text:
By "background", I mean the dialects, habits and culture of the community. Also, I wonder if it is even possible to write about a community without being a part of it?
I am only asking this in terms of writing fiction.
Two suggestions:
Explain something in detail
on Writing Excuses, they recommended that in this situation you take one thing and explain the heck out of it, then take another and don't explain it at all.
For cultures, you can put in one or two things from your study of the culture, and really go into detail to the point where it looks like you know what you're taking about. Then you won't have to go into as much detail for other aspects, but you'll still (hopefully) have a very authentic feel. The result is that it looks like you could have described everything in more detail, but, like any good fiction author, you're focusing on the action/characters/story.
For example:
(Note: I haven't actually studied ancient Japanese etiquette and weapons for these examples, but hopefully I've illustrated the point).
Expert alpha reader
It's pretty important (if a significant portion of your audience knows as much or more about the subject than you do) to have an alpha reader who is an expert in the subject matter proof-read it when it's "done" and correct any glaring problems.
Be very careful with dialect. It's difficult to do well (if it's even possible). It's easy to offend. And, most importantly in my mind, it's very annoying to read. Word choice is going to show your character just fine -- if you want ignorant or affected, rich or poor -- as opposed to actual dialect.
It depends on your intent; if your work be it fictional or factual, hangs on details about this community, its customs and practices,then you need to research scrupulously. If it's broad strokes, background characterisation, or local colour, then a more general level of knowledge is acceptable. In either case, you cannot give the same level of insight as a member of that community but you should be truthful, avoid lazy stereotypes, and if your research shows that your initial ideas about that community or culture was inaccurate you should rethink your approach. Also, while you cannot describe it as an "insider" you can give an objective point of view that is just as valuable and interesting if you try.
It depends on your own goals and priorities.
Think about your own community. Imagine someone from a completely foreign culture reading up on it for a few weeks and then attempting to write a novel based on it. No matter how hard they studied, they would inevitably get things wrong -- some of them being plain old mistakes, and others being subtle things that can't really be explained but have to be experienced to understand why they're wrong.
But it might not matter. Stephanie Meyer knows sweet fuck-all about Native Americans, but that didn't stop her from exploiting them ruthlessly in her novels and she's doing alright.
Depends on what you are writing I guess. If you are writing an article on that specific subject, I would dive pretty deep into the matter. You usually get to a point where you feel confident about what you are saying is right. Don't throw out assumptions. If someone later came and told you "that's wrong", and you have no way of defending it, you obviously haven't dug deep enough.
If on the other hand you just need it to emphasize a character or a specific environment in a bigger story, I would talk to someone who really knows the field and get them to come up with a few typical examples of behavior/descriptions/word that only someone really into it would know, that at the same time comes as a natural extension of some preconception that most people have about the subject/area/culture/thing.
If you write a documentation about this community you should naturally investigate deeply into the topic. But I think you mean using characters or elements from this culture in your fictional story. In that case you must see, that most of your readers possibly don't know more about the community than you does. So you don't need too much investigation, in the end it should suffice, that you know a little more than most of your readers. Members of this community on the other hand, will always know more than you, even if you investigate strongly. It happens all the time in novels or movies, that a community is shown partly wrong. It doesn't matter, if the main story is good enough.
But one thing you should consider: you may don't want to offend members of the community. So you might learn about offending stereotypes you should avoid.


text:
Captain William Meadors with the Medical Platoon, 2nd Battalion, 123rd Armor says: "It's a tough day because one moment you're saying goodbye to your loved ones your spouses and parents, yet you're anxious to get going because the faster you start your mission then you can come home."
Sergeant E5, William Berry says: "I'm upset, but I'm not going to show it on the inside. I'm excited to go. Because it's something that doesn't happen everyday in your life. It's a chance to go over and see some stuff that I'll probably never get to see again."
Captain Meadors and Sergeant Berry are just two of the approximately 35 soldiers that are moving to Camp Shelby, Mississippi for additional training prior to their departure to Southwest Asia. These soldiers are medics with the Kentucky National Guard.
Meadors says: "Most of these guys have been deployed more than one time, since September 11. Significant portion of those soldiers are volunteers. That makes a difference because you have people who truly want to do it and make a change for the better."
Berry says: "Our group has a great camaraderie. We've been together for years. Most the people I've gone with I went to High School with and grew up."
Captain Meadors and Sergeant Berry agree there isn't another group of soldiers they'd rather be with.
Meadors says: "The values that we have in America not everyone shares across the world. And I think it's something very special what you have here. You have people who truly care about one another and especially Kentuckians. There's no better bond better the families than what you have here in Kentucky."
Berry says: "I feel 100 percent safe with these guys. I believe they have my back and I hope they know I have theirs."
There are currently more than 1600 Kentucky National Guard troops serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom, and Noble Eagle, or participating in peacekeeping operations in Eastern Europe. More than 6000 Kentucky Guard troops have been mobilized since September 11, 2001. Three soldiers from our area have lost their lives while serving.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
How can one maintain Kavanah reciting Keriath Shema' while walking along the way? Or is the requirement waived in this case?
Mi Yodeya is a question and answer site for those who base their lives on Jewish law and tradition and anyone interested in learning more. Join them; it only takes a minute:
Sign up
Sign up
Here's how it works:
- Anybody can ask a question
- Anybody can answer
- The best answers are voted up and rise to the top
This allowance is for someone to say the shema when he is already "on the path". In such a circumstance, he will have more concentration if he says shema while continuing his journey than if we make him stop and delay his trip. For example, see Shulchan Aruch OC 183:11.


text:
I love using writing prompts to come up with story ideas. I'm looking for good sites that have a lot of good writing prompts. One that updates fairly often would be best. :)
I know Writing Excuses has a writing prompt at end of each weekly show. Usually they are related to the topic of the show as well.
I haven't read it myself, but I think this book, The 3 A.M. Epiphany by Brian Kitely, sounds like exactly what you're looking for. It's got very nice reviews - both in terms of score, and the actual description. Here's the first one that sounded like a great match for your question:
It sounds so tempting, I'm inclined to get a copy myself. :)
I love The Writer's Book of Matches for fiction writing prompts.
Not a writing prompt in a traditional sense, but this has worked for me: improv comedy classes. Every time you perform a scene, you're creating a completely new story on the fly. It's a great way to generate ideas. The story grows organically, and you'll get unexpected (i.e. creative) results.
It's a fun way to get new ideas for writing.
This article describes an interesting system for coming up with infinite writing prompts through Wikipedia.
Type Trigger is rather fun - you get a very short prompt (one to three words) and then write up to three hundred words on that prompt. There's a new prompt every hour. It's an energetic little writing exercise.
http://www.seventhsanctum.com/generate.php?Genname=writechallenge Updated every time you click
This is basically a link to an existing list elsewhere. That's because I think the most important aspects of writing prompts are:
The definition of each of these will differ for anyone asking this question, so the best answer is a list with diverse topics and diverse peers.
This, I think, is a writing prompt tool unlike any other. Whereas most prompts just start you off, this one can assist you with the continuation of your story.
It provides multiple ways to get a prompt depending on your mood or goal. Whether you want a complete scenario, a starting scene, a goal, or a character, you just click a button.
I recommend reading some of the example stories to get an idea of how people are using it here: Actual Play Reports
Here is the home page that has some more information on it: http://www.rpgsolo.com
If you get lost there is great documentation in the forum.
Instead of finding a source of explicit and structured prompts, I opt to look for randomized inspiration. Every day or two, I do the following:
Almost without fail, when I smash the words up against the images, I get struck with a nugget of a "wouldn't that be interesting..." kind of idea, then I write anywhere from 200-500 words on the topic. These short exercises are always brief and not well fleshed out, and they are often terrible. I write until the core of the idea is laid out, then I stop and file them into a folder with all the rest.
But the point isn't to get a winner every time, the point is that much later, when I'm ready to begin writing a new story, I don't need to go looking for prompts or ideas... I have a collection of dozens (or more) ideas that I've already had. All I have to do is browse through them and I always find at least a few that inspire me to explore them further.
protected by Neil Fein♦ Apr 22 '13 at 4:50
Thank you for your interest in this question.
Because it has attracted low-quality or spam answers that had to be removed, posting an answer now requires 10 reputation on this site (the association bonus does not count).
Would you like to answer one of these unanswered questions instead?


text:
Interested in Bali?
We'll send you updates with the latest deals, reviews and articles for Bali each week.
| Bali Hotels
Bali Hotels by Category
| Bali Hotels by Type
| Bali Attractions by Type
| Bali Restaurants by Type
| Bali Dish Pages
| Bali Restaurants by Dining Options
| Restaurants near Resources in Bali
| Attractions near Resources in Bali
| Vacation Rentals
| Flights
| TripAdvisor pages
Up one level: Indonesia


text:
Police have released the name of the woman who was killed Wednesday in a car accident that involved downed power lines.
She has been identified at 26-year-old Lachelle M. Kemp of Leavenworth.
Kemp died Wednesday after her car crashed into a utility pole at Seventh and Olive streets. She stepped out of the car and became entangled in power lines, according to Leavenworth Police Chief Pat Kitchens.
Location, ST | website.com


text:
Picked for a reason, U.S. veterans don't deliver
By TIM DAHLBERG AP Sports Writer
Not a subscriber? You can purchase a single-day subscription for only $0.75 to read this and access all of our content and our E-Edition. CLICK HERE purchase a single day subscription.
Become an electronic subscriber to the Republican-American for only $8 a month. CLICK HERE.


text:
Having been involved with the Cayce work and the A.R.E. for more than 30 years, I am certainly aware of the important cornerstone "cooperation" plays in the readings information on spiritual growth. Obviously, it is the first lesson in personal spirituality recommended by the study group program and A Search for God, Book I. It is also a lesson frequently brought to mind whenever groups of people gather for some activity at A.R.E. – a conference, a meeting, even a social activity. In fact, I could not begin to count the number of times I have heard someone say, "Well, you know, cooperation is the first lesson," even in a joking fashion whenever there was the smallest semblance of a challenge or a conflict or a disagreement between two or more people. The irony of this statement is that the lesson on cooperation is not really about cooperation between people (although that is definitely an important byproduct); ultimately the lesson is about learning to cooperate with God.
Certainly, cooperation with God sounds like a tall order! It seems like cooperating with another person would be easier. How can we even begin to know the process for cooperating with the Divine? But the Cayce readings are clear – we must learn to set our personal egos aside so that the Divine can work through us, bringing spirit into the earth plane. It is for this reason that the meditation affirmation used for Lesson One is not about learning to cooperate with someone at work or the neighbor next-door, but is instead phrased as follows:
Not my will but Thine, 0 Lord, be done in and through me. Let me ever be a channel of blessings, today; now, to those that I contact, in every way. Let my going in, my coming out be in accord with that Thou would have me do, and as the call comes, "Here am I, send me, use me!" (262-3)
The idea that we are representatives of the Divine is certainly connected to our birthright as spiritual beings having a physical experience. More important, perhaps, it is inextricably interwoven with one of the main purposes for which each and every one of us came into the earth: to bring the divinity of the Creator into the third-dimensional plane. In fact, each soul is a potential emissary of that one spirit in the earth. That's the ultimate purpose for each and every soul. Learning how to cooperate with the Divine so that the Divine might work through us.
Early on in my work with the Cayce information I had often wondered about how best to cooperate with God until I came across a reading given to a 61-year-old widow in 1943 that seemed to provide a simple first step. The woman was faced with numerous challenges, including a change of careers and a potential move. During the course of her reading she asked: "How can I discipline myself at my age to do what is mine to do?" Cayce responded: "Repeat three times every day, and then listen: 'Lord, what would thou have me do today?' Have this not as rote. Mean it! For as He has spoken, as He has promised, 'If ye call I will hear, and answer speedily.' He meant it! Believe it!" (3003-1)
Quite a number of individuals I have spoken with over the years have found this exercise valuable because it seems to create an expectant sense of cooperating with the Divine. To be sure, the degree to which any answer is connected to bringing spirit into the earth essentially reflects how well we have been able to set self aside, cooperating with God in the process.
From the readings' perspective, cooperating with God is important for individuals, for groups, even for organizations. On one occasion when a member of A.R.E. asked how she could best serve the association, Cayce's response was that the ultimate service would be to work with the association so that both the individual and the organization could bring spirit into the earth:
Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman not ashamed, rightly dividing the words of truth and putting stress where it belongs, and keeping self unspotted from the world. It is not to serve the Association, it is to work with it that the glory of God may be made manifest in the earth. (5277-1)
Obviously, cooperating with God is the ultimate lesson for us all.
KEVIN J. TODESCHI is Executive Director and CEO of Edgar Cayce's A.R.E. He is also the author of countless articles and more than twenty books, including Edgar Cayce on Soul Mates, God in Real Life: Personal Encounters with the Divine, and Edgar Cayce on the Akashic Records. Join the March 2- March 29 eGroup lead by Kevin: Edgar Cayce on the Akashic Records and Relationships.
My memory of the way in which Edgar and Gertrude Cayce, and Gladys Davis conceived their work and went about their business of giving helpful, sometimes life-saving counsel to thousands of people was simply this: they felt called by God to a peculiar but wondrous vocation. It wasn't approved by the churches or academia or society in general, but though it hurt sometimes, they were never daunted by the snub.
I remember the time that Miriam Bright, a woman from the Methodist Church, came over with a pie for the Cayces. Harmon and I had been invited to her home several times and her family was full of questions about Cayce and his work. We had plenty of stories to tell them. Tears streamed down Gertrude's face as she thanked our friend Miriam for the friendly gesture. No one in the city of Virginia Beach had ever come over with a neighborly "glad you're here" kind of gift for them.
But they had a devoted community. Edgar was a charming extrovert. He loved people: loved being around them, loved telling his stories. He loved hearing from people who had gotten readings, and answered many of the letters himself. He loved talking with people on the phone, too. I remember one night Harmon had forgotten something in the office. As we walked in, we saw Edgar pacing up and down in his study, saying over and over again, "Thank you God, thank you God, thank you God." He told us that he had just hung up the phone after a woman had called to tell him the good news that his reading had saved her son's life.
Edgar felt a close kinship with the people for whom he had given readings, especially those who followed up and let him know what worked and what didn't. He loved it when Study Group #1 came to visit. They had worked together for years and knew each other intimately. There was a huge potluck dinner each time they came and Hannah Miller brought her famous home-baked bread—according to reading 404-1, she had baked unleavened bread for temples and altars in a past life in Egypt. Some of this bread was also buried with the dead, and could still be found intact. For Edgar's birthday in 1944, I baked a cake and the Study Group members brought the rest of the goodies, all fixed according to the Cayce readings. Edgar beamed the whole time they were together. This was Edgar's community: his family; Gladys who was as close as any immediate family member; the members of the first Study Group; the people who were grateful for their readings and kept in touch; those who attended the A.R.E. Congress; his adult Sunday school class at the Presbyterian Church; and the Board and staff of the A.R.E.
Edgar knew community was important. Certainly his life as RaTa in Egypt where he taught people the concept of oneness—the oneness of God, the oneness of God's children, the oneness of all creation, added to his love of community. It was an exciting culture with leaders from all over the world, coming to visit and learn. And in his lifetime as Lucius, Bishop of the church at Laodicea, he was concerned with building a disparate group of believers into communities trying to live Jesus' teachings. They must have grown very close as they forged one new church community after another.
It all fits with Edgar's emphasis that we are our brothers' and sisters' keepers. Locking arms with others and blessing them on their way is our command from the Creative Forces.
Dr. June Bro - June Avis Bro found her life deeply affected by working daily with Edgar Cayce. She has set about sharing her resultant interests with others as a pastoral counselor and as a minister, as well as by using her skills in the performing arts. She has a graduate ministerial degree from Andover-Newton Theological School in the Boston area, and a doctorate from Chicago Theological Seminary. In addition to teaching on six campuses while raising five children, she has been a research assistant at Harvard, lectured and held workshops in many cities, led overseas tours to the Near East and China, and served as pastor. A concert pianist, she has served on the music staff in churches of most of the major Protestant denominations and draws on her background in the arts to illuminate myths, symbols, and dreams.
You may have seen the news reported by NBC, The Huffington Post, and others, but do not panic. Your astrological sign has not changed. The story circulating today is an old one that surfaces every few years. It states that in the 3000 years since the study of astrology began, the wobbling of the earth on its axis (precession) has changed its position relative to the sun and stars enough that the signs we currently use are off by as much as a month. However, western astrology uses the tropical zodiac rather than the sidereal zodiac, meaning the alignment of the earth does not change the signs. And even for those using the sidereal zodiac, the shift in signs would have actually taken place hundreds of years ago. The news story's reference to a possible 13th zodiac sign, "Ophiuchus," also does not apply to the tropical zodiac.
Tropical Zodiac is based on the apparent motion of the Sun in the sky from one vernal equinox to the next. It refers to the annual cycle of the ever-changing relationship of the earth-globe to the Sun, source of all energies on this earth, that is, to the cycle of the seasons. It reflects the changing of seasons on Earth and the changing seasons of our lives.
Sidereal Zodiac also deals with the annual apparent motion of the Sun, but with reference to the constellations, i.e. to actual groupings of stars. Because of the precession of the equinoxes—a backward shift in the position of the equinoxes with reference to the nearly "fixed" stars—these two zodiacs do not now coincide. They did coincide at a time variously estimated from around 300 BC to AD 500; the differences being due to the fact that there is no astronomical way to precisely define the boundaries of the heterogeneous groups of stars called "constellations."
The two zodiac systems lined up when they were first identified, but precession (a cycle that takes 26,000 years to complete) has caused the divergence between them, and the confusion about them, that we have today.
RAYE MATHIS is a faculty member at Atlantic University where Transformational Astrology is among the courses she mentors. She has a BA in mathematics, a Master's degree in clinical social work, and has completed post-graduate work at the C. G. Jung Institute in Zurich, Switzerland. She has maintained an on-going astrological counseling practice for almost 40 years. Her column, The Astrologer's Corner, appears in the A.R.E.'s Venture Inward magazine available exclusively to Members by mail or online at EdgarCayce.org/members.
Beginning Wednesday, January 19, Raye Mathis will be mentoring a 4-week online eGroup titled Discover Your Vocational Talents Using Astrology as Your Guide. For more information call 1-800-428-1512 or see EdgarCayce.org/egroups. She will also mentor the group Explore Your Relationships Using Astrology as Your Guide, June 22-July 19 and Discover Your Life's Purpose Using Astrology as Your Guide, September 7-October 4.
(A follow-up to Learning to "Walk": My Struggle with ADD fromVenture Inward Magazine)By Linda Schiller-Hanna
There is an anecdote in the first part of There Is a River by Thomas Sugrue, the biography of Edgar Cayce, which tells how Cayce helped a neighbor's child who was having profound mental problems for a long period of time. Cayce gave a reading with several directions to an osteopath on how to help the girl and several times the osteopath did not "get it right" and Cayce would re-direct the doctor. Ultimately, the treatment was followed to the letter of Cayce's guidance. The child received the treatments for three weeks straight, daily, and recovered fully. (She had fallen on her tailbone on the step of a horse-drawn carriage, the day before the problems began.)
I have suffered from ADD (attention deficit disorder) my entire life, a condition that started with a difficult birth and was exacerbated by physical abuse as a child. I was 46 before I was officially diagnosed, and over the next 15 years I tried prescription medications and tried many different holistic therapies before I finally found one that worked for me: CranioSacral Therapy (CST). It is perhaps significant to note in my own recovery (described in detail in Learning to "Walk": My Struggle with ADD, Venture Inward, Jul-Sep '10), that the breakthrough happened in an introduction to CST class, performed by absolute amateurs. In my case, it was the most basic of treatments in CST that "moved the mountain."
I have referred a friend's granddaughter, who was also suffering from ADD symptoms, to a therapist in her area. She only went two or three times, had "some" breakthrough...but did not complete the series. I later learned that this therapist was not using Dr. Upledger's system (which is what I learned and was what worked for me), but something "more advanced," and was trained by a different CST system. The therapist didn't stick to basics, and the client didn't keep showing up. Both things need to happen, in my view.
I hope that suffering individuals will stay with the basics and give them a chance to work before dismissing them out of hand. There are so many dead ends with this disorder and my heart breaks to think someone may be close to an answer, but pull back before an opportunity for a true shift occurs. There was a letter regarding my article that said CST doesn't work on ADD, so I must have a different disorder. The fact is, a single cause for ADD has not been discovered yet and there is no "silver bullet" that will work for everyone. ADD is the name that most folks associated with my behaviors. However, it may not be the exact proper diagnosis. That's why I described the pattern so fully—the feelings, the lack of follow-through and flow in actions, and the fuzziness of thinking I often suffered. I wanted people to relate, whether or not they were labeled ADD.
Please don't get caught up in the label, and please try the basic treatment before throwing it all out. Since I spent nearly 40 years seeking answers to my problems, and the one solution that did the most good was shared with complete candor to a wide audience, I would hope that a person wouldn't "give up too quickly" if instantaneous results did not occur.
At the very least, they will feel "relaxed." For a person with this disorder, that alone is a deep blessing. And at best, they too, may respond, when their deep core brain has sufficient time and trust to accept the shift that proper cranial fluid movement can provide.
Linda Schiller-Hanna is a professional clairvoyant and intuition trainer based in Ohio. She has studied the Edgar Cayce material since 1991 and is a regular speaker at A.R.E. Field and Headquarters Conferences. Her article Learning to "Walk": My Struggle with ADD (Venture Inward, Jul-Sep '10) is available at EdgarCayce.org/members. You can visit her Web site at www.lightworker22.com or contact her by eMail at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Edgar Cayce's A.R.E. blog offers opinion pieces from contributors with a wide variety of backgrounds. These opinions are valued and create points of discussion. Opinions expressed in our blog may not necessarily represent the opinion of A.R.E.


text:
Registration renewal and more than 20 other services
on your computer or mobile device at ServiceArizona.com.
The Voluntary Travel ID is rolling out, but there's no rush to get one.
Arizonans won't need REAL ID Act-compliant credential until 2020
MVD Interactive Map
Address Matters!
Copyright © Arizona Department of Transportation – All rights reserved.


text:
Police say Casey Coleman, 18, of Smiths Grove turned himself in late this morning.
Kentucky State Police were called to help in the search. They say Coleman was on his way to the Warren County Jail, when he slipped out of his handcuffs and headed for the woods.
In August, Coleman was charged with Wanton Endangerment, stemming from a drive-by shooting in Bowling Green.
He is now in the Warren County Jail.


text:
Sandy Springs Engagement Rings
Engagement Rings / Wedding Bands - Certified Ideal Cut Engagement Rings - Pre-Set Engagement Rings - Wedding Rings - Mens Wedding Bands - Diamond Rings
Similar traditions purportedly date to classical times, dating back from an early usage reportedly referring to the fourth finger of the left hand as containing the vena amoris or "vein of love".
In the United States & Canada today, it is becoming more common, but still quite rare, that a woman will also buy an engagement or promise ring for her partner at the time of the engagement.
In Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Germany, the Netherlands and also in Brazil, it is possible both the man and the woman wear engagement rings, most often in the form of matching plain bands of white, yellow, or red gold. In these countries the man's engagement ring often also eventually serves as the wedding ring. Some men wear two rings, but this is rarer. The female is occasionally given a diamond wedding ring. In northern Germany, the tradition of engagement rings is not often followed and is often viewed as an American import. In Spain the woman sometimes buys an engagement wristwatch for the man after accepting a marriage proposal.
Designs of engagement rings have varied greatly over the years. Contemporary fashions for ring materials are a gold, platinum, silver or, rarely, titanium band mounting at least one diamond. Recently, three-stone diamond engagement rings have become popular, in contrast to the more traditional solitary diamond.[1]
Although the establishment of the diamond engagement ring as a standard in Western culture has been attributed to one of the most successful advertising campaigns in history, by the world's leading diamond producer de Beers, in the 1940s[2], they were already popular and diamond engagement rings were featured in many novels from the turn of the 20th century and earlier.
An engagement ring is often significantly expensive and acts as a visible demonstration of a person's commitment to their betrothed. The rationale for using a diamond is that it is the most enduring, beautiful and expensive gem. However, some people prefer different gems or semi-precious stones such as sapphires, star sapphires, emeralds, and rubies. Pearls and opals are rare, because these are soft stones.
In some European countries such as Germany, Finland, Norway, Sweden and Denmark, engagement rings are usually plain gold bands without a gem. In others such as France, engagement rings usually mount a colored gem rather than a diamond.
Gold and platinum are recommended by many jewelers, because of their inherently higher value and because these metals are more durable than silver. Often a gold or silver ring will employ a platinum setting as it provides better protection for the stone.
Titanium and stainless steel are becoming more popular because of their lower cost and higher strength. These materials as well as traditional jewellery metals like gold and platinum that have been treated and work-hardened allow for a type of setting called a tension ring which is popular because it causes the illusion of a floating stone. Titanium and steel must be machined on a lathe because the temperatures required for proper fabrication are much too high for a small jewellery operation. A titanium ring might cause problems with removal in case of an emergency, as hospital tools are unable to cut some grades of titanium, although the titanium ring maker's FAQ challenges this notion. The results of their tests have shown that a manual ring cutter can cut through a ring in under two minutes and electric tools would be faster. Regular electrician pliers will cut a gold ring in under a second.
At one time, engagement rings mounted sets of stones. One traditional sentimental pattern mounted six to celebrate the joining of two families: The birthstones of the bride's parents and the bride (on the left), and the birth stones of the groom and his parents (on the right). The parents' stones were mounted with the mother to the left of the father. The bride and groom's birthstones would be adjacent in the center. Another similar pattern, for four stones, mounted the birthstone of the parents' marriages, and the birthstones of the bride and groom. These token rings often disassembled, to expose a channel in which a lock of the suitor's hair could be treasured.
A Victorian tradition was the Regards ring, in which the initials of the precious gems used spelled out the word "regards". Another Victorian tradition was the Dearest Ring, which spelled the word "dearest" using the first letter of each jewel.
The origin of our custom to use diamonds in rings, and more recently, in engagement rings, can be traced back to the Middle Ages and even the Romans. The Romans valued the diamond entirely on account of its supernatural powers. Pliny wrote that a diamond baffles poison, keeps off insanity and dispels vain fears. [4]. The medieval Italians copied these beliefs and added some to it: they called it the "Pietra della Reconciliazone" because it maintained concord between husband and wife. On this account it was recommended as the stone to be set in wedding (or espousal) rings. Note: not on account of its beauty therefore, which was described by Isidore of Seville as a small stone devoid of beauty. [4]
In more recent times a Parisian Oracle of mystic subjects, the Baron d'Orchamps, announced the diamond, if worn on the left (hand) warded off evil influences and attracted good fortune and since he had fashionable clients the word spread and the wearing of the diamond on the left hand became in itself a fashion. [5]
One of the first occurrences of the diamond engagement (or wedding) ring can be traced back to the marriage of Maximilian I (then Archduke of Austria) to Mary of Burgundy in 1477. [6] Other early examples of betrothal jewels incorporating diamonds include the Bridal Crown of Blanche (ca. 137080)[6] and the Heftlein brooch of Vienna (ca. 143040),[6] a pictorial piece depicting a wedding couple.
The diamond engagement ring did not become the standard it is considered today until after an extensive marketing campaign by De Beers in the middle of the 20th century, which came to include one of the most famous advertising slogans of the 20th century: A Diamond is Forever.
In the early 20th century, the United States jewelery industry attempted to start a trend of male engagement rings, going so far as to create a supposed "historical precedent" dating back to medieval times. The attempt failed, although the industry applied lessons learned from this venture in its more successful bid to encourage the use of male wedding rings. [7]
When shopping for rings with one or more diamonds, the price can depend significantly on the carat weight, color, clarity and cut of the diamond, otherwise known as gemological characteristics of the diamond.
In the last ten years, there has been a movement towards less traditional buying methods by consumers. In years past, a prospective groom would travel to the local jewelry store to pick out his ring, taking the advice of the friendly clerk. However, with the advent of the internet, consumers have become more savvy, searching the World Wide Web for as much information as they can find to educate themselves on the subject. This has led to the success of a new breed of jewelers who can only be found online. The lack of a 'brick-and-mortar' store has enabled some of these retailers to trim their overhead, thereby offering the same or better quality product at drastically reduced prices to these highly informed consumers.[citation needed]
With more and more couples living together prior to marriage, however, it is not unheard-of for a couple to select the engagement ring while purchasing a wedding band together. This eliminates the possibility of the woman not liking the engagement ring.
One case in New South Wales, Australia ended in the man suing his former fiancée because she threw the ring in the trash after telling her she could keep it despite the marriage proposal failing. The Supreme Court of New South Wales held that despite what the man said, the ring remained a conditional gift (partly because his saying that she could keep it was partly due to his desire to salvage the relationship) and she was ordered to pay him its AUD$15,250 cost.[9]
Tradition generally holds that if the betrothal fails because the man himself breaks off the engagement, the woman is not obliged to return the ring. Legally, this condition can be subject to either a modified or a strict fault rule. Under the former, the fiancé can demand the return of the ring unless he breaks the engagement. Under the latter, the fiancé is entitled to the return unless his actions caused the breakup of the relationship, the same as the traditional approach. However, a no-fault rule is being advanced in some jurisdictions, under which the fiancé is always entitled to the return of the ring. The ring only becomes the property of the woman when marriage occurs. An unconditional gift approach is another possibility, wherein the ring is always treated as a gift, to be kept by the fiancée whether or not the relationship progresses to marriage. Recent court rulings have determined that the date in which the ring was offered can determine the condition of the gift. e.g. Valentine's Day and Christmas are nationally recognized as gift giving holidays. A ring offered in the form of a Christmas present will likely remain the personal property of the recipient in the event of a break up. [10]
In the United Kingdom, the gift of an engagement ring is presumed to be an absolute gift to the fiancée. This presumption may be rebutted however by proving that the ring was given on condition (express or implied) that it must be returned if the marriage did not take place, for whatever reason. This was decided in the case Jacobs v Davis [1917] 2 KB 532.


text: What are the best Rock-n-Roll songs about or related to Fantasy Fiction? Please stick to Rock-n-Roll. Sorry if you're a huge fan, but Enya is NOT Rock-n-Roll. I'll get us started with some obvious entries (Please list artist followed by track title then comment): Led Zeppelin Ramble On A tribute to Tolkien's poetry & LOTR. Runner up mention to Misty Mountain Hop and The Battle of Evermore. Jimi Hendrix All Along The Watchtower Musical imagery equivalent to a Frazetta drawing. A shout out to Bob Dylan, but Hendrix and the Experience infuse Dylan's composition with the power it needs to be a Fantasy classic. Jefferson Airplane White Rabbit The definitive link between the 60's counter-culture and Fantasy Literature. Zeppelin transported us from present day into a fantasy world. Airplane dragged the fantasy world into present day.


text:
Brill Bruisers
The New Pornographers
Last Played
AlbumBrill Bruisers
Average rating
5 star rating.
Listen Audio Clip
The New Pornographers: Brill Bruisers provided courtesy of the iTunes Music Store.
Other songs on this album
- Born With A Sound feat. Amber Webber
- Champions Of Red Wine
- Dancehall Domine
- Fantasy Fools
- War On The East Coast
Other songs by this artist
- 89.3 In-Studio Performance
- Adventures In Solitude
- All The Old Show Stoppers
- Brill Bruisers
- Moves
- War On The East Coast
- A Tribute To Fleetwood Mac: Just Tell Me That You Want Me
- Think About Me (Fleetwood Mac cover)
- Challengers
- All the Old Showstoppers
- All The Things That Go To Make Heaven And Earth
- Mutiny, I Promise You
- My Rights Versus Yours
- Myriad Harbour
- Unguided
- Electric Version
- All for Swinging You Around
- From Blown Speakers
- July Jones
- Miss Teen Wordpower
- The Electric Version
- The Laws Have Changed
- Live Current Vol. 10
- My Rights Versus Yours
- Mass Romantic
- Jackie
- Letter From an Occupant
- Mass Romantic
- The Body Says No
- The Mary Martin Show
- Rock The Garden 2008
- All Things That Go To Make Heaven and Earth
- Don't Bring Me Down
- The Bleeding Heart Show
- Spirit Of Giving Xmas EP
- Arms Of Mary/Looking At A Baby
- Joseph, Who Understood
- Together
- Crash Years
- Moves
- Silver Jenny Dollar
- Sweet Talk, Sweet Talk
- Your Hands (Together)
- Twin Cinema
- Jackie, Dressed In Cobras
- Sing Me Spanish Techno
- The Bleeding Heart Show
- The Bones of an Idol
- The Jessica Numbers
- Use It
Please note that our catalog only lists songs that we've set up within our system; not every track from an album is displayed. You may request a song that's not in our catalog by using our request form. You may also suggest a song be added to our catalog by contacting The Current.
Album art and preview audio provided by iTunes, related artists provided by EchoNest.


text:
Does the type of weapon used (piercing, slashing, bludgeoning) have any effect in Pathfinder RPG? For example, in AD&D 2e, the type of weapon modifies attack rolls according to the defender's armor type. (E.g., piercing weapons have an attack bonus on chain mail and so on…) Does something like this exist in Pathfinder too?
Role-playing Games Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for gamemasters and players of tabletop, paper-and-pencil role-playing games. Join them; it only takes a minute:
Sign up
Sign up
Here's how it works:
- Anybody can ask a question
- Anybody can answer
- The best answers are voted up and rise to the top
Yes. There are consequences for the weapon type used, but modifiers against armour types have been discarded.
DR: Some monsters are resistant to certain types of damage. This can be seen in DR for skeletons where their DR is 5/Bludgeoning.
Feats: Some feats also require certain weapon types to be effective, for example Bleeding Critical requires a slashing or piercing weapon to be used.
Smashing: Smashing objects requires a blungeoning or slashing weapon.
Magic weapons: Certain magical weapon effects can only be applied to certain weapons. For example keen can only be applied to piercing or slashing melee weapons.


text:
7 Nov 2012 12:17 AM #21
20 Feb 2013 6:00 AM #22
MultiGrouping and MultiGrouping "Remote" Summary
This is an amazing extension. However, I was wondering if MultiGrouping with MultiGrouping "Remote" summary is possible; similar to Remote Summary grid where the summary information is sent from the server itself.
I need this feature for the pagination with lazy-loading where data on the next page will get fetched lazyly. Thus, sending the summary information before hand becomes necessary in this case.
18 Mar 2013 8:25 AM #23
Does this should work with 4.2?
I'm trying to use this with ExtJS 4.2 but I cannot succeed.
My store if configured with:
... groupers: ['field1', 'field2'], ...
... features = [{ ftype: 'multigrouping'}] ...
thank you.
10 Apr 2013 8:30 AM #24
I am using Ext JS 4.2.x.
I am not able to add this plugin to my project.
Can you please tell how i can add this to my project to do multigrouping.
Thanks in advance,
24 Apr 2013 2:10 AM #25
Can you provide me the full example for multi-level grouping as i am new in extjs and i want to impliment it
22 May 2013 3:18 AM #26
multigroupingsummary is not working in Ext js 4.2.0
I want to use multigroupingsummary in ext js 4.2.
when i applied this it is not working .
can u provide me any working example i ext js 4.2?
22 May 2013 9:02 AM #27
i found some source of grouping was rewrite in extjs4.2, like the method 'getFeatureTpl' was never call in extjs4.2,
so i want to rewrite multigrouping to let it work in extjs4.2,but still can't figure out.
can anyone give me some advice??
13 Jun 2013 12:58 AM #28
i rewrote the code in Extjs4.2,please see here :
26 Aug 2013 1:01 PM #29
Bill, this works okay if I define my groups up front. I want to allow a user to select what columns to group by. If I run this with pre-defined groupers I get my groups, but if the user ungroups and then chooses "Group by this column" from the column dropdown menu it will JUST group by one field from then on. It would be better if it ADDED to the selection, rather than resetting it.
An hints on how to accomplish that?
18 Oct 2013 7:14 AM #30
I'am a new learner for Ext ,and I am very happy to see this plugin .
now I want to get a very very littile demo with this plugin.
I wanna learn how to use this plugin.
anyone help?
rios tong from China
Thread Participants: 21
- MatteoSp (1 Post)
- predator (1 Post)
- britoyen (1 Post)
- scottmartin (1 Post)
- shilpay (1 Post)
- anshumania (4 Posts)
- icemanovich (2 Posts)
- bwelting (1 Post)
- azesm (5 Posts)
- webfriend13 (1 Post)
- kgoley (1 Post)
- senthurpandian (1 Post)
- kamalshahu (1 Post)
- jkyoutsey (1 Post)
- bbbbkai (1 Post)
- viral.k.patel (1 Post)
- pra123@ (1 Post)
- billvs (2 Posts)
- silva (1 Post)
- riostong (1 Post)
- lgmaestrelli (1 Post)


text:
Meet and Communicate with Fun Singles Near You on BBW Personals Plus
Register now to search thousands of members and post your FREE profile!
i would like to meet someone who has a soul,a brain and a good sense of humor.
ALIZEEA is a 36yr-old single woman in Salem, WisconsinView Profile


text:
The dataset contains about 70,000 point features. And I want to use spatial join tool in arctool box, to join a polygon feature.
But it went that the values in the joined column are all zero, values in the 'join_count' are also zero .
And the result was right when the point dataset is not that large(actually 40,000 is OK). What's the problem? Do I have any solutions?
p.s. I don't want to use the join function in the right-click join. Although it went right, but I want to do spatial join using Geoprocessing.


text:
Please enter a maximum of 5 recipients. Use ; to separate more than one email address.
The project is part of Sasol's planned world-scale ethane cracker and derivatives complex to be built in Lake Charles, Louisiana. The plant's low-density polyethylene (LDPE) capacity will be 420,000 tpy.
Sasol has chosen Japan-based Mitsui Engineering &
Shipbuilding Co. to provide front-end engineering and design
(FEED) services for a 420,000 tpy low-density polyethylene
(LDPE) plant in Louisiana, the companies said on Monday.
The project is part of Sasols
planned world-scale ethane cracker and derivatives complex to
be established in Lake Charles, Louisiana.
ExxonMobil Chemical was selected by Sasol as the
licensor for this LDPE project.
Mitsui noted that it has considerable experience with
ExxonMobil's technology. It says
that experience led to the selection of Mitsui as the
project's FEED contractor.
All comments are subject to editorial review.
All fields are compulsory.
jewel green
iam looking to become a plant worker for sasol chemical plant.how can i get in to talk to someone about this issue.
Sign-up for the Free Daily HP Enewsletter!
A searchable database of project activity in the global hydrocarbon processing industry
Engineers and designers are highly skilled individuals. Forcing them to enter design changes using tables, forms and spreadsheets is unproductive and uneconomical, and it increases the likelihood of human error—this is the way that most instrumentation software systems currently work. For too long, software vendors have denied engineers and designers the simple practicality of a graphical visual engineering interface with "drag and drop" capability and inbuilt intelligence, ensuring changes are automatically replicated into all the associated data and databases.
Is 2016 the peak for US gasoline demand?
Too soon to tell
July 2016


text:
Call us 7 days a week
Know exactly what you want?
Save time with this quick order form. If you know the catalog/part numbers for the items you wish to purchase, enter them into your cart here. You can also browse the site and add items to your cart from any product page.
Quick Order
Top Categories in Electrical & Bulbs
Fluorescent Bulbs
Incandescent Bulbs
See More
Fixture Parts & Accessories
Locking Devices
Straight Blade Devices
Electromechanical Timers
Electronic Timers
All Categories
Please select at least one item
Browse Pipe & Tubing
(2,828 items)
Recently Viewed
Copper Pipe
Pipe Hangers
Pipe Insulation
Pipe Markers
Stainless Steel Pipe
Tubing - EVA
Tubing - PEX
Tubing - PVC
Tubing - Plastic Fittings
Tubing - Plastic Valves
Tubing - Polyethylene
Tubing - Vinyl
One Hole Strap Ss 1/4" Ips
Not Yet Rated


text:
I recently returned from the Baltoro Glacier in northern Pakistan with a 360' panorama, a very small section of which is available here.
As you can tell there is a lot of 'fanning' throughout the image. Here's how I took the picture.
NN5 with sturdy Feisol tripod.
Spirit level on the hotshoe.
Canon 5DII and 50mm lens.
Shot in RAW using a remote control.
Shot in manual at 400th of a second.
No vignetting in separate images.
No auto iso
No polarizer left on by mistake.
When I process the picture in Adobe CS5 I get this 'fanning', however, when I process it in Ptgui I get other lesser issues, with Ptgui I get what I could best describe as areas of poor join. I've tried processing the pano' in three sections with a left, middle and right then joining them up later but still no improvement.
I then took three images that showed a blatant fault in Ptgui, I took these three images and processed them in CS5 and they were fine. So I must be doing something wrong with the software. Yet I've done many pano's before without this issue - though never a 360'.
I wonder if I might be over over lapping the shots as I tend to overlap 50%
Any thoughts would be appreciated,
Many thanks


text:
Escalante Middle School was evacuated Friday afternoon after school officials learned of a bomb threat scrawled on a boys bathroom stall.
Faculty members escorted more than 500 students out of the building to a subdivision at the southeast end of the football field as fire trucks rushed to the scene.
Dan Bender, spokesman for the La Plata County Sheriff�s Office, said law enforcement declared the building safe at 3 p.m. after two visual sweeps of the school yielded nothing suspicious.
Durango School District 9-R Interim Superintendent Bill Esterbrook said Tim Arnold, principal of Escalante, called him around 1:45 p.m. to report that members of Escalante�s staff had discovered a message scrawled on the stall that said, �bomb go off 5/11/12 2 p.m.�
Esterbrook said he did not know who wrote the scrawl, but said, �One might suspect it was done by a student.�
At 2:45 p.m. Friday, Escalante sixth-graders Jarryn Bodine and Myah Jones, both 12, who were on their way to Home Depot where they hoped to meet with their parents, said that the evacuation began in seventh period.
�At first I thought it was a joke. But then the counselor said it wasn�t a joke, and I started to get scared,� Bodine said.
Jones, who was in band class when the evacuation began, said the evacuation had been very orderly.
On Friday afternoon, Esterbrook said the district was obliged to order the evacuation of the school.
�It�s very troublesome any time that you have to shut down a school, but it�s a threat, and we take it very seriously that the lives of Escalante�s students and the staff were threatened,� he said.
He said the district�s evacuation plan was followed.
�Tim and his staff did a remarkable job � all students were accounted for at all times,� he said.
The Sheriff�s office and school officials will perform an investigation. Esterbrook said if suspects are identified, disciplinary and legal action would be taken.
Bender said that threats of this nature disrupt school activities and can be dangerous because emergency vehicles drive with lights and sirens to respond.
�We take the matter very seriously,� Bender said.


text:
I've never worked in assembly, but I was just curious if SDK's exist for assembly programming. For instance, if I wanted to create a linked list, are there libraries available that have already done this, or is everything typically done from scratch?
Sign up
- Anybody can ask a question
- Anybody can answer
- The best answers are voted up and rise to the top
closed as not a real question by gnat, Walter, Yusubov, ChrisF♦ Oct 17 '12 at 20:24
It's difficult to tell what is being asked here. This question is ambiguous, vague, incomplete, overly broad, or rhetorical and cannot be reasonably answered in its current form. For help clarifying this question so that it can be reopened, visit the help center.If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.
At the assembly level, you could build out an "API" by using some Macros and fleshing out a set of assembly functions into a separate file which perform a particular generic task, which you could then call...
Complex functionality, including linked lists, etc., are frequently implemented in a higher level language and called from assembly, Like C, C++, etc. If you are starting out with ASM, but want to utilize more complex patterns and structures, calling a C library is the way to go.
The reason for this is because it quickly becomes an enormous job to manage the spaghetti of registers and addressing muck when you start dealing with an excess of stack frames.
However, if you are interested in implementing complex stuff, it has been done before: Linked Lists in ASM - the only thing you'd need to do is implement this as a macro.
The value of implementing complex functionality in ASM is quickly outweighed by the advantages of just using a higher level language to begin with (which, fyi, are already very fast). If your motivation is speed, my suspicion would be that there is a C library out there can come very close to what you need.
I might be wrong on this, but I guess there are SDKs regarding processors architectures, ABIs and other hardware stuff. Other than that, I guess there is no such thing.
Everything in an ASM tends to be ad-hoc, so there are no datastructures per se. Of course, you could design a couple of standard jumps one could make with some sort of programming contract of what you might expect to be in the stack and memory address, but that would be using C. No real advantage.
It looks like Spontaneous Assembly is still avialable. Some of it is aimed toward MS-DOS, which you probably don't care about. Other parts, however, are (or should be, anyway) reasonably independent of the target platform, as long as it runs on an x86 processor.
NASMX? MASM32? Check these "SDK"s which are just regular MACROs for Win32 Programming with ASSEMBLY language.(for x86 and x64)
For Linked List and other DATASTRUCTURES, you might have to code them yourself. Assembly language toolkits are much like C language toolkits - open and extensible.
Only to combine what I said with what @Prototype Stark said: When you have a SDK like Windows, you get plenty of libraries and those come as object code. The same kind you would get from a C/C++ compiler. Your favorite ASM linker will link to those libraries and turn everything into a nice executable (depending of your OS of choice).
And how can you use WinAPI with ASM? Well, you must follow the calling conventions. You can even specify this when you're compiling C code with some special keywords.


text:
Steam Holiday Sale- Day 7
Today's Daily Deals Include:
ARMA II: Combined Operations $29.99 => $14.99
Natural Selection 2 $24.99 => $9.99
The Walking Dead $24.99 => $12.49
The Sims 3 $29.99 => $10.19
Legend of Grimrock $14.99 => $3.74
Spec Ops: The Line $29.99 => $10.19
Check back often! A new Vote starts every 12 hours and there will be new Flash sales throughout the day.
8 Comments add a comment
The Natural Selection mod for HL was one of my favorites, so I guess I'll finally buy NS2. Hopefully the community is as strong as the first.
There are also a lot of addons for the main games on sale. For instance, if you have Sims 3 through steam you can get Ambitions for about $10.00 (normally $30).
@racinreaver: It probably isnt, but its a fun game anyway! 10 bucks is a steal too.
Oh man, not this again. This is how Steam literally nickle and dimes me to death. Every time these sales come around I buy a ton of $5 and $10 stuff.
Am I the only one that has been disappointed by the sales this year?
I highly recommend Grimrock...Great game...
Natural Selection 2 rocks! I bought it the first day is was released and yes, it still has a great community and developer team that constantly updates and adds new content. I definitely recommend this title if you like first person shooters that require a bit more strategy than just the same old point and click.
@ddmad: Man, I couldn't even figure out how to attack in that game X_X I chose two fighters and two mages, but they couldn't even cast spells at first so they were useless. Maybe I'm just an idiot, but I do game a bit (not CoD) and didn't find the controls intuitive at all...I really wish I had great things to say about it.


text:
The "interacting wind" model of planetary nebulae is based on the idea that the white dwarf phase of stellar evolution is preceded by a red giant phase. A fast wind from the hot white dwarf overtakes the more slowly moving red giant wind and the region of interaction forms a shell of material which is driven outwards by the fast wind and photoionised by the white dwarf. The emission from this shell produces the observed planetary nebula. Assume that the fast wind switches on instantaneously at the end of the red giant phase at $t = 0$. The mass of swept up material is given by: $$ \frac{dM_s}{dt}=A(V_s-V_{RG}) $$ where $V_s=dR_s/dt$ is the velocity of the shell and $A=\dot{M_{RG}}/V_{RG}$ Assuming that the evolution of the interior of the mass-loss bubble is adiabatic, I have to find out the radius of the swept up shell and the pressure are given by $$ R_s(t) = \left ( 2L_w/3A \right )^{1/3} t $$
Attempted solution
I have started with \begin{eqnarray} \frac{d}{dt} \int_{shell} \rho d^3x = -\int_{S_2} \rho (v_i -u_i) n_i ds + \int_{S_1} \rho (v_i -u_i)n_i ds \end{eqnarray}
Then finally I got the answer of The mass of swept up material. But I have started with Energy driven and momentum
$$ \frac{d}{dt}\left (M \frac{dR_s}{dt} \right )= \frac{3}{2} \frac{L_w}{v_w} \frac{R_s^2}{R_1^2}= 4\pi p_bR_s^2 $$
I think from here I need find out the required equation. Could some one help ?


text:
I understand that Mashiach is going to be a human. What is the source for this, and are there any explanations why it must be so? Can't G-d Himself redeem us?
Sign up
- Anybody can ask a question
- Anybody can answer
- The best answers are voted up and rise to the top
Disclaimer: As recommended by @DoubleAA and mentioned above by @SethJ, the translation of "Moshiach" is "anointed". It has been used to refer to other people besides the final redeemer. Nevertheless, it has come to refer, nowadays almost exclusively, to the final redeemer. Herein I will use Moshiach to refer to the final redeemer, as is common.
The Tanach has many verses that speak about Moshiach doing human things, i.e., riding a donkey. Granted, it would not be impossible to interpret these allegorically, but absent those rabbinic interpretations, it's safe to say that he will fulfill the verses literally. That's as far as I know of textual proofs.
As far as the Rabbis have taught, it's even clearer.
The Gemara in Sanhedrin (99a) states:
Rambam says (Hilchos Melachim, 11:4):
We see that Moshiach must be a human descendant of King David (like @Dan said).
I've yet to see a valid Jewish opinion on the Redeemer not being human; instead there are numerous places where the Rabbis emphasize that he will be human, and that believing anything else is possibly heresy. (Rambam, Chasam Sofer, et al.)
As quoted in HodofHod's answer , the question of a human messiah is in fact debated in the Talmud. However, the Rambam (the sole codifier of Messianic Halacha) clearly rules (Hilchos Melachim 11:1) in accordance with the majority opinion that Moshaich will be a human being from the family of King David, and that, "Anyone who does not believe in him or does not await his coming, denies not only the statements of the other prophets, but those of the Torah and Moses, our teacher." Similarly the Chasam Sofer (Shu"t YD 356) writes that post this ruling, believing in a non-human messiah is considered heresy of the entire Torah.
The Lubavitcher Rebbe explains why it is essential for Moshiach to be a human being (Sefer Hashichos 5752 Parshas Chayei Sorah, see here):
The purpose of mans' Divine service is to affect a union between G-dliness and this lowly world. Man's mission is to perfect this world by bringing spirituality and G‑dliness into an otherwise ungodly world. This is accomplished by performing mitzvos with physical items, thus drawing down the Divine into our world. The ultimate realization of this will be the coming of Moshiach when every dimension of our worldly existence will be truly permeated by G‑dliness.
To cause a union of two diametrically opposed ideas (G-d, and this world) is a tremendous challenge. The only way such a union could be orchestrated is by a "third party" that represents both sides. G-d cannot create the union, because He is one of the sides in the deal. Neither can any of the angels do so, since they have no connection to the physical. Moshiach will therefore be a human of flesh-and-blood who undergoes the suffering of this world, yet at the same time will possess the highest and purest soul - the ultimate candidate to bridge these two opposites.
I once asked this question to Harav Moshe Shapiro Shlit"a, and he answered with the verse from Psalms 113: "והארץ נתן לבני אדם...and the Earth, He gave to people."
Here's my understanding of what Rav Shapiro meant, based on Rabbi Luzzatto in Daas Tevunos. The world was given to us to bring to a state of perfection/completeness. Hashem doesn't just want to make the world perfect, he wants us to perfect it. Ultimately, the world will get to that point. And it will get there through us. But the process of bringing Human consciousness to that state of awareness of Hashem Echad (the "Oneness" of G-d) will be spearheaded by a leader.
There are two ways in which this may come about. The first way: Ideally, we will be successful at cultivating a society that produces this individual.
The second way: Even if we fall short, eventually, Hashem will orchestrate history in such a way that society will nevertheless produce this individual. But, our failures will act as catalysts for our advancement.
I could elaborate on this a lot, but I am trying to be succinct.
I love this question. Assuming the same caveat -- that Moshiach refers in this case to the redeemer -- I agree that there are sources which state that the Moshiach will be human, but none, really, which explain why. We can only speculate, but based on sources from the Torah and Navi, I think we can make some decent inferences.
I must start with G-d's gift of free will. At Deut. 30:15-20 we are offered the opportunity to choose between good and evil and told that if we're smart we'll choose "good," which according to Rashi is defined here by the Torah as loving Hashem, walking in His ways, and keeping His commandments and ordinances. In essence, we are told here that the Torah has all of the tools we need to make the correct choices, but leaves to us the responsibility of learning the Torah on our own and folowing is principles.
The Torah in whole sets detailed and very high standards for us to follow, summarized in Parashat Kedoshim as "Be holy for I Hashem, your G-d am holy." (Lev. 19:2.) Oh great, we have to aspire to be like G-d, according to this and Deut. 30:16 (walk in the ways of Hashem). The Torah never says explicitly that G-d does not set standards we can't keep, but a student of human history might suggest that here is an example of where He did set our goals too high. G-d does tell us that the commandments in the Torah are "not too hard for you, nor even far off . . ." (Deut. 30:11).
The Torah also gives us two case studies why we should have faith that we can achieve all of His commandments: First is the case of the rebellion following the report of the spies (Num. 14:1-25). There, the generation of the Exodus, despite G-d's promises that He personally would help them take the Land, chose to believe the report of the spies and their own self-doubts, and were punished by being denied entry into the Land. The second example follows Moses' failure to follow-through on G-d's command that he cause water to come from a rock through speech alone (Num. 20:2-23). Moses, perhaps frustrated by his failure to find the correct rock (Rashi ad loc.), or perhaps overwhelmed at the thought of attempting for the first time to perform a miracle through speech alone -- the same means G-d created the Earth -- Moses resorts to his former method; he struck a rock with his staff. G-d accuses Moses of not believing Him (Num. 22:12), and also bans Moses from entry into the Land. From these parallel examples, we must include that we not only can trust that all of G-d's commandments are do-able, there is a grave penalty if we think we are incapable of ever fulfilling the commandments.
With that long introduction, I will now get to my point. We are not puppets. We are not like the Barbie and Ken dolls my granddaughters play with, and place in innumerable story-lines and scenes with no free will. We are G-d's creations and just as He expected the Jews to not wait for a miracle, but to instead follow Moses and take the first steps towards their own freedom from Egypt (Exodus 14:15; Mechilta, Exodus Rabbah 21:8), He expects us to follow a human Moshiach and bring about the initial stages of the Messianic Age on our own. Since G-d has given us the commandment that we should become holy like G-d, we must assume that we also have the capability to achieve that level of holiness, identify the Moshiach, and have him lead us back to the Holy Land and to a holier world.


text:
Moroccan Spiced Lamb Sausage
Total time:
- 4 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground sumac
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 pound ground lamb
- In a small sauté pan over medium heat, sauté the garlic in the olive oil until soft. Add all of the spices and seasonings. Cook for 60 seconds, stirring constantly. Transfer to a plate and let cool.
- Place the ground lamb and the cooled garlic and spices in an electric mixer bowl fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix for 2 minutes.
- Crumble the meat into small pieces and place on a baking tray.
- Bake at 350°F degrees for 15 minutes, or until the lamb pieces are cooked thoroughly.
Watch Chef Dominic Make Pizza Dough


text:
Dialed In Plain Toe
Item # K73998
Special Offer:
Select Size
Select Width
Loading Recommendations
Jump To:
Introducing the Dialed In Plain Toe, a beautifully crafted, Italian lasted dress shoe that captures the return to men's wardrobing through shape and tie print linings. Designed for the modern businessman, this shoe is engineered for comfort through the use of ADIPRENE® by adidas and our own walkability architecture.
- Soft fabric lining feels great against the foot
- Full grain leather is durable and easy to clean to extend product life
- EVA footbed conforms to the shape of the foot to help provide a personalized fit
- Rubber outsole helps provide a durable grip on a variety of surfaces
- ADIPRENE® by adidas sport technology for all day comfort with shock absorption in the heel
Highly shock-absorbent cushioning protects the heel at impact
Dialed In Plain Toe is rated out of 5 by 19.
Rated 4 out of 5 by Turtlebay917 from Great fit and style I liked these shoes so much I bought 2 pairs in different colors. They are great since the have wider sizes for people with flat feet. These shoes are also really light.
Date published: 2013-05-16
Rated 4 out of 5 by NewBuyer from Good shoe, but pointy toe Good looking shoes, and very comfortable. However, the toe is relatively pointy. Make sure you want this look if you buy this shoe.
Date published: 2013-04-01
Rated 4 out of 5 by Alex2014 from Modern Oxford I bought this shoe two weeks ago and am very happy with my purchase. I went for this one because it is a modern looking oxford, and isn't "clunky" like many can be. Bought the shoe for my medical school interviews, some of which have long tours with a lot of walking. The shoe is comfortable, and my only complaint is that it's a little too long/pointed in the front, and makes my foot look at least 2 sizes larger than it is. Otherwise, it's a great shoe!
Date published: 2013-11-01
Rated 5 out of 5 by Cheesecake from Style and Comfort This is the second pair of Rockport dress shoes that I have bought. I still own the first pair and they're still awesome! The combination of style and comfort that these shoes have got going for them can't be beat. I wear a suit everyday and these shoes look sharp with each one. More importantly, my feet are still happy at the end of the day.
Date published: 2014-03-11
Rated 2 out of 5 by Kendall from These shoes are very uncomfortable. The arch is horrendous. It hurts to walk for more than 5 minutes. I have to take them off at work so my feet aren't always in pain. I wish I could return them, but I've worn them too long now. I was hoping I could break them in, but I haven't had any luck.
Date published: 2013-07-03
Rated 5 out of 5 by AnilA from Great shoes My favorite dress shoes. Bought these about a month back and have worn these more than ten times already. Best purchase. I wear Rockport shoes only and this pair must be my twentieth pair but is the best
Date published: 2014-03-02
Rated 1 out of 5 by Marine11 from Much too pointed for me The shoe was much more elongated than I thought from the photo. Perhaps I could have used 1/2 size shorter.
Date published: 2013-04-10
Rated 4 out of 5 by Khai87 from Nice and forgiving on the feet I bought this a week back at Rockport Vivocity,Singapore. I do a lotof walking and standing in my job as a trainer.. I have sort of a low arch in my feet, but this shoes have really outdone itself cause i thought it would be painful with the shoe's profile and my feet low arch nature So far the design has been wonderful and the comfort has been better than dress shoes of other siZes. Thanks to adiprene tech
Date published: 2014-03-29


text:
1968 Plymouth Valiant - Weekend RestoWritten by Johnny Hunkins on November 1, 2012 Contributors: Randy Lorentzen We bought a '68 Plymouth Valiant and made it car-show ready for a total outlay of $4,300. Here's how we did it …
Those Occupy Wall Street folks just might be onto something. The 1 percenters have all the fun while the rest of us get nada. The hot rodding world certainly has its equivalent. The 1 percenters build sky-is-the-limit checkbook cars, while the rest of us window shop eBay and Craigslist. Sigh. Maybe one day. Screw that! Don't stand around in some imaginary car guy unemployment line—we say, occupy Goodguys! Occupy Super Chevy! Occupy the Car Craft Summer Nats! Why should check writers have all the fun?
We decided to do something about it. We figured the best way to get the fence sitters out of the car guy unemployment line and into the cruisin' lane was to prove that you can get into the game and be a real player for small bank. We spent real money on a real car and real parts—and you would be astonished to know what kinds of cool comments we've gotten on our '68 Valiant since we pulled off this fantastic feat.
The Car
One tip to duplicating our low price of admission is that we started out with a long list of possible car candidates. Had we actually been looking for a '68 Valiant, we surely would've paid more, but we were open to any car—the only "must haves" were that it needed to be locally owned, domestic, two-door, no convertible, no rust, driveable condition, mostly straight body, and '60-72 model year. We searched for three months, looked physically at a dozen cars, and cherry picked the best deal when it came up. Three strategies saved us from overspending on project car fodder: we weren't obsessed with finding a specific car model, we weren't hell-bent on a V-8, and we placed fanatical importance on a straight, rust-free body with salvageable paint. That last one may seem like a costly concession, but it actually saves a bucket of money on body and paint. Framing those principles was the knowledge that a killer-looking wheel/tire package and the right stance can make practically any car look good.
When searching for a car, time is on your side—despite pressure from sellers telling you otherwise. That cash may be burning a hole in your pocket, but resist the urge to buy rust in the shape of a car. Can't find anything nice at your price? The longer you take to add to the spending pot, the larger your cash kitty will grow, and the nicer your project can be. We started out with a $1,700 pot, but by the time we found our Valiant three months later, we had $2,500 stashed.
Patience and responsible buying habits do pay off. We found a remarkably nice Slant Six '68 Plymouth Valiant for $2,800 and talked the seller down to $2,500. To the good, it was virtually rust free, it was a running car with no major mechanical issues, the interior was surprisingly well preserved, the paint was all there, and the body was mostly straight. On the negative side, there are numerous electrical issues, it's a Slant Six, and there is some slight road rash on the front left fender. We figured those negatives would be easily worked out over time, as long as we could drive it over the short term. As for the parking lot scrapes on the front left fender—they're small enough that they serve to add charm. At least paint still covers them and they are darned hard to see in photos.
The Game Plan
Some gearheads might put the first priority on building a nasty motor with a snotty attitude. We've done that before, in fact it's our normal mode of operation. Lay rubber first, worry about what it looks like later. Since we have the luxury of other cars that already pound the pavement with big cubes and massive pound-feet, we thought starting with the looks could be cool for a change. Buy the car, do a quick rehab, and get into the cruisin' lane ASAP. When cash is thin, you don't want to have to keep laying out Benjamins month after month, year after year, with no seat time in return. Our plan: have fun with the mon.
Part two of the plan was reliant on how successful we were with part one. We've done enough body and paint special issues to know that we wanted to bypass that huge time suck and start the love rubbing. Big rust or body damage was a no-go, but older oxidized paint, we figured, could be brought back to life. When we saw the chalky single-stage paint on the Valiant, we were pretty sure we could bring it back from the dead. When we found evidence it had been repainted a long time ago the same color as the factory paint, we knew we had a lot of material on the car to work with. Bingo! We could bypass sanding, prepping, primering, and painting, and essentially go straight to the final cut and polish.
We'd seen enough badass Mopar A-Bodies to know our Valiant was just a wheel/tire swap and torsion bar adjustment away from a killer rake. Over the years, we'd formed an opinion about how we might address a Mopar A-Body if we had the chance to nab one. And while it's been proven that A-Bodies make great Pro Touring cars, we wanted something that hearkened back to a simpler era. After all, these are uncomplicated cars. It's not supposed to look like a radar-guided cruise missile, it's granny getting groceries with a concealed carry permit. In our mind, there was never any question about rolling stock—Coker Tire in Chattanooga, Tennessee, was already on speed dial, and satin-black 15-inch steelies with redlines is what we craved.
Most importantly, we wanted to get everything done fast. Deadline pressure notwithstanding, hot rodders don't like waiting around. Like everything in the now generation, it's all about instant gratification. We could draw this out over months or years, but why wait when we can deliver the punch line right now? We decided to do our Valiant's restoration in just 48 hours. Some of the stuff, like the interior, powertrain, brakes, and suspension would just have to wait. We just want to get rolling in style as quick as possible, so let's get it on!
The Stance
The wheels and tires make or break the look of any hot rod. You've gotta get the right rolling stock, they have to fill the wheelwells right, they can't stick out, they can't be too buried in the wheelwell, the front can't be too high or too low, and the back can't look too high or too low. All too often, guys just buy the wheels and tires without researching, then throw 'em on, and crack a beer. News flash: Unless you just get lucky, that procedure looks like crap. For criminy sakes, if you're going to spend real coin on wheels, at least make 'em look right?
Fortunately, with a Mopar we got to dispense with the sometimes risky guesswork of cutting coil springs. All Mopars have an adjustable torque arm front suspension, which means you can crank one bolt on each front lower control arm and lower or raise the suspension. GM and Ford guys would kill for something like this. Considering how cool and easy that is, we're absolutely mystified that more Mopars don't sport a killer stance. Who knows, maybe they're going for that high-floodwater-comin' look.
Moving along, we researched our wheel and tire sizes on the Moparts.org and ForABodiesOnly.com forums before buying wheels and tires. If you're already into Mopars or just getting into them, let's face it, there is no better place to go for your online A-Body tech fix. But be forewarned, if you post on their forum, the Moparts.org people will not cut you any slack if you're a dumbass—they're in your face, and they're deadpan honest. Don't go snooping around there with no Chevy—that's as bad as picante sauce from New York City. ForABodiesOnly.com is a little more family friendly, and they've actually got a specific section devoted to A-Body wheels and tires. We gathered enough good info from both forums to inform our selection of 15x8 Coker steelies in the rear, and 15x6 Coker steelies in front. (Unless you go custom offsets, there is no choice in backspacing, and only the larger 5x4.5-inch bolt pattern is available.) We also gathered tire size data, paying particular attention to the larger sizes that were being used successfully with stock wheelwells, and chose 225/60R15s for the rear and 215/65R15s for the front—both in Coker's beautifully reproduced BFG Silvertown redline radial. All together, our Coker rolling stock (tires, rims, hubcaps) set us back $1,592. We do suggest one thing, however, when placing an order with Coker: Some items aren't always on the website—like our O.E. Mopar hubcaps ($55 each). We recommend you phone a Coker product specialist after browsing the website, that way you won't miss anything.
Being a Slant Six, the Valiant sports the low-performance 5x4-inch bolt circle. Nobody makes cool wheels for this, so don't even try looking. No worries though. We got the large bolt circle wheels and mounted them to the Valiant using Trans-Dapt hub adapters designed for the purpose. Be mindful that these aren't high-performance parts—they're designed for light to normal road use. Don't plan on hitting the autocross, dragstrip, or road course with them, as the stock spindles and bearings will not be able to handle the extra shear load. They are, however, perfect for cruising, and that's what we intend to do until we upgrade our spindles and axles.
We got our rolling stock all together, and headed down to Picture Car Warehouse in Northridge, California, for our first day of rehab. We washed the grime off with Mothers California Gold Car Wash, mounted the spacers and Coker rolling stock, lowered the front ride height, addressed clearance issues with the fender lips and such, straightened some bent trim, and restored the grille with a Dupli-Color spray bomb.
Paint Rehab
Day two of our weekend resto was spent at Classy Cars Auto Detailing in Huntington Beach, California. You have two choices here: Use the techniques shown here by proprietor Jeff Jeppesen and burn your own elbow grease (in which case you'd only be out $95 or so for the Mothers car care products we used), or you can take your diamond in the rough to Classy Cars and let them work their paintless auto restoration magic while you take a stroll on the beach. (Easy there, Captain Check Writer.) Jeppesen quotes approximately $1,000 to do a job like ours, which may seem like a lot, but just know that he leaves no stone unturned—it will look nearly as good as a new paintjob when he's done, or he won't do it. What we particularly like is that before quoting a job, Jeppesen will test individual products and techniques in small areas of the paint to see what products are best and what results are possible. Unlike a paintjob, you actually get to see the end result before any of the work is done. Jeppesen is a big proponent of Mothers car care products because they flat-out work. When your livelihood depends on being able to work magic on a daily basis, the stuff in the bottle better deliver the results, or you're out of business.
Of all the Mothers products outlined in our story, we were most impressed with Mothers Professional Foam Pad Polish, which before our unbelieving eyes transformed a chalky 30-year-old repaint into a crystal-clear shine. The key was using a high-speed buffer at 1,200 rpm with a waffle-shaped foam polishing pad. When preceded with the Mothers California Clay Bar system and followed up with an application of Mothers Pure Brazilian Carnauba Wax, our Valiant could walk the walk with pride at any car show or cruise in the land.
All together, we spent a total of $4,324.30 on the car, the Coker rolling stock, Trans-Dapt wheel hub adapters, Mothers detailing products, and Dupli-Color spray paint. What we now have is a cool-looking boulevard cruiser that turns heads and elicits comments wherever it goes. It's not the fastest thing on the road with a Slant Six, but we are in the game and rolling chill for basically chump change. The cool thing is, you can do it too—we just gave you the road map. Don't let the 1 percenters have all the fun—get out there and occupy Goodguys!
Win Cool Mothers Stuff!
Lucky for you, we videotaped the entire rehab process on the Valiant and edited it into a cool 11-minute video. See Editor Hunkins, Steve Dulcich, Picture Car Warehouse, and Classy Cars Auto Detailing all in one action-packed episode! Just log on to www.YouTube.com/PopularHotRodding and look for the video named "1968 Plymouth Valiant—Weekend Rehab." The first person to watch the video and tell us what interesting thing we found in the Valiant's engine compartment gets a nice selection of Mothers car care products! Just email email@example.com before October 12, 2012 with the winning answer and your mailing address!
|What To Get
|'68 Plymouth Valiant Slant Six
|215/65R15 BFG redline radial reproduction
|Coker Tire
|$246 ea.
|225/60R15 BFG redline radial reproduction
|Coker Tire
|$228 ea.
|Mopar 15x6 steel wheel, 5x4.5-bolt pattern
|Coker Tire
|$106 ea.
|Mopar 15x8 steel wheel, 5x4.5-bolt pattern
|Coker Tire
|$106 ea.
|O.E. Mopar hubcap
|Coker Tire
|$55 ea.
|Wheel hub adapters, 5x4 hub to 5x4.5 wheel
|$61.95 pr.
|Mothers California Gold Car Wash
|Mothers PowerBall Mini
|Mothers California Clay Bar System
|Mothers Pure Carnauba Wax
|Mothers Billet Metal Polish
|Mothers Professional Foam Pad Polish
|Chrome spray paint
|Satin black trim paint
More Photos From This Article View Slideshow
It seemed like there would be no end to the grime we washed off the Valiant. Every time we thought an area was clean, we got yet another layer of dirt off! The Mothers car wash was the bomb on funk this thick. The perseverance paid off, however, as there looked like hope for the underlying single-stage paint.For $2,500, don't expect to get a V-8 in a rust-free car—not even in California. Our mill was a 225ci Chrysler Slant Six; the one redeeming factor is that these are stone reliable, leak-free engines that get decent mileage. (They don't make enough horsepower to actually break—a good thing if you're on a budget.) We soaked it in some degreaser, then hit it with a pressure washer; just make sure to cover all electrical components before letting the water fly.Two weeks before our weekend resto, we ordered our Coker wheels and tires. When they showed up, they were already mounted and balanced—ready to bolt on. We wanted period-looking rolling stock, and chose Coker's reproduction BFG redlines on 15-inch Mopar steelies. After doing some Internet forum research, we calculated our largest safe tire sizes at 215/65R15 (front) and 225/60R15 (rear) mounted on 15x6 (front) and 15x8 (rear) rims.We're thinking about swapping in a much more powerful V-8 driveline at a later date, so it didn't make sense to buy rolling stock to fit the small 5x4-inch bolt pattern of the Slant Six Mopar. Instead, we found an interim solution—get the larger V-8 rolling stock now and use inexpensive hub adapters until we upgrade the rearend and front spindles. These Trans-Dapt hub adapters cost $123.90 (all four wheels) and made the Coker wheel/tire swap a cinch.Nothing makes a bigger difference to the appearance than the right set of wheels and tires—just check out the stock 175/80R13 next to the 225/60R15 Coker redline. Next to the $2,500 cost of the car, the Coker rolling stock was our next largest expense at $1,592 (wheels, tires, dog-dish hubcaps)—which made their selection all that more important. We needed both visual impact, and a package that could handle the traction and braking needs of a future beefed-up V-8 powertrain.We quickly discovered that the wider Coker wheels—when mounted on 1-inch-thick hub adapters—were too far out, and interfered with the rear fender lip and inner wheelhouse. Mopar expert Steve Dulcich was there to aid PCW's Al Kruger with a clearance procedure that used a ball-peen hammer and a 4x4 wood block (as a dolly) to reshape the offending area. You can't see it, but there are thick layers of masking tape protecting the outside of the lip from the wood block.Lowering the stance of the Valiant in front and stepping up from a 13-inch tire on a 5-inch rim to a 15-inch tire on a 6-inch rim resulted in some interference—namely this fender mounting tab and screw head. Apparently, only Valiant A-Bodies have this extra tab, or it's already been cut out of every Dart, Barracuda, and Duster we've ever seen.Fortunately, there are plenty of other mounting points for the Valiant's fenders, so we pulled the screw out, cut off the fender tab, and ground off the mounting boss from the inner fender. Problem solved!
With the rear wheelhouses and fender lips clearanced, and the interfering fender tabs gone, we finally got to roll the Valiant out into the PCW yard and check the stance. It looked wicked already and we were beginning to feel a flicker of hope for the upcoming Fourth of July cruise scene.We like the look of the '68 Plymouth Valiant grille—it's a one-year-only piece that looks vaguely like a cross between a '63 Pontiac Tempest and a '68 Barracuda. We thought it would benefit from a black-out treatment whereby the mesh part would be black and the surround would be silver. (The grille is normally all silver.) After some artful masking, Dulcich deposits the satin black Dupli-Color on the grille mesh. Next to the Coker wheels/tires and the Mothers detailing job, the $13 Dupli-Color spray bomb gave the Valiant the biggest visual lift.At the end of day one of our weekend resto, this is what we had—a mean, lean-looking street cruiser. Total cash outlay up to this point is $4,215.90. But it could look much better for just a few more bucks.Though much improved by the Mothers Clay Bar System, the Valiant's paint still had a dull, chalky look. Jeppesen tested a small area with a high-speed (1,200 rpm) orbital buffer and some Mothers Professional Foam Pad Polish, and discovered there was nice paint still waiting to get out. That's the thing about older single-stage paintjobs—the lack of a clearcoat often means there's a nice thick layer of serviceable paint available below the oxidation.Under this hard florescent lighting, you can see the difference between the area treated to just the clay bar (right) and the area treated to the clay bar and the Professional Foam Pad Polish (left). You can even see the reflection of the florescent tubes on the left side of the blue tape.Once you bring the paint back from the dead, you'll start noticing how crappy the stainless steel and chrome trim looks. Here, Jeppesen has masked off the stainless trim so that the polish process doesn't damage the rubber or paint, and has applied some Mothers Billet Metal Polish to a Mothers PowerBall Mini and is working the trim area with a Makita drill.With the Mothers Billet Metal Polish, you can see the difference between the polished area and the unpolished area (right); the before/after difference is just as dramatic for the stainless trim as it was for the paint.Our bumpers were borderline unsalvageable—their only saving grace is that they weren't bent. Jeppesen pulled out every trick he knew, using triple-X steel wool with Mothers Billet Metal Polish and lots of elbow grease. While we fell short of restoring the bumpers to a new condition, they now look good enough to be seen in public. At least the front bumper was in better shape than the rear. Now they look like well-cared-for 44-year-old bumpers that fit car's vibe.


text:
Charlie Owen and John Canning - Media Center exposed, Part II
- Posted: Feb 22, 2005 at 7:05PM
- 129,093 views
- 33 comments
Loading user information from Channel 9
Something went wrong getting user information from Channel 9
Loading user information from MSDN
Something went wrong getting user information from MSDN
Loading Visual Studio Achievements
Something went wrong getting the Visual Studio Achievements
Right click "Save as…"
Oops, something didn't work.
gav wrote:Here in the UK a lot of people are now used to digital recording of TV via the Sky Plus set top box and service.
I doubt Sky would allow recording of their material on a Media PC as it would take revenues away from Sky Plus. However, it would be great if you could use Media Center to interface with the Sky Plus system.
A few quick answers to the questions...
dantheman82 --> ...how my 2 gb of pictures which are in a rather disorganized mess in Windows folders could be sorted in Media Center.
You can sort by Date or Name in Media Center and we use the file and folder structure My Pictures folder.
dantheman82 --> Furthermore, same goes for music...
Media Center uses the Windows Media Player Library to organize your collection.
For a more in-depth view into the Media Center feature set check out the Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 Reviewers Guide
Manip --> Where does the 'guide' information come from?
Guide data is licensed by Microsoft from third parties and provided to the end user free of charge (absolutely NO monthly fee for the guide).
Manip --> Can the media centre play simple TV remote games?
Yes (several are shipping today).
Manip --> Couldn't the Media Centre PC be 'smart' and learn that you are using a low-quality device, and run a background service that in idle periods converts to low quality video?
Sure. There are several utilities floating around which convert Recorded TV to WMV -- not sure if any of those use idle time for the conversion, but it's certainly possible.
Manip --> With the portable Media Centre PC, what kind of programming bits can us VS2003 guys do? Would you need a special dev kit (which costs $$$) to develop applications for the portable version?
As far as I know, the Portable Media Center does not enable third party software extensibility.
gav --> Bunch of UK observations and questions.
I've asked one of my UK colleagues to read this thread and answer accordingly.
charlieo wrote:Manip --> Where does the 'guide' information come from?
Guide data is licensed by Microsoft from third parties and provided to the end user free of charge (absolutely NO monthly fee for the guide).
Do we, in the UK, also get 'tv guide' information free of charge?
charlieo wrote:Forgot one...
dantheman82 --> What are the minimum system requirements to build my own Media Center PC?
Check out Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 Setup Instructions where I document some of these at a very high level.
MCE2k5's UI is still far below the end user experience of Tivo. Sit any person not familier with either down in front of both systems, and I guarentee that they will be much happier with Tivo. Have used both for years, I still can't stand the remote or
MCE interface.
There is no doubt that MCE has more media features, but considering the cost, it should. MCE2k5 is still not ready for general user consumption. It's still a early adopter/geek toy. Until they figure out how to build a good UI that makes sense, and a good remote, this product will still have a niche audience.
Things MCE needs to solve:
-Websurfing from the remote (10 ft. display)
-Built in seamless Antivirus and Antispyware
-Automatic updates without prompting
-Downcoding recorded video to more compressed formats to make it more porable from the 10 ft. display
-Less buttons on the remote! Many buttons are never or are rarely used. Make shortcuts instead (similar to Tivo)
Minh--> Is it safe to say that with all the hardware vendor partners, that MCE won't be sold separately as a stand-alone software product?
It's not currently offered as a shrink wrap product in retail like Windows XP Professional or Windows XP Home. In a nutshell, here is how the OS is available...
1) Bundled with a Media Center PC from an OEM.
2) Available from a System Builder with a Media Center PC or qualifying part(s).
3) Via an MSDN subscription starting with the Operating System SKU.
Links to (2) and (3) are provided in the setup docs on my blog.
dantheman82 --> ...buy all the hardware stuff separately...where and how could I do this?
There should be links in the setup docs -- anywho, check out the Designed for Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 Logo Partner List for a list of components -- where you buy is up to you.
dantheman82 --> Is it possible to upgrade an XP Pro system to XP Media Center 2005 or would I need to install it side by side?
Upgrade is not possible in any supported scenario. Dual boot (side-by-side) is acceptable.
jhs2 --> Things MCE needs to solve:
jhs2 --> - Websurfing from the remote (10 ft. display)
Done, via Online Spotlight. These experiences are tailored for distance UI and interaction via remote. The majority of existing web pages on the internet today won't work (well) with a remote and it's not a trivial task to 'automagically' transform any random web page into one compatible with a remote and distance UI. You can create a MCL for *any* website you wish, drop it into C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories\Media Center\Media Center Programs and launch from More Programs.
Also, check out Newsgator Media Center Edition -- you can browse your selected RSS feeds in Media Center using this tool. The Channel9 videos are available directly on Media Center in this fashion and its how I watch all the great content here myself.
jhs2 --> - Built in seamless Antivirus and Antispyware
Done. This is Windows XP, so all your favorite protection tools are available, many preinstalled by the OEM or System Builder.
jhs2 --> - Automatic updates without prompting.
Done. Windows XP SP2 has this feature and by default the Media Center guide data is downloaded automatically *unless* you change this behavior during Media Center First Run.
jhs2 --> - Downcoding recorded video to more compressed formats to make it more porable from the 10 ft. display
Done. We have a 'Sync to Device' feature available in More Programs which will transcode content and sync it with the device.
jhs2 --> - Less buttons on the remote!
Done, get yourself one of these.
jhs2 --> ...Make shortcuts instead (similar to Tivo)/
Give me a pointer to 'TiVO shortcuts' and I'll pass that along to the remote control team.
Manip wrote:
gav wrote: Of course you couldn't change the channel via the media centre PC either. Unless you're creative, buy a infrared addon and write a program to use it to simulate the Sky remote (massive hack).
It's called DrizzleCast (because it "drizzles" the downloads to you quietly in the background using idle bandwith). It's a podcast client for Windows that uses Microsoft BITS technology to download RSS enclosures using idle bandwith.
It's perfect for adding RSS enclosure (aka podcast) content to your Media Center. We've used it to tune to the RSS feed for MSDN's Channel9 videos (http://channel9.msdn.com/rss.aspx?ForumID=14&Mode=0) to download directly into My Videos and for .NET Rocks Internet Audio Talk Show (http://www.dotnetrocks.com/DotNetRocks_FullMP3.xml) to download directly to My Music. Each day we come home and find new media content to check out directly in Media Center's 10 foot interface.
The best part is that it's pretty automatic. Just tell it what the RSS feeds with enclosures you're interested in, where you want it to download the data to, and let it do its thing. It downloads the files quietly in the background when you're not actively using your network connection.http://shawn.redorchard.net/
smiller wrote:
Ironically enough, I've already developed this exact application and have been using it for months now. I recently posted this as a free download @ http://www.nuparadigm.com/Products/Toys/
My panasonic video cassette recorder has this function called 'External Timer recording Control' which means it starts (and ends) the recording when it detects a signal from my Sky digibox. I can set the digibox to come on automtically using the Sky EPG. Can you do the same with a media centre - i.e., it starts recording when it detects a signal?
Question: Any chance that we will see 64-bit edition of Media Center? It would seem a nature fit to leverage power of 64 bit computing for multimedia type applications. It would enable new scenarios.
Comments have been closed since this content was published more than 30 days ago, but if you'd like to continue the conversation, please create a new thread in our Forums, or Contact Us and let us know.