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Scott Brown: The People's Plagiarist.
The local tabloid rag affectionately known as the Boston Herald (Republican) (which, as the result of low readership is printed and delivered by the city's much more popular "newspaper of record", The Boston Globe) has recently been planting the seed that Democratic Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren may have plagiarized a few recipes in 1984 and had them printed in a cook book. The book in question is titled "Pow Wow Chow" and is a compilation of "special recipes passed down through the Five Tribes families." Ms. Warren's cousin edited the book and it was published by the Five Civilized Tribes Museum in Muskogee, Oklahoma. The Boston Herald claims that two of the recipes contributed by Warren already appeared in a 1979 article of the Virgin Island Daily News by Pierre Franey of the New York Times News Service.
Plagiarism on behalf of Warren? Could be. Let's wait to hear the response from her campaign. Nevertheless, these are only recipes we are talking about. They are not scholarly articles or political position statements on important issues. They are not even live public statements uttered by the candidate at a political event. Indeed, these recipes were submitted close to 30 years ago and there has been no claim that there has been a repeat occurrence.
Wat a second. What's that…there is another example of Elizabeth Warren plagiarizing since the 1984 recipes? The National Review uncovered and reported on Warren plagiarizing in her very own book about economics in 2006? Say it isn't so!
Huh? False alarm? In fact, there is no evidence that this plagiarism occurred? What about the aforementioned National Review article published just this week? That article, titled "Plagiarism In Elizabeth Warren's 2006 Book", specifically stated that her book "All Your Worth", "includes a passage that appears to include parts of two paragraphs directly lifted from a book published in 2005, "Getting on the Money Track" by Rob Black. The story was picked-up and published by Glenn Beck and Brietbart and Republican Scott Brown's campaign was sending it to anyone who they thought might spread the revelation.
It appears that The National Review made a fool of itself. Author Katrina Trinko reported that Warren's book was published in 2006 and Black's in 2005. She was wrong and MassLive.com reports that Trinko was forced to write a correction/retraction after her column had only been published for about an hour. Warren's book was actually published in March 2005, while Black's was published that October. (The paperback version of Warren's book was published in 2006.) ". As such, it appears that "Getting on the Money Track" (published in October 2005) plagiarized from "All Your Worth", not the other way around," Trinko wrote in her correction. The National Review also scrubbed the original and incorrect story from its website.
OK then, what we are left with is a claim that Democratic Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren may have provided a few recipes, which were not her own, to a Native American museum's cookbook back in 1984. What about her Republican opponent, incumbent Senator Scott Brown? Does he have any plagiarism issues in his best? Well, as Sarah Palin would say, "You Betcha!"
Scott Brown was first caught plagiarizing (as far as we know) shortly after he won a special election in January 2010 shortly after the death of longtime Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy. The Boston Globe reported at the time that the following passage which Brown placed on his Website as his "Personal Values Statement" was lifted virtually verbatim from Elizabeth Dole's site and one of her public speeches:
"I was raised to believe that there are no limits to individual achievement and no excuses to justify indifference. From an early age, I was taught that success is measured not in material accumulations, but in service to others. I was encouraged to join causes larger than myself, to pursue positive change through a sense of mission, and to stand up for what I believe."
Indeed, aside from the omission of an opening line — "I am Mary and John Hanford's daughter" and a reference about her husband — in Dole's speech, the Bay State Republican's language is the same throughout.
The Washington Monthly reported that Brown initially blamed a summer intern for a technical mix-up, arguing that Dole's website had served as a template for his own, and this was an inadvertent holdover. This did not explain, however, why two sentences from Dole's speech — one about her parents' names, and one about her husband — had been carefully removed from the copy-and-paste job.
"This kind of plagiarism makes me wonder how many things about Scott Brown are really genuine," said Rodell Mollineau, president of American Bridge 21st Century. Mollineau also said, "The fact that he can't come up with a personal values statement of his own, that he has to steal someone else's, I think is very instructive of what kind of politician he is."
To make matters even worse for the clothing-challenged Scott Brown, Politico revealed that the cover-up story involving the summer intern did not hold water. "Marcie Kinzel, a spokeswoman for Brown, told Reuters on Thursday that the senator's website hasn't been updated since around Feb. 2010 when her boss took office. One Democratic source told POLITICO that this timeline clearly doesn't match up with the senator's claims, since February would have been 'well before any 'summer intern' would have been onboard. It seems Sen. Brown's office is so busy trying to cover their tracks that they forgot to get their story straight before talking to the press,' the source said. Also, Kevin Franck, a spokesman for the Massachusetts Democratic Party, said it's 'hard to believe' that a summer intern would have been responsible for parts of the website that Brown's office says was launched in February.' After he bragged about seeing fake Osama bin Laden pictures and his campaign was caught running fake twitter accounts to anonymously attack Democrats, it's becoming harder and harder to tell the difference between Scott Brown's truth and Scott Brown's fiction."'
But wait, Scott Brown has plagiarized even more. The Boston Globe reported today, that back in 2011,
"Within three days of a "60 Minutes'' broadcast that suggested some members of Congress were financially profiting from advance knowledge of government regulations, Brown introduced a measure blocking anyone in Congress from using nonpublic information to influence personal investments. Brown muscled his way into the headlines in a race against a fellow Senate freshman, Kirsten Gillibrand, a Democrat from New York who was drafting her own version of the same bill.
Brown has said that he does his homework and that he reads the bills that come before Congress. But in this instance, Brown's measure was so hastily drafted that it contained exact language lifted from an earlier House bill (drafted by Democrats) on the same subject. And even after Brown's draft was set aside by the Homeland Security Committee in favor of another version, Brown continued to claim credit in an encounter with President Obama."
OK then, so there are two examples of Scott Brown plagiarizing on important political topics since he was elected a Republican U.S. Senator in 2010. That's not so bad, right? It is not as if there are three examples of Scott Brown plagiarizing somebody else's words. Oh no. There couldn't possibly be a third example of Scott Brown plagiarism, could there?
Strike three! Just two months ago, while delivering an address at Boston's annual St. Patrick's Day breakfast, Scott Brown told a joke about former Republican Presidential candidate Rick Santorum. Brown said, "I see that both Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum now have Secret Service with them on the campaign trail. In Santorum's case, I think it's the first time he's actually ever used protection." Here he is live and in person:
Funny joke, but the problem is that Conan O'Brien told it on national television just two weeks earlier. during his late night show, O'Brien quipped, "As of today, Rick Santorum will be assigned Secret Service agents. This is the first time Santorum has agreed to use any kind of protection."
In retrospect it no longer looks as if Scott Brown took back (as he called it) "the people's seat" so much as he has become the people's plagiarist. Like that proverbial emperor, this Senator has been exposed as having no clothes.
Please remember to click on the song link below to familiarize yourselves with the tune and to have more fun singing along with today's song parody.
Bad, Bad Leroy Brown song link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvwDohEEQ1E
(sung to the Jim Croce song "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown")
Well its nuthin' like Chicago
We're talkin' 'bout Boston Town
And if you like men bare
You're gonna love it there
With Senator Scottie Brown
Now Scottie's talkin' double
He loved the Mass. health reform law
He voted for it like the flip-flopping Guvnor
Yet now he has declared war
And he's nude, dude Scottie Brown
The nudist man in the whole damn town
On the issues he's wrong
He won't be in office long
Now Scottie he's a rambler
And he likes to strip his clothes
And he shows the world his private things
Most everywhere he goes
His senate seat is just a rental
Leased by the Tea Party crew
He better have some fun cuz he's soon to be done
Massachusetts is too damn Blue
And he's nude, dude Scottie Brown
The nudist man in the whole damn town
On the issues he's wrong
He won't be in office long
Well Friday 'bout a week ago
Scottie was not nice
He just shouted near and far
About all the horrors
Of health care and the price
Well he blasted dear Obama
That's when Brown's trouble began
Scottie Brown learned a lesson
'Bout messin' with the likes of a smarter man
And he's nude, dude Scottie Brown
The nudist man in the whole damn town
On the issues he's wrong
He won't be in office long
You see, Scott Brown needs enlightening
He don't give a damn 'bout the poor
Scottie Brown's big mouth should be muzzled
As he's voted off of the floor
And he's nude, dude Scottie Brown
The nudist man in the whole damn town
On the issues he's wrong
He won't be in office long
And he's nude, dude Scottie Brown
The nudist man in the whole damn town
On the issues he's wrong
He won't be in office long
Yeah, on the issues he's wrong
He won't be in office long
Posted on May 22, 2012, in Scott Brown and tagged Bad Bad Leroy Brown, Breitbart, Elizabeth Warren, Glenn Beck, Jim Croce, Pow Wow Chow, Sarah Palin, Scott Brown. Bookmark the permalink. 3 Comments.
How is it possible that this race is close?


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WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama last night laid out several government proposals costing billions of dollars that he said would "reignite" the middle-class engine of economic growth without raising the deficit.
In his first State of the Union address of his second term, amid continued clashes with Republicans over taxes and the nation's debt, Obama called for federal spending on manufacturing, infrastructure, energy and education -- and said they shouldn't "increase our deficit by a single dime."
"It's not a bigger government we need, but a smarter government that sets priorities and invests in broad-based growth," Obama told a packed U.S. House chamber and millions of people watching at home.
Buoyed by his re-election, strong approval ratings and positive signs for the economy, Obama said, "Together we have cleared away the rubble of crisis, and can say with renewed confidence that the state of our union is stronger."
Beyond the economy, Obama heralded the end of the Afghan War, and urged passage of immigration reform and bills aimed at curbing gun violence.
And Obama proposed to raise the minimum wage to $9 an hour by 2015 and tying it to the cost of living, and to work with the nation's 20 hardest hit communities to improve schools and public housing.
"It is our generation's task, then, to reignite the true engine of America's economic engine -- a rising, thriving middle class," Obama said.
"It is our unfinished task to restore the basic bargain that built this country -- the idea that if you work hard and meet your responsibilities, you can get ahead, no matter where you come from, what you look like, or who you love," he said.
To skeptical Republicans in the audience who argue for austerity and deficit reduction, Obama offered a deal to cut $1.5 trillion over a decade by trimming Medicare costs in return for revenue from closing tax loopholes for the rich.
"Now is our best chance for bipartisan, comprehensive tax reform that encourages job creation and helps bring down the deficit," he said.
In a wide-ranging address, Obama offered the priorities that he always has stressed but also listed several new initiatives, whose total cost carries no price tag.
But those initiatives include $1 billion to create 15 manufacturing institutes; $50 billion in infrastructure repair; and $15 billion to rebuild crumbling buildings in hard-hit communities; and expanding preschool education to every child.
He also touched on popular issues for Democrats: fair pay for women, equality for gays and lesbians in the military, a commission to address long lines at voting booths, and dealing with climate change.
"We can choose to believe that superstorm Sandy, and the most severe drought in decades, and the worst wildfires some states have ever seen were all just a freak coincidence," Obama said. "Or we can choose to believe in the overwhelming judgment of science -- and act before it's too late."
On foreign affairs, Obama won big applause for his plan to draw down 34,000 U.S. troops from Afghanistan: "At the end of next year, our war in Afghanistan will be over."
But he also vowed to work with other countries to fight al-Qaida and warned North Korea that it would only isolate itself further with nuclear weapon tests.
Obama closed by noting victims of gun violence in the audience, particularly the parents of a 15-year-old Chicago girl who was shot to death a week after performing at the president's inauguration. He insisted that Congress give gun violence bills a chance to pass.
"They deserve a vote," he said. "Gabby Giffords deserves a vote. The families of Newtown deserve a vote."

subset: commoncrawl


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Engineers and hobbyists new to the PIC microcontroller who want to create something today will find a valuable resource in this book from author John Iovine. By working through the accessible projects in this book, you will use a symbolic compiler that allows you to create program code via flowcharts, getting your projects up and running quickly. The ability to create applications with the PIC from Day 1 makes this a highly satisfying introduction to microcontrollers for both novices and readers who need to build their skills. The free Flowcode 4 software demo used in these projects must be downloaded.
Paperback; 256 pages


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Selling an island where scientists have experimented with infectious animal diseases since the dawn of the Cold War was going to be difficult enough. But it now appears any prospective buyer won't be able to do much with Plum Island anyway.
As the federal government proceeds with plans to sell the island 100 miles east of New York City to defray the cost of moving animal disease research to a new billion-dollar laboratory in Kansas, Long Island officials are taking steps to prevent resorts or condos or any other development, even before the bidding begins.
The initiative has the support of environmentalists, who say the 843-acre island is a haven for several endangered bird species. But one prominent Hamptons real estate executive says not allowing development of Plum Island could affect the selling price by tens of millions of dollars.
"I know I would pay at least $100 million for that property," says Alan Schnurman, who has developed properties in Southampton and elsewhere on eastern Long Island. He predicted someone could build as many as 300 2-acre lots on Plum Island if it were open to development. The homes could sell for between $1.5 million and $2 million, he said.
"The value of that property is enormous, absolutely enormous," Schnurman said, noting many of the homes on the island would have spectacular waterfront views.
But some local officials doubt such claims.
"What is the marketability of an island that Hannibal Lecter turned down, anyway?" says Scott Russell, the supervisor of the town of Southold in a reference to the fictional character from the film "The Silence of the Lambs." Russell maintains Lecter had no interest in living at Plum Island and predicts developers will share that opinion. In fact, he says he has not heard of any developer expressing interest in the island.
The town, which will have jurisdiction over zoning once the property is sold, wants to create a 600-acre conservation zone on Plum Island. The move would keep the eastern part of the island — once used as a U.S. Army post during the Spanish American War — as a nature preserve. Some environmentalists envision allowing bird-watchers and others to visit the island under such a scenario.
The remainder, where animal disease research has been done since the 1950s, would be zoned for a research facility. The town's actions would preclude an ambitious developer from trying to build residential housing, or even some sort of exclusive resort, but would leave open the possibility that a university or other entity could utilize the existing lab.
A vote is expected in June; until now, there were no zoning requirements for the federally-owned property.
"It doesn't make fiscal sense," Russell said of development. "You're talking about an isolated island where you have to travel a two-lane country road to get to a ferry that has limited service. Realistically, it's not practical."
Besides the mention in "Silence of the Lambs," author Nelson De Mille wrote a 1997 book "Plum Island," featuring a fictional detective investigating the murders of island biologists. Plum Island scientists research pathogens like foot-and-mouth disease, which is highly contagious to livestock and could cause catastrophic economic losses and imperil the nation's food supply.
Security on the island consists of armed patrols, checkpoints, cameras, radar, locks and fences; it is operated under the auspices of the Department of Homeland Security, which is expected to remain there until the property is sold.
Congress voted in 2009 to close the aging lab and move operations to Kansas State University. Although a scientific study has questioned the wisdom of moving animal disease research to the so-called Beef Belt, President Barack Obama's latest budget includes $714 million for the project. Kansas officials also are selling bonds to pay for the new lab.
The General Services Administration, which is overseeing the sale, has not done any studies to determine what effect the proposed zoning would have on the purchase price, a spokesman said this week. The GSA anticipates a formal sale date will be announced once a construction schedule for the Kansas lab is finalized. The latest estimate has the Kansas facility opening is 2018, although the project has been fraught with delays.
A final environmental impact statement, required for the Plum Island sale, is expected from the GSA within 60 days. Environmental groups in both New York and Connecticut have lobbied for several years to keep the island as a nature preserve should it be sold. They are ecstatic over the Southold town's plans to restrict development.
"Plum Island is one of the last great coastal places of our region, replete with miles of beaches, hundreds of acres of open space, endangered animal species and rare plant life," said Leah Schmalz, director of legislative and legal affairs for New Haven, Conn.-based Save the Sound.
"By protecting a research/commercial use in the lab's current footprint and by preserving the vast majority of the island as a wildlife sanctuary of some type, we all benefit from the special resources of this island for generations to come," added Bill Toedter, president of the North Fork Environmental Council.
Despite speculation about what goes on there, scientists insist the island is safe. In recent years, hundreds of tons of medical waste, contaminated soil and other refuse has been shipped off the island. Other island sites have been cleaned in compliance with federal regulations. And the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers determined in 2006 that no munitions or ordnance remain from the Army base. As late as 2007, New York government inspection reports said there is no environmental threat on the island.
In recent years, lab operators have been more open about what they do, and have held tours and informational meetings there for journalists and community groups.


text:
When you shop our collection for the perfect party dress, you'll discover we have something for any event — from classic to casual. We have a seemingly endless selection of boutique party dresses that vary in style, color, and design. Check back often for our newest arrivals!
Our boutique cocktail dresses are uniquely chosen to flatter your figure and hug your curves just the way you want! Strut your stuff and show off your best assets when you follow our sizing guidelines and customer reviews for the perfect fit.
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Pink Lily's boutique party dresses will really make you feel like the life of the party! Spice things up in colorful block dress or keep it classy with an LBD. For special occasions, date nights, and more, we have the variety you need to look absolutely amazing for every event! We can even help you pair your fave find with shoes and accessories — just scroll down to our Get the Whole Look section on each page!
Shop our collection now to explore quality clothing with free shipping on orders of $75!


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Halloween may be four weeks away, but at Mote Aquarium, the spooky celebrations are starting early.
Children ages 4 to 12 can wear their Halloween costumes on weekends for the entire month of October for free admission to Mote. Admission for children ages 3 and under is always free. Free admission applies to one child for each paying adult. Tickets are $17 for adults; $16 for seniors 65 and older; and $12 for children ages 4 to 12. Admission is free for Mote members.
From 6:30 to 9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23, Mote will hold its "Night of Fish, Fun and Fright." Participants can explore Mote's haunted house, "Shipwreck on City Island," dig up shark teeth in "Coffin Creek," and savor deep-sea treats at the "Diner of the Dead." The event will also feature Mote's signature underwater pumpkin carving.
Admission is $3 for members and $4 for non-members.
The frightening festivities will wrap up with the "Oceanic Evening: The Devil & the Deep Blue Sea," which begins at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31, at Mote Aquarium. The event is Mote's annual black-tie gala and fundraiser. Tickets are $250.
For information, call 388-4441.
Halloween may be four weeks away, but at Mote Aquarium, the spooky celebrations are starting early.


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New Paper on the Generalized System of Preferences
I have a new paper out today on the Generalized System of Preferences, the program by which the U.S. government allows certain imports from most developing countries to enter the U.S. market duty‐free. The program has benefits: some producers in some poor countries are able to sell more than they otherwise would in the U.S. market, and U.S. consumers benefit to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars a year because of the tariff exemptions.
But the GSP still represents managed trade, and poorly managed at that. The program is designed so certain goods in which poorer countries tend to have a comparative advantage — textiles, for example — are excluded from the program, mainly because of the influence of the U.S. textile lobby. There are limits on how much of a particular product a beneficiary country can export duty‐free, which means that truly efficient and competitve exporters are shut out. The very existence of the program has proved a stumbling block to (superior, if not first‐best) multilateral trade liberalization, because GSP beneficiary countries don't want reductions in general tariffs to erode their preferential access.
With the GSP expiring at the end of the year (more here on possible vehicles for its passage [$]), it is a good time for Congress to consider radically changing this program. The best way to secure an open, prosperous world economy is to allow trade to flow freely across borders. If that is a bridge too far for politicians, they should at least consider some of the other reforms I suggest to make the GSP more open to more products, and to reduce the interference these programs impose on voluntary, peaceful exchange. Opening the U.S. market on a permanent and non‐discriminatory basis should be the ultimate goal.


text:
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text:
True confession: I have daydreamed about walking into the Conde Nast building since I was the editor-in-chief of my high school yearbook. So, to say that visiting the Allure offices was exciting for me would be a massive understatement.
Since those days I've often second guessed my career path… I began on the journalism route then took a severe left turn when I embarked on my journey into the beauty industry… before ultimately ending up trying to make a name for myself in a field that's a strange hybrid of both.
It was when I was inside the elevator at 4 Times Square, on my way up to the photo studio for my shoot, that it clicked. That every decision I have made, traditional or not, has lead me to this moment. And this moment is awesome.
The studio was incredible – almost as incredible as the rows of designer shoes awaiting my freshly pedicured feet. Cara, Tati (who are both just as sweet and beautiful as they are on their blogs, btw!) and I were whisked into a rotation of fashion fittings, manicures, makeup sessions, and hair styling.
It's no secret that I am not a sample size… so I was a little nervous about how they were planning to style my wardrobe. Then I laid eyes on my rack of killer dresses from Diane von Furstenberg, Zac Posen, Jason Wu, and Michael Kors and those fears quickly faded! I ended up wearing a beautiful black, curve-friendly Diane von Furstenberg dress (top left in the style board photo) and…wait for it… a pair of electric blue Manolo Blahniks. Hello, lover!
I am determined to own these heels one day. And by one day, I mean when the Manolo Blahnik Fall 2013 Collection hits stores in September. Can you start a Kickstarter campaign for shoes? Is that a thing?
Nail expert (and longtime Marc Jacobs manicurist) Elisa Ferri toned down my bright summer nails to create a more season appropriate look for the fall issue. She used Chanel Le Vernis Nail Colour in Beige. It's a gorgeous neutral tone with a subtle iridescent shine. I never want to take it off.
I was a bit nervous about having my makeup done because I'm so particular about how I do it. Well, that worrying was completely unnecessary because brilliant artist Junko Kioka was the mastermind behind my makeup that day. I was furiously taking notes on the products she was using… and will most definitely add some of them to my own kit soon (Kett Fix Crème makeup, Estee Lauder DoubleWear, and Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage to name a few). I don't think I've ever felt more beautiful!
The amazing DJ Quintero upped the glam factor even more and gave me some major Veronica Lake meets Jessica Rabbit hair. He set it with Serge Normant Meta Luxe Hair Spray. My hair was touchable and soft, but the style stayed perfectly intact. That stuff is miraculous!
Each of us had our own set in the studio, brilliantly crafted by Allure Fashion Editor J rod Lacks and photographer Jason McDonald. I won't spoil too much detail on that – you'll have to buy the October issue of Allure to see the finished product!
Here are some more backstage highlights from the shoot:
After our whirlwind photo shoot, we embarked on a tour of the Allure offices, complete with a stop at the beauty mecca that is the Allure beauty closet (more on that later). Here's a peek at my stash:
As if the day couldn't get any better, we were invited to meet and chat with editor-in-chief (and author of Allure: Confessions of a Beauty Editor) Linda Wells.
It. Was. Amazing.
Thank you again to everyone reading this for all of your support during the contest and beyond. I would not have been able to experience this memorable day if it weren't for you!
I'm back in Florida for now… but I'm definitely stuck in a New York state of mind. Stay tuned for more (yes, more!) on my Allure experience… including my top ten picks from the Allure beauty closet!


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Well, hey, the war in Iraq may not be going so well, but the Bush administration war on science is doing just fine. While most of our attention has been focussed on Bush's battles against climate science and stem cell research, the Bushies have quietly won one major battle against geology. Steve Benen, filling in for Kevin Drum at Washington Monthly, has the story, apparently getting his information from the Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility.
Grand Canyon National Park is not permitted to give an official estimate of the geologic age of its principal feature, due to pressure from Bush administration appointees. Despite promising a prompt review of its approval for a book claiming the Grand Canyon was created by Noah's flood rather than by geologic forces, more than three years later no review has ever been done and the book remains on sale at the park, according to documents released today by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER).
"In order to avoid offending religious fundamentalists, our National Park Service is under orders to suspend its belief in geology," stated PEER Executive Director Jeff Ruch. "It is disconcerting that the official position of a national park as to the geologic age of the Grand Canyon is 'no comment.'"
You can, of course, get some ages from books on sale in the Park Service bookstore, including this one:
"[A]ccording to a biblical time scale, [the Canyon] can't possibly be more than about a few thousand years old."


text:
Tom Stoner made his fortune owning AM radio stations, where the weekly Top 40 was eagerly anticipated by devoted listeners. Would their favorite artists move up this week? Would that new release make it?
"I remember how easy it was to decide who came on the list," recalls the Annapolis businessman and philanthropist, "but how hard it was to decide who went off the list. That was the part of the process that fascinated me."
At the Severn River home of Stoner and his wife, Kitty, "Top 40" takes on a new meaning.
Displayed in a light-filled and airy space renovated to resemble a Park Avenue apartment are the works of 40 sculptors the couple believe best represent the range of the 20th century. And the pieces are paired with the drawings the artists made first.
At its peak, the collection numbered more than 60. But the Stoners took up the challenge of winnowing it to 40, deciding, in the exercise that had fascinated Tom Stoner, what would come off the list.
"Rodin was the springboard," said Tom Stoner. "From there, we wanted to illustrate the evolution of 20th-century sculpture."
It now includes Jean Arp, Alexander Calder, Barbara Hepworth, Anish Kapoor, Sol LeWitt, Jean Dubuffet, Henry Moore and Pablo Picasso, to name but a few.
"We still tweak the collection a little here and there. I think most everyone would agree with 30 of the 40. Five or 10 would be in dispute," said Tom Stoner.
"But this is about as much fun as anyone is entitled to have."
What is so delightful about this art collection is what it says about the Stoners' marriage.
Kitty Stoner loves sculpture: its texture, its three dimensions and its relationship to the space it inhabits.
Tom Stoner, whose favorite childhood memories are of the art classes his father enrolled him in, loves drawings and paintings.
When they first relocated to Annapolis from Iowa, their home was large enough to accommodate only his passion. When they moved to this home in 1983, with its open floor plan, there was room for what Kitty loved, too.
But how to blend the two disciplines? How to create a collection, something that was cohesive and made a statement or covered an arc?
At a New York lunch with art expert Barbara Guggenheim in 1986, they presented their dilemma and asked for her help in resolving it.
Why not, she suggested, collect the drawing the sculptor made before taking up his tools and pair it with the piece that emerged from the stone, the wood, or the metal?
Kitty Stoner would be able to see — and touch — the work of the artists she loved and Tom Stoner would see that same work in a medium he enjoys.
"The drawings had to be good in their own right," said Tom Stoner. And because an artist might create several versions from a drawing and take much liberty in re-creating it, the drawing also had to be closely related to the final piece of sculpture.
That's the fun of this collection. You see the sculpture and, on the wall near it, you see the artist's first imaginings. It is almost like seeing a creative mind at work, a kind of time-lapse photography from inspiration to completion.
The Stoners sold American Radio Systems and its 106 stations to CBS in 1999. That's when the serious work of this collection began. It is one thing to put together the work of 40 sculptors you think best represent the past 100 years. It is quite another to find both the inspirational drawings and the completed sculptures. For the Stoners, it was a kind of scavenger hunt. With the help of Guggenheim and her partner, Abigail Asher, they chased their quarry from estate sales to galleries and back again.
Now that the collection has been essentially completed, they are taking what the couple calls "pilgrimages" to learn as much as they can about the artists in it, reading books, visiting birthplaces, exhibits, galleries, even graves.
Not long ago, for example, they took a helicopter ride so they could walk Robert Smithson's 1,500-foot spiral jetty in the Great Salt Lake in Utah, which had finally emerged from three decades of high water. (They have only the drawing of this piece, just as they own just the color pencil drawing Cristo made of his plan to drape orange fabric across Rifle Gap in Colorado, a mammoth installation called "Valley Curtain.")
With the end of the millennium, the Stoners looked forward. "OK," Tom said, "the 20th century is over. It's behind us. What about now?"
The answer, of course, is the same as it is for movies, books and music. Digital. Digital art.
Bill Viola began working in this discipline about 30 years ago. Also called video art, it is in its infancy, but it has captivated the Stoners with its palpable vitality and, very often, its connection to nature.
One of the first pieces they purchased was Viola's "Becoming Light." Two lovers swim in moonlit waters and are gradually transformed into stars in the heavens over the course of this exquisite video.
In another, titled "Dervish" by Jennifer Steinkamp, another leading video artist, the leaves on a silhouetted tree, dancing like dervishes in a strong wind, gradually change with the seasons.
There is humor in this art form, too. The pixels in an image of the artist's face slide from one screen to the next, but they never completely form the image on either screen. It is titled "Both Here and Here," and the Stoners sought out the artist, Siebren Versteeg, in his Brooklyn studio to meet him and buy the piece.
"We really liked him very much," said Kitty Stoner. "I guess that's a good thing, since that's him in a shelf in my house."
When the Stoners sold their radio company, they created the TKF Foundation in Annapolis, and for 15 years they have been creating gardens in places that need them the most — including a Baltimore street corner where children who died in violence are remembered, and behind the concertina wire of a prison.
The foundation was born from their love of nature and their deep understanding of its healing powers, and this new branch of their art collecting grows from that.
Almost all of the video subjects have one foot in the natural world and the other in the life of the spirit. Sitting on the big wraparound sofa in their darkened screening room, you can feel your blood pressure drop and the furrow in your brow melt away as you watch them. It is a whole new way of experiencing the power of art.
"Art is what we do now," said Kitty Stoner. All their trips, business and pleasure, include visits to galleries and shows, and now to the studios of the video artists they seek out.
They have collected about 24 video pieces — some of which cost as little as a couple thousand dollars — and they are looking for a way to share them with people outside their darkened screening room, perhaps by screening them on the side of a building.
"All art just passes through the hands of people," said Tom Stoner. "We are just temporary owners, trustees in a way. It belongs in the public realm because art is what moves a society forward."
Tom Stoner made his fortune owning AM radio stations, where the weekly Top 40 was eagerly anticipated by devoted listeners. Would their favorite artists move up this week? Would that new release make it?


text:
If you would like to configure Cisco router using Linux or FreeBSD (connected to a local COM port). Use the following instruction to configure device:
1) Connect cisco router to com port using serial cable
2) Use program like minicom (type minicom at a shell prompt)
$ minicom
3) Select the port, speed and /dev/ttyS0 as com1 port and save configuration as dfl. Next select Exit
4) Continue with your router configuration…
5) For more information on minicom read man page here
6) Other links:
* Cisco Router Configuration Tutorial
* Accessing a Cisco Router using FreeBSD (command also works with linux)


text:
◦1 Code of Conduct (1999)
◦2 Rules of Conflict (2000)
◦3 Law of Survival (2001)
◦4 Contact Imminent (2003)
◦5 Endgame (2007)
The 5 novels form one complete story arc, and are not particularly free-standing. Call it one long novel in 5 volumes. The plot concerns one Jani Kilian, and is mostly told close-third-person from her point of view. Jani is an odd character -- competent, even bold, but insecure, bad at personal relationships but good at understanding politics, caring but prickly. By training, she is a "Document Specialist", which is something very much like a combat librarian, or perhaps a special-forces notary public. The cultural setting in which such a specialty is important is interestingly conceived. I suspect the author of having studied Library Science.
Here is an excerpt from Marc Goldstein's SF Site review of the second book, Rules of Conflict:http://www.sfsite.com/09b/rc89.htm
Despite its martial title, Rules of Conflict isn't military SF (with all the carnage and cardboard characters that sub-genre usually implies). Rather, this sequel to Kristine Smith's well-received first novel, Code of Conduct, is a labyrinthine thriller emphasizing intrigue and personal politics. Smith has imagined an impressive future of believable characters, credibly convoluted political affairs, disturbingly realistic aliens, and fearsome technology.
To know Captain Jani Kilian, first you have to absorb her complex backstory. Twenty years ago she served as an archivist attached to a diplomatic corps on a mission to establish relations with an alien race known as the idomeni. During that mission she murdered her commanding officer after he took sides in an idomeni civil war. [When she was m]ortally wounded by an explosion during her escape attempt, doctors John Shroud and Valentin Parini rebuilt Kilian by introducing idomeni DNA into her system. Now, after twenty years on the lam, her hybrid body is breaking down.
When Kilian finally seeks medical care, she is quickly captured and brought back to Service HQ to learn her fate. She fully expects to be court-martialled and pilloried, but soon discovers that powerful political figures have a vested interest in making sure that no one ever dredges up her past. But years of guilt compel Kilian to investigate the motives of her shadowy protectors. With the help of Lt. Lucien Pascal, an intelligence officer assigned to "protect" her, and a strange archivist named Sam Duong, she begins to unravel the secrets behind what really happened during the idomeni civil war.
I found the novels to be interesting, even compelling, especially for a first time writer. They have several memorable features, and I know at least one librarian for whom Kilian is now all but a Patron Saint. Quoting again:
I'll have to read them again some day to form a more permanent opinion, but I'd love to hear from anyone else who has read these.Smith's strengths as a writer shine through. Despite the story's complexity, the plot moves briskly and never gets bogged down with unnecessary exposition. Smith has an exceptional way with character. Jani Kilian is a bold, intelligent protagonist. The supporting cast members are equally human, with their own ulterior motives and hidden agendas. It is a testament to Smith's skill that her characters remain credible and never get subsumed by the machinations of the plot or the minutiae of the setting. Smith's skill with characterization also bleeds into her idomeni characters. Their culture, which regards eating as a form of sacred worship and values open antagonism over diplomatic tact, is convincingly alien.


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Earth to Washington: Small-Business Fiscal Model Not Rocket Science0
By Dan Danner
Although American small-business owners survived Washington's fiscal cliff fiasco, few of them are dancing in the streets. Instead, they're bracing for yet another government-induced crisis as early as mid-February when our national debt hits its ceiling.
Although the cliff deal spared a majority of them a tax increase and will seize less of their estates, most entrepreneurs continue to despair. Few believe a "real" solution to the nation's debt and addictive spending habits will be reached.
Their negative outlook for relief continues at historic low levels, according to the latest National Federation of Independent Business Optimism Index. And they aren't alone in their worries. A new Gallup poll found that 77 percent of Americans believe politics is seriously harming the nation.
Every day, small-business owners make tough decisions in order to survive. Their way of life could be instructive for a government that desperately needs a role model.
Instead of taking "fact finding" junkets to foreign nations, perhaps lawmakers should spend their time visiting Main Street businesses. The owners are easy to spot. They're the ones with worried brows standing close to the cash drawer doing everything they can to satisfy customers.
Two words: "How's business?" will provide elected officials much greater insight into the concerns facing those job creators than countless hours of Capitol Hill committee hearings.
Asking "Is now a good time to expand?" will likely draw an "Are you kidding?" response, but it will keep the conversation going.
Lawmakers should then ask: "What can Washington do to help?" That will bring an earful, but the message will be simple: "Cut spending, reduce regulation, balance the budget."
Yes, it is that simple. Whether you're the greatest, most productive nation on earth or a one-shop small-business owner struggling to enjoy the American Dream, the fundamentals are the same.
Small-business owners who can't afford expensive yachts, if they're wise, don't buy them. Governments that can't afford unnecessary programs, if they're honest with the taxpayers they represent, don't shirk their fiduciary responsibilities and put their societies at risk.
What can Washington do to help? They can avoid this latest fiscal danger by simply adopting the small-business model of spending less than it takes in, re-investing for growth and saving for rainy days that will surely come. That's not rocket science.
Dan Danner is president and CEO of the National Federation of Independent Business, which represents 350,000 small-business owners in Washington, D.C. and every state capital.


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She told the Washington Post: 'Age is nothing but a number'.
Ms Shepherd has impeccably toned 'six-pack' abs that are the marvel of her Baltimore fitness centre.
Her husband of 54 years, Collin Shepherd, says he 'has trouble keeping guys away from her'. The Shepherds live in Baltimore with their son, 53, and grandson, 14.
Over the past 18 years, Shepherd has run nine marathons and won two bodybuilding contests.
Shepherd said she wasn't always so fit. She was a 'couch potato' until she was 56 years old, when she and her older sister, Mildred, discovered their bodies had started going soft. She says Sylvester Stallone is her idol. Not exactly your typical grandmother.
Source: dailymail


text:
Support worldwide markets with no batch windows and employ extensive tooling portfolio for Db2.
Run ad hoc queries, perform data analysis and take advantage of integration with new applications and channels that are designed to be easier and faster.
Create visual information and dashboards and avoid data-synchronization issues in the process.
Avoid high cost of application rewrite and get more value from your CICS and batch data.


text: Yaya - Jessica Rabbit Some fanart for the lovely Yaya Han. I had a hard time picking out which of her fabulous cosplays I was going to portray, and I fell in love with her Jessca Rabbit costume. Bravo Yaya! Created By hatchback-girl Portfolio http://hatchback-girl.deviantart.com Date Completed 28 January, 2012


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Chapman could face batters as soon as Wednesday
PITTSBURGH -- The timetable for getting Reds closer Aroldis Chapman in front of hitters again seems to be accelerating even quicker than expected.
Chapman, who is trying to return from being hit in the face by a line drive last month, could likely throw live batting practice to hitters as soon as Wednesday at PNC Park. Originally, the club was targeting this milestone by the end of the road trip in Atlanta.
"It's hopefully the last thing he needs to do before he goes out there and pitches in games [on a rehab assignment]," Reds manager Bryan Price said on Monday.
Chapman threw a 45-pitch bullpen session on Sunday in Chicago. The team wanted to make sure he still felt good before committing to his facing hitters on Wednesday. If he isn't ready, then Chapman would have another bullpen session on Wednesday and face hitters on Saturday.
"He's thrown all of his pitches -- fastball, slider, changeup. There's really no concern at this point in time that his arm and body aren't ready to pitch," Price said. "But like anything else -- he threw yesterday. We want to find out how he responds today in his game of catch."
Chapman sustained fractures above his left eye and nose in a horrific March 19 moment where he was struck by a line drive from Royals catcher Salvador Perez. He had surgery to repair the injuries and has made dramatic improvement since the incident.
There's no debating that Chapman is itching to get back to pitching with the Reds.
"He loves being with his teammates. I've never seen him so happy to be a baseball player than I've seen this year," Price said. "He's embraced his job, even to a completely new level. I've enjoyed seeing that process evolve. I would absolutely say he wants to pitch. I think he understands there is process as far as going out and pitching in some rehab games just to make sure he is sharp, to make sure he that he faces hitters again for the first time since that incident and it validates that he's ready to pitch for us here."


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Lesson 2
July 1 - 7
The Power and Joy of Witnessing
A LOOSE CONNECTION. Herbert Jackson told a seminary mission class that while he was a missionary, he was given a car that would not start without a push. When he would leave to make his rounds for the day, students from the nearby mission school would cease their studies to give him the push he needed. Then as he visited people throughout his territory, he would either leave the car on a hill or keep it running.
For two years, he fussed this way over his car. When his replacement came, Jackson informed him about the car's temperament. Curious, his replacement looked under the hood. "Dr. Jackson!" he exclaimed. "The only trouble with this car is a loose cable!" After tightening the offending line, Jackson's replacement got into the car and turned the key. The vehicle blasted to life. The power had been there all the time. Only a loose connection prevented Jackson from using it.Craig Brian Larson, editor, Illustrations for Preaching and Teaching: From Leadership Journal (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Book House, 1993), p. 182; adapted. So it is with the Holy Spirit. He is the power behind any witnessing we do.
I. Searching Within (Acts 1:14; 2:1).
II. Conditions for Enabling Baptism (Acts 1:5, 8, 14).
III. Filled With the Spirit (Acts 4:23, 31; 6:1-5; 7:54-56; 11:22-24; 13:9).
IV. The Latter Rain (Acts 2:14-21; Joel 2:23, 28-32).
V. Fasting (Acts 9:7-9, 18, 19; 13:1-3; 14:21-23).
MEMORY TEXT: "And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all" (Acts 4:33).
What were the believers praying for while they were gathered in the upper room?
Acts 1:14 ___________________________________________________________
Luke 24:49 _________________________________________________________
Acts 1:4 ________________________________________________________
What does it mean that they "continued with one accord"? (Acts 1:14).
In Acts 1:14 and 2:46, the phrase "with one accord" means "persevered with one mind." In chapter 2:1, important evidence supports the translation "they were all together" (see SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 6, pp. 10, 127, 134). Contrast the mood now apparent with the one at the Last Supper (Luke 22:24).
As the days passed, how easy it would have been to criticize one another! Some could have pointed to Peter's oaths and curses, others to Thomas's doubting nature. More than one could have remembered that the sons of Zebedee had actually asked for the two chief seats in the kingdom, and some could have commented about Mary Magdalene's past. How could the Lord bless such a group of people?
"Oh, it is so easy to turn the searchlight on others instead of on self.... We are prone to blame others for our own lack of power. But Pentecost proves that if our repentance is true and deep, no blessing is withheld because of past sins. Thank God for that! Let us then draw together, and draw near to Him. Then the Spirit will come."Froom, The Coming of the Comforter, p. 110.
"As the disciples waited for the fulfillment of the promise, they humbled their hearts in true repentance and confessed their unbelief"The Acts of the Apostles, p. 36. "The disciples prayed with intense earnestness for a fitness to meet men and in their daily intercourse to speak words that would lead sinners to Christ. Putting away all differences, all desire for the supremacy, they came close together in Christian fellowship."Page 37.
Would I have been among the ones getting ready to receive the power of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost? How can I make sure I am among the ones today who are searching to connect with Him?
Even though the disciples had already been baptized with water, what other baptism did the Lord promise them? Acts 1:5, 8, 14 (compare Mark 1:8).
"Christ has promised the gift of the Holy Spirit to His church, and the promise belongs to us as much as to the first disciples. But like every other promise, it is given on conditions."The Desire of Ages, p. 672.
Based on each of the quotes below, what are these conditions?
1. "There are many who believe and profess to claim the Lord's promise; they talk about Christ and about the Holy Spirit, yet receive no benefit. They do not surrender the soul to be guided and controlled by the divine agencies.... They want to manage themselves. This is why they do not receive the heavenly gift."The Desire of Ages, p. 672.
Condition ________________________________________________________
2. "There is no limit to the usefulness of the one who, putting self aside, makes room for the working of the Holy Spirit upon his heart, and lives a life wholly consecrated to God."Christian Service, p. 254.
Condition _________________________________________________________
3. "The Holy Spirit will come to all who are begging for the bread of life to give to their neighbors."Christian Service, p. 252.
Condition _________________________________________________________
4. "It is our work, by confession, humiliation, repentance, and earnest prayer, to fulfill the conditions upon which God has promised to grant us His blessing. A revival need be expected only in answer to prayer."Selected Messages, book 1, p. 121.
Summarize a fifth condition for receiving the Holy Spirit. Acts 5:32. How can you make sure that all five conditions are present in your life?
What were Peter and the disciples able to do when they were filled with the Holy Spirit? Acts 4:23, 31.
No doubt Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit when he preached as he did on Pentecost. It was a fulfillment of the Lord's promise given in Matthew 10:19, 20: "Do not worry about how or what you should speak.... It is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you" (NKJV).
Ephesians 5:18 commands all Christians to "be filled with the Spirit." Being "filled with the Holy Spirit" is a special empowering of the Holy Spirit over and above the ordinary. For lack of this special empowering, one's testimony and spiritual life are weak.
List others whom the book of Acts describes as being filled with the Spirit. As a result, what were they able to do? Acts 6:1-5; 7:54-56; 11:22-24; 13:9.
|Acts 6:1-5
|Acts 7:54-56
|Acts 11:22-24
|Acts 13:9
|Consider the following prayerfully: "Morning by morning, as the heralds of the gospel kneel before the Lord and renew their vows of consecration to Him, He will grant them the presence of His Spirit, with its reviving, sanctifying power. As they go forth to the day's duties, they have the assurance that the unseen agency of the Holy Spirit enables them to be 'laborers together with God.' "The Acts of the Apostles, p. 56.
What did God promise to the church, according to Joel 2:23, 28-32? Also read Acts 2:14-21.
To consider Peter's use of Joel's prophecy correctly, we must understand three points about it:
1. The Holy Spirit helps all who receive Him to understand and communicate God's will (Joel 2:28).
2. The Holy Spirit is imparted to all who honestly desire Him regardless of age, gender, or class (vs. 28, 29).
3. Salvation is available by calling "on the name of the Lord" (v. 32).
Find verses in Acts 2 that tell how each of these points was visible at Pentecost and write them on the lines below.
"When the Holy Spirit came upon the church, men's mouths were opened to utter the word of the Lord; and the gift of this prophetic proclamation fell upon persons old and young, upon the rich and the poor, upon men and women. This event accompanied the beginning of the new age, the day of the Messiah's reign, thus bringing to a close the former ages and pointing on to the culmination of God's work in history when Christ should overcome all his enemies."George Arthur Buttrick, commentary editor, The Interpreter's Bible, (Nashville, Tenn.: Abingdon Press, 1956) vol. 6, p. 753.
"The outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost was the former rain, but the latter rain will be more abundant. The Spirit awaits our demand and reception. Christ is again to be revealed in His fullness by the Holy Spirit's power."Christ's Object Lessons, p. 121.
The Holy Spirit's power is always manifested in action, and with the power that the Holy Spirit brings, thousands of voices will proclaim the final warning of the three angels' messages of Revelation 14:6-10.
|When "we have an enlightened people, that know by experience what
it means to be laborers together with God"; when "the largest portion of
the church [become] laborers together with God"; when "we have entire,
wholehearted consecration to the service of Christ, God will recognize the
fact by an outpouring of His Spirit without
measure."Christian Service,
p. 253.
Are you wholeheartedly consecrated "to the service of Christ"? If not, why not? How can you begin to obtain such an experience?
|DEFINITION: Fasting is the intentional act of abstaining from food often for religious purposes. It is usually accompanied with Bible study, prayer, devotion, and meditation. "The principle behind fasting is that when conducted judiciously, it contributes to good health, and hence increases spiritual sensitivity. "SDA Encyclopedia, s.v. "Fasting."
The digestion of food drains energy from the brain to the stomach. Fasting for a short period of time, therefore, can assist the Holy Spirit in helping our minds understand spiritual truths. It can be an important companion to intercessory prayer for the church, for others, and for one's self.
Fasting is not necessary for receiving the power of God, but it is an important spiritual exercise that God honors. Fasting with a pure heart and for the right reasons may open doors that other keys have not been able to open (Matt. 17:21).
"For certain things, fasting and prayer are recommended and appropriate. In the hand of God they are a means of cleansing the heart and promoting a receptive frame of mind. We obtain answers to our prayers because we humble our souls before God."Counsels on Diet and Foods, pp. 187, 188.
Christ both upheld the discipline of fasting and foresaw that His followers would do it (see Matt. 9:15; 17:2 1). However, fasting is not a commandment.
In what circumstances did the early Christians fast?
|Acts 9:7-9, 18, 19
|Acts 13:1-3
|Acts 14:21-23
If, because of health reasons, it is unwise for you to fast from food, you might consider "fasting" from something else, such as spending time watching television or surfing the Internet.
|What would be important enough in your local church to inspire a time of fasting? Who should take the initiative to proclaim such a time? How will you plan to participate?
FURTHER STUDY: To learn more about the work of the Holy Spirit, read the following verses: Gen. 1:2; Isa. 59:19; John 15:26; 16:13; Rom. 8:26, 27; 1 Cor. 2:13, 14.
Also read any or all of the following: Christian Service, "The Holy Spirit" pp. 250-256; The Acts of the Apostles, "Pentecost" and "The Gift of the Spirit" pp. 35-56; Testimonies to Ministers, "Pray for the Latter Rain" pp. 506-512.
"Those only who are constantly receiving fresh supplies of grace, will have power proportionate to their daily need and their ability to use that power. Instead of looking forward to some future time when, through a special endowment of spiritual power, they will receive a miraculous fitting up for soul winning, they are yielding themselves daily to God, that He may make them vessels meet for His use.... Daily they are witnessing for the Master wherever they may be, whether in some humble sphere of labor in the home, or in a public field of usefulness."The Acts of the Apostles, p. 55.
SUMMARIZE this week's lesson by explaining in your own words the following concepts: (1) being of one accord; (2) the relationship between fasting and the Holy Spirit; (3) conditions for receiving the Holy Spirit; (4) being filled with the Holy Spirit; and (5) the former and the latter rain of the Holy Spirit.
Andre Makong
How can a 2-year-old child fall nearly 30 feet onto concrete and not be injured? I am convinced that God protected my young grandson, Andre Nathan, and used the accident to bring others to know God.
I was reading while my grandchildren, Andre and Jean, played nearby. I did not notice Andre wander away from his sister. Nobody saw him toddle upstairs or out onto the balcony. No one saw him climb the railing or fall silently onto the pavement 30 feet below. Only when I heard someone shouting outside did I realize that something was wrong. I raced to the door and found a crowd gathered around the boy. How could he have gotten outside? I wondered. Then someone said he had fallen from the balcony above. The boy was not crying and showed no signs of trauma or injury as he looked at all the strange people around him.
I rushed my grandson to the hospital where a doctor confirmed that Andre had not been injured; he did not even have a scratch on his body! Relieved, I returned home and contacted Andre's parents, who were traveling, to assure them that the children were fine.
That might have been the end of the ordeal. But word of the child's miraculous escape from injury spread throughout the neighborhood. One neighbor family came to see for themselves this child whom God had protected. They told me, "The God who lives in this house is not the same as the one who lives in our home." Others made similar comments, for in Africa miracle events often generate faith responses.
As a result of hearing about or witnessing Andre's escape from death, two families are studying the Bible and a third is now attending church. The children of one family join us for family worship when they hear us singing.
As a grandfather I marvel at how God saved my grandson's life, but as a pastor, I marvel even more at how God has used this incident to lead others to Him.
Andre Makong (left with young Andre) is coordinator of Global Mission for the Central African Union Mission in Yaounde, Cameroon.
Join the SSNET moderated email discussion group. You are also warmly invited to join a group discussion of this lesson Sabbath morning with your local Seventh-Day Adventist congregation.
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text:
Did you know that over Xmas and in January, the TV networks take little interest in how many people watch their shows? So you might have noticed that the type of programs that are on change from the usual ones during this time, until the ratings war starts again in February. During this holiday time programming, what did you think of the quality of TV content? Did you even care what was showing as you were on holiday? Or did you use this time to relax in front of the 'box' and flick between channels? Perhaps it was convenient for you to keep your kids entertained? Maybe you have Pay TV and didn't even watch the 'mainstream' channels? Did you find it 'Christmassy' enough or do you think the networks just don't bother with that these days? Was there one channel you felt outdid the others with its programing?Last reply: 2nd May 2020 / 615 replies / Post by Rainbow
Posted by: Shortstuff
Posted on: 23rd Jan 2013
Shortstuff says: One word describes it LOUSY, unless you love cricket or tennis.


text:
Those that have followed my posts here since I started writing know that I'm a two-faced WoW player. =) I don't mean two-faced in that way. I mean it in another sense.
I belong to two guilds. Unpossible, and Team Sport. Both guilds are fantastic, and I'm so proud to be in both of them. I always consider myself a multi-faceted player. I like progression, and I also like casual. Each guild provides me with a different part of that.
We're all in the mood to pound our heads against the new content. Whether you're struggling or conquering, it's always exciting to battle new bosses and collect your new rewards. It's something we've all come to love about raiding or just gaming in general. What about some of the little things that bring you joy?
Lodur and I have definitely bonded since we started talking. I had been looking for a new place to send my priest, since my last guild wasn't working out. I wanted a place that was progression-oriented but had the same "family" feel that Team Sport does. When we started talking about Unpossible, my eyes lit up. It seemed (on the surface) like everything I was looking for. It wasn't brow-beating its members into submission. Family and real life always came first, but they were all there to conquer the endgame content.
The application process was complex but well worth it. I was being asked to join raids, main nights as well as off-nights. This is one of the oldest surviving guilds on the server. Most of this team had cleared Vanilla WoW content together. Needless to say, I felt like an outsider.
There were two moments that absolutely solidified my feeling of being a member of Unpossible.
The first, was our first walk into Icecrown. No one had seen the..
Instance not found.
Our palms were sweaty with anticipat…
Instance not found.
Okay, let's at least try to get a warlock inside so we…
Instance not found.
Sweet, we're all in! We manage to get the first couple of mobs down until the huge Skele on the wall spawns. Almost reminiscent of the terror that the Statue of Liberty spreads in Ghostbusters II, we lose a couple healers and a couple DPS. It's okay, let's have them rez and run back. Everyone rebuff…
Instance not found.
You get the point. All joking aside, stepping into Icecrown and figuring things out from scratch made me feel like I was truly an Unpossible member, even if we only got one attempt in on Marrowgar.
The second solidifying moment came a week later. Now that the initial instance server issues had been somewhat resolved, it was easy to actually get our whole team in there. We cleared Marrowgar with little difficulty, and it was time for Deathwhisper. With our raid leader hollering out orders, demanding we step it up and get the hell out of Death and Decay, Deathwhisper's health dwindled. People died to the invincible ghosts. Healers started to drop. We were seconds away from the enrage timer. Then, she enraged. Tanks were one-shotted. Healers were brushed into non-existence. Two people remained, and the DoTs were ticking away. 1%. 0.7%. 100k Health. 47k Health. 6k Health. The final raid member at 4,000 health. "You have defeated Lady Deathwhisper." Screams echoed through Ventrilo. It was the first time I had been there for a guild first. So satisfying. I'm truly a member of Unpossible now. Killing a tough boss is one thing, but bleeding and sweating for that first kill with a new guild is amazing.
Team Sport
I've been gaming with most of these guys since early BC, when my warlock was 40 and had just gotten my first mount. We're a rag-tag group of knockarounds, but we love the game, and we love trying to do our best at it. There may be people that disagree, but people generally really enjoy adding us to their raid. We've got about 18 members with varying schedules, so it's tough to get our own raid together. We don't mind. We all knew this signing up. Anyone that applies to Team Sport (yes, we even had someone server transfer to play with us) knows this as well. This doesn't mean we're lackluster about raiding. When we can get enough people on, we jump all over it.
Is each and every member totally top notch? No. No team is totally perfect. Even I'm not completely on my game (I've had a few too many "Diet Cokes"). Personally, I was a little worried about some of the coordination needed for some of the ToC fights. After initial struggles with tanking Northrend Beasts, we made it through Icehowl, and one-shotted Jaraxxus.
Here's where it got interesting.
A lot of guilds have CC rotations and full-on strategies for Faction Champions. Druids, Warlocks and Mages alternating their crowd control. Rogues and Warriors locking up healers. I initially tried to craft a CC plan. We tried it, and we failed. So we did it the Team Sport way.
Team Sport is known for our love of PvP. We have various Arena Teams, and we do Battlegrounds galore. Our pally tank, Dralo, is one achievement away from his Battlemaster title.
"Everyone go into your PvP spec, and let's just kill Horde".
And we did. In one shot, and it was easier than any Faction Champs fight I've ever done.
This, was my moment of pride with Team Sport. We're still struggling on Twins, but we annihilated the Faction Champions with ease. Yes, I know this was after the nerf. Yes, I know that overall it's easier. Still, we got such a kick out of doing that fight, because we did it the Team Sport way. We trusted all 10 of us to know what to do, and we came through. THAT is some group synergy right there.
How about you? Is there a little thing about the game or your guild that makes you happy or brings you pride?
"Big" image courtesy of 20th Century Fox


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About a hundred knights are standing inside the castle of Albion. They're wearing silver armor with swords in their hands as the castle is gearing up for a fight. Outside the walls, the King rides along with his daughter (the princess) and about a dozen knights on horseback. They're being chased by 24-feet-tall giants. Well I think they are 24-feet-talle, because the truth is the King and his men are really only riding from a few cameras, as the giants will be added in during post production.
Let me back up a second.
It's August 4th, 2011, and I'm flying back from London. The other day I was standing on the set of Bryan Singer's Jack the Giant Slayer about an hour outside London. While there, I got to watch a lot of filming, see tons of raw footage, and I also got to see a great deal of pre-viz. While some set visits are guarded with the actors being careful what they say, Singer and everyone on the film opened their arms to the visiting online reporters and showed us why they're excited to be making this film. And based on what I saw, Jack has the possibility of being a really cool fantasy film. Much more after the jump.
As most of you know, I'll often record a video blog after I get back from a set visit. For this set visit, I sat down with Brian Gallagher from MovieWeb and we talked about everything we saw and learned on set. We were both really excited by the footage. Here's the video. Further down is my written report.
Also, if you haven't yet seen the trailer for Jack the Giant Slayer, I'd watch that first:
Before going any further, I thought I'd share some of the cool things I learned on set:
- We will see the giants eating humans. They think we're delicious.
- Jack the Giant Slayer is being shot in 3D with the RED Epic. They're one of the first films to use the equipment.
- Singer has pre-vized almost the entire movie. He did this so when he's on 1st unit and can't be at another location, the production can see how he wanted to scene to look and they try to get the same shots.
- Most of the Giants are around twenty four feet tall. Some are twenty feet, and some are thirty feet.
The production is using Simul-Cam like James Cameron did on Avatar and Shawn Levy on Real Steel. Simul-Cam allows Singer to take the motion capture footage he shot before filming began and throw it into the live shots on set. This allows actors to have proper eye line and it also allows Singer to get the type of shot he wants without wondering if it will work. Simul-Cam is definitely the future of all big budget movies with big special effects shots. It's amazing stuff.
- While there will be a lot of soundstage work, the production is also using a lot of real world settings. This will allow the CG to amplify real locations and make everything more believable.
- All the giants were motion captured so the movements will look and feel real
- On X-Men: First Class, most of the special effects shots were 30 thousand dollars. For Jack the Giant Slayer and the giant shots, most of the shots are 80 thousand each. Due to the cost, Singer had to pick and choose where to spend the money. A huge chunk is an epic 3rd act where the giants come down and attack the castle.
- The movie will either be PG or PG-13. But I get the feeling they really want it to be PG-13.
- It takes 6 weeks to render a giant and Digital Domain is doing the effects work.
- Some shots will have 100 giants in them.
- They want the giants to look photoreal.
- The beanstalk sequence is about 20 minutes into the movie.
- Ewan McGregor is the leader of the Guardians and it's his job to keep the royals safe.
- Stanley Tucci plays the villain. He's the King's consigliere and while the audience will know he's the villain, the characters won't put it together for awhile.
Bryan Singer Isn't Afraid to Show Journalists Unfinished Footage
Most of the time when you do a set visit, the production will only allow you to see what they're filming that day. And if what they're filming is a huge spoiler, you might not get to see anything. However, Singer was more forthcoming. In fact, I can't recall another set visit that had a filmmaker show us this much footage. While it might have been due to the fact that the production wraps in two weeks, more than likely it's because they're really happy with the footage and the way the movie is coming together.
While none of the footage I got to see was final, I could definitely see that Singer's movie is massive, and it's easily under the category of "big budget tentpole."
Also, while I'd love to talk about the specific shots I got to see, I know they'd prefer me to avoid spoilers. So let me just say Singer has clearly studied how to use these new 3D cameras and the action looks epic, the characters are interesting, and the world is unlike anything we've seen. What's cool about Jack the Giant Slayer is it's a story we've heard but told in a new way.
Another thing I thought was great about the set visit was how much time Singer gave us. I've been on set visits where we never got to talk to the director, and I've been on some that you only get a few minutes. On Jack, Singer talked to us for almost 35 minutes and he kept showing us more and more footage with more and more pre-viz. It was so cool to watch him explain how he wanted to tell the story and why this project spoke to him. At the bottom of the article is a link to the full interview.
One Monitor is Live, One Monitor is Pre-Viz
Something that I found very interesting was how important the pre-viz was on Jack the Giant Slayer. Singer explained to us that he spent a great deal of time before filming began working on all the shots in pre-viz. For those unfamiliar, pre-viz is very rough animation that shows where the camera will be during filming. Pre-viz is a huge asset as it allows a filmmaker to make a movie before stepping on set. They can work out any potential problems, fix the way the action will be told, and get an idea if the movie is going to work well before spending huge sums of money.
Also, when you're telling a story with 24-feet-tall giants and tons of CGI, pre-viz is even more important because without a perfectly set up game plan before arriving on set, any change in production could cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. Pre-viz lets you maximize your budget.
In addition, while I was on set I learned the production has three units filming. Since Singer could only be in one place, the pre-viz allowed his 2nd unit director to film the scene exactly how Singer wanted it without having to call him or wait for him to arrive on set.
What I also found interesting was the way Singer was shooting on 1st unit. He sat in a normal directors chair and in front of him were two monitors. The one of the left was the eye of the camera, while the right monitor was the same scene as pre-viz. This allowed him to match up everything, and he could make sure that the camera would be able to catch where the giants should be and the action would work. While I'd imagine for some filmmakers this kind of structure might stifle creativity, I actually thought it made a lot of sense and think all the work beforehand was saving a lot of time on set.
Watching Filming
I've been on a number of movie sets. Some of them spend all day on the same shot. Some might film a few scenes over the course of many hours. However, before Jack the Giant Slayer, I'd never been on a set that had three units filming and multiple locations on the same day. It was very cool.
The first scene we watched being filmed took place at Albion Castle (where the humans live). While some productions might build a fraction of a set and use CG to make the other side look real, the castle set was massive with thirty foot walls around all four sides. It's going to look great on screen.
When we first started watching filming, we saw three camera angles trying to capture the King returning with his men and the princess. They were being chased by Giants and the scene takes place towards the end of the movie. As they ride up to the castle, on the top of the castle, we see other knights firing pretend arrows to try and fight off the giants. This was being shot by the 2nd unit and we watched a number of takes.
A little while later, we went over to first unit and watched Singer direct Nicholas Hoult and Eleanor Tomlinson. The scene features the two of them trying to hide in the King's robe as a two headed giant searches for them. We saw Singer shoot some of the scene in close-up, while another shot had the camera looking up so the top of the robe was open. We were shown some pre-viz where the giant will see them from the opening. It looked very cool and Nicholas and Eleanor seemed like they were having a lot of fun.
The final bit of filming took place in a real forest a short drive from the soundstages. It ends up the production was using a real location but they added a river, a waterfall, some trees, and other bits to make it a perfect location for a couple to fall in love.
The scene takes place shortly after Nicholas and Eleanor escape from Gantua (where the giants live) and he's cleaning out a wound that she got along the way. As she laments what has just happened (if it wasn't a spoiler, I'd tell you) in a wide shot with a gorgeous background, we watch as she starts to fall for Nicholas' character. As the two get closer, Ewan McGregor walks into frame and what might have been their first kiss, ends up with the three of them continuing on their journey. The shot looked fantastic, and I'm sure on screen it's going to look great.
Final Thoughts
While the production has a tremendous amount of work to do in post-production, I'm a big fan of Bryan Singer and think he's going to pull it all together for a great fantasy film. In addition, after seeing the tremendous practical sets up close, this is going to be one of those movies where you should see it in 3D.
Jack the Giant Slayer opens March 1. Here's more from my set visit:
- Ewan McGregor Talks His Character's Role in the Story, Working with CGI, Similarities to How to Train Your Dragon & More on the Set of Jack the Giant Slayer
- Bryan Singer Talks Big Visual Effects, 3D, Unfriendly Giants, Bringing a Fairy Tale to Life on a Grand Scale, and More on the Set of Jack the Giant Slayer
- Nicholas Hoult Talks the Challenges of 3D, Bringing a Fairy Tale to Life, the Success of X-MEN, and More on the Set of Jack the Giant Slayer
- Eleanor Tomlinson Talks Elaborate Costumes, Filming the Beanstalk Sequence, How She Landed the Role, and More on the Set of Jack the Giant Slayer


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HAPPY CHRISTMAS!!!0 comments Posted by Matt Grover at 12:55 pm
A very merry Christmas to you all!! Hope everyone is having a top day!! In the true self-obsessed nature of personal blogs, have a selection of pictures of presents I have revieved this year, from Mum, Vicky and then the gang (bear in mind the gang ones are for comedy value above all else!). Festivity-odey-doodey
AT LAST!!!0 comments Posted by Matt Grover at 5:09 pm
Who can drive now? Oh that's right... I CAN!!! :D
Yes finally, today, I passed my driving test!!!!!
Happy? Me? FUCK YES!
As if I don't have enough profiles n stuff...0 comments Posted by Matt Grover at 9:06 am
I now have one on Facebook.com so, if ur on Facebook, look me up innit. (mainly as I can't post a direct link to the profile, cos u have to log in to see it, so you may as well just do a bloody search for me on there)
Continuing choo-poo0 comments Posted by Matt Grover at 9:03 am
- Flooding
- Signal Faliure
- Broken Down Train ahead
- Line side fire
- Line side fire involving gas canisters
- trespasser on the line
- road vehical striking a bridge
- suspicious package on the train ahead
- passenger taken ill
- person under a train
- Doors not opening properly
- Passenger incident
- Security Alert (@ Blackfriars)
- Dead beaver on the line (!!!!! Apparently so according to Carrie)
- Temporary signal failure
- Points Failure
- Earlier service disruption
- Defective train
- Poor rail conditions
- 7.16 from Brighton suffering door problems thus holding up other trains
- Overcrowding
- Derailment at Brighton
- Over running engineering works
- Major signaling systems failure
- Temporary fault with signaling equipment
- Suspected fire alert
- Poor rail conditions that affected the preceding train
- Train still in depot as staff are attending to a fault on the train
- Earlier slippery rail conditions
- Emergency engineering works
- Non-availability of staff
- A man on the train in front has suffered a heart attack and is being treated in the carriage
- Held at a red signal, we're trying to fix the problem
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COMMERCE CITY, Colo. – Dillon Powers and Vicente Sanchez showed the Vancouver Whitecaps that when they're clicking it's pretty darn hard to stop the Colorado Rapids.
The Whitecaps' club-record eight-game unbeaten streak came to a crashing end thanks to a goal apiece for the Rapids' dynamic midfield duo in a 2-0 victory Saturday night at Dick's Sporting Goods Park.
Powers opened the scoring with a terrific 20th-minute strike, while Sanchez doubled the advantage with a penalty kick later in the half as the duo all but put the outcome to bed before the first half came to a close.
The win pushed the Rapids' home unbeaten streak to four games and moved them three points clear of the Whitecaps in the Western Conference standings with 25 points from 16 games. The Whitecaps, meanwhile, lost for the first time since May 7.
On a perfect summer evening in suburban Denver, Powers nearly got the Rapids on the board fresh out of the gate, but his top-of-the-penalty-box blast crashed against the bottom of the crossbar in the 17th minute.
But three minutes later, Powers wouldn't be denied.
Using a terrific turn to create space for himself in the box, the reigning MLS Rookie of the Year unleashed a low blast that found just enough space to squeeze past Whitecaps goalkeeper David Ousted and for his third goal of the season, giving the Rapids a 1-0 lead.
A quarter of an hour later, with the Rapids dominating possession and chances, they deservedly doubled their lead. Nigel Reo-Coker needlessly upended striker Deshorn Brown in the box, and referee Ted Unkel pointed to the spot – with no protest from the visitors. Sanchez completed the simple task, firing home for his team-leading sixth goal of the season and a 2-0 lead in the 36th minute.
Sanchez nearly scored a ridiculous bicycle kick in the 40th minute, but Ousted made a fine save to deny the veteran Uruguayan from making it 3-0 before halftime.
On the other side of the break, Vancouver started to push further forward, but they couldn't unlock the Rapids defense. Pedro Morales' 63rd-minute shot pushed just wide, the best of Vancouver's opportunities early in the second half.
Rapids goalkeeper Clint Irwin did well to keep out a deflected 83rd minute shot by Johnny Leveron, but the final 45 finished rather quietly after the home team's fireworks in the opening half, allowing the Rapids to collect the three important points following their three-week MLS layoff for the World Cup.
The Rapids next host their annual Fourth of July fireworks match against the Columbus Crew.
Chris Bianchi covers the Colorado Rapids for MLSsoccer.com.
MLSsoccer.com Men of the Match
|What We Saw
|Dillon Powers
|So important to Rapids in so many ways; he showed his goal-scoring talents on this night
|Vicente Sanchez
|Was dangerous on the attack all night; his bicycle attempt was GOTY material if it went in
|Deshorn Brown
|He missed out on a number of potential goals with five shots on the night


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Enjoy the taste of gourmet espresso right in the comfort of your own home with this stovetop espresso maker. There's no need for clunky and complicated machines, this simple stovetop device does it all.
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As need for school counselors grows, numbers decrease
CINCINNATI -- Spring is a busy time for high school guidance counselors.
Unfortunately, they've become something of a rare commodity on high school campuses these days.
In the 2008-09 school year, for example, the average ratio of guidance counselors to students nationwide was 457 to 1. By 2011 – the most recent year for which numbers are available – the ratio had increased to 471 students per single counselor.
It's hardly the "ideal" of 250-1 recommended by some school officials and the American School Counselors Association.
Counselors, educators say, are becoming ever more necessary.
Unlike 10 or so years ago, when counselors primarily helped students apply for college and financial aid, their offices now echo with pleas for help in dealing with a host of teenage woes.
They dispense advice on everything from mental health issues, family problems, bullying, social media pitfalls, peer suicides, grief counseling and drug abuse to more traditional topics like college testing guidance and providing references for students headed to college or the job market.
Former high school counselor Brian Martin has seen firsthand the challenges faced by fading ranks of high school guidance counselors. In every high school, society's future walks into counselor offices, he said, lugging with them a distressing array of modern woes.
"Counselors are even more important today than they have ever been," said Martin, principal at Ross High School in Hamilton, Ohio.
Years of budget slashing is to blame for the drop in their number. They're often first on the chopping block when districts look to cut costs.
Counselors still help the top performers as those students head to college but are increasingly called upon to help lift troubled teens, said Martin and area school counselors.
"The student-to-counselor ratio is higher than it has ever been ... (as) schools are almost being asked to serve as social service agencies," said Martin, whose 950-student enrollment is split among three counselors. "The amount of personnel available to address those issues has been declining."
Belle Allen has worked as a guidance counselor since 1996 in Butler and Warren county high schools. She still shakes her head in disbelief when she thinks about the number of teens she and her peers are expected to serve.
"It's unbelievable and it's unrealistic," said Allen. She is responsible for helping 317 students.
Years ago "we did a lot of scheduling, a lot about colleges, but now there are a lot of mental health issues that students are dealing with," she said.
Some local districts, like Newport Independent Schools, are getting creative to beef up the number of counselors. With the help of grant money, Newport High School this year doubled its number of counselors – to two, both serving the 650 students in grades nine-12.
"They have to be ready for anything," Newport Superintendent Kelly Middleton said. "This year we had a student suicide and our counselors had to organize counseling sessions for many students."
The region's largest school system has also enlisted new partnerships to alleviate the pressure on its smaller pool of counselors.
With 33,000 students, Cincinnati Public Schools has 13 high school counselors, down from 17 a decade ago, and the district has tried to farm out some of their responsibilities.
"Fortunately," spokeswoman Janet Walsh said, "we have several college access partners working in our schools who have been able to support some of the work traditionally performed by counselors."
More than any other school staffers, the dwindling number of counselors handle the brunt of student burdens. And there is no sign of that changing, said Jill Cook, spokeswoman for the Virginia-based American School Counselor Association, which represents 33,000 school counselors nationwide.
"High school counselors … have shifted from working with a small number of students – perhaps those who are in trouble a great deal or those applying to college. But today, they are working with all students," she said.
Ross High School senior Carolyn Conrad couldn't have imagined her successful high school career with the help of a counselor for both academic and personal issues.
"My counselor has been absolutely amazing through my four years of high school. High school would definitely be a lot different without her," said Conrad, a top academic performer who this month was accepted to Miami University.
Warren County's Mason High School is among the top academic high schools in the region, and officials there credit, in part, their staff of eight counselors.
"They are kind of that front line that identify where kids are struggling ... and they really serve an important role in helping us reach all the kids we can," said Dan Distel, assistant principal at the high school.
Veteran Mason High School counselor Nikeisha Brooks still loves the job, despite the growing pressures.
"I love helping students and seeing them accomplish their dreams and goals," Brooks said. "This is one of the most gratifying things I've done in my life."
(Contributing: Cliff Peale of The Enquirer)


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take-out commitment(redirected from Take Out Commitments)
Take-Out Commitment
An agreement by a financial institution or another investor to make a long-term loan at a certain, stated date in the future. A take-out commitment may be made in construction or other projects when short-term financing is initially beneficial but the borrower anticipates long-term financing to become more advantageous at a later time.
take-out commitment
A binding agreement by a lender to provide permanent financing at the expiration of the construction financing, if certain conditions have been met.These usually include minimum occupancy levels for an income-producing property.


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Speleofest is getting bigger and better every year. That's because the Louisville Grotto has kept a strong focus on hospitality. Speleofest admission includes three nights of camping on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights. There is a bon-fire party on Friday night with food and drinks and live music, caving trips all weekend, guest speaker, door prizes, and Sunday afternoon wine & cheese social with live music afterward. All of this is part of the event at no extra cost. You can pre-register now for only $20. The main goal for Speleofest is to ensure that guests have an excellent Memorial Day weekend.
Speleofest also supports cave conservation. In 2017 the Lone Star Preserve has grown by an additional 48 acres to include Woodcutters Cave. The Louisville Grotto is very grateful to the caving community for all of the support that has made this possible. Cavers should look forward to celebrating this new purchase at Speleofest 2017.
Speleofest 2017 May 26 - 29
For more information, visit http://louisville.caves.org/speleofest.shtml


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Power & Memory Usage Of GNOME, KDE, LXDE & Xfce: Xfce, LXDE, and other desktop environments are often referenced as being lighter-eight Linux desktop environments than KDE and GNOME, but what are the measurable performance differences between them? Curious how much of a quantitative impact the GNOME, KDE, Xfce, and LXDE desktops have on netbook systems, we carried out a small set of tests to look at the differences in memory usage, battery power consumption, and thermal performance.
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Below you will find a list of topics in the General Chat forums at the Google Chrome Forums. Off topic area, talk about the birds, introduce yourself to members of the site and other randomness.
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Toys and Apps Are Yet to Play Nice Together
Last year, trying to show how the toy industry could remain relevant in the tablet age, Hasbro Inc. unveiled an iPad-enhanced version of its classic Game of Life. Instead of spinning a wheel in the center of the board game to take a turn, players spun a wheel on the iPad.
The idea bombed.
And it wasn't alone. More than 90 percent of the so-called app toys that were trotted out last year sold poorly, estimates Jim Silver, editor in chief of timetoplaymag.com, a consumer and trade website.