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Parents who research treatments for autism are confronted with a bewildering array of options, almost all of which have never been tested for safety and effectiveness. Organizations like The Cochrane Collaboration, which reviews the quality of evidence for medical treatments, are putting more effort into evaluating popular alternative treatments.
So far, the most comprehensive review of alternative autism treatments comes from two pediatricians: Susan Hyman of the University of Rochester School of Medicine Golisano Children's Hospital at Strong and Susan Levy, a clinical professor of pediatrics at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Their 2008 analysis gave each treatment a letter grade for the quality of the research conducted up to that point; the mark, however, is not a ranking of the treatment's safety or effectiveness.
The two pediatricians based the grades on the amount of testing done on the treatments, which in most cases was skimpy at best. Research that got an "A" grade included randomized control trials, the gold standard for medical research, and meta-analyses, which compare research from different labs. A "B" went to treatments that had been studied in "well-designed controlled and uncontrolled trials," according to Hyman. The "C" grades, the lowest category (there were no "D"s or "F"s), were based on case reports, theories and anecdotes, which are not considered acceptable for mainstream medical research.
Research on just one treatment, secretin, was good enough to earn an A. In short, there is a lot more work that needs to be done toward testing popular alternative treatments and getting more potential treatments into development at research institutions and pharmaceutical companies.
Dietary supplements
B6/Mg++—Grade: B
Vitamin B6 and magnesium have been a popular treatment for autism over the past 20 years. The Cochrane Review identified three studies that compared outcomes of B6 and magnesium treatment with those for placebo or no treatment, but just 28 subjects were treated altogether. One study found no improvements; another reported improvement in IQ and social behaviors. But all the studies suffered methodological weaknesses aside from the small sample size.
DMG—Grade: B
Dimethylglycine (DMG), an antioxidant and derivative of the amino acid glycine, is marketed as an immune system booster. Two small double-blind studies of DMG found it had no effect on autism symptoms.
Melatonin—Grade: B
Melatonin is a hormone produced by the pineal gland that regulates sleep. Melatonin supplements are popular for self-treating insomnia or jet lag. Many people with autism-spectrum disorders report sleeping problems, and at least one study has found improvements in falling asleep and staying asleep.
Vitamin C—Grade: B
Vitamin C, an antioxidant, is often part of vitamin supplements given to children with autism. One study reported less repetitive behavior in a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of vitamin C in 18 children with autism.
Amino Acids—Grade: C; L-Carnosine—Grade: B
Neurotransmitter abnormalities have long been a focus of autism research. Some amino acids act as neurotransmitters or prompt their production, so amino acids like tryptophan have been tried as alternative treatments. No trials have studied the benefits of supplementation with tryptophan, taurine, lysine or GABA. L-carnosine, a molecule made of two amino acids that has antioxidant properties, is marketed as an anti-aging remedy. One double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of L-carnosine in 31 children with autism found improved expressive and receptive vocabulary.
Omega-3 fatty acids—Grade: B
Polyunsaturated fatty acids, in particular omega-3 fatty acids, are crucial for brain development and cannot be manufactured in the body. Essential fatty acid supplements such as fish oil have become popular for children with autism. A recent randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, six-week pilot study found behavior improvements in 13 children with severe behavior problems as a result of autism.
Folic acid—Grade: C
Oxidative stress is a theory that some people have advanced to account for the atypical brain development seen in autism, and abnormal levels of antioxidants have been reported in children with autism. But there are no randomized, controlled trials testing the notion that supplementation with folic acid, a water-soluble B vitamin that helps produce and maintain new cells, would have beneficial effects.
Secretin—Grade: A
Secretin, a gastrointestinal hormone, is one of the most extensively studied autism treatments. More than a dozen well-designed, well-executed studies have failed to find any benefit.
Pharmaceutical treatments
Antibiotics—Grade: C
Parent reports of frequent respiratory or gastrointestinal infections in children with autism are used to support the theory that the children have immune system problems, but those findings have not been confirmed. One study found short-term behavioral improvement in 11 children treated with oral vancomycin. But there are no other data supporting the use of antibiotics, and the researchers in that study said they would not recommend it for routine treatment.
Antifungal agents—Grade: C
Treatment with antifungal agents is based on the premise that imbalances in intestinal flora or other immune factors lead to an overgrowth of yeast. No controlled trials have tested antifungals as an autism treatment despite the popularity of medications such as nystatin (Mycostatin) and fluconazole (Diflucan).
Gastrointestinal medications—Grade: C
Children with autism frequently have symptoms such as reflux, constipation and diarrhea, and eat only a very limited number of foods. There are no evidence-based studies on the efficacy of digestive enzymes or probiotics for treating these symptoms.
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy—Grade: C
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is used in conventional medicine to treat carbon monoxide poisoning and to speed wound healing, and it has become popular as an autism treatment based on theories that implicate gut or brain inflammation or lack of blood flow to the brain. There are no randomized clinical trials of HBOT for autism. One open trial of 18 children with autism found some decrease in C-reactive protein, a marker for inflammation, and parents reported improved behavior. But the subjective measures and the fact that many of the children were also taking antioxidant supplements "make this study difficult to interpret," Hyman and Levy report.
Immune therapies—Grade: C
Some alternative practitioners recommend treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin-G, on the premise that immune deficits cause symptoms of autism. One open trial reported subjective improvements, but two other trials with specific outcome measures found no benefit.
Other approaches
Chelation—Grade: C
One alternative theory holds that mercury is poorly eliminated by children with autism, and that the toxic metal alters immune function and development. Epidemiological studies have failed to find a link between the use of the ethyl mercury–based preservative thimerosal in vaccines and autism. Despite this, chelation, the standard treatment for heavy metal poisoning, is marketed as an off-label treatment for autism. There are no controlled studies testing chelation's safety or effectiveness as an autism treatment, and at least one child has died after being treated with EDTA (ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid) chelation for autism.
Gluten-free/casein-free diet (GF/CF)—Grade: B
This diet is a popular alternative treatment for autism, based on the premise that the proteins gluten (found in wheat) and casein (in milk) aggravate autistic symptoms because they in some way mimic opiate neuropeptides. One small single-blind trial found some improvements; larger double-blinded trials have found none. Hyman and Levy speculate that improvements seen by parents may be from removing lactose from the diets of children who are lactose intolerant.
Source: Levy, S.E. & Hyman, S.L. Child Adolesc. Psychiatr. Clin. N. Amer. 17, 803-820 (2008).
Child Adolesc Psychiatr Clin N Am. 2008 October; 17(4): 803–ix. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2597185/?tool=pubmed


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She was a happy cat for about five years. Then she started moping around so I took her to the vet. Actually I wound up taking her to several local vets including a specialist in Walnut Creek. She was diagnosed with a heart problem and a cancerous tumor. The Walnut Creek vet said she had three months to live. He also said she was over ten years old; so she was much older when I adopted her than I was told.
The specialist vet was right unfortunately, and she died three months later, but I tried to make her as comfortable as I could for the short time she had left. It's always difficult to lose a pet, but at least I saw this coming.
After Mame died, Tom Cushing suggested I become a cat foster for TVAR. Cushing, whom you may know as the Raucous Caucus guy here on the Express, is also involved in animal rescue, especially Border Collies.
I followed up on Cushing's advice and contacted TVAR and offered to foster a cat. One of the TVAR people, I don't remember who, told me to go to the East County Animal Shelter (ECAS) in Dublin and take a pregnant mom. The TVAR person said the mom would do all of the work and the kittens would be easy to adopt. So I followed that suggestion and took home a black and white pregnant kitty from ECAS. I set up a place for her in my guest room and after two plus months she had a litter of seven kittens on October 25, 2005. Six were fine and one was stillborn.
Mommy Cat, as I called her now, took wonderful care of her kittens. My mommy however, was in trouble because Hurricane Wilma was crashing through Palm Beach, Fl. Mom had to leave her condominium until the storm passed and the damage could be repaired. She didn't want to put out my bother in Maine, so she came out here to stay with me.
I had to clean up the guest room and move Mommy Cat and her six two-week-old kittens into my bedroom. A neighbor loaned me a medium dog crate, in which I put the kittens and Mommy Cat. I would let Mommy Cat out at night so she could eat and use a litter box in the bathroom. Mammy Cat was a trooper and handled everything just right. I didn't handle my mommy too well and she returned to Florida as soon as the power was back on in her building.
When Mommy Cat's kittens were old enough to be spayed and neutered, I took them to adoption events. I decided I would keep Mommy Cat and one of her kittens. I picked one of the males with a funny spot on his face, and called him Smudge.
Mommy Cat taught Smudge to hunt mice and rats and all kinds of varmints. My house is along South San Ramon Creek and she would go down there and bring back snakes and lizards. One day she didn't come back. I looked for her and put up signs but I never knew what happened to her. I like to imagine she is living in the lap of luxury in a home nearby, but more likely a fox or snake got her down by the creek. I walked the creek and called for her, but I never found her or saw her body.
I still had Smudgy, and he learned to hunt. He was quite rambunctious at two years old. He would jump three feet into the air, clap his paws together on a fly and pop it into his mouth. It was quite a sight. I wish I had taken a video of him, but I didn't take any photos of him and now I won't be able to. He died of congestive heart failure Friday night.
He had changed in the last year. He gained a lot of weight, stopped hunting, craved a lot of attention, and even bit my hand in December. I took him to two local vets and they said it was fleas. Yes, he had picked up a lot of fleas outside, but I knew something else was wrong. He was trying to tell me he needed help, but I didn't know how serious it was.
Last Wednesday I noticed him sitting up and breathing heavily, like panting. I had given him some scraps from a hot sausage and thought it was from the sausage. I noticed him doing it again on Friday and thought I would take him in to Bishop Ranch on Saturday.
Around 9 pm he seemed worse so I called the Bishop Ranch Emergency line. When I told the receptionist he was breathing through is mouth, she said to bring him in right away. I put him into a large carrier, but he didn't go in straight. I think he might have been on his back. I put the carrier in the back seat of my car and headed off to Bishop Ranch at 9:24 pm.
Smudgy was crying in the back. I thought it was a good sign that he was well enough to be noisy. The crying got more intense and I figured the best thing was to get to vet as quickly as possible. I probably should have pulled over and checked him in the carrier, but that's one of those "if only I had done that, it would have turned out better," rationalizations.
I took San Ramon Valley Blvd, because I thought it would be faster than Alcosta. But I was stopped for two minutes at the light on Bollinger. There was hardly any traffic, but one car was stopped in front of me. Smudgy was crying louder and louder and then he stopped. I knew that was a bad sign but I couldn't get away from that light.
It took another two minutes after the light changed to get to Bishop Ranch. Smudge was lying very still on his back when I took the carrier out of the car.
When I brought him in the technician took him in the back immediately. She said they were all set up for him. I was taken into an exam room to wait. After a few minutes the technician came in and told me Smudge had stopped breathing and his heart had stopped. She asked if I wanted him resuscitated. I said "Please, yes." But it was too late. He died in my car while I was stuck at that light on Bollinger Canyon Road.
I can't blame the stop light. I should have brought him in sooner. He tried to tell me something was wrong. He was doing that open mouth breathing on Wednesday, but I didn't realize how serious it was. He had a heart murmur, which I knew about, but Dr. Kristi Peterson who was on call at Bishop Ranch when I brought him in, said his heart had thickened and wasn't working anymore. She said he might have lived a few months on medication, but there was no cure.
At least he shouldn't have suffered so much, especially in the car when I could tell he was in pain. I'm so sorry about that. He was the smartest cat I ever had. I hope he finds his Mommy Cat where ever he is now.

subset: commoncrawl


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Burger 21 announced its first Atlanta location, which opened three weeks ago, experienced record sales in its first two weeks of operation.
To build on this momentum and enable further growth for the brand in the Metro Atlanta area, Burger 21 will be exhibiting at the Franchise Business Operations Expo in Atlanta, on September 7 and 8 at the Cobb Galleria Center.
In addition, the Tampa, Florida–based franchise will host on September 8 an Executive Roundtable at the Buford Burger 21 restaurant for qualified candidates who are interested in learning more about growth opportunities in the market.
"We've already seen great success with our first Burger 21 restaurant in Atlanta, and continue to see strong interest in our brand throughout the market," says Dan Stone, vice president of franchise development for Front Burner Brands, management company for Burger 21.
"As part of our aggressive growth strategy, we will be in the market for a few days and want to offer interested Atlanta entrepreneurs the opportunity to experience Burger 21 firsthand," he adds. "Once they try one of our 21 chef-inspired burgers in our family-friendly atmosphere, they will better understand the value of the investment and what separates Burger 21 from the competition."
Atlanta-based franchisees Corley and Meg Steward recently opened the first Burger 21 restaurant in the market. Joining Burger 21's development team at the Executive Roundtable, Corley Steward will share their journey to franchise ownership and personal experiences since opening their first restaurant.
"We're really looking forward to sharing our passion for the brand with other entrepreneurs in the area," Steward says. "From the signing of our initial agreement to the restaurant's grand opening, we truly appreciate the continuous support from the Front Burner Brands team. We also are excited to develop a second location in the Atlanta market next year."
To date, Burger 21 has nine open locations and 17 franchised restaurants in development across the country. Since launching its aggressive growth plan in fall 2011, Burger 21 has signed franchise agreements with 12 different entities in nine states to develop a total of 22 franchised units in cities across the country.
Burger 21 is seeking single- and multiunit operators with restaurant experience to join its upscale fast-casual dining concept. Franchisee candidates should have a minimum net worth of $500,000 and liquid assets of at least $200,000 per unit.
Burger 21 will be developed through both single-unit agreements and Area Development Agreements. Depending on the real estate site selected, franchisees can expect the total investment for one restaurant to be approximately $414,495–$831,995. The initial franchise fee is $40,000; however, reduced franchise fees apply for Area Development Agreements of four or more units.


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(visited by Silke Heilig and Wolfgang Vogel)
10-Sep-2003 -- This is our fourth confluence trip to the scandinavian countries, this time especially to Denmark. Our idea is to be the first people who have visited all confluences in this country.
The night from Tuesday to Wednesday it began to rain and did not not stop the whole day. Not very funny if you stay in the car! Nevertheless we continued our trip and went to this confluence.
Besides Wolfgang and me a travelbug named Tweety joins us. We found him in a geocache right at the confluence 55N 15E. He really travels now! This confluence is at the border of a field under tall trees.
Poor reception again, so it took a while to take the pictures. From time to time we had to wipe off the raindrops from the GPS.


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The storm fencing had been circling Ocean Park for days. No Parking signs had seemed to breed in the seaside streets of Oak Bluffs. By Sunday, cops and volunteers in yellow T-shirts also appeared to have multiplied, and then came the music-lovers (at least for the day), by the thousands, bearing folding chairs and friends from out of town, kids and coolers jammed with sandwiches, gourmet salads and chilled bottles of Sauvingnon blanc. They brought blankets, they brought books - a little Harry Potter to catch up on while waiting for the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra to take the towering stage that somehow seemed entirely at home in the town centered around tiny gingerbread cottages.
There were porch parties at those lucky houses lining the park, teasing passersby with the smell of barbecues. Some folks set up family picnics on grass that would have been labeled "obstructed view" if this were a symphony hall; they were outside the fence, to be sure, but it was free. Inside, kids old and young played whiffle ball and tag, making new friends behind the backs of the spreading audience that threatened to overtake their patch of back-row grass. All the while, schmoozing sustained those in the hospitality tent closer to the stage. Laughter carried on the sea breeze, and anticipation too.
A woman at the Will Call window had in her hands two pizzas - and two extra kids' tickets, which she gave away, refusing payment. "It's too perfect a night," she said. By the end of the evening that inaugurated the annual Martha's Vineyard Festival - next year's date already has been set for Sunday, August 10 - few would have disagreed with her.
It began, appropriately enough for this sprawling open-air event, with the Prelude to Ben Hur. This was the Pops, the lighter side of the symphony, playing its new Oscar and Tony program of familiar sound tracks and show tunes. Two giant screens on either side of the spectacular stage sprang to life with giant sweaty Charlton Hestons,
This was, after all, a no-jackets-required gig, even for conductor Keith Lockhart. In body-tugging black pants and a black shirt unbuttoned at the top, the boyish-looking Mr. Lockhart used his familiar flamboyance for the role of emcee as well as conductor. Telling the crowd about putting together the initial play list for the orchestra's Oscar and Tony compact disc, he said it was marvellous. Long pause for effect. "And it was seventeen and a half hours long," he smiled. The pruned, polished and freshly pressed album, he noted, was on sale at the merchandise tent. "And they make great Christmas gifts," he reminded the audience incongruously enjoying a perfect summer evening.
The sometimes-intimidating etiquette of orchestral music was as far away as Christmas on this night. In symphony halls, patrons are advised not to applaud in between movements and to consult the program if unsure when a song had finished; here, there was no program, only posters and T-shirts to buy, the songs were largely pop-length, and Mr. Lockhart put his players through a workout, urging them to rise after each tune, for every round of applause.
The sun was an orange smear low across the August sky by the time legendary saxophonist Branford Marsalis came on stage, dazzling in his bright white jacket, charming in his repartee and magnificent in his playing. He apologized for coming on late. "I forgot my music at home," he said, adding that so many people were in town that weekend, he had to stay 20 minutes away from Oak Bluffs. His set was smooth. After the concert's play list had been set, Mr. Marsalis said, the organizers said they had four minutes to fill, did he want to play some jazz? "How do you play jazz in four minutes?" Mr. Marsalis laughed. "So I'll play you a standard." As he played The More I See You, his touch had a mellow power; couples' fingers seemed magically drawn together, lovingly interlinked, as he played.
Intermission saw a few children crack glow sticks as the dark descended over their playground. When the bluesy strains of Chicago began, the horns wailing All That Jazz were like siren calls, drawing most kids (some were reluctantly assisted, or lured with snacks) back to their parents' blankets to look at the stars, in the sky and on the stage.
Natalie Cole's entrance in a flowing gown drew cheers, whistles and applause. There was an audible crowd sigh when the screens lit up with her father, Nat King Cole's image, and in a marvel of technical production, the orchestra and Natalie played live and in sync with Nat's beloved voice on recording, a father-daughter duet of Unforgettable. The screen flashed photos of Natalie as a child, in her father's arms as a baby, at her own microphone as she grew. It was hard to know which to watch, the screen or the stage.
Mr. Marsalis returned for some of Ms. Cole's set, and for the performance that Mr. Lockhart had been promising, the special guests. Kate Taylor, Carly Simon and Ms. Taylor's daughter Liz Witham joined in harmony for the Patti Page favorite Old Cape Cod. As they trilled the chill-out lyrics, "If you spend an evening, you'll want to stay, Watching the moonlight on Cape Cod Bay, You're sure to fall in love with old Cape Cod," the words were especially apt.
At last the stage lights, maneuvered from huge scaffolding platforms at the side of the park, turned on the red, white and blue. The American flag unfurled on stage and the band struck up Sousa's Stars and Stripes Forever, a salute to a perfect evening.
Festival organizers said that more than 4,000 people attended; proceeds from the event for the Martha's Vineyard Hospital had yet to be tallied.


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HCN's secret past
In the interest of full disclosure, I must make a confession: High Country News owes its existence, in part, to the nuclear industry.
I learned of this a couple of years ago at a High Country News board meeting in Jackson, Wyo. I was sharing a rustic cabin at the Murie Center with Tom Bell, founder of HCN and still a fierce defender of the West. After a long day of meetings, we settled in for the evening and started swapping stories. We finally turned off the lights, and as a profound darkness settled in the cabin, Tom said, "You know we all have skeletons in the closet." A pause. "Did I ever tell you about the time I had uranium fever?"
Turns out that back in the 1950s, Tom and a couple of his fellow underpaid public schoolteachers got in on the beginning of the first uranium rush, buying up a string of claims near Tom's home in Lander. Tom never hit it rich, but over the years, the sale of those claims to other speculators allowed him to pursue his conservation work. It also allowed him to keep publishing High Country News when the paper hit hard times in the early 1970s: "People would always ask me, 'How are you able to take no salary and keep printing the paper?' Well, it was those uranium claims."
(More accurately, it was those uranium claims plus Tom's mortgaged ranch and a steady stream of $10 and $20 checks from readers.)
Then, of course, the price of uranium plummeted in the 1980s, and uranium claims lost almost all of their value. But the West is an optimistic place: Every bust is just the seedbed for the next great boom. As we note in this issue, uranium fever is once again gripping the region. Folks who held on to their claims are feeling bullish.
But how much of it is for real? There are still formidable obstacles standing in the way of a nuclear renaissance. Read our stories beginning on page 9, to learn more about this new "boom."
For his part, Tom says he hopes the current uranium frenzy is short-lived. The last one hit the West hard, he says. He can still go out and see the endless mounds of dirt that he and the other claimholders bulldozed in the Wyoming sagebrush to prove to the federal government that they were actively working their claims.
"We ruined a lot of country," he says.
I guess it shouldn't be surprising that HCN's history is tied to the region's boom-and-bust cycles. We might be headed for a new bust now, if the real estate economy tanks. Hmmm … Do you think I should ask Tom if I can borrow his old Geiger counter?


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This article is more than 1 year old
EA makes motion-control promise
Project Natal and Motion Control games for 2010
Videogame publisher Electronic Arts (EA) has committed itself to releasing titles for both Sony's and Microsoft's recently demoed motion-controlled gaming peripherals.
John Riccitiello, EA's CEO, said during a recent conference call that the firm's "really positive on both" the PS3's Motion Control and Xbox 360's Project Natal.
EA's yet to reveal the juicy details of any Project Natal or Motion Control videogames under consideration at its HQ, but Riccitiello said that it plans to announce such details in "early-to-mid-2010".
"Our view is that motion-based gaming is something that is both going to drive install base, drive interest and drive growth", Riccitiello added.
Launch dates for Project Natal and Motion Control haven't been announced, yet, but it's widely expected that both peripherals will appear towards the end of next year. ®


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Tag: Modern Cv Template Word Free Download
What To Look For In A Good Resume Template 2023
What To Look For In A Good Resume Template? If you're in the market for a resume template, but you're feeling a little overwhelmed by the choices, then this is just the post for you. We've rounded up some of the best free resume templates on the internet, giving you a good idea of what…


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Story highlights
Ratings agency S&P warned in December that 15 eurozone nations may face possible downgrade
The "Big Three" credit ratings agencies catalyzed market reaction during the financial crisis
Critics complain the agencies wield too much unchecked power in world markets
The mere rumor of a downgrade by the major ratings agencies is enough to send world markets into a tailspin, wiping billions off the values of global stocks.
So what do ratings agencies do, and why are they so important?
Who are the credit ratings agencies?
The "Big Three" are Standard's & Poor's, Moody's Investor Services and Fitch Ratings. All originated in the United States, although Fitch has dual headquarters in New York and London.
What do they do?
Before you can get a credit card, banks run a credit check on you. Similarly, the ratings agencies run credit checks on companies, countries and financial products.
Countries are rated on a sliding scale: Germany for example, has a top rating (AAA) which allows it to borrow cash at cheap interest rates. The lower the rating grade, however, the higher interest payments a nation must pay to attract investors to buy its bonds. Anything that slips to junk status – as Ireland, Portugal and Greek government bonds are rated – is considered a "highly speculative" investment. Furthermore, the pool of eligible investors is reduced – many institutional investors, such as government pension funds, are forbidden to invest in junk-rated bonds.
Why do they wield such power?
Investors across the world look to credit rating agencies to judge where to place their bets in the market. For governments, the ratings agencies have a lot of power over the popularity of bonds: cash given to governments by investors that, over time, will pay a return on the original investment – unless the government defaults.
What does a debt rating downgrade mean?
The decisions of the "Big Three" catalyze market moves in often unpredictable ways, creating a strong ripple effect. In the wake of the Greece downgrade last year, for example, investors across the globe started rethinking investment in other governments' bonds and began selling off more risky investments – throwing the EU into crisis and depressing the value of the euro.
When the U.S. was downgraded from a top rating to a step below best investment grade last August, the market reaction was fierce. At the start of August, the Dow was trading at 12,000; by August 10, days after the downgrade, the Dow dipped below 10,800. There was a similar psychological ripple through the markets after Moody's downgrades of Ireland and Portugal.
How are ratings agencies paid?
Historically, they were created to give investors an unbiased assessment of investments and investors paid for access to the ratings. In the 1970s, however, credit rating agencies started charging the issuers of new investments fees for ratings. In 1975, U.S. legislators – fearing a proliferation of unscrupulous ratings agencies – designated Standard & Poor's, Moody's and Fitch as the only ratings organizations banks and brokers could use to evaluate the credit worthiness of their products.
What are the complaints against the firms?
Critics complain the agencies have lost their ability to independently judge the risk on certain investments. Credit ratings agencies had a starring role in the financial crisis, after the firms blessed mortgage-backed securities with AAA ratings – the safest rating possible – and fed the global mania for these risky investments.
Critics also note that the agencies are paid by the very entities they rate, raising questions about their trustworthiness.
There are moves afoot in Europe to have more stringent regulation on credit ratings agencies. And the agencies were dealt a blow in a U.S. court last month when a U.S. District Judge James Browning in Albuquerque, New Mexico, rejected "free speech" as an argument in a case against the Big Three credit ratings agencies brought by investors who lost investment in mortgage-backed securities. The ratings agencies often invoke First Amendment right regarding questions about their ratings – they are simply stating an opinion. It's up to the markets to decide for themselves what to do with that information.


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Apple iPhone 5 and iPad mini event planned for September 12, iPhone 5 release date for September 21
iMore has learned that Apple is planning to debut the new iPhone at a special event on Wednesday, September 12, 2012, with the release date to follow 9 days later on Friday, September 21. This information comes from sources who have proven accurate in the past.
The iPad mini will be announced at the same September 12 event, as will the new iPod nano. We haven't heard a release date for the iPad mini yet, but it could be the same as the iPhone 5. It seems likely the new iPod touch will make an appearance on September 12 as well, though we haven't heard any specific information about that yet either.
Last year, the iPhone 4S was announced on Tuesday, October 4, 2011, and released 10 days later on October 14. The event included minor updates to the iPod line, notably a white iPod touch 4. This year, the iPad 3 was announced on Wednesday, March 7, 2012, and released 9 days later on March 16. The event included a 1080p Apple TV.
Back in March, we heard Apple was targeting an October release window for the iPhone 5,1, much like last year's iPhone 4,1 (iPhone 4S). Recently, however, several reports have suggested Apple would be ready to go as early as September. Last week, App4Phone.fr, citing Chinese manufacturing sources, reported the September 21 release date.
Unlike last year, when some 16 months separated the iPhone 4S and iPhone 4, a September 21 schedule would put the iPhone 5 launch at just over 11 months after the iPhone 4S.
The longer schedule last year allowed Apple to re-position the iPhone as the new, big fall product release. It took the spotlight from the iPod family that previously ruled the holiday quarter, but has waned in recent years. It also padded the time between the Verizon iPhone 4 launch, which only occurred in February of 2011, and gave four extra months for Apple to work on iOS 5, which included major new features like iCloud, Notification Center, iMessage, and Siri.
iOS 6, which was announced during Apple's WWDC 2012 keynote on June 11 and includes a new, Google-free Maps app, and Passbook, should get a final presentation during the September 12 event as well, and if Apple sticks to previous patterns, a release sometime around Wednesday, September 19.
Apple typically shows off extra, hardware-specific iOS features at new iPhone events as well. For the last few years, Apple SVP of Marketing, Phil Schiller, has demonstrated advanced camera and video recording, and Apple SVP of iOS, Scott Forstall, has demonstrated Voice Control, FaceTime, and Siri. For now, we have only educated guesses (see the conclusion) as to what else might be coming to iOS this year.
As for hardware, we're still hearing the iPad mini will be exactly like the 9.7-inch iPad, only scaled down to 7.x-inches. We originally heard Apple had a few iPhone 5 prototypes, including 3.5-inch and 4-inch versions, but recent reports and parts leaks make it look like the 4-inch, 16:9 screen version is what Apple's going with. We've also consistently heard all new iOS devices will have the new, smaller Dock connector iMore learned about back in February, which along with the nano-SIM and rumored in-cell display should leave lots of room for the LTE radio we learned about earlier in the year, and the bigger battery to go along with it.
If these announcement and release dates prove accurate, we should find out in only 6 short weeks.
Update: John Paczkowski of the Wall Street Journal's AllThingsD is now reporting the same September 12, 2012 for the Apple event.
Update 2: Jim Dalrymple of The Loop has added his trademark "yep".
Update 3: The Verge is now reporting the September 12, 2012 date as well.
Additional resources
- The 16:9 iPhone: How Apple could handle the longer screen on the next iPhone
- Everything you need to know about the iPhone 5
- iPhone 5 discussion forum
- Solving for 7: How Apple could implement the iPad mini interface
- Everything you need to know about the iPad mini
- iPad mini forum
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Rene Ritchie is one of the most respected Apple analysts in the business, reaching a combined audience of over 40 million readers a month. His YouTube channel, Vector, has over 90 thousand subscribers and 14 million views and his podcasts, including Debug, have been downloaded over 20 million times. He also regularly co-hosts MacBreak Weekly for the TWiT network and co-hosted CES Live! and Talk Mobile. Based in Montreal, Rene is a former director of product marketing, web developer, and graphic designer. He's authored several books and appeared on numerous television and radio segments to discuss Apple and the technology industry. When not working, he likes to cook, grapple, and spend time with his friends and family.


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Events in 2016!
The 2015 year was full of memorable sport events. Rhythmic and artistic gymnasts and acrobats competed in various competitions and championships to prove to the whole world and to themselves that they are real professionals. However, this year was noticeable due to the fact that most championships were qualifying tournaments for the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. Most gymnasts were lucky to get to the Olympics, some other countries will try to get a chance for Rio at the Test Event in 2016.
Though, the Test Event is not going to be the only significant event of 2016. A lot more important competitions will take place in different countries where gymnasts from all over the world will try to do their best to achieve the best results. The 2016 year is going to be very rich and we will be watching all the championships. Do you want to know what championships and tournaments will be held? Watch Events section to get that information.
- If you want to look unique, order bespoke tailoring of acro competition leotards.
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Design Intent and iMates28 Feb, 2003 By: Jeff Wymer
The Knowledge Vault is a set of intelligent technologies that allows you to capture, store, and reuse the embedded design knowledge contained within your Autodesk Inventor models. iFeatures, iMates, iParts, and the Engineer's Notebook make up the basis of this Knowledge Vault. This month I'll highlight iMates and show how to use them to virtually automate the assembly of standard components within an Autodesk Inventor assembly.
While some products are unique, designed totally from scratch, many new designs are developed reusing existing components. This is especially true of industrial machinery; up to 60 percent of components within new designs may be reused, possibly more. As you work with Autodesk Inventor, you'll naturally build a database of standard parts, whether you've gotten them from the Web, found them in the content library that installs with Autodesk Inventor, or created them yourself. iMates, as shown in Figure 1, allow you to select the parts or subassemblies you need from a library and insert them into a new design and have them automatically assemble, providing a tremendous time savings when creating a new design.
Figure 1. iMates provide a tremendous time savings by automatically assembling your components together. Since the Create iMate dialog box looks exactly like the familiar Place Constraint dialog, iMates are very easy to learn and use.
Authoring iMates
While iMates provide a tremendous time savings downstream when adding standard components to an assembly, they do require up-front work and planning. First of all, you need to determine the most common way a component is going to be assembled.
To begin, instead of placing constraints on the component, simply select Create iMate from the Part Features or Assembly Panel tool palette. This will open a dialog box, similar to the Place Constraint dialog box. An iMate can be considered half of an assembly constraint, hence the similarities between the two dialogs. Next, select the appropriate constraint type and geometry that satisfies the assembly requirements determined earlier.
Upon selecting the Apply or OK buttons, you will notice that Autodesk Inventor places an iMate glyph on the part or assembly model. You will also find that an iMate folder has been created at the top of the active part or assembly node within the browser. This folder lists all of the iMates that currently exist on the active component.
To effectively use iMates, you may need to modify their properties after creation. By simply selecting and right-clicking over the iMate within the browser, you will find a number of different options relating to the iMate. Selecting Properties will open a dialog box, providing access to some important options.
One of the most important properties worth modifying is the iMate's name. Autodesk Inventor can automatically connect components upon placement based on matching iMates with the same name. When renaming, provide meaningful names that follow a common naming standard for replacement components. For example, to identify an iMate on a hole feature, rename the iMate to reflect the thread series and pitch. Fasteners containing the same iMate name, based on the thread callout, can then be assembled automatically.
Other options contained within the iMate Properties dialog are offset and index. The offset field allows you to modify the offset value of the assembly constraint formed by matching iMates. When a component is added to an assembly, its iMates solve in a sequential order, and the index drop-down list provides a means to control this.
In many cases, one iMate alone isn't enough to fully assemble a component. To provide iMate functionality for these components, Autodesk Inventor offers Composite iMates. Composite iMates essentially group a number of a component's iMates together into one unified iMate. To create a composite out of existing iMates, simply select the iMates that are to be grouped together from the browser, right-mouse click and select Create Composite. The Composite iMate behaves very similarly to a normal iMate, so be sure to rename it with a recognizable name.
Inferring iMates
Autodesk Inventor 6 expanded upon the iMate functionality by providing a method of extracting the iMate intelligence from existing assembly relationships. This makes it easy to capture the design intent of the assembly constraints at the component level. To extract this information, select the component that you would like to add the iMates to, right-mouse click and select Infer iMates.
Within the Infer iMates dialog you will find two options: Selected Occurrence Only and Create Composite iMates. The Selected Occurrence Only option allows you to control whether iMates are extracted only from the component instance selected or all instances of the same part. Keep in mind, one part can be instanced a number of times within an assembly and may have a variety of assembly constraints applied. The second option, Create Composite iMates, will collect all of the assembly constraints applied to an instance and group them within a composite.
Assembling with iMates
iMates provide an easy interface for assembling components and there are a number of ways to use them, as shown in Figure 2. The first method is to use iMates in conjunction with the Place Constraint dialog box. After starting the Place Constraint command, simply select an iMate glyph found on a component. Once you've picked an iMate glyph from one part, select part geometry or an iMate glyph from another component to constrain to. Two rules to remember with this method are that the iMate glyphs must be visible on the part and that the constraint type selected in the Place Constraint dialog box must match the iMate glyph. To turn on the visibility of an iMate glyph, simply select the part, right-mouse click, and select iMate Glyph Visibility.
Figure 2. If you need to assemble multiple instances of a component, use the Infer iMates functionality to quickly extract iMates from existing assembly constraints. Then you can quickly use the iMates to assemble the other instances.
Another method you can use is Autodesk Inventor's drag-mate technology. While holding down the Alt key, you can pick and drag a component to another part and create an assembly constraint. iMates extend the drag-mate functionality by filtering the constraint type available during drag. While dragging, all un-matching iMate glyphs disappear automatically, making it easier to find possible iMate solutions. For more information on drag-mates, perform a search in the help system on Alt-drag constraint placement.
Placing Components
The last method for using iMates involves initial part placement. Let's assume that an existing part in your assembly already has an iMate, or Composite iMate, placed on it. After selecting the Place Component command, browse to the component you want to place. It should also have iMates, or Composite iMates, with an identical name as the component in the assembly. Once you find the component to insert, select the Use iMate checkbox, as shown in Figure 3. As soon as you press OK, Autodesk Inventor will match the names of the iMates or Composites together and create assembly constraints between the components. Your components will automatically snap into place.
Figure 3. If you've added iMates to your library of parts, be sure to use the Use iMate checkbox when placing a component. The iMates on the component will automatically assemble to any matching iMates in the assembly, essentially snapping you components into place upon insertion.
Autodesk Inventor allows you to capture your design intent and leverage the intellectual capital in your models to create better designs. Leveraging this intellectual capital ensures that the design and process knowledge that resides in one designer's mind can be accessed and used by multiple designers.
About the Author: Jeff Wymer
For Mold Designers! Cadalyst has an area of our site focused on technologies and resources specific to the mold design professional. Sponsored by Siemens NX. Visit the Equipped Mold Designer here!
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Contact Info
- PO Box 2616, Ruwi 112
- firstname.lastname@example.com
- +968 24 799388
Fashion & Lifestyle
Matteo Jorgenson of team Movistar of the United States of America, won the Tour of Oman 2023 after keeping his rivals at bay on the climb up Jabal Akhdar.
Do you have guests dropping in for a brief holiday in Muscat? With timed visits to the following 5 destinations in the capital, you can, indeed, give them a fair idea about what makes Muscat the most endearing city in the Arabian Gulf.
Spread over nearly 15,000sqm, Snow Oman - Oman's first and only 'snow park', nestled within Mall of Oman - threw open its doors to the public on December 24, offering patrons a unique opportunity to enjoy all the trappings of Europe's wintry weather.
On the eve of the 2022 RS Venture Connect World Championships, the first para sailing competition to ever be held in Oman, event organisers Oman Sail arranged for 32 sailors and coaches to immerse themselves in Omani culture with a unique experience in Muscat.
The Arab Sailing Championships came to a close after five days of exceptional racing from the best young sailors in the region in perfect conditions at Barcelo Mussanah Resort.
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The lists below represent two types of businesses:
Independents: Brick and mortar businesses who are independent in every sense of the word, doing their best to serve you--the customer--with no outside support or corporate advantages.
Other Supporters: From community organizations to vendors to sales agencies to chains large and small, the support of these companies is invaluable.
Note to our Supporters: Listings may take up to ten days to appear.
Please don't re-register since that reeeeeeally slow the process down).


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(CNN) -- The estimated amount of oil spilling in an underwater leak from last week's oil rig explosion in the Gulf of Mexico has increased to 5,000 barrels a day, five times more than what was originally believed, a Coast Guard official said late Wednesday.
Rear Adm. Mary Landry said the increased estimate is based on analysis from the federal National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. She noted that there are "a lot of variables" in calculating the rate of the spill.
Additionally, a third underwater oil leak has been located in the pipeline that connected the rig to the oil well, said Doug Suttles, chief operating officer for BP, who joined Landry at a news conference. Two other leaks were located within 36 hours of the April 20 explosion.
The head of BP Group told CNN's Brian Todd in an exclusive interview Wednesday that the accident could have been prevented, and he focused blame on rig owner Transocean Ltd.
CEO Tony Hayward said Transocean's "blowout preventer" failed to operate before the explosion. A blowout preventer is a large valve at the top of a well, and activating it will stop the flow of oil. The valve may be closed during drilling if underground pressure drives up oil or natural gas, threatening the rig.
"That is the ultimate fail-safe mechanism," Hayward said. "And for whatever reason -- and we don't understand that yet, but we clearly will as a consequence of both our investigation and federal investigations -- it failed to operate.
"And that is the key issue here, the failure of the Transocean [blowout preventer]," Hayward said, describing the valve as "an integral part of the drilling rig," which is operated by Transocean.
A Transocean spokesman on Wednesday declined to respond to Hayward's comments, citing pending litigation against both companies. However, Transocean Vice President Adrian Rose has said its oil rig had no indication of problems before the explosion.
Asked whether the accident could have been prevented, Hayward said, "All accidents can be prevented -- there's not doubt about that."
BP owns the oil well. Before the explosion, Hayward had announced a significant discovery of at least 50 million barrels of oil. "Of course, all of that is completely irrelevant in the context of what we're now dealing with."
Connect the World blog: Should there be a full ban on off-shore drilling?
What crews are dealing with is an oil spill from the explosion that continues to grow in the Gulf of Mexico. A controlled attempt to burn off part of the spill started Wednesday evening, the U.S. Coast Guard said.
Landry said the successful burn was completed later Wednesday night.
The burn-off is part of the effort to prevent the spread of oil from an underwater well that was broken open when the drill rig Deepwater Horizon blew up and sank last week. The slick stretched about 100 miles across the north-central Gulf on Wednesday afternoon and had advanced to within 16 miles of the mouth of the Mississippi River, the U.S. Coast Guard said.
Efforts to cap the well have so far been unsuccessful, Landry said Wednesday. The cause of the explosion remains under investigation, and search efforts have been halted for the 11 workers missing after the blast.
At least one of the victims' families has filed a lawsuit against BP and Transocean, accusing BP specifically of negligence.
"The responsibility for safety on the drilling rig is with Transocean," Hayward said. "It is their rig, their equipment, their people, their systems, their safety processes."
He said that, despite reports to the contrary, BP has not resisted attempts at tightening safety regulations. "We welcome tighter safety regulations. But we'd like them to be applied in a way that makes them practically impermeable."
BP and the Coast Guard planned to corral part of the oil slick using a 500-foot, specially designed boom, and then set it ablaze. The flames are expected to destroy between 50 to 90 percent of the oil in that section, and winds should blow the resulting cloud of smoke and soot out to sea, said Lt. Cmdr. Matt Moorlag, a Coast Guard spokesman.
"It's a historically proven technique, and it has multiple preventative safety measures in place to ensure that that burn area remains controlled," Moorlag said.
The oil spill has the potential to become one of the worst in U.S. history, Landry said Tuesday. The well, about 50 miles off the mouth of the Mississippi River, is dumping about 42,000 gallons a day into the Gulf of Mexico. BP, the well's owner, has been dropping dispersant chemicals on the slick and trying to shut off the flow using remote-controlled submarines, but has had no luck.
The spill stretched eastward from a point about 16 miles south of the mouth of the Mississippi River to about 94 miles south of Pensacola, Florida. It was about 30 miles wide at some points. Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal said the slick was expected to hit the southeastern Louisiana shoreline late Friday or before dawn Saturday.
Jindal said the state has asked for 55,000 feet of booms to keep oil away from the marshy, environmentally delicate coast, which is rich in shellfish and wildlife.
"We want to approach this situation the same way we would approach a hurricane or other natural disaster," he said. "We think it's best to hope for the best, but prepare for the worst."
The slick left many who draw their living from the water and coastal wetlands "watching and praying," said Tony Fernandez, owner of the Breton Sound Marina near Hopedale, Louisiana.
"For the most part, what we're doing is mostly waiting," Fernandez said. "There's not much that laypeople can do with this." People in the area are closely watching the Coast Guard plans to burn off portions of the slick, he said.
"I guess it's a question of water pollution or air pollution," he said.
Most of the slick is a thin sheen on the water's surface. About 3 percent of it is a heavy, pudding-like crude oil. At its current flow, the spill would take more than 260 days to rival the 1989 Exxon Valdez disaster, when about 11 million gallons spilled into Alaska's Prince William Sound.
But even if the Gulf spill never compares in size to the Exxon Valdez, it could have serious ecological repercussions if it makes landfall.
Efforts are already under way near the shoreline to deal with that potential scenario, including positioning boom material around sensitive ecological areas. Five staging areas have been set up on land, stretching from Venice, Louisiana, to Pensacola, Florida.
"If it reaches the shoreline, ourselves and the Coast Guard ... will deal with it," Hayward said. "And we will clean it up, if we get to that position."
He said BP's operation to attack the swath of oil, which is now the size of Delaware, is costing the company $6 million a day.
The remote-controlled submarines are being used by BP in an attempt to activate the well's blowout preventer to choke the flow of oil.
BP also is bringing in another drilling rig that could seal the well, but that effort would take months, according to a BP spokesman.
In the meantime, the company is working on a novel approach to capture the oil -- placing a dome right above the well head. The dome will resemble an inverted funnel, with a pipe leading up to ships waiting at the surface that would take away the oil. That tactic has never been tried in deep water, and a BP spokesman said the dome won't be ready for two to four weeks.


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Acquisition of Orchestral Parts from various sources - either direct scans or existing files, removal of logos if necessary, and posting at IMSLP.
Manual of Style
Visit This thread for discussions.
The list of parts uploaded through this project can be found here.
Leader: Yagan Kiely talk
Active: Kcleung talk. User:Ottaviano, User:Horndude77, User:Perlnerd666, User:KGill
Inactive: User:Generoso, User:Romanov76110, User:Ras1, User:Alaric
Back to IMSLP:Community Projects


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The CW Network has given early pickups to the network's top-rated show, The Vampire Diaries, fan favorite Supernatural, and the world's most-famous zip code, 90210, with all three series to return for the 2012-2013 season.
The Vampire Diaries will return for a fourth season of bloody good drama this fall, Based on the series of books by L. J. Smith, The Vampire Diaries is from Bonanza Productions Inc., Outerbanks Entertainment and Alloy Entertainment in association with Warner Bros. Television and CBS Television Studios with executive producers Kevin Williamson ("Scream," "Dawson's Creek"), Julie Plec ("Kyle XY," "Wasteland"), Leslie Morgenstein ("Gossip Girl," "Private") and Bob Levy ("Gossip Girl," "Privileged").
Suprnatural will mark its eighth season with the monster-hunting Winchester brothers on The CW, Supernatural is from Warner Bros. Television in association with Wonderland Sound and Vision, with executive producers McG ("Charlie's Angels," "The O.C."), Robert Singer ("Midnight Caller"), Jeremy Carver ("Being Human") and Phil Sgriccia.
On 90210, the gang from West Beverly will be returning for season five. 90210 is produced by CBS Productions with executive producers Patti Carr ("Life Unexpected," "Private Practice") and Lara Olsen ("Life Unexpected," "Private Practice").


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Me 163 B
|This page is about the German jet fighter Me 163 B. For the version with 20 mm MG 151 cannons, see Me 163 B-0.
The Me 163 B is a rank V German jet fighter with a battle rating of 8.0 (AB/RB/SB). It has been in the game since the start of the Open Beta Test prior to Update 1.27.
Even at BR 8.0, few jets can out run, out climb, or out turn the Komet, and even fewer can do all three at the same time. Even the highest BR jets cannot threaten this tiny terror lightly, lest it feasts on their blood! Although hard to catch, it is not hard to kill. The very short 6-minute fuel supply is its Achilles heel: if possible, just avoid the Komet until its fuel is spent for an easier kill. Still, any disciplined Komet jockey can overcome its shortcomings, rocketing high above the map, cut throttle, and easily glide at a mind-blowing 400 km/h to action. Stay above 5,000 m for its best performance, unless all targets are lower, and perform vertical manoeuvres to preserve precious energy. The craft is very sturdy and only the most extreme manoeuvres can break the wings so push it. Conversely don't chase top jets, get altitude, let them come to you (they will). High closing speeds require maxed out crews Keen Vision and G-Tolerance and majority of Awareness, and of course Expert qualification.
There are two characteristics that make the Me 163 what it is in War Thunder. The first is its powerful rocket engine, the second is its low fuel supply. The latter means that the Komet must rush into the battlefield quickly before its fuel supply falls low and it needs to land at an airbase. Its huge thrust-to-weight ratio guarantees however that the Komet will be able to engage the enemy very early on in a match. Whenever the enemy team is climbing or gaining speed at sea level, the experienced Me 163 pilot will always find some unsuspecting prey. Remember, when engaging an enemy, turning off the rocket engine is the wisest choice, as to operate on safe speeds and to conserve fuel.
The Me 163 B-1 is a fun to play aircraft that provides a very different play style. For that reason, it always succeeds in seducing players. It may be frustrating at times, but its particularity will always make it a plane worth flying.
General info
Flight performance
| Max Speed
(km/h at 4,500 m)
| Max altitude
| Turn time
| Rate of climb
| Take-off run
|Combat flaps
|Take-off flaps
|Landing flaps
|Air brakes
|Arrestor gear
|Drogue chute
|Wings (km/h)
|Gear (km/h)
|Flaps (km/h)
|Max Static G
|Optimal velocities (km/h)
|< 790
|< 600
|< 690
Engine performance
|Aircraft mass
|Engine name
|Empty mass
|Wing loading (full fuel)
|Walter HWK 109-509A-2
|1,900 kg
|199 kg/m2
|Engine characteristics
|Mass with fuel (no weapons load)
| Max Takeoff
|Weight (each)
|1m fuel
|6m fuel
|166 kg
|Liquid-fuel rocket
|2,235 kg
|3,910 kg
|4,297 kg
|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB / SB)
|Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (100%)
|1m fuel
|6m fuel
|1,700 kgf
| 1,700 kgf
(any speed)
Survivability and armour
- 90 mm Bulletproof glass in front of the pilot.
- 15 mm Steel plate cone in the nose.
- 13 mm Steel plates behind the pilot.
Modifications and economy
|Flight performance
Offensive armament
The Me 163 B is armed with:
- 2 x 30 mm MK 108 cannons, wing-mounted (60 rpg = 120 total)
The two cannons are mounted with one in each wing. Each is armed with the same amount of ammunition, which means that all guns will fire together until empty.
Usage in battles
The Me 163 brings energy fighting to a whole new level thanks to its immense rate of climb and acceleration, creating its own subgenre of fighting style only shared with the Ki-200 and partially with the Heimatschützer variants of the Me-262. Instead of just the usual speed/altitude dynamic, the German rocket fighter brings in a new element, fuel supply. Fuel management is a constant worry when flying in the 163. The most energy-efficient way of using the Komet's engine is to use it to its fullest when climbing, to then shut it off whilst engaging enemies, so, if possible, avoid using the Komet's engine in a straight line. If you are chasing an enemy and you're at a lower energy state than the bandit, it is, of course, reasonable to turn on the engine to catch the enemy, but then, if you are at a lower energy state than an enemy, you've probably done something wrong.
It is important for the Komet pilot to pick targets with care and to only commit to a target when there's a good chance of success as to not waste any advantages. Fortunately, the Me 163 B's weaponry allows for neutralizing foes in just a short burst. When engaging or evading a target, the Komet can make use of its splendid turning ability, yet every pilot should keep in mind that when its fuel tank is full, this aircraft's wings are very prone to rip at high G's due to the extra weight.
Pros and cons
- Very high climb rate and acceleration
- Great speed at altitude
- Can go over Mach 1 in level flight at very high altitudes (~15,500 m)
- Excellent manoeuvrability
- One of the best turn rates of the rank
- Powerful 30 mm MK 108 cannons that are extremely deadly
- Small target
- good energy retention
- Extremely limited fuel capacity
- Prone to wing overload crashes when the fuel tanks are full
- Vulnerable airframe
- Aircraft easily compresses during high speed
- Unfavourable armament ballistics for fighting jets
- No take-off flaps
- No airbrakes
The aptly named "Komet" (Comet) was not an emergency fighter but a result of years of development, all the brainchild of one of the great aircraft pioneers, Dr. Alexander Lippisch. Following the first world war, he was employed with the Zeppelin Company, a prestigious company with leading aeronautical research. There he became interested in tailless aircraft and despite the Versailles Treaty restricted times experimented and developed many tail first (canards, French for "duck") and tailless gliders. In 1928 Fritz von Opel, son of the famous automotive manufacture and infamous for rocket-powered vehicles wanted to make a rocket-powered aircraft, and the Lippisch "Ente" (duck) was perfect. Although the Ente was destroyed on its second flight and Opel moved on to make his own design, the seed for rocket-powered aircraft was planted in Lippisch.
By the late 1930's the basic design of what would eventually become the Me 163 was taking shape. The engine that was eventually chosen was made by Hellmuth Walter Kommanditgesellschaft, maker of reliable RATO units. On 2 January 1939 Lippisch joined the Messerschmitt group with its much better manufacturing ability, completing the experimental aircraft. With the successful experimental design test flights in the 1940 work progressed on the next version, the Me 163A - reusing an RLM airframe number from the cancelled Bf 163 as a disguise - and first flew on 1 September 1941. The aircraft had phenomenal performance, but the cutting edge technology was highly unreliable and dangerous. It was not a priority project and it was another 2 years before the larger combat capable Me 163 B was ready for action and a few months after that before it has its baptism of fire and history.
The Me-163 began life at the "Deutsche Forschungsanstalt für Segelflug" as a modification of the Lippisch Delta IV glider, known as the DFS 39.
A larger version, called the DFS 194, powered by a propeller, was abandoned before completion, and Lippisch's team (now at Messerschmitt) focused entirely on the design of the rocket-powered version. The airframe was finally completed in 1940, and the first production model flew in 1941.
Attempts to optimize the Me-163 for mass production, as well as the fitting of the HWK 109-509, as opposed to the old Walter R-1-203 engine, resulted in the Me-163B, that began production in late 1941.
In July 1944 a tiny aircraft tore through the formation of B-17 bombers spitting fire. The turrets could not turn fast enough, barely able to follow the streak with their eyes too. Although none of the B-17s were hit, the incident shook the bomber crews to the core, an enemy fighter that came out of nowhere, too fast to track and too small to aim at. In later encounters, P-51 fighter escorts also found themselves impotent against this little plane. So advanced was this revolutionary fighter.
Intended for point intercept when everything worked just right it fulfilled its duty admirably, but those chances were rare and in the end, with about a dozen kill credits it did not achieve its ambitious goals.
Although a failure as a fighter, the Komet was the most revolutionary aircraft ever and achieved many world records, including the first to exceed 1,000 km/h and to reach its critical Mach in level flight. It inspired many experimental rocket aircraft in its wake, Ki-200, X-1, X-15, even the Space Shuttle are descendants of that little plane. Dr. Lippisch also greatly contributed to flight, working for Convair post-war developing his delta wing designs, this technology eventually resulting in the supersonic F-102, F-106, B-58, and inspiration for Concorde and shape of the Space Shuttle among dozens of others. This tiny plane and its inventor literally changed the shape of aviation.
|Archive of the in-game description
The Messerschmitt Ме 163 Komet was a German rocket-powered interceptor. Its first flight took place on 1st September 1941. A very small number was produced; only 91 before the end of 1944. First combat for the Komet took place on 14th May 1944.
The Me 163 was a unique aircraft standing virtually alone in aviation history. The Komet was the only operational tailless aircraft and the only operational rocket fighter of WWII. In addition, it had other unique features, including its very narrow role, a daylight short-range interceptor used for pin-point defense of strategic targets, with a record-breaking top speed and climb rate.
First production Me 163 B-0 variants, produced in early 1943, were armed with twin 20mm Mauser MG 151/20 cannon with 100 rounds per gun. By the 47th production variant, the Komet was upgunned to twin 30mm Mk 108 cannon. The designation was then changed to Me 163 B-1. The B-1 had 60 rounds per gun. This armament met with some criticism from contemporary engineers. The Mk 108 had a low rate of fire and poor reliability. Statistically, the weapon failed once per every 100 rounds fired. In the constantly changing conditions of aerial combat, the 163 could simply run out of shells before having a chance to successfully destroy a heavy bomber.
- Skins
- Videos
See also
Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:
- reference to the series of the aircraft;
- links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.
External links
|Bavarian Aircraft Corporation (BFW*)
|Bf 109
|Flegel's Bf 109 A · Bf 109 B-1 · Bf 109 E-1 · Bf 109 E-3 · Bf 109 E-4 · Bf 109 E-7/U2
|Bf 109 F-1 · Bf 109 F-2 · Bf 109 F-4 · Bf 109 F-4/trop · Bf 109 G-2/trop · Bf 109 G-6 · Bf 109 K-4 · Bf 109 G-10 · Bf 109 G-14 · Bf 109 Z-1
|Bf 110
|Bf 110 C-6 · Bf 110 C-7 · Bf 110 F-2 · Bf 110 G-2 · Bf 110 G-4
|Me 410
|Me 410 A-1 · Me 410 A-1/U2 · Me 410 A-1/U4 · Me 410 B-1 · Me 410 B-1/U2 · Me 410 B-2/U4 · Me 410 B-6/R3
|Me 264
|Jet Fighters
|Me 163 B · Me 163 B-0 · Me 262 A-1a · Me 262 A-1a/Jabo · Me 262 A-1a/U1 · Me 262 A-1/U4 · Me 262 A-2a · Me 262 C-1a · Me 262 C-2b
|▅Bf 109 E-7 · ▄Bf 109 G-14/AS · ◐Bf 109 G-2 · Bf 109 G-2 · ▄Bf 109 G-2 · ▄Bf 109 G-6 · ▄Bf 109 G-6 Erla · ◐Bf 110 G-4
|▃Bf 109 F-4
|* BFW was later renamed Messerschmitt Aktiengesellschaft (AG) on 11 July 1938. All aircraft currently in production at this time retained the designation Bf while those developed after this date had the designation Me.
|Germany jet aircraft
|Ar 234
|Ar 234 B-2 · Ar 234 C-3
|He 162
|He 162 A-1 · He 162 A-2
|Ho 229
|Ho 229 V3
|Me 163
|Me 163 B · Me 163 B-0
|Me 262 A
|Me 262 A-1a · Me 262 A-1a/Jabo · Me 262 A-1a/U1 · Me 262 A-1/U4 · Me 262 A-2a
|Me 262 C
|Me 262 C-1a · Me 262 C-2b
|◄Tornado IDS ASSTA1 · ◄Tornado IDS
|◄CL-13A Mk 5 · ◄CL-13B Mk.6 · ◄F-86K
|◄F-4F Early · ◄F-4F
|◄MiG-21 SPS-K · ◊MiG-21MF · ◊MiG-21bis-SAU · ◊MiG-21 "Lazur-M"
|◊MiG-23BN · ◊MiG-23MF · ◊MiG-23MLA
|◊Su-22UM3K · ◊Su-22M4
|◄Sea Hawk Mk.100 · ◌Hunter F.58 (Swiss)


text: Forage Harvester Yield Monitoring and Mapping Precise yield data is displayed on the IntelliView™ IV display using sensors located in the feed roll linkage that measure crop throughput. This enables the operator to make on the go decisions with real time yield and moisture information. This data can be exported to PLM™ Mapping software to further analyze yield performance and make informed decisions to further improve next season yields and profitability. Read More


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Anderson County Council $40,000 purchase order for private investigators, 5 May 2009
From WikiLeaks
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- Release date
- May 20, 2009
$40,000 blanket purchase order from Anderson County Council (Linda Eddleman) to Tallon Group. Inc of Spartanburg for private investigative services, with some $15,000 used.
The included invoice shows many miles traveled by Talon, possibly following an undisclosed citizen or citizens of Anderson.
Our source states the material was "leaked so that citizens may know private investigators are at work in their community, hired by their government". The County clerk may be called for invoice verification.
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text:
"Spiritual Lessons on Fire and Wood Burning"
For the first time in my life, I have gotten much experience in buying and burning firewood. It's a good lesson and reminder for things we already have been given to know in the Spirit. The major workings of the Lord are not seen with physical observation (Luk 17:20-21), yet they are revealed in His physical creation. This is a major revelation once you are in the Truth and have your heavens opened to such a great understanding.
Rom 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the [physical] things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
Heb 11:3 Through faith we understand that the [physical] worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
Using the physical to ascertain things in the Spirit is a useful and needed tool for us to study the Scripture and grow in the knowledge of the Truth. Our primary way of learning the deep things of God (assuming we have been given ears to hear and eyes to see) is comparing spiritual to spiritual across the Old and New Testaments (2Ti 3:16, 1Co 10:11, Hos 12:10)
1Co 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
1Co 2:13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
Joh 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words (the entire Bible) that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
One can take anything in the physical and outward world and with the mind of Christ, apply many spiritual truths and principles thus proving the macro truth of Romans 1:20. In this study, we are going to look at physical fire and apply its traits and characteristics in the physical to the truth of how the Lord works in the Spirit. At a bare minimum, this study should help refute the lie of an eternal hell where God burns his own creation alive forever and without end.
What is Physical Fire? – Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material in a chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products (gases, ash, etc.)
This is interesting because it is the positive of spiritual fire that is the Word of God and that fire is making a quick work in making major changes within us that comes with much spiritual heat and light.
God's Word is fire: The fire is what is remaking us from a natural firstborn Adam into a son of God via the process of our judgment.
Jer 23:29 Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?
Jer 5:14 Wherefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.
Rev 11:5 And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.
Having our old "natural" way of life burned up is not pleasant to our flesh and its desires, yet it is necessary for us to be saved and made partakers of His Holiness.
Psa 119:71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.
Mal 3:3 And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.
Heb 12:10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.
Men and our flesh are likened unto trees and wood in Scripture. In the negative meaning (as the word is two edged – Heb 4:11), trees and wood symbolize our physical life and life of being carnally minded. That is what God's fire is making combustion within our day of judgment.
Jer 7:20 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, mine anger and my fury shall be poured out upon this place, upon man, and upon beast, and upon the trees of the field, and upon the fruit of the ground; and it shall burn, and shall not be quenched.
Joe 1:19 O LORD, to thee will I cry: for the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness, and the flame hath burned all the trees of the field.
Eternal hellfire along with the delusion of free will is one of the biggest lies of orthodox Christianity and the "other jesus" billions know and worship. The Lord's fire is what is saving us and burning up the wood that represents our flesh and carnality.
Mat 3:12 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
Psa 89:46 How long, LORD? wilt thou hide thyself forever? shall thy wrath burn like fire?
Eze 5:4 Then take of them again, and cast them into the midst of the fire, and burn them in the fire; for thereof shall a fire come forth into all the house of Israel.
The question of how long is also answered in Scripture. It takes as long as God has ordained for every man as our entire lives have been predetermined (Psa 139:16). But we know the fire of judgment by the Word (Psa 19:9, Rev 1:3, Joh 12:48) will eventually go out when its work is finished and we have learned (been perfected) righteousness.
Pro 26:20 Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife (the fiery trial) ceaseth.
Isa 26:9 With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.
Sodom and Gomorrah are not still literally burning in an eternal hell. God's spiritual fire worked its work and destroyed the sinfulness and the sinful city which is its purpose yet today in saving all men.
Gen 19:24 Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven;
Gen 19:25 And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities …..
What is needed for fire to combust? Typically, physical fire comes from a chemical reaction between oxygen in the atmosphere and a fuel source (i.e. wood). The presence of these things is not enough, as combustion requires a spark and a heating of the wood to its ignition temperature. The heat needed to spark a fire can come from lots of different things for instance: a match, focused light, friction, or even lightning.
The Spirit of God is the oxygen (the air, the wind) that fuels His Word and is sparked to life by the many wonderful works of God to His children. The Lord who works all things (Eph 1:11) is the one who creates the sparks in our spiritual life and brings the trials that raise the temperature that burns up the wood and impure metals within us.
1Pe 4:12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
1Pe 4:13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
Gen 1:3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light (spiritual match)
Isa 63:17 O LORD, why hast thou made us to err from thy ways, and hardened our heart from thy fear? Return for thy servants' sake, the tribes of thine inheritance (match)
Mat 24:27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
1Pe 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ (spiritual friction)
Burning wood creates smoke: Smoke is a symptom of a burning fire and contains the trapped gases along with other organic matter. These are pollutants which are then driven away by the physical or spiritual winds that are God's judgment by the Word.
Hos 13:3 Therefore they shall be as the morning cloud, and as the early dew that passeth away, as the chaff that is driven with the whirlwind out of the floor, and as the smoke out of the chimney.
Rev 14:10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
Rev 14:11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
Little pieces of wood burn quicker and faster than big pieces: A fuel's size also affects how easily it will catch fire. A larger fuel, such as a thick tree, can absorb a lot of heat, so it takes a lot more energy to raise any particular piece to the ignition temperature. A toothpick catches fire more easily because it heats up very quickly. Chopping us up and burning our carnal mind results in fiery trials which come in all shapes and sizes according to what is needed. In the same way, the Lord gives us stripes (judgment) according to the size of the log (sin and carnal-mindedness) needing to be devoured.
Luk 12:47 And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.
Luk 12:48 But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.
The Lord starts us out dealing with the small stuff before He moves on to the big stuff needing to be burned up.
1Co 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
The hardened parts of our wicked heart will take a hotter fire than the small sins. The Lord truly knows how to deliver the new man (the godly) out of those temptations.
2Pe 2:9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:
The harder the wood or the more of it, the hotter the fire: Fire burns hotter when the wood is hard or there are lots of it. Here in South Africa, the best wood for braii is arguably Namibia hardwood. The Lord knows how to dial-up the heat in our lives accomplish His work in us by fiery grace. Our hardened rebellious hearts take a hot fire to burn the "I, me and my" out of us.
Rom 2:5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;
Eze 24:9 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe to the bloody city! I will even make the pile for fire great.
Eze 24:10 Heap on wood, kindle the fire, consume the flesh, and spice it well, and let the bones be burned.
Softer wood burns easy and quickly and there are some issues the Lord works that require much less heat and anguish than others to purify our heavens and our earth.
Dry wood burns best and green wood is difficult to burn: The Lord prepares us to be burned in His fire by drying us up of good works and draining us of confidence in our flesh. The Lord promised there would always be seasons on the earth (Gen 8:22) that are used to prepare the wood for further chastening. The best wood is seasoned wood that has been prepared and dried out waiting it's time to be burned in a fireplace or a stove.
2Pe 3:7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
Jud 1:6 And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.
Jud 1:7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
Truly wet wood will not burn: Two different perspectives I will mention on this criteria as there are always two sides to the Word, it being a double-edged sword. In the negative sense, water or wetness is associated with the flesh and our walking by that mindset. When we are still wet with that mindset, we have not been prepared for judgment and the Word of God is not yet burning up our old man and we remain carnal beasts.
On the other hand, when we are full of the Spirit, drenched in God's rain which is His doctrines the fire does not harm us. Those raised in the first harvest of men (the second harvest of the three) will be the completed new man and have the fullness of the Spirit and hence there is nothing left to be hurt by the Lake of Fire has already been through that in this age.
Rev 2:11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.
The new man who stands on faith abides in the fire and is never hurt.
Dan 3:24 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king.
Dan 3:25 He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.
Fire generates heat which warms us physically and also warms us up spiritually and helps get us through the non-fruit producing seasons of life.
2Ti 4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
Rom 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
Fire generates light in times of darkness to show us the path and bring others that need help to us.
Psa 119:105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
Mat 5:14 Ye (My disciples, the Body of Christ) are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
Heb 1:7 And of the angels (messengers) he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.
Flame color indicates relative temperature: Generally speaking blue and white flames are the hottest which ties wonderfully to the symbolism of colors in Scripture. Blue symbolizes the things of God and the goal of our going through the fiery process now and in turn becoming a fire to save others.
Isa 10:17 And the light of Israel shall be for a fire, and his Holy One for a flame: and it shall burn and devour his thorns and his briers in one day(the day of the Lord)
When the fire is truly intense there will be blue flames present. In the same vein, the goals of achieving the righteousness of Christ (white linen) is only found in the fire of judgment with white also being an indicator of a very hot flame.
Rev 3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
Rev 19:8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
More air equals a faster burning and hotter fire: A poorly burning fire is usually solved quickly by giving it more air (oxygen). Our measure of faith (Rom 12:3) and infilling with the Spirit of God is all of the Lord's determination. Only the Lord had the fullness of the Spirit in a clay body (Joh 3:34). Yet we can look forward to growing in our anointing as we mature abiding in the Holy City (The Body of Christ) waiting for the fullness to come (Rom 8:23).
Luk 24:49 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.
2Ti 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
We should welcome the fire and seek it knowing it is what hastens the coming of the Lord within us more each day Lord willing (2Pe 3:11-13).
2Pe 3:11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
2Pe 3:12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
To keep our fires burning and grow in the power of God, we need spiritual air to tap into the power the Lord has given to His Christ (Joh 20:21)
Mat 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
A fire goes out when the wood is consumed: The fire of God is used for good to remake us into sons of God. Our God and Heavenly Father is inseparable from His Word which is consuming our wood (carnal mindedness) more each and every day
Heb 12:29 For our God is a consuming fire.
The wood won't be gone fully until the clay vessels are gone. Hence we persevere.
Pro 26:20 Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife (the fiery trial) ceaseth.
The priests of God in the making (Rev 5:10); we are the bearers of the Lord's fire and work to keep that fire burning always in the temple of God which temple each we are.
1Co 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
It is the Lord's temple that the altar resides and where His fire will be forever burning. It has nothing to do with the lie of eternal hell.
Lev 6:12 And the fire upon the altar shall be burning in it; it shall not be put out: and the priest shall burn wood on it every morning, and lay the burnt offering in order upon it; and he shall burn thereon the fat of the peace offerings.
Lev 6:13 The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar; it shall never go out.
The residue of a wood fire is ash: Ash is a very fine dust particle that has many good uses. Physical ash is an unburnable mineral that is very useful in fertilizing gardens, trees and promoting new life. Interesting that ash is also used in making soaps that clean and purify us, controlling foul odors (landfills), and even deter and kill insects. All of this has great spiritual significance when we apply Romans 1:20 to what the Lord is doing with us in this age where judgment is now fallen (1Pe 4:17).
Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice (losing your life), holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
Mat 21:44 And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.
Gen 22:7 And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?
I have even learned the hard way that ash retains its heat for a long time which in the Spirit is very positive in our ability to minister and help others when we are humble and our selfish lives have been burned up.
It is after our life is sacrificed, the wood has been burned that we are given new garment that is white as the ashes of wood burned in the fire.
Rev 7:14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
Fire is made up of many burning pieces of wood: It is difficult to light and keep burning a single piece of wood. But if one puts multiple pieces in building his fire, the fire will burn much longer and more consistently. This brings to mind the truth that the Body of Christ is being made into a spiritual fire right now in this age as the first to be judged.
Zec 12:6 In that day will I make the governors of Judah like an hearth of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf; and they shall devour all the people round about, on the right hand and on the left: and Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place, even in Jerusalem.
The cloud of many witnesses (Heb 12:1) and the infolding fire are one in the same description and vision of the Elect (Body of Christ) who are being made into saviours.
Eze 1:4 And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber, out of the midst of the fire.
Oba 1:18 And the house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau for stubble, and they shall kindle in them, and devour them; and there shall not be any remaining of the house of Esau; for the LORD hath spoken it.
As we come thru the fire, we become saviours who in turn will help save others including all mankind in the lake of fire.
Oba 1:21 And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the LORD'S.
It is the Body of Christ who will be the lake of fire at the White Throne Judgment.
1Co 6:2 Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?
We saw just some of the attributes of physical fire and how that reveals how the Lord is working things in the Spirit. One could take virtually anything in the physical world and deduce much about the ways of the Spirit. But they are going to need to be prepared of the Lord, we cannot give the gift.
Pro 20:12 The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the LORD hath made even both of them.
I hope this study stirs your memory and recollection of these spiritual truths. As winter comes to those in the northern hemisphere, making a fire and watching the wood burn can become a time of reflection and examination of ourselves and all the good works the Lord is doing to the children of men.
Isa 66:15 For, behold, the LORD will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire.
Php 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
Comments and questions are welcome. You can also email me directly at firstname.lastname@example.com