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The following sermon transcript does not match the video version of the sermon—it matches only the audio version. Here's a brief explanation why.
John MacArthur routinely preaches a sermon more than once on the same date, during different worship services at Grace Community Church. Normally, for a given sermon title, our website features the audio and video that were recorded during the same worship service. Very occasionally, though, we will post the audio from one service and the video from another. Such was the case for the sermon titled "Losing Your Life to Save it," the transcript of which follows below. The transcript is of the audio version.
We are on a track for last Sunday night and this Sunday night, to talk about expositional preaching. Again this is part of the celebration of our 40 years together as a pastor and people. And last week I told you where this all sort of came from. I was asked to teach a seminary...actually a class associated with the seminary, to pastors on the theme of expository preaching and I was asked if I would put together some reasons to do Bible exposition. It was suggested that maybe I could put together ten reasons why we must exposit the Scripture. And I started my list, and as I told you last week, I ended up with 61 reasons why to preach expositionally and over a period of time sort of condensed that down to a more manageable number of about 15 of them that are the core reasons. And in order to give it a little more impact, I kind of turned it on its head and address the issue of expository preaching from the negative side, the consequence of non-expositional preaching.
Now for those of you who weren't with us last time, just a simple definition. To exposit means to explain. It is not the same as the verb exposed, that's a completely different verb. Exposition comes from exposit which simply means to explain. It should be obvious to all of us that any kind of preaching that is faithful to the Word of God is that kind of preaching which explains the Bible, that is what expositional preaching is. There are many ways to do it. There are many styles of doing it. There are different features that you can develop and emphasize in the process, but the objective of expositional preaching is to take a portion of Scripture and explain its meaning so that people understand it. We are concerned with people understanding the interpretation and then understanding the implication of that interpretation which is a universal implication, and then that the Holy Spirit may make a personal application.
It is essential, if one is to be faithful, to the mandate of Scripture that we preach the Word. I think we have made this not only clear in defending what we do, but perhaps even more clear in the doing of it. Through these 40 years together, we have endeavored every time we meet to explain to you the meaning of the Scripture.
Now it is essential for us to understand that the Bible is clear and is intended to be understood. That is at the foundation. It is important for us to recognize that we do not have an incomprehensible book, as some would make us think today. We do not have an unclear revelation but rather the Scripture is clear. It is to be understood with the rational mind. There are no secret meanings.
It is normal language, actual events, real people, true history and divine revelation of the spiritual realities that are embedded in this history. The Bible is clear. It is to be understood by the normal, rational means. You apply your mind to the text and you can understand its meaning...the same way you would solve a math problem, not by feelings, not by some esoteric experience, not by some transcendental idea, not by some intuition, but by dealing with your mind applied to the facts. There are no myths in the Bible. There are no allegories in the Bible. There are no transcendent mystical secrets to be revealed. This is just plain truth revealed in such a way as to be apprehended by normal reason.
What it yields is truth...divine truth. The essence of a Christian perspective is that when you apply your mind to the objective revelation of Scripture, that is a revelation outside of you rather than subjected, that would be something inside of you, when you apply yourself to this objective revelation with your mind, it will yield the truth that God wants you to know. And you don't really have the revelation, you don't really have the Scripture until you know that truth. Once you know that truth, it bears authority.
So you start out with an objective text, that is something outside of us, not something inside of us. We bring nothing inside of us to the interpretation of Scripture. It is totally outside of us. When we, using our minds, understand its meaning, we come to the truth of it that God wants is to know and that truth then bears authority. It becomes the authoritative statement.
The next thing that becomes very apparent to us is that this truth, being fixed and authoritative, is incompatible with all other competing ideas. In other words, it is not right to say that every religion has its own truth, that every person has his or her own truth. There is only one true revelation from God and anything that contradicts it is a lie. This is critical to understand that the authoritative truth of Scripture is incompatible with all other competing ideas. First John 2:21 says, "No lie is of the truth. No lie is of the truth." That is a mutual exclusivity. It cannot be a lie and the truth. It cannot be truth and a lie. Once we determine what the truth is, then we immediately know what a lie is. Now once we have this truth which is incompatible with all competing ideas, it is our responsibility to live that truth.
Now the objective then for us in ministry in the end is to get you to live the truth for the glory of God and your own blessing. To get you to understand its authority, we must therefore get you to understand its truth. In order for you to understand its truth, we have to take our minds and apply them to the Word of God so that truth can be yielded to us. In a sense, that is what it means to exposit Scripture...to take you in to the Scripture, help you use your mind to understand its meaning which is the truth, which is authoritative, which is incompatible with all that is not the truth and which then gives you the essential realities upon which you are to live your life. To do anything less than that is to fail to fulfill the responsibility that God has given to every minister and every pastor.
And so, we began our list last week about why it's important to exposit the Scripture, to do Bible exposition. Only we did it from a negative perspective. The failure to preach exposition, a quick review, usurps the authority of God over the mind and soul of the hearer. If in the church the Word of God is not explained, then God is silenced, God is not heard and someone else usurps divine authority over the mind and soul of the hearers.
Secondly we said a failure to preach expositions of Scripture usurps the lordship of Christ over His church. The only way the head of the church can lead the church is if He speaks to the church. If we put anything in the place of the Scriptures, we have, in effect, silenced the head of the church and we have a usurper speaking to the church.
Thirdly we said that failure to exposit the Scripture hinders the work of the Holy Spirit. It hinders the work of the Holy Spirit, it does not help the work of the Holy Spirit. Sometimes you hear people say, "We don't want to have people come to our church and hear some kind of a boring message from the Bible." Well that boring message that comes from the Bible is essentially what the Holy Spirit uses to do His work. The Spirit of God uses Scripture to save.
We are begotten again by the Word of Truth to sanctify. We are sanctified by the truth. And it is the truth that gives us the hope of glory. The whole work of salvation comes by the Word of God. Faith comes by hearing the Word concerning Christ, Romans 10 says. So, first we start with a trinitarian perspective then that if Bible exposition doesn't dominate the pulpit, then the authority of God is usurped, the headship of Christ is usurped and the work of the Holy Spirit is hindered.
Fourthly, a failure to do Bible exposition legitimizes a lack of submission to Scripture. It legitimizes a lack of submission to Scripture. If you are asking people to submit to your own ideas, your own insights, your own intuition, your own perspectives, if you put anything in the place of Scripture, you are legitimizing a lack of submission to Scripture. This is not the way the Thessalonians received it, the word of men...it is the Word of God. You don't want to do anything that legitimizes a non-submissive attitude toward Scripture by putting something in its place to which you submit instead.
And number five, a very important one and I talked a little about this last week...a failure to do regular Bible exposition severs the preacher personally from the regular sanctifying work of the Scripture. You don't want an unsanctified minister. Spurgeon said, "That is like a mole trying to educate eagles." You want a sanctified minister opening up the Word of God because part of being able to open up the Word of God is to be pure in your heart. Peter says it this way, "Laying aside all evil...he says...let us like babes desire the pure milk of the Word that we may grow thereby." The Word doesn't really do its pure and powerful work unless sinful things are set aside. "Whoever lives a blameless life, the psalmist said... he will minister to me." Paul says, "I have to beat my body into submission lest in preaching to others I become disqualified."
And so, one of the great benefits of regular exposition of Scripture is its sanctifying work in the heart of the minister in the relentless discipline of study. I think we remember a verse that just came to mind that says this in such a wonderful way, in Ezra chapter 7 and verse 10 it tells us about Ezra. Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the Lord and to do it...and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel.
First you study the law of the Lord to do it yourself. And then to teach it to somebody else.
Number six, we looked at the fact that a failure to do Bible exposition removes spiritual depth and transcendence from the souls of the people and therefore cripples worship. All that is left is to try to manipulate people emotionally. And what do I mean by that? Spiritual depth is critical, you have to go down before you can go up. The height of your worship is in direct proportion to the depth of your understanding. Shallow understanding leads to shallow worship. Deep understanding leads to deep worship because you infuse into the expressions of worship all your theology. When you hear Fernando sing, "Jesus, King of angels," if you have only a very minimal understanding of that, then your praise is minimal. But if you understand what it means in the Scripture in the fullest sense revealed there that Jesus is the sovereign over the angelic hosts, the richer your understanding of that, the richer your expression of worship in the singing of it or the hearing of it. Your ability to go up in worship is in direct proportion to your ability to go down in understanding. And there's nothing more wonderful than a congregation of people who are deep in the things of the Lord, who understand the subtleties of the hymns, who understand the nuances of theology, who have some breadth and depth and length and height in their understanding of Scripture so that their worship is truly high and it's not the result of any kind of emotional manipulation.
Number seven, a failure to do Bible exposition prevents the preacher from fully speaking for Christ. It prevents the preacher from fully speaking for Christ. And any preacher knows that he has been called to speak in behalf of Christ to his church as an under-shepherd. We have the mind of Christ revealed here, we need to know it so that we can proclaim it. He who does not understand the mind of Christ, does not know how Christ thinks, does not know Christ's will is revealed in Scripture, cannot speak for Christ to every issue. There's no premium on shallowness, on lack of knowledge of Scripture. We should be and must be experts in the revelation of Scripture and that only comes from diligence in every passage week after week, month after month, year after year, so that we can truly say, "Thus says the Lord."
And then we ended up with number eight. A failure to do Bible exposition depreciates by example the spiritual duty and benefit of studying Scripture. In other words, if the preacher doesn't bother to do it, why should somebody in the pew do it? On the other hand, if the preacher does do it, and proclaims what it yields, then you get the message of how wonderful it is, how life transforming it is. Where there are pulpits and the Word of God is not proclaimed, the people do not see t he value of studying the Word of God with depth. If their pastor doesn't do it, why in the world would they do it? If it's not the consuming passion of the pulpit, why in the world would it be any kind of passion in the pew? Preachers not only do what they do, they model what they do.
And that brings us to number nine. A failure to do Bible exposition breeds a congregation weak and indifferent to the glory of God. It breeds a congregation weak and indifferent to the glory of God. A failure to do Bible exposition redirects people from loving Christ, from loving God, from loving truth...redirects them away from finding their joy and their delight and their satisfaction in the Word. Inevitably, if the Word is not regularly proclaimed from the pulpit, the people become absorbed with themselves. And in the place of Scripture, messages are given that become attractive to people as if the people were the ones to define what is done, consumed with their own interests, their own well-being. Churches like this become very self-centered.
I said this to you years ago, hard, convicting, biblical preaching makes soft people cause it breaks down their pride, breaks down their selfishness, breaks down their self-centeredness, brings them in to submission, brings them in to worship, makes them desire to glorify God. You might say hard preaching makes soft people. On the other hand, soft preaching makes hard people. Preaching that is intended only to superficially wound, feeds people's self-centered preoccupations and in the end, produces people that are self-centered, don't know what it means to make sacrifices either for God or for each other.
The last thing any servant of the Lord would want, you would think, would be a congregation weak and indifferent to the glory of God and the glory of Christ. And yet there are so many that way because they have not been exposed to the Scripture which constantly directs them to God and to Christ and to the things pertaining to the Trinity, rather than those things which are personally preferred.
Well for the sake of time, let me give you the last little group. Number ten, this should be obvious, it's critically important. A failure to do Bible exposition robs people of their only true source of help...it robs people of their only true source of help. There is really no help apart from the Lord. There is no help apart from understanding our God, understanding His promises, understanding His covenants, understanding His love, His care, His compassion, His mercy, His grace, understanding His sovereignty, understanding His providence, understanding all of these things. This is where the true help comes from.
And when that is not the steady diet of people and they become dependent on stories, or they become dependent on analogies, or clever insights, or slick programs and are unable to feed themselves, able only to receive milk, you are really doing what Jeremiah 8:11 calls treating people's wounds superficially. The obligation of the preacher is not to try to alter people by some cleverness, but rather to have God alter their lives because they come to understand His truth.
I know this, that when you face a crisis in life, the only real help you're going to get is from the truth revealed in Scripture. When somebody comes in and says that your wife has cancer and not long to live, or your son has a terminal illness, or your baby daughter has an incurable disease, when some disaster looms in front of you, it is your theology that anchors you. It is what you know to be true about God, about His Word, about His power, about His purpose, about His sovereignty, about His compassion and mercy and all of those things that is your true help. And when you're struggling in a difficult marriage, the only real help for that marriage is not some psychological gimmick, the only real help for that marriage is to begin to apply biblical principles of godliness. The only help fore that marriage is that each person be rightly related to Jesus Christ and therefore be rightly related to each other. When there are struggles in your home and there's conflict between children and parents, there's a biblical pattern to resolve that laid out in Scripture. There are principles of spiritual life that alone can alter those kinds of relationships at a deep level, at a permanent level.
And when people have a shallow understanding of Scripture, they literally are robbed of the only true source of help. People who spend their lives in a superficial religious environment, in a shallow kind of environment, shallow Christian environment, when they face the crises of life, can't stand because they have nothing to stand on.
Number eleven. A failure to do Bible exposition creates a destructive disconnect between sound doctrine and life. And this is connected to the one I just gave you. A failure to teach the Word of God creates a destructive disconnect between sound doctrine and life.
Now look, I am very aware of the criticisms that have come my way through the years, that I'm not practical, my preaching isn't applicable, I never make an application, I don't tell a lot of stories, I'm not relevant, I've heard that. There was even a period of time at Grace church when some of the elders of the church thought my preaching was so theological, it was irrelevant. And there is this idea that somehow if you want to be relevant, you've got to abandon theology.
Well I want you to know there's a simple little principle to keep in mind. Life imitates theology...life imitates theology. You live your beliefs. And if they're weak and confused and shallow, that's how you're going to live, in a weak, confused and shallow way, and that's how you're going to respond to the issues of life over which you have no control. People who are taught to trust their intuition or human insights are going to be massively disappointed.
But when you teach Scripture and you teach theology, you do it relentlessly and consistently, you are all the time saying to people, "This is the foundation of your living. This is not irrelevant. This is what is relevant. You live your theology."
There are many trends that have come into the church. One of the worst ones started long before sort of the current forms, twenty years ago, maybe, maybe more...and that was the idea that we've got to get theology out of the church because theology is divisive. Theology is narrow. Theology is ivory tower, egghead kind of stuff, not practical, not relevant. You can't make theology an issue or we'll have conflict with those folks over there who have a different theology. And so there was a jettisoning of theology as if it's a bad word. It's the best word. Theology is simply the things that are true about God. There is no disconnect between sound doctrine in life, there is an immediate connection. And if you have weak theology, you're going to be weak in the vicissitudes of life.
Number twelve, a failure to do Bible exposition dishonors God by omitting those truths that trouble, offend and terrify sinners. Now the modern approach to church is not to terrify sinners, would you agree? It's to do anything but that...to shmooze them, I guess you could say. So in order to do this, you have to gag God, you have to muzzle God. And the way you muzzle God is by saying, "Whoa, I would never bring that up in our church because we don't want to offend anyone." The gagging of God, frankly, is pride at an incomprehensible level. We want to trim down the message, over-simply the message, just strip it bare of anything that might offend anyone...when, in fact, Scripture is full of troubling truth, in fact terrifying truth because it is essential to terrify the lost, it is essential, as Paul says, for the space of three years, I've not failed to warn you, to the Ephesians elders, we read that this morning in Acts 20.
There is the essential reality of death, hell, eternal punishment. And if you just go through the Scriptures as they are laid out verse by verse, chapter by chapter, book by book, you don't gag God, you don't edit God. Remember this morning, Paul said, "I've not failed to declare unto you the whole council of God, I didn't shrink back...is the verb in the NAS...I didn't shrink back from anything because it might offend somebody." This is God's Word, it is up to us to be faithful to proclaim it. To me it is utterly inconceivable that anyone would be so audacious as to see something in the Scripture and make a determination that God has to be edited at that point.
Now I'm used to being edited. I write things in a book, and sometimes I see the copy coming back to me and what I put there is gone because some editor somewhere in another place working for a publisher makes a determination that I shouldn't say that, that that's going to get into trouble.
I remember years ago when I wrote a book called Our Sufficiency in Christ. The editor, who is now with the Lord, flew out here and said, "I have to have a meeting with you." And we sat down to talk about what I said in that book about psychology and the non-role that psychology should play in spiritual life.
Well this was really counter-current evangelical culture. And I'll never forget sitting on his chair looking at this really wonderful guy and I got to know him and he said, "Do you understand how many people are going to be offended if I leave this in the book?" And, of course, my response is a whole lot more than I imagined. I'm sure there are many more people who would be offended than I could come up with in my little list. But he said, "It's not so much the number, it's do you know WHO these people are who will defend...offended?" And he rattled off some of the most prominent names in evangelicalism...to which I responded, "Well, if we don't offend them, we can't fix them." We can't...we can't correct them, we can't push them in a new direction if we don't offend them in the direction they're currently going.
So, we offended them. And I think you're probably pretty much aware of the fact that the movement called Christian Psychology twenty years ago has disappeared, virtually disappeared because it had no part to play in the work of the Spirit of God in sanctification.
So you can't gag God without usurping a very, very dangerous place. And that is what was part of the attraction to me of just going through verse after verse, book after book, front to back, whatever's there, that's exactly what we proclaim.
Number thirteen, a failure to do Bible exposition disconnects people from the legacy of the past...disconnects people from the legacy of the past.
Just to give you a little insight into what I do...every week of my life...on Monday, or for sure on Tuesday, I start to work on the next passage. The first thing I do is look into the original language, working in the New Testament, the Greek New Testament, go through the Greek text and make sure I understand what it says in the original, jot down a whole lot of notes. And then I go to my shelf and I reach for the books written by dead people...really dead people, not recently dead, long dead. And I read them...I read them. I think I've read in preparation for Mark, I think I've read about 30 commentators and I've read at least 30 commentaries on Mark, most of them are dead writers because I honor the work of the Spirit of God in the past. I have great respect for t he illumination of the Spirit on great godly students of Scripture in the past. And I'll tell you this, folks, the critical doctrines...the critical truths of Scripture have long before me been interpreted accurately.
And when I come up with something that nobody has ever said, gag me. I stand in a long line of people who have long before me gotten it right. The critical doctrines, the critical interpretations, the challenging difficult passages have all been interpreted by faithful men in the past and I want to stand in that great long line. I think it's a very proud thing to make people think that the truth arrived with you. You're the cool dude who shows up and says it like nobody else has ever said it. And, in fact, you treat the people in the past with scorn. Very popular to do that these days. I'm so thankful for the dead guys who in the providence of God worked diligently and wrote down their understanding of Scripture and left me such a great body of work. I am indebted to past illumination, redemptive history. I want to link my understanding of Scripture with those in the past who understood it, as well as many today who also link with those in the past. There is this indifference that is rampant today to the great scholars of the past, clear interpreters of Scripture and theologians. You will notice if you listen to me preach that I quote them frequently. How sad to disconnect from this vast, rich legacy of illumination by the Spirit of God in the lives of these great men.
Number fourteen, a failure to do Bible exposition removes protection from error that is deadly to the church. Faithful shepherds understand they have to protect the sheep. They understand what we read this morning that perverse men rise up inside the church and great grievous wolves come from the outside and the church is always under assault because that's what Satan does. He's a liar and the father of lies and all of his agents appear as angels of light in religious deception. And that's why we have to watch and warn. That's why we have to guard the truth as we commented on in 1 Timothy and in 2 Timothy today. We are faithful shepherds necessarily building up the sheep so they're protected from being tossed to and fro and carried about by every wind of doctrine and the deceit and the craftiness of those who would manipulate them into error. There's nothing sadder than an undiscerning Christian, someone who can't tell truth from error, someone like a little child crawling around the floor sticking everything in their mouths. Very dangerous situation.
Unless we clarify doctrine, unless we defend threatened truth, unless we guard the truth of Scripture, unless we expose error, we are not faithful shepherds. We are leaving our people vulnerable to the wolves and the perverse on the inside. I want you to be able to discern and to defend yourselves from error.
I have said through the years, and even wrote a book on it, that the greatest problem in the church is a lack of discernment. It's like spiritual AIDS, you don't die of AIDS, you die of a thousand diseases because your immune system is so compromised. And the church has a case of spiritual AIDS and it can die of a thousand heresies. That's why we, Jude 3, earnestly...earnestly contend for the once-for-all-delivered to the saints faith.
Well, one final point. A failure to do Bible exposition deceives people that they have heard from God when they haven't...that they have heard from God when they haven't. Or that they have heard something profound when, in fact, they haven't.
I think people do need to hear from God. I think they deserve to hear from God. I think God's people want to hear from God. And the way you guarantee that is by giving them the Word God has spoken on the pages of holy Scripture. You don't want to have them deceived. They come to church, you talk, they think they've heard from God, but all they've heard is your opinion, your insights, your ideas. That's a deception.
This, I think, is perhaps a summary of all 61 of those. I've tried to squeeze them in to those 15. But I think you get the picture. All of them could be embellished, enriched, enlarged a little bit and angles and nuances could be approached. But if you want to get this in print, there's a book that was done some...a couple of years ago called Fools Gold and in that book there's a chapter that I did which lays these out in some further detail.
Hosea 4:6 says, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge, because you've rejected knowledge I will also reject you from being My priests." Everything is based on knowledge of the truth. In the end, that's why we do what we do.
Now this is 40 years of doing this, from the first Sunday that we came together to now, this has been the pattern of what the Lord has done in our midst, the teaching of Scripture. I'm not the only one who does this, by any means. Everybody does this. We all do this.
If you go to a fellowship group, you're going to hear somebody explain the meaning of Scripture. If you go to a home Bible study, somebody there will explain to you the meaning of Scripture. I've been asked t he question, "You know, isn't this kind of overload?" Impossible, impossible. First of all, if I asked you on Tuesday what you heard on Sunday, you'd have a hard time recalling it. Listen, preaching in a church service like this is an event, it is a spiritual event. And it works powerfully on your heart. It doesn't necessarily all stick in your memory bank but it moves you in a new direction toward the things of God. In the experience of that great event, you move in the right direction. And even though you don't remember the details, you come the next week and you're moved again and progressively, closer and closer you come to the very image of Christ. It's not about being able to remember everything, it's about the power that the Word of God has in the actual event of teaching or preaching to bring to bear on your mind to clarify, to convict, to comfort, to direct. And that experience in and of itself moves you in the right direction toward holiness and faithfulness and obedience and understanding.
And you come back again, you go to a Bible study and you're moved again in that direction. And you read a good book you got in the bookstore. You listen to a CD, you listen to a message, you come back on another Sunday and all of this is moving you down the path. I know you don't remember at all. I don't remember it all...and I listen to every word...most of the time. But it's the power of the event that grabs you and threatens you and encourages you and comforts you and instructs you and convicts you and delights you. And it's reinforced as we worship and sing together and fellowship together. And this great...this great experience that we have under the power of the Word on the Lord's day or in a class or a Bible study is all a part of that forward motion that the Holy Spirit is producing in our lives as we move toward being like Christ. And we've all, some of us, for many years experienced it here. And some of us, of course, all along the way.
People always say to me, "I came to the church in 2 Corinthians 6...or I came in Acts 14...or I came in Luke 8..." And I know that's how you think because that's what we do and you get on board and you go through these experiences here at this church where you're exposed regularly to the Word of God in every possible ministry that we have. And all of this is directing you in the right way because the Word is what sanctifies.
Well, again just a reminder to pray for us this week as we have the Shepherds' Conference, I'm looking forward to it. Some of you have asked me what I'm going to speak on and I sort of know, but, you know, I kind of leave room for the Holy Spirit to move me one way or another as I get closer to t he very day. But we would all appreciate your prayers as we have a great week together. Let's bow in prayer.
Our Father, we are so grateful for Your Word. What would we do if we didn't have it, and to have the complete revelation, what would we do if we were missing Romans, or if we were missing 1 Corinthians, or if we were missing Galatians, or the great Apocalypse, or even the book of Isaiah with all the promises of the future restoration of Israel and the suffering servant, Messiah? We're so thankful that we have the whole Scripture and that it closes with the warning not to take anything away or add anything to it...this is it. We thank You for the complete Word. We thank You, Lord, that You've put us in a place to understand it and for it to do its mighty work in our hearts. Move us because of the wonderful exposure we've had even today to Your Word, and send us through this week with great hope and great victory as we see Your hand in this conference that is ahead of us. We pray, Lord, for people who are here visiting with us who don't know Christ, even some perhaps coming back time again, but have never embraced the gospel, have never come to Christ. Lord, would You be gracious to those sinners and rescue them even today? We pray for those that are struggling to decide whether they should be obedient and become a part of the church and be baptized and take their place with Your people, some who are struggling with issues in their lives of sin, difficulty and challenges, some who are struggling with doubts. We pray, Lord, that You would show Yourself mighty and faithful in behalf of all these people and accomplish all Your good purpose. The glory goes to You and we gladly give it. We understand that we are not able to do anything, not able to contribute anything except by Your grace and Your power. Thank You for that privilege.
Bless us now as we part. Use us for Your glory, we pray in Christ's name. Amen.
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Results from Deluxe also reveal traditional preferences prevail among some groups
ST. PAUL, Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- While American consumers continue to embrace the age-old traditions of the holidays – Christmas cards, yuletide carols and presents 'round the tree – consumer shopping habits are showing a big shift. Internet sites are more popular than ever among shoppers, according to a new survey by Deluxe Corporation, which showed that more than three-quarters of Americans said they plan to shop for gifts online this holiday season.
The nationwide survey also revealed some positive news – and potential ways to attract more customers – for small businesses and boutique stores. For instance, shoppers in certain age groups and income levels still prefer to do their shopping in-person. And when it comes to sending holiday cards and wrapping presents, traditional methods still prevail.
Here are the major findings from the survey:
Internet shopping is most popular among younger and multicultural consumers. Survey respondents between 18 and 34 make nearly 90 percent of purchases online. The number is lower for older shoppers, though people 65 and older also shop online in large numbers (48 percent). Overall, African-Americans (85 percent) and Hispanics (84 percent) shop online more than white consumers (73 percent). While most online customers (60 percent) generally purchase gifts from major retailers, a primary reason may be the fact that two-thirds of shoppers said they don't scroll beyond the first two pages of search results.
"It's a major problem for a lot of small businesses," said Jay Bean, founder of OrangeSoda, a search engine optimization and online marketing firm. "Competing with the Amazons of the world makes it critical for small businesses to be found quickly online. In order to show up in the first few pages of search results, it's imperative that your site is optimized for the keywords that customers are using to find you."
Printed holiday cards remain popular. Nearly 90 percent of survey respondents said they prefer to receive traditional cards versus an electronic one. "We all like getting a card in the mail – it makes us feel special," said Dave Lessing, general manager of PsPrint, an online printing company. "A printed card makes a personal statement. It's something that people can hold in their hands, reminding them of the sender. Many people collect their Christmas cards every year to keep a permanent reminder of that specific holiday season, and all the greetings they received from family and friends."
Customers with higher incomes and no children are more likely to shop inside small stores and boutiques. Shoppers whose annual incomes top $100,000 said they visit stores in-person more often than those who earn less. Seventy-five percent of parents said they're more likely to shop at major retailers, while just 60 percent of people without children preferred the big chains.
"Many shoppers prefer smaller businesses because they can cater to the needs of individuals in ways that major retailers simply cannot," said Megan Kavanaugh, executive director of Bags & Bows, a retail packaging firm. Referring to the Deluxe survey results – which showed that 91 percent of gift-givers wrap their own presents – Kavanaugh explained, "By offering custom wrapping or providing attractive signature gift bags, small businesses can eliminate the wrapping hassle – and help the customer's gift stand out."
The survey, conducted by telephone September 6-9, 2012 by ORC, has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
About Deluxe Corporation
Deluxe is a growth engine for small businesses and financial institutions. Over four million small business customers access Deluxe's wide range of products and services including customized checks and forms as well as website development and hosting, search engine marketing, logo design and business networking. For financial institutions, Deluxe offers industry-leading programs in checks, customer acquisition, regulatory compliance, fraud prevention and profitability. Deluxe is also a leading printer of checks and accessories sold directly to consumers. For more information, visit us at www.deluxe.com, http://www.facebook.com/deluxecorp or http://twitter.com/deluxecorp.
Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=50424965&lang=en
Padilla Speer Beardsley
On behalf of Deluxe Corporation
Tameka Davis, 612-455-1794
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Source: Deluxe Corporation

subset: commoncrawl


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A judge has rejected a legal challenge against a decision to restrict a contentious loyal order parade passing a nationalist area of Belfast at the close of tomorrow's traditional 'Twelfth of July' commemorations.
Dismissing the bid to judicially review the Parades Commission determination prohibiting Orangemen walking along a stretch of the city's Crumlin Road, Justice Weir implored both sides of the dispute to come to a local accommodation over the long-standing impasse.
"Neither the Parades Commission nor the courts are going to be able to solve these issues," he told Belfast High Court.
"These are issues that require a degree of political leadership and courage."
The judge said if a fraction of the energy currently spent pursuing challenges in court or "going on TV" to argue the matter was diverted to sitting down with "some clean sheets of paper and sharp pencils" to hammer out an agreement then a resolution would be reached more quickly.
Up to 50 protest parades are planned by the Orange Order across Northern Ireland tomorrow evening to voice anger at the determination by the Government appointed adjudication body to prevent Orangemen passing a section of the Crumlin Road that sits adjacent to the nationalist Ardoyne neighbourhood.
But police and Orangemen have expressed cautious optimism that tomorrow's loyal order commemorations will pass off without a repeat of the serious violence that has marred the event in the past.
While the bitter dispute over the contentious parade in north Belfast remains unresolved, considerable efforts have been undertaken to ensure community tensions that have erupted into major rioting in previous years are channelled in a peaceful manner.
At the flashpoint in the unionist Woodvale area where the parade will be stopped by police from progressing to the Crumlin Road, Orange leaders have pledged that protest activity will be well marshalled and participants will disperse promptly at the conclusion. A lack of effective marshalling last year was identified as one of the factors that led to violence flaring.
With the total bill for policing parades and flags disputes in Northern Ireland over the last 20 months standing at around £55 million, there is a significant financial imperative in avoiding further trouble this year.
In rejecting the challenge brought by an anonymous supporter of the parade who was angered by the restrictions, Justice Weir insisted the commission had not acted unreasonably.
In recent years when the parade was permitted to pass the Ardoyne, republicans engaged in serious rioting. When it was restricted last year, loyalists were responsible for the disorder.
As the parade has been restricted again this year, the potential for disorder is again seen as most real within the loyalist/unionist community.
The plans outlined by the Orange Order have been accompanied by a joint call from a broad range of unionist and loyalist political parties, including two with links to paramilitary groups, for the Twelfth to pass off peacefully and lawfully.
Grand Lodge of Ireland Grand Secretary Drew Nelson said every effort had been made to deliver a peaceful day. He insisted that any supporter who engaged in violence would be falling into a "republican trap".
"I don't think any organisation within the broad unionist/loyalist/Orange family can do anything more," he said. "We can't make it any clearer that this is a trap - to use violence - that will undermine our cause.
"I think I am a lot more hopeful than I was two weeks ago."
He added: "Let me make it clear, the Orange institution is stepping up to the mark here - we will be organising, marshalling and dispersing these protests."
A senior police source expressed "guarded optimism" about tomorrow. The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) source said officers had detected "no appetite for violence" within communities.
Despite hoping for the best, police have made major preparations in case things do go wrong. There will be 3,500 officers deployed across Northern Ireland, almost a third of whom will be in north Belfast.
Of 58 public order units on stand-by (each comprising 25 officers), 36 will be in north Belfast tomorrow evening.
Last year the PSNI operation was supported by 630 mutual aid officers travelling from forces in England, Scotland and Wales. No additional manpower has been ordered this year - though contingencies are in place to call upon the resource if needed.
A stark figure that may well deter young people from engaging in violence this year is the 700 people charged or reported to prosecutors in Northern Ireland last year in relation to parade and protest related disorder. While not all cases have progressed through the criminal justice system, 561 people have been convicted to date and many have ended up in prison, with five years the stiffest term handed down.
The Government has pledged to consider a demand from unionist and loyalist politicians to set up a commission of inquiry into the Crumlin Road parading dispute.
The undertaking from Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers yesterday came after pro-Union political leaders in the region warned that their co-operation in various levels of governance would be affected if such a probe was not ordered.
The call was part of the unionist and loyalist so-called "graduated" political response to the Parades Commission's decision.
The Democratic Unionists and Ulster Unionists have combined over the issue with the Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) party, the Progressive Unionist Party (PUP) and the Ulster Political Research Group (UPRG). The PUP has links to the paramilitary Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) while the UPRG would have a similar political advisory role in respect of the outlawed Ulster Defence Association (UDA).
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- WordPress 3.8, 3.9.x, 4.5.x, 4.6.x, 4.7.x, 4.8.x, 4.9.x, 5.0.x, 5.1.x, 5.2.x
- WooCommerce 2.0.x, 2.1.x, 2.2.x, 2.3.x, 2.4.x, 2.5.x, 2.6.x, 3.x.x
Pre-Defined 4 Layout
FeaturesFace Art is wordpress ecommerce theme based on WooCommerce plugin. It is suitable for cosmetic, Spa and beauty, women and fashion related online stores. It is also multipurpose theme which can be used for any kind of online store. There are many Homepage Variations included fixed width layout so you can use for any purpose like corporate, online shop, services, portfolio and any thing in your mind. You can create unlimited version of homepage using it. Face Art WooCommerce theme is looking good with it's clean and fresh design. All sub pages are customized.
- HTML5 and CSS3
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- 1500 + Font Awesome ICONS
- Support Multiple Language
- No Core Modifications
- SEO (Search Engine Optimization) friendly
- Optimized for Fast Loading + CSS Sprite
- Unlimited Banners + Sliders – Admin Panel
- Brand Logo + Slider – Admin Panel
- Different Portfolio Layouts
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- Easy Shopping Cart Dropdown from header
- Lots of Short codes with variations
- Valid XHTML and CSS markup
- Woo Commerce Integration
- Sample data Import
- Easy Use and Easy Customize
- Avoid JavaScript Confliction
- Full PSD files supplied
- Compatible with all major browsers
- Well-structured and commented code for easy customization
- Full user guide documentation to help you installing and utilizing the theme
Update History
12 June 2019
Upgraded theme package for fixed outdated files issue.
13 February 2018
Upgraded theme package for support latest version(3.3.x) of WooCommerce.
6 October 2017
Fixed some miscellaneous css bug.
9 May 2017
Upgraded theme package for support latest version of wooCommerce plugin.
29 December 2016
Upgraded theme package for support latest version of Newsletter plugin.
2 July 2016
Update in sample data file only
23 June 2016
Upgraded theme package for support latest version(2.6.x) of wooCommerce.
14 July 2015
Upgraded theme package fixed "prettyPhoto XSS".
17 March 2015
Upgraded theme package for support latest version of wooCommerce.
27 December 2014
Upgraded plugin files.
5 November 2014
Fixed small bug related to responsive layout and update documentation.
25 August 2014
DRAG and DROP Page Builder Integration with Improve some Design Ethics.
Added 3 pre-defined child themes.
9 June 2014
Initial Release


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Global Competitiveness in the Rail and Transit Industry
This publication available for free download.
|Download the full report:
|Global Competitiveness in the Rail and Transit Industry
Authors: Michael Renner and Gary Gardner
34 pages
This report draws on lessons from Germany, Spain, Japan, and China, the four dominant international rail manufacturing countries, to conclude that greater investment in U.S. rail manufacturing could revive America's former leadership in the world rail industry–-and potentially create hundreds of thousands of jobs.
Case studies of the leading countries in intercity rail and urban transit illuminate a set of common principles those countries have used to nurture and grow some of the largest, most successful railroad manufacturing companies in the world. Among them are:
- A sustained, long-term national investment in rail and transit far and above the one-time injection of $8.3 billion provided by the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. China alone is investing as much as $149 billion every year for the next five years.
- A commitment to protecting and nurturing young rail industries until they have achieved the economies of scale necessary to compete globally.
- A national vision that ensures rail development will be linked with other forms of urban transit, use an integrated, uniform system of operations, provide extensive geographic coverage, and be well run.
About the Report
In 2010, with support from the Rockefeller and Surdna Foundations, the Apollo Alliance partnered with Northeastern University, Worldwatch Institute, and the Duke University Center on Globalization, Governance & Competitiveness to conduct research, engage stakeholders, and develop policy recommendations to inform the emergence of a comprehensive strategy to create good American jobs by bolstering the domestic manufacture of advanced rail and transit vehicles systems and component parts. This report is a result of that initiative.
Also available for free download:
With the federal transportation bill up for renewal, the United States has an opportunity to invest in public transportation and renew its manufacturing base. This report reveals that the country could gain more than 79,000 jobs in rail and bus manufacturing and related industries under an investment scenario sufficient to double transit ridership in 20 years. If the United States were to invest at even higher levels—similar to those of China—this would yield more than a quarter million jobs.
This publication available for free download.


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For more than three decades, we have represented the State of Alaska in all of its oil pipeline matters before FERC. On the Trans-Alaska Pipeline (TAPS), at both the FERC and the Regulatory Commission of Alaska, the rate litigation and settlements have resulted in more than $7 billion of increased royalties and production tax revenues to the State. We have addressed issues such as quality banks, pumpability factors, remediation costs for corrosion repairs and deficient management practices, and inclusion of settlement costs related to the Exxon Valdez oil spill. We also advise other market participants on FERC's rules and policies regarding rates, access, terms, and conditions of service on oil pipelines.
Representative Experience
The State of Alaska in multiple rate proceedings before FERC and the Regulatory Commission of Alaska resulting in over $7 billion of increased royalties and production tax revenue to the State.
The State of Alaska in a challenge to claims by the "TAPS Carriers" (BP Pipelines (Alaska) Inc., ExxonMobil Pipeline Company, ConocoPhillips Transportation Alaska Inc., Unocal Pipeline Company, and Koch Alaska Pipeline Company, L.L.C.) to recover more than $750 million in construction project costs. In February 2014, the Administrative Law Judge issued a 542-page Initial Decision following more than eight years of litigation in which she found that the TAPS Carriers mismanaged the conception, planning, and execution of the project and the resulting costs, more than triple the original estimate, were unreasonable and imprudently incurred. The Initial Decision is projected to result in a disallowance of $525 million in project expenses.
Plains All American Pipeline, L.P (a subsidiary of Pacific Pipeline System LLC), in all regulatory matters before the CPUC, including rate filings and applications as well as applications, for change of control and sales of property.
Unsolicited e-mails and information sent to Morrison & Foerster will not be considered confidential, may be disclosed to others pursuant to our Privacy Policy, may not receive a response, and do not create an attorney-client relationship with Morrison & Foerster. If you are not already a client of Morrison & Foerster, do not include any confidential information in this message. Also, please note that our attorneys do not seek to practice law in any jurisdiction in which they are not properly authorized to do so.
©1996-2019 Morrison & Foerster LLP. All rights reserved.


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It didn't take long for the Chicago Bears to find a successor for middle linebacker Brian Urlacher.
Two days after dropping the bombshell that negotiations had been cut off with the future Hall of Famer, the Bears signed former Denver Broncos linebacker D.J. Williams to a one-year contract worth less than $2 million, a source with knowledge of the contract told NFL.com's Ian Rapoport on Friday. The Bears later confirmed the signing.
The Chicago Tribune first reported the move.
Williams, 30, was a salary-cap casualty two weeks ago when the Broncos balked at his $6 million salary. He lost his starting job last season after missing a total of nine games due to a pair of suspensions.
With a reported non-guaranteed $900,000 base salary and a chance to earn up to $1.75 million if incentives are met, according to the Tribune, it's a smart signing for both sides. Williams has a chance to rebuild his market value for one last multiyear contract in 2014 while the Bears land a cheap starter to police the middle of a talented defense.
While it's true that Williams is no upgrade on the Urlacher of two or three years ago, he adds an element of speed that was noticeably missing following Urlacher's 2012 offseason knee procedures.
The move effectively closes the door on the possibility of Urlacher returning at a bargain-basement rate.
Follow Chris Wesseling on Twitter @ChrisWesseling


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The following is a list of the members of the Queret family that currently make up part of this family tree database. Each person's name in the list is also a link that will take you to a detail page for that individual and their immediate lineage. On the detail page, where available, you will find birth dates, places of birth and other details such as any individuals they were married to, or the cemetery they were interned in. The central figure and their known spouse(s) will appear on a shaded grey background on the detail page with their parent's generations above, their siblings to either side and any of their immediate offspring below.
Castle Garden
Automated Genealogy
Archives Canada
US Census Bureau
County Atlas


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- We take care of the customer
- Available within 24 hours
- Fast on-time delivery & pick-up
- High-end Work
We ensure you recognize exactly what can be expected
To make the best judgments for Home Theater Installations in Highlands, NC, you should be informed. We will be sure you understand what to expect. We will take the surprises from the situation by giving accurate and detailed info. Start by talking about your task with our customer support associates when you dial 844-244-6355. We will respond to all your concerns and questions and set up your preliminary meeting. Our crew can show up at the arranged time with the necessary materials, and will work together with you during the entire job.
Home Theater Installation Pro is the company to work with for all your Home Theater Installation in Highlands, Wyoming requirements
You'll have lots of good reasons to use Home Theater Installation Pro to meet your requirements involving Home Theater Installation in Highlands, NC. We offer the top customer service ratings, the best resources, and the most helpful and powerful money saving techniques. We'll be ready to assist you with the greatest expertise and practical knowledge in the market. Call 844-244-6355 when you require Home Theater Installations in Highlands, and we are going to work with you to successfully accomplish your project.


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In the afternoon of June 22, 2017, we concluded another successful edition of the Automotive Testing Expo Europe show. And, frankly, we had a great time there. The event gave us unique opportunities to meet and engage with you, members of the Simcenter community, with customers or simply with interested passersby. We've had a lots a talks, collected positive feedback about our newest products and solutions for automotive testing and engineering, but also listened to your remarks and suggestions. In the digital era, there's still nothing like the "good old" face-to-face discussion.
LMS Sound Camera was our star of the show. The fast and versatile solution for sound source localization drastically accelerates acoustic troubleshooting. A capability that we've demonstrated with real-time source localization and analysis on our demo car. A couple of sound sources were hidden at different locations beneath the car, allowing visitors to see sound instantly.
Naturally, there's quite a lot to say about LMS Sound Camera. It sets up in few minutes and measures at the same time. It is robust and modular and can be used for near field and far field measurements. It records and replays sound sequences, lets you analyze first results in real-time or even compare them. It has its own dedicated software for immediate results visualization but also seamlessly integrates with other testing solutions from the Simcenter portfolio.
Yes, there's really a lot to talk about. But seeing it is better than reading about it. If you've missed us at Automotive Testing Expo Europe this year, watch the short video and discover what LMS Sound Camera is all about.
Interested in other solutions from the Simcenter Testing portfolio? We'll publish more videos in the coming days, all recorded at the Automotive Testing Expo event. Stay tuned and don't forget to visit us in Stuttgart next year when the 2018 edition is on!
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With over 20 years of experience and expertise, Porsche Tequipment showcases customary Porsche quality in every product. Perfectly tailored to your lifestyle and your Porsche, Tequipment products allow you to adapt your vehicle to your own personal wishes, retrospectively and with ease.Discover more
Whether you're looking for a T-shirt, a model car or a car care kit, Porsche Driver's Selection offers high-quality Porsche branded products to suit every occasion. Sporty, elegant and in the minimalist style that is typical of Porsche – this is what characterises the Porsche Driver's Selection clothing and accessories range.Discover more
© 2019 All rights reserved to Porsche Centre Tewkesbury and its licensors.
* Data determined in accordance with the measurement method required by law. Since September 01, 2018 all new cars are approved in accordance with the Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicles Test Procedure (WLTP), a more realistic test procedure to measure fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions. You can find more information on WLTP at www.porsche.com/wltp. From 01 January 2019, all fuel consumption figures are shown as determined in accordance with WLTP. CO₂ figures will be shown as NEDC-equivalent values, as CO₂ based taxation will continue to be based on an NEDC value (derived from WLTP) until 06 April 2020. Fuel economy and CO₂ emission figures are only intended as a means of comparing different types of vehicles tested under the same test cycle. New WLTP homologated vehicles are therefore not directly comparable with any vehicles tested under NEDC.
Values are provided for comparison only. To the extent that fuel consumption or CO₂ values are given as ranges, these do not relate to a single, individual car and do not constitute part of the offer. Extra features and accessories (attachments, tyre formats etc.) can change relevant vehicle parameters such as weight, rolling resistance and aerodynamics which may result in a change in fuel consumption and CO₂ values. Additionally, weather and traffic conditions, as well as individual driving styles, can all affect the actual fuel consumption, electricity consumption, and CO₂ emissions of a car.


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Jonathan Boyd
Tenor Jonathan Boyd continually performs throughout Europe, North America and South America. In the 2010-2011 season and beyond, engagements include his Seattle Opera debut as Tamino in Die Zauberflöte, a return to the Dallas Opera as Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni, his San Diego Opera debut in Jake Heggie's Moby Dick as Ishmael, the title role of Candide at the Portland Opera, Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor at the Atlanta Opera, Alfredo in La Traviata at Opera Carolina, Belmonte in Die Entführung aus dem Serail at the Arizona Opera, Sam in Susannah at Florentine Opera, and in concert, Tamino in a semi-staged concert of Die Zauberflöte with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra conducted by Marin Alsop, and Handel's Messiah with the Virginia Symphony Orchestra.
Noted European engagements over the past few seasons include debuts at Opéra de Nice and Opéra de Toulon as Lysander in A Midsummer Night's Dream; Teatro Colón in a live television broadcast as Werther; Opera Royal de Wallonie in Belgium as Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni; Le Grand Théâtre de Limoges as Belmonte in Die Entführung aus dem Serail and Fenton in Falstaff; Malta National Theater and Festival Lyrique-en-mer de Belle Île as Tamino inDie Zauberflöte, Opera Faber in Portugal, Théâtre de l'Athénée and St-Quentin en Yvelines in France as Tom Rakewell in The Rake's Progress, and hisrole debut as Alfredo in La Traviata with Akouna, Opéra en plein air in France.
Most recent North American engagements from the past few seasons include Narraboth in Salome at the Dallas Opera; Roméo in Roméo et Juliette at the Utah Symphony & Opera, Nashville Opera and Michigan Opera Theater; Tamino in Die Zauberflöte at the Portland Opera and Lyric Opera of Kansas City; Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni at Opera Cleveland and Arizona Opera; Don Ottavio and Rodolfo in La Bohème at the Nashville Opera; and his role debut as Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor at Opera New Jersey. In concert, most recent performances are Rachmaninoff's Vespers with the Choral Arts Society (DC), Handel's Messiah with the Virginia Symphony, Haydn's Creation with the Flint Symphony and Beethoven's 9th Symphony with the Princeton Symphony.
The Corning, New York native has previously performed in San Francisco Opera's productions of Falstaff, Turandot, The Merry Widow (released on DVD), and Mother of Us All. Since his apprenticeship with Florentine Opera of Milwaukee, Mr. Boyd has returned in numerous roles such as Don Ottavio inDon Giovanni and Camille in The Merry Widow. In addition, Mr. Boyd made his role debuts as Sam in Street Scene with Portland Opera, Sam in Susannahwith Opera Columbus and L'Opéra de Montréal, and several roles with the Sarasota Opera: Nadir in Les Pêcheurs des Perles, Fenton in Falstaff andFerrando in Così Fan Tutte.
Mr. Boyd has an extensive repertoire in 20th century operas including Michigan Opera Theatre's world premiere of Margaret Garner as George Hancock, and New York City Opera's productions of Mother of Us All and Central Park. Composer Lee Hoiby personally chose Mr. Boyd for the role of Romeo in his opera Romeo and Juliet, which he subsequently sang in the semi-staged performances at the Opera America convention in Vancouver, as well as with New York City Opera, Stamford Symphony in Connecticut, and the National Symphony at the Kennedy Center.
Mr. Boyd has appeared in concert with the New York Philharmonic in Bach'sSt. Matthew Passion conducted by Maestro Kurt Masur, the Philadelphia Orchestra in a recording of I Pagliacci with Maestro Riccardo Muti, the Choral Arts Society as Tenor Soloist in Haydn's Creation at the Kennedy Center, at Carnegie Hall in Mozart's Requiem, the Baltimore Symphony in Handel'sMessiah, as well as with Maestro Nicholas McGegan and Philharmonia Baroque, and returned for a Bach's E flat Magnificat and Cantata 110. Additionally, Mr. Boyd was the tenor soloist for Dvorak's Stabat Mater with Orchestre Métropolitain du Grand Montréal, tenor soloist in Finzi's Dies Natalis and Britten's Les Illuminations with with I Musici de Montréal, and made his debut with Virginia Symphony in the live television broadcast of Rimsky Korsakov'sMozart and Salieri in the role of Mozart.


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Snickerdoodle cookies are the happiest of all cookies. Try saying the word snickerdoodle ten times fast without smiling! Such a happy cookie deserves a simple recipe, and this snickerdoodle cookie recipe fits the bill. These snickerdoodle cookies take five minutes to prep, just ten minutes to bake, and they are perfectly soft, chewy, and moist. This snickerdoodle cookie recipe is one to add to your recipe stash for the next time you need something for a last minute potluck, bake sale, after-school snack, or midnight munch.
The Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe
Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe
Topping Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Cookie Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Topping Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix sugar and cinnamon and set aside.
Cookie Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 F.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, mix butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla.
- Mix in flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt.
- Form balls of dough about one ounce each.
- Flatten balls with your palm to form circles about 1/4" thick. Don't worry about being perfect.
- Dip both sides of each cookie dough circle into the topping.
- Place cookie dough circles about two inches apart on baking sheets lined with Silpats or parchment paper.
- Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until set but not too hard. Remove immediately from baking sheets.
- Eat!!
If You Like Snickerdoodles…
If you like snickerdoodles, you might want to try my snickerdoodle cupcakes!


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African Americans and Proper Health Care
What are the statistics for African Americans going to doctor`s offices and clinics? Why is it so low?
Thank you very much for the question. Your question raises an important set of issues that are pertinent to improving the overall quality of health in this community and this nation. Historically, it has been reported that African Americans, particularly men, do not have a usual source of care compared to the general population. However, a recent report from the Agency for Health Care Research and Quality found that in 2004 indicates that this gap may be closing. In 2003, the proportion of African Americans who reported having a primary care provider was less than that of Whites (73% vs 78%). There are a number of reasons why African Americans may not visit a primary care physician:
- African Americans (particularly young adult males) have a higher unemployment rate than their White counterparts. Since most insurance is attached to employment, they are more likely to be uninsured.
- African Americans may live in neighborhoods that have fewer physicians or clinics, thereby limiting their access to medical care
- Since African Americans have fewer financial resources, their ability to purchase medical services may be more limited
- As a result of historical injustices (i.e. The Tuskegee Experiment) some African Americans may have a distrust of the medical system.
These are just a few of the many reasons why African Americans may seek medical care less often than White Americans. For additional information I want to refer you to the National Healthcare Disparities Report released in 2006. Please see the attached website address.
For more information:
Go to the Research Center health topic.


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NEWS- Pricey tickets: Stones, U2, Sir Paul set records
Powerhouse tours by the Rolling Stones, U2, and Paul McCartney helped drive concert ticket revenues in North America to a record $3.1 billion in 2005, even as the number of tickets sold declined for the third year in a row.
Fans purchased 36.1 million tickets to the top 100 concert tours, compared with 37.6 million in 2004 and 38.7 million in 2003, according to Pollstar, the industry trade magazine.
"You have to figure that's not a healthy sign for the industry overall,'' says Gary Bongiovanni, Pollstar's editor-in-chief.
Despite a slow first-half of the year and the decline in number of tickets sold, concert tours in 2005 represented a 10.7 percent increase in gross receipts over last year's total of $2.8 billion.
The record revenue was due largely to the rare confluence of superstar artists touring.
"You don't normally see three huge acts like that out touring in the same year,'' Bongiovanni says. "McCartney and The Stones alone really helped drive up ticket prices.''
The average ticket price for the top 100 tours rose to a record $57, compared with $52.39 in 2004, according to Pollstar.
The average ticket price has gone up nearly $7 since 2003.
Still, concertgoers proved this year that they remain willing to pay more to see their favorite acts, and the roster of legends that filled touring arenas had little trouble packing them in.
Until this year, the biggest tour of all time had been The Rolling Stones' 1994 "Voodoo Lounge" tour, which drew $121.2 million in gross receipts, Bongiovanni says.
"Both U2 and The Stones went way beyond that this year,'' he says.
The Rolling Stones' "A Bigger Bang'' tour led all other concert tours in 2005 with $162 million in gross receipts, according to the magazine.
The average Stones ticket was $133.98. The tour sold around 1.2 million tickets.
U2 generated the second-most gross receipts, $138.9 million, with an average ticket price of $96.92. The Irish rockers' "Vertigo 2005'' tour sold the most tickets, around 1.4 million.
McCartney's tour earned $77.3 million in gross receipts, with the average ticket selling for $135.46. The tour sold around 570,000 tickets.
Other veteran acts ending the year among the top 20 in sales receipts included the Eagles, Elton John, Neil Diamond, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, Motley Crue, and Jimmy Buffett.
Green Day, Rascal Flatts, Dave Matthews Band, Toby Keith, Kenny Chesney, Coldplay, Gwen Stefani and the Anger Management Tour were among the contemporary acts to break into the top-20 biggest earners.
Celine Dion and Barry Manilow, who performed mostly in Las Vegas, also were top draws in 2005. The Canadian diva's shows pulled in $81.3 million in total gross receipts, the third highest. Manilow's shows drew $22.7 million in gross receipts.
"The baby boomers really continue to support and fuel the concert business,'' Bongiovanni says.
NEWS SIDEBAR- DMB, ICU: Dave rocks more fans than Mick
Mick Jagger and Keith Richards may have grossed the most money, but in terms of fans at shows, U2 and Charlottesville's own Dave Matthews Band were North America's most popular acts.
About 1.43 million caught U2, while the Stones performed before 1.2 million to DMB's 1.21 million.
"They edged out the Stones," says Gary Bongiovanni, editor of Pollstar, the concert industry mag.
Not only that, but the Charlottesville-based act was the only one to make Pollstar's top-10 money list with an average ticket under $50. At just $47.09 per ticket, a seat at a DMB show cost about a third of the average price to see the Stones or Las Vegas-based melodramatist Celine Dion, who had the priciest ticket of the year at $136.04.
Now in its 16th year, DMB can't yet match the longevity of ex-Beatle Paul McCartney, but while McCartney sang for just 570,000 North American fans, more than twice as many saw the boys from Charlottesville.
"They've become one of the evergreen acts in the concert business," says Bongiovanni, "and they're young enough that you can conceive of them touring ten years from now. It's hard to say that about the Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, or the Eagles."
NEWS LIST- Top 20: Touring artists ranked by dollars
Total gross*/Average ticket/
1. The Rolling Stones $162.0 million / $133.98
2. U2 $138.9 million / $96.92
3. Celine Dion $81.3 million / $136.04
4. Paul McCartney $77.3 million / $135.46
5. Eagles $76.8 million / $104.17
6. Elton John $65.8 million / $102.46
7. Kenny Chesney $61.8 million / $54.63
8. Dave Matthews Band $57.0 million / $47.09
10. Jimmy Buffett $41.0 million / $76.49
11. Mötley Crüe $39.9 million / $46.48
12. Green Day $34.8 million / $38.07
13. Toby Keith $31.6 million / $46.11
14. Rascal Flatts $28.2 million / $34.92
15. Bruce Springsteen $26.3 million / $81.00
16. Gwen Stefani $24.2 million / $54.46
17. Coldplay $24.1 million / $40.80
18. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers $23.6 million / $38.05
19. Barry Manilow $22.7 million / $153.93
20. "Anger Management Tour" $21.6 million / $64.03
– Pollstar
NEWS LIST- Audience counts: Top grossers ranked by tickets
Total audience* Avg. aud. cities/shows
Dave Matthews Band 1,221,430 24,229 50/65
The Rolling Stones 1,209,601 31,827 38/42
Kenny Chesney 1,131,326 17,958 63/71
Green Day 912,843 13,625 67/68
Motley Crue 858,815 8,258 104/106
Rascal Flatts 807,899 10,630 76/80
Neil Diamond 750,210 17,050 44/57
Eagles 737,279 18,432 40/63
Toby Keith 684,968 12,924 53/55
Elton John 642,253 20,070 32/75
Tom Petty & Heartbreakers 621,065 16,786 37/40
Celine Dion 597,632 3,856 1/155
Coldplay 591,535 16,901 35/37
Paul McCartney 570,309 21,935 26/37
Jimmy Buffett 536,391 24,381 22/26
Gwen Stefani 444,368 11,109 40/41
"Anger Management Tour" 337,171 16,056 21/22
Bruce Springsteen 324,116 6,615 49/55
Barry Manilow 147,346 1,459 2/101


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Frozen Pipes FAQ
What are some common reasons for frozen pipes?
Water pipes will usually be more susceptible to freezing when the outdoor air temperature is below freezing for more than a few days. Special attention should be given when the outdoor air temperature does not rise above zero degrees during the daytime hours. Some reasons include:
- Unheated basement where the water meter and pipes are located.
- Uninsulated pipes which are against outside walls.
- Open windows near water meters or pipes.
- Openings or cracks which allow cold outside air near the water meter or pipes.
- Water meter pipes enclosed or boxed in against outside wall.
How do I know if my pipes are frozen?
Generally, when a pipe which feeds a certain fixture such as a shower, sink or toilet freezes, you will no longer be able to get water through that fixture. This would be the case if the pipe is frozen solid.
Why do frozen water pipes break?
When water freezes within a pipe, the volume of the water expands. That is, the same amount of water takes up more space as a solid than as a liquid. This causes the pipes to expand and possibly break at a weak point. This may not be noticed immediately, however. The pipes may thaw from the inside out with the pipe actually breaking only when the full water pressure is restored.
Do only pipes inside the house freeze?
No. Not only is your inside plumbing susceptible to freezing, but your water service could also be subject to freezing. This is caused by frost in the ground encasing your service in ice, thereby freezing your service. This is especially typical of shallow (less than five feet deep) services.
What should I do if my pipes freeze?
If your pipes freeze your best course of action is to call a licensed master plumber. Improper thawing could cause your pipes to burst. There are, however, some procedures that you can follow to try to thaw them. The quicker the problem is recognized, the better chance that damage will be minimized. Some techniques for thawing frozen pipes include:
- If possible, expose a boxed-in area to the inside heat.
- Use a heat gun. However, be extremely careful as the heat from the heat gun will ignite any wood or paper it contacts.
- DO NOT use torches to thaw pipes!
- Rubbing the pipes with warm, damp rags may slowly thaw the line.
- If you do not have water for an extended period of time, special attention should be given to water heaters and boilers.
How can I prevent my pipes from freezing?
There are many ways to help prevent your water pipes from freezing in extreme weather. Some suggestions include:
- Keeping the water meter area or pipes exposed to outside walls heated.
- Providing ventilation to pipes allowing warmer air to circulate around them.
- Insulating your pipes.
- Caulking and sealing any openings near your water pipes.
- Keeping some tap water running. (Moving water is more difficult to freeze, understanding however, this will affect your bill.)
- If no one will be home for an extended period in extreme weather, it is best to turn your main valve off and have a plumber drain your system. This way, there will be no water in your pipes to freeze. Even if your pipes have not frozen in the past, severe cold can cause electricity blackouts and thereby disable your furnace. Winterizing your system will assure that your pipes do not freeze.


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Apple board member Jerry York dies at 71
Turned IBM around, predicted GM's demise
Jerome York, the financial mind and turnaround expert who most recently shared his business acumen as a long-serving member of Apple's board of directors, died Thursday morning of a brain aneurysm suffered Tuesday. York was 71 years old.
"Jerry joined Apple's Board in 1997 when most doubted the company's future," said Apple CEO Steve Jobs in a statement. "He has been a pillar of financial and business expertise and insight on our Board for over a dozen years. It's been a privilege to know and work with Jerry, and I'm going to miss him a lot."
Apple's home page on March 18, noting the death of board member Jerry York
In addition to working with Jobs to save Apple from near-collapse, York is credited with helping engineer IBM's turnaround in the early 1990s as Big Blue's CFO, where he instituted rigorous cost-cutting measures.
York also worked with each of America's "Big Three" automakers. After a brief stint at the Ford Motor Company, York joined Chrysler in 1979 when that company was also in dire straits. At Chrysler, he contributed to the production of the company-saving Chrysler K-Car platform.
According to the Wall Street Journal, York's stint at General Motors was less successful - but not for lack of foresight. As a member of GM's board, York predicted in 2006 that if the company didn't cut costs, retire marques, and overhaul its structure in "crisis mode," as he told the WSJ, "the unthinkable could happen".
GM management didn't listen, York left the board in October 2006 - and in June 2009 the company, dropping like a stone, filed for bankruptcy.
The WSJ also reports that York was one tough customer. "He would rip people apart who didn't deliver," one IBMer told the Journal.
And now the Apple board of directors numbers six. ®
Sponsored: Your Guide to Becoming Truly Data-Driven with Unrivalled Data Analytics Performance


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Epiroc simulators are built from the engineering plans of the real machine. All programs and controls are real machine components, giving you the exact feeling of using actual Epiroc equipment. To create a realistic field of view, and a more immersive experience, the Epiroc simulator uses the same cab as with the real equipment. Inside the cab, there is a multiple LED screen system, displaying real-time simulation.
To take advantage of the current session, a large screen is mounted outside the cab, enabling a small group of operators to watch and learn. All functions, including the Epiroc Rig Control System (RCS) are fully functional, ensuring that the operators are well prepared for reality. The simulators include full documentation regarding manuals and quick start-up guides; they can also be remotely updated and fault diagnostics can be monitored over the internet.
This Simba simulator is designed with a number of training scenarios where you can increase your machine skills. The simulator has all original components and control systems integrated as on a real machine. The integrated RCS system functions just like the real machine giving you the opportunity to learn and use all the features with this advanced control system.
Available format: classroom trainer and full cabin


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$7.00 AUD - Sold Out
Colour your cookies, icing, fondant and gum with ease with the power of paste in an easy to use gel. Minimal gel paste is required for a superior colour as it is super concentrated. It comes in an easy to use bottle with flip top lid and the spout allows precise drops to be dispensed. A cookie decorating must have!
We have the full range of Americolor soft gel paste icing colours.
or make 4 interest-free payments of $0.00 AUD fortnightly with More info


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Hey all,
As another victim of corporate mergers, I have to switch email addys. Embarq, who bought sprint, who had an contract with Earthlink is cancelling my earthlink account in October. So the email addy that I have had since 1998 is going away which sucks! I could pay $40 bucks a year, or I could set my freesco box up along with a dyndns account and hopefully never have to switch again.
I will first upgrade the freesco box, though will have to fight the spiders most likely as the box has not been touched in over a year... Gotta love it...
Anyways, was reading the Howto over at dingetje's site and wanted to check and see if any of that info is out dated as of the new release. The addon package site looks old and outdated and I didn't see anything newer than 05 on there. Are the mirrors different? Does anyone have links for the packages (exim, popa3d, etc) that I'll need to get started? I'd normally just search around, but there's not alot of new posts in the new forums and the archived ones didn't seem to be searchable unless I missed something.
Any help is welcomed and appreciated!


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5 March 2008
Dutch researcher Alexander le Fèbre has demonstrated that a field-emission current signal can be used to arrange the position of thousands of nanometre-sharp needles. These probes can be applied to write and read in new storage media with an extremely high density, using bits on a nanometre scale.
The development of the hard disk is now reaching its technical limits because the entire disk is served by just a single head. Consequently, the capacity of the disk and the reading and writing speed cannot expand much more in the future. Therefore research into a memory based on probes is being carried out at the University of Twente's MESA+ research institute. Being able to control the position of each separate probe is essential for realising a system with extremely high densities.
Le Fèbre's measurements show that a field-emission current signal can be used to adjust the position of the probes without these making direct contact with the storage medium. If a constant current is maintained and the applied voltage is varied, the distance between the probe apex and the storage medium can be adjusted from several nanometres to about 100 nanometres. The resolution is sufficient for a probe-based storage system. However for practical applications, the current stability and the lifetime of the probes will need to be improved further so that the accuracy and reproducibility of positioning can be increased.
Positioning le Febre.
Clik image for big picture.


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It is the late 1920s and Phylis Barron has been asked by Detmar Blow, architectural advisor to the Duke of Westminster to visit him at his hunting lodge in Bordeaux. She has two suit cases full of long patterns suitable for curtains. On showing these to the Duke she is introduced to Coco Chanel and later recalls:
Mademoiselle Chanel, who was then living with him, was very interested. I think she thought I was a very queer sort of person – she couldn't understand why I should want to do these strange thing. I was dressed as usual entirely in my own stuff, all made by myself, and I don't think that she had ever in her life seen so much hand sewing, which she really quite appreciated. She thought the whole affair rather amazing, and ordered cushions for her Paris garden. Lovely folding sort of mattresses things, describing minutely how they were to be made.
Yet these pioneering women had something in common. They were modernists and the timelessness quality of their respective designs has outlived the years. In fact there always has been an appetite for a revival of the Barron and Larcher patterns. This appetite is being met by an exciting collaboration between the Crafts Study Centre, University for the Creative Arts (UCA), which holds a preeminent collection of their work, and Christopher Farr Cloth. The latter has breathed new life into 6 chosen designs by launching a range of screen-printed fabric this year. It will be a turning point for an understanding of the work of these little-known interwar textile artists.
During the 1920s and 30s Phyllis Barron (1890-1964) and Dorothy Larcher (1884-1952) were at the forefront of a revival in hand-block printing in the UK. In terms of the combination of quality, spontaneity of design, purity of color, and the sheer scale of output, Barron and Larcher were unrivalled. Importantly they were designer-makers, seeing the process through from the design stage to the finished piece.
To produce their patterns, they printed with blocks cut to their own designs into wood or linoleum and/or historic 19th century blocks sourced from France and Russia. The results are striking in their spontaneity and breathtaking in range since many were overprinted and the potential combinations were limitless. Whilst Barron favored geometric arrangements Larcher's choice lent more towards naturalist forms. Their use of natural dyes whilst colorful was at the same time restrained, resulting in nuances and causing imperfections and tonal irregularities that add beauty to the designs.
Jean Vacher | Curator | Crafts Study Centre |University for thee Creative Arts | July 2016


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Computer (Repair of Home Computer)
The Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act (Civil Code Sections 1790-1796.5) provides Consumer Warranty Protection. Specifically, Civil Code (1791.)(s) addresses the repair of home computers as follows:
"Home electronic product" means any television, radio, antenna rotator, audio or video recorder or playback equipment, video camera, video game, video monitor, computer equipment, telephone, telecommunications equipment, electronic alarm system, electronic appliance control system, or other kind of electronic product, if it is normally used or sold [for personal, family, or household purposes]. The term includes any electronic accessory that is normally used or sold with a home electronic product for one of those purposes. The term excludes any single product with a wholesale price to the retail seller of less than fifty dollars ($50).
Department of Consumer Affairs
Bureau of Home Goods and Servies (BGHS)
Publications available: Department of Consumer Affairs, Guide to Electronic Appliance Repair, Electronic and Appliance Repair, and A Small Claims Court
Consumer Resource & Referral Guide
Directory of State Agencies
Directory of Federal Agencies
Return to DCA Home Page


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prosperous22 needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 12 designs submitted by 6 freelance designers.
site name: "The Greed Must Stop" i would like a very strong image to capture peoples attention.
The Greed Must Stop Now
Desired Style:
Strong Image, New, Brilliant!
Accepted File Formats:
Standard Web Formats (.jpg, .gif or .png); Vector Formats (.eps, .pdf or .ai); Layered Formats (.psd or .tiff)
A mascot is not a requirement but is suggested, use your creativity to create something that provides an image to the name of the site: "The Greed Must Stop"
Ideas I had for mascot was a lion w/ 3 little lions around or following him.
This is more of a political/strong opinions blog
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


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Bank of America Answers Another Question With Fannie Settlement
Bank of America has answered one of its largest remaining question marks with its $10 billion-plus settlement with Fannie Mae.
Even as BofA stock has rallied, Fannie has persistently been the doubt holding back analysts from proclaiming the worst was behind BofA. The mortgage giant has been lobbing claim after claim at BofA, looking to force it to repurchase billions of dollars in mortgages Countrywide and old-time BofA sold it during the housing bubble.
The bank has said not to worry, but investors and analysts have bandied about some numbers that screamed worry.
Now Bank of America is paying Fannie $3.6 billion for its troubles and repurchasing $6.75 billion in loans, as well as delivering another payment for foreclosure delays.
It is only the latest payment BofA has made for mortgages it or Countrywide underwrote and then sold, either to the government-sponsored enterprises or to private bond investors. Two years ago this week it reached a similar deal with Freddie Mac and it has agreed to pay $8.5 billion to private bondholders in another deal.


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1) Script Title:
2) Script URL (on DD):
3) Describe problem:
I'm an absolute newbie to making websites so my site may look really amateuristic - sorry for that, I had to learn everything by myself.
I've added a video to my modx-made site. The vertical dropdown works fine for images but hides behind a video I have embedded.
I tried possible solutions like wmode=opaque and z-index=999 but they didn't work or I didn't implement them correctly.
Any help would be greatly appreciated!


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When it comes to how you're judged at work, you might think that the quality of your work is all that matters. But human perceptions are a lot more complicated than that, and you might send signals that you don't realize or intend.
Here are five of the top ways that you inadvertently send signals about yourself at work - and how your boss and co-workers might read them.
1. Whom you hang out with at work. No matter how good your work is, if you're always hanging around co-workers who only do the bare minimum, have a complaint about everything or don't get along well with their managers, you're likely to be perceived as sharing those same traits - even if you don't. Likewise, if you spend time with the office's high achievers, you're likely to be perceived as having a similar work ethic and values (and those things can rub off on you in reality too).
2. What time you leave each day. If you watch the clock and leave every day at 5 p.m. on the dot, prepare to be seen as someone not especially committed to work, and only putting in what's absolutely required. That can impact you when it's time for raises and promotions. On the other hand, if you always stay hours longer than everyone else, you might be seen as committed - but you might instead be seen as someone struggling to handle her workload. Better than each of these is a more balanced approach - not running out the door at the stroke of 5 each day, but leaving around the same time most other people do.
3. What you wear. "Dress for the job you want, not the job you have" is an old saying for a reason. You might get away with wearing jeans and ratty shirts in your role, but if the people above you look more polished, you'll probably go further by wearing more business-like clothes. Fairly or not, people have an easier time picturing you managing others, doing higher-profile work and dealing with clients when you look polished and well put together.
Rather than thinking of the dress code as telling you the minimum you can get away with, think of your work clothes as telling other people how you'd like to be perceived.
4. How you behave in meetings. If you sit silently in meetings without participating, you're signaling that you don't have much to contribute, or that you don't care enough to contribute. Even worse, if you spend most of the time checking texts on your phone or reading sports scores, you signal that you're unengaged with the company's business. So try to participate if you can - and at an absolute minimum, make sure you look attentive.
5. How your office is decorated. If your office is utterly barren - no photos, no décor, no evidence that someone inhabits it - you might signal that you're just passing through, that you'll be on your way as soon as you find something better. It's easy to bring in a lamp and put an art print on the wall, and it will make a difference in how people see you. On the other end of the spectrum, don't go overboard: If every surface in your office is covered with photos, art and figurines, you'll look like your focus is somewhere other than on work. You also want to avoid a messy office, which can make you look disorganized and unconscientious.


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if you're anything like me you've probably experienced both the highs and the lows of holidays crafting. you start out super excited, almost a crafters high of sorts, writing lists, planning out your supplies and choosing gifts for everyone from your child's teacher to your loved ones. you get all revved up and pump yourself full of "i can do this", "i'm going to save so much money doing this", "i don't need sleep", "i can live off coffee for a month" and so on....until you a) give up half way through and buy gift cards b) have a crafters breakdown c) burn out or d) end up grumpy/stressed and severely sleep deprived on xmas that you don't even enjoy yourself.
what's the point in pointing this out to you? well....i don't want that to happen to any of us anymore. so how do we solve it? i'm not 100% sure what the answer is but what i do know is that i have some tips that i have learned and so do a lot of you. we all love making gifts for our loved ones and we all just love to "make" so how can we, as a group, inspire, support and cheer each other on to make a "reasonable" (and i mean human, not robot) amount of gifts and home decorations.
throughout november and december i'll be writing posts on most wednedsays to open up discussions, project sharing, friendships to be made, shoulders to cry and lean on, and overall just a place you can come each week to keep focused, stay on track and try to make it through the holidays making but also smiling.
- this is new for me so i'm going to try out a few things along the way. depending on interest from you fab ladies i'm thinking of starting a linky party on this day where you can link up your posts for crafts/projects you are making for the holidays and their progress or other posts inspired by the theme "holiday crafting support group".
- add your pics to our flickr group to show off your handiwork. we love to see what you're making.
- comment, chat, start discussions, join in the convo. i promise this is all more fun if you get involved :)
- there will be a topic in our luvinthemommyhood ravelry group called "holidays crafting support group" where you can all chat away, share your project line ups, link to what you're making and also show off those pics!!! i love this part!!!
- feel free to also join in with the rest of us here on my blog post each week, link up your posts on all the knitted lovelies you're posting on your blogs as well.
i want this space to be somewhere you can come during this mostly joyful but also sometimes stressful time of year each week to feel like you have people to talk to who understand you, are making things right along side you, cheering you on, and just plain want to hear about all the fun stuff you have planned for the holidays. feel free to show off all your handiwork and crafting skills! it helps to keep us all motivated and feeling inspired.
i love christmas and plan on making this one as relaxing and as enjoyable as possible for my family this year and i hope you will all join me in this wee journey. so join in! i can't wait to see what you will all be whipping up this year!
to get you started here are some of my fave roundups from previous years for holiday goodies:
would you all like to see some new roundups on these topics this year? anything else you'd like for me to round up for the holidays? let me know below and i'll get my lasso out and get rounding em'posts up. have you started your holiday crafting list yet? what & how many projects are you planning on making this year?