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Sadhana refers to disciplines undertaken to reach a specific spiritual goal--steady and persevering practice of a method or exercise prescribed for spiritual ends. Of course, goals vary widely among the different Hindu traditions. Wikipedia's explanation of sadhana's goals highlights that diversity: "enlightenment, pure love of God, liberation from the cycle of birth and death, or a particular goal such as the blessings of a Deity, as in the bhakti traditions." The idea of employing various means of spiritual accomplishment and thereby moving closer to the goal of God realization is appealing to all devout Hindus. On the other hand, the demands of modern life--work, school and commute time--give many the sense that there is not enough time to fit spiritual practice into an already overly busy schedule. Many pilgrims to our monastery confide to me they are caught in this dilemma. My advice is to establish a daily vigil, even if it is just 15 minutes, preferably in the morning, before you are caught up in your day. Try it for two weeks and see how it works out. Make it a habit, an appointment with yourself. Those who establish a daily vigil find that it makes them more efficient, more centered, more patient, more content and more productive. So it is time well spent! Once a strong habit is established, it becomes not only easy, but the day's most important appointment. The nature of your sadhana routine is up to you and your guru. It is your island of quiet, a time to worship the Divine, perform puja, do yoga, study scripture and get in touch with your innate Divinity. And, like anything else, the more effort you put into your vigil and the more consistent you are, the greater the benefits will be.
When we study and practice our religion, we are not necessarily performing deep sadhana. We are simply dispatching our religious duties. The performance of personal sadhana, discipline for self-transformation, is one step deeper in making religion real in one's life. Through sadhana we learn to control the energies of the body and nerve system, and we experience that through the control of the breath the mind becomes peaceful. Sadhana is practiced in the home, in the forest, by a flowing river, under a favorite tree, in the temple, in gurukulas or wherever a pure, serene atmosphere can be found. A vrata, vow, is often taken before serious sadhana is begun. The vrata is a personal pledge between oneself, one's guru and the angelic beings of the inner worlds to perform the disciplines regularly, conscientiously, at the same time each day.
Who sets the course of sadhana? The course of sadhana can be set by an elder of the Hindu community. It can also be set by one's satguru. Your mother and father, who are your first gurus, can also set the course of sadhana for their children. Or it can be set by yourself, from a book. There are many fine books available outlining the basics of yoga, sadhana and meditation.
Where does sadhana begin? It begins within the home, and it begins within you. This is ancient wisdom recognized not only in India, but among many great civilizations of history. Thus upon the wall of a famous ancient Greek temple and oracular center at Delphi was inscribed "Know thyself." The religion of the Greeks, which was in many respects not unlike Hinduism, is long since gone, but remaining temple ruins testify to its magnificence. By disciplining your mind, body and emotions through sadhana, you come more and more into the inner knowing of yourself.
You will first discover that when the breath is regulated, it is impossible for the thinking mind to run wild, and when the breath is slightly held, it is impossible for more than one thought to remain vibrating in the mind at a time. You will experience that when the nerve currents are quieted through diaphragmatic breathing, it is impossible to be frustrated, and it is possible to absorb within yourself, into the great halls of inner learning, into the great vacuum within you, all of your problems, troubles and fears, without having to psychoanalyze them.
Through the regular practice of scriptural study, which is a vital part of your daily sadhana vigil, you will soon find that it is possible to touch into your subsuperconscious mind and complement that study with your own inner knowing. After you are well established in your sadhana, you will enjoy a greater ability to discipline your body, your breath, your nerve system and your mind.
We first have to learn that in order to control the breath, we have to study and understand the breath, the lungs, how the body is constructed and how the pranas move through it. This enables us to understand the subtle system within the body that controls the thinking mind. Then we are ready to study the mind in its totality.
The conscious mind is our external mind. The subconscious mind contains our memory patterns and all impressions of the past. The sub of the subconscious mind holds the seeds of karmas that are not yet manifest. The subsuperconscious mind works through the subconscious mind, and intuition flows daily as a result. Creativity is there at your bidding. Your superconscious mind is where intuitive flashes occur. The accomplished mystic can consciously be in one country or another instantaneously, according to his will, once he has, through the grace of Lord Siva, attained a full inner knowing of how to remain in Satchidananda, the superconscious mind, consciously, without the other states interfering.
Yes, sadhana begins in the home, and it begins with you. It must be practiced regularly, at the same time each day--not two hours one day, one hour the next and then forgetting about it for three or four days because you are too busy with external affairs, but every day, at the same time. Meeting this appointment with yourself is in itself a sadhana. In the technological age nearly everyone finds it difficult to set one hour aside in which to perform sadhana. This is why in your sadhana vrata, or vow, you promise to dedicate only one half hour a day. In the agricultural era, it was easy to find time to perform sadhana two to three hours a day. Why? The demands of external life were not as great as they are now, in the technological age.
Brahmacharis and brahmacharinis, celibate men and women, in their respective gurukulas dedicate their time to the performance of sadhana. They rise together early in the morning, perform their sadhana as a group, and then are off to their daily work. The regular practice of sadhana, they have found, enables them to get along admirably well with one another because of their newly acquired abilities of absorbing their difficulties, thus avoiding argument and confrontation. In these gurukulas, found worldwide, various kinds of sadhanas are performed, such as scriptural study, chanting the names of the Lord on the japa beads, group chanting of bhajanas, the singing of Devarams and the yogic concentration of holding the mind fixed on one point and bringing it back to that one point each time it wanders. The more disciplined gurukulas religiously administrate group sadhana at the same time each day, every day without fail. Daily life revolves around this period of sadhana, just as in a religious Saivite home life revolves around the shrine room and each one's daily personal vigil.
Ask yourself what you put first in your daily life. Do your emotions come first? Does your intellect come first? Do your instinctive impulses come first? Does your striving to overcome worries and fears and doubt come first inside of you? Does your creativity, your love for all humanity, your search for God and peace within yourself come first inside of you? What are your priorities?
When you first begin your daily sadhana, it is likely to begin in an awkward way, and you may come to know yourself in a way that you don't want to know yourself. Don't be discouraged when the mind runs wild as you sit quietly and are unable to control it. Don't be discouraged if you find that you are unable to even choose a time to sit quietly for one-half hour on a regular daily basis. If you persist, soon all this will be overcome and a firmness of mind will be felt, for it is through the regular practice of sadhana that the mind becomes firm and the intellect pure. It is through the regular practice of concentration that awareness detaches itself from the external mind and hovers within, internalizing the knowledge of the physical body, the breath and the emotions. Concentration of the forces of the body, mind and emotions brings us automatically into meditation, dhyana, and into deeper internalized awareness.
The spiritual practice should be reasonable, should not take up too much time, and should be done at the same time every day. Often seekers who become associated with Hindu sadhana go to extremes and proceed with great vigor in an effort to attain results immediately. Sitting two or three hours a day, they wear themselves out and then stop. Here's a formula for beginners: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, twenty minutes to a half an hour of sadhana at the same time every day; Saturday and Sunday, no sadhana.
The keys are moderation and consistency. Consistency is the key to the conquest of karma. If you go to extremes or are sporadic in your sadhana, you can easily slide backwards. What happens when you slide backwards? You become fearful, you become angry, you become jealous, you become confused. What happens when you move forward? You become brave, you become calm, you become self-confident and your mind is clear.
It is often feared that meditation and religious devotion cause a withdrawal from the world. The practice of sadhana I have described does not detach you from or make you indifferent to the world. Rather, it brings up a strength within you, a shakti, enabling you to move the forces of the world in a positive way. What is meant by "moving the forces of the world"? That means fulfilling realistic goals that you set for yourself. That means performing your job as an employer or as an employee in the most excellent way possible. That means stretching your mind and emotions and endurance to the limit and therefore getting stronger and stronger day by day. You are involved in the world, and the world is in a technological age.
The sadhana that you perform will make your mind steady and your will strong so that you can move the forces of the physical world with love and understanding, rather than through anger, hatred, antagonism, cunning, jealousy and greed. Daily sadhana performed in the right way will help you overcome these instinctive barriers to peace of mind and the fullness of being. If you have children, the rewards of your sadhana will help you educate your children properly in fine schools and universities and see that all of their physical needs are met through the flow of material abundance that automatically comes as you progress in your inner life.
Through daily sadhana we shall come to know the body, we shall come to know the emotions, we shall come to know the nerve system, we shall come to know the breath, and we shall come to know the mind in its totality. Each one of you will soon be able to mentally pick up all of the dross of your subconscious, throw it within, into the great cavity of inner knowing at the feet of the Gods, there to be absorbed, dissolved and disappear. All this and more can be unfolded from within each one of you through your daily practice of sadhana. Sadhana is one of the great boons given to us in our religion.
When the devas within your home see you performing your sadhana each day, they give you psychic protection. They hover around you and keep away the extraneous thought forms that come from the homes of your neighbors or close friends and relatives. They all mentally chant "Aum Namah Sivaya," keeping the vibration of the home alive with high thoughts and mantras so that the atmosphere is scintillating, creating for you a proper environment to delve within yourself. The fact that the devonic world is involved is one more good reason why you must choose a specific time for sadhana and religiously keep to that time each day, for you not only have an appointment with yourself but with the devas as well.
By performing the pancha nitya karmas (five obligatory duties), living the yamas and niyamas (cardinal virtues) to the best of your ability and performing your daily sadhana, your religion becomes closer and closer to you in your heart. You will soon begin to find that God Siva is within you as well as within the temple, because you become quiet enough to know this and experience that Lord Siva's superconscious mind is identical to yours; there is no difference in Satchidananda. From this state, you will experience the conscious mind as "the watcher" and experience its subconscious as the storehouse of intellectual and emotional memory patterns. In daily life you will begin to experience the creativity of the subsuperconscious mind, as the forces of the First World are motivated through love as you fulfill your chosen dharma in living with Siva.
Thus our religion is an experiential religion, from its beginning stages to the most advanced. You have already encountered the magic of the temple, and you have had uplifting experiences within your home shrine. Now, as you perform your sadhana, you will enjoy spiritual experiences within yourself on the path of self-transformation.
It is up to you to put your religion into practice. Feel the power of the Gods in the puja. If you don't feel them, if you are just going through ritual and don't feel anything, you are not awake. Get the most out of every experience that the temple offers, the guru offers, the devas offer, that your life's experiences, which you were born to live through, offer. In doing so, slowly the kundalini begins to loosen and imperceptibly rise into its yoga. That's what does the yoga; it's the kundalini seeking its source, like the tree growing, always reaching up to the Sun.
It is up to you to make the teachings a part of your life by working to understand each new concept as you persist in your daily religious practices. As a result, you will be able to brave the forces of the external world without being disturbed by them and fulfill your dharma in whatever walk of life you have chosen. Because your daily sadhana has regulated your nerve system, the quality of your work in the world will improve, and your mood in performing it will be confident and serene.
When your sadhana takes hold, you may experience a profound calmness within yourself. This calmness that you experience as a result of your meditation is called Satchidananda, the natural state of the mind. To arrive at that state, the instinctive energies have been lifted to the heart chakra and beyond, and the mind has become absolutely quiet. This is because you are not using your memory faculty. You are not using your reason faculty. You are not trying to move the forces of the world with your willpower faculty. You are simply resting within yourself. Therefore, if you are ever bothered by the external part of you, simply return to this inner, peaceful state as often as you can. You might call it your "home base." From here you can have a clear perception of how you should behave in the external world, a clear perception of your future and a clear perception of the path ahead. This is a superconscious state, meaning "beyond normal consciousness." So, simply deepen this inner state by being aware that you are aware.
A great flow of prana is beginning to occur among the families of our congregation worldwide because each one has decided to discipline himself or herself and the children to perform sadhana. That brings the prana under control. If the prana is not under the control of the individual, it is controlled by other individuals. The negative control of prana is a control, and positive control of prana is a control. That's why we say, "Seek good company," because if you can't control your prana, other people who do control their pranas can help you. The group helps the individual and the individual helps the group. If you mix with bad company, then the pranas begin to get disturbed. Once that happens, your energies are like a team of horses out of control. It takes a lot of skill and strength on the part of the individual to get those pranas back under control.
The control of prana is equally important on the inner planes. When you leave the physical body, you are in your astral body, your subtle body. It is not made of flesh and bones like your physical body--as the Buddhists say, "thirty-two kinds of dirt wrapped up in skin." The astral body is made of prana. It floats. It can fly. It's guided by your mind, which is composed of more rarefied prana, actinic energy. Wherever you want to go, you'll be there immediately. And, of course, you do this in your sleep, in your dreams and after death. Many of you have had astral experiences and can testify how quickly you can move here and there when your astral body is detached from the physical body. However, if you don't have control of your prana, you don't have control of your astral body. Then where do you go when you drop off your physical body at death? You are magnetized to desires, uncontrollably magnetized to fulfilling unfulfilled desires. You are magnetized to groups of people who are fulfilling similar unfulfilled desires, and generally your consciousness goes down into lower chakras. Only in controlling your astral body do you have conscious control of your soul body, which is, of course, living within the astral body and resonating to the energy of the higher chakras.
My satguru, Siva Yogaswami, spoke of Saivism as the sadhana marga, "the path of striving," explaining that it is a religion not only to be studied but also to be lived. "See God everywhere. This is practice. First do it intellectually. Then you will know it." He taught that much knowledge comes through learning to interpret and understand the experiences of life. To avoid the sadhana marga is to avoid understanding the challenges of life. We must not fail to realize that each challenge is brought to us by our own actions of the past. Yes, our actions in the past have generated our life's experiences today. All Hindus accept karma and reincarnation intellectually, but the concepts are not active in their lives until they accept the responsibilities of their own actions and the experiences that follow. In doing so, no blame can fall upon another. It is all our own doing. This is the sadhana marga--the path to perfection.
The sadhana marga leads us into the yoga pada quite naturally. But people don't study yoga. They are not taught yoga. They are taught sadhana, and if they don't perform it themselves--and no one can do it for them--they will never have a grip strong enough over their instinctive mind and intellectual mind to come onto the yoga marga, no matter how much they know about yoga. So, we don't learn yoga. We mature into it. We don't learn meditation. We awaken into it. You can teach meditation, you can teach yoga, but it's all just words unless the individual is mature and awake on the inside.
To be awake on the inside means waking up early in the morning. You woke up early this morning. That may have been difficult. But you got the body up, you got the emotions up, you got the mind up, and your instinctive mind did not want to do all that. Did it? No! Spiritual life is a twenty-four-hour-a-day vigil.
Devotees who are doing sadhana and who are in the grihastha ashrama, between age twenty-four and forty-eight, should move the forces of the world rightly, dynamically, intelligently, quickly and make something of their lives. Such devotees should not be stimulated by competition. In today's world most people have to be stimulated by competition to produce anything worthwhile, even if that means hurting other people. They have to be stimulated by conflict to produce anything worthy of producing in the world, and that hurts other people. They have to be stimulated by their home's breaking up, and that hurts other people. And they have to be stimulated by all kinds of other lower emotions to be able to get enough energy to move the forces of the world to do something, whether it be good or bad. Those who perform sadhana draw on the forces of the soul to move the forces of the world and make a difference.
It is during the latter stages of life that family devotees have the opportunity to intensify their sadhana and give back to society of their experience, their knowledge and their wisdom gained through the first two ashramas. The vanaprastha ashrama, age forty-eight to seventy-two, is a very important stage of life, because that is the time when you can inspire excellence in the brahmacharya students and in the families, to see that their life goes along as it should. Later, the sannyasa ashrama, beginning at seventy-two, is the time to enjoy and deepen whatever realizations you have had along the way. We are all human beings, and every one of us--including the sapta rishis, seven great sages who help guide the course of mankind from the inner planes--is duty bound to help everyone else. That is the duty. It must be performed by everyone. If you want to help somebody else, perform regular sadhana.
Traditionally, a Hindu home should be a reflection of the monastery that the family is attached to, with a regular routine for the mother, the father, the sons, the daughters, so that everyone is fulfilling their rigorous duties and sadhanas to the very best of their ability.
We had a seventeen-year-old youth here as a guest in our monastery from one of our families in Malaysia that performs sadhana. That sadhana enabled him to come here to perform sadhana. If his parents had not been performing sadhana in their home regularly, he would not have been inclined to come here and perform a more strenuous sadhana with us.
I was asked recently what to do about all the things that you cannot avoid listening to and seeing on the TV and news and reading about--atrocities, crime, murders, poverty, unfairness--which may tend to disturb one's sadhana. To perform good sadhana, we have to have a good philosophical foundation. A good philosophical foundation allows us to understand why we have the highest and the lowest human expressions here on planet Earth. Philosophers and mystics have for centuries said, "Only on planet Earth in a physical body can you realize the Self, because only here, in this world, do you have all twenty-one chakras functioning." You need the lowest in order to realize the highest. Some people are born peaceful because of merits attained in past lives. They are born helpful, and they are the uplifters of mankind. Others are born angry, scheming, conniving, resentful, and they are the doubters, the detractors, of mankind. But all have an equal place here on planet Earth. All are going through a similar evolution up the spinal column to the top of the head, through the door of Brahman and finally out.
From the Western religionist's point of view, God is doing it all. He is punishing mankind. He is helping mankind. And many Hindus who were raised in Christian schools hold that perspective. But from the perspective of Sanatana Dharma, the oldest religion in the world, we do it all. By our karmas we are creating our future this very moment. So, as you proceed in your sadhana, disconnect from the lower and proceed into the higher. As a family person, it is your dharma to serve society, uplift mankind and help relieve human suffering within your sphere of influence. But do not try to fix, or even entertain the desire to fix, that which you cannot fix, which is the karma, the action and reaction, of individuals who are going through the lower phases of life and must experience what they are experiencing and which you read about and hear about daily in newspapers, on TV and on the Internet.
In our ancient scriptures, the rishis point out that activity is a basic tendency of the human being. In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna says that activity is born out of nature, inherited from nature, and this tendency continuously prompts us towards activity. The result of activity, which is karma, according to the Gita, has three types of fruits: the desired fruit, the undesired fruit and a mixture of both.
When the fruit of a certain action is conducive to joy and happiness, I naturally continue that action. If it is averse to me, then I desist from that action. This process goes on right from the birth of every human being. Thus, desire and non-desire drive our actions. That is how development takes place. Our great rishis referred to this as heya and upadeya. Upadeya is the force of inclination toward what we want. Heya is the force of aversion from what we do not want.
We aspire continuously for a sense of bliss, for uninterrupted joy. But achieving that bliss is not so easy. Nature is constantly changing, the external reality is changing, and the mind of the individual is also changing. What we like today we may not like tomorrow. We are prone to continuous change. In between this swirl of change is sadhana. It is sadhana that brings us the eternal, undiminishing bliss that the rishis have experienced and called by various names: Shivam, Satyam, Sundaram, Parabrahma, Swarupam, Devi, Narayana, Satchidananda.
Adi Shankara wrote: "That benefit which is superseded by no other benefit, that joy which is superseded by no other joy, that knowledge which is superseded by no other knowledge--the attainment of that bliss comes through sadhana." Sadhana means to achieve by effort. People who have reached that attainment are called siddhas. Our activities are continuously bringing us a combination of sukha and dukha, joy and sorrow. Sadhana directs us towards parama-sukha, the ultimate bliss that transcends the joys and sorrows of this world.
The various types of sadhana and when and how they are to be done is discussed in our Vedas, Agamas, Puranas and the auxiliary texts. Specific sadhanas, or spiritual practices, are mentioned for people who want faster advancement. These are referred to as yajnas. Dravya yajna is continuous performance of homas. Tapo yajna is severe penance, dwelling in solitude, engaged in meditation and japa while abstaining from the pleasures of life. Hatha yoga yajna is perfecting the yoga asanas, or postures. Svadhyaya yajna is studying scripture. Jnana yajna is the continuous questioning of oneself, inquiring "Who am I?" as exemplified by Ramana Maharshi, or asserting "I am That."
In our Puranas, the rishis have indicated the importance of vrata, or vow. The vrata of King Harischandra was satya, truthfulness. The vrata of Mahatma Gandhi was also truth. Abstinence is another common type of vow, such as refraining from eating a type of food that one likes immensely. Restraint itself is a form of sadhana. A person can do abstract sadhana in daily life without anybody knowing that he is doing it.
There are various forms of sadhana: meditation, bhajans, japa, pujas, etc., but at some time you will find the necessity of isolation. That is the purpose of the sadhana caves we built here at Kailash Ashram. They are for one type of sadhana: solitary confinement. Isolation is a must for a higher level of achievement. These seven caves are not for daily use in just any manner. We have had many people request permission to stay in a cave, but we have been very selective. The caves are not for the curious or uncommitted. Complete medical tests are required, and each candidate must first spend 15 days living at the ashram in a communal room in preparation for his time of solitude. The scriptures say that out of ten million people, only one will be a serious sadhaka. The caves are here for the serious sadhakas who come to use them.
The ideal time alone in a cave is one month. We have prepared a special discipline for this, a regimen of fasting called chandrayana vrata. This fast consists of simple food--served in clay pots, one designed for each day--that diminishes in portion to the size of a thumb on the new-moon day. Then the size of the pots gradually increases until the full-moon day, at which time the person comes out of the cave. Throughout the fast, only one type of food is given--kichari, a balanced porridge of rice, dal and vegetables. This monotonous diet prevents desire from being directed toward eating.
The urge to perform sadhana arises with the thought that there must be something beyond the fluctuating joys and sorrows of this material world. When you want to achieve something greater, you naturally begin performing sadhana. A person who has been scorched by the heat of this world seeks solace in the ultimate.
A scientist achieves his goals because he questions continuously. Similarly, we must question continuously: "Where have I come from?" "Who am I?" "What is the purpose of my life?" This will lead us to bliss. Sadhana is absolute experimentation upon oneself to find the answer to something that is continuously troubling or intriguing us from within. It is the meticulous pursuit of a discipline that will lead you to higher goals. A guru is supremely important in this pursuit, because he removes ignorance.
The more difficulties you have and overcome while performing sadhana, the faster you progress. Successfully performing a certain vrata amidst difficulties and day-to-day affairs gives you wonderful self-confidence. Self-confidence is the key to sadhana. In traditional households, fasting and mauna (silence) was a form of vrata, or sadhana. Such vratas are still valid today and offer excellent means for advancement. In modern parlance "retreat" is a period of sadhana. Retreat is a must for everybody. It should include satsang, self-study, japa and a controlled diet. The retreat should be planned with the guidance of a master.
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What The Fern?
Far be it from me to question the existence of any cake - it's CAKE, after all - but sometimes, when I'm staring with horrified fascination at a spotted vomitous mass one of you found on a display shelf, I have to ask myself: "Hey, what's that little blue duck doing there?"
We may never know what these bakers are thinking/inhaling behind closed bakery doors, of course, but at least their creations make for some fun cake titles!
You know, like:
The Argyle Dog Beat Poet
"WOMAN. Whoah, man. Whoooooah, MAN.
[extinguishes cigarette in sponge beard]
What The Fern?
Is it your houseplant's birthday?
Did you forget to order a custom airbrush portrait?
This bakery's got you covered!
Suckling Pigs Struggle to Stay Afloat While Mama Stares Wistfully at a Trough of Gigantic Candy Corn:
I'm trying to imagine an occasion for this cookie cake that isn't disturbing.
Trying, and failing.
Death By Trash Can (While a Small Penguin Watches):
"Stanley gaped in horror. Someone had thrown away a perfectly good half-jar of mayonnaise! What was the world coming to?!"
(I'm kind of cheating with this one, since it was probably a custom order. Still, it always amazes me when bakeries use stuff like this to advertise on their websites. Just how big of a market IS there for dead bodies sticking out of trash cans, anyway? Or do I not want to know? o.0)
Of course, even when you do know what the baker was thinking, that's still no guarantee the wreck will make any more sense.
What's that? You want an example?
Aw, I thought you'd never ask.
Sarah T. asked for her wedding cake to look like a mountain, and with a climbing rope tied at the base to signify "tying the knot."
She got this:
Great yodeling lederhosen!!
I will never look at moldy chunks of insulation or albino ears the same way again.
Thanks to Stephen O., Viola D., Jill N., Christy E., Eva F., and Sarah T. for the excuse to use the words "yodeling lederhosen" together. Life achievement, unlocked!


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BC hockey coach Jerry York closing in on NCAA record for wins
Jerry York is very accommodating when talking about his players, his program, and college hockey in general, but ask him to discuss his accomplishments and he struggles for words.
The veteran Boston College bench boss is closing in on the record for Division 1 victories. York, whose team faces archrival Boston University Friday and Saturday, has 923 wins and needs one to tie the mark held by Ron Mason.
"It's not a big thing for me,'' said York, whose squad is ranked No. 1 in the country and has won 10 in a row. "I talked to our players the other day about that. When you put yourself above the team, it's never been part of my fabric. Our players are the same way. Whether it's Pat Mullane or Steve Whitney, they're not above the team, so I think that's important.''
York, 67, won 125 games with Clarkson, 342 with Bowling Green (including an NCAA championship in 1984), and 456 with BC so far, including four NCAA titles (2001, '08, '10, and '12). His record over his 41 years is 923-558-94.
Boston University coach Jack Parker said he is rooting for his close friend to reach the milestone — just not this weekend.
"It's a fabulous mark to go after and it's a credit to his excellent coaching ability, his excellent assistant coaches and their recruiting abilities, and the fact where he's been at three different schools where hockey was real important to them,'' said Parker.
"He's a terrific coach, he's had a great career, and somebody had to break that record. I hope he doesn't do it against BU. But he'll do it very soon.
"It will be a terrific mark for him, and when he does, I'll give him a call or I'll see him. If he sweeps us this weekend, I will see him right at that game. But I think it's quite a feather in his cap.
"Nobody recognizes or looks at those things until it's long gone and you're done with your career. It's one thing to get 700 games or to get 600 games, it's another thing to be the winningest coach ever. That's a completely different situation.''
Former BC defenseman Mike Brennan, who captained the Eagles to the 2008 NCAA title, said York is very much someone who leads by example but also holds people accountable.
"I think the biggest thing is his values and the way he approaches every day and how the players react,'' said Brennan, who is currently on a tryout contract with the Worcester Sharks of the AHL. "He loves what he does, and that just fuels everyone in the locker room.''
That isn't to say York is always pleased with his team's performance. Brennan recalls when the Eagles traveled to Maine during the 2007-08 season and York wanted his squad to play up to its potential.
"Things weren't going that well,'' said Brennan. "It's not that he loses his cool — he never loses his cool — but it's more like a stern lashing. It's like, 'Wake up, you're a BC hockey player. You wear a sweater filled with pride and history and tradition.'
"From that point on, once you see him in that kind of light, you respect it so much. That's when we turned it around. He knows when to do it and when not to. Jerry has that pulse on when to do it and when not to.''
Freshman orientation
Brennan said one of the important aspects of the way the BC program is run is how quickly newcomers are integrated into the program.
"That stems from Coach,'' said Brennan. "He makes it known that anyone who puts on a BC hockey sweater is going to sweat and bleed for the school. He does a good job of making sure young guys are going to have a big role on the team, too. I think that's why those teams are so successful.
"You see from top to bottom — freshmen to seniors — contributing at the same level. They have to pick up pucks [after practice] and have to do certain things, but no one is going to disrespect them.''
Matt Price, the 2009-10 captain who won two national titles at BC, said there is more to the program than on-ice performance.
"I think a lot of what has made the program successful is that it's not just about hockey,'' said Price, who works at Colony Realty Partners in Boston. "You're part of something greater than the hockey game. I think [York] takes great pride in that.
"You come in as a freshman and there are guys who are seniors who have gone through it for three years prior and it's a continual process of training. I look at a guy like Pat Mullane now. Coach makes sure when those freshmen come in they have senior leadership that has been taught along the way, and he reinforces the values he has and those freshmen come to learn pretty quickly and Coach makes sure they are able to contribute by the end of the year.
"He's a hockey guy and he wants to win, and that's definitely at the forefront. Guys go there because they want to win championships. It's about the team. You get a lot of very talented guys in the room, but there is never a conversation about individual accolades. No one ever puts an individual above the team, and that includes the coaches.''
Bonus situation
Mullane, the current BC captain, said even though York may not focus on individual achievements such as the victory record, his players are proud of him.
"It's extremely impressive,'' said Mullane. "He's not one to let everyone know, and he's the first one to play it off like he's just anyone else, but the fact is, he's much more than that. He's such a prominent figure around this campus and in the hockey world in general, he's so knowledgeable and has had so much success.
"What he brings to the rink every day and to the community is far more important than his wins and losses. Whenever he retires, I think he'll be remembered for his wins and accomplishments but more for who he was as a person and as a coach.''
As much as York believes the glass is always half-full and imparts that to his team, Mullane said, he's a realist in that there will be bumps in the road.
"He understands wins and losses; losses are going to come,'' said Mullane. "With his wins, he still has over 500 losses, so he understands that teams are going to lose. But when he gets upset is when you disrespect this program and this university.
"He's a man of a lot of character and he doesn't want any attention on himself. He wants all the guys to understand that BC hockey comes first and individuals second.''
Mullane said everyone at BC is looking forward to this weekend, and if York breaks the record against BU, that would be a major bonus.
"Obviously with BU coming up, it's special,'' said Mullane. "That's why guys go to Boston College and why they go to Boston University, to play against their rival. It's easy to get up for those games.
"For me, I'd like to see [the record broken] this weekend. Selfishly, I'd like to get two wins and sweep the weekend, but a sweep is hard, regardless of your opponent, let alone BU.
"But I'd love to see it happen, personally. I'd love to be able to stand at center ice on Saturday night and know we swept BU and that Coach York is the winningest coach. That would be fantastic.''


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Haaaaave you met Aarav?
This baggy tank has a relaxed fit, wide neckline and a drop armhole style for a light, breezy look. Knitted with soft slub yarns, the fabric feels soft and looks classy. The oversized chest pocket completes the style making it a great piece for the summer!
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Last September, my friend Scott Kelby introduced Light It, a cool digital magazine that's available through iTunes as an iPad app. I'm lovin' it!
Scott's app/digital photo magazine is geared toward serious photographers who want to master their lighting techniques.
Last year, I launched my Light It! app. I have an iPad and an iPhone version.
Although I teach advanced techniques on my Master Your Flash workshops, my app is geared more toward the novice who is just getting into lighting - flash, strobe, natural and so on. So, Light It! is a basic lighting app - which is why basic is in the title :-)
So... light it your way!
Explore the light,
For all my apps, click here.


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I never learned about evolution in school.
Even though I attended a public high school, where I took two biology courses, my teachers essentially skipped the first few chapters of our science textbook and declared them "too controversial" to teach. You just don't talk about evolution here in Dayton, Tennessee—home of the famous Scopes Monkey Trial of 1925—without getting calls from parents.
As I recall, we spent maybe one class session "discussing" evolution. The teacher turned this discussion over to the students and, like good church kids, we ridiculed, rolled our eyes, and dismissed evolution as ignorant, liberal propaganda. "Fish don't just grow legs and walk out of the ocean!" we laughed."You'd have to be stupid to believe that!" (Just a year after I graduated, PBS came to Rhea County High School, documented one of these class discussions, and put it on TV. The footage is excruciatingly embarrassing, and has thankfully been removed from You Tube for copyright reasons.)
I would go on to attend a small Christian liberal arts college named after William Jennings Bryan, legendary orator and assistant to the prosecution in the Scopes Trial. At the time, the majority of the science faculty espoused young earth creationism, so I learned about evolution in the context of Christian apologetics courses, with the presupposition that evolution was incompatible with the Christian faith.
It wasn't until after I graduated that I studied the science for myself.
And it was overwhelming.
I had never learned about the fossil record.
I had never learned about carbon dating.
I had never learned about transitional species, or vestigial traits, or the profound implications of DNA sequencing.
As it turned out, what I'd always been told was controversial was not controversial at all—at least not in the scientific community. Darwin's theory of evolution consistently makes testable, verifiable predictions about the world. An honest assessment of the evidence led me to believe that the theory of evolution is sound...(not perfect, but sound).
I felt betrayed—by my teachers, by my church, by my culture.
My faith took a severe beating, and I watched in frustration as friends with similar backgrounds left Christianity for good. For some, all it took was one semester of college-level biology.
Since then, I've written a book and a bunch of blog posts pleading with the evangelical community to get rid of some of these "false fundamentals" that act as stumbling blocks for so many young Christians. Insisting that the science of evolution is incompatible with the Christian faith sets up a false dichotomy that is costing far too many Christians their faith.
Knowing this about my background, several of you have asked for my thoughts on the so-called "Monkey Bill" that became law this week in Tennessee. The bill guarantees that teachers will not be subjected to discipline for challenging the science of evolution and climate change in class, and provides guidelines for discussing "the controversy" behind evolution and climate change with students. (You can read the bill summary here.)
On this one, I actually agree with Governor Bill Haslam, who did not sign the bill. The governor told Reuters,"I do not believe that this legislation changes the scientific standards that are taught in our schools or the curriculum. I also don't believe that it accomplishes anything."
This is an essentially meaningless bill whose sole purpose is to score political points for its proponents, who have already wasted hours upon hours of taxpayer time and money pandering to the religious right with unnecessary initiatives and bills. (See their attempt to outlaw Shariah Law, the "Don't Say Gay in School" Bill, the "Religious Viewpoints Antidiscrimination Act" and more.)
If this "monkey bill" accomplishes anything, it simply reinforces and encourages what is already happening at public schools across the state: Students are not learning science.
The bill is opposed by the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee, the American Institute for Biological Sciences, the Knoxville News Sentinel, the Nashville Tennessean, the National Association of Geoscience Teachers, the National Earth Science Teachers Association, and the Tennessee Science Teachers Association.
Tennessean Stanley Cohen, a Nobel Prize winner in physiology of medicine, also opposes the bill. "By undermining the teaching of evolution in Tennessee's public schools," he said, "HB368 and SB893 would miseducate students, harm the state's national reputation, and weaken its efforts to compete in a science-driven global economy."
What these legislators and their religious supporters don't understand is this: Evolution is not controversial within scientific circles, and so it should not be taught as controversial in science classrooms. Teach the controversy in history class, sure. (And don't forget to mention Dayton!) Teach it in Sunday school. But don't teach it in public high school science classes.
To teach creationism and intelligent design as equals alongside evolutionary theory is incredibly misleading, and it fails massively to prepare students to excel in the sciences in the future.
It also fails to prepare Christian students to engage their faith with intellectual integrity. What is clearly an attempt by religious lawmakers to help young Christians retain their faith will backfire.
Like it or not, the scientific evidence in support of evolutionary theory is overwhelming, and, take it from me, when you encounter this for the first time, having been told all your life that it's just a bunch of baloney, it feels like a betrayal. It feels like you've been lied to. If we fail to prepare students to face the reality of the scientific evidence while they are in high school, we leave them vulnerable to those feelings of betrayal once they leave the protective care of their pastors and parents. You're not doing young Christians any favors by delaying the inevitable.
At the end of the day, Tennessee lawmakers shouldn't be worried about keeping young Tennesseans religious. They should be worried about creating jobs, improving education, balancing the budget, and, if I had my way, stopping mountaintop removal. (They killed that bill last week.)
But if they really want to give young Christians the chance to keep their faith, they should encourage science teachers to stick with the curriculum so that students can start working through these issues with their parents and pastors sooner rather than later.
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Farinata with Rosemary and Pepper (Italian Chickpea Flatbread)
I've been to Italy, but not to Liguria, so I have no idea if my way of making this is authentic. The farinata I've seen on other blogs looks much more yellow, and I'm wondering if the chickpea flour in Italy may be a bit different, but this version was delicious and it's definitely something I'll be making again. This delicious flatbread with rosemary is my entry for Weekend Herb Blogging, now managed by Haalo from Cook (almost) Anything At Least Once, and hosted by Heather from Diary of a Fanatic Foodie this week. Here is more information about WHB if you'd like to participate.
Farinata (Italian Chickpea Flatbread)
(Inspired by recipes from Beyond Salmon and Lucullian Delights.)
1 cup chickpea flour
1 1/4 cups water
1 tsp. salt
2 T olive oil (plus 1 T more for greasing pan)
1 T finely chopped fresh rosemary (or use a smaller amount of dried rosemary, ground in a mortar and pestle or pounded with something heavy)
coarse ground black pepper
Printer Friendly Recipe
South Beach Suggestions:
More Versions of Farinata from Around the Web:
Farinata from Beyond Salmon
Chickpea Farinata with Onions and Black Pepper from Lucullian Delights
Farinata from Cook (almost) Anything At Least Once
Farinata from Viaggi and Sappori
Fa-ri-na-ta from Creampuffs in Venice
(Find more Farinata Recipes using Food Blog Search.)


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Seib & Wessel: Rough Markets Amid Fed Watching
WSJ's David Wessel says that with global financial markets gyrating as investors try to anticipate the Federal Reserve's next moves, Chairman Ben Bernanke's press conference on Wednesday will get even more than the usual close attention.
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
the ... he Joanie integration goes up and down markets go up and on this week in the sea went crazy and it once again it's you then burning keys altered the only guy who can fix it or books yet deftly though ... I'm the big picture is that ... everybody has been hooked on the Fed's easy money ... and around May twenty seconds and been Anqi began talking about pulling back some of this money ... and Seoul market's all of the world's began to get jittery ... at the same time China's slowing down at the same time China ... and Japan is running this enormous experiment ... Rene Kyi and steroids ... the combination of these things to send the markets into just a crazy crazy convulsions ... the map of the Japanese Nikkei goes up like this ... and that is lost twenty percent from last month ... and so I think it reflects a change in the ... in the world economic environment that things are switching and if the U S economy gets strong enough ... not to need the ... medicine of easy money ... the reverberations on the front Moody's is it changes in the economy or changes in the Fed's plans are in the two are related I know but but both are factors here I can tell which is the bigger ... thing anybody can tell that's the problem ... is that ... yields are going up in the United States ... and people are anticipating the Fed going back because the U S economy is getting stronger ... that's all good ... if instead the markets are mis understanding the Fed which is middle class in its communication ... and they're anticipating that the Fed is gonna put the fire on a break before the Fed plans to do and ... that's bad because the become itself a filling prophecy ... forcefully for all of us Ben Rene Kyi is a press conference on Wednesday ... and really their muddy the waters or clear all this up ... and and the other factor the other X factor here is that an entirely new government and with an entirely new economic policy in a new central bank and there which I take in everybody still trying to figure out this kind of staying ... out of ... ten or fifteen years ago you have conversations about the world economy and Japan would even come up is a factor ... now people are fixated at it because they were down so long may decide to try something radical ... doubling the size of the money supply ... a big bet on ... the monthly posting it going again ... confront Mr. Ave is promising some long ... awaited reforms in Japan whether reaction delivers or not ... but the result seems to be ... better spirits in Japan and a sense of self confidence ... and stock and bond markets that are just going up and down without any ... app to my conclusion here is that no matter how hard it didn't rise or how well they do it that the pullback from this incredible pumping money into the system over the last few years is going to be a bumpy ride no matter how well they ... absolutely ... don't ever try to do this before ... and nobody wants to be the last kayak so as soon as somebody thinks that they're going


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Monday, July 20, 2009
Strawberry Tarts
Growing up, my parents' family house in the South of France had a small fruit and vegetable patch where I would escape to in the summer to pick and taste that summer's berries. A couple days ago I rediscovered the pleasure of berry picking by visiting a little farm outside of Montreal. Seeing the farmers work the land brings up an array of questions surrounding what we choose to put on our tables everyday. I always catch myself when I'm at the butcher's looking at the neatly packed meat and pushing away the thought that the meat was once part of a living animal. In an effort to better understand where our food comes from, I've made the necessary effort to confront the facts about the origins of our food. Even piking strawberries for a couple hours in the afternoon, in the middle of a farmed field, gets you thinking about the journey from the farm to the table.. and isn't it always better when that trip is as close as can be?
Picking your own vegetables or fruit from a trusted farm also gets you thinking about what we've been fed (pun intended!) to think about food. Tomatoes in the supermarket are generally perfectly round, uniformly red and as shiny as can be. Sure, this may fit our idea of what healthy, nutritious produce should look like, but it's really not how nature intended it. Fruit and vegetables should not be perfect, they should have little bumps and imperfections and come in different shapes and sizes. I had fun picking out all the different kinds of strawberries I could find. The strawberries I used for the tart were all very petite (about the size of raspberries) which worked out well for individual tartelettes. I am planning on making a mixed berry granita with the rest.. although I must admit that at the rate we've been munching on them, I'm not sure I will be able to do so!
See here for my tart dough recipe (I added a tablespoon of cocoa powder to my paste sucree recipe this time), and my pastry cream recipe. At cooking school, we used to finish off all fruit tarts by glazing them with an apricot glaze. You can do the same at home by melting down apricot jam in a small saucepan with a couple tablespoons of water, and gently brushing the mixture on top of the fruit. Enjoy!
20 comments:
- Ben said...
Hmm strawberries! Such beautiful pictures :D
- July 20, 2009 at 5:41 PM
- Mary said...
What a lovely color the cocoa powder gave your pastry. Your collage is beautiful and a space saver as well.
- July 20, 2009 at 7:30 PM
- Justin said...
your family had a house in the South of France? okay, i'm seriously jealous now
- July 20, 2009 at 7:40 PM
- Veggie Belly said...
what beautiful pictures!
- July 20, 2009 at 8:20 PM
- Coco Bean said...
SO where did you end up going, there are a couple other places I have been wondering about! Looks like you got a great bountiful.
I just finished reading "in defence of food" and am in the middle of "Animal, vegetable, miracle". All I can think about these days are the farmers markets and buying locally. Sounds like we share the same view on that.
- July 20, 2009 at 9:42 PM
- Chocolate Shavings said...
Justin: I'm actually heading to the house in August.It's really a food lover's paradise!
- July 20, 2009 at 10:55 PM
- Marta said...
I absolutely love picking produce. It's the gatherer in me!!!
These tarts look perfect and the photos are very very very pretty!
- July 21, 2009 at 10:44 AM
- Deborah said...
Gorgeous pictures! Makes me wish my little strawberry plant still had some strawberries on it!
- July 21, 2009 at 11:23 AM
- Alejandra said...
Wow! I love that berry-picking basket too. It's adorable.
- July 21, 2009 at 1:12 PM
- stephchows said...
I love picking out all the weird shaped berries when I go picking!
- July 21, 2009 at 3:00 PM
- My Carolina Kitchen said...
I like the idea of the cocoa powder in your pastry. Thanks for stopping by my kitchen. It gave me the opportunity to see your lovely blog. How wonderful that your family had a home in the south of France. Where? We visited St. Remy de Provence a couple of years ago for two months. J'adore anything French.
- July 21, 2009 at 5:22 PM
- Chocolate Shavings said...
My Carolina Kitchen: I grew up in Paris, but my parents have a family home in the South Region of the Pyrenees. It's a beautiful region!
- July 21, 2009 at 5:24 PM
- chocolatecup said...
if only i could pick my own berries! jealousjealous too!
- July 22, 2009 at 2:59 AM
- Donalyn said...
I don't get over here nearly often enough - this recipe is a keeper! Thanks for stopping by my blog and for your kind comments!
- July 22, 2009 at 12:03 PM
- Aggie said...
Beautiful photos!! I love strawberries and here in Florida we were able to pick our own back in March/April...now we have to go to the store! :)
- July 22, 2009 at 1:22 PM
- Laura [What I Like] said...
what adorable little strawberries! Nice to see normal sized ones rather than these gargantuan specimens in the supermarkets.
- July 22, 2009 at 3:16 PM
- Cynthia said...
May I have 2 slices of that tart? :)
- July 23, 2009 at 3:06 AM
- Irina @ PastryPal said...
I just found your site and it is beeeaaauuutifuuulll. Will keep checking in.
- July 23, 2009 at 12:09 PM
- Pamela said...
I would love to be at your table, having a slice of that amazing tart. I grew up in Oregon and every summer we would go to the u-pick farms. The "Hood" variety is an delicous strawberry from the Northwest.
- July 30, 2009 at 11:14 AM
- Dawn said...
strawberry season will soon be over :-(
I must try one more strawberry tart; I want a choco base this time.
Gorgeous (as always) photos!
- August 31, 2009 at 6:40 PM


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DAR ES SALAAM (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama played down a controversy over whether Washington had spied on its European allies, saying on Monday intelligence services around the world — including in the EU — seek additional insight beyond regular media reports.
Obama, speaking at a news conference in Tanzania, said the United States would contact its European counterparts to address their concerns after studying allegations in a recent magazine article about the spying.
The U.S. president also repeated that Washington was working through law enforcement channels to prod Russia to extradite former U.S. spy agency contractor Edward Snowden.
Reporting by Jeff Mason and Mark Felsenthal


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As corn and soybean planting continues on farms across the U.S., experts tell the U.S. Farm Report Market Roundtable that prices for those crops and wheat should be viewed in context. Here's a quick recap of the domestic and global factors influencing the marketplace.
Corn: Late planting not yet an issue
"We're at a critical zone right here with this idea of late planting," notes Bryan Doherty, Stewart-Peterson Group Inc. "It's too early to play that card. It's important to each farmer, but on a grander scale keep in mind we planted 40% of the crop in one week last year, so we can't really look at that as a driving factor just yet. But weather, all other events, Ukraine, those are all in the marketplace day by day, but corn itself is really kind of stuck in a range between about $4.90 and $5.10."
Soybeans: Prices move on China cancellations, global output
"You're looking at beans that are now coming into the U.S. that were at one point destined for China. Those were canceled out of Brazil," says Doherty. "They're going to come to the U.S. So you have that. You have a market that's been very volatile lately. It was up four days in a row prior to that drop and hit some high levels where once it started to go, it went down, funds were moving out, there was a lot of money moving out of beans on Thursday.
"So you're going to see a lot of volatility in beans, and that's very typical of very tight old-crop inventory. You're going to see a lot of bulls and bears arguing back and forth. The overall trend remains up, but the world supplies are beginning to swell, and that's going to eventually take a toll, especially if we do plant extra acres in the U.S."
Mike North, First Capitol Ag, agrees that soybeans have a good underlying story, though the price outlook is anything but certain moving forward.
"Tight ending stocks bring attention and money from every different corner of the marketplace, but the funds have really gotten behind that," North says. "We've seen a price that drove us up to some of those highs that we saw earlier in the month. We hit some resistance in the marketplace, closed up a month, began a new one and they ran for the door, especially with some of the forecasts that are coming out and some of the cancellations that we saw getting beans moving into the U.S. So money came into the market, drove it down, and that kind of volatility—a 50-cent lower day—is not out of the question for the soybean market."
Wheat: Internal crop conditions aren't all bad
In the wheat market, while news reports have focused on poor crop conditions in southern Plains states such as Oklahoma and Texas, the domestic big picture tells a different story.
"We're seeing some good numbers coming out of the Montana/Nevada/Idaho/Washington region that did get good weather," North notes. "They had a cooperative fall/winter/spring combination, and a lot of producers there are talking about big yields, not to mention the Soft Red Belt being in good shape."
Click the play button below to watch the complete Market Roundtable discussion, include international factors affecting the wheat market, beginning at about the 8-minute mark:
Click here for more news and videos from Top Producer's Power Hour.
Tight Cattle Market Benefiting Louisiana Producers
Pete's Pick of the Week: Oliver Tractors at Maine Auction


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Symptoms typical of an aerated hydraulic system plagued the F-104 aircraft for many years. (To understand what fluid aeration is and how fluids become aerated, see chart below) Aeration was caused by system components with built-in chambers and passages wherefree air (bubbles) collected when system fluid was saturated or at rest with no pressure acting on the fluid.
The steering-damping unit of the nose landing gear on the F-104 aircraft is a typical hydraulic component. It extracts energy from hydraulic fluid by restricting flow between two chambers and thus damps nose wheel oscillation. If the fluid is aerated, the energy extracted diminishes until it reaches a level where the damping energy is below the unbalancing force of the wheel and shimmy sets in.
Several types of air extraction devices then available were tested over a span of years. Unfortunately, they were not effective in the pressure environment of the aircraft system. Finally basic studies were undertaken. Theories were explored which led to the construction and testing of a laboratory model of an air-oil separator which stopped the nose wheel shimmy.
Theory of operation
This air–oil separator operates on the principle of lowering the pressure (to a desired vacuum) in a chamber containing small quantities of hydraulic fluid continually bypassed from a pressurized dynamic system. The gases thus released from the fluid are collected and prevented from being returned to the system. The gases are stored for removal at convenient intervals when the hydraulic system is at rest.
Wire mesh screen separates bubbles
Initial attempts at actually constructing the air-oil separator involved using a 10-micron (nominal) wire mesh filter screen as a barrier because of its ability to resist the passage of air. This resistance is demonstrated by the familiar bubble test used on filter elements wherein the element does not pass an air bubble until the pressure differential is at least 9 inches of water. This premise was correct in that air did not pass through a 10-micron filter screen as long as the air was in the form of small bubbles. In other words, free air did not pass through the filter screen when the air content of the fluid was well above the saturation point.
How fluids become aerated
Air can enter a hydraulic system in many ways and, according to Henry's Law, will be dissolved in a fluid in proportion to the pressure acting on the fluid. Thus, considerable quantities of air can be dissolved in a system that has a pressurized reservoir because the pressurizing media (air or a gas) is in direct contact with the fluid surface. Additional quantities of air may be introduced by aircraft servicing equipment such as hydraulic ground test stands, which also use air-pressurized reservoirs.
When the system is at rest and unpressurized, air in excess of that which can naturally be dissolved at the zero pressure condition is released as free air.
Effects of air
Air in a hydraulic system has many detrimental effects on both component and system performance. The more obvious symptoms of an aerated system are system oscillation, power loss, cavitation, increased fluid heat, response lag, foaming, and "spongy" controls. Loss of power and a "soft" system can be directly attributed to a decrease in the bulk modulus (greater compressibility) of the fluid because of an increasing air content
Aspirator vacuums air from fluid
Unfortunately, bubbles get smaller with increasing pressure. The lowest pressure in the F-104 is about 30 psig. This pressure was far too high because even at this pressure the free air bubbles would be compressed and driven through the filter screen. Total bubble removal was not possible. The next logical step was to introduce an aspirator, which would reduce the pressure in the chamber so the bubbles would expand and not penetrate the filter screen.
It was at this stage that the scheme to use a jet pump (aspirator) to lower the pressure in the separating chamber was tried. By lowering the pressure acting on the fluid, large quantities of dissolved and free air were released and the filter screen barrier was able to separate the bubbles from the fluid.
Air reabsorbed quickly
During the development testing it was noted that fluid release of its air by the separator would quickly reabsorb air when left in an exposed container. The deaerated fluid acted somewhat like a sponge. This phenomenon has proved very beneficial in bleeding complex systems such as that of the F-104. The most remote reaches of the system are bled effectively by circulating treated (deaerated) fluid throughout the system, reabsorbing pockets of air. Nooks and crannies that would normally never get bled using conventional bleeding methods are easily cleared of air.
On F-104 aircraft, two separators–one for each hydraulic system–are in operation whenever the aircraft hydraulic systems are used, either in flight or on ground test stand power. Extracted air is easily bled-off during ground servicing with a conveniently located pushbutton-operated bleed valve in each system that sequentially blocks jet pump flow and opens the air storage chamber to the atmosphere.
Sizing separator to system
An air-oil separator can be designed to fit most hydraulic system requirements by varying the volume of pressurized flow, separating chamber and filter size, and servicing frequency. The volume of separating flow and separating chamber vacuum pressure can be balanced by adjusting the size of the inlet restrictor. The jet pump should be sized according to the amount of pressurized flow that can be spared from the system and the amount of heat that the system can tolerate. (Pressure drop across the pump nozzle adds heat to the fluid.)
If an air-oil separator is considered during the early stages of system design, the separating filter can be integrated with system filtration requirements since the separator is ideally situated in a bypass loop of the system with relatively low flow rates and low return pressure.


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Discovery, invention, progress, and revolution are the ideas here. Just as JPG Magazine allows the best online photography to break through to print, this theme will break you into a gallery!
JPG has teamed up with the San Francisco Arts Commission Gallery for this special theme. In addition to being published in JPG Issue 10, selected photos will be hung in the SFAC gallery, and all submitted photos will be displayed in a slideshow. More submission info - please read!
So what does "breakthrough" mean to you?
RSS for photos in Breakthrough


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Here's the situation:
- My GF's MacBook Pro broke, OS would not start at all
- I inserted Knoppix Live CD, booted and just copied all of the files from her HD to folder on external HD
- I've reinstalled OS on MacBook pro
My questions is: how can I easily restore all of her settings from HD to new OS installation and user account? Will simple copying files do the job? And what kind of software you recommend for backups?
I'm coming from *NIX / PC background, and new to Mac OS X, so wanted make sure before proceeding.


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Save up to 01:30 Hours at the Dealership
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Finance Your Car with Us
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Interested in the 2019 Honda Fit EX ?
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Explore Our Hotel
Enjoy our beautiful hotel in St. Petersburg, FL Hotel
Our friendly hotel staff are waiting to greet you at our Holiday Inn Express® & Suites St. Petersburg lodging. Our hotel is conveniently located in a quiet area just off of I-275 and only minutes away from many major attractions.
Looking for nearby activities in St. Petersburg, FL? You will find many attractions within a five-mile radius including Tropicana Field, Mahaffey Theater, the Pier and Aquarium, Sunken Gardens, the Holocaust Museum, the Salvador Dali Museum and Baywalk Mall. Families also love that we are less than 30 miles from Busch Gardens, as well as Florida's beautiful beaches.
Business travelers are happy to know that in St. Petersburg, lodging with us means being less than six miles from Downtown St. Petersburg, Gateway Business Centre, Carillon Business Center, All Children's Hospital and Bay Front Medical Center. We are pleased to offer a 24-hour Business Center with copy and wireless printing throughout the hotel, as well as a meeting room ideal for small groups.
Keep up your workout routine in our 24-hour Fitness Center, or take the kids for a swim in our heated, outdoor pool. We also offer free high-speed, wireless Internet access throughout our St. Petersburg, FL hotel, so you can easily stay in touch with friends, family and the office.
- Black-out Shades
- Crib Available
- Iron/Ironing Board
- In-room Safe
- Separate Hanging Closet
- In-Room Heating and A/C Controls
- Extra Bedding Available
Bathroom/Personal Care
- Private Bathroom
- Bathroom Amenities Available
- Hair Dryer
- Bathtub
- Separate/Walk-in Shower
In-Room Features
- Mini Refrigerator
- Microwave
- Coffee Maker
- Tea Maker
- Work Desk with Lamp
- Cable/Satellite
- Video Games Available
- Stereo/Radio
- Direct-dial Phone
- Phone with Voicemail
Added Value
- Connecting Rooms Available
- Oversized Bath Towels
- Complimentary Coffee/Tea Supplies
- Full Breakfast Included
- Breakfast Buffet Included
- Continental Breakfast Included
- Complimentary Coffee in Lobby
- Off-site Restaurant Delivery Available
Hotel Restaurants
Homey chain restaurant serving American comfort food, with an on site general store.
Serves: Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch, Dinner, Dessert
Business Services
- 1 Meeting Room(s) Available
- On-Site Business Center
- Printer
- Copier
Internet Access
- Free High-Speed Internet in all Rooms
- Wireless Internet service is free for all IHG® Rewards Club members
Entertainment & Recreation
- Outdoor Pool
- Heated Outdoor Pool
- Outdoor Pool Hours of Operation: 7:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Health & Fitness
Complimentary Fitness Center
TV, Water Fountain, Weigh Scale, Diamondback 1100 S Bicycle, SportArts 805 Cross-trainer, SportArts 3106 Treadmill.
Hours of Operation: 12:00 AM to 11:59 PM
Fitness Center Type: LIMITED
Fitness Center Equipment:
- Elliptical Machines
- Treadmill
- Free Weights
- Stationary Bicycle
Housekeeping & Laundry
- Daily Housekeeping
- On-site Guest Self-Laundry Facilities
Added Value
- Language Interpretation
- Wake Up Calls
Hotel Details
2171 54th Avenue N
St. Petersburg, Florida 33714
United States
Check In: 3:00 PM
Check Out: 11:00 AM
Check-in Age: 21
Parking + -
- Complimentary Self Parking Available
Accessibility + -
- Public Entrance
- Guest Rooms
- Elevators
- Public Restrooms
- Registration Desk
- Exercise Facility
- Business Center
- Pool
- Number of Accessible Meeting Rooms: 1
Accessible Hotel Areas
- Registration Area
- Accessible Guest Rooms
- Business Center
- Meeting Room
- Exercise Facility
- Pool
Hotel Areas with Accessible Routes from Accessible Public Entrance
- Accessible Self Parking
- Van Accessible Self Parking
- Ramp Access
- Closed Caption TVs
- Telephone with TDD
- Visual Alarm/Alert in Guest Rooms
- Visual Alarm/Alert in Public Spaces
- Communication Kits with Visual Alarms
Provided by Hotel
Pet Policy + -
- Service Animals Allowed
- Pets not allowed.
Facility + -
- Smoke-Free Facility
- Number of Floors: 4
- Total Number of Rooms: 76
- Number of Suites: 28
- Number of Non-Smoking Rooms: 76
- Number of Accessible Rooms: 4
- Connecting Rooms Available
- Public Spaces Renovated in: 2017
- Guest Rooms Renovated in: 2016
Languages + -
Languages Spoken by Staff
- Hindi
- Spanish
- Bosnian
Credit Cards + -
- American Express
- Visa
- MasterCard
- Diners Club
- Carte Blanche
- Discover


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Bobby Brown -- Declares Love for Whitney Houston on Stage Hours After Her Death
Bobby Brown Declares Love for Whitney on Stage Hours After Her Death
Bobby Brown said it was difficult for him to take the stage with New Edition last night, but just hours after learning of the death of his ex-wife Whitney Houston ... he did it for his loyal fans.
As TMZ previously reported, Brown was having "crying fits" upon learning of Whitney's passing. But Brown and the rest of the group performed in Mississippi last night, with Brown pointing to the sky and saying, "I love you, Whitney."
New Edition released a statement yesterday supporting Brown, which said in part, "We are absolutely shocked and saddened by the sudden and untimely death of our dear sister Whitney. As a group, we are extremely close; when one of us hurts, we all hurt."
Waiting for your permission to load the comments.


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|START Conference Manager
The model includes five major categories and eighteen elements, three related to each category:
Identify: Activate, Scan, Formulate Locate: Focus, Select, Extract Evaluate for: Authority, Relevance, Timeliness Apply: Generate, Organize, Communicate Reflect: Review, Revise, Finalize kNow: Personalize, Internalize, Activate
The model is based on research and theory from two fields--information studies and instructional systems design--and draws on components of each to create a way to think about learning that respondds directly to the actualities of a world brimming with information. The presentation will explain both these underlying theories and the nature and implications of the model itself.
|START Conference Manager (V2.54.6)


text: I CAN's Moving On! resources include a fun and supportive Student Activity Pack for use at home or at school and Teacher Guide for Year 6 teachers to support individuals and whole classes. Research has shown that a successful transition can lead to higher attainment in secondary school with improved progress, particularly in Maths and Science, reinforcing how important it is to ensure transition is well supported. Moving On! resources offer carefully structured support to develop practical skills and knowledge, preparing students emotionally, so that they feel safe and secure in their new environment. Moving On! can be used by Year 6 students, parents and professionals as it offers an effective framework to ensure all children including those with poor language skills will understand the changes ahead. Can be used either on its own, or in conjunction with the Teacher Guide. This fun activity pack guides the Year 6 student through key information, top tips and activities including getting to know the school, timetables, transport, friendships, concerns and key words and phrases.


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It is that time again!
I would like to thank everybody who donated in the month of August! Last month we received $0 and server activity is at an all time low! With the summer months we expect to see less people at their computers and outside, but lets not keep that from us moving on. CS:GO is supposed to be released August 21st and we WILL have a server for CS:GO. All the contributions are helpful to the clan, whether it be $5 or $100+. Every little bit helps keep the clan moving forward and all of the money goes directly to the clan to help pay for the server(s), website, etc..
By contributing a certain amount of money you will receive perks in game! These perks will vary depending on how much you donate (see below). If there are problems with public players, you will still need to consult PTC admins for advice. The server is still the property of PTC and you have to abide to our rules and code of conduct.
This applies to all our servers.
Level 1 - $5/month or $60/yr - Ability to wear PTCC tags (access to PTCC private forum)
Level 2 - $10/month or $120/yr - Reserve Slot Only, Unlimited Sounds Coming Soon!, and ability to wear PTCC tags (access to PTCC private forum)
Level 3 - $20/month or $240/yr - Reserve Slot, Unlimited Sounds Coming Soon!, Basic Admin, ability to wear PTCC tags (access to PTCC private forum)
We now have a new way to Donate!
When you click the Donate button you can see your current subscription on the top:
Below that you can see the available PTCC subscriptions for you. Please note that the option with the * is a monthly reoccurring option for those who are forgetful or are away a lot but still want to contribute something to this great community!
Thank you Everybody!


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Gonzaga University's president, Dr Thayne McCulloh announced Tuesday that he was granting student club status to the campus chapter of the Knights of Columbus.
Gonzaga is a Catholic University, founded by the Jesuits.
Dr McCulloh's action reversed an earlier decision of his Vice President for Student Life, Dr Sue Weitz. Dr Weitz had refused the Knights of Columbus student club status because the group is Catholic and all-male in membership. Dr McCulloh has also directed the Student Activities department to review and update the policies which led to this decision in the first place.
Although I am glad that the university's president has reversed the decision, the fact that it happened in the first place seems to me to raise questions about exactly what kind of education students are getting there. Is Gonzaga becoming just another secular institution where Christians are shunted aside and barely tolerated? Has political correctness replaced Gospel teaching on the campus?
There has been quite a bit of discussion over Vatican's moves to reform the Leadership Conference of Women Religious. I wonder if similar reforms, and for the same reasons, are needed at some of our Catholic universities.
From CNA:
.- The Knights of Columbus applauded a decision by Gonzaga University to grant them recognition as a sponsored organization after their application to be acknowledged as a student club was denied.
"We welcome this development and appreciate that our college Knight of Columbus Council #12583 has received official approval" as a sponsored university organization, the group said in a statement.
"We express our gratitude to the President of Gonzaga University, Dr. Thayne McCulloh, for his support and for asking for a review of the current Clubs and Organizations Recognition Policy and Process to deal with any inconsistencies."
On April 30, Gonzaga president Thayne McCulloh granted the Knights of Columbus status as a student club, after an earlier decision by the school's student life office suggested that they would not be granted this recognition.
"The Knights of Columbus St. Aloysius Gonzaga Council #12583 is approved as a sponsored organization at Gonzaga," said a statement released by McCulloh's office.
"This sponsorship is granted under the University's 'Standards for On-Campus Religious Activities Policy.'"
On March 7, the university's student life division had denied the council's application for recognition as a "student organization," according to a report by the Cardinal Newman Society.
The Knights of Columbus is a Catholic charitable fraternal organization with 1.8 million members globally. It has more than 14,000 local councils – including numerous college councils – throughout the U.S. and overseas.
The vice president for student life at Gonzaga, Sue Weitz, had written the March 7 letter to the Knights council saying it could not be recognized as a "student organization" because the group is closed to women and non-Catholics. (Read the rest here.)


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This article includes a list of references, related reading or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. (March 2013) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)
Cap-Vert or the Cape Verde Peninsula is a peninsula in Senegal, and the westernmost point of the continent of Africa and of the Old World mainland. Portuguese explorers called it Cabo Verde or "Green Cape", but it is not to be confused with the Cape Verde islands, which are some 560 kilometres (350 mi) further west. Dakar, the capital of Senegal, is located near the southern tip.
Cap-Vert is a rocky promontory extending west from the main sandy areas of Senegal. Cap-Vert has an excellent harbor, facing Gorée Island.
Formed by a combination of volcanic offshore islands and a land bridge produced by coastal currents, it projects into the Atlantic Ocean, bending back to the southeast at its tip. Exposure to southwesterly winds contributes to Cape Verde's seasonal verdant appearance, in contrast to the undulating yellow dunes to the north.
The peninsula is shaped like a triangle (about 9 miles (14 km) per side), with the base of the triangle roughly along the north and its apex on the south, near Dakar. Near Pointe des Almadies, the north-western tip of the cape, lies Dakar's international airport, famous as a transatlantic ferrying point during World War II. Twin volcanic cones, the Deux Mamelles ("Two Teats"), dominate the landscape along the coast northwest of Dakar. The peninsula embraces a bay and a natural harbour in the southwest.
The indigenous inhabitants of the peninsula, the Lebou, lived as fishermen and farmers. Since about 1444, when the Portuguese first sighted the cape, it has been an entrepôt for African-European trade. The French later established the city of Dakar on the cape in 1857.
See also[edit]
External links[edit]
|Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cap-Vert.
Coordinates: 14°44′41″N 17°31′13″W / 14.74472°N 17.52028°W
|This Senegal location article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.


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Today is the first day of the Harrogate Home and Gift trade fair, which runs until Wednesday the 20th of July.
The trade fair has been given a new name, and is now the Home & Gift Buyers' Festival, possibly with a nod to the fun atmosphere Harrogate provides, which helps it stand out from other trade events and makes it so popular with both exhibitors and visitors!
Yes, there is plenty of Yorkshire Tea drunk, but the Pimms bar is also incredibly popular 🙂 . There are four product trails to follow around the trade fair, the Eco Trail, Best of British Trail, New Product Trail and Christmas Trail.
We're not exhibiting at the Buyers' festival, an exhibitors stand is a little out of our price range (as they say in Yorkshire "'Ow Much?!"), and if you can't make the trade fair either but would like to discover some fabulous British made greeting cards and gifts for yourself, have a look at the trade and wholesale page on the Chiggs website, and get in touch with us!
The Great Northern Retail Forum takes place over three days of the fair (Sunday to Tuesday) with a line-up of retail experts and speakers offering various talks in The Forum next to Hall D.
Home and Gift Buyers Festival 2016 Opening Times:-
Sunday 17th July 9am – 6pm
Monday 18th July 9am- 6pm
Tuesday 19th July 9am- 6pm
Wednesday 20th July 9am- 4pm


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For Archiving
Currently, content being uploaded for archival storage is in a specific organization, specified here Share_Drive_Organization.
Once this content is placed into the /srv/deposits/content/ directory on libcontent1 (a Linux server), we :
- verify that it copied correctly across the network,
- check the content with quality control verification scripts,
- upload the collection information file content into the database to provide access to the online collection via a web-side php script, and
- then we archive it.
Archiving it means that we weed out extraneous files, re-order content (via copy) according to our storage organization, specified here Organization_of_completed_content_for_long-term_storage, version the metadata, xml, or text files (linking into the manifest only the version; the updated one overwrites the unversioned copy in the directory) and either create a LOCKSS manifest for this content or alter existing ones to include this content.
This script (still being modified and updated to handle new problems) is here: File:Relocating.txt By uncommenting out the $test = 1; line, you can run this as a test, which will not change any existing manifests or copy content. Instead, it will write all the manifest changes and creations into one huge file called RelocateManfests, and it will still write a list of what files it will copy where to the "moveme" file.
After running this script for real, run "checkem" which goes through the moveme file, does md5 comparison on the old file and the new one -- if they're the same, it will delete the old on in the deposits directory. If they're not the same, it will output an error and leave the original untouched.
Here's the checkem script: File:Checkem.txt
Another handy script is archiveCheck File:ArchiveCheck.txt which verifies that everything in each manifest is in the archive, and everything I intended to link into the manifest is indeed linked there properly.


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Jabra takes audio conferencing to a new level with the Jabra Speak™ 510+, a unique portable speakerphone enhanced with Bluetooth®.
Jabra SPEAK 510+ UC makes conference calls easy.
Wireless freedom with Bluetooth — provides connection to PC, tablets and Bluetooth enabled mobile phones and headsets giving enhanced mobility with up to a 300-foot range for Class 1 supported devices.
Plug-and-play solution — lets you plug in your USB cable or connect via Bluetooth to your PC, tablet or smartphone. That's it. You're ready to dial in and join the conversation anytime, anywhere.
Full compatibility with UC systems & VoIP clients — SPEAK 510 provides an optimal user experience with seamless integration – including call control with the leading UC/Softphone solutions and any Bluetooth enabled cell phone, smartphone or tablet.
Slim, ultra-compact design — provides the perfect solution for audio conferencing on demand.
Up to 15 hours of talk time — or over a full working day with rechargeable battery. The intuitive battery status light will indicate the charge level of the battery on any given time.
Outstanding sound quality — for crystal-clear hands-free communication. Includes a built-in omni-directional microphone for a 360-degree coverage, and advanced Digital Signal Processing (DSP) technology.
Integrated USB cable management — for quick set-up.
Protective travel case — so you can easily and safely take the SPEAK 510 with you wherever you go


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Due to a lack of waterproofing, moisture also causes metals to rust and wood to decay. Waterproofing in Fourways can help prevent this. Furthermore unhealthy living areas and weak foundations will affect the property value of property
Also, waterproofing systems can open up the basement area and thereby increase the utility of the buildings size. This also helps in increasing the value of your house in the market.
What is foundation waterproofing? Waterproofing is Protecting your property foundation – be it residential or commercial – from cracks due to natural processes such as water damage, thermal movement, shrinking, settlement and other causes. Think of foundation waterproofing as a long term solution for protection of your property. Did you know that 44% of new homes have leaking basements without 3 years of completion? And the warranty on dry basement on a new home in USA and Canada is only 1 or 2 years? Think of what can happen if you don't pay attention to properly seal your house foundation. It not only causes countless damage to your property it also decreases value of your house, costs money to repair, wastes time, not to mention various health and life hazards. So what is the Solution to this problem? Waterproof your property the right way as you build it! There are many products on the market and it is difficult to choose at times, but not all are the same quality. The easiest, simplest and smartest way is to apply rubberized liquid membrane. Liquid rubber membranes are elastomeric polymerized coatings made from liquid rubber – the same quality tough material your car tires are made from. Advantages: They are easiest to apply, quick to dry, cold applied. You can do it by yourself, by using sprayer, roller or trowel. The liquid cures into an elastic rubber coating on the wall, able to fill up eventual cracks in foundation wall because of its flexibility. They also come with a long warranty and are very cost effective. If you want the best ones you should aim at the ones which are environmentally friendly, non-toxic, non-flammable, also VOC compliant, offer superior vapor and water barrier protection, and no priming is required before installation. Disadvantages: Possibility of inconsistency in coverage, but the newest liquid rubber foundation waterproofing membranes will help you to determine the "right" thickness by intensity of color f.e. the Gray Coat All Seasons Formula from Aquasealusa.com blends in with the concrete foundation, so over-spraying is no longer a problem, making it much easier for the applicator to apply. There are of course other products on the market like sheet membranes, cementitous waterproofing, hot tar or bentonite, but they either don't offer such a long warranty, are labor intensive or low quality, or you have to use company employees/certified technicians who are the only ones allowed to apply their product which will cost extra money. Basically it comes what your needs are and how much money your are willing to invest to protect your property properly. What seems to be cheaper at the beginning can be Very costly later on if you don't do it right the first time. © Dagmar Rakos Waterproofing-foundation-guaranteed.com ZZZZZZ
How To Waterproof a Canvas


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Frequently Asked Questions
Want to know more about Simpol? If you're a citizen, please read the FAQ below. If you're a politician, please see our Politicians' FAQ. If you don't see your question answered here, please email us.
Is Simpol a political party? Can I vote for you?
Simpol isn't a political party - it's better than that! When you become a Simpol supporter, you agree to give strong preference in future national elections to candidates who have signed the Pledge to implement Simpol. That way, politicians know they have to sign the Pledge if they want the best chance of receiving your vote and the votes of the growing number of other supporters.
Prior to an election, we inform all the candidates standing in your electoral area that you're a supporter of Simpol, so encouraging them to sign the Simpol Pledge. As the number of Simpol supporters continues to grow, politicians have a strong incentive to sign it. Those that do are then published on our website so you know who to give preference to on election day.
Does that mean I can't vote for my preferred candidate?
Not at all! By signing as a supporter, you're stating that you'll give "strong preference" to candidates who've signed our Pledge "to the probable exclusion" of those who haven't.
We'll use your support to encourage your MP or the political candidates standing in your area to sign the Pledge. If they want your vote at the next election, they know they'll stand a better chance if they sign it. That way, you can still vote as you please but you encourage ALL the candidates to support Simpol, so making it more likely that your preferred candidate will be one of them.
Can I get involved in shaping Simpol's policies?
Yes! Once we start the process of policy development, we'll include steps to ensure citizens are consulted on their content. Simpol supporters can play a direct part in bringing that process together and have your say in what's included. Get in touch if you'd like to know more.
Politicians will sign anything - how can we be sure they really mean it?
Some politicians sign the Simpol Pledge because they think Simpol is a good idea. Others may do so because it could gain them more votes. But remember! Simpol doesn't get implemented until all or sufficient nations are on board. So until that point arrives, there is nothing for a politician to go back on. Cancelling his/her Pledge therefore makes no sense and would only risk them losing the votes they hoped to gain. And by the time enough international support for Simpol has been achieved, it will only be in their best interests to make it work.
Does Simpol only work in democratic countries?
Only citizens with the right to vote can support Simpol via democratic means.
However, the governments of non-democratic nations can still sign their support for Simpol. Global issues affect all nations – including non-democracies - and many of them are feeling the effects of issues like climate change and tax competition even more than their democratic counterparts. It's in their best interests to support a Simultaneous Policy approach. We imagine that many will get involved in Simpol once a number of democratic nations are on board and policy development begins.
Who's involved in Simpol?
Presently, Simpol is run by volunteers in various countries around the world, lead by founder John Bunzl, and guided by Simpol's Founding Declaration. We take guidance and support from citizens, academics, behavioural scientists, NGOs and anyone with a deep interest in solving global problems. To maintain its independence and objectivity, Simpol accepts no donations from for-profit organisations.
Isn't it the job of the United Nations to solve global problems?
In an ideal world, wouldn't that be great? However, although most (but not all) countries have a seat at the UN table, the power to make decisions falls mainly to the United Nations Security Council – a small group of countries who exercise their power and vested interests. Simpol offers an alternative yet complementary route to solving global problems, ensuring that decisions on global issues are negotiated effectively and in all nation's interests.
How is supporting Simpol different to just signing a petition?
Signing a petition is easy because it's just your signature. By supporting Simpol you're engaging something much more powerful which politicians ultimately cannot ignore: your vote! Simpol isn't just a campaign that hopes global problems might get solved, we're a process for making sure they can be.