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Immigrant Visas: An immigrant visa allows one to immigrate to the U.S. permanently. US immigration laws established three main categories (called preferences): family-sponsored, employment-based and diversity visa program. There is a numerical limit on foreigners immigrating to the United States for each category: family-sponsored preference: 226,000 per year and employment-based preference: 140,000 per year. Immediate Relatives, i.e. spouses and unmarried children, of United States citizens are not subject to direct numerical limitations. Section 202 of the Immigration and Naturalization Act (INA) also sets an annual per-country limitation of 7% of the total annual family sponsored and employment-based preference, meaning visa issuances to any single country may not exceed this cap. In most cases, when one is eligible for some kind of immigrant visa or permanent resident status (green card), his or her immediate relatives are also eligible for similar visas or green cards as accompanying relatives.
There are five categories under the yearly 140,000 employment-based immigrant visas. Almost all Clemson University sponsored visas fall within first three categories, i.e. employment first preference (EB-1), employment second preference (EB-2) and employment third preference (EB-3). Under the EB-1 category, a labor certification is not required. Additionally, occupations listed on Schedule A also do not require labor certifications. However, a labor certification from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) is required for EB-2 (unless it is waivered based upon national interests) and EB-3 categories. To acquire a U.S. lawful permanent status (commonly called green card) based on your employment at Clemson University, a Clemson employee's case will generally undergo three basic steps, i.e. 1) labor certification application, 2) immigrant visa petition and 3) adjustment of status. You can find Clemson University's policy guidelines for sponsoring LPR petitions at our Permanent Residency Petition page.
The procedures for an employer to sponsor a labor certification application is mainly governed by a DOL regulation published on December 27, 2004, call Program Electronic Review Management (PERM). The DOL regulations require Clemson University to do the following before a labor certification can be filed:
The Secretary of Labor must certify a labor certification application if (1) there are no able, willing and qualified U.S. workers available to fill in the position being offered to the alien in the area of intended employment, and (2) employment of the alien will not adversely affect the wages and working conditions of similarly employed U.S. workers.
The PERM also clarified the circumstances under which a Special Recruitment, formerly called Special Handling can be pursued. Under PERM, when the employer selected the alien for a teaching position, such as professors, pursuant to a competitive recruitment and selection process for which the alien was found to be more qualified than any of the U.S. workers who applied for the job and the application is field within 18 months after a selection was made. Please note, to qualify for special recruitment, Clemson University must have placed a PRINT ADVERTISEMENT in a national professional journal. The benefit for special recruitment is that even if there are minimum qualified U.S. workers who are willing, able to take the job, a labor certification application is still approvable if the alien was the best qualified candidates among all of the applicants. In contrast to "regular labor certification application," one must document that there are no minimum qualified U.S. workers who are willing and able to take the job.
For current PERM processing time, please click here
Once a labor certification has been certified by DOL, Clemson University must file an immigrant petition, I-140 on behalf of the employee listed on the labor certificate. Note filing of I-140 or even approval of I-140 does not give one the right to stay or the right to work in the U.S. One must stay and work for Clemson University based on other approved petitions, such as an approved H-1B petition. Most Clemson sponsored immigrant petition fall under the following five categories.
Aliens of extraordinary ability fall within the employment-based first preference. They are those with "extraordinary ability in the sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics which has been demonstrated by sustained national or international acclaim and whose achievements have been recognized in the field through extensive documentation." The term "extraordinary ability'' is defined at 8 CFR §204.5(h)(2) as "a level of expertise indicating that the individual is one of that small percentage who have risen to the very top of the field of endeavor''. Such evidence must include evidence of a one-time achievement (i.e. a major internationally recognized award) or at least three of the following
Outstanding professors and researchers also fall within the employment-based first preference. This category is for professors and researchers who are recognized internationally for their outstanding academic achievements in a particular field.
To qualify as an Outstanding Professor or Researcher, one must meet the following basic requirements:
In addition, evidence that the professor or researcher is recognized as outstanding in the academic field must include documentation of at least two of the following:
A National Interest Waiver (NIW) petition falls into the employment-based second preference category. Employment-based second preference petition requires a job offer and an approved labor certification is required. However, this requirement can be waivered if the waiver is in the "national interest" of the U.S. (NIW). Since the requirement of a job offer is waived, an individual, even if he/she has no employer, may file an NIW petition on behalf of himself/herself, while a U.S. employer may file an NIW on behalf of the alien as well.
To be approvable, an NIW petitioner must be able to demonstrate that 1) he or she is seeking work in an area of substantial intrinsic merit to the US, 2) the benefit from the proposed activity will be national in scope, and 3) such national interest would be adversely affected if a Labor Certification were required.
An I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker can be filed only if a labor certification application has been certified by DOL. Since this is a labor certification based I-140 petition, the priority date is the date Department of Labor received Clemson University's PERM application.
For current I-140 processing time, please click here.
One can file Adjustment of Status application, I-485 only if an immigrant visa number is immediately available. If an immigrant visa is available at the time of filing I-140, the application to adjust status can be filed simultaneously with the Form I-140. If a visa number is not immediately available, the applicant must wait until his or her availability number has been reached. The immigrant visa allocation is based on your birth place. U.S. Department of States (DOS) publishes a monthly Visa Bulletin, which summarizes the availability of immigrant numbers. If your priority date is on or before the date listed on the Visa Bulletin, an immigrant visa is available to you immediately. Your priority date for the immigrant visa can be found on I-140 filing Notice of Action. If a labor certification was filed on your behalf with the DOL, the priority date is the date that the DOL received the labor certification application.
If an employee has dependent family members, the dependent can also file adjust status application. In addition, both employee and dependent family member(s), can file an employment authorization and travel document applications without paying additional filing fees.
For current I-485 processing time, please click here.


text: Welcome to Wandering Souldier Hi, I'm Kimi Sugiyama. Welcome to Wandering Souldier, my personal platform to share travel experiences through photos and storytelling. As a passionately curious world traveler, I have an insatiable desire to explore different cultures through food, nature, people, languages, and all the adventures that come intertwined. Read More About WS Stay Connected Current Location

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Just got a call from former state lawmaker Jill Chambers, a Republican from Atlanta, who says that she found herself on the short end of a federal bankruptcy judge's ruling this morning.
Chambers filed Chapter 13 bankruptcy last year, in an attempt to protect $64,000 from being seized by creditors of her husband's failed business.
We haven't seen the order yet, but Chambers said the judge declared her campaign fund to be a personal asset exposed to creditors.
Chambers, who had chaired the MARTA oversight committee, had failed to incorporate her re-election campaign.
Chambers lost to Democrat Elena Parent in November.
Asked if she were planning a comeback, Chambers said no – any funds she raised for her campaign could be tapped by her creditors.
"No, I can't come back, thanks to this decision," she said.
By the sound of it, the decision could have repercussions for many other financially troubled public officials as well. We'll post it as soon as some kind soul sends us a copy.
Updated at 2:50 p.m.: Chambers had said that, from the bench, the judge had said it wouldn't have mattered if she had incorporated her campaign fund. But Marc Hershovitz, the attorney representing the creditors, called to say she must have misunderstood – that incorporation would have made all the difference.
The judge has yet to reduce his opinion to writing, but Hershovitz said the decision largely tracked with this brief he filed on the matter.
- By Jim Galloway, Political Insider
For instant updates, follow me on Twitter, or connect with me on Facebook.
May 11th, 2011
1:09 pm
I wonder if Tom Graves has read this yet?
May 11th, 2011
1:35 pm
This is why ALL campaign committees should incorporate. Jill's wasn't which left the door open to this decision. To be fair, almost no one incorporated when Jill originally set hers up. The incorporation provides an extra level of protection.
May 11th, 2011
1:52 pm
If campaign funds are now personal assets, then they are subject to liens, garnishment and seizure on behalf of creditors for the candidate, his family, and his business partners.
The tax implications are not yet known. If the funds are considered personal assets, then that makes them INCOME. donors would have to issue 1099's on all contributions and dinners with lobbyists could be income, too.
The judge was clear that incorporating a campaign account is not a safeguard for campaign donations. He said that the only way to protect the funds is to create a spendthrift trust on behalf of the campaign.
He used Federal statute to make this ruling, so I guess this voids state ethics laws regarding campaign finance.
May 11th, 2011
2:12 pm
I just checked PACER; the decision hasn't been posted yet.
May 11th, 2011
2:15 pm
I can see this kind of both ways. Campaign funds are monies that are received by the bankrupt's estate and thus should be listed as an asset if not used during the campaign. On the other hand, if the funds are indeed considered assets they would be subject to taxaction and other legal issues which I don't believe they currently are. Perhaps the warning here is use up those funds on behalf of the campaign and have nothing left over to be considered a personal asset. On the other hand what criteria would the court use to determine if campaign funds were properly spent in a bankruptcy case?
Not sure if this is an appealable decision or not, but it's interesting.
May 11th, 2011
2:46 pm
§ 21-5-9. Penalties
Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, any person who knowingly fails to comply with or who knowingly violates this chapter shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
§ 21-5-33. Disposition of contributions
…Contributions and interest thereon, if any, shall not constitute personal assets of such candidate or such public officer.
May 11th, 2011
2:59 pm
Why of all the NERVE…..now those liberal federal (bankrupty) judges are thinking they can seize LEGALIZED BRIBES from politicians.
Hell, what's next? Actually making people pay their bills and take responsibility for their actions? Why I never!
May 11th, 2011
3:26 pm
I presume "Jill" is the former (thankfully) legislator in this matter. Ms. Chambers – you made a very silly mistake not incorporating your campaign account for many reasons, this just being one of them. If a campaign employee or volunteer had injured someone else while working for you, you would have been personally liable for it. An incorporated campaign committee would have protected against that too.
As for the assertion that when you first ran "almost no one" incorporated their accounts, I'm not sure where that's coming from. I filed incorporation papers for more than one political campaign in the 1980s. Not incorporating is such a silly mistake I personally believe it calls into question a candidate's judgement and knowledge of how the world works.
In this case, I have to say your error resulted in a justice being done, however. Your creditors get the money they are owed, you're out of office, and you didn't get to spend the money sending those awful mailings I used to get in my mailbox.
May 11th, 2011
3:52 pm
Obamas are "Common" ghetto trash.
May 11th, 2011
4:30 pm
Thanks for the tip – on hold with my business lawyer now.
May 11th, 2011
4:46 pm
Lots of lawyers getting a call from a GA pol about right now… no doubt.
May 11th, 2011
4:50 pm
I don't know about you, but I don't give campaign contributions to candidates so that some government-paid judge can give my money to their creditors.
May 11th, 2011
5:07 pm
Well, Mr. Liberty, maybe you should be careful when forking over your money.
And if "government-paid" judges upset you, who do you think should be paying their salary? Are we going to put advertising on their robes like NASCAR drivers?
May 11th, 2011
5:41 pm
[...] came out on the losing end of a bankruptcy judge's ruling today, according to the venerable Jim Galloway in the AJC. For those who don't remember, in the midst of a heated re-election, Chambers filed [...]
May 11th, 2011
5:52 pm
Hey Water(Head)Girl! Why don't you ever say something constructive rather than always finding something negative to say about other's opinions?
May 11th, 2011
6:05 pm
What was helpful about Mr. Liberty's comment. Who do YOU want to be paying judges?
May 11th, 2011
6:17 pm
It's his opinion Serious…what's wrong with that?
May 11th, 2011
6:32 pm
Campaign funds are nothing but legalized slush funds. Nowadays people run for office just to line their pockets and have money left over to bribe others and buy favors Our elected officials spend 90% of their time and attention raising money with almost no meaningful scrutiny or regulation. For these reasons, I applaud what the judge has done. Politics has become a grotesque greed-fest.
May 11th, 2011
7:18 pm
Jill is the person the Republicans put in place to keep oversight over MARTA, which has an annual budget in the hundreds of millions. Perhaps they should have put a bit more thought into that appointment.
May 11th, 2011
7:54 pm
Here's a strategy for avoiding having your assets, or those of your spouse, seized by creditors. Pay your bills.
May 12th, 2011
6:55 am
And as always she is putting all the blame on Albert when in fact it was her business also. What a jerk she is.
May 12th, 2011
8:34 am
I wonder if she will get cited for misappropriation for this? I am thinking so.
May 12th, 2011
2:03 pm
This has a lot of God-fearing Republican officials calling their lawyers.
May 12th, 2011
10:59 pm
According to State Law, and the Ethics Rules, the dispostion of campaign funds cannot be done so for reasons that are personal and that are not spelled out in the law. A bankruptcy or any lein, lawsuit against the candidate is just that, a personal matter and clearly is not withing the legal means spelled out in the law. To attach those funds to any of those actions would make the disposition for personal reasons. Plain and simple. This judge will have to make this clear or help re-write state law and a whole bunch of other state's laws.
A similar case regarding the legal disposition of funds is coming against former Clayton Sheriff Victor Hill. He created a Nevada corporation and wrote campaign checks to the corporation that he created after he lost reelection. The campaign had 40k left in it after the loss. According to this judge he should of just listed the campaign account on his bankruptcy. NOT!


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Pale gold color; this sparkling wine is delicate, delicious and delightful; the taste is extremely fresh, wrapped by an elegant bubble substance, clean, with a crisp, dry, and pleasant finish. Ideal as an aperitif or as a cocktail wine; to be served with hors d'oeuvres, cold dishes as well as seafood; perfect for any celebrations!
The Pierre Sparr estate was created by one of the oldest and most prestigious wine producing families in France's Alsace region, established since 1680. It produces an award-winning and diverse range of 32 different red, white, still, sparkling, dry and sweet wines and owns 80 acres of vineyards spread across five different Grand Crus - Brand, Mambourg, Schlossberg, Schoenenbourg...Read More About Pierre Sparr
Seventy miles long and two miles wide, Alsace is a beautiful, picturesque region situated along the border of France and Germany, nestled between the Voges Mountains and the Rhine River. These landmarks give Alsace an ideal climate for the white grapes that have become the mainstays of the region. Pinot Noir is also grown, with plantings of the grape increasing with consumer...Read More About Alsace
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Buenrostro, Salvador Jr., a boy, born Oct. 6, 2011 to Salvador Buentrostro and Maria Carmen Rivera, of Stockton.
Cowan, Tucker Christian, a boy, born Sept. 28, 2011 to Steven Cowan and Angela Strober, of Acampo.
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This is a great piece on why "app" businesses are rough to monetize at scale given the current AppStore.
See what's Trending Now for @antrod


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Expect the best from our food service. They will providing three vegan meals a day, which is paid for by the registration fee. Lodging prices are listed below, and also in the booking system.


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Raiders Silver and Black Blog
All about the Oakland Raiders
Monthly Archive for July, 2013
D.J. Hayden waiting on "doctor's decision"
We covered what's going through Denarius Moore's and Rod Streater's minds regarding the No. 1 receiver job in this morning's paper. And we may be overly perceptive (or sensitive, or nitpicky) as reporters, but we thought we picked up on a slight change in rookie cornerback D.J. Hayden's status on Tuesday. Hayden is coming off […] [Read More]
Injuries piling up for Raiders
Rookie running back Latavius Murray was the latest Raiders player to join the injured group, missing practice Tuesday, and then rookie defensive tackle Stacy McGee, center Alex Parsons, receiver Conner Vernon weren't able to finish practice. That makes 14 guys who are hurt. The Raiders aren't disclosing the injuries but coach Dennis Allen said none […] [Read More]
Pryor throwing well, but not necessarily closing gap on Flynn
The Raiders' Terrelle Pryor completed some pretty deep passes over receivers' shoulders during Saturday's training camp practice and then showed Sunday that he also made progress throwing short- and medium-range passes. Pryor has worked hard on his footwork and throwing mechanics, and he has looked considerably better this week than he did at offseason workouts. […] [Read More]
Nick Roach makes an immediate impression at camp
First impressions count for a lot, and even if the bar is low, middle linebacker Nick Roach is making some pretty good ones at Raiders training camp this week. Teammates and coaches have not only been impressed with his knowledge and vision of things unfolding on the field, but Roach has also shown some athleticism […] [Read More]
Raiders sign center/guard Gurode
After a group of 15-20 coaches, scouts and front-office executives watched him work out Friday, free-agent center/guard Andre Gurode signed with the Raiders. Gurode, a five-time Pro Bowler (2006-10), has played in 151 games with 127 starts in 10 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys and Baltimore Ravens. He was active for two games with the […] [Read More]
McKenzie has "no doubts" Raiders will be better this season
You can tell by the smile on Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie's face that he's heard all the preseason predictions and power rankings. He was asked his thoughts on his team being picked at, or near, the bottom of the NFL. "I like being an underdog," McKenzie said after the first training camp practice on […] [Read More]
First-round pick Hayden practices with a red jersey (updated)
Raiders first-round pick D.J. Hayden passed his team physical Friday morning and was on the field for the team's first training camp practice in Napa on Friday. You could tell it was him because he was wearing a red jersey among his defensive players' black ones. As in no contact, like a quarterback. "It's been […] [Read More]
Looks like top 2 draft picks out for first practice
On Wednesday night, Raiders first-round draft pick D.J. Hayden tweeted, "I'm good folks." Notice he didn't say great. While the cornerback signed his contract Thursday, Hayden and second-round draft pick Menelik Watson were placed on the non-football-injury list Thursday afternoon. So, they're all but out for the team's first practice at training camp in Napa […] [Read More]
Raiders top pick Hayden signs contract
General manager Reggie McKenzie said cornerback D.J. Hayden's medical history was "a non-issue" and not only drafted him 12th but said he would have picked him third had the Raiders not traded down. Hayden's agent made a note of that. According to Pro Football Talk, Hayden's contract Thursday uses the same structure employed by the […] [Read More]
Hayden agrees to terms; is he cleared for practice?
First-round pick D.J. Hayden agreed to terms with the Raiders today, league sources confirmed. That. with second-round pick Menelik Watson signing last night, means that all of the team's draft picks are locked up entering Friday's first practice of training camp. Are they all ready to go, is the question. Hayden missed all of the […] [Read More]
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Nikiski netters miss out on state
The Nikiski volleyball team failed to qualify for the Class 3A state championships thanks to consecutive losses at the Southcentral Conference tournament at Anchorage Christian Schools on Friday and Saturday.
After losing to Seward 3-0 in a winner-to-state contest Friday, the Bulldogs fell to ACS in five sets Saturday. The scores were 25-16, 25-15, 18-25, 16-25 and 19-17.
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5 Not-So-Scary Plumbing Fixes
Sep 4th 2010 11:51AM Add a little food coloring to the top tank if the flapper is leaking the food coloring will show up in the bowl. this will help find the problem


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Dear Straight Talk: I'm 16 with a 14-year-old sister and 11-year-old brother. We live with our mom in a three-bedroom apartment with only one bathroom. Everyone needs to get ready at the same time in the morning. Our mom says she and her sisters shared the bathroom, including "using the facility," and it never was a problem. Since we don't care to, she says we're "overly modest" and have "serious hang-ups" about bathroom functions. We aren't shy about undressing in front of each other; however, we think it's reasonable to want privacy for certain functions. What do you think? — Hung-Up?
Leah, 20, Yuba City: I shared a bathroom with my sisters for years and we were never OK with that!
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Clever crafty fox
You ain't wanted
You ain't needed (ain't ain't a word)
A hungry wolf took the house and girl.
Took the warmth and home.
He took the hearth and pearls.
Pick up what's left and eat and save the scraps.
A woodman always coming at you with an axe.
You're smarter than that. Fight back?
Red Riding gal gives you a plate of milk.
No one likes a smartass. Especially me. So by that logic, I hate myself.
Clever crafty fox.
Lick your paws. Outsmarted them.
Caught the catcher. Stalked the stalker. Hunted the hunter. Just try to outfox this fox.
- lordandladyblahblah posted this


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13 January 2013
I can hear the steady pattering of raindrops hitting the tin roof of the front porch.
As I sit here recovering from a cold on this chilly, wet day, I have been spending this peaceful time reading, praying, listening to a sermon, and recording the Providences of God. He has blessed us with a new year in which to serve Him, as He sustains us day by day.
The sound of the rainfall brought to mind the faithful lovingkindness of our God – how He cares for us and provides for all of our needs, down to each little raindrop. In one of my readings I turned to The Lovingkindness of God from A.W. Pink's "The Attributes of God" [PDF]. I found this passage to be both humbling and awe-inspiring:
"Marvelous it is that One so infinitely above us, so inconceivably glorious, so ineffably holy, should not only notice such worms of the earth, but also set His heart upon them, give His Son for them, send His Spirit to indwell them, and so bear with all their imperfections and waywardness as never to remove His lovingkindness from them."
"The more occupied we are with God's goodness, the more careful we will be about our obedience."
May our love for Him and our awe of His faithful, preserving, life-giving hand compel us to evermore walk in obedience to His commands!
16 November 2012
Autumn is such a beautiful season – the colors, the weather, etc. More than that, though, it is beautiful to see people give thanks, counting how many ways God has blessed them. And for each and everyone of us living and breathing, that list is unending.
One way we display reminders to cultivate a thankful heart is with The Thankful Tree. This year instead of scrapbook paper we are using wooden chalkboard tags.
For assembling, all you need is:
• Sticks
• Wooden Chalkboard Tags (make your own or buy them already made)
• Chalk (you can sharpen the chalk with a pencil sharpener)
• Scissors
• Glass Jar – gallon (shown) or half-gallon
• Assorted Nuts, for extra beauty
• Burlap and/or Ribbon, for extra beauty
• Thankful Heart ("I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart…")
"Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon His name;
make known His deeds among the peoples!
Sing to Him, sing praises to Him;
tell of all His wondrous works!"
—1 Chronicles 16:8-9
Are you building a Thankful Tree this year? What blessings will you be etching on the ornaments?
7 September 2012
The sky was scattered with cumulus clouds last evening, each one reaching further toward the heavens than the last. A beautiful reminder that the steadfast love of the Lord extends to the heavens.
"Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens,
Your faithfulness to the clouds.
Your righteousness is like the mountains of God;
Your judgments are like the great deep;
man and beast You save, O Lord."
—Psalm 36:5-6
31 August 2012
We waited until golden hour when the warmth of the sunlight is at a peak to get these shots for the Six Angles "Faceless Portrait" theme.
This is an artist at sunset. She loves to paint for the glory of God.
"And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of
the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him."
—Colossians 3:17
P.S. These were taken with the new Nikkor 28mm f/1.8 lens (a very sharp lens) paired with the Nikon D7000 camera body.
27 August 2012
How are we as Christian women to use beauty? How does one balance beauty and practicality? Is beauty only skin-deep? Does cultivating beauty equal vanity? Or can beauty be used to glorify God?
Have you ever asked yourself those questions?
Let me introduce you to an upcoming webinar on this very subject:
"Reclaiming Beauty: A New Look at How to Glorify God in Your Body"
Anna Sofia and Elizabeth Botkin will cover topics ranging from such practical issues as skincare, fitness, posture, voice, modesty, home-made beauty products, and color analysis . . . to subjects as penetrating as personal identity, insecurity, comparisons, worldliness, vanity, idolatry, our attitude toward others, and the state of our hearts before the Lord.
I'm looking forward to learning from what they share! The first of seven live, hour-long sessions will begin September 25 (in the comfort of your own home) – plus you'll be able to listen to the recordings whenever you'd like after each broadcast!
You can find out more about the webinar and register here.
24 August 2012
Our grapevines are covered in ripe fruit! There's nothing like sun-warmed concord grapes straight off the vine. Soon we'll be turning these delicious clusters into grape jelly, sweetened with coconut sugar.
"Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in Me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing."
—John 15:4-5
1 August 2012
This month's free embroidery pattern from Clementine Patterns features several delightful graphics for Kindness.
Download the PDF pattern for free and embroider your own version! (For personal use only. This PDF pattern download is available for free through August 10th.) UPDATE: Now available here!
"But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness and self-control; against such things there is no law."
—Galatians 5:22-23
Don't miss out on next month's free embroidery pattern…
you can subscribe here to be notified when it's released!
9 July 2012
This month's featured fruit of the Spirit is Patience. We've created a free embroidery pattern from Clementine Patterns – just for you! The PDF embroidery pattern features several graphics for Patience
and you can click here to download the PDF for free. (For personal use only. This PDF pattern is available temporarily as a free download – now through Friday, July 13th.)
UPDATE: Now available here!
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."
—Galatians 5:22-23
P.S. Missed the the previous months' "love" and "joy" and "peace" patterns? No worries – they're available as PDF downloads in our Etsy shop!
7 June 2012
As we sat eating supper at the dinner table, something down the table caught my attention.
I looked over to see this vase of daisies. As I watched, one wilted flower was mournfully dropping its head. From lack of water it was exhausted and had started to let go of life.
The stem was not deep enough in the vase to reach the water which had been quickly drank by the dozen daisies. The pathetic, now bent stem looked rather mournful with its head hanging low.
I quickly took some water and filled the vase back up to the rim, hoping to keep that sad end from meeting any of the others.
Little did I expect the next morning…
…to find a certain little flower holding its head up high. Bent though its little neck was, the daisy's cheerful yellow face was now turned to the sun once again. The water had refreshed the life of the sad flower, giving it all the more strength and resolve to stand strong.
This little incident reminded me of a couple verses that are very dear to me – verses that remind us to:
– Seek to be transformed in the renewing our minds in God's Word
– Discern and pursue the will of God, what is good, acceptable, and perfect
– To be refreshed in Christ – through His Word, prayer, edification of believers, etc.
"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of
your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God,
what is good and acceptable and perfect."
—Romans 12:2
And especially:
"Refresh my heart in Christ."
—Philemon 1:20b
Turn your face to the Son and be refreshed.


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Although America's all-volunteer military absorbs much of the burden of war, military conflicts impact our entire society. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, which are projected to cost over $3 trillion, have also led to changes in domestic politics that have curtailed civil liberties, expanded intrusive government practices, and bypassed congressional war powers. Over the past decade, America's post-9/11 wars have also transformed our political discourse, popular culture, and social relations. These changes have produced a generation of young Americans who are not only less accustomed to peace, but also more accustomed to ceding power to government.
Will the current state of U.S. foreign policy embed war-making in the DNA of the next generation, or will over a decade of perpetual war eventually be rejected in favor of a renewed preference for liberty and peace?
Drawing on his recent work at George Mason University, Mercatus Dissertation Fellow Duncan will describe the political economy of the military-industrial complex and the side effects of military spending. Steven Kull, the director of the Program on International Policy Attitudes at the University of Maryland, will discuss the American electorate's changing attitudes toward U.S. military intervention overseas and America's role in the world. Doug Bandow, senior fellow at the Cato Institute, will explore why the biggest increases in the size and scope of government power have historically been during times of war, and why perpetual war diminishes America's security, freedom, and prosperity.
For more information and to register, click here: http://www.cato.org/event.php?eventid=9217.
If you can't make it to the Cato Institute, watch this event live online at www.cato.org/live and join the conversation on Twitter with the hashtag #CatoEvents. Also follow @CatoEvents on Twitter to get future event updates, live streams, and videos from the Cato Institute.


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Welcome to this week's edition of Treasure Chest—73 EdTech Resources You May Have Missed.
It's really difficult to keep up with all that happens in educational technology. This is my attempt to make it just a little easier. I post a Treasure Chest every Sunday!
- National PBS Survey Finds Teachers Want More Access to Classroom Tech–PBS LearningMedia announced today findings from a national survey of teachers grades pre-K-12 that sheds light on the rising role of technology in America's classrooms, as well as barriers teachers face to accessing the "right" digital resources
- Why OnLive's Windows-on-iPad App is Revolutionary | PandoDaily–The app—a bare-bones, free version was released last week at CES—lets an iPad run Windows 7 in the cloud. It's a bizarre, head-turning experience: You touch the app and suddenly Microsoft's familiar interface is emblazoned on your Apple screen.
- Googling Towards ePortfolios- Educational Collaborators–Much has been written about ePortfolios, which combine curated archives of digitized student work, "rubrics" indicating the learning objectives the work responded to, and student-teacher commentary about how well the work met those objectives.
- The Landscape: My Top 25 Free Math Resources for Education–To be a well-informed citizen and a participant in the knowledge economy, Americans must be mathematically literate.
- Computational Thinking: A Digital Age Skill for Everyone – YouTube
Computational Thinking: A Digital Age Skill for Everyone
- Are You Sick Of 'Highly Paid' Teachers? | Addicting Info–Teachers' hefty salaries are driving up taxes, and they only work 9 or10 months a year! It's time we put things in perspective and pay them for what they do – babysit!
- Judge: Americans can be forced to decrypt their laptops | Privacy Inc. – CNET News–Colorado federal judge gives Ramona Fricosu until February 21 to decrypt her PGP Desktop-encrypted Toshiba laptop–or face the consequences. Read this blog post by Declan McCullagh on Privacy Inc..
- What NOT To Post On Facebook: 13 Things You Shouldn't Tell Your Facebook Friends–According to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, the company's unofficial mission is to make "the world more open and connected." But there are limits to how open you should be on Facebook and while you might enjoy sharing photos and status updates, there are some pieces of information you would do well never to share.
- How Poor Performance in College Sets Students Up for a Lifetime of Difficulty – Education – GOOD–College students not used to being asked to study are struggling in the real world.
- The True Cost of High School Dropouts – NYTimes.com–Proven educational strategies to increase high school completion provide returns to the taxpayer that are two to four times their cost.
- Thought SOPA Was Bad? 10 Reasons to Oppose ACTA–So, we've shot down SOPA and PIPA. Congratulations Internets for a job well done. Mission accomplished, right? Not so much. While that's two bad pieces of legislation pushed …
- What You Should Know About ACTA and Your Rights–The most controversial measures of concern to Internet users in the final version of the international Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) for most Internet users are …
- Top 13 Web 2.0 Tools for Classrooms « Ask a Tech Teacher–If a program survives the hands-on grade-level labor of dozens of students, if they can get through the required steps to create a project that supports their learning in new creative ways and still have fun, I've found a good tool.
- Best 117 Free Windows Software–On this page you will find the best 117 free Windows programs for all your needs. We've taken the effort to categorize the apps and …
- 50 new tech tools you should know about – CNN.com–You may have dozens of apps on your phone and scores of websites bookmarked on your laptop, but that doesn't mean you have all the latest tech tools at your fingertips.
- My 3 Favorite & Easiest Ways To Download Videos Off The Web–We've talked a lot on this subject in the past, but I'm confident that you'll find my ways to be the easiest and most effective. Storing remote video content locally is a challenge no more.
- Educational Technology Guy: Soapbox – real time student feedback during class–Soapbox is a beta web service that allows presenters and educators to have students/audience provide input during the class/presentation.
- Five Best Online Meeting Services–Here are five of the best services to conduct productive online meetings, based on your nominations.
- Facebook Apps: Highlights of the 60 New Integrated Applications–If you enjoy using Spotify or Foursquare on Facebook, imagine having the same integration with a bevy of other Facebook apps.
- Five apps for crapware cleanup | TechRepublic–You don*t have to put up with the aggravation of crapware. Here are several effective tools for removing it from your Windows PC.
- Four Creative Commons Photo Sites You Should Know About « Ed Tech Ideas–Students need to be taught about copyright and how to find royalty-free images that are ok to use in projects. Below are four great sites that I use with my students.
- The Best Screencasting App for Mac OS X–Mac OS X is full of ways to record your screen, with a tool built-in to Quicktime Player and a vast number of third-party apps. Among the many tools, Screenflow is easily our top choice. It's fast, feature-rich, handles everything about the screencasting process from start to finish, and doubles as possibly the best simple video editing application on the Mac.
- Heard Wonders About Camtasia But Can't Afford It? Try ActivePresenter [Windows]–Camstudio is a simple open-source screen recorder that's great for someone who's starting out his or her YouTube show on software tips and how-to's. If you're looking for something that allows you to enhance your videos even more, check out what ActivePresenter offers. ActivePresenter is a screencasting software that you can use to author training tutorials and software walkthroughs.
- Best 60 Ubuntu Linux Applications For Year 2011 [Editor's Pick]–At the beginning of each year, we at AddictiveTips compile a list of the best applications from numerous platforms, to deliver a summary of the most useful
- The Best Tools to Check for Software Updates | 7 Tutorials–This article compares the best tools: Appudater, CNET TechTracker, FileHippo Update Checker, Secunia PSI, Software Informer Client and SUMO
- Aviary Comes To Facebook As An App [News]–Looking to edit images on Facebook? You now have one more option, and it's a doozy. Aviary is now available on Facebook as an app.
- Moving at the Speed of Creativity – Calculate and Learn about Percentages with Percentage Calculator–Mateusz Mucha, a web developer in Krakow, Poland, has developed a free, online tool called "Percentage Calculator" you should show to your math students and use with them in class
- 26 Tips for Writing Great Blog Posts | Social Media Examiner–Want to get the most our ot your business blogging? Follow these 26 tips to create optimal blog posts every time you sit down to write.
- How to figure out the new iTunes U | iPhone Atlas – CNET Reviews–With the spotlight turned on education after Apple's iBooks 2 media event, iTunes U has gotten a facelift as well as some important resource pages on Apple's Web site. Read this blog post by Joe Aimonetti on iPhone Atlas.
- Networking Guide for Bloggers: Why It Is Important (Part 1)–In today's blogosphere a lot of discussion is going on about various aspects of positioning and growing a blog. Even though the space gets more and more crowded
- Which Blogging Platform Should I Use?–Dear Lifehacker, I want to start a new blog, but I'm not sure which platform is best for me. Obviously WordPress is the most popular, and there are many more common choices, but I'm not sure what will fit my needs the best. Can you help?
- Quick Tip: How To Delete Your Google Chrome Browser Sync Data – How-To Geek–There are a number of reasons one might want to delete their Google Chrome Sync data. Regardless of the reason why, there's one simple place to do it from, though it might not be obvious.
- How-To Decrypt DVDs with HandBrake (So You Can Rip Them) – How-To Geek–Ripping DVDs is a great way to keep a backup and stream videos over your network. The process typically takes 2-3 different programs to accomplish the task. Here's how you can skip a step and decrypt DVDs using HandBrake.
- 5 Web Apps Which Show Us How To Make Use Of QR Codes Differently–You must have spotted at least one QR code by now. If not, then you are a certifiable alien from Mars. QR codes are quite the rage. We have them on everything from food labels to car bumpers. And yes, tattoos too! QR codes are definitely mainstream now, given a boost up the use of smartphones and intelligent scanning apps that reside in them. So, here are five more web apps which show us how QR codes have gone conventional.
- 30 Amazing Mobile Apps for Photographers–Mobile photography is becoming more and more popular with an ever expanding sea of apps available to aid anyone with a keen eye and a smartphone.
- 7 Splendid Techniques to Encourage Comments on Your Blog–One of the best ways to gauge the health of your blog readership is to check out how many comments you have for your posts. More comments mean that your readers
- 10 Photography Tips for Beginners | PCMag.com–You don't have to buy a new camera to perfect your pictures. Follow these easy tips to improve the quality of your snapshots
- The top 50 iPad apps | Technology | The Observer–It's the apps that bring the iPad to life. If you want to read a book, watch a movie, make a video call, paint a picture or just browse on the sofa, there's an app for you
- Free iPad Notes – Handwriting, drawing, typing, audio recording and speech to text! | iGo With My iPad–The folks from Nuance Communications, the provider of Dragon voice recognition, have released their free iPad notes app – PaperPort Notes.
- 5 Free Awesome iPad Games You Simply Have To Try–If you own an iPad, you already know that games are its best feature by far. We've covered lots of free iPad games here at MakeUseOf, but free awesome games are a well which never dries. Here are 5 games that have survived the 10-minutes test, and are probably some of the best-value free games you can find.
- iTunes U 2.0: Not Perfect, Just Awesome–iTunes U has been around for a long time, but its expansion last week onto iPhones and iPads, as well as into new content like K-12 curriculum, has truly made this a 2.0 release
- iPad a solid education tool, study reports – CNN.com–Today another data point emerged, demonstrating that the iPad can be a valuable asset in education.
- TPACK iPads in Schools – Hello to my new iPad–If you are a new iPad user this blog will guide you through the basics and help you to get started.
- The Best Voice Recording App for iPhone–There are more voice recording apps for iPhone than you could ever hope to try, and most them don't offer much more than the simple functionality you get with Apple's built-in Voice Memo app. Audio Memos, on the other hand, earns our top choice because it offers tons of control over your recordings and makes them very easy to share.
- Blooms Taxonomy of Apps–iPad Apps separated by Bloom's Taxonomy
Open publication – Free publishing – More apps
- Apple iBooks in schools: Devil is in the hardware | From the Editors – CNET News–CNET Reviews Editor-in-Chief Lindsey Turrentine knows schools, and she's sad to say that outfitting public classrooms with sophisticated hardware will cause more problems than schools are ready to face. Read this blog post by Lindsey Turrentine on From the Editors.
- Reviewing Apple's iBooks Author–Apple recently announced the launch of its free iBooks Author desktop application, which – they claim – allows anyone to create beautiful Multi-Touch
- Secret iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch Keyboard Shortcut Tips–Did you know that Apple iPhones, iPads and the iPod touch devices have secret keyboard shortcuts you can access by pressing and holding a key on the keyboard? OK… perhaps not exactly secret however, Apple did a nice job of hiding this groovy feature on iOS devices and I'll bet you've never heard of it before. This is a quick tip so grab your iDevice and keep reading.
- 20 Great Classroom iPad Apps to add to your Collection (1-5) | edte.ch–Over the last year and a half I have really enjoyed exploring the types of iPad apps that can be used in the classroom and so I thought I would begin to draw …
- Apps in Education: Dual Browsers for Real MultiTasking on iPad–Dual Browsing is about ease of use. It is not essential or even necessary – it is just convenient.
- Getting started with iPads and App sites for Teachers–Getting Started with iPads is my site, it contains apps by content area, articles, information, resources and about anything you want to know
- 4 More Distraction Deterring Android Apps To Increase Your Productivity–While working on mobile, you need to be able to be efficient. Here are a few Android applications to help you manage your distractions and be more productive.
- 5 Free Android Math Apps || Free Software–Here are 5 free Android math apps which will help you to exercise and improve your mathematical skills. Download Free Android Maths Apps.
- 5 Reasons To Choose Android Over iPhone [Opinion]–If you're looking at buying a smartphone, you're probably going to buy an Android device or an iPhone (sorry, Microsoft). What's the difference, and which should you choose? We recently gave the pro-iPhone side of the story, and now in the interests of balance, it's time for to put forward the case for Android.
- AndroGET: Android Download Manager With Acceleration & Resume Support–The Android Market contains many third-party download managers and browsers that come packed with download managers of their own, each claiming to provide you …
- Decide.com For Android Is A Smart Virtual Shopping Assistant–Decide.com is a web-based shopping assistant that utilizes a comprehensive pricing history of various consumer electronic products from over 30 product
- 10 Best Arcade Games for Android–Need to sharpen your lightning-fast reflexes? These 10 Android games are the cream of the crop when it comes to arcade action.
- I Want to Teach Forever: 3 Fun Online Games For Reviewing Slope and Linear Equations–These three fun flash games were successful in keeping my students' attention for a full 50 minute period, which doesn't happen frequently.
- Free Technology for Teachers: Video Project Idea – Get to Know Your School–The idea is this, have students create "this is our school" videos that can be displayed on your school's website.
- Timeline Apps | Facebook–Add apps to your timeline to share what you're listening to, reading and more.
- Why Tablets Are So Important | Tim Bajarin | PCMag.com–Sure, tablets are great for media consumption, but the future of personal computing depends on their productivity.
- Things About Windows 7′s Calculator You Probably Didn't Know–I love Windows 7′s calculator. Still, it wasn't until today that I discovered that there are more functions in this little program than were present in its previous versions
- Angry Birds Coming to Facebook–Starting on Valentine's Day, you won't be able to focus on your work at all (if you could until now, that is). Why? Angry Birds is coming to..
- Google+ Welcomes Teens–Aiming to hit Facebook in a vulnerable spot, Google on Thursday opened Google+ to teens — and added security enhancements designed to help secure their privacy.
- QR Codes on the Rise in Print Magazines–Mobile UX designers and marketing and analytics firm Nellymoser released today a comprehensive study of print magazine action codes. They took the time to review every 2011 issue …
- Timehop Shows Your Activity on Social Sites Same Day a Year Ago–Timehop is a Service that Shows Your Activity on Social Sites the Same Day a Year Ago. Works with Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Foursquare.
- 5 Amazing Things Internet May Have Ruined–Many of us are unable to survive without the internet because our modern society has grown to become so reliant on it. We go online everyday and has grown so …
- When's the Best Time to Blog & Share?–Anyone who spends their day on the Internet inevitably wonders this question. Should I start publishing later in the day, to hit the after-work traffic? Should I publish earlier in the morning, to catch commuters while they're on the way to work? Or is everything completely random, driven by the off-chance that a post will end up on StumbleUpon and enjoy a slightly longer tail? Social sharing widget Sharaholic looked at its 2011 data, breaking it down to the top 100 days and times for sharing. See the results in Eastern Standard Time….
- Bill Gates Sent A Letter To Steve Jobs Before His Death | Redmond Pie–There were undoubtedly good times and bad times shared between the two rivaling tech-gurus Steve Jobs and Bill Gates over the years.
Google Apps FETC2012
View more presentations from Helen Barrett
Yosemite HD from Project Yosemite on Vimeo.
Boy LEGO vs Girl LEGO
We Were Wanderers On A Prehistoric Earth from James W Griffiths on Vimeo.


text:
In a time when people weren't concerned about the gas price, the Audi Q7 was one of the best sold models in the luxury SUV market. But the crisis has come, regulations have changed and in order not to loose their clients Audi needs to change strategy. And they will with the next generation Q7 that will be both smaller and lighter. In short: more economical.
The second generation Audi Q7 set to be unveiled in 2013 will be built on the same platform as the new Volkswagen Touareg and Porsche Cayenne . Thanks to a new construction process that will include intense use of aluminum, the Q7 will be about 650 lbs. However, despite these changes the Q7 will still be bigger than both Touareg and Cayenne.
Under the hood Audi will opt for smaller engines, including the possibility of hybrid version.
Also, a while ago it was rumored that Audi will consider a XXL version of the Q7, but now Audi chairman Rupert Stadler said this is not a possibility. At least right now.
Updated 02/22/2012: The upcoming generation Audi Q7 has been caught testing for the first time.
Spy Shots
May 27, 2014 - Next Audi Q7 Goes For Another Testing Session
April 15, 2014 - Next Generation Audi Q7 Continues Testing


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relating to: using accumulated unused sick leave credits and health insurance premium credits for the purchase of long-term care insurance for participants under the Wisconsin Retirement System.
|Date / House
|3/14/2006 Asm.
|Introduced by Representatives Petrowski, Ainsworth, Musser, Albers, Ott, Hahn, Owens and Townsend; cosponsored by Senator Roessler.
|3/14/2006 Asm.
|Read first time and referred to committee on Insurance
|3/15/2006 Asm.
|Fiscal estimate received.
|5/11/2006 Asm.
|Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1


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text:
The Meaning of Christmas: Comparing Dickens and Handel
The past week has been full of memories for me and my family. On Sunday afternoon we traveled to the Navy Academy chapel in Annapolis to hear Handel's Messiah performed. The chapel is stunning and the performance was beautiful. On Wednesday night we traveled to D.C. to Ford's Theater to see a performance of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. Ford's is very small and intimate and the play was incredibly well acted. The empty president's box elevated above the stage is a reminder that lends further eeriness to Dickens' haunted intentions.
Both experiences will live long in my memory.
But while I was sitting in Ford's theater I was struck by the contrasting Christmas messages between Dickens and Handel.
I'll begin with Dickens.
For Dickens, Christmas is about getting unshackled from materialism to appreciate all the blessed relationships we've been given. That's a very good message. And in my attempt to further discover Dickens' understanding of the meaning of Christmas, I was led to his short book, The Life of Our Lord. He wrote it not primarily to be published but to be read by his children each Christmas, thus giving us a glimpse into the urgency of its annual, seasonal message. The book is Dickens' retelling of Christ's birth, life, death on the cross, and resurrection. And quite frankly, most of it is very good.
Yet here is the final paragraph of the book, the punch line, the meaning of Christmas – the meaning of the cross and all of Christianity – in summary:
Remember! — It is Christianity To Do Good always — even to those who do evil to us. It is Christianity to love our neighbour as ourself, and to do to all men as we would have them Do to us. It is Christianity to be gentle, merciful, and forgiving, and to keep those qualities quiet in our own hearts, and never make a boast of them, or of our prayers or of our love of God, but always to shew that we love Him by humbly trying to do right in everything. If we do this, and remember the life and lessons of Our Lord Jesus Christ, and try to act up to them, we may confidently hope that God will forgive us our sins and mistakes, and enable us to live and die in Peace.
For Dickens, the value of Christmas, and the Savior's life and work it appears to me, is its ability to produce in us moral reform, enabling us to becoming better, do better, and ultimately to appease God, pleasing him with our moral reforms and effecting his forgiveness for our sins so that we can die in peace. You can hear all these theological assumptions echoing in A Christmas Carol, even into the final paragraph where we are assured that Scrooge "lived upon the Total Abstinence Principle, ever afterwards." Personal reform was the main point.
Then there is Handel's Messiah. Here are some selected lyrics, which are passages drawn directly from the KJV Bible. Hardly any commentary is needed:
Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world. [John 1:29]
He was despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. He gave His back to the smiters, and His cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: He hid not His face from shame and spitting. [Isaiah 53:3, 50:6]
Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows! He was wounded for our transgressions; He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him. And with His stripes we are healed. [Isaiah 53:4-5]
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way. And the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all. [Isaiah 53:6]
He was cut off out of the land of the living; for the transgression of Thy people was He stricken. [Isaiah 53:8]
I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth; and though worms destroy this body yet, in my flesh shall I see God. For now is Christ risen from the dead, the firstfruits of them that sleep. [Job 19:25 and 1 Corinthians 15:20]
Since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. [1 Corinthians 15:21]
For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. [1 Corinthians 15:22]
O death, where is thy sting? O grave! where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. [1 Corinthians 15:55-57]
If God be for us, who can be against us? Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth, who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea, rather that is risen again, who is at the right hand of God, who makes intercession for us. [Romans 8:31-34]
And then it all closes with this magnificent scene of eternal, angelic worship:
Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, and hath redeemed us to God by His blood, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory and blessing. Blessing and honour, glory and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb, for ever and ever. Amen. [Revelation 5:12-14]
So beautiful!
I'm grateful Handel closed with yet another reference to the finished work of Christ. His entire message is soaked with the substitutionary blood of Christ. Jesus was born to die in our place, and died to be raised from the dead, and was raised to guarantee our bodily resurrection. In Handel's work our eternal hope gets firmly placed on the shoulders of the Christ-child born in Bethlehem. Messiah is a magnificent work.
I don't know much about the life of Dickens, but clearly he was no mere deist. He pressed his children to see the importance of Christ's incarnation, his death, his resurrection, his ascension, and even the persecution of the early church. He seems to have a high regard for Scripture, and for this I am thankful. But it also seems that he boils down the meaning of Christmas to say little more than that Christ is our moral pattern to help us live Christianly.
By contrast, for Handel, the birth of the Savior marks the beginning of the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies. As that eternal plan begins to unfold on earth, Christ must be born, he must die a bloody death, and he must defeat the grave because we are desperate and helpless sinners. The entire salvific purposes of God begin to unfold in the Incarnation, in the birth of Christ.
For Dickens, Christmas is a reminder that we are all Scrooges, self-centered ungrateful nobs who yet have some hope of appeasing God through our personal reform.
For Handel, Christmas reminds us that we are all sinners, we are "in Adam," and for that we are helpless to stop God's righteous judgment towards our sin. Yet there is One who has paid the price to quench God's wrath on our behalf.
In both A Christmas Carol and Messiah, all our warm and tranquil Hallmark Christmas sentimentality gets blasted by cold reality. Death is coming for us all, and the grave is approaching quickly.
Dickens wants people to die in peace.
Handel wants people raised from the dead.
Dickens' hope is rooted in the future — in the finished work of moral reform necessary in our lives.
Handel's hope is rooted in the past — the full and complete work of Christ on our behalf.
Dickens' message is "do."
Handel's message is "done."
Dickens' work is good for what it is, a seasonal, warmhearted morality tale. For that I find it agreeable and commendable. But Handel's work comprehends the scope of the hope-giving and guilt-freeing meaning of Christmas. For that I find eternal comfort, and hope for my ongoing battle against my inner self-centered, thankless Scrooge.
Posted on December 12, 2011, in Christmas. Bookmark the permalink. 31 Comments.
This is wonderful! Thank you for clarifying so well the difference between these two. You've given me the words to now share with my children.
Thanks for this contrast piece, Tony. I wonder how many have ever listened to Handel's Messiah all the way through, let alone in a live performance? I was doing so last Thursday, in my study. Through God's providence, the Hallelujah chorus came up while I was finishing my time in Romans 8.31–39. There's a delightful experience if ever there was one! Try to keep a dull heart, a dry eye, an un-lifted voice when the whole comes to an end…not gonna happen!
What a striking contrast, Tony.
Excellent perspective. We've been reading P.J. Lynch's gorgeous illustrated version of A Christmas Carol with our kids and this piece gives us a great point for discussion.
Fantastic! Great insight. Thanks for an extremely thought provoking article.
And yet how many evangelicals know how to keep Christmas as well as Ebenezer?
In all fairness, I'm sure that a good many people soar two hours with Handel and then walk blithely past Ignorance and Want.
Dickens was no theologian, nor was he orthodox, yet he does something for me that Handel never does.
Few authors are so keenly attuned to the plight of human poverty and degradation. A Christmas Carol turns my heart to those portions of Scripture I tend keep at arms length, such as Matthew 25, where entrance into heavenly rest is granted on the basis of our acts of compassion upon the poor…
We can do all kinds of hermeneutic gymnastics to explain this passage in a way that quiets our murmuring conscience, but sometimes it takes a Dickens to awaken our hearts to the Gospel imperative of mercy.
It saddens me deeply that Dickens is read so little by so many.
Even the devil can quote scripture. On the other hand, Jesus said the calloused of heart lack the ability to understand parables. Not to mention write them. Scrooge is essentially the rich young ruler, portrayed as an old man. I also remember one literary analysis that said Dickens used Scrooge to symbolize the Church of England.
I'm really thankful for this reply. I don't argue with anything in Mr. Reinke's analysis, and appreciate it for what it is. Handel's piece, (originally performed in April by the way, not December) by virtue of its direct setting of scripture, carries a certain from-the-horse's-mouth authority that feels weighty for any believer. I have both sung and heard Messiah numerous times, and am nearly always moved to tears by moments: the beauty of the opening Comfort Ye My People, feeling the crushing weight of sin at the end of All We Like Sheep, the glorious worship of Worthy is the Lamb, and many other moments I could name. But all that doesn't diminish how powerful I find Dickens' story. I've always thought of A Christmas Carol as a parable, a tale designed to help me to locate myself in the story, to feel mercy extended to me as it was to Scrooge, and to mend my less than compassionate ways, which seem to perpetually need mending. Much has been given to me, and thus much will be required. It's true, my salvation is wrought by Christ alone, and his work is finished. But God prepared good works for me to walk in as His child, and Dickens shows a pretty vivid picture of what some of those works look like and how ludicrous Christianity becomes when those who call themselves Christians fail to exercise mercy.
It would be unfortunate to pit these two wonderful pieces of literature against each other, when they are both so rich in their own ways. I don't know which gets less attention from the general public: Handel's Messiah or Dickens' A Christmas Carol, but I feel our world badly needs to sit under them both and take them to heart. Mr. Reinke thinks so too, of course, or he wouldn't take his family to see them both. I hope every reader of his fine piece of analysis will do the same.
Yes! I used to read/watch the Christmas Carol as simple "self-improvement" and sought to discredit it as such. Then I realized I was seeing it completely wrong. Scrooge is a brilliant reflection of what the Christian life SHOULD be, what it should look like. I don't think you should pit Handel and Dickens against each other, I think they should go hand in hand! What is the gospel? What does a life in response to the gospel look like? How horrible is it that evangelicals know the story of Handel's Messiah but live like the pre-converted Scrooge? May it be said of us that we "keep Christmas well."
My thought:
Handel's Messiah = "what"
Dicken's Carol = "now what"
One other comparison between these two works is that Dickens wrote "A Christmas Carol" as a Christmas tale and Handel composed "Messiah" as an Easter oratorio, hence all of the references to resurrection and eternal life. Although "Messiah" is predominately performed around Christmas, it was always the composer's intention for it to be performed at Easter.
Excellent! Thanks for posting this! I've been posting one part from The Messiah a day, as a daily devotion.
It is worth mentioning, I think, that the libretto was assembled by Charles Jennens, a devout Anglican who sought to challenge advocates of Deism. Handel made little to no changes to it, but the arrangement of the Scriptures was not originally his.
Thank you for blogging your thoughts. The timing for your post is perfect: last Sunday, I introduced Handel's Messiah to my Sunday school class and only one person had any familiarity with it. I told them the text is worth pondering during Advent and Lent as a devotion, even if they could never develop an ear for the music. I just shared this link on our church Facebook page.
I feel in love with Messiah at the Naval Academy, so I especially appreciate that you heard it at my alma mater. We performed Part I at Christmas and Parts II and III at Easter. Like Brandon, I listen to Messiah year round, and the music and lyrics are stored in my heart forever.
Those who enjoy this post will love Tim Keller's book "The Prodigal God"–very similar themes run through it.
Thank you, Mr. Reinke, for your interesting essay, to which I was directed by a link on the National Review web site. I am happy to become acquainted with your blog, excited to note your books of the year commentary, which I plan to use as suggestions for future reading, and as a bibliophile, I am looking forward with anticipation to reading your book Lit! It is a delightful providence to have discovered your work!
I suggest a slightly different interpretation to Dickens' closing paragraph for A Christmas Carol. He may be punning on different meanings for the word spirits, so that Scrooge is totally abstaining from "intercourse with Spirits" of the ghostly realm. That he does not mean Scrooge has become a teetotaler may be borne out by the fact that in the closing scene of the narrative (illustrated in the 1843 first edition), Ebenezer invites Bob Cratchit to share with him a "bowl of smoking bishop," which is a mulled drink of port and wine.
By the way, as someone who enjoys Dickens' work (I'm reading A Tale of Two Cities with some 9th graders now), I was gladdened by Tabletalk magazine's treatment of A Christmas Carol several years ago, especially R. C. Sproul's essay "Marley and His Message to Scrooge." To quote Dr. Sproul, may you and yours enjoy "the holiest of holy days"!
Im having a teeny issue. I cant get my reader to pick-up your rss feed, Im using google reader by the way.
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Jeannette Vasquez-Vivar
Department of Biophysics, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
According to the American Heart Association's Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics – 2004 Update released in January, cardiovascular diseases (CVD) remain the #1 killer in the US. The report also shows that CVD is the No. 3 cause of death for children under age 15, behind certain conditions originating in the perinatal period and accidents. Cardiovascular diseases include high blood pressure, coronary heart disease (heart attack and angina), congestive heart failure, stroke, and congenital heart defects. We are examining the role of free radicals, nitric oxide and superoxide in the manifestation of endothelial dysfunction. This is considered an early clinical sign and risk factor associated with the progression of CVD. We have showed that the formation of nitric oxide and superoxide from endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), an enzyme expressed by the cells covering blood vessels, is tightly regulated by tetrahydrobiopterin. The clinical significance of this finding is indicated by the fact that supplementation with the cofactor ameliorates endothelial dysfunction in genetic models of CVD. Thus, the central research hypothesis is that diminished levels of tetrahydrobiopterin tip the balance in favor of eNOS-dependent superoxide generation setting up endothelial dysfunction. The causes or factors involved in the lowering of tetrahydrobiopterin in diseased blood vessels are not known. In order to examine this occurrence, we are developing new tools that allow us to understand the control of tetrahydrobiopterin balance at the molecular level. During the last year our efforts have been devoted to isolation of one of the proteins involved in the regulation of tetrahydrobiopterin synthesis. The GTP cyclohydrolase I feedback protein regulates the tuning of the tetrahydrobiopterin level in various cells. To examine its role in the regulation of tetrahydrobiopterin in blood vessels, the human gene encoding the protein was cloned and expressed in a bacterial system that permits the isolation of large amounts of recombinant protein. This preparation is being used to generate specific antibodies against the protein that can be used to detect the protein in cells and tissues. The first step has been successfully accomplished and we are now in the process of obtaining the antibodies. With these antibodies we will be able to compare the protein levels in healthy and diseased blood vessels. This information is of vital importance since we showed that in animal models with induced high cholesterol levels, tetrahydrobiopterin levels are low. The reason why high cholesterol decreases tetrahydrobiopterin levels however remains uncertain. We tested the possibility that oxidative stress, a condition associated with high cholesterol level, increases the expression of the inhibitory protein and in that way decreases tetrahydrobiopterin. Initial results indicate that oxidative stress in fact augmented expression of the inhibitory protein in endothelial cells. Our results also show that the inhibitory protein is augmented in response to particular triggers since it does not respond to inflammatory mediators, which are also considered to contribute to the progression of CVD. Our next step is to examine the correlation between levels of the inhibitory protein and the production of superoxide in the endothelium.
James S. Hyde, Richard R. Mett, and Jason W. Sidabras
Department of Biophysics, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Water has a very high dielectric constant and, in addition, very high dielectric loss. Placement of the EPR sample cuvette in the microwave resonator is extremely critical. The recent advent of improved finite-element software for modeling of electromagnetic field distributions — so-called High Frequency Structure Simulator (HFSS) — combined with the availability of much faster computers permits optimization of the design of an aqueous sample cuvette, which is hardly practical when repeated modifications and measurements are the only options. We report here the first examples of the use of HFSS in a context of aqueous samples for EPR.
There are two general principles for placement of aqueous cells in a microwave resonator: 1) localization near a node in the standing wave pattern where the RF electric field is zero, and 2) orientation of the sample cuvette such that the electric field is perpendicular to the surface, resulting in a discontinuity of the electric field vector and therefore in reduced dielectric loss. Using HFSS as well as analytical methods, we wrote in 2003 the first theoretical paper on aqueous samples in microwave cavities in the so-called "perpendicular" orientation (Mett et. al JMR 165:137-152, 2003). During the course of that work, a new aqueous sample cell geometry was discovered that holds the promise of increase in sensitivity by a factor of 5 to 6, which we feel is very exciting. Figure 1 illustrates the geometry for the rectangular TE102 cavity in the Y-Z plane (corresponding to indices 0, i.e. uniform field in the Y direction, and 2, i.e. 2 half wavelengths variation in the Z direction). The intensity and orientation of the RF electric field are indicated by arrows. The new geometry consists of parallel planar dielectric septa oriented perpendicular to the electric field with aqueous sample lying between septa. The number of such septa is large — 20 or more. A number of ways can be envisaged to construct such a cuvette, and this work is underway.
Figure 2 shows a loop gap resonator (LGR) geometry, and Fig. 3 zooms in on the sample loop. Water is contained in a star-shaped cuvette (we call it "AquaStar") with 8 vanes radiating from the center to the walls. The geometry has been specifically optimized using HFSS for X-band (9.5 GHz) for 10 microliters of sample. In Fig. 3, arrows indicate the direction of the electric field and shading the magnitude — dark is low, light is high. Electric field vectors are oriented perpendicular to the surfaces of all 8 vanes near the center of the sample loop. At the edge, 4 vanes lie in RF electric field nodes and 4 remain in perpendicular orientation. Thus, both principles for aqueous sample-cell design are active. We have determined that manufacture of the AquaStar cuvette is feasible using multilumen extruded plastic techniques. The targeted application for the geometry of Figs. 2, 3 is site specific spin labeling, SDSL, for molecular structure determination.
Witold K. Subczynski1, Aki Kusumi2, and James S. Hyde1
1Department of Biophysics, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin; 2Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
The cell membrane has a 2-dimensional liquid-like structure, but it is not a simple liquid. Rather, it is a non-ideal liquid mixture of various molecules, which contains domain structures of various time scale and space scale that are forming and dispersing continuously within the cell membrane. Rafts are this type of membrane domains that require lipid interactions for their formation. The interest in rafts has surged in the majority of biomedical fields recently because they may play an important role in signal transduction, protein sorting, and pathogen action. We would like to understand the molecular organization and dynamics in these raft-domains and to provide new insight into the formation mechanism. We developed the method called the discrimination by oxygen transport (DOT) method which uses the pulse saturation recovery electron paramagnetic resonance (SR EPR) spectroscopy. Using this method it is possible not only to indicate the presence of raft domains (which is not an easy task) in model and biological membranes, but also characterize their physical properties, namely oxygen transport at different depths in the membrane. These measurements can be done simultaneously for the raft and the surrounding bulk membrane without need for separation. Using this method we discriminated and characterized the raft domain in the influenza virus envelope membrane as a very tightly packed structure with slow oxygen transport but rather high lipid exchange rate with the surrounding bulk lipids. Presently we are focusing our research on model membranes made of raft forming lipid mixtures to better understand how lipid composition and surrounding physical conditions affect the size, lifetime and dynamics of the raft-constituent molecules and the raft itself in the membrane. We believe that our work will help to better understand how membrane dynamic structure regulate cell membrane fundamental functions, and, would eventually contribute to better medical treatments in the future.
Ian Bates1, Jimmy B. Feix2, Joan Boggs1, and George Harauz1
1Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics and Biophysics Interdepartmental Group, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada; 2Department of Biophysics and National Biomedical EPR Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is thought to be an autoimmune disease characterized by chronic inflammatory response against myelin in the central nervous system (CNS). There is significant evidence that myelin basic protein (MBP) is a candidate antigen for T-cells and autoantibodies in MS. The level of anti-MBP antibodies is increased in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with active MS, as well as in 96% of patients with relapsing and chronic MS. MBP maintains the compaction of the myelin sheath in the central nervous system by anchoring the cytoplasmic face of the two apposing bilayers. The mechanism and sites that are important for membrane adhesion are not known.
A region of between Proline 85 and Proline 96 (human sequence numbering) was identified to be a minimal epitope for T-lymphocytes that recognize MBP. Experimental treatments for MS based on peptide mimetics of MBP have focused on this region of the protein. We have used molecular dynamics and site-directed spin labeling (SDSL) EPR to demonstrate that this antigenic segment, when bound to a myelin-like membrane surface, forms an amphipathic a-helix with side chains along one surface penetrating up to 12 Å into the bilayer. The helix is tilted ~9o with respect to the membrane surface, and a central lysine residue is in an ideal position for electrostatic interaction with the negatively charged phospholipid head groups.
1. Bates, I. R., Boggs, J. M., Feix, J. B., and Harauz, G. "Membrane anchoring and charge effects in the interaction of myelin basic protein (MBP) with lipid bilayers studied by site-directed spin labeling," J. Biol. Chem. 278, 29041-29047 (2003).
2. Bates, I. R., Feix, J. B., Boggs, J. M., and Harauz, G. "An immunodominant epitope of myelin basic protein is an amphipathic a-helix." J. Biol. Chem. 279, 5757-5764 (2004).


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Hotel Alda Casco Antiguo Reviews
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Most friendly, professional and helpful staff I met in Spain! Modern, clean and perfectly situated! Would stay again and recommend it anytime Thank you!
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Everything you want in basic accommodations. Staff was very nice. Would stay again.
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The hotel is close the cathedral, inside the walls of Leon, you can't find more central location. On the minus side, they're no smoking zone within the hotel, and when we were there, the wifi wasn't working at all.
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Accueil parfait. Welcome perfect
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This hostel is spotless and superbly located, next to Leon's Cathedral. It feels more like a hotel than a hostel, so take it into account if you are looking for common areas or rooms to chill out with other travelers, etc. However, if you are looking for a clean, central and quiet place to spend a few days, this is definitely your hostel.
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Very good value, unbeatable location right around the corner from the cathedral and clean, comfortable room. Stayed for a night on my way to start the Camino.
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Super cute place, right next to the cathedral
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AMS & Rothco: We carry a large selection of Rothco Premium Tactical products. Airsoft Megastore's industry leading 125% Price Match Guarantee ensures that you will always get the BEST deal on our full line of Rothco tactical gear and apparel. Airsoft Megastore is an authorized dealer of Rothco, which means that we are committed to bringing our customers the very best gear and apparel at the absolute lowest price on the market.Description:Rothco's line of premium BDUs (Battle Dress Uniforms) are perfect for any airsoft scenario, with large integrated cargo pockets and reinforced stitching. The Rothco BDU pants are extremely comfortable and durable, designed for intense outdoor activities. These BDU pants are made from high grade S.W.A.T. Cloth (a poly/cotton Rip-Stop fabric), which is the fabric of choice for federal agencies. The S.W.A.T. fabric is designed to be breathable, lightweight, durable, colorfast, wind resistant, and tear/ rip resistant. These high quality BDU pants can easily withstand the most extreme airsoft games, and are sure to outlast most other BDU pants on the market! Most airsoft fields encourage (or require) you to play in full military uniform, making it easier to divide teams. Nobody wants to look like a "noob" airsoft player with a sweatshirt and jeans! Complete your tactical airsoft loadout with these high quality, and battle ready Rothco BDU pants!Specifications:- Crafted from Rothco's trademarked S.W.A.T. Poly/Cotton Rip-Stop fabric- Designed for All-Climate use- Breathable in hot temperatures- Wind resistant- Durable reinforced stitching- Tear & abrasion resistant- 2x Large integrated cargo pockets- Adjustable waist tabs- Drawstring bottoms- Reinforced knees and seatAvailable Sizes:MEDIUM - 31" - 35"LARGE - 35" - 39"XLARGE - 39" - 43"COLOR: BLACKPackage Includes: 1x Pair of Rotcho Ultra Force S.W.A.T. Cloth BDU Pants - BLACKNOTE: This item only includes the Rothco BDU pants. The BDU shirt is for demonstrative purposes only.
Adjustable waist
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Very breathable (due to thin material)
Thin material (but plenty strong enough for average Airsofting)
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Button zipper (not really a con, just not used to it)
All in all, Very good purchase. -Just keep in mind that they are only $25, so they won't really stack up with the other tactical pants on this site. But they work fine for day-to-day wear, and the occasional Airsoft battle. Hope you find this helpful!"
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Braving the heat and hoping to start their Bix 7 training off on the right foot, hundreds turned out for the first Bix at 6 training run Thursday night. It's when runners and walkers get a chance to try out the course. It starts downtown, goes up the grueling Brady Street hill, down Kirkwood Boulevard toward the East Village and McClellan Heights, and all the way back.
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Coconut-Cranberry Trifle
Convenience products simplify this holiday trifle. The hard part is waiting four hours for it to chill.
Yield: 12 servings
More From Oxmoor House
Recipe Time
Cook Time:
Prep Time:
Other: 4 Hours, 45 Minutes
- 1 (16-ounce) can whole-berry cranberry sauce
- 1 (12-ounce) jar red currant jelly (we tested with Crosse & Blackwell)
- 2 tablespoons grated orange rind (rind of 2 oranges)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 3 (3.4-ounce) packages coconut cream or vanilla instant pudding mix
- 4 cups milk
- 1 (16-ounce) frozen pound cake, thawed, cut into 1
- 6 tablespoons Grand Marnier, divided
- 1 1/2 cups sweetened flaked coconut, toasted and divided
- 2 cups frozen whipped topping, thawed
- Combine first 4 ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook 1 minute or until thickened and bubbly. Chill 45 minutes or until completely cooled, stirring occasionally.
- Combine pudding mix and milk in a large bowl; whisk 2 minutes or until thickened.
- Place one-third of pound cake cubes in a 3-quart trifle bowl; drizzle with 2 tablespoons liqueur. Top with one-third of cranberry-orange sauce and one-third of pudding. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup coconut.
- Repeat layers twice using remaining cake cubes, orange liqueur, cranberry-orange sauce, pudding, and coconut, reserving last 1/2 cup coconut for garnish.
- Spread whipped topping over trifle. Sprinkle with reserved coconut. Cover and chill at least 4 hours.
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School and club dragon boating teams from throughout the Wellington region turned out to the Cancer Society Wairarapa Dragon Boat Team fun regatta on Henley Lake yesterday.
Coach Ivan Karaitiana said the regatta was organised to help raise awareness of the sport, and as an opportunity to fundraise for the team to go to an international competition in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, next October.
"It's a great opportunity to get new people involved in the sport and try to develop it."
He said the club could boast of having about 30 teams some years ago, and had gained back some its popularity in the last 2 years.
About 250 paddlers from the Wellington region turned out to the event as well as spectators.
There was a possibility of another regatta being organised next month.
Anybody interested in joining the team can contact Ivan on 027 554 7917


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Topic - Summer Alpine Skis
dutybooty - on 06 May 2013
So, I've recently been looking at short skis. Specifically these:
Would there be any benefits for summer use in Chamonix etc? Specifically around the Midi and possibly around to the Brenva area.
So far my head is working thus.
Skiing is faster
Skiing is less effort
Extra 3 kilos on bag on route/steep descents/rocky areas
Most tracks will be relatively well trodden so no real trail breaking
Approaches are rather short anyway.
Any input would be well received.
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LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WHAS11) – A sea of people filled the streets around Slugger Field.
These are fighters armed with pink wings, wigs and bright smiles fighting to cure cancer.
Caroline Johnson was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer in June.
"We need to find better ways to detect breast cancer. Some day maybe we'll have a vaccine for it and that only comes with dollars for research," Johnson said.
All 6,000 participants had their reasons for being at the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in Louisville.
"One of my best friends Jinny – her mom Fila Vincent is a survivor," Shelly Cameron, the female division winner said.
"One of our friends lost her mother to cancer and we're here to support her," race participant Chris Parks said.
Jacob Bolus was the first to cross the finish line. Bolus was racing for his mother.
"In '09 we found something on her and thankfully we got it out in time but now she's dealing with other health issues. But anytime I can come out here and support her and show her I care and bring a smile to her face I will," he said.
The perfect weather brought many smiles to the 5K course as WHAS11 meteorologist Reed Yadon did his morning weather report from the scene.
Good Morning Kentuckiana's Brooke Katz and Kelsey Starks emceed the event that had women who have been fighting cancer for more than 20 years walking and running with it.
Race for the Cure says between 10,000 and 15,000 people turned out for the event today and between $600,000 and $700,000 was raised.
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A STUDY IN SHAPE & CRAFTSMANSHIP Zac Posen has elegantly crafted a modern carry-all of sumptuous grained leather with aged silver metal hardware detail. The Aurora is designed to be hand held, but can easily fit over one's shoulder. The bag measures 11'' X 12" 10.5." and features protective metal feet and a top clasp fastening with Posen's signature hexagonal detail. Made in Italy. In Red Sun.
Brand: Zac Posen
Zac Posen has been dazzling runway audiences since 2002, when he released his debut women's collection at the tender age of 21. Born and based in NYC, Posen masterfully recaptures the streamlined, ultra-feminine aesthetic of 1940s Hollywood with stunning wedding dresses, evening gowns, and ready-to-wear essentials that epitomize classic high glamour. Perfectly tailored pencil skirts, suit jackets, and sheath dresses receive an extra shot of drama thanks to loosely draping sleeves, gathered collars, peplum waistlines, and other flourishes. Carry your everyday needs in one of Posen's exquisite leather handbags, or channel Katherine Hepburn by slipping on a pair of his high-waist crepe pants. With threads and accessories like these, it's no wonder Posen has won over so many of modern-day Hollywood's fashion icons — from Kate Winslet to Katy Perry. If your A-list style comes with a D-list budget, fear not: in 2010 Posen released Z Spoke, a diffusion line in which the CFDA award-winning designer recreates his signature styles for budget-conscious tastemakers.