entire day, holding hands with B walking out the church to yet ANOTHER surprise, everything was absolutely perfect. The toasts were also AMAZING. Shea did such a great job and it was so heartfelt and had everyone in tears.
Both of us are back to work until we leave for Europe. :) I'm so happy to be married to my best friend. It was a perfect day, we both though so and are both so thankful for everyone who was there to support us and who loves us! It was a great celebration with everyone we love.
B truly makes me a much better person and I'm so glad we are now venturing on in life together. I wouldn't want anyone else by my side.
So now, I'm married. It doesn't feel much different, and I'm REALLY looking forward to going for a run tonight and not worrying about getting weird tan lines.
Thank you for all the kind comments, the encouraging words and emails! It was seriously a blast and of course, when I find out when the show airs I will let everyone know! The season starts in November. :)


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Research reveals new understanding of X chromosome inactivation
(Phys.org)—In a paper published in the Nov. 21 issue of Cell, a team led by Mauro Calabrese, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of North Carolina in the lab of Terry Magnuson, chair of the department of genetics and member of the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, broadens the understanding of how cells regulate silencing of the X chromosome in a process known as X-inactivation.
"This is a classic example of a basic research discovery. X-inactivation is a flagship model for understanding how non-coding RNAs orchestrate large-scale control of gene expression. In the simplest terms, we are trying to understand how cells regulate expression of their genes. Our findings are relevant across the board—by understanding how normal cells function we can apply that knowledge to similar situations in the understanding and treatment of disease," said Calabrese.
Proper regulation of the X chromosome plays a crucial role in mammalian development. Females inherit a pair of X chromosomes from their parents, and the process of X-inactivation shuts down one of these two Xs.
"Males have XY. Females have two Xs. One of those Xs needs to get shut off. If it does not, it's not compatible with life. It's how we have evolved to equalize doses between males and females," said Calabrese.
While the manner in which the X chromosome is deactivated has been actively studied for 50 years, the exact mechanisms that regulate the process remain a mystery. Calabrese's research used high-throughput sequencing to determine the location and activity of chromosomes with far greater accuracy than previous research.
"Basically, this is using the sequencing technology as a high resolution microscope," said Calabrese.
Under a microscope, the inactive X chromosome (Xi) appears as a cloud-like structure, because it is covered with a non-coding RNA known as Xist. In the traditional model of X-inactivation, genes located inside the cloud are completely silenced, with 15 percent of the genes from the inactive X chromosomes escaping to become active.
"The prevailing thought was that genes that escaped X inactivation were pulled out of the core and expressed out there," said Calabrese.
The work of Calabrese's team complicates the current model of X-inactivation by finding indications of gene activity inside the Xist cloud and the presence of inactive genes outside the cloud, both of which would not have been thought possible in the prevailing model.
"It's kind of a subtle thing, but mechanistically it is a big difference," said Calabrese.
Inside the Xist cloud, sequencing discovered traces of DNase I sensitivity, a feature usually linked to transcription activity. While other markers associated with transcription were absent, the presence of DNase I sensitivity suggested that the nucleus did recognize the inactive X as usable DNA, but an unknown suppressive mechanism was preventing genes from being activated.
"We were surprised to see that. If they were totally silent, you would expect this to be not there… This suggests that transcription factors or other proteins that bind DNA are still accessing the inactive X," said Calabrese.
The other surprising findings involve the 15 percent of "escaper" genes from the inactive X. Calabrese found evidence that active genes were found both inside and outside the Xist cloud, and that silenced genes that lay alongside active genes outside of the Xist cloud remained inactive.
"If X-inactivation was a strict nuclear barrier, then pulling a gene outside the barrier would turn it on, but it has got to be more than that because when an inactivated gene that is beside an escaper is outside this domain, it is still turned off," said Calabrese.
The presence of DNase I sensitivity within the Xist cloud and the finding of inactive genes outside of the cloud suggest that a site-specific mechanism is regulating genes on the chromosome in a more subtle way than the binary "on/off" function posited by the prevailing model. The exact mechanism for this remains unknown. Although Calabrese believes that Xist still plays a role, its exact function and whether other factors influence X-inactivation remain questions for future research.
"We know that Xist is required to turn off the inactive X. We know that. We have no idea how" said Calabrese.
Beyond revising the understanding of how X-inactivation works, Calabrese said that deeper understanding of the function of Xist could reveal more about the role of other non-coding RNAs in cellular development. These RNAs could become useful targets for future therapies and drug development.
"We know that too much expression of the wrong non-coding RNAs can lead to cancer. Also, forced expression of other non-coding RNAs can prevent cancer. Generally, we do not know how these RNAs work," said Calabrese.
Explore further


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Dreamworks' upcoming prehistoric comedy The Croods is really growing on us, with some truly beautiful production art and a host of odd-looking animals. This first clip gives us a peek at some of those critters in action, including Guy's sloth, Belt, and one tiger-striped fellow who's in danger of becoming lunch. But the star of this trailer is the toothy bird monster Eep and Guy attempt to lure into their trap with a bit of sexy bird puppetry.
[via Coming Soon]


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It's the summer box office now that is the new priority.
Today a full trailer for The Avengers was released. Here, watch:
I like it. A LOT.
And Scarjo is allowed to speak now! This time, it's Jeremy Renner who's been reduced to background. Still, in that final shot of the 6 of them getting ready for battle, I had to laugh at the fact that all she has is a little gun in her hand when the rest of them are all tricked out with hammers, shields, rockets, and the like. Since she's the only girl we get, please, please, please let her represent with her powers of persuasion and a formidable brain.
Then that crazy mechanical lizard spaceship Transformer comes roaring around the building and it's OH SH-T Joss Whedon, I think you did good! I especially think it might be good whenever Iron Man, Captain America, and Thor get together to beat the sh-t out of each other. Also, what are the chances that Loki's such a badass villain, you end up wanting him to win?
Promising, right? Very, very promising.


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Season 13 Rumors! Camp Rock 2 Matthew "Mdot" Finley To Dance On Dancing With The Stars?
"Camp Rock 2″ actor Matthew "Mdot" Finley has recently been released from the hosptal after a motorcycle crash in May. But, this isn't going to stop Matthew from getting back in shape and working to recover. He's determined to "get back on the dancefloor" which includes "a possible stint on Dancing With The Stars" writes PVMTV. More in a take below. The link describes Matthew's accident in a little more more detail. Thanks to @DWTSgossip at twitter for this news.
Finley's manager, Eric Ortner, said Wednesday the singer-actor was released Tuesday from UCLA Medical Center after undergoing several surgeries for injuries he received when he lost control of his motorcycle in the Santa Monica Mountains and plummeted off a cliff.
Ortner said that Finley suffered multiple injuries to his face, head and legs but is "determined to get back on the dance floor," including a possible stint on ABC's "Dancing with the Stars."
Finley played rival Luke Williams in the Disney Channel sequel starring the Jonas Brothers.
So, what do you think if this rumor pans out to be true? Who do you see Matthew partnered with?
I can see him with Chelsea….they have the same tender smile. If true, this would fit the demographics of the last several seasons of producers picking a "Disney" star.


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In fact, I first got into Post and Beam building way back in the
70's when I left my corporate job to build my own dream home with
mud and timber. What a life changing experience that was… I
enjoyed the process so much, I never went back to my job, I became a
professionalpost and beam builder, and as they say in the classics, "the rest is history…"
So if your dream is to build your own special home, that's
something I truly understand, and as I said in the video on this page,
one of the most satisfying aspects of my job is seeing the joy my
clients get from having me help them make their dreams come true,
it's something special and I never tire of it.
In recent years 6 Star energy efficiency has become a mandatory
requirement for all new homes, and in some places in Australia, people
have been finding it difficult to meet the 6 Star energy efficient home
rating when building withmud bricks. Not so at Post & Beam!
We build new homes with mud brick and a wide variety of other materials and have absolutely no problem soma online india
reaching 6 star efficiency levels. In fact our homes often achieve
between 7 & 8 Stars, which makes heating and cooling your home
incredibly efficient.
Another thing you should know about Post & Beam is that we are
the only company in Australia that designs and builds custom post and
beam kit homes. We invented the system. We've been doing
this successfully for 40+ years, and our unrivalled experience means we
have no peer in custom builtpost and beam kit homes.
This means if you don't mind getting involved in your
building project, we can help you save 30% and upwards on your building
costs, by supplying you with a custom designed kit home that you
assemble for yourself. We deliver our custom designed kits Australia
wide and we can also recommend a list of reputable builders right
around the country that will assemble the home we design for you if
you'd prefer to have professional help with building your dream
We pride ourselves on quality workmanship and we have a reputation
for excellence, craftsmanship and satisfied customers. If you want
references prior to building, we have scores of people you can talk too.
You'll find a lot of information on our website about design
principles, including 6 star plus design, passive solar design, thermal
mass, insulation, site orientation and the like. We also have a series
of "thought starter" post and beam design plans on our website as well
as a free 'DIY House Design Kit' that you can download from our
Simply fill in the form on our homepage and you can download a 'DIY House Design Kit' straight away.
We understand how important your home is to you and we will treat
the design and building of your home with complete integrity and
attention to detail. We support you every step of the way in making
your dream home a reality including:
• Helping to capture, develop and implementing your ideas
• Helping with financial applications.
• Helping you with council and town planners to gain appropriate permits
• Advice and assistance with builders & tradesmen
• Organising building works,
• Obtaining energy efficiency assessments,
• In fact pretty much anything you need to successfully build your home.
If after reading our website or receiving your free 'DIY House
Design Kit' you have any questions, simply send me an email on the
Contacts page. You'll also benefit greatly from
reading the questions others have asked us on our forum and we have a
great FAQ section where we provide a lot of information on commonly
asked questions about custom builtPost & Beam homes.


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New York rapper Azealia Banks is becoming increasingly known for her gripes with other artists and over the past few days the rapstress has found herself in the midst of yet another feud, this time with "Harlem Shake" producer Baauer.
In a recent interview, Baauer referred to Banks' remix of "Harlem Shake" as being "so-so" and shortly after, Banks posted an alleged email from Baauer dating back to December in which the DJ praises the rapper for her remix of the record.
The email from Baauer, which was posted on Banks' Instagram profile and Tumblr page, reads: "Hey Azealia! Thrilled to hear from you im a big fan of yours!! The vocals sound fantastic! I really love the flow on it in the second half especially. Im gonna strip down the beat to make more room for your vocals…"
The picture of the alleged email from Baauer also included this comment from Banks: "I don't remember you saying the verse was so-so…"
Baauer has yet to respond to this latest addition in the feud between the duo and as of now it has not been confirmed if the email is in fact real.
RELATED: Azealia Banks Feuds Over "Harlem Shake," Calls Perez Hilton Homophobic Slur Again


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Vets service office coming to So. Side
June 10, 2008
On Friday, June 13 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. the Disabled American Veterans Mobile Service Office will be at the American Serbian Club taking claims and assisting veterans. There will also be an information seminar from 5:30-6:30 p.m. with information on Veteran Administration benefits.
DAV Chapter #76 Col. S.D. Foster will hold its monthly chapter meeting at 7:30 p.m. and all are welcome to attend. The American Serbian Club is at 2524 Sarah Street, South Side.


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As all of you have already discovered, there are basically two kinds of pain. Those are physical and mental. Both are stressful, of course, and by their nature, not enjoyable. I'm not certain if the direct opposite of pain is relief from pain or is it pleasure? Pleasure, on the other hand, is very subjective for each individual, but there are certain aspects of life which we would all agree give pleasure, joy and zest to life.
Mental Pain:
At the top of this list, for many of us with chronic pain, would be dealing with individuals who just "don't get it." Unfortunately, sometimes these people work for doctors or worse yet, are doctors. Aren't there times you wish you could "paint a picture" or come up with some better way to communicate what your life is so others would be more considerate? Maybe if they really understood, life would be easier? I don't know, I'm just asking. There are times I feel like saying to those close to me and those not so close, READ MY LIPS.
One of the biggest pains for me is dealing with individuals who think they know what's best for me. I hate that. I consider it interference. I'm an adult. Don't make decisions for me without consulting me, please. Don't presume, assume or postulate that you know what I feel. Ask me. I have intelligent opinions about what I feel, what I can do and what I want to do. Don't leave me out of the equation, whoever you are. It's not all about being ill. I noticed since I turned 50, several years ago, young people have a tendency to treat older folk like they're idiots. What's that all about? I hate that. The other day, after an encounter with just such a young woman at the video store, I climbed into my car and said into the rearview mirror, "Do I look stupider the older I get?" Geez, I sure hope not. I've got enough to cope with.
There are some little daily irritants that really get to me, especially if I'm not feeling well. I think the top of the list of these would be unsolicited phone calls which pull me out of the bathroom or tub and turn out to be some poor soul earning a living by phone solicitation, trying to sell me a lower interest rate; Dish network, a different phone service or some alternative form of insurance. The do not call lists have not worked for us. Do they work for anyone? And surveys? "Forget about it." I would so love to tell the voice, sometimes recorded, sometimes not, how I actually feel about having my life interrupted by their call. Hanging up doesn't help, they just call back. Punching the number they tell me to punch to be taken off the list doesn't help, ever. Punching the number to talk to a representative has never worked and they usually just hang up on me in mid-sentence. My special "un-favorite" is the one that's been saying, for at least two years, "This is your absolutely last chance..." I talk to all of these recordings saying things like, "Sure, of course it is!!" and "What is with you people????" Okay, I think that's enough of the negative venting for today, enough about the "empty half" of life, how about pleasure?
Some days just seem so overwhelming, most of us have come up with coping skills to find the bright spots, pleasure and joy. Some days you have to really search. The human spirit needs creative expression in order to live. This I know. I would love to hear and have already heard from many of you what gives you pleasure. I have noted a tendency for those of us who live with pain to gravitate toward beauty, both visual and audible. Many of us live near water, trees or scenic desert. Many of us have pets of various varieties. Many of us garden and love beautiful flowers and plants; to the extent we can still tend them. Even in that we have figured out ways to garden in pots, on decks or porches and seek that connection to growing things. We seek life in all its forms, all around us, wherever it can be found.
Many of us who are parents, grandmas and grandpas find pleasure in the youngsters we love and the joy and play they radiate. Some of us write prose or poetry, long letters to friends. Many of us dabble or become very adept at painting. Others of us love to quilt, perform needle work or other forms of creative art.
Many of us love music. We listen, play or sing. It doesn't really matter if we're good or not, but it sounds like some of you are very talented. As for me, I just fool around with my beautiful electronic keyboard drawing on my piano lessons I took as a child. There is an ethereal quality to music that is difficult to explain. It's as if it lifts you in flight and transports you to another plane. I often have the same feeling when I am writing a poem or composing a prose piece. Helen Keller said, "The best and the most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart." Thank you, Helen. If anyone knew about disability, it was you.
Important: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not Everyday Health.


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Large converted hanger with simulators, large and small classrooms, snack area, lounge and individula training/study rooms. Also has small pilot shop. Flyers has training aircraft only, no rentals.
Data is submitted by registered FlightAware members on 2010-Feb-25 11:39.You must register or login to edit FBO information.
Jet A and 100LL airport fuel prices for all FBOs at KPMP


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You are currently browsing the tag archive for the '1970 theme' tag.
Turning 40 doesn't have to be a bad thing. I mean, at least it's not 60, or 50 even! Need to celebrate an upcoming 40th birthday, or throwing a 40th birthday party? We've got it all taken care of, just check out these 40th birthday gift ideas! Read the rest of this entry »


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International Championships
08 Οκτ 2019 - 10 Οκτ 2019
Αγγλια - Brentwood/London
8-10 Oct:The International HallDoddinghurst RdBrentwood CentreCM15 9NN Brentwood11 Oct:The Royal Albert HallLondon
Tickets from £29.00 per person per day which includes admission tickets for the entire day at the International Hall in Brentwood. Please enter on line using on-line entry form.
Juvenile, Juniors, U21, Seniors, Over50 and Professional Rising Stars will complete their competitions on the relevant days (Latin on Tuesday and Ballroom on Wednesday). The Amateur and Professional successful qualifiers will dance at the Royal Albert Hall in London on Thursday.
The tickets for The Brentwood Hall can obtained by sending the cheque (Sterling only, payable to Dance News Ltd) to:
Dance News Ltd
Elm House
Tanshire Park
Shackleford Road, Elstead
Surrey GU8 6LB
Payments by Visa and Mastercard also accepted.
Booking for the Royal Albert Hall either at the box office, by telephone, by post or on-line. Go to www.royalalberthall.com and chose Events on Sale and search for the International Championships. For box office bookings: the Royal Albert Hall box office is open from 9am - 9pm, 7 days a week and is located at Door 12 on the south side of the Hall, leading up from Prince Consort Rd. Telephone bookings: call +44 20 7589 8212. By post: refer to the website for address. Cheques payable to 'Royal Albert Hall'.


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Download link (right click and 'save-as') for playing in VLC or other compatible player.
Quantum gravity is about finding out what is the more fundamental nature of spacetime, as a physical system. Several approaches to quantum gravity, suggest that the very description of spacetime as a continuum fails at shorter distances and higher energies, and should be replaced by one in terms of discrete, pre-geometric degrees of freedom, possibly of combinatorial and algebraic nature.


text: If you're going to go through the trouble of whitewashing Huckleberry Finn by taking out the n-word, why not replace it with something more anachronistic. Like robots. I mean, it only makes sense, after Twain met Data, that he'd incorporate them into his stories. The more you donate to the project, the cooler the end result will be. [Nerdist]


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2019 Schedule of Area Farmer's Markets
The Season Has Begun
This is one of the best signs that summer is around the corner. Neighborhood farmer's markets are starting all over Greater Madison. You will see fruit and vegetable stands popping up as the weather turns to sunshine and warmth. Of course, this is not an exhaustive list but we did want to share many of the crowd favorites. Click here for a larger version.
Enjoy the season!


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Brisbane is often overlooked as a tourist destination in Australia. It is dwarfed on the global stage by other famous Australian cities like Sydney and Melbourne and to a lesser extent, Perth. However, after four visits to Brisbane I can say that Brisbane or "BrisVegas", as the locals call it, is worth some time and exploration. Here are some suggestions.
Start out your Brisbane city tour in South Bank for a look at the cool, modern area of Brisbane with great views of the Brisbane city skyline; which is why they call it BrisVegas. It is glows at night and looks world class like New York, Hong Kong or Vegas.
Walk the beautifully cultivated riverfront promenade and check out the surprisingly pleasant man made beach and pool smack dab in the middle of South Bank. It sounds a little cheesy on the surface but in reality, they did a great job and you'll be thinking other cities should do something like this. It adds a real charm and embraces the proximity of the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast to Brisbane.
Brisbane is the gateway into and the capital of Queensland. It is the largest city and the shopping capital. Central Brisbane, or the CBD as all downtown areas are known in Australia, is very pleasant to walk around and had world-class shopping if that's your thing. It's also a great place to people watch, have a coffee and enjoy the fantastic Brisbane weather.
Renting a bike is also a great way to see the city and gives you a little more flexibility on a short stay. Another option is hopping on a boat and doing a little river cruise that gives you multiple perspectives to Brisbane where you can hop on and off as you please.
Head back to South Bank for sunset and catch a great view as the lights come on in BrisVegas. It really is one of the best urban skylines in the world. There are plenty of excellent and trendy restaurants to choose from and the nightlife is quite good in Brisbane.
Many people go to Brisbane only to go somewhere else and that's a shame. It's well worth a trip on its own merits. It may be a big country town as the Aussies say but I say it's a cool city with a great vibe.
Azamara is partnering with Abercrombie & Kent to offer incredible tours in Australia and New Zealand. Click here to view upcoming voyages to Brisbane.
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Vegetarian: Peas and Carrots Salad with Goat Cheese and Almonds
Get the Recipe
I've always loved peas and carrots in pretty much all their forms. Even the little compartments of frozen peas and cubically-cut carrots were the best part of my TV dinner (unless said dinner also included an apple crumble). Why do they work so well as a frozen vegetable? It's because when frozen fresh, neither peas nor carrots lose much of their sweetness or flavor, and they're both small enough that their texture is also minimally affected.
But that was then and this is now; with all the access we have to great fresh produce these days, it seems a waste not to pull off some sort of minor update on the classic duo. This salad brings them together in a brighter, fresher, altogether-more-satisfying way.
I like to think of fresh peas as the caviar of the vegetable world. Or perhaps the salmon roe. It's a textural thing. When cooked perfectly, they should have tight, smooth skins that pop under pressure from your tongue, filling your mouth with their intensely sweet flavor. And the flavorful lifespan of a pea is very short lived. Within hours of being plucked from the vine, its natural sugars start to convert to starches.
What this means it that for absolute ideal flavor, your best bet is to get to the farmer's market early, pick up your peas (preferably still in their pods), get 'em home as soon as you can, pop them out of their pods, and blanch them in a big pot of salted boiling water. This is a good move to make, whether or not you're planning on eating them straight away. Blanching will destroy the enzymes that catalyze the sugar-to-starch reactions in the peas, freezing their flavor in place. Once chilled, they can be stored for up to two days after blanching.
Sugar snap peas are a little more forgiving in terms of maintaining their sweetness, but don't let them sit for too long in the fridge door.
Baby carrots are the other main element in this salad, and they too rely on freshness not for flavor, but for optimal texture. The thinner the carrot, the faster it loses moisture and becomes limp. With slender baby carrots like these, they'll start to go limp in a matter of hours. Your best bet for storing them for more than a day or two is to wrap them in a damp paper towel, place them in a loosely closed plastic bag, and keeping them in the vegetable crisper in the refrigerator.
Many people hate the task, but I actually quite enjoy peeling baby carrots. I find it therapeutic in the same way that, say, my mom enjoys filing her fingernails. And if peeling their bodies is like filing your nails, then peeling off the tiny bits around the root-leaf interface where dirt likes to hang out is like picking out your belly button lint. And who doesn't like doing that?
Once your peas, snap peas, and carrots are blanched (cooking fresh spring and summer produce is so darn easy!), the rest of the salad is a snap. I add creaminess by whipping together some fresh goat cheese with a good extra-virgin olive oil and flavoring it with black pepper and lemon zest, to accent the peppery notes in the oil and the tangy citrus notes of the goat cheese.
Next, I throw together a quick vinaigrette with lemon juice and olive oil bound together with just a touch of mustard and flavored with a drizzle of toasted pumpkin seed oil (any nutty oil will do). A sprinkling of toasted Marcona almonds add their buttery crunch.
Finally, the dish gets drizzled with a bit of honey (honey, goat cheese, and almonds are a natural fit), and a quick garnish of the tenderest fronds of the carrot tops.
And there you go: the same old peas and carrots from your childhood cafeteria line or TV dinner compartment. Just a little bit prettier is all.


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IDI - Inspector Dawood Ibrahim (4),
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Shivaay (2),
Doctor Strange (3),
Kodi (4),
Kaashmora (2),
Trolls (1),
Aanandam (1),
Selvi (4),
Ithihasa (4),
Miruthan (4),
Ae Dil Hai Mushkil (1),
Swarna Kaduva (4),
Swarna Kaduva (3),
Pulimurugan (1),
Pulimurugan (2),
Vismayam (4),
Oppam (3),
Marubhoomiyile Aana (2),
Kaashmora (4),
Aanandam (4),
Pretham (4),
Velli Velichathil (4),
Vellimoonga (4),
Action Hero Biju Malayalam Movie Review - A Realistic, Subtle Movie
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Jackie Francois Sings of Faith
Popular worship leader reaches youth through song, including at World Youth Day.
Jackie Francois, 27, lives her dream. From her roots as a youth minister, her career has taken her all over the country as a singer/songwriter, worship leader and speaker. Most recently, the Orange County, Calif., native traveled to Spain to sing for World Youth Day.
What moved you to make the change from youth ministry to your present career as singer/songwriter and speaker?
I still feel like a youth minister who travels around the country, but the change came when Spirit & Song/OCP asked me to be one of their "artists" in 2006. At the time, I was a full-time parish youth minister, so I discerned for six months where God wanted me. I discerned that God was calling me to do full-time itinerant ministry as a speaker and worship leader and knew that he would provide opportunities to serve if that was really what I was called to do. Four years later, I am so grateful I get to travel around the country (and world) doing what I love: proclaiming the Gospel through speaking and music. I feel like I am exactly where I am supposed to be, which, despite any small sufferings, brings a lot of peace and joy to my heart.
Did you write all the songs for your album Your Kingdom Is Glorious? Where does your inspiration come from?
I wrote every song on Your Kingdom Is Glorious except for the song "Be Forgiven," which was written by Tom Booth. Growing up, I never knew I could write music. However, when I was 18, I taught myself guitar and fell in love with Christ for the first time; songs just started flowing out of my heart. I never wrote the songs for a purpose and never thought I would have a CD. Thankfully, Tom Booth saw something in me and started mentoring me as a musician and as a worship leader. Besides producing the album, Tom was a huge force in my becoming a Spirit & Song artist and making the album happen.
Do you have a favorite saint?
St. Thérèse of Lisieux has been my favorite saint since I read her autobiography, Story of a Soul. I was immediately drawn to her humility and her faith, despite her young age. She is definitely a prayer warrior for me, since I ask her to pray for me all the time! She's probably tired of me saying, "St. Thérèse, I need humility! Please pray for me." And she's recruited some other saints to pray for me. Knowing her humility, though, she's making my cacophonous prayers an orchestra to Jesus!
Because you travel a lot, you must have had your share of unique experiences with the people you encounter.
Some of the most moving experiences happen on the airplane, talking with the person I am stuck next to for one-to-six hours. You can imagine the shock when I tell people I am a full-time traveling Catholic speaker and worship leader. When they ask what I speak about, I have no problem joyfully sharing about chastity, my conversion story, being a 27-year old virgin, etc. I have gotten to dispel myths about the Church and share the peace that can really be found with a life in Christ.
What is the message you're trying to bring to youth — to girls and young women, in particular?
I want youth to know the same thing that St. Paul, St. Augustine, Blessed Pope John Paul II and countless others have preached over the last 2,000 years: The longing we feel in our hearts for something "more" is the longing we have for union with God in heaven, and God alone can satisfy that longing. We don't get to heaven by being lukewarm, but by being on fire with "the love of God [that] has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us" (Romans 5:5). If we want to be saints, we must live and love radically, becoming the men and women of God he has created us to be!
You attended this year's World Youth Day in Spain this summer as a performer for several events. What were your impressions of the gatherings you performed at, and is there a moment that stands out for you?
There were two moments that stood out as my favorite: one was the Friday catechesis at the Love and Life Center with 12,000 pilgrims, where Curtis Stephan and I sang for worship and then Mass with Archbishop [Timothy] Dolan. Archbishop Dolan hit a homerun with his catechesis, which was relatable, funny, convicting and passionate. This led right to Mass, which was beautifully prayerful. Curtis and I intentionally tried to choose songs that people know well and can easily sing, and my heart felt such joy at hearing thousands of young adults praying these hymns to God. There were moments we stepped back from the microphone, stopped playing our instruments, and just let the people sing. Many people came up and/or wrote me afterwards saying they were moved to tears by how prayerful this Mass was.
My second favorite moment was the papal Stations of the Cross on Friday evening. Every station different people carried the cross — recovered alcoholics, those with physical disabilities, people who have suffered from natural disasters (i.e., Haiti and Japan) — to unite the sufferings of today with the sufferings of Christ. I was moved to tears when pilgrims from Rwanda and Sudan carried the cross and a man began to sing acapella what sounded like a Middle Eastern melody. I am grateful for whoever planned that particular event.
Were you present for the final Mass? The Pope said, "The joy you are seeking has a name, a face — that of Jesus of Nazareth, who waits for you in the Eucharist." Your thoughts?
I was not at the final Mass, but watched it on TV. (I got to attend the papal Mass last year in Scotland, which was a more intimate 80,000 over the 2 million in Spain, haha!) That quotation hits home for me because my reversion nine years ago was centered around the Eucharist becoming a reality as the most intimate union with God one can achieve while here on earth.
So many Catholics don't even believe that the Eucharist is actually the body, blood, soul and divinity of Christ. This is so sad because I see the apathy and lukewarm attitude this brings. If Catholics really knew the beauty of the sacrament of the Eucharist, they would live their lives with passion for the love of God and not fail to spread the Good News to every person they meet. In fact, at a churro/coffee shop in Spain, I got to sit down with a few Protestant friends of mine for two hours and discuss the Church's teachings regarding the Eucharist, reading especially John 6 and discussing early Church Fathers. They left the conversation grateful, and I could tell the wheels in their heads were turning and the pangs in their hearts were a little uncomfortable.
What will you take from WYD to your meetings with young people?
Catholicism is not a stoic, stale religion with a bunch of rules and laws, but a religion where we tangibly encounter God incarnate. What I saw at WYD was that young people are longing for this encounter. When they do encounter him, they will forsake all the things "of this world" to follow him. I will constantly remind myself of this hunger that we all have in our hearts for truth, beauty and goodness when I speak to young people in the future.
What do you see as the greatest challenge facing young people today, and how do you think parishes, parents, teachers and youth ministers can help them best?
Kids are faced with a relativistic, individualistic and hedonistic culture, where there is no absolute "truth," very superficial community and intimacy, and hardly any examples of sacrifice and selflessness. The best thing parishes, parents, teachers and youth ministers can do is to be a witness of the Gospel message, which is love. Young people can see right through adults who teach one thing and practice another in their own lives. Only through the authentic witness of joyful, faithful adults will young people see that it is not only possible, but desirable, to live a life in the Holy Spirit.
Laurie Ghigliotti writes from Atchison, Kansas.
- Keywords:
- Oct. 9-22, 2011


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MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — New research shows a compound found in popular anti-bacterial soaps, cosmetics and toothpastes is creating toxins in Minnesota lakes and rivers.
University of Minnesota scientists studied the sediment in eight lakes of various sizes and found amounts of the antibiotic triclosan and its derivatives have been steadily increasing.
The research was published Tuesday in the journal Environmental Science and Technology. The study's lead author, William Arnold, says it's important for people to know that the products they use in their homes every day can have an impact on the environment. Arnold says the research should help chemical manufacturers understand the potential long-term effects of triclosan.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Food and Drug Administration are studying the effects of triclosan on animal and environmental health.
(© Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
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Officially released yesterday at Dragonmeet 2011, the Maelstrom Beggars companion is now available as a pdf!
Full of the detritus of the Tudor streets, with new livings, herbs, rules and plot hooks, this book also contains a full adventure!
Obviously perfect for any Maelstrom game, but also great for any fantasy or historical game that features beggars and other "people of the streets".
Available in pdf format from RPGNow:http://www.rpgnow.com/product_info.php? ... s_id=97104
We also have some copies of the first print run left from Dragonmeet, email email@example.com if you are interested.
Maelstrom Beggars Companion released
Everything to do with the classic RPG and its sequels:
Maelstrom Domesday; Maelstrom Gothic; Maelstrom Rome.
Maelstrom Domesday; Maelstrom Gothic; Maelstrom Rome.
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The Hohner Masterclass G MS Modular System Harmonica is Hohner's highest quality diatonic harmonica. Powerful, bright and impressively sleek, the chrome plated Meisterklasse makes playing a great sounding harp seem effortless. Just ask Huey Lewis, he's been playing them for years. Chrome plated reed and cover plates. The Meisterclasse has standard diatonic tuning and is available in all major keys. Replacement reed plates are available from Hohner separately.
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Express. Home of the Daily and Sunday Express.
Wenger bemoans referee display
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has pleaded with referees to give Jack Wilshere the protection he deserves after a bruising victory at Sunderland.
The Frenchman was unhappy with a series of hefty challenges on his players during a 1-0 win at the Stadium of Light, and in particular some of the treatment handed out to the England midfielder, with referee Anthony Taylor taking a lenient approach despite sending off Gunners defender Carl Jenkinson for two bookable offences.
Asked if he was happy with some of the tackling on show, Wenger said: "No, I wasn't, especially on Jack. I was a bit frustrated because I thought many times, Jack didn't get the free-kick he deserved."
He added: "The referee let two or three things go that I thought were fouls on Jack. I want just the referee to give a foul when it's a foul. I don't want any special protection. The referee is not a bodyguard, he is just a referee and you want him just to give a foul when it's a foul."
Wilshere limped off after 50 minutes following a collision with Sunderland's Alfred N'Diaye. Wenger's men might have had the game wrapped up by half-time, but ended it hanging on for dear life with Sunderland capitalising on their numerical advantage to stage a late onslaught.
Arsenal had gone in at the break well worth the lead Santi Cazorla's strike had given them. However, the game changed with 62 minutes gone when Jenkinson, who had only got the nod after Laurent Koscielny injured himself during the warm-up, was booked for the second time in the game and sent off.
Martin O'Neill responded by sending on new signing Danny Graham for his home debut and the Black Cats threw everything they had at Wojciech Szczesny, who denied Fletcher and Adam Johnson in a late flurry.
Wenger's opposite number O'Neill was left scratching his head after seeing his team come up only just short. He said: "It was a great game from start to finish. The tempo was very high early on and it remained so. Obviously Arsenal, a top-quality team, caused us a lot of problems in the first half but I also thought we looked dangerous as well.
"But in the second half, we just came roaring at them, and that was even before the man had been sent off. Seriously, looking back at a couple of the chances, I just don't know how we didn't score."
O'Neill's disappointment was compounded by the loss of full-back Danny Rose with a recurrence of his hamstring problem, while skipper Lee Cattermole lasted only 45 minutes on his return from a knee injury, although his premature departure was due in part to an early yellow card.


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On September 8, the Wild Horse Annie Act (P.L. 86-234), having been approved by the US Congress unanimously, is signed into law. The Act prohibits the poisoning of wild horse and burro waterholes, as well as the use of motorized vehicles to round the horses up for sale to slaughterhouses.
On December 15, President Richard Nixon signed the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act into law (P.L. 92-195). The Act is intended to protect, manage and control wild horses and burros.
Note: While the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act aims to protect these animals, it was undermined when Senator Conrad Burns (R-MT) attached a controversial rider to the massive Omnibus Appropriations bill in 2004, eliminating the prohibition on killing wild horses. AWI is pushing to restore the Act (see 2005, 2006, 2007 for legislation aimed at re-establishing these wild horse protections).
On May 19, by a vote of 259 to 149, the US House of Representatives passes an amendment to the 2006 Interior Appropriations bill that prohibits taxpayer funds from being used to commercially sell or slaughter federally protected wild horses and burros for one fiscal year. In addition, a bill (H.R. 297) was introduced by Representative Nick Rahall (D-WV) to permanently restore the protections removed from the 1971 Wild Free Roaming Horses and Burros Act. Both actions are taken to undo a rider to the 2004 Omnibus Appropriations bill by Senator Conrad Burns (R-MT) that removed a prohibition on the commercial exploitation of wild horses and burros (see 2006 and 2007 for further actions).
On May 18, the US House of Representatives passes by unanimous consent an amendment to the 2007 Interior Appropriations bill that prohibits taxpayer funds from being used to sell or slaughter America's wild horses. Legislation by Representative Rahall to permanently restore protections to the Wild Free Roaming Horses and Burros Act dies when Congress adjourns without acting.
On April 26, the US House of Representatives votes 277 to 137 in support of H.R. 249, legislation to permanently restore protections to the 1971 Wild Free Roaming Horses and Burros Act (see 2005).
Find out more about wild horses and burros.


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The welding column & boom manipulator moves the welding head over the workpiece safely and efficiently to provide a quality welding solution. Column & Boom manipulators have many different designs and configurations depending upon the welding procedure, automation integration and deposition rates required.
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Model: MV7575
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Max. Under Boom Height: 7500mm
Effective Boom Travel: 7500mm
Vertical Speed: 1250mm/min running at 50Hz
Boom Speed: 165-1650mm/min running at 5-50Hz


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Douglas A. Watson
Betty and I are one of the many couples that met at French Creek Bible Conference (FCBC), held at French Creek State Park in Pennsylvania. Like most of them, we probably would not have met if we had not been at French Creek. Actually, our meeting, dating, marrying, and establishing a Christian home was part of the purpose of the conferences. Pastors Bob Atwell, Glenn Coie, and Lou Grotenhuis began the conferences in order that the young people in their small churches would have a better opportunity to meet Christian peers. I remember that for several years, Pastor John Clelland taught a class on love, courtship, and marriage. It is no accident that a significant number of those on the current Board of Trustees of FCBC met their spouse during a conference.
My pastor had to approve my attendance for my first year at French Creek because I was a year too young. To this day, I remember the kindness shown to us younger delegates by those who were older. Betty also began at an early age, as she went with her mother, who was serving as a counselor. Since her home was in Queens, New York, she was thrilled with the trees and open spaces that were part of French Creek State Park, where the conferences were held.
I have often described French Creek facilities as "early rustic." This continues to be true, but was more accurate fifty years ago. When I arrived at French Creek, I was given a ticknot a bloodsucking insect, but mattress tickingwhich I then filled with straw, so that I could sleep on it for the next week. This "mattress" went on a metal-framed cot in a cabin that I shared with three others. The cabin was, and still is, a wood-frame structure with screen windows. I soon learned that there was no hot water in the washhouse. No one ever returned to French Creek because of the luxurious facilities. However, for many years we did enjoy our afternoon swim in Hopewell Lakeuntil the geese polluted it.
In those early days, we had three classes in the morning and a worship service every evening. Indeed, FCBC is a Bible conference, and we were delegates and not campers. I especially remember the classes in which Francis Mahaffy used his missionary experiences in Eritrea to illustrate his Bible instruction. These classes, along with the Christian example of the staff and especially the counselors, created a wonderful environment that caused so many of us to return year after year. When we were too old to be delegates, we became kitchen staff or counselors, and later conference directors or deans.
In my years as a leader of the conferences, I have seen young people come reluctantly to a conference and then cry because they had to go home. Many of us have dear friends throughout the nation and the world whom we first met at French Creek. My friendship with many ministers and elders in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church began there.
Betty and I have been married for over forty-six years, and we have continued to be involved with the FCBC ministry and have seen our children be delegates, counselors, and even a conference director. We are thankful for those who began the conferences and those who have continued it for these many years. We know that many join with us in praising God for the many blessings that he has granted to his church through the French Creek Bible Conferences.
The author, an OP minister, is staff accountant for the Committee on Coordination. Reprinted from New Horizons, Oct. 2010.


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Well hello Jamie Bell. I like your V.
Billy Elliott is 22. And he's in a new film called The Eagle of the Ninth starring Channing Tatum and Donald Sutherland. It's 140AD. Jamie is a slave in a Britain run by Romans serving Tatum's character who, naturally, is the hero.
Does this mean Channing Tatum will be doing an accent?
I am afraid.
As for Jamie, well he's always been low profile but that could change of course with Spielberg's Tin Tin which isn't due for another 2 years. Only took a month to shoot but now it's in post until December 2011. Highly anticipated.
Strange I don't associate him ever with Billy Elliott. For me Jamie Bell is always with Evan Rachel Wood in Wake Me Up When September Ends. God they were good here. Jamie and Evan dated briefly before that Monster found her.
See more pictures here.


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Rush Bring 'Clockwork Angels' Tour to Boston – Exclusive Photos
Deep in the heart of their current North American 'Clockwork Angels' tour run, the dynamic trio known as Rush rolled into the TD Garden in Boston, Mass. to deliver not one but two sets during the evening that brought fans from far and wide to partake in one of Canadian's best exports.
Although the band is still churning out new music almost forty years into their career, their newest work wouldn't take center stage until the second half of the evening. Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart offered up a meaty first set that feasted on deep cuts from throughout their extensive discography, from 'The Analog Kid' and 'Subdivisions' from 1982's 'Signals' album to 'The Big Money' and 'Territories' from 1985's 'Power Windows.'
Their stage, an elaborate yet humorous take on the raging steampunk phenomenon served as a visually compelling backdrop equipped with every quirk one could imagine, right down to a working popcorn machine, as if to say, sit back and enjoy the show.
Before the band returned for their second set of the evening, Rush showed off more of their playful spirit and acting prowess with a hilarious video starring the trio as prankster gnomes.
The second set methodically laid out the band's latest disc complete with a string ensemble to back them up as they churned out track after track from 'Clockwork Angels.' With Rush of course, the solos are non-negotiable and each member had the opportunity to show off their chops throughout.
The ambitious two-set performance served as a reminder that even though Rush are widely remembered for their individual outstanding musicianship and plethora of radio ready hits and deep reaching discography, they continue to remain relevant in the rock world, and have finally, yes FINALLY, made it to the short list of the he Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's nominees!
Check out our exclusive photos from the Boston show below to get you ready for the band's stop at First Niagara Center tomorrow night (October 26)!


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Houston Metro police help out at inauguration
Houston buses and trains ran their regular schedule for Martin Luther King Jr. Day while Metro police officers performed a unique duty more than 1,300 miles away.
Eight officers and Metro's assistant chief spent Monday in Washington for President Barack Obama's inauguration, helping with security and crowd control on the city's transit system. About 700,000 spectators converged on the capital for the event.
Washington Metropolitan Transit Authority officials paid for travel and lodging for the Houston officers. The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County paid the officers' salaries, but officials said the roughly $6,300 is money well spent.
"We will gain invaluable knowledge and experience," Metro Police Chief Victor Rodriguez told transit agency board members in December.
Houston often attracts large events, such as the Super Bowl, that put throngs of people on public transit. Having officers versed in crowd control with their experience in Washington is helpful, Rodriguez said.
Fourteen agencies around the United States joined Metro in helping Washington with transit security, Metro officials said. A total of 150 officers were out on the rail lines and at D.C. stations.
Metro police also assisted with the inauguration four years ago, the first time they were invited. At the 2009 event, Metro police officer Eliot Swainson saved a woman's life and kept transit running.
A woman fell onto the train tracks hours before the inauguration festivities were set to start. Swainson shoved the woman into a crevice as a passing train came, saving her.
Had the woman been hit, officials said it would have crippled transit downtown as hundreds of thousands of spectators descended on the area.
None of the 10 officers who worked the 2009 inauguration returned this year, Rodriguez told Metro board members, so others could have the training opportunity.


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George Zimmerman was taken into police custody after a "domestic altercation"Monday in Lake Mary, Fla., CNN reports. His wife Shellie, who filed for divorce last week, called 911, according to CNN.
Zimmerman had not been arrested or charged with anything as of Monday afternoon, but was being held in "investigative detention" while authorities looked into the incident, which involved Shellie Zimmerman and her father, a police spokesperson told CNN.
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TVGuide.com's calls to the Lake Mary Police Department were not immediately returned.
In July, Zimmerman was found not guilty of murder and manslaughter after fatally shooting teenager Trayvon Martin in 2012. This isn't Zimmerman's first run-in with the law since he was acquitted; he's been pulled over twice for speeding in Florida, and last month Shellie Zimmerman pleaded guilty to perjury for lying about their financial situation after her husband's arrest in 2012.


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Finally a bit of positive news on the treatment of women protesters in Egypt: today a court issued an order banning those awful virginity tests that were being performed on female detainees after the March 9th protests in Cairo's Tahrir Square.
One of the women taken into custody, 25-year-old Samira Ibrahim, filed a lawsuit against Egypt's military-led government this summer, claiming she and 17 other women were forced to submit to the test. Ibrahim, who has been the subject of death threats since filing the suit, spoke to CNN about the ruling in her favor:
Justice has been served today. These tests are a crime and also do not comply with the constitution, which states equality between men and woman. I will not give up my rights as a woman or a human being.
Things have changed significantly since the protesters originally made accusations of abuse in March. The military first denied ever administering the virginity tests to detainees—who reported being beaten, strip-searched, and told that if they didn't pass the virginity "test," they'd be charged as prostitutes. Then in May an Egyptian general admitted that, in fact, the tests had been done, but instead of apologizing, he attempted to justify their use.
Now the banning of virginity tests on detainees represents a major step forward. However, there is still a long way to go. As Aly Hassan, a judicial consultant affiliated with the Ministry of Justice, explained to CNN, this ruling doesn't criminalize these tests across the board:
Those tests are not considered a crime or else the file would be in the Criminal Court. It's the circumstances of the alleged test that may be in question here.
So, in other words, there may be other circumstances in which Egyptian officials would still be permitted to administer them. But at least now, thanks to Samira Ibrahim's case, the military will no longer be allowed to perform these heinous virginity tests in military prisons or on women who've been temporarily detained.


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Larry Bell's glass cube manifests the "less is more" aesthetic that drove much twentieth-century geometric abstraction. Reducing compositional elements to a minimum is, however, a risky artistic endeavor; viewers often find the work simplistic, without visual interest, and nothing more than a modernist joke. Artists, on the other hand, have conceived reductivism as a means to distill form to a purer essence, to focus on a medium's constituent elements, and to produce a distraction-free work that can induce a contemplative, even spiritual, attitude. As Larry Bell's Untitled, 1968, demonstrates, condensing form can also intensify perceptual experience.
Untitled sits on a thirty-eight-inch-high Plexiglas pedestal.(1) The height and transparency of this base, which allows light to enter the cube from below, contributes to a sense that Untitled is floating in space. At the same time, the pedestal is clearly a sculptural support and, as such, signals that it is elevating a work of art (rather than merely holding "a glass box"). The cube itself is an immaculate fabrication of smoke-colored glass framed by chrome strips. To achieve the subtle tinting, Bell employed a High Vacuum Optical Coating Machine, originally manufactured for the United States Air Force to coat the glass surfaces of fighter plane cockpits.(2) This vacuum chamber allowed the artist to chemically bind four extraordinarily thin layers of atomized mineral/metal compounds to the glass.(3) Bell aimed to achieve a gradient coating that would fade subtly from the edges toward the center of each glass pane.(4) This, and the accompanying shifting nuances of color and light that the artist intended, are less evident in Untitled than in other works in the Terminal Series. Instead, Untitled's greater overall surface and formal consistency evince a wholeness, perfection, and preciousness that evoke the aura of a Platonic ideal.
– Mark Thistlethwaite
(1) The artist intended all of the pieces in this series to be fifty inches high, no matter the size of the individual cube. The artist in an e-mail message to the author, 18 April 2001.
(2) Douglas Davis, Art and the Future (New York: Praeger Publishers, 1973): 44.
(3) John Coplans, Serial Imagery (Pasadena: Pasadena Art Museum, 1968): 60.
(4) Bell e-mail message, 18 April 2001.


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1318.3 - Qld Stats, Mar 2008
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 20/03/2008
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The all groups consumer price index (CPI) for Brisbane increased by 3.9% in the 12 months to December quarter 2007, compared to a 3.0% rise in the weighted average of the eight capital cities. The higher result in Brisbane is largely due to an 8.2% rise in Housing, substantially higher than the 4.8% increase for the weighted average of the eight capital cities.
Brisbane's CPI rose by 1.1% between the September quarter and the December quarter 2007 and for the same period, the weighted average of the eight capital cities rose by 0.9%.
In the December 2007 quarter, the categories with the largest percentage increases in Brisbane were Transportation (2.3%), Financial and insurance services (2.0%) and Housing (1.9%). Health (-1.3%) and Food (-0.6%) experienced falls in prices between the September quarter and the December quarter 2007. The decreases in the Health and Food indexes are largely due to decreases in pharmaceuticals and fruit and vegetables, respectively.
For more detailed information on the consumer price index, please refer to Consumer Price Index, Australia (cat no. 6401.0) or ring the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070. This publication is released quarterly.
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text: guitarno 42 Posted September 10, 2013 So I recently bought my JTV-59 from the local GC (Korean version not the USA$$$ Version), and it came in a gig bag. Not that the gig bag isn't nice, but I really don't like soft cases, I paid way too much money to lug around this guitar in a soft case. I have a Gator "Universal" case I bought for another guitar, and it works fine for that guitar (Godin Progression - Strat style guitar), but I tried putting the JTV into it and it doesn't support the neck correctly. There's so much tilt back on the headstock on the JTV that the tip of the headstock touches the bottom of the case and the neck isn't actually being supported by the neck pocket in the case. It's sitting above it. I was actually amazed that they sell this guitar for $1400 with no hard shell case, but I guess that's how it goes. I guess I'd rather they put the money into the instrument, rather than the case, but now I have to find one to fit. Can anyone out there with a JTV-59 recommend a particular case that will fit this guitar correctly? I don't know if a case made for a Gibson LP would work - body's are kind of similar. Anyone buy a case for their JTV-59 that they like? Thanks! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites


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The future of business is social.
Dark social. Sounds sinister, no? It's not, says Lucy Merigold, head of digital at Grayling Middle East. In fact, it actually has a lot of relevance to telecoms - and any business with an online presence.
Quite simply, dark social is content sharing that takes place on private platforms such as email and instant messenger apps like Whatsapp, Facebook Messenger, WeChat etc. – private platforms that cannot accurately be tracked. According to research from RadiumOne, this source of referrals is dominating how people share and interact with content online, and accounts for over 84 percent of all content shared. This makes it a very powerful source, where the vast majority of interaction with shared content is taking place. However, the challenge for brands is that this large amount of referral traffic is difficult to measure as web analytics platforms simply label this traffic as 'direct' when in reality it has come from a referral from a dark social platform. Because of this, brands are typically steering away from this channel as they cannot measure its effectiveness in the same way they can measure trackable public channels such as Facebook and Twitter. But this traffic is extremely valuable as it is effectively word-of-mouth between people who share a connection, typically know each other well, and therefore trust one another, so it carries more emotional weight. Think about it, if your friend or family sends you a link for a product they know you are looking for, it's fair to say that you will click on the link to check it out and there is a very high probability that you will convert.
So how can brands tap into this rich potential audience? As we know, the use of micro-influencers by brands is on the rise largely due to the higher levels of engagement they tend to generate as they interact on a more personal level with their followers. If these influencers share a link to your article, product or service via an instant messenger app, then the likelihood is that the link will get a very high number of clicks and can become a topic of conversation amongst the private group. It would therefore be beneficial for brands to mobilise groups of relevant micro-influencers to spread their brand message across dark social platforms and drive more authentic longer-term brand connections.
Adidas are doing just this with their 'Tango squad' – a community of 1,400 highly connected, passionate, young content creators who are thriving football fans and super active on platforms such as messenger and whatsapp. The brand gives them exclusive access to content and events, such as letting them break news, giving them exclusive merchandise, having them star in the brand's content and facilitating meet ups with their football idols. It is a win-win for both parties as they become strong brand advocates who successfully spread the brand message amongst their trusted personal communities, and at the same time they become stars in their own right amongst these communities.
Simply put, brands that chose to ignore this untapped audience of people who prefer to communicate over private messengers are missing a big opportunity. But for those that are looking to reach wider audiences with their brand message, adopting an influencer marketing strategy over dark social platforms is the perfect solution.