text:
Kevin Old is organizing FaithLeads.Tech Conference in November | Episode 008
For this episode of the Future.Bible Podcast, we'll have Kevin Old as our special guest. Kevin is the front-end architect at LifeWay and one of the brilliant minds behind the upcoming Faith Leads Tech Conference.
Listen as Kevin shares his God-given inspiration in coming up with the conference, which serves as an avenue for people from different backgrounds – business, tech, and in church – to come together, and to learn more about what God is doing at the intersection of faith and technology.
Register and learn more about the Faith Leads Tech Conference: the details, speakers, and schedule at www.faithleads.tech
Did you know you can catch-up on past episodes of the the Future.Bible Podcast, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, Stitcher Radio, TuneIn and wherever else you go to download great podcast content.
04:42 God has given me this platform in the tech community. And along the way I've been to various tech conferences, and I've always felt that there was something missing in what I wanted from there. I want to focus on technology from a theological perspective.
05:41 So this conference is almost in a response to a question that I have about what else is there to build; what else does God want us to build for his kingdom? We've got a ton of stuff that's out there, but I don't know that I have the answer of what's next. And through this journey I've learned about a number of projects and startups that are around this thing. So this conference is really about featuring what God's doing at the intersection of faith and technology.
10:25 And we were talking, and then he just said, "Well what about Faith Leads Tech?" And it was like, "Man, that's exactly it." Like I want my faith in Jesus to lead the tech that I'm building. And so it was just a natural fit.
18:42 And so I don't know what that one thing would be, but my hope is that one day I can be a part of a new bit of technology, or contribute. I don't have to create it, but I would love to contribute to something that would just help someone further their walk.
Kenny: Welcome friends for another episode and we are back in the saddle with my co-host DJ. Welcome today. How are you doing?
DJ: I'm doing well, Kenny. And today's an important day because we're talking about a very special event that we're in partnership with and we're thrilled to have our special guest today.
Kenny: That is right DJ. I love special guests, right? It's just, it's a little bit of spice to the show and especially we've got Kevin Old. Welcome, Kevin. How are you doing?
Kevin: Great. How are you guys doing?
Kenny: So Kevin, you are with the behemoth LifeWay. Tell us a little bit about where you sit in that whole ecosystem called LifeWay.
Kevin: So I'm a part of a portion of the IT organization inside LifeWay called Consumer Solutions, and we're a group that are around the web presence of LifeWay, uh, from an app perspective. So we manage properties like Wordsearch Bible, Smallgroup.com, Ministry Grid, and LifeWay.com.
Kenny: Nice. And you are on the technical side of things, right? And you're in the technical side of things, right, Kevin?
Kevin: Yeah, absolutely. So I'm in a role called a front-end architect, and I help steward the Wordsearch Bible app that allows for in-depth Bible study and any content that you've purchased through us. You see that front end app at www.WordsearchBible.com. We've just gone through a rewrite, and actually today we've just just made another iteration where we've pushed our content essentially to the edge. So everywhere on the planet, if you're interacting with our app and our content, you're going to get it just like it was in your region. So it is in your region. So it's super, it's a big day for us because we're going to be able to turn down some servers, and, I don't know, we just got a really great architecture that's a been a couple of years in the making and now we're seeing the fruits of that labor.
Kenny: That must be exciting. I know being a part of several startup teams before, whenever you push out a new release, you feel a big sigh of relief. But then you're in this little like limbo, you know, almost like an airplane flying around waiting to land, because you want to make sure that everything is still right, you're available and that all your users are getting what they're getting. So it must be an exciting day for you for sure.
Kevin: Yeah. Yeah. This is an iteration, so it's not like a big bang. We did the big bang about nine weeks ago. And everything's been extremely stable. We provide content to Liberty University and those students, and we're doing this latest thing in response to a huge surge of traffic that we'll get to see spike out this evening. So yeah, but it's, the excitement is still there.
Kenny: Yeah. Definitely. So I love the fact that we're talking with you, because you are one of those guys that does understand the technology side and the innovation side and pushing the boundaries so that we take advantage of technology for Scripture engagement. At the end of the day, we all have this common goal here. And that's what the show's about. DJ and I have been on this journey trying to make some pit stops and stop in and have conversations with innovators like you. And one of the things that we're excited about is that we are teaming up with you from American Bible Society and LifeWay's Perspective to really help support and I guess turbo-boost your efforts with organizing a conference that's coming up this fall. So why don't you just give us that elevator pitch of what this conference and event is about. Who is it for, and what are we going to see at the conference?
Kevin: Yeah. Awesome. I will say I do sincerely appreciate aligning with you guys at the American Bible Society.Bible and the Future.Bible Podcast to help launch this thing. So the conference we're talking about is Faith Leads Tech. And the idea is that this conference was set in motion through prayer primarily. As I know that I've mentioned to you guys before or Kenny, when I've talked to you about coming on board, you know, God has given me this platform in the tech community. And along the way I've been to various tech conferences, and I've always felt that there was something missing in what I wanted from there. I want to focus on technology from a theological perspective. What should I be building as a follower of Jesus? What tech should I be building? Now it sounds super simple, you know, to say, "Oh, we should use PowerPoint, and we should build a presentation software, and we should build CMS, and we should build Scripture reading plans, and we should build all these things." What should we build? But what else is there that we could build? I think there are conversations about should we build another social network, you know, should we, you know, for, I don't know, there's all these different ideas, I think. And that's one thing that I struggle with. So this conference is almost in a response to a question that I have about what else is there to build; what else does God want us to build for his kingdom? We've got a ton of stuff that's out there, but I don't know that I have the answer of what's next. And through this journey I've learned about a number of projects and startups that are around this thing. So this conference is really about featuring what God's doing at the intersection of faith and technology.
Kenny: Love that.
Kevin: And then allowing the collaboration from all of his people that are in this space. So throughout this process, I've learned of about 30 people that are doing similar things in similar organizations or startups or ministries that I would have never known about. And so there are so many people that I want to introduce you guys to and I know that there are plenty of people that you have introduced me to and I can also introduce you to. So I think just really providing that this conferences is trying to steward that literal intersection, like we're at an intersection of two roads in Nashville, right? And at that place I would like to help steward this exploration of what we do with our faith and our technology.
DJ: That's fantastic. And both Kenny and I will be there. And one of the things that I think this fits hand in glove with is we're hosting this conversation about faith and technology and Bible online kind of as a weekly podcast, and then hopefully at an annual event, we can have the face-to-face, in person conversations with each other who are at this intersection. Because I'm old enough to be around that. I grew up pre-Internet. So I've seen how churches and Christians have tried to use technology, and even today it's often just a print or digital version of the print. And I think technology has so much more to offer, and we see technology just changing our lives like a cell phone parking lots and renting our homes to total strangers. And so this gathering is really valuable. How did you come up with the name Faith Leads Tech, and how has that shaped the conversation?
Kevin: It was actually almost by accident. So the way that this conference came about, I had been working with a gentleman in town. We did an iteration of Code for the Kingdom as a hackathon. And throughout those hackathons, there were a lot of busines-minded folks that didn't necessarily want to be at the keyboard or building a project or they were a part of a project, but they just didn't feel as connected. They were just asking like, "Well, is there a conference? Is there something else we can do for like the business community as a whole?" Or the church leaders community? Or I'll throw out this term like a ministry tech leader. Someone that's in ministry that's, you know, the tech person that can do everything from PowerPoint to deploy a network for the church, or to, you know, set up email and backups for computers. Those kinds of things. That kind of catch all person. Is there some other thing? So we started just the idea on a napkin drawing, put it down for a little while and then last year it's almost been a year, but God really started nudging me to say, "Hey, pick this up, pick this up and start talking about it internally as an idea that we could launch this." And so it literally started with a paragraph of like, "What is this? Okay, it's a one-day, single-track conference to feature this." And actually that sentence, it's on the website. One-day, single-track conference to explore the intersection of faith and technology. Okay. That's it, right? And so we, my boss and I each took a, you know, like I stewarded it, I started it and got in front of him and we talked about it. We then came, it was a couple of weeks later we came back and were kind of talking about, you know, what do, what do you call it, what is this thing gonna do. And I had the, the term of faith leading tech and, and I was kind of stuck on that. Faith leading tech, faith leading tech. I was stuck on that. I've got, I've got an Evernote of I don't know, five or six different ideas. And we were talking, and then he just said, "Well what about Faith Leads Tech?" And it was like, "Man, that's exactly it." Like I want my faith in Jesus to lead the tech that I'm building. And so it was just a natural fit. So that's, it was just literally collaboration that, how that came, and divine inspiration.
DJ: Well, thank you for hosting this space for potentially even more collaboration. One of the previous conferences that Kenny and I went to was called Rock RX2018, and it was a gathering of developers and users that use this open source collaborative software called Rock RMS relation management system for churches. And that is a hugely a collaborative effort and I think there's so much more opportunities that can happen between Christian organizations and churches and things like that, and you're providing space for it. So thank you so much for doing that.
Kevin: Awesome. Glad to help out.
Kenny: Yeah. It's one of those things at that conference, right DJ? You felt the enthusiasm amongst the crowd there that it was very different than other conferences, because it felt like we are all part of this movement or that we're all contributing to something or we're seeing the needle move in terms of progress, right DJ?
DJ: Yes. I think this is the beginning of more collaborations, and I'm hopeful that Faith Leads Tech will build on that. I'm reading a book title Rooting for Rivals by Peter Greer, and he's with an organization called Hope International. It talks about just how the open source movement in technology can really be a model for us as Christians who are the body of Christ. Get that, right? That we can work together across organizations, really leverage our strength, not duplicate efforts, just like you said, and this needs to be an ongoing conversation. So I really do hope that this would be an annual event, perhaps even more depending on how the response goes. So we're very hopeful and thankful that you're hosting this.
Kenny: Kevin, can you tell us a little bit about the format? One of the things I love again toward this collaborative nature is that you said you want to be intentional that it's not just like sit and soak all day nine to six or whatever it is, and that you want some table discussions, or you want some real interaction happening. Can you share a little bit what to expect for people who are considering picking up a registration and coming to Nashville?
Kevin: Yeah. So like I said, I've been to a lot of tech conferences and I've gotten the most value out of the hallway track. So the hallway track is when you're not necessarily in a talk. Now, of course we've got amazing talks and we've kept them intentionally short, but we want to foster this idea that you could sit down as a product visionary. Say you've got this idea for a product, but you don't have a marketer, you don't have a developer, you don't have a business person to steward it. But just say that your church may be interested in building this thing or bringing this thing to market. My hope is that you would sit with a group. And we're going to have round tables at the event so that there's just the encouragement of collaboration and conversation. And we'll provide a number of breaks throughout the day and lunches hosted onsite. So this idea of fostering that conversation and the introductions that a person on one side of the room can make to another person, to help do that. And I think also from the the stage perspective, everything has come together and then this feeling of of bringing someone to a stage that could start or continue a conversation, that's either ongoing or start a new one of how do we bring the church into this tech community seriously. Like literally, how do we do it? Because I've run a number of hackathons, we run the third year of Code for the Kingdom, and we've had the most resistance from churches. And you would think that they would see it like we do as another ministry, just like a Trunk-or-Treat or an Easter Egg Hunt or a Fall Festival as most churches have and are aligned with. It's just another form of ministry with this specific focus of these types of people. But churches have been really resistant to even getting engaged or sponsoring this because they just don't know what it is. And there's one talk that Shamichael Hallman is going to give on about his struggle. He's a kind of bi-vocational in that to where he is a leader in the Code for the Kingdom organization as well as he's on church staff. And he is going to share his struggle of that. But I think that, my hope is that the people in the room can help with that conversation. We have a number of church leaders coming from various levels of their organization. There's IT church leaders from larger churches, and there's just communications people from churches that are coming as well as developers, designers, and then several people from like a product perspective. I really just, the idea is really to put the right people in the room, and I know that as I've been planning this, I'm always worried about, "Well, who should be there?" Right? And I have to keep going back, too. I literally have to run by myself daily and sometimes multiple times a day, but God's got it taken care of. He knows who's going to be in the room. So I just have to like, you know, stand back. So.
Kenny: Well, it's definitely going to be an exciting time. So let's go over the details. It's going to be in November. What days and what times during the day is it happening first of all?
Kevin: Yeah. So the conference date is November 9th 2018. Just for clarity, this is coming up very soon, so it's not going to be next year. Hopefully it will be next year, but we're talking about this year. The hours are going to be nine to six, so we've got a roughly 13 TED-style talks. The talks are 10 or 15 minutes. And we're going to highlight a number of ministries around the country. I don't think there's anyone that's coming from out of the US. But yeah, it's really super focused.
Kenny: Where can everybody find the agenda, the roster of speakers and topics so that they can see all the details for the event?
Kevin: Yeah. So the website is www.FaithLeads.Tech. So we're at that top level domain, .tech. And then we're also on Twitter as @faithleadstech, and on Facebook as well as faithleads_tech.
Kenny: And one of the questions we like to ask our interview guests as we round out today's show is if we were to give you a magic wand and you were supposed to be able to wave it and solve anything, come up with anything without any resource constraints, budget constraints, bandwidth constraints, what would be one thing that you would try to accomplish regarding the intersection of technology and applying it to the Bible?
Kevin: So I would love to develop or steward some sort of technology, and technology in general term here, that would help someone further their walk with Christ as that's just it. And I'll say technology is a term because technology is subjective before the printing press. That was technology, right? And if you're trying to get water out of a stream and into, you know, something else, a bucket is a piece of technology. It's super subjective. And so I don't know what that one thing would be, but my hope is that one day I can be a part of a new bit of technology, or contribute. I don't have to create it, but I would love to contribute to something that would just help someone further their walk.
DJ: Fantastic. Thank you so much, Kevin, for joining us on Future.Bible. And you're hosting a very important event, and so you're contributing to the future of technology and the Bible, and we look forward to meeting you in person as well. For our listeners and viewers, please let us know your thoughts about today's interview and suggestions for future shows. We continue to ask for your input because we want to be the number one show where you meet innovators ready to talk about how we can apply the always-evolving world of technology to the never-ending, never-changing message found in the Bible, offer deeper engagement with the Scripture. So thank you for listening to Future.Bible Podcast. Remember for videos and transcripts and more, go to www.Future.Bible. Be blessed and remember to be a blessing.


text:
I could not believe my eyes when I recently read elsewhere that Ex-President Mahama is seriously blaming his 2016 humiliating election defeat on vote rigging.
In fact, former President Mahama has blamed everyone and everything else for his historic 2016 election defeat except himself.
Not long ago, Ex-President Mahama was at his finger pointing best when he bizarrely accused the NDC Executives for diverting 2016 electioneering campaign funds which culminated in his humiliating defeat.
He uncharacteristically poured his heart out when addressing NDC Executives in the Awutu Senya Constituency in the Central Region on Wednesday 26th September 2018 (See: We won't allow campaign funds, logistics to be diverted – Mahama;citinewsroom.com/ghanaweb.com, 27/09/2018).
Ex-President Mahama is reported to have lamented: "I have noted all our mistakes. We realized campaign funds were diverted, but we have learnt our lessons. We will ensure campaign funds go through the right channel to get the campaign done. In 2020, we must rise up and be vigilant."
Somehow, former President Mahama is refusing to accept the fact that his dreadful errors in judgement amid rampant corruption, untold economic hardships and business crippling dumsor largely contributed to his 2016 humiliating election defeat.
How can you blame others of your woes when your sibling Ibrahim Mahama took advantage of your presidency and blatantly refused to pay import taxes to the tune of over GH12 million?
Why must you blame others over your historic defeat when you flagrantly gave away 58% of Ghana's bauxite to your sibling Ibrahim Mahama to the utter disgust of discerning Ghanaians?
How could former President Mahama unjustifiably give apologists like Madam Akua Donkor of Ghana Freedom Party (GFP) two four wheel drive cars and a luxury bungalow (estimated to cost a staggering $470,000) for no work done, and then turn around and blame others for his historic election defeat?
Why must Ex-President Mahama assume that Ghanaians suffer from chronic memory loss and that he can keep taking everyone else for granted?
It would appear that former President Mahama hates to accept any blame and rather prefers to point accusing fingers at others.
A few months ago, I was taken aback upon watching Ex-President Mahama on GTV, where he ventilated his arousing disgust over the conduct of 2016 general elections and bizarrely alleged that it was characterised with unpardonable irregularities, and hence his humiliating defeat.
Ex-President Mahama nonetheless went ahead and insisted that he could have gone around the country to gather the evidence of the alleged irregularities and lodge a protest at the law court but for NDC's absolute belief in the democratic ideals.
Well, if, indeed, former President Mahama was convinced beyond any reasonable doubt that there were unobjectionable irregularities in the 2016 election and failed to take action, then he did not discharge his duty as a patriotic Ghanaian, so to speak.
The other time I read somewhere that some NDC Executives have been blaming their humiliating 2016 election defeat on a technical hitch to their results collation system. How bizarre?
Back then, when I was skimming through the weird story, I thought I was dreaming. But I was not, I was alive and kicking. The story was so bizarre, so to speak.
After all, haven't we been told by our apex court that elections are won at the polling stations and not in the court rooms? Indeed, the eminent Supreme Court judges pronouncement was in order.
Vote rigging, in my opinion, is comparable to a violation of allegiance to a sovereign nation. Thus frankly stating, such a high crime must not and cannot be overlooked with a stark perfunctory.
Ironically, the worst part of vote rigging is that, the deserving winners' may never know they ever won. How cruel, how pathetic and how unfair that would be?
I have said time and time again that it is boundlessly unacceptable for the electorates to go to the polls with a view to voting for their preferred candidate and only for the people behind the scenes to select who should become a winner.
If you may recall, in his 2012 election petition verdict, Justice Atuguba made some contestable observations including the definition of over-voting which was one of the claims brought up by the petitioners.
"The first is where the number of those who voted at a polling station exceeds the number of voters contained in the relevant polling station register." "The second situation is where the number of ballots in the ballot book exceeds the number of ballot papers issued to the relevant polling station."
"Pondering over these two categories closely, I would think that the second category of over voting is rather an instance of ballot-stuffing as testified by Johnson Asiedu-Nketia," the presiding judge delineated in his 48-page opinion.
Yes, I wholly agree that ballot stuffing does exist, but the big question is: would such a conspiratorial plot not amount to over voting, going by Asiedu Nketia's unconventional definition of over voting?
If you may recollect, during the 2012 election petition hearing, Asiedu Nketia infamously referred to over voting as "the influx of foreign materials in the ballot box".
Interestingly, however, Dr Afari-Gyan, the Electoral Commissioner back then, admitted under cross examination during the 2012 election petition hearing that over voting may also occur in the event of the votes in the ballot box exceeding the number of verified voters.
Dr Gyan's definition, to me, is a poignant definition of over voting.
Well, whatever the case, I would like to believe that the 2012 election petition spawned enormous benefits, most notably, the eminent Supreme Court Judges pronouncement to the effect that elections are usually won at the polling stations and not in the court rooms.
Obviously, such pronouncement illuminated the then opposition NPP's benightedness on the need to be more vigilant on future elections.
Unsurprisingly, therefore, the NPP leadership put in place perfect strategy. More importantly, the party loyalists and sympathisers were more vigilant before, during and after the 2016 election.
Take, for instance, we were told that the NPP leadership hired shrewd information technology personnel, gave bespoke training to their numerous polling station agents and motivated them, which resulted in motivation to transfer during the electoral process.
We also heard that in the Volta Region (the stronghold of the NDC), the NPP leadership strategically prevented non-Ghanaians from voting through their 'Operation Eagle Eye.
Coincidentally, however, the Volta Region registered a very low voter turnout, and the NDC's votes in the Volta Region reduced drastically compared to the previous elections.
Somehow, the trend continued in almost all the ten regions in Ghana. Thus, many NDC observers have been attributing the reason to voter apathy. But I, for one, would not buy such specious observation.
The fact of the matter, however, is that the NPP leadership played their cards right on that occasion through well-executed strategy and the all-important vigilance.
So, to the NDC sore losers: cease your needless political insobrieties and concentrate on winning elections at the polling stations rather than always banking all hopes on technological and behind the scenes gimmicks.
- Nobody can sack me from NDC, I won't go - Koku Anyidoho
- Ghanaians now seeing the difference between 'Mahama's rule and Akufo Addo's rule' – Rashid Pelpuo
- 2020 elections: NDC made mistakes – Sammy Gyamfi admits
- Photo of Kwabena Duffuor's 2024 campaign team pops up
- NDC begins reorganisation ahead of 2024 election
- Read all related articles

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Islamist PJD party wins Morocco poll
- Published
Morocco's moderate Islamist Justice and Development Party (PJD) has won the most seats in Friday's parliamentary elections, final results confirm.
The interior ministry said the PJD took 107 out of 395 seats, giving it the right to lead a government.
Its likely coalition partner, the nationalist Istiqlal party, came second, with 60 seats.
The poll is part of reforms which King Mohamed VI hopes will defuse protests prompted by the Arab Spring.
"This is a clear victory, but we will need alliances in order to work together," PJD secretary-general Abdelilah Benkirane told the AFP news agency after the official results were announced.
Under a new constitution adopted in July, King Mohamed must now appoint the prime minister from the party which wins the most seats, rather than naming whomever he pleases.
But the king still has the final say on issues of defence, security and religion.
'Victory for democracy'
Morocco's current Prime Minister, Abbas Al Fassi, said on Saturday his Istiqlal party was ready to enter into a coalition with the PJD.
"The PJD's victory is a victory for democracy," he told Reuters.
It comes a month after the moderate Islamist Ennahda party won elections in nearby Tunisia.
The PJD has said it will promote Islamic finance. However, it has avoided focusing on issues such as alcohol and headscarves for women, in a country which attracts large numbers of Western tourists.
Historian and political analyst Maati Monjib told the Associated Press that Moroccans linked Islam and political dignity.
"There is a big problem of dignity in the Arab world and the people see the Islamists as a way of getting out of the sense of subjugation and inferiority towards the West."
'Strong signal'
The Interior Ministry said 45.4% of the electorate had turned out to vote.
About 13.5 million Moroccans are eligible to vote. Although the turnout was an improvement on the 37% who took part in the 2007 election, it was less than the 51.6% in 2002.
The pro-reform February 20 movement, responsible for the protests staged just before the king announced his plans to reform the constitution, had called for a boycott of the vote.
"This [low turnout] sends a strong signal to authorities that Moroccans are not buying the proposed reforms," Najib Chawki, an activist with the movement, told Reuters.
"We will not give up until our demands are met," he added.


text:
'Hubris, cowardice, delusion': MP blasts generals & politicians in defense debate
The record of Britain's political and military leadership is lamentable, with "delusion" and "cowardice" continuing to color debate on defense and the military, a firebrand MP told a Commons debate.
At a much-hyped backbench debate on defense cuts and the ability and willingness of Britain to fund its share of NATO spending, Welsh Labour MP Paul Flynn lambasted the government's record.
Referring to a commemoration event for those killed in Afghanistan due to be held Friday, Flynn quoted senior military officers who had, in his view, criticized the war only after going along with it.
"I'm sure all of those gentlemen will be there tomorrow with a tear in their eye, sincerely regretting the death of 450 of our brave soldiers."
Raising his voice, he said: "Where were they, when something could have been done about it? Why were their mouths bandaged when those decisions were taken sending those young men to die in vain?"
"They were there silent. Cowardice by those military men."
READ MORE: Govt deems security risks too low to 'exempt defense from austerity'
Flynn said that "delusion" was still coloring debate on foreign policy and the "mythical" 2 percent of Britain's gross domestic product (GDP) required by NATO.
He also lamented Britain's lack of an independent foreign policy.
Referring to concerns over UK defense spending expressed by US army chief of staff General Raymond Odierno, Flynn said: "Does no one protest that we have an American general telling us what to do with our budget? What's it got to do with him?"
The debate was opened by Conservative MP John Baron. He warned against a "political disconnect between commitment and funding which is not being recognized across the political divide. Interventions have been distracting us from threats. We must take the long view. As one who opposed them all, we must dispel the demons of Iraq, Libya, and Afghanistan."
Baron added: "It is doubtful Putin would be operating as he is now if he though NATO would stand up robustly. We must recognize the greater danger of state on state threats which never really went away."
Another Conservative MP, Zac Goldsmith, said: "Any move to disinvest in defense is sheer lunacy."
Rory Stewart MP, who serves as the Tory chair of the Defense Select Committee, said the UK's strategic security aims must shift in response to the re-invigoration of an old threat and the emergence of a new one.
READ MORE: Spies + defense: Cameron proposes budget merge to meet NATO goal
"Firstly we have a return to a threat of a state with an advanced military capacity," he said.
"If we are going to think about maneuverer warfare we have to think about armored warfare, wide water bridging capacity, what we do on cyber, information operations and strategic communications, (Special Forces) capacity right the way around the edges of Russia.
"Secondly, concurrent threats, in Yemen, in Libya, in Syria … those same threats happening in half a dozen countries at the same time."
The veteran Liberal Democrat MP Menzies Campbell said: "If we do not have sufficient defense we will diminish our capability, we will reduce our influence and we will limit the options of government, we cannot afford any of these."
Despite being heavily publicized in recent weeks as a crunch event for Prime Minister David Cameron's election plans, the backbencher-called debate was sparsely attended.
In closing, Baron urged the House to "rediscover the political will for strong defense."
MPs voted 37 to 3 in favor of spending 2 percent of British GDP on defense, but the motion has little chance of becoming law.


text:
Happy Monday, friends! After a busy work week and a weekend filled with activities, I hope you took a little time to stop running around today and rest your weary minds and bodies. I spent part of the weekend attending a fundraising event for my husband's mission to serve widows and orphans in Uganda. Today I spent time shoring up the different facets of my own ministry and personal growth.
When I finally took a little time to rest, I realized that so many of us are running hither and yon in search of a milestone or possibly even eternity. When you finally stop running, determine whether you're running from something. If you are running from something, what are you running toward?
If you're running in search of your purpose, you don't have to run far. In fact, take five or a breather, or a knee, or a chill pill — whatever vernacular we're using today that means rest for a minute. Take a minute or two to tell God that you're unsure of your purpose. Ask him if your dreams are in sync with his plan. Then wait on the answer as you draw near to him. It's really that simple.
If you don't yet know the Lord, you have an opportunity to start getting to know him at any time, but my hope is that you choose to do it now. We can't afford the luxury of waiting until tomorrow.
One of our pastors pulled a fast one on us in class today. He asked, "How many of you know Michael Jordan?" Nearly every hand in the class went up. As he surveyed the room, he jokingly said, "Put your hands down. You don't know Michael Jordan. You know of him." How many of us truly know the Lord? Did you just raise your hand? If you do know the Lord, that's great! I pray that you take some time to get to know him much better. If you know him, but you feel disconnected, here are five reasons why you need to reach out and let him know you're still willing to be his hands and feet.
- God loves you more than you can imagine. "To the moon and back" can't even compare to his love without limits.
- So you've sinned? So have I and everyone around you. Forgive yourself. God does.
- "I'm too broken to fix." The Creator knows you're broken. He wants you to cast your cares on HIM and leave them there. Trust him to mend you — give you hope and a testimony.
- "I don't know the bible." You know the word of God exists; that's a start. Google questions you might have. Attend a bible-based church. Fellowship with believers. Start reading the bible. You won't ever know the good news if you don't ever read the bible.
- "I'll start tomorrow." Tomorrow isn't promised. I would much rather know the Lord for the rest of my life on Earth than to see him face to face and hear the words "I don't know you.
Whatever you're struggling with today, know that "As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us." ~ Psalm 103:12
Before you leave, take a few minutes to listen to my Music Monday selection by Jordan Feliz entitled "Never Too Far Gone."


text:
Shri was Ho Chi Minh City's first rooftop dining experience complete with a sushi bar when they were all the rage. That's not to say that this place is tired, outdated and will have you wanting to end it by pin-dropping over the edge to the pavement 23 floors below. It's the opposite. It's classy without being pretentious, the views across the city are amazing, the wait staff are well-trained to the point where they are almost invisible but your water glass remains full somehow, and the attention to detail is probably unsurpassed anywhere in Saigon.
It takes balls, foresight and know-how to make a success of things in this city, none more so than in the cut-throat circus that is hospitality, but Richie Fawcett and his team have got all three. As Richie says, "You've always got to be thinking three steps ahead."
Shri recently launched its new decor, revitalised its lunch menu and instated Javier Gomez as chef, who is arguably the best chef going around in Saigon at the moment. The new executive grill menu at VND250,000 served from 11am to 3pm Monday to Friday offers an inexpensive window into what this place is capable of.
My experience started with a rich and tasty potato soup with crunchy croutons partnered with a sundried tomato and olive focaccia followed by Chef Javier's recommendation of steak (choice of short ribs, ribeye, flank or cheeks) served with whatever he feels like on the day (I received large penne, roasted carrots, asparagus and squash garnished with fried taro chips).
He then insisted I try the pan-seared grouper pieces elegantly stacked in a shallow pool of green pea pure and topped with a small selection of roasted vegetables and garnished with those taro chips again.
The fish lands on the table with a small pot of bearnaise sauce to the side. Okay, I don't recommend you eat two dishes for yourself (I had some help) because the portions are spot-on anyway, but this is seriously excellent value for money. It had me scraping at the bottom of the plate.
The other choices in the set lunch are a chicken supreme with pesto, and a black Atlantic cod baked in a romescu sauce originating from Catalonia. The set lunch comes with a refreshing aloe vera drink, but if you need something sweet to wrap things up, go for the dessert of the day for an extra VND80,000.
photos: MATTHEW COWAN
Shri Restaurant & Lounge is at Level 23, Centec Tower, 72-74 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, HCMC. For more info, go here[gmap-embed id="7305″]


text:
Rod and Ann have grown-up children and they found themselves with "too much house" to live in, so they decided to sell with Julie and got fabulous results.
Rod: "We recently sold our house with Julie Kinnear's help. We had met with Julie about three or four months before to plan a process of getting our house ready for sale. She listened to what our needs were, told us and explained to us the process that we would go through and helped us stage and sell our property. It's fair to say that I think we are both very happy with the result that Julie and her team achieved for us and would do it again in a heartbeat."
Ann: "Yes, our children have grown up and moved away and we found ourselves with sort of too much house, empty bedrooms and just really not in the right situation for the next phase of our life and we needed to move on. And Julie gave us such terrific advice on how to market our home. It could be stressful, there's a lot to think about, but Julie really took us through that process, really held our hand through that process, and it was so easy and we felt so confident and of course we got great result. So, we know that we did the right thing in going with Julie and her team."


text:
GASTONIA — Final results of the 59th North Carolina Amateur Championship at the Gaston Country Club in Gastonia, N.C. on Sunday, June 16, 2019. (6,995 yards, Par 35-35–70, Course Rating 74.4/135).
John Eades of Charlotte, N.C. is the latest Carolinian to prove that mid-amateurs can still hang with the "young guns." With his win at the 59th North Carolina Amateur Championship at Gaston Country Club Eades defeated several of the area's best collegiate-level golfers and one of the toughest fields not only in the state but across all of amateur golf.
"I'm just grateful," said Eades. "You don't know how many of these you'll get to play. You don't know how long you're going to be good. So I thought of it as an opportunity today. What a great opportunity at 36-years-old to get a chance to win a North Carolina Am without playing a whole lot at home…To beat the college kids, means a lot because I know how much they practice and play. To get the opportunity to win the North Carolina Am is something they can't take away from me."
Eades, the 2017 Carolinas Mid-Amateur champion, shot 7-under-par, 273 total in the 72-hole marathon to win the championship by five shots. He got off to a rocky start Sunday making three bogeys for a 3-over-par, 38 on his opening nine. The two-shot lead he started with Sunday morning had been cut to one by the early afternoon.
"I felt in control the entire round which sounds crazy because I bogeyed eight and nine to make the turn," said Eades. "But I just felt like I was supposed to win. I really believed that. When I teed up on Thursday I felt like I was going to win. I wasn't playing to make a cut. I wasn't playing for second. From the beginning I had it on my mind to win this golf tournament."
Eades battled back making three birdies and no bogeys on his closing nine to finish at 7-under-par, 273 for the championship.
More golf news from Carolinas Golf Association
Blake Taylor of Atkinson, N.C. is one of those up-and-coming collegiate golfers that the Eades was referring too. Taylor, a rising senior at Eastern Carolina University came in hot off a runner-up finish at the United States Four-Ball Championship played at Bandon Dunes in May. Taylor tied Eades on Saturday for the low round of the championship with a 6-under-par, 64 on a difficult course set up that only yielded 32 under-par rounds over four days. Taylor's final round of 1-under-par, 69 put him in a tie for second place at 2-under-par, 278 for the championship.
Chad Wilfong of Charlotte, N.C. was another mid-amateur golfer making waves this week at Gaston Country Club. Wilfong, the 2001 North Carolina Amateur Champion, had the 18-hole lead in this year's championship. Wilfong approached the 12th tee four shots off the lead but went birdie-eagle on Nos. 12 and 13 to pull within one shot of the lead. He would ultimately fall one place short of winning his second N.C. Amateur title 18 years after his first win at the championship.
Another golfer hot on Eades trail was local crowd favorite and Gaston Country Club member, Steve Dellinger of Gastonia, N.C. With his dad on the bag on Father's Day, it looked like Dellinger was feeling inspired and ready to claim the championship for the home club. Birdies on No. 7 and No. 10 pulled Dellinger within one shot of Eades' lead. A couple late bogeys in Dellinger's round took him out of the running and he would ultimately finish in fourth place with a 1-under-par, 279 for the championship.
"This gives me a ton of confidence that I can still get it done and can win under pressure," said Eades. "I am just so encouraged to see that there are so many great players in this state. So to win a title like this when you know how many great players are here, makes you feel good to think that you can still get it done." The Carolinas Golf Association thanked the club members and staff of Gaston Country Club for hosting this event. The tournament would not be possible without their dedication and hard work. A special thank you to Bob Knoch, General Manager, Thomas Troncoso, Director of Golf and Golf Course Superintendent Tim Carpenter.


text:
Advertising DisclosureThe content that appears on this page is presented as an overview vs. comparative marketing. The provided information includes product information, overviews, buying guides, and product specifications. All trademarks, registered trademarks and service-marks mentioned on this site are the property of their respective owners. If something is factually inaccurate please contact us and let us know. By contributing your product facts helps to better serve our readers and the accuracy of the content.
The table below does not include all companies or all available products in the market but those that we promote as their affiliates. In full compliance with the FTC guidelines, please assume that any and all links on the table are affiliate links, and we may receive compensation if you click one of these and make a purchase. We are independently owned and the opinions expressed here are our own. All editorial content is written without prejudice or bias, regardless of sponsor or affiliate associations.
Wellesse Joint Movement Glucosamine liquid can be described as a liquid joint care supplement that is touted to be fast-absorbing and natural tasting berry flavoured dietary supplement. According to the producers, this product will give you healthy and flexible joints without compromising on your safety. The product is readily available on the internet. The official website doesn't sell the product directly but instead, it is sold through other third party stores. On average the product is available for $25 plus shipping and handling costs for the 33.8 oz. bottle.
Manufacturer Information and Claims about Wellesse Joint Movement Glucosamine liquid
This product is manufactured by Wellesse Liquid supplements, a part of Nature's way supplement. They claim to be in the business for two and half decades and thus taunt themselves as highly experienced in this field. According to the official website, the company has been producing liquid supplements for two decades. Wellesse claims that this liquid product;
- Is readily and easily absorbed into the system
- Does not leave any after taste or sour taste
- Is manufactured under strict quality control measures
How Wellesse Joint Movement Glucosamine liquid Works?
Like many other joint care products, Wellesse Joint Movement Glucosamine liquid works by repairing damaged joints and inhibiting agents that cause the joints to be inflated. The liquid equips the joints with the necessary nutrients needed to facilitated proper joint movement. This supplement reduces paid inflicted to joints by old age, poor lubrication, injury or surgery. In order to achieve all this, Wellesse Joint Movement Glucosamine liquid needs anti-inflammation and anti-oxidation agents that are responsible of keeping the joints running. Additionally, the product packs lubrication ingredients since the body is not able to lubricate itself with age.
Wellesse Joint Movement Glucosamine liquid Ingredients
The product is packed with the following ingredients;
- Glucosamine HCl – Glucosamine has been in use in joint care ingredients for a long time now. Its popularity in the field is due to its ability to replenish damaged joint cartilage
- Chondroitin Sulfate Sodium – Chondroitin is used back to back with glucosamine to promote cartillage regeneration and ensure cartilage formation
- Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) – MSM is the major source of body sulphur and is critical in the formation of collagen and connective tissue
- Hyaluronic Acid – HA is a major constituent of synovial fluid. This is the fluid that is responsible for lubrication.
- It is available in an easy to swallow liquid form which makes it more convenient
- The producers are reputable in the manufacture of liquid supplements
- The liquid is flavoured
- The official website is well organized and informational. Consumers can get almost all their answers in the FAQ section.
- The product is pricey when compared to similar products in the market
- It comes with only one flavour; people might not like the flavour
- The official website doesn't give free samples of the product
How should I use Wellesse Joint Movement Glucosamine liquid?
This product is designed to be sued by adults only. Children below the age of 12 should not use this product. The recommended dosage is an ounce daily. This is equivalent to two spoonful of the measuring spoon provided. You can take it as a single serving or two separate servings; one in the evening, one in the morning.
Wellesse Joint Movement Glucosamine liquidSide Effects
This product is made from 100% natural ingredients. There are no known side effects that have been associated with Wellesse Joint Movement Glucosamine liquid
- Store in a cool dry place away from direct sunlight
- Consult your caregiver if you are breastfeeding or pregnant
- This product is not meant to treat any disease or ailment.
Should you Buy this Product?
As we age, we experience repeated pain especially in the joint area. This is caused by our body's inability to lubricate and protect itself against free radicals and agents that cause inflammation. This product promise to restore our joints to their normal self by restoring the body's ability to lubricate and regenerate damage and worn out connective tissue. If this feels like something your body needs, then you should buy this product.


text:
I love words. I mean, I really love words. I have always loved them.
I learned to love them in many ways. From the voices of my parents and the books they read to me. In the poetry my grandmother read to me, and the books my family put in front of me over and over.
I loved words in the great hymns of Christianity, and even more in the ancient, profound stories and wisdom literature of the Holy Bible.
I love the beautiful way they sound. Mellifluous.
I love their history, the way that they were shaped and reshaped and rebuilt over thousands, over hundreds of thousands of years. They way they followed us, the way we adapted them as humans moved and changed, built and connected.
I love that we still use about two dozen words from the proto-indo-european language.
When the Bible says 'in the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God,' I am shaken. When I learned that 'Word' or 'Logos' could mean 'organizing principal,' could be the force and person of creation in representing the Son of God and His act of speaking creation into existence? I was thunderstruck. Gobsmacked. Stunned. Stricken. Impassioned. Word.
Words spoke the universe into existence. Words edify, words spread love, words give truth, words are lovely and empowering.
Alas, words destroy.
I see it all the time. Words have led to so much hurt. Words like 'I don't love you,' or 'I didn't want you.' Words like 'I don't want you any longer,' or 'why did you have to get pregnant?'
Words, heard in the dark confines of our murky, confused minds. Words people tell themselves (or are told by malevolent forces); words like 'you're no good. You're dirty. You're bad and stupid. You should die. Go and kill yourself.' The odd words spoken to us in the second person. Accusatory. You…
Words cut deeply.
I wonder how many of my patients with depression, anxiety, suicidal ideas, homicidal ideas, addiction, chronic pain and other problems are all actually afflicted with words.
'Word poisoning.'
All the pills and infusions, xrays and lab tests in the world won't solve the problem of wounding, hateful, careless words.
I suspect that in the end, only the Word can heal those wounds.
The Word speed the day.


text:
There are a handful of good drones out there in the $200 to $500 price range. Which one should you get? Let's look at some of the top competitors to help you make an informed decision. We are comparing an affordable lineup of drones with HD or better cameras including the DJI Phantom 3 Standard, 3DR Solo, Xiro Xplorer V, UPair One, Parrot Bebop 2 and the original Parrot Bebop.
We have also done a full review of compact drones under $500. If you are looking for a high-quality drone that can take good pictures and is portable you'll have to check out our comparison of the DJI Spark, Yuneec Breeze, Zerotech Dobby, Wingland S6 and XCraft PhoneDrone. Click here to read see how these drones measure up.
There are full reviews on each one of these quadcopters on Half Chrome Drones, just click on their name above. We will highlight what makes each of these drones unique so that you can decide which is the best for you. We will look at four general categories: Specifications, Camera, Flight Modes and Overall Value. We've built these tables and comparisons from our flight tests, reviews, and research. So what is the best drone under $500? Let's find out.
Before we get started, DJI just released the new Spark, while it checks in under $500, we'd recommend the Fly More Package that brings the price up to $699. It is a heck of a drone. It is ultra portable, shoots full HD video and was designed to be the easy to fly. Learn more about the Spark here.
Which drone looks best on paper?
The two most important specs for most pilots are range and flight time. When we look at flight time, the Phantom, Xplorer and Bebop 2 all top the charts at 25 minutes. The Solo isn't far behind at 20 minutes and the UPair and the original Bebop fall behind at 18 and 11 minutes respectively. For flight range, the Phantom again is at the top, this time tied for first with the Solo at 1000 meters. This is no small difference, the range of the Phantom 3 and the Solo is considered on the short side by many pilots, so you will want to think carefully about buying a drone with significantly less range. The Xplorer and UPair only fly half of that range topping out at 500 meters. The pair of Bebops will leave you wanting more with a flight range of 250-300 meters. The Bebops perform poorly in this category because of their reliance on WiFi from the smartphone that controls them. Their range, however, can be greatly improved to almost 2000 meters with the optional Skycontroller 2. That's double the Phantom and the Solo and gets you a range of over a mile. The other notables are the impressive 55 mph top speed of the Solo and the lightweight portability of the Bebops.
Half Chrome Drone specification ratings:
1. Phantom 3 Standard
2. Bebop 2 with FPV and Skycontroller 2 Bundle
3. Solo
4. Xplorer
5. Bebop 2
6. UPair
7. Bebop
We gave the Phantom 3 Standard top marks for the well-rounded specs including long flight time and range. If you spend the extra for Parrot's latest FPV (first person view) bundle it comes in second place due to the included FPV goggles and the longer range.
Who has the best camera?
The number one reason people buy drones like these is to capture breathtaking aerial video and photographs. So which one of these drones takes the best pictures and video? The specs can sometimes be a little deceiving. The Phantom takes crisp pictures and video, and the 3 axis gimbal does a great job of stabilizing the camera. The field of view isn't nearly as wide as the others, but that also helps it avoid the fisheye distortion that plagues a lot of these other drones. The Solo doesn't actually come with a camera, but it was designed to be flown with a GoPro. The specs you see listed are if you add a GoPro Hero4. It is compatible with both a GoPro Hero3 and Hero4. The UPair has a 4K camera, but has serious distortion and is stabilized by a 2 axis gimbal, not a 3 axis gimbal. The Xplorer is the only gimbaled camera in this review that doesn't have at least 2.7K resolution. The Xplorer also suffers from distortion and the props come into view more than the Phantom 3.
Both of the Bebops have an impressive field of view on paper but only a small fraction of that field of view is used at any given time. Using a novel approach, the pilot gets an undistorted image that they can digitally pan around the camera's full field of view. The Bebop 2 does a massive amount of distortion correction. It also relies on electronic image stabilization to get rid of the effects of drone shake, rather than using a gimbal like the other drones. All that image stretching and processing results in an image that has much lower quality than the camera specifications might suggest. In practice, the Bebop 2 has a more narrow field of view than a GoPro.
Half Chrome Camera Rankings:
1. Phantom 3 Standard
2. Solo (with addition of GoPro and optional gimbal)
3. UPair
4. Bebop 2
5. Bebop
6. Xplorer V
7. Solo (no camera included)
The Phantom 3 Camera is simply the best camera on the list. The GoPro is actually a sharper image but the distortion turns off many people. For a comparison of image quality check out our camera quality comparison page where we show more image comparison shots like the one below.
Who has the best flight modes?
Flying your drone is the fun part. You want to know what your drone is capable of, right? All of these drones have the Return to Home feature, so we didn't include it in the chart, but what about some of the other fancy modes? Follow Me mode is one of the fun features that some of these drones have. The Phantom will follow the controller. The Solo will follow your phone, which is a more useful function than following the remote. The Xplorer and the Bebop 2 can use object tracking to follow an object in the image that you select using the app. The UPair struggles in the flight mode category, as it really doesn't have any advanced modes. All of the other drones can fly via waypoints, but the Bebop requires an extra paid app to do so. Orbit mode, or circling an object, can be done by the Phantom, Solo, Xplorer and Bebop 2. In the Cable Cam mode, the drone will follow a set path and you operate the camera. You set the path for the drone to fly and then can focus your attention on the camera. The Solo has this fun cinematic mode. You can plan out the entire flight even up to the camera movements. The Phantom has a mode called Course Lock. It is similar, but not as automated as the full Cable Cam mode that the Solo has. With Course Lock you still have to control the speed and altitude of the Phantom.
Half Chrome Flight Mode Rankings:
1. Solo
2. Phantom
3. Bebop 2
4. Xplorer
5. Bebop
6. UPair
Which drone is the best value?
The actual cost of the drone typically isn't just what you pay for it. There are sometimes extra costs. Do you want another battery? A carrying case? The Bebop drones do not come with remotes and the Solo doesn't come with a camera.
How reliable is the drone? We built our customer satisfaction rating by combining our experience, research, and even Amazon reviews. The algorithm we came up with is complicated and boring so we will simplify it. Ten is awesome and one is terrible.
When it is all said and done the Phantom doesn't have any hidden costs, but extra batteries aren't cheap. The Solo is a decent deal if you have a GoPro already, but you will still need to purchase a gimbal. The extra batteries for the Xplorer and UPair are rather expensive. If you are interested in the Bebop 2, we would recommend buying it with the with the FPV bundle. The bundle generally costs around $499 and much better deal than buying them separately. The original Bebop at $220 is the most inexpensive, but we recommend the Skycontroller and that pushes it right into the same range as the other drones.
Half Chrome Value Rankings:
1. Phantom
2. Xplorer
3. Bebop 2
4. Bebop
5. Solo
6. UPair
The Half Chrome Drones Pick: Phantom 3 Standard
The Phantom 3 Standard really is heads and shoulders above the competition. It ranks at the top of all but one of our categories and is one of the best values out there. The Phantom 3 Standard was a great deal when it cost twice its current price, now it's a deal you can't afford to pass up. It may not be the most inexpensive drone on our list, but it is worth the investment. DJI is the industry leader and continues to innovate and push the boundaries of what's possible. Half Chrome Drones recommends the DJI Phantom 3 Standard as the best drone to buy under $500. You can read more about the Phantom 3 Standard here.
If you want a more portable drone then the Bebop 2 is the best choice, but you may be dissatisfied with the image quality and you may find that FPV goggles are not for you. If you have a need for speed or if you are a GoPro fanatic then the original GoPro Drone, the 3DR Solo may be the best choice. The Solo price has dropped significantly over the last several months.
|Check the price of the DJI Phantom 3 Standard
|Check the price of the 3DR Solo
|Check the price of the Xiro Xplorer V
|Check the price of the Parrot Bebop 2
|Check the price of the Parrot Bebop
|Check the price of the UPair One
More Drones…
Every month we update what we believe are the best drones on the market. Check out Best Drones Now. We have also created the one-of-a-kind Half Chrome Drone Cipher™. You answer a few questions and we'll pair you with the best drone for you.
|Best Drones Now
Do you want to search by price? Click on your menu above or we can break it down for you. Check out drones under $50, from $50-100, from $100-200, from $200-500 or over $500. Maybe you like a good Top Ten list, we've got you covered.
|Drones by Price
Learn More…
If you want to learn more about taking great pictures or flying FPV then check out our comprehensive guides on those topics. Also take a look at our articles on how to choose the right drone for great aerial photos or for getting started flying race drones. Learn more about drones and how to get the most out of them in our Drone Academy. In the Academy we also detail some of the advanced testing we do, including our recent addition, drone thrust testing.
|Drone Academy
I Want Videos…
Did you know that Half Chrome has its own YouTube Channel? We have reviews, flight tests, crashes, 360-degree videos and more. Check it out and subscribe today.
|Half Chrome YouTube Channel
This website contains affiliate links, which means we receive a commission if you make a purchase using these links. For full details visit the disclosures and disclaimers page.


text:
NAEA Standards
Grade Level: 5–8
Students will compare and contrast design elements in neoclassical and modern architecture, using the National Gallery of Art's West and East Buildings. Then they will design a geometric pattern using Pei's polygons. Last, they will consider the role of geometry in planning and designing buildings and cities by creating their own city plan using a variety of lines and polygons.
I. M. Pei
Chinese American, born 1917
East Building, 4th Street façade
Photograph: © Dennis Brack/Black Star
NAEA Standards
|Students generalize about the effects of visual structures and functions and reflect upon these effects in their own work.
|Students integrate visual, spatial, and temporal concepts with content to communicate intended meaning in their artworks.
|Students describe and place a variety of art objects in historical and cultural contexts.
|Students analyze, describe, and demonstrate how factors of time and place (such as climate, resources, ideas, and technology) influence visual characteristics that give meaning and value to a work of art.
|Students analyze contemporary and historic meanings in specific artworks through cultural and aesthetic inquiry.
|Students compare the characteristics of works in two or more art forms that share similar subject matter, historical periods, or cultural context.
|Students describe ways in which the principles and subject matter of other disciplines taught in the school are interrelated with the visual arts.
Curriculum Connections
Warm-Up Question
What geometric shapes do you see in this building?
I. M. Pei at the National Gallery of Art
© Dennis Brack/Black Star
National Gallery of Art, Gallery Archives
I. M. Pei was born in 1917 in Canton (now Guangzhou), China, to a family of wealthy landowners. I. M. stands for Ieoh Ming, which means "to inscribe brightly." Pei can trace his family back more than six hundred years to the Ming Dynasty.
Pei was exposed to both Eastern and Western values from an early age. His father was a successful banker. The family lived in the modern cities of Hong Kong and Shanghai, where Pei saw skyscrapers being built. He accompanied his mother on Buddhist retreats, learning to meditate in silence. She died when Pei was 13 years old. Soon after, he and his four siblings went to live with family caretakers.
Pei fondly remembers watching American movies that introduced him to the easy-going American lifestyle. He also liked playing billiards and later realized it helped him understand geometry. He completed high school in Shanghai, and at age 17, he sailed for America to study architecture at MIT. After graduating in 1940, he went on to graduate school at Harvard University to study the emotional and rational sides of design under Walter Gropius and Marcel Breuer.
By 1955, Pei had become an American citizen and founded his own architecture firm. He went on to create dramatic buildings known for their angular geometry, expansive glass and concrete walls, spacious indoor atriums, and space-frame skylights. One of his most famous commissions was the National Gallery of Art's East Building to house its modern and contemporary art collection and temporary exhibitions.
Guided Practice
The National Gallery of Art opened in 1941. By the 1960s, it needed more space for its growing collections. The original building, designed by architect John Russell Pope in the 1930s, was built on a spacious rectangular tract of land along the National Mall in Washington D.C.
Have students consider the following questions as they view the slideshow below to help them uncover the plan for the East Building and how Pei balanced it with the existing West Building and the collections it would hold:
Slideshow: East Versus West: The Buildings of the National Gallery of Art
Look carefully at the geometry—the lines, shapes, and forms—that Pope used for the original Gallery.
This original building is now called the West Building; it contains mostly European and American paintings, drawings and sculpture from the 13th through the 19th centuries, including masterpieces found on the next four slides.
Leonardo da Vinci
Italian, 1452–1519
Ginevra de' Benci [obverse], c. 1474/1478
oil on panel, 38.1 x 37 cm (15 x 14 9/16 in.)
National Gallery of Art, Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund
John Singleton Copley
American, 1738–1815
Watson and the Shark, 1778
oil on canvas, 182.1 x 229.7 cm (71 11/16 x 90 7/16 in.)
National Gallery of Art, Ferdinand Lammot Belin Fund
Jacques-Louis David
French, 1748–1825
The Emperor Napoleon in His Study at the Tuileries, 1812
oil on canvas, 203.9 x 125.1 cm (80 1/4 x 49 1/4 in.)
National Gallery of Art, Samuel H. Kress Collection
Edgar Degas
French, 1834–1917
Little Dancer Aged Fourteen, original wax 1878-1881, plaster cast possibly 1920/1921
plaster, 99.4 x 35 x 35.8 cm (39 1/8 x 13 3/4 x 14 1/8 in.)
National Gallery of Art, Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon
Now, look at the East Building of the National Gallery, designed in the 1970s by architect I. M. Pei.
This building houses 20th-century masterpieces such as the ones found on the next four slides.
Pablo Picasso
Spanish, 1881–1973
Family of Saltimbanques, 1905
oil on canvas, 212.8 x 229.6 cm (83 3/4 x 90 3/8 in.)
National Gallery of Art, Chester Dale Collection
© 2012 Estate of Pablo Picasso/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Wassily Kandinsky
Russian, 1866–1944
Improvisation 31 (Sea Battle), 1913
oil on canvas, 140.7 x 119.7 cm (55 3/8 x 47 1/8 in.)
National Gallery of Art, Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund
Piet Mondrian
Dutch, 1872–1944
Tableau No. IV; Lozenge Composition with Red, Gray, Blue, Yellow, and Black, c. 1924/1925
oil on canvas, 142.8 x 142.3 cm (56 1/4 x 56 in.)
National Gallery of Art, Gift of Herbert and Nannette Rothschild
Charles Sheeler
American, 1883–1965
Classic Landscape, 1931
oil on canvas, 63.5 x 81.9 cm (25 x 32 1/4 in.)
National Gallery of Art, Collection of Barney A. Ebsworth
Neoclassical means newly classic, and that's the style reflected in John Russell Pope's National Gallery of Art West Building. Neoclassical is a new take on the classical architecture of ancient buildings like the Greek Parthenon in Athens and the Pantheon in Rome.
In the West Building you can find straight, perpendicular, and curved lines; right angles and rectangles; domes, columns, pediments, and porticos.
Have you seen neoclassical buildings in your community?
I. M. Pei's National Gallery of Art East Building is modern. The East Building is characterized by straight lines, acute angles, triangles, pyramids, towers, a plaza, and a porch.
Have you seen any modern buildings in your neighborhood?
Examine the architectural details from the National Gallery of Art below. Can you tell which building—West (neoclassical) or East (modern)—each detail is from?
All photographs: © Dennis Brack/Black Star
National Gallery of Art, Gallery Archives
Answers: 1. West Building Detail, 2. East Building Marble Floor, 3. East Building Study Center, 4. East Building Knife Edge, 5. West Building Columns, 6. West Building Detail, 7. East Building Spiral Staircase, 8. West Building Sculpture Hall, 9. East Building Atrium, 10. West Building Garden Court, 11. East Building Space Frame with Calder Mobile, 12. West Building Detail
Pei designed the East Building in the 1970s. Some scholars said Pei was influenced by minimalist artists of the 1960s who used geometric shapes and industrial materials to create simple, unemotional forms. But Pei's first challenge for the East Building was the odd-shaped parcel of land it was to be built on.
Here's a street map that shows the National Gallery of Art buildings:
Have students locate the West Building:
Now have them look at the layout of the streets:
Aerial view of the National Gallery of Art, Washington
© Dennis Brack/Black Star
National Gallery of Art, Gallery Archives
Pei describes his process:
"I come back to the city . . . it is rather rigidly geometric. You never can separate a building from the place where it's standing."
"A piece of architecture is the embodiment of a combination of factors: time, place and use . . . it is the where, the when and the why that a work must address, convincingly and eloquently and with style. To me that is the heart of architecture."
In the worksheet "Pei's Polygons," students will explore how Pei used geometry to meet this challenge and then experiment with ways to divide different polygon floor plans into triangles. Have students use markers or colored pencils to fill in their patterns.
Ask students to bring in a street map or plan of a town or neighborhood for the next class.
View an online architecture tour of I. M. Pei's East Building at the National Gallery of Art
Design your own city with City Creator
Learn more about polygons and geometric solids


text:
Formula 2: Indian racer Jehan Daruvala finishes second in France
Indian racer Jehan Daruvala scored his sixth podium of the season in the French round of the Formula 2 championship at the Paul Ricard track here on Sunday.
Le Castellet, July 24 (IANS) Indian racer Jehan Daruvala scored his sixth podium of the season in the French round of the Formula 2 championship at the Paul Ricard track here on Sunday.
Jehan started the Feature race from 10th on the grid. But he fought his way up to seventh as a combination of strategy, which put Jehan in the lead before his stops, and blistering speed after his late switch to fresh tyres, saw him climb up the order.
Jehan said, "It's good to be back on the podium after what happened in Silverstone and Austria. We were struggling with pace down the straights but had some good battles to finish 2nd. We would have finished even higher in the Feature race with our strategy to run a long first stint but we gambled on a safety car and stayed out a bit longer than ideal. Other than that, it was a solid weekend for us. We still have some areas to work on and I'm confident we'll come back stronger next weekend in Hungary."
Jehan's second-place finish in France was his fifth this season. The 23-year-old, who races for Italian team Prema, was robbed of a potential fourth F2 victory by a post-race penalty in the last round in Austria.
The Red Bull-backed racer, who earlier this week completed a second Formula One test with McLaren, now heads to Hungary, the last round of a busy month of racing before the annual summer break.
Jehan started Saturday's Sprint race from pole position and after a lightning start led into the first corner. He was comfortably holding his own at the front when an incident involving three cars brought out the safety car.
Jehan timed the restart to perfection, allowing him to open up a small gap to second-placed Liam Lawson. But the latter's superior straight-line speed allowed him to close in.
It looked like it would only be a matter of time before Lawson used his car's superior speed down the straights to get past Jehan and sure enough the Kiwi swept around the outside into Turn 1.
Jehan held his line but the pair touched which opened up a tear on Jehan's front tyre. But he fortunately didn't suffer a puncture.
A few laps later Marcus Armstrong attempted to pass Jehan for second at the same corner but on the inside. They made contact but Jehan, forced wide across the chicane, kept his position.
He had to slow down significantly, however, to give up any advantage he may have gained, which allowed Lawson to pull clear at the front.
Armstrong was handed a five-second penalty for forcing Jehan off the track.


text:
The sixth Planned Parenthood expose', released on Wednesday, shows a former representative of a company that purchases the organs of aborted babies from Planned Parenthood explaining how the organization sees pregnant women as walking dollar signs and another "opportunity" to make money from their dead babies.
"I'm not going to tell a girl to kill her baby just to get money," former Stem Express Representative Holly O'Donnell explains in the interview released by the Center for Medical Progress, "and that's what this company does. Straight up. That's what this company does."
She outlines that while her supervisors advised her about the need to obtain consent from women, Planned Parenthood/her co-workers didn't always do so at the California location where she worked.
"If there was a higher gestation, and the technicians needed it, there were times when they would just take what they wanted," O'Donnell says. "And these mothers don't know. And there's no way they would know."
She states that even women who are simply coming in for pregnancy tests are seen as potential dollar signs.
"Pregnancy tests are potential pregnancies, therefore potential specimens. So it's just taking advantage of the opportunities," O'Donnell explains.
The video also shows documents provided by O'Donnell in regard to the prices paid by the company as well as other paperwork obtained by Stem Express.
"The women that I worked for were cold," she says. "They just wanted their money. They didn't care that the girl was throwing up in the trashcan [or] crying."
O'Donnell outlines that as part of her job, she would ship the labeled "specimens" via FedEx.
"The sad thing is that people [at FedEx] would ask what was in the box, and I didn't know what to say. 'Oh, there's dead baby parts in there.'"
The Center for Medical Progress decried the revelation as being inhumane and immoral.
"Experiences like Holly O'Donnell's show that Planned Parenthood's abortion and baby parts business is not a safe place where vulnerable women can be cared for, but a harvesting ground for saleable human 'product,'" Director David Daleiden said.
"Taxpayer subsidies to Planned Parenthood's barbaric abortion business should be revoked immediately, and law enforcement and other elected officials must act decisively to determine the full extent of Planned Parenthood's offensive practices and hold them accountable to the law," he continued.
Planned Parenthood denied any wrongdoing.
"The video released today shows someone who has never worked for Planned Parenthood making false and outrageous claims, without any evidence to back them up. Planned Parenthood follows all laws—period," said Eric Ferrero, Vice President of Communication, in a statement.


text:
In the past decade, for-profit colleges have risen from relative obscurity to front-page news.
For-profit college shakeup
Putting the brakes on for-profit colleges
What can you learn at a for-profit college?
The College Board estimates that 10 percent of all college students are now enrolled at for-profit institutions, a dramatic shift that has attracted the attention of both politicians and the media.
Here are highlights of recent coverage:
- ProPublica has been reporting on for-profits since late 2009, kicking off its coverage with a piece on "high-pressure, deceptive tactics" used by recruiters at the University of Phoenix. The story includes claims by a former recruiter that he was told to pressure students who were "on the fence," including telling them there was only one seat left in the class. Students also claimed that they were told their credits from the for-profit would be easily transferred to other colleges – which wasn't always the case.
- The New York Times did a piece on for-profits in March 2010, focusing mainly on two oft-mentioned criticisms – their price and the "dubious benefits" of their degrees. The Times describes for-profit schools luring in students with promises of job placement and increased salaries. The students rack up tens of thousands of dollars in debt (sometimes at high interest rates), only to find that no jobs await them. Making things worse, much of the student debt is nearly impossible to escape, even through declarations of bankruptcy.
- Bloomberg also painted a bleak picture in a December 2009 piece, focusing on for-profits that were targeting students from the U.S. military, luring them with quick degrees and free laptops.
- Frontline spent an hour giving an overall look at the for-profit issue, including a profile of investor Michael Clifford, who specializes in taking small, failing colleges and turning them around. He does it by turning the schools for-profit, starting up online programs and infusing them with cash.
- The Washington Post, in collaboration with The Hechinger Report, looked at how for-profit colleges are capitalizing on – and cooperating with – overstretched California community colleges.
- In an extensive March 2010 piece, Bloomberg Business Week delved into the business aspects of for-profits, explaining how they've expanded by buying up small, at-risk schools – largely to secure their accreditation. Those schools have "regional accreditation," which is the gold standard in higher education and makes them more attractive to students. Perhaps more importantly, regional accreditation allows for-profits to skirt rules that require new schools to wait at least two years before receiving federal money. That is key for an industry that makes a lot of its $26 billion in revenue from government grants and loans.
- The potential impact of all those student loans has also made news, with Mother Jones quoting one well-known investor as saying the schools are a crisis-in-the-making, akin to the sub-prime mortgage collapse. That claim drew fire from some who argued that investors are trying to stir up controversy over for-profits in order to make money when stock prices drop.
- In a July 2010 piece, ProPublica reported that one investment firm has paid an investigator who helped gather signatures on a letter that was critical of for-profit recruiters for targeting the homeless.


text:
During this week dedicated to Christian Unity, we hosted an ecumenical prayer service on Wednesday, January 18, with our Christian brothers and sisters in the Palatine area. Residents, Sisters, volunteers and staff joined Pastor Karl Fay from Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, Reverend David Mercer, Pastor of St Paul United Church of Christ, Fr. Morcos Daoud of St. Mary's Coptic Orthodox Church and Deacon Mark Dunne of St. Thomas of Villanova, along with some of their parishioners to unite in prayer.
Deacon Dunne introduced each of the ministers and invited them to say a few words about their Faith and their Churches. It was interesting to hear our commonalities and how we are united in our deep love for Jesus.
The program began by illustrating how we are divided by sin. A wall was constructed in front of the altar with bricks that had names of sins imprinted on them. As each stone was laid, Pastor Fay, with Volunteer Readers, Carol Broderick and Doug Olson, led us in prayer for forgiveness for that sin.
Reverend Mercer read the First Reading from Ezekiel and as we prayed to be reconciled through God's word. The Second Reading from Corinthians was read by Resident Jeanne Rauhaus, followed by St. Luke's Gospel read by Reverend Mercer.
Pastor Fay spoke to us about how Peace was a sign of God's love for us and it is the hope that we need to embrace in today's world. It will unite us in our differences and strengthen us in our likenesses. Pastor Fay is also an artist and he shared his drawing entitled "Peace in the languages of the World" with us.
As a sign of our reconciliation, we responded in faith and unity as we extended a sign of peace. Reverend Mercer explained, "that a lighted candle is a deeply human symbol: it enlightens the darkness, creates warmth, security and community. It symbolizes Christ, the light of the world. As ambassadors for Christ we will carry this light into the world, into the dark places where discord and division impede our united witness.." We lit our candles as he continued, "Receive the Light of Christ and carry it into the dark places of our world! Be ministers of reconciliation! Be ambassadors for Christ!" Ending the Prayer Service, together the ministers gave us a blessing and sent us forth in God's Peace.
After prayer, food is always great way to unite people. Know that, we invited our guests to dine with our Residents to celebrate our unity in Christ,…and enjoy a delicious meal together.


text:
"The Government must work with schools, police and voluntary organisations to tackle it."
British Asian MP Nusrat Ghani warns children who engage in harmful sexual behaviour should not be treated as 'mini sex offenders'.
She leads efforts with charity Barnardo's in a national inquiry that looks into the level of support provided for these children.
Titled 'Now I Know It Was Wrong', the report defines harmful sexual behaviour as 'when children and young people (under 18) engage in sexual discussions or activities that are inappropriate for their age or stage of development.
It adds that 'these activities can range from using sexually explicit words and phrases to full penetrative sex with other children or adults'.
It points out these children, if conveniently labelled as 'mini sex offenders', may struggle to integrate into the normal way of life.
Because many of them are victims of sexual abuse themselves, failing to see them as children 'first and foremost' will lead us to ignore the fact that 'children and young people are more likely than adults to achieve successful rehabilitation'.
What's worse, without formal advice and a strong network of support, they may continue to display inappropriate or even illegal sexual acts towards themselves and others.
The inquiry also identifies that young people nowadays are particular susceptible to fostering misconception about appropriate sexual behaviour, due to easy access to the Internet and 'pervasive sexualised content'.
As a result, this could increase the chances of them relapsing into engaging in harmful sexual behaviour and becoming an offender again.
Calling for the public to refrain from 'unnecessarily criminalising or stigmatising' these young people, Ghani says:
"The key to this little understood problem is prevention and protection, so the Government must work with schools, local authorities, police and voluntary organisations to tackle it.
"In this smartphone age, parents must also play a vigilant role in protecting their children from harmful sexual behaviour and from harmful sexual images that cause damage they are too young to understand."
The inquiry recommends closer collaboration between the government and organisations working in this space to produce and implement a national strategy that will prevent and respond to such behaviour among children.
It also presses parents to play a more proactive role in 'protecting children from harmful content, and helping them to become critical consumers of what they are exposed to'.
A Department for Education spokesperson stresses the importance of sex education at schools:
"High quality sex and relationship education is a vital part of preparing young people for life in modern Britain, helping them make informed choices and stay safe.
"There are a range of resources available for teachers to help teach the importance of building healthy relationships, including new guidance on consent from the PSHE Association.
"Sex and relationship education is compulsory in all maintained secondary schools, and we expect academies to teach it as part of a broad and balanced curriculum."
The panel aims to work with ministers, charities and experts to set up a working group to tackle harmful sexual behaviour by July 2017.


text:
How do I know when I have a claim for unpaid commissions?
Attorney Answer: This is where there's been a great deal of litigation. The Wage Act statute states that an employer violates the Wage Act where it fails to pay commissions that have been "definitely determined". That phrase leaves a great…Continue reading »
My employer discharged me without paying me a bonus. May I sue under the Wage Act ?
Attorney Answer: No. Bonuses are specifically exempted from the Wage Act. However, if you were terminated under circumstances where the employer got out from under having to pay a substantial bonus, you may have a claim against the employer for…Continue reading »
Can my employer retaliate against me for complaining internally that I was not paid my salary or commissions?
Attorney Answer: No, and in fact, I can claim some credit for establishing this precedent. In a 2003 case, Dobin v. CIO View Corp., in which I represented a fired employee, a Superior Court judge ruled that an employer cannot…Continue reading »
Is there anything I need to do prior to suing my former employer for unpaid salary or commissions?
Attorney Answer: Yes. Under applicable law, you cannot sue your employer unless you first file a "Non-Payment of Wages Form" with the Massachusetts Attorney General's office. That office will typically issue you a "right to sue" letter, which will then…Continue reading »
Do I waive my right to sue my employer?
Additional information: My former employer just sent me a check and marked "Final payment" in the memo. I believe my employer owes me more than the amount it sent me. If I deposit the check, do I waive my right…Continue reading »
Why do employers misclassify employees as independent contractors?
Attorney Answer: Because it is generally more cost-effective for companies to use independent contractors as opposed to employees, employers routinely misclassify persons as independent contractors when they should lawfully classify them as employees. If you've been treated as an independent…Continue reading »


text: Congratulations to Martha, winner of our December Give Me 5 Raffle Basket! Martha was recognized by one of our patients Jean W. for coming in to spend time with Jean on Martha's day off so that she could teach Jean how to knit. Martha will enjoy a fun filled "Christmas Themed" basket.


text:
I received s'micha as a maggid from Reb Maggid Yitzhak Buxbaum, who received s'micha as a maggid from Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach zt"l and Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi zt"l and ultimately up to the Ba'al Shem Tov zt"l. It is my privilege to carry on his school and line of s'micha.
In that tradition, I offer s'micha to qualified Jewish students who complete the full four semesters of the Transformational Storytelling program, and who complete a special project devised specifically for them in the final semester. Jewish students who wish to pursue s'micha should have discussions with me prior to their enrolling in the course.
"Maggid" is the traditional title for a Jewish inspirational teacher or "preacher."
Some people mistakenly confuse a maggid with a storyteller. Instead, a maggid fills a spiritual role: to draw people to a deeper spirituality / closer to God. A Jewish storyteller can be purely secular, even if only Jewish religious tales are told. Without the motive to bring people to a deeper spirituality / closer to God, such a person would not be a maggid.
Storytelling is only one way to accomplish the maggid's goal: inspirational speaking in the form of preaching, leading scriptural study, and even one-on-one conversations are other means to the same end.
I look forward to exploring your interest and readiness for s'micha as a maggid, and welcoming you to the profound honor and challenges of the role.


text:
Hi Duana,
My fiancé and I are getting married in March, and then we're planning to start trying for a kid fairly soon after.
Both of our names start with K, and while I'm taking my partner's last name (something very important for him), we've agreed that our progeny will have my last name as a middle name (something important for me).Since we're having so many conversations about our marriage and our future, we've started discussing hypothetical names for our hypothetical children.
The trick is, both of our names end with a hard "n," which is great for a middle/last name, but makes finding a good boy's name difficult.
I'm drawn to boys names like Owen or Brendan - but it doesn't really work when the names end with N, N, and N.*
What recommendations do you have for more traditional names that don't end in a hard consonant? I also love Arlo, Peter, or Hugo but all three of those have been met with "no way."
For girl names he refuses to entertain the idea of Sylvia, but that's a whole other conversation!
Thanks for your help,
You guys know how much I love a chance to add in some pop culture in this column, which is a little bit my own preference and indulgence, but not totally, because culture, pop or otherwise, is where our preferences for names come from a lot of the time… like how I've been reading the L.M. Montgomery bio and suddenly the name Maud is completely appealing.
So the letter writer's asterisk above linked to a bracket that explained her last name and her partner's, which reminded me of that show The Torkelsons – remember? First of all, that show was ALL ABOUT names – there was Dorothy Jane, of course – but then she had siblings, as follows: Stephen Floyd, Ruth Ann, Chuckie Lee, Mary Sue, and the mother was Millicent. Millicent! And then it was rebooted as Almost Home with Brittany Murphy and James Marsden, and both had great theme songs, but at least in The Torkelsons, in both series, Dorothy Jane was obsessed with The Man In The Moon, remember?
All this to say, for the sake of argument, letter writer, we're going to say your combined surnames are Moon-Torkelson, cool?
So, I agree with you that you don't want a name that ends in N, but the good news is there are so so so many that don't. In fact, this may be a modern problem to have – a dozen years ago, a name that ends in 'n' would have barely been on the radar if you weren't into names like Caeden or etc.
If you want to go super-super classic, then, there are names like Phillip or Jacob or Anthony or Oliver or Samuel or Reginald or Nathaniel. It's not an accident that I've chosen longer names – even though I suspect you're planning to use your name as a middle name and not a hyphenated last, I think having a longer name to match 'Torkelson' is going to help it feel balanced. That said, you could also go with short, crisp names like Nate (clearly the Ns got into my head!) or Wade or Clint or James or Hugh…
I think, though, that you'll have more fun and feel less hamstrung by choosing names that don't involve an N if you go a little further afield. Darius or Tobias or Alistair or Evander or Bernard or Andreas or Dermot or Webster – God, let's bring back Webster! – or Rafferty; you can feel like something is classic without being standard, you know? Or maybe something like Diego or Wolfgang or Bruno or Merrick…
Plus there are names that absolutely were not wearable a generation or even a decade ago that absolutely work in today's context – names like Abraham or Lionel or Karim or Alphonso or Montague… yes, really. Who says you can't?
Maybe it's because I'm thinking of the romantic sensibilities of Dorothy Jane or her mother Millicent, but I think you can feel free to stretch the horizons of what constitutes 'classic', because it seems to me you want something that feels important and that you like saying and that is a statement on its own, and having these surname considerations means you have to go further for something that has the weight and heft that you want, and that's why our modern naming conventions have changed.
That is, there's nothing wrong with any of the names we 'used to' think of as classic, and there's nothing intrinsically wrong with, say, Joseph (or Sylvia!), but now that our lives and family configurations and etc are different, there's no reason our idea of 'classic names' can't change as well.
I can't wait to find out what you choose, please update us when you can – especially since the natural rhythms of human gestation mean your opinions may change 50 times between now and then, which is part of what I love about this gig!


text: As products of public schools and with their children attending SUSD schools, Andy and Bryn DeFusco are passionate about supporting public education. Andy has practiced law in Scottsdale since 1995. Andy, all four of his siblings, and his niece and nephew graduated from Saguaro High School. Bryn has been active with numerous SUSD schools since 2012 and serves on the Board of the Arizona Center for Law in the Public Interest – Arizona's premier advocate for public school funding. Both volunteer regularly within SUSD.


text:
The NIH Library is here to help you—online—with your virtual information and research needs. Check out the extensive set of NIH Library service and resources that are available online.
Announcements & News
Virtual Research Resources from the NIH Library
The NIH Library is here to help you—online—with your virtual information and research needs. This week, we are highlighting research resources provided by the NIH Library.
Full-Text Article Search Now Available from the NIH Library Homepage
The NIH Library now offers full-text search capabilities of articles directly from the main search box on the Library's homepage.
Experience Science in Action with JoVE Science Education Videos
JoVE Science Education videos help you and your lab stay up to date on scientific fundamentals with easy-to-follow video demonstrations created by experts at top institutions.
Safety, Health and Wellness Day: NIH Library Resources for You
Stop by the NIH Library table during the Safety, Health and Wellness Day event on Wednesday, June 26 to learn about health and wellness resources (books, eBooks, and databases) the Library has for you.
NIH Library Open House 2015
In conjunction with the NIH Research Festival, the Library's open house will showcase why we truly are "Your Partner in Research." New this year will be a demonstration of the data visualization touch screen provided by the NIH Office of the Associate Director for Data Science.


text:
Such a great price and the condoms comes discrete!
- Fast, secure, and discreet delivery & billing
- Genuine products and long shelf life
- 60 day return policy for unopened products
Product description
For a luxurious and premium feeling condom, reach for Playboy Classic Condoms. Designed for those who usually wear a regular fit condom, these condoms boast a nominal width of 54mm. Allso suitable for those who usually wear a larger condom but require a slightly snugger fit.
These condoms are straight-walled and smooth with a reservoir tip, allowing for extra safety. They are natural in colour and have no scent. Playboy Classic Condoms are also Vegan friendly.
Playboy Classic Condoms are made from natural rubber latex and are lubricated with a silicone lubricant. This helps with smoothness and comfort; however extra lubricant can be added and is recommended especially in cases where natural lubrication is lacking.
Wearing a condom can be uncomfortable and annoying. But this doesn't have to be the case. Playboy Classic Condoms are premium in quality, they are comfortable when on, and allow for ultimate sensitivity during intercourse.
Playboy Condoms are thoroughly tested to ensure safety and improve their quality. They are tested for safety and comply with EU, UK and US standards.
Playboy Classic Condoms are available to order here at Condoms.uk in packs of 12, 24 or 36 condoms.
Technical information
- Product type: Condoms
- Size: 54MM, Regular
- Material: Latex Condoms
- Ethical: Vegan
Discreet delivery
Discretion is at the heart of everything we do. Every single order we process is sent discreetly in plain packaging. We'll send your items in a plain cardboard box, or a plain bubble-lined envelope, depending on how big your order is.
On our plain packaging, we affix a nondescript address label which contains your name and delivery address. Our address labels make absolutely no reference to condoms, lubricants or sexual health products.
Every order placed here at Condoms.uk comes with discreet delivery as standard. That's right, every single order is discreetly delivered with no exceptions.
Click here to find out more about our discreet delivery service.
Royal Mail Tracked 48 delivery is FREE when you spend £25+, or £2.99 on orders under £25. Please see our Delivery Services page for a full list of services, ETAs and charges.
* For guaranteed delivery tomorrow, please select DPD Next Day or Royal Mail Special Delivery on checkout and order before 4pm Monday to Friday (excludes bank holidays.)
We guarantee that we only sell genuine products sourced directly from trusted brands and distributors. We only sell genuine condoms, lubricants and accessories.
We do not split down clinic packs and we do not sell goods with a short shelf life. We only sell bonafide packs here at Condoms.uk, for your complete peace of mind.
You can find more information on our FAQs page, and you can also contact us if you have any questions before or after your purchase with us.
You can also browse our blog section, where you'll find a wealth of information, including medically reviewed content by our expert and qualified GP, Dr Deborah Lee BM, MFFP, MRCGP, DRCOG, Dip GUM, Dip Colp, LOC Med Ed.
RRPs quoted are based on the recommended retail price. Where the product is a bundle or multiple packs, it is the RRP per single pack multiplied by the number of packs.
Don't miss out on something big.
Get the latest voucher codes, promotions and product launches straight to your inbox. Subscribe to our email newsletter now:
*By clicking Subscribe, you are agreeing to receive email newsletters from Condoms.uk. Your data will be processed in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy.
Condoms.uk is rated 4.7 stars by uk.trustpilot.com based on 575 reviews
Condoms.uk 2023 All Rights Reserved