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1. Re: How to set a PDF to expire (Working Script)Patrick Leckey Mar 21, 2008 9:19 AM (in response to (Bryan_Hardesty))Well, as long as the user doesn't change the date on their computer or turns off JavaScript in Acrobat. If a user does either of those things, the form will open regardless of your script.
Adobe LiveCycle Policy Server provides this functionality in a server / client setup so that it authenticates the user, date and time against a trusted server before the form is opened.
2. Re: How to set a PDF to expire (Working Script)Patrick Leckey Mar 24, 2008 6:30 AM (in response to (Bryan_Hardesty))Actually that was the name for the LiveCycle version 7 suite. In version 8 the product that provides this functionality is called LiveCycle Rights Management.
It does not use scripting of any sort and so it cannot be so easily disabled as by removing a check from a preference setting or by changing the year on your clock to 2007 (since the script above does not have a start date to validate against either). It is embedded into the document and forces Acrobat or Reader to validate against your Rights Management server before you are allowed to open the document.
3. Re: How to set a PDF to expire (Working Script)(SteveMajors) Apr 5, 2008 2:40 PM (in response to (Bryan_Hardesty))If a fairly technical person with nearly no coding skills (for example, a person like ME...) wanted to use this script, just what does it take to implement.
I totally understand that it is limited to 'keeping honest people honest' and has nearly zero "real" protection.
However, I have a request from an associate to protect pdfs by date and he wants it quick and cheap..... (we don't have tons of servers or want to acquire the know-how of maintaining them ourselves).
We've been trying the ADC, but have issues with it opening files on a Mac. Other solutions look nice (FileOpen, etc.), though they are a bit pricey-er than we'd like since the main thing is simply to have docs expire on a given date (we like the 'by user' features, but that's really not a huge requirement at this time).
Thanks for your input.
4. Re: How to set a PDF to expire (Working Script)(Aandi_Inston) Apr 7, 2008 1:08 AM (in response to (SteveMajors))Be very sure to explain to your associate: here is a solution, but the
end user only has to turn off JavaScript to avoid it.
Aandi Inston
5. Re: How to set a PDF to expire (Working Script)(SteveMajors) Apr 7, 2008 8:09 AM (in response to (Bryan_Hardesty))Thanks, Aandi.
I clearly understand that and have tried to tell him, but 'pictures speak louder than words' and seeing it happen (or not) will likely help him understand everything.
What I have found (by studying the help files all weekend) is ONE way to implement this Java code (I'm not sure if it is 'right'...) that WORKS on ONE OUT OF SIX computers...
I placed the code on the Page Properties of the first page (steps below for the 'newbies' like me...) - it was really simple once I found out how to do it...
To use the Java script as described in this post (at least, as I did - maybe someone else will have better ideas and describe it for us...)
1. click on Pages on the left sidebar
2. right-click on the first page
3. select Page Properties, Action
4. under Select Action choose Run a Javascript
5. click Add
6. in the window that pops up, copy/paste the code from the post
7. click OK, OK to get back to the doc (change the Javascript later if you want, this is just 'initial testing'...)
8. IMPORTANT! Save the file under a different file name (or you may not be able to open it later!)
I included #8 because now, when I try to open the 'expired' doc in Acrobat, I get the 'expired' message and can't open it at all, but in IE, I see the document - on 5 of my 6 computers (including the one that Acrobat won't open!)
So, even though this is not 'secure' nor a 'pro' solution, please help me understand if a) I did this right and b) why it only works on the ONE computer (running Win 2000 Server and IE 6 with Reader 7) and not on any others (incluing NT, XP, Vista and 2000 Pro with various versions of IE and Reader).
Thank you for your time.
What I would really like to see is your reply with DETAILS on how to test this and both 1) learn how this stuff is done and 2) show my associate the difference in turning it 'on' and 'off'.
Best regards
Steve Majors
6. Re: How to set a PDF to expire (Working Script)(Aandi_Inston) Apr 7, 2008 8:42 AM (in response to (SteveMajors))One tip is to always check the JavaScript console. There may be a
message in there about the problem.
Aandi Inston
7. Re: How to set a PDF to expire (Working Script)(SteveMajors) Apr 7, 2008 8:58 AM (in response to (Bryan_Hardesty))Aandi,
Thanks. Sure wish I knew what that was, or where to find it....
guess it's back to the 'search the help file' again.....
I really do thank you (and all the experienced folks out there) for your tips/guidance, however, PLEASE remember that I got Adobe Acrobat last week (haven't even received the CD yet...) and I'm about as lost as anyone can get! (step-by-step is highly appreciated... - not only for me, but in reading the forums, it seems there are many more out there as bad, if not worse off than me!)
P.P.S. Turned that on, tried the 'expired' page and nothing special - was able to read the entire thing...
8. Re: How to set a PDF to expire (Working Script)(Aandi_Inston) Apr 7, 2008 9:39 AM (in response to (SteveMajors))They now call it the JavaScript debugger in Acrobat Professional, look
under Advanced > Document Processing. Not sure about other products.
may have a console, but when running Acrobat JavaScript you need the
AcrobatJavaScript console.
Please remember that you are now learning to be a programmer, and that
isn't something you can get good at in a day, a week, or a month; nor
through a handful of tips.
Aandi Inston
9. Re: How to set a PDF to expire (Working Script)(SteveMajors) Apr 7, 2008 10:07 AM (in response to (Bryan_Hardesty))Thanks for the message with details!
When I turn on the JavaScript debugger in Acrobat Pro, I get this message (whether the 'clean' file or the 'expired' - same message).
Don't know if it has anything to do with the issue, but it is what it is...
Acrobat Database Connectivity Built-in Functions Version 8.0
Acrobat EScript Built-in Functions Version 8.0
Acrobat Annotations / Collaboration Built-in Functions Version 8.0
Acrobat Annotations / Collaboration Built-in Wizard Functions Version 8.0
Acrobat Multimedia Version 8.0
Acrobat SOAP 8.0
NotSupportedError: Not supported in this Acrobat configuration.
Doc.closeDoc:17:Page undefined:Open
As for being a 'programmer' - that ain't gonna happen.... I've been in computers since 1978 (Apple ][ days...) and found out a long time ago that I don't think like a programmer (it takes a special person with special skills and dedication, IMHO...), though I do like to 'hack around' and try out the simple stuff on my own.
What I'd really like to do/have/find is someone that totally understands this stuff as well as the business side of things that will stick to being 'on staff' (what we find is that "programmers" tend to get the majority of the project done, then something else comes along.... - certainly on the bigger projects.... we have a mostly-written back-end project done in perl, but now the programmer isn't answering the phone, or not getting into it to finish....
That's why I like to 'hack' - small changes are something I can do myself.
Anyway, I think this has gone as far as I want to go with it - something that 'kinda' works on one out of 6 computers seems to me to be a FAILURE, not an OPTION....
Thanks for your replies and the instructions on how to at least look at the debugger thing.
All the best.
10. Re: How to set a PDF to expire (Working Script)(Aandi_Inston) Apr 7, 2008 10:57 AM (in response to (SteveMajors))>NotSupportedError: Not supported in this Acrobat configuration.
>Doc.closeDoc:17:Page undefined:Open
Ok, if we refer to the JavaScript Reference there may be some clues
there. It's basically saying that closeDoc (which you'll find in the
code somewhere) isn't being allowed, usually for some security or
impracticality reason, rather than because you didn't ask right.
But no: no useful notes. It may be that you are trying to do this in a
browser document? You can't close the document window for a browser.
>As for being a 'programmer' - that ain't gonna happen....
It's already happened. You may feel you're just doing copy-and-paste
programming - but an increasing number of "programmers" actually
believe this is all there is to programming. I respect your judgement
that you don't want to be what you see a programmer as being, but you
are doing programming tasks, just as someone who has to saw a piece of
wood is doing carpentry tasks - and the saw is still sharp!
What I'm saying, I guess, is that trying to get this working while
simultaneously saying "No! I don't want to learn this stuff" isn't
going to work.
Aandi Inston
11. Re: How to set a PDF to expire (Working Script)Patrick Leckey Apr 7, 2008 11:55 AM (in response to (Bryan_Hardesty))Good catch, Aandi. Hadn't occurred to me until now. closeDoc does not work in a browser window, you're right. Since AcroJS stops processing at the first error, you never get the app.alert message because closeDoc comes before it, and you see the document because closeDoc can't close a browser window.
12. Re: How to set a PDF to expire (Working Script)(Dawn_Kay) May 9, 2008 10:13 AM (in response to (Bryan_Hardesty))When I attempt this.. I get to step 4 and then it will not allow me to Add...
Is there a specification I am missing... a file type.. or reason my PDF won't allow me to edit such things.
13. Re: How to set a PDF to expire (Working Script)gkaiseril May 9, 2008 10:23 AM (in response to (Bryan_Hardesty))These instructions apply to PDFs NOT created by LiveCycle Designer.
14. Re: How to set a PDF to expire (Working Script)(Dawn_Kay) May 9, 2008 10:28 AM (in response to (Bryan_Hardesty))Thanks Geo - that is my issue.
Does anyone know if there is there a way to generate silimar results in designer? (an expiration by date, or number of times opened etc...)
15. Re: How to set a PDF to expire (Working Script)Patrick Leckey May 9, 2008 11:56 AM (in response to (Bryan_Hardesty))You do understand that this method provides no security at all, right?
Turning off JavaScript or changing the date on your computer will circumvent any form of "security" this script may seem to provide.
16. Re: How to set a PDF to expire (Working Script)(Dawn_Kay) May 12, 2008 5:45 AM (in response to (Bryan_Hardesty))Yes, I understand there are obvious ways around it, but it is better than having no alternative.
17. Re: How to set a PDF to expire (Working Script)Patrick Leckey May 12, 2008 5:54 AM (in response to (Bryan_Hardesty))The alternative is Adobe LiveCycle Policy Server.
EDIT: Sorry, it's been renamed Adobe LiveCycle Rights Management for the LiveCycle ES Suite.
18. Re: How to set a PDF to expire (Working Script)(sobencha) May 18, 2008 5:48 AM (in response to (Bryan_Hardesty))Two questions regarding the JavaScript approach...
1) Is there a way to add this bit of JavaScript information to a pdf file in a batch fashion via Java, Python, etc.? I would like to add this to a build process in Ant. Any suggestions?
2) The responses regarding how insecure this is and to use the client/server approach seems worthless for a situation where the pdfs may never see internet connectivity. The only reason for using pdfs is for mobile users of my information. That is first and foremost why I need some document-embedded solution. Are there any document-embedded solutions that are known that do not involve client/server communication?
Thanks a lot for any assistance.
19. Re: How to set a PDF to expire (Working Script)gkaiseril May 18, 2008 10:14 AM (in response to (Bryan_Hardesty))And Acrobat JavaScript may not work on many PDA and other wireless devices that might display content.
20. Re: How to set a PDF to expire (Working Script)Patrick Leckey May 20, 2008 5:43 AM (in response to (Bryan_Hardesty))They may be "worthless" solutions for non-internet-connect scenarios, but that doesn't make the implementation any more secure. It's still a laughably insecure approach to expiring a document. Unless you are in complete control of the viewing environment, I know for a fact that a lot of corporate deployments of Acrobat default to JavaScript turned off - which means to them, your document never expires. A lot of home users turn JavaScript off too because they don't "trust" JavaScript. Not to mention all the people that use non-Adobe viewers (Foxit Reader for example) that may not handle the JavaScript correctly and cause unknown results.
There is no perfect solution for expiring a PDF in a non-internet-connected scenario. If you can't control the timechecking in a known-safe server environment and have to rely on information from the local system, your security it lost since anybody can do anything to the local system. If you're looking for something showy that will make people feel warm and think that you have some form of security on your documents, use the above script. But I would be weary about passing it off, especially in a professional environment, as "secure". Anybody who wants to spend 5 minutes on Google looking at PDF security will realize your "security" is a complete sham and that could reflect badly on you.
The best option to secure a PDF in a non-connected environment is to apply document encryption and only give the password to those who need to view the document.
Oh and LiveCycle Rights Management ES has plenty of fallback configuration options for how to handle non-connected environments with policy-protected PDFs.
21. Re: How to set a PDF to expire (Working Script)(And_Be) Jun 16, 2008 8:21 AM (in response to (Bryan_Hardesty))Do you know how to add a specific time to the expiry?
22. Re: How to set a PDF to expire (Working Script)gkaiseril Jun 16, 2008 9:43 AM (in response to (Bryan_Hardesty))You need to add the variables for hours, minutes, seconds and milliseconds to the code. A generalized version that will work with omitted time elements follows.
function CheckExpiration(LastYear, LastMonth, LastDate, LastHour, LastMin, LastSec, LastMS) {
// document level function to see if passed date less than today's date
// check that numbers are passed as parameters
if (isNaN(LastYear) ) LastYear = 1900;
if (isNaN(LastMonth) ) LastMonth = 1;
if (isNaN(LastDate) ) LastDate = 1;
if (isNaN(LastHour) ) LastHour = 0;
if (isNaN(LastMin) ) LastMin = 0;
if (isNaN(LastSec) ) LastSec= 0;
if (isNaN(LastMS) ) LastMS = 0;
LastMonth = LastMonth - 1; // adjust the passed month to the zero based month
// make the expiration date time object a numeric value
var myDate = new Date( Number(LastYear), Number(LastMonth), Number(LastDate), Number(LastHour), Number(LastMin), Number(LastSec), Number(LastMS) ).valueOf(); // convert passed expiration date time to a date time object value
// get the current date time's object as a numeric value
var today = new Date().valueOf();
// return logical value of the comparison of the passed expiration date value to today - if true document has expired
return (myDate < today);
// the following code has to be executed after the above function is defined
// edit following fields
var ExpireYear = 2008; // 2008
var ExpireMonth = 3; // March
var ExpireDate = 21; // 21st
var ExpireHour = 12; // noon
var ExpireMin = 0;
// the following code has to executed after the above function and variables are defined.
// test for expired document based on result of the passed time elements compared to the current date and time as returned by the CheckExpiration() function.
if (CheckExpiration(ExireYear, ExpireMonth, ExoireDate, ExpireHour, ExpireMin) ) {
app.alert("This files has expired.",1,0,"Expired");
23. Re: How to set a PDF to expire (Working Script)(Allegra_Pilosio) Aug 1, 2008 7:53 PM (in response to (Bryan_Hardesty))Yes the script does work to expire the pdf, however you can still open the pdf file through Photoshop or Illustrator even though it has expired. Is there any other solution?
24. Re: How to set a PDF to expire (Working Script)(SteveMajors) Aug 1, 2008 9:16 PM (in response to (Bryan_Hardesty))Here's a slightly different method, but it works..... (and, there is certainly no 'work around' for anyone to get data you don't want them to get!)

It uses the Action on Open (sorry, I don't know the 'official' name of this - I'll describe it below..) in the pdf to send the user to a server checking mechanism (in this case, a date checker - but you could do the same thing with lots of stuff...)

Here's how I set it up and it works great!

1. Start a new document that you can get a form field into (don't use LiveDesign for this - that's too fancy... - just make a document in Word that says ______ then print to pdf to get a nice simple pdf that you can edit directly in Acrobat)

2. Do a 'Run Form Field Recognition' and Acrobat will find the blank as a field.

3. Edit this field to have a "key" name (my example, I will use "today" which tells me this is the day that my document starts).

4. Under the 'Options' tab, make a Default Value of today's date (this will be the 'test against' date - for my example I'm showing how to expire a document in 30 days from creation date, but you could use anything you like - it is simple to modify!)

5. From the 'Format' tab, use the Select format category of Date. Use a date format you like (my example uses mm/dd/yyyy) Note that this MUST match the server side code described later).

6. For a 'live' document, you may want to go to the General tab and make the field Hidden as well as other things to not see the 'false' page, but that is outside the scope of this example.

OK, now on to setting up the document to automatically send this info to your server for testing...

1. Go to the 'Pages' view (click on the icon at the top left)
2. right-click on the page, select Page Properties.
3. Under the 'Actions' tab, select "Page Open" and "Submit a form" from the drop down boxes.
4. Enter a URL to your web page (see below) that does the checking (like http://mytestdomain.com/Scripts/checkexpiredate.php so it is easy to remember)
5. Check the HTML radio button.
6. Check the 'Only these...' button and then 'Select fields'. Make sure your "key" field is checked as well as the 'Include Selected' button (sometimes, for me, these weren't - I don't know why, so check it!)

Now, on to the server side...

Here's the code that goes into the php server file;

<?php
$day = date("d");
$month = date("m");
$year = date("Y");
$today = substr($_REQUEST["today"],3,2);
$tomonth = substr($_REQUEST["today"],0,2);
$toyear = substr($_REQUEST["today"],6,4);
 $tsp = mktime(0, 0, 0, $month, $day, $year);
 $tsd = mktime(0, 0, 0, $tomonth, $today, $toyear);
 $xdays = ($tsp - $tsd)/(24*60*60); // as calculated from dates
$maxdays = 30; //set this to whatever your 'expire from today' date is
if ($xdays >= $maxdays)
 //do what you like to tell the user it is expired
else
 //show the info you want them to see
?>

i (the info shown (or not) is outside the scope of this message, this is just a 'one way to make this work' example. In my system, I use a program called fpdf [http://fpdf.org] to create the pdf from 'scratch', building it to show the reader what I want them to see - whether it is a "Sorry, this is expired" document, or the data that they came for if the time hasn't expired.)

THAT'S IT!!! It works great and you can use it to do tons of stuff - just set the "key" on the original document and make the server code check whatever it is you want!

Pretty cool, I think! (and, it only took me, a novice programmer, about 3 hours to figure it all out!)

Best of success with it - enjoy!
25. Re: How to set a PDF to expire (Working Script)(Allegra_Pilosio) Aug 1, 2008 11:42 PM (in response to (Bryan_Hardesty))Thank you for your time Steve.
Sorry I should have been a little more clearer, I am actually a designer (not a programmer)
so the above is a little overwhelming, are you able to set it out step by step?
Basically what I am trying to do is to set an expiration date on pdf files that I supply to my clients, so that once the file has expired it also can not be opened and edited via Photoshop/Illustrator should the pdf file land in the hands of another designer.
Is this possible?
26. Re: How to set a PDF to expire (Working Script)Bernd Alheit Aug 2, 2008 1:48 AM (in response to (Bryan_Hardesty))Use digital rights management (DRM) software.
27. Re: How to set a PDF to expire (Working Script)(Allegra_Pilosio) Aug 2, 2008 2:13 AM (in response to (Bryan_Hardesty))Can you recommend any? I am a mac user. I don't have a big budget I am a freelancer?
28. Re: How to set a PDF to expire (Working Script)(SteveMajors) Aug 2, 2008 5:58 AM (in response to (Bryan_Hardesty))try Adobe Document Center. you will need Acrobat 9 for a Mac (as I understand it - I have a client that told me that yesterday...)
29. Re: How to set a PDF to expire (Working Script)(M._Ahmad) Sep 18, 2008 5:30 AM (in response to (Bryan_Hardesty))Hi,
I have posted the same problem in forum at:
The example of my script works in pdf but not in browser, as most of you are having the same problem.
I will just say:
1) SetPageAction is not the right place to put your javascript for this purpose. As the script will not run untill file is not opened to that page or user does not go to that page.
2) I put this script as Document Level Script and that way it will run as soon as the file is opened.
3) Yes, the script can be added to one file or a group of files through BATCH PROCESSING. To do this you have to write another script to add this expiry script to the file/files automatically thorugh batch processing
4) I agree, it is not the true security but it is better than having nothing at all.
30. Re: How to set a PDF to expire (Working Script)gkaiseril Sep 18, 2008 6:13 AM (in response to (Bryan_Hardesty))Just be aware that any user who turns off JavaScript in their copy of Reader or Acrobat will not be restricted by this approach.
31. Re: How to set a PDF to expire (Working Script)Bernd Alheit Sep 18, 2008 6:40 AM (in response to (Bryan_Hardesty))Or any user with an other PDF viewer.
32. Re: How to set a PDF to expire (Working Script)(Peter_Wepplo) Nov 19, 2008 4:28 PM (in response to (Bryan_Hardesty))I am interested in enabling the method of SteveMajors - Aug 1, 08 PST (#24 of 31). I have tried doing it, but it is beyond my knowledge of what i need to do or how to do it.
I don't know if or whether the options he advocated are necessary or not. I believe he was populating his form from his server, so disabling the script blocks access to the file as well. However, I would like to start with something simple like just the date being sent from my server.
I think my problem is in properly setting up the .php code and capturing it in acrobat (instruction #6).
33. Re: How to set a PDF to expire (Working Script)(faisal_naik) Dec 16, 2008 1:17 AM (in response to (Bryan_Hardesty))Hello,
Using SteveMajor's method of having the pdf checked against a script on a website, is it possible to cross check against the date a pdf is created on the user system with a expiry. To put it simply, i want a user downloading a copy of pdf from my intranet to be able to use it for 24 hours only (the counter starting from the time it is downloaded on the user system). This is to ensure some form of document control / version control.
34. Re: How to set a PDF to expire (Working Script)(Valentine_Deepak_Crasta) Dec 18, 2008 4:35 AM (in response to (Bryan_Hardesty))Allegra Pilosio, you said the script to expire PDF is working. To restrict opening the file in Illustrator or Photoshop, you can set the document secruity in PDF.
Use clt+D or Cmd+D, choose password security
Compactibility: Acrobat 3 or later
Encrypt All document contents
Set a Password
Printing Allowed: High Resolution
Changes Allowed: None
Thats it, people can't open your PDF in Photoshop or in Illustrator without knowing the password
36. Re: How to set a PDF to expire (Working Script)DimitriM Jan 10, 2009 12:01 PM (in response to (Bryan_Hardesty))Hi Melissa,
Yes, the problem with all these solutions is that in order to make them work JavaScript must be turned on. But your mention of a "cover" document explaning to the user that JS must be turned on is possible. There is an example PDF at-
AcroDialogs Product Page
Scroll down to the link for "Document License Dialog Example" to download it. If the user does not turn JS on then they cannot view the information under the "cover" layer. If JS is already turned on then they can view it.
Again, this is not an airtight security method, just a pretty good deterrent.
Hope this helps,
WindJack Solutions
37. Re: How to set a PDF to expire (Working Script)(pari_patel) Jan 10, 2009 4:28 PM (in response to (Bryan_Hardesty))Not a big expert on wondows active directory but I am sure within active directory there is an option to force users not to be able to switch off programs like javascript.
The solution you have proposed here is actually quite handy. As mentioned this is really to help protect honest people. If you need something more secure I would suggest looking at windows active directory, although off course you need to be running this service in the first place.
Regards. Peter.
Yes, I understand that any of these measures can be likened to a lock on a screen door, but sometimes that's all you need to redirect the actions of the "almost honest".


text:
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Mack B. Horn, 85
Mack B. Horn, 85, of Oconto, died Friday, Dec. 31, 2010, at the Callaway Good Samaritan Care Center. Mack was born May 18, 1925, at Lomax to Homer and Nell (Brigham) Horn. Mack grew up in the Oconto area and graduated from high school in 1942. He married Willa Mae Thomas in Oconto March 26, 1951. Mack was a life-long area farmer and rancher for more than 60 years, with his wife Willie. Together they enjoyed the outdoors, living south of Pressey Park, always providing a line for anyone's assistance. They traveled to many stock shows, rodeos and shared stories with their many friends. Mack was a pilot, life member of Oconto Fire Department and Elks Lodge 1688 of Broken Bow. He was known for his cap and pipe, and a good joke or tale to be told. Mack was preceded by his parents, wife, and granddaughter. Survivors include his three children, Michael (Linda) of Livonia, N.Y., Beth (Allen) Lonowski of Scottsbluff, Pat of Oconto; granddaughter, Dawn Lonwski; grandsons, Toby Witte Horn, Nathan Witte Horn, and Eric Lonowski; great-granddaughter, Abbirose Lonowski and many other relatives and friends. Graveside funeral services were Jan. 6, at St. Joseph's Catholic Cemetery in Broken Bow. Father James Hunt officiated. Pallbearers were the Oconto Fire Department. Elks rites were by the Broken Bow Lodge 1688. Memorials are to the Oconto Fire Department or Good Samaritan Care Center in Callaway. They may be sent in care of the family at 43390 Pressey W. Rd., Oconto, NE 68860.


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North Carolina�s court system is woefully underfunded, to the point that the former judge who runs the administrative arm of the courts is correct when he observes that a lack of money makes it difficult for the system to function efficiently and mete out justice fairly.
John Smith, a former prosecutor, chief District Court judge and special Superior Court judge from Wilmington, knows that money is tight; but it is his job as head of the N.C. Administrative Office of the Courts to warn legislators about the consequences of failing to properly fund the system. That includes not only the courts themselves, but judges, prosecutors, magistrates and public defenders who work in the courthouses.
More than 6,000 employees work under the AOC but, as the Associated Press reported recently, Smith told the House Committee on Judicial Efficiency and Effective Administration of Justice that he needs 700 more to handle the work that is expected in the coming years. It would cost $100 million.
Since taking the job at AOC in 2009, Smith has focused on efficiency as well as the need to update the long-outdated computer systems. Two years ago he initiated $13 million in voluntary budget cuts in a pre-emptive effort to hold off sharp reductions from the General Assembly. But lawmakers pushed through cuts that included eliminating 61 magistrates and 200 court employees.
Since then legislators have restored some of the magistrates and added money for court interpreters to meet a growing need.
The good news, at least for now, is that the caseload is dropping � especially traffic-related offenses that can quickly overflow the court calendar. The bad news is that cases are still backlogged and the workload heavy. That�s certainly the case in Alamance County where a Times-News story published in October found 30 inmates who had spent more than a year in the county jail waiting for their cses to be heard. Some were in the county lockup two years or more. Multiple reasons exist for it happening from delays at the SBI crime lab to budget cuts impacting the number of emergency or fill-in judges.
While a couple of the more long-term courses have been cleared since that story, it�s clear that regardless of finances, North Carolina residents will continue to demand fair trials and quick resolutions to cases. That system will be unable to function as intended without proper administration and sufficient money.
The House committee that just began meeting last month will look at ways to improve efficiency. As they perform that task, committee members should rely heavily on the expertise of a man who has seen the system from the prosecutor�s table, the bench and now from the administrative side. He has shown the willingness and ability to keep the wheels running as smoothly as possible and to make tough choices.
When one committee member asked Smith if he had a solution for the numerous problems he outlined, Smith did not hesitate. �More funding,� he said.


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About Me
- Rabbi Chaim Coffman
- Rabbi Coffman has helped people from all across the spectrum to prepare themselves properly for Orthodox Conversion to Judaism. His students admire his vast knowledge and appreciate his warm, personal attention and endearing sense of humor.
Welcome to Rabbi Chaim Coffman's Blog!
The conversion process can be a lengthy and daunting one to say the least and I want you to know that I am here to help you through it.
I have been teaching newcomers to Judaism for over a decade and over the last few years I have seen that conversion candidates really lack the support and knowledge they need to navigate the conversion process and successfully integrate into the Orthodox Jewish community.
I created my mentorship program in order to help make this whole experience as smooth and as painless as possible! (Can't do much about the growing pains, though ;)
Feel free to get to know me a little through the posts on my blog and visit the mentorship and syllabus page if you are interested in possible joining us.
I sincerely wish you all the best in your search for truth and spiritual growth.
Looking forward to meeting you,
Chaim Coffman
My Rebbe, Rav Moshe Sternbuch
Rav Sternbuch fully endorses me and supports my mentorship program.
He is the address for all of my halachic or hashkafic (practical and philosophical) questions that I or my students may have.
The articles are based on his weekly talks on the Torah portion that the Rav gives in Jerusalem in his kollel. As a member of the kollel I get first dibbs on the photocopies and I type them up for my blog so you can all benefit from the Rav's erudition and insight.
Rav Sternbuch on Parshas Bo
By Rav Moshe Sternbuch
The following was written by Rabbi Daniel Yaakov Travis based on a drasha given on leil Shabbos by Rav Moshe Sternbuch, Rosh Av Beis Din of the Eidah Hachareidis of Yerushalyim.
Making Fun of Paroh
"…you should relate to your children and grandchildren that which I was 'hisalalti' in Mitzrayim, and the miracles that I did, for I am Hashem." (Shemos 10:2)
Rashi explains that "hasalalti" refers to the mockery the Almighty made of Mitzrayim. On one day, Paroh declared, "Hashem is righteous, and myself and my nation are evil." Yet a short time later, after the Almighty removed the each plague from Egypt, Paroh forgot everything that happened and returned back to his previous arrogant denial of G-d.
The Torah instructs us that the correct way to convey this irrational behavior to tell our children is to depict Paroh as foolish and fickle. However, this episode seems like a minor suspect of the major miracles of the ten makkos. Why does the Torah place such an emphasis on remembering this?
If we look closely at what happened to Paroh, we can understand that we also experience similar patterns in our lives. When we have a crisis, we pour out our hearts to Hashem in tefillah, begging him to rescue us from our straits. Yet, just as soon as we find our salvation we find ourselves slipping back to our old ways, and Hashem is once again the furthest thing from our minds.
Remembering Paroh's foolish behavior can help keep us aware of our own hypocrisy. We will realize that even when things seem to be good, we are still utterly dependent on the Almighty's constant protection and mercy. This will prevent us from making the same mistakes as Paroh.
The Secret To Staying Inspired
After Hashem has directly intervened in our lives by saving us from harm, rescuing us from a crisis or some other act of Hashgacha Pratis (Divine Providence), we will certainly feel uplifted and close to Him. However, if we let nature take its course, we will inevitably forget what happened almost immediately. How can we maintain the lofty awareness of Hashem's greatness that we achieve during our moments of inspiration?
The Zohar reveals that we are obligated to regularly revisit and recall our memories of these sets of Divine kindness. Constant reflection on the awesome acts of love that the Almighty performs just for you will ensure that these acts become etched on your heart and make a permanent impression on your world view. This is the deeper meaning of the mitzvah of remembering Yetzias Mitzrayim daily.
In addition to remembering Hashem's kindness, there are other measures that help us maintain a constant and unwavering connection to our Creator.
The strongest force that pulls us away from serving Hashem properly is our sins. If we want to maintain our elevation, we should know that every effort we make to avoid an aveirah (sin) is a huge step in the right direction.
In the sixth chapter of Hilchos Teshuvah, the Rambam writes that Paroh was not the only person to have his heart hardened by Hashem. Anyone who habitually transgresses sinks into impurity and creates blocks between himself and his Creator. These locked doors make it much harder for him to return to the Almighty.
Even with the doors of teshuvah slammed shut a person can still use a spiritual crowbar to pry them open. However, the deeper a person has immersed himself in sin, the harder it will be to get through the gates of repentance. Righteous individuals constantly worry if perhaps they have overstepped the bounds, and therefore are always doing teshuvah to maintain their closeness to Hashem.
In another section, the Zohar writes that a person who has sunk into transgression will have difficulty concentrating on his tefillos (prayers). His mind is bombarded with foreign thoughts, and this disturbs through teshuvah, and then he will be able to return to praying with the proper intention.
Signs of Blood
When the Bais Hamikdash stood, we brought the Korban Tomid daily. These sacrifices erased our transgressions and helped us to maintain an elevated state. Now that the Bais Hamikdash lies in ruins and we ware in golus, what can we do on a daily basis to protect ourselves from the strong undercurrent in our society which pulls us downwards so forcefully?
On the night of Yetzias Mitrayim, Hashem revealed the secret to us. Every Jewish family was obligated to perform a bris milah on all of the males, and to wipe the blood of the Korban Pesach on their doorposts. These two signs protected them from the fatal power of makkos bechoros (killing of the first-born).
The blood of milah and on the doorposts is a lesson for all generations regarding how we can remain elevated despite the downward pull of golus. Blood represents mesiras nefesh, completely giving ourselves over to the Almighty's will, even when this is difficult. Such acts ensure that we will stay on the elevated level that a Jew is meant to strive for, even when the tides around us are pulling us in another direction.
It is particularly noteworthy that the Almighty instructed us to place the blood on the door. This is meant to be a reminder to us that if we want our homes to be a place where the Divine Presence will dwell, we must stand guard over what we let into the house. Radios, newspapers and the internet are especially threatening as they can subtly introduce foreign ideas wrapped in the guise of essential information and convenience and these can be completely antithetical to Torah ideology.
This is what the Torah means when it foretells that your children will ask, "What is the avodah to you?" In the thick of golus, the korban Pesach and the service of the Bais Hamikdash may seem antiquated and irrelevant to our children. We are instructed to answer them that just as the Jews acted with mesiras nefesh and were saved from the depths of Mitzrayim, so too, in every generation, a prodigious effort to swim against the tide which pulls us downward will allow us to maintain our elevated state.
For this reason, when Moshe Rabbeinu told the Jewish people that they would have Jewish descendents, Klal Yisrael expressed deep thanks to the Almighty. The Jewish people thought that when they would be exiled into foreign lands, their descendants would stray from the path of Torah. Moshe Rabbeinu told them that if they would internalize the message of the Korban Pesach and act with mesiras nefesh in golus, they would be protected from harmful influences.
Potential for Greatness
Rav Sternbuch relates what when he was thirteen, he entered yeshiva in England. During his first week there, the rosh yeshiva, Rav Shneider, gave a shiur to the entire yeshiva; during which he told the students that he expected them all to become gedolei Yisrael (great rabbis) like Rav Chaim Brisker.
One of the young bachurim (students) responded in shock to the rosh yeshiva's words: "How can we be like Rav Chaim Brisker?! I don't have a father like the Bais Halevi, and I am not gifted with the genius of Rav Chaim!"
The rosh yeshiva explained that he did not expect the boys to reach the same level of Torah learning as Rav Chaim. Certainly, Rav Chaim was given exceptional parents, intelligence and other advantages, which enabled him to reach the level that he did. This was not expected of everyone.
Rather, every bochur who channels all of his energies towards reaching his potential is considered a gadol. Since he has done everything in his power, Hashem considers him to have fully fulfilled his obligation to strive for Torah greatness. This was the rosh yeshivah's expectation of each of his talmidim.
The world we live in today is filled with powerful distractions and temptations that tug at our hearts and minds from all directions. Maintaining our moments of inspiration, teshuvah and mesiras njefesh are the best defense against foreign influences and the most important step towards reaching our personal greatness. These are the keys to maintaining the high as we count the days until this bitter golus ends.
How do I Incorporate the Secular World into my "New" Life
What about their old friends? What about the workplace? Is it throw out the old and in with the new? Do they straddle both worlds ie keep the good parts of the secular world with their new belief system?
How does this work or does it?
An important factor in this discussion is how we would like our home to look. If Torah is the ideal that we try and live and incorporate in our lives, do we want to bring the street into our house?
Yes, we have to be in the secular world so we can earn a livelihood. It doesn't mean, though we have to integrate these negative values in our lives. Movies, newspapers....many things that could possibly be antithetical to Torah.
If these things are full of lies, speak loshan hara, nivul peh...why would we want these things in our homes and why would we want to expose our kids to them?
Do they have any redeeming qualities that they give us? if there are, then is it possible to straddle both worlds?
The answer is that we must use secular world to be able to earn a livelihood. Earning a livelihood is only a means to an end to be able to learn Torah. Once we are "done" providing for our families, then we have an obligation to learn Torah.
This means that really, we are doing everything in our power to live a Torah lifestyle. We, as Torah Jews, have an obligation to sanctify the profane.
In some ways, this is what the festive mean we make on Purim is all about. We celebrate Haman's downfall, through this feast while at the same time, we joke and are merry.
At the same time, though, if we drink too much and only words of folly and stupidity come out, then we are not allowed to drink that much on Purim. The gemara tells us that one way to test a person is to see how they react when they have drank alchohol.
If only words of Torah come out, then we see that the neshama has been infused with the proper "soul food" and that person makes a tremendous kiddush Hashem.
The Ramchal tells us that we have the ability to sanctify every moment, either we are going up or down. Every day is a new opportunity to sanctify the profane.
May we always be up to the challenge and succeed!
Community Issues and Fitting In
It does not mean that this always happens and just because some people are rude and constantly want to hear "the converts" story, doesn't mean that all communities are bad.
People have to learn when to say things, how to be tactful. They also need to give the prospective convert their own space.
The convert also has to understand the mechanics of how the community works, ie what type of community is it. Is it more modern, Yeshivish...and whatever type of community it is, they have to do their best to uphold the standard that the community sets up.
If it is a very mixed community, then they have to figure out where they fit in within that context.
If they are not sure, they should ask people in the community.
One thing to always keep in mind is not to mix-up Jews and Judaism. Just because some may things that are not appropriate, does not give us the right to label them as convert haters....
We forget that people are human and make mistakes even rabbis
Is it really true I can get through the conversion process without a mentor?
This person must be qualified and should have greater people than him/herself to ask questions to when they are stuck or are not sure. The Mishna in Pirke Avos Chapter 6:Mishna 6 discusses the 48 ways one can acquire Torah. One of those ways is to "Know one's place."
Rabbeinu Yona states that knowing one's place means not sitting in someone's seat if that person is greater than you in Torah.The Chasam Sofer in his commentary states that a student should no do something without first speaking it out with his rebbe who will be able to guide him in the right path.
This means that if someone has a question about a certain action, thought, idea and is not sure, better to ask someone greater than you to get clarity. A student could be someone who has been learning for many years and has a question he can't answer.
Don't make the mistake, just because someone is a rabbi means that he has all the answers and never has to get another opinion.
Rav Moshe Sternbuch Shlita once told me better to say you don't know an answer to a question than possibly giving a wrong answer or someone bad advice.
Looking for the Already Converted or those in the process of conversion
Rav Sternbuch on Parshas Vaera: Behind the Miracles:Internalizing the Message of the Makkos
By Rav Moshe Sternbuch
The following was written by Rabbi Daniel Yaakov Travis based on a drasha given on leil Shabbos by Rav Moshe Sternbuch, Rosh Av Beis Din of the Eidah Chareidis of Yerushalyim.
Injections of Fear
The Torah describes the miracles that the Almighty performed for the Jewish people in Mitzrayim. First, Moshe Rabbeinu comes before Paroh and his staff transforms into a snake. After Paroh downplays this sign, the Almighty turns all of the water in Egypt into blood. After that, He brings a swarm of frogs into Mitzrayim. Eight more plagues followed, each one completely unique.
When we take a closer look at these miracles, we might wonder what the reason for them was. The Egyptians were masters of sorcery and their magicians could do tricks that appeared similar to some of the miracles that the Almighty performed. What was so special about the makkos (plagues)?
Miracles do not automatically change the way people think. While melachim (angels) are compelled to serve their Master, man has free choice. Every miraculous occurrence comes along with an alternative explanation in order to give us the choice to err in our assessment of the situation.
Mitzrayim was a place where many people knew enough magic to apparently manipulate the course of nature. The Almighty's miracles alone did not shock the Jewish people and therefore did not provide an immediate boost for our faith. However, there was an element of the makkos that changed Klal Yisrael as a nation.
The Haggadah Shel Psach tells us that every miracle was accompanied by yad chazakah, a strong hand, zeroyah netuyah, an outstretched arm, and morah gadol, great fear. All of these phrases describe the same thing; manifestations of the Almighty's awesome might. Every miracle in Egypt was accompanied by an "injection" of fear of G-d, which caused these wonders to have a huge impact even on people who were accustomed to seeing spectacular magic tricks.
Yiras Shomayim
The Torah writes that those Egyptians who feared the word of the Almighty brought their animals in during the plagues. At first glance, this pasuk surprises us. How is it possible that the Mitzrayim were G-d fearing?
There is a distinct difference between a person who is G-d fearing and someone who has yiras Shomayim. An individual who is G-d fearing only retains that attitude when the Divine Presence is revealed to him. The moment that the Almighty goes back to hiding Himself, the G-d fearing person will forget all about Him.
Yiras Shomayim is a more subtle concept. Someone who has yiras shamayim fears the Almighty at all times, even when he is not experiencing a revelation of the glory. This exalted level can only be attained by Klal Yisrael and not by the other nations of the world.
As we get closer and closer to the coming of Moshiach, the Almighty is revealing Himself with greater frequency through open miracles, catastrophic natural disasters, and other demonstrations of His infinite might. Those who fear G-d are temporarily moved by these displays of might, but quickly revert to their old habits with the passing of these incidents from the headlines. Those who have yiras Shomayim and are able to maintain their feelings of awe in the long term will escape the tribulations of chevlei Moshiach.
In the Birkas Hachodesh that is recited in shul before Rosh Chodesh, we mention yiras Shomayim twice. One time we add yiras cheit, fear of transgression, and once we say yiras Shomayim without any additions. What is the difference between these two descriptions?
These two descriptions refer to the two different types of Divine fear. Yiras Shomoayim by itself refers to an appropriate level of fear that is experienced as a result of the Divine Presence being revealed. However, yiras cheit is a constant sense of awe that can only come from Torah study and working to internalize the level that we reach when seeing and contemplating the Almighty's miracles.
Immune Fear
There was one person who did not receive an injection of fear when observing the miracles. The Almighty hardened Paroh's heart, allowing him to see things at face value. Consequently, these spectacular demonstrations of Divine power did not move him. For him, these miracles were no different than any of the other magic tricks that his sorcerers performed daily.
This is a typical reaction of a rosha when shown the truth. Instead of admitting the error of his ways, he stands firm in his foolishness. This can lead him to act illogically and against his own best interest.
During World War II, the great rasha, Hitler, ymach shemo vezichro (may his name be blotted out) showed us just such behavior. The Allies were advancing on the Germans, and the army asked him for more trains to carry supplies to the front rather than transporting Jews to their death in the camps. Seemingly, this was a very logical request for supplies were essential in their bid to regain the upper hand in the war.
Hitler responded with great fury: "Don't you realize how important it is to rid the world of the Jews?" Even as he was witnessing his own destruction unfolding, his passion for evil blinded him to his own folly.
The End of Days
In Mitzrayim the Almighty performed miracles that clearly; showed that only He controls the world. Seeing these displays of Divine might instilled yiras Shamayim into the Jewish people. Yet this pales in comparison to the clarity and fear that we will experience in the days of Moshiach.
"I took you (Klal Yisrael) to be My nation, and I manifested Myself as Elokim to you, I am Hashem Elokim." Sometimes the Almighty shows Himself to the world as Elokim, i.e. strict justice. In other instances, we see Him as Hashem, as He sends us overflowing mercy and kindness.
On the surface, this world presents itself to us as a mixture of Divine justice and mercy. Why are some people poor and others wealthy? Why are some gifted and others lacking in intelligence? Why do some have an easy life and others suffer? These are some of the many questions that we often ask when trying to comprehend G-d's way in this world.
Yet, as the pasuk tells us, "Hashem Elokeichem is true." In reality, there is absolutely no contradiction between the Divine attribute of mercy and that of strict justice. The two abide together in complete harmony, even though we are not expected to understand this. There is no "good" or "bad," only truth.
Rav Chaim Brisker said that in the End of Days, the Almighty will answer these questions. Each person will find out how everything that happened in his life was precisely designed to serve his individual needs. At that moment, every individual will experience great trepidation when he sees how he squandered many of the opportunities that the Almighty graciously offered him.
As we read these parshiyos in the Torah, we can learn from the Almighty's actions what is in store for us at the End of days. Now we can prepare ourselves, to ease the shock that will surely come. May those days come soon, and may we be prepared adequately to experience the joy that will accompany them.
Rav Sternbuch on Parshas Shemos
The following was written by Rabbi Daniel Yaakov Travis based on a drasha given on leil Shabbos by Rav Moshe Sternbuch, Rosh Av Beis Din of the Eidah Hachareidis of Yerushalyim
"Even thought the shevatim were counted during their lifetime by names, they are counted again after death. This is to show the Almighty's fondness for the Jewish people, who are compared to stars which are called to appear by name as the pasuk says, "He takes out his hosts by number and He calls all of them by name." (Rashi, Shemos 1:1)
What is the deeper meaning of the comparison between the Jewish people and the stars?
Perhaps it is that the stars appear as tiny, distant dots in the night sky, yet in truth they are vast entities many times larger than the world around us. So too, the neshama of every Jew may appear insignificant to the untrained eye, and yet it is a vast entity, as is the reward the neshama will receive for the mitzvos it guides a person to perform.
Just like each star has its own unique name, every Jew has his own unique purpose in this world that no one else can duplicate. Rav Elimelech of Lizhensk remarked, "When I get to Shomayim, they won't ask me why I wasn't the Baal Shem Tov. They will ask me, since I was Elimelech of Lizhensk, why wasn't I Elimelech?"
The parallel between Klal Yisrael and the stars becomes more relevant as we draw closer to the end of this long and bitter golus (exile). During the daytime, the sun illuminates the world and no other light is visible. Starlight only appears at night when the entire world is dark.
As we travel deeper and deeper into the darkness of the golus, the light created by each mitzvah a Jew performs appears brighter and more powerful. A mitzvah that in previous generations would not have been especially significant today fills the world with radiance. We now have the opportunity to reach great spiritual heights in a way that in previous generations would have been impossible.
The first six parshiyos of the Book of Shemos are commonly refered to as Shovavim, an acronym for Shemos, Vo'eirah, Bo, Beshallach, Yisro and Mishpatim. These weeks, when we learn about the miracles of Yezias Mitrayim and the giving of the Torah, are a special time for teshuvah. What is the connection between the themes of these parshiyos and teshuvah?
When the Jewish people initially came to Mitzrayim, we were under the leadership of Yaakov Avinu. He made sure that re remained a separate nation and did not assimilate with the Egyptians. Yaakov's guidance imbued us with the spiritual fortitude and protected us from the negative influences of our surrounding environment.
However, after Yaakov's death, the Jewish people experienced a rapid fall, until we reached the 49th level of impurity. Had we continued to fall, we would have reached the point of no return. The Almighty took us out of Mitzrayim and propelled us on an upward ascent until we received the Torah on Har Sinai.
The route that we traveled when leaving Mitzrayim is a process that every Jew faces when doing teshuvah Even if he has fallen to the lowest level of impurity, he can still pick himself up and aim for the highest levels of holiness. True repentance lights up his neshama and illuminates the world with the Almighty's radiance.
The Torah hints to this special process in the pasuk, "Mikrah kodesh zecher 'yetzias mitzrayim." Ikrah kodesh when we sanctify ourselves through teshuva, zecher l'yetzias Mitzrayim, is a hint to what happened in Mitzrayim," where we lifted ourselves up from the depths of spiritual degradation.
Friend or Foe
TheTorah writes that a new king arose who did not know Yosef. Rashi explains that Paroh was really the same king, yet he revised his decree. What was the nature of this gezeirah? (decree)
Throughout our history, the Jews have been challenged by two types of challenges. At times, the nations are friendly to us and welcome us into their society – providing we drop our religious beliefs. During other periods, we were persecuted and tortured for being Jewish.
Paroh adopted both of these strategies. Initially he decreed that Klal Yisrael should be invited to mingle with the people of Mitzrayaim, but the Jewish people resisted this temptation and remained aloof. When Paroh saw that his plan had not borne fruit, he changed tacks and was gozer backbreaking labor.
This type of two-pronged strategy continues to be repeated to this day. When the State of Israel was first founded, the Satmar Rav and the Chazon Ish discussed how this would affect the future of Torah Judaism. The Satmar Rav feared that the Zionist drive towards a socialist state was so strong that they would institute one discriminatory decree after another, aiming to eradicate the Jewish character of the
The Chazon Ish agreed with the Satmar Rov, that there was definitely a possibility but it was not his primary concern. He was much more worried that the Zionists would lure religious youth to join them through friendly means. These types of tactics are much more insidious and effective and potentially had the ability to eradicate religious Jewry.
Political Images
Even after Paroh started resorting to violence and cruelty, he still tried to offer logical political excuses for his reprehensible behavior. Paroh only decreed the murder of the male babies, who he claimed presented a potential military threat to his nation, but he graciously agreed to leave the female children unharmed. This ultimate plan was that the Egyptian would marry the remaining Jewish women, and this way he would effectively wipe out the Jewish people.
In contrast to Paroh's attempt to whitewash his true intentions, the Torah tells us that Shifrah and Puah acted in an opposite manner. These two righteous women single-handedly saved the Jewish people from annihilation. They were rewarded with batim, houses – descendants who were Kohanim and Leviim.
One would think that such a valiant act would automatically receive a vast reward. Yet the Torah tells us that had they acted to receive honor and glory, they would not have received such a significant reward. Only because they acted out of fear of the Almighty were they compensated so immensely.
Emunah Peshutah
The Medrash writes that Moshe Rabbeinu made an agreement with his father-in-law, Yisro, that their first son would become a priest to avodah zarah. Amingly enough, Moshe agreed to this stipulation. Micha, the child of Moshe Rabbeinu's firstborn son, Gershom later became an idol worshiper. How could Yisro have made such an offer and how could Moshe Rabbeinu have accepted it?
The purpose of this "deal" between these two great tzaddikim was certainly not that their offspring should actually worship idols. Yisro had come to the truth of Torah through a long intellectual search and felt that this had strengthened his beliefs. He wanted at least one of his grandchildren to also follow in this path.
Before the Almighty gave us the Torah which prohibited avodah zarah, Moshe Rabbeinu could agree to such a stipulation. However, belief based on philosophical proofs is not always strong and can easily be toppled by a clever argument.
In truth, the highest level of trust in the Almighty is emunah peshutah, simple faith. The Yaavetz, one of the Roshionim who lived during the times of the Spanish Inquisition, writes that many of the Jews who built their belief systems on philosophical proofs succumbed during those difficult times. Those who had emunah peshutah, simple faith, were able to stand up to the challenges they faced.
In today's world, we do not face the terrible choice between giving up our beliefs or dying for them, boruch Hashem. Yet we must nonetheless strive to attain emunah peshutah and complete the clarity regarding the reality of the Almighty's existence in our everyday lives. By making the smallest opening in our heart for teshuvah, we take a significant step towards this exalted level.
How did I get started
A few months later, I got a call on a Sunday morning to see if I could fill in a class to these special people. After getting ten minutes notice, I had to give a class for half an hour. As that 2 hour class ended, these eager students were starving for Torah and wanted more.
They wanted a class once a week, then twice a week. After a while, I became their link to Torah. It was then that I started my mentorship program for people interested in converting to Judaism and becoming Orthodox Jews.
Three and a half years later and six conversions under my belt, I continue to grow from the questions of my students and their unbelievable commitment to Judaism.


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Institutional Review Board
Welcome to the Gardner-Webb University Institutional Review Board (IRB). The Gardner-Webb University Institutional Review Board exists to support and monitor the ethical research of undergraduate students, graduate students, faculty, and any other researchers requesting supervision. The IRB supports research ethics as described by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, summarized by the following points:
- Research participants must be kept free from harm.
- Research participants must give their informed consent before participating in research.
- Research participants have the right to anonymity. At no time should their name be associated with data.
- Research participants have the right to withdraw without penalty.
- Research participants must be debriefed after their participation is complete.
The IRB consists of members appointed by Chairs and Deans. The IRB then elects its own Chair who serves a two-year term. The Dean of the School of Graduate Studies serves as the IRB's Institutional Administrator. The IRB also includes a Cognizant Representative who is selected from outside of GWU. The IRB approves and reviews all research involving human subjects.
All researchers who interact with human subjects to collect data must complete a required educational program on ethics and procedures for the use of human subjects in research before the IRB may approve an application.
The IRB policy does not apply to professors and students collecting otherwise "exempt" data for educational purposes in the classroom. Anonymous educational tests and surveys are included in this category. Anonymous publicly available data and program evaluations are also exempt. Any professor may require students collecting "exempt" data to go through the IRB process.
This web site provides an overview of the purposes, policies, and procedures related to research requiring IRB approval. Prior to collecting data you will need to receive certification from the Graduate School that you have successfully completed competency testing via the Blackboard course "IRB Competency".
For further information please contact Dr. Sydney Brown, IRB Institutional Administrator at (704) 406-3019 or email at email@example.com.


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- Inside Athletics
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- Donate Now
NASHVILLE (Feb. 15, 2012) – With four regular season games remaining, the ETSU women's basketball team is looking for a spark to help end its three-game losing skid.
The Lady Bucs hope to find that spark and come together as a team when the Blue and Gold embark on a critical two-game conference road swing, beginning Thursday night at Lipscomb. Tip is slated for 7:30 p.m. (ET) inside Allen Arena.
ETSU (6-19, 5-7 A-Sun) finds itself in unchartered waters as the Lady Bucs have never lost three consecutive conference games since joining the A-Sun in 2005-06. In addition, the Blue and Gold have been the top seed in the conference tournament for the last three seasons; however, ETSU is just hoping to be one of the eight teams to make it to Macon, Ga. come Feb. 29.
Should the season end today, the Lady Bucs would be the No. 8 seed, but things can quickly change in either direction depending on the outcome of these last four games.
The good thing is, the Lady Bucs are traveling to a place where they have had a lot success over the years – Nashville.
The Lady Bucs have enjoyed making the trip to Nashville as ETSU has won 13 consecutive conference games in the Music City, including two A-Sun Championships (2008 and 2009). The last time ETSU lost a conference game in Nashville was on Feb. 3, 2007 when the Lady Bucs fell to Lipscomb, 57-52, marking a span of 1,839 days (5 years, 13 days) since their last conference loss in the Music City. The Lady Bucs have defeated Lipscomb five times inside Allen Arena during this stretch and Belmont four times inside the Curb Event Center, while knocking off Mercer and Jacksonville twice in the A-Sun Tournament at Lipscomb.
One of the Lady Bucs looking to continue her impressive stretch is sophomore Destiny Mitchell (Bluffton, Ga.). Mitchell has been one of the hottest players in the A-Sun over the last eight games as she has recorded five double-doubles during this stretch, and is averaging 17.6 points and 10.8 rebounds, while shooting 71.1 percent (59-for-83) from the field. Along with Mitchell, senior Natalie Pickwell (Kingsport, Tenn.) has stepped up her game over the last three contests. The Kingsport, Tenn. native is averaging 17.3 points and 5.3 threes over this stretch.
Meanwhile, Lipscomb has also lost its last three games and enters Thursday's contest with a record of 5-20, 3-11 A-Sun.
The Lady Bison have won two of their last three games at home and are led by the strong duo of Anna Bowers and Hannah Phillips. Bowers leads the team in scoring at 13.0 points per game and has connected on 55 of Lipscomb's 156 made three-pointers on the year. Phillips is posting 11.7 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in 30.6 minutes of play during her junior year.
As a team, Lipscomb ranks seventh in the A-Sun in scoring offense (59.3) and ninth in defense (74.1), but the Lady Bison are the second best 3-point shooting team in the league. Lipscomb – who is shooting 34.4 percent from beyond the arc – has made the third most triples among conference foes, 156.
The Lady Bucs have won 15 of the 16 games in the series with their lone loss being the five-point setback on Feb. 3, 2007. Since that loss, ETSU has won 12 straight, while the Lady Bucs are winning on average of 19.7 points per game during this impressive run, including the most recent 89-52 win over Lipscomb back on Jan. 21 in Johnson City. The Lady Bucs were led by Mitchell's 21-point, 13-rebound performance, while Pickwell came off the bench to add 17 points, five rebounds, four assists, and three steals in 25 minutes of play. Freshman guard Brianna Bogard (Georgetown, Texas) also scored in double figures after tallying 14 points on 5-of-8 shooting.
Fans unable to make the trip to Nashville can listen to all the action on WXSM-AM 640 The Extreme Sports Monster as "Voice of the Lady Bucs" John Stevens will carry the play-by-play. Live video will also be offered via ASun.TV, while live stats are available through LipscombSports.com.
For more information on Lady Buccaneer hoops, visit www.ETSUBucs.com.


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Transferring / Re: Spring Transfer?« on: August 16, 2007, 06:55:06 AM »
I transfered in the Spring. I think many schools will permit a Spring transfer to replace the few students they lose from the Fall class. It seems like my school (OU) let in about 3-4 transfer students that Spring.


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|Oracle® Real User Experience Insight Installation Guide
Release 6.5.2 for Linux x86-64
Part Number E20329-02
|View PDF · Mobi
This chapter describes the procedure for initially configuring RUEI. This task is performed by the individual within your organization who has been assigned the role of RUEI Super Administrator (this is, the
admin user). For more information about roles, see the Oracle Real User Experience User's Guide.
It is strongly recommended that a network engineer within your organization validates collected network traffic after configuring RUEI. The procedure to do this is described in Appendix D, "Verifying Monitored Network Traffic".
In order to get RUEI up and running, you will need to have prepared the server systems for RUEI, and installed the RUEI software. This is described in Chapter 4, "Installing the RUEI Software". After that, you are required to specify the installation type and mail setup (described in Performing Initial RUEI Configuration), and then perform some post-installation configuration (described in Performing Post-Installation Configuration). This is necessary in order to start reporting. It includes deciding how pages and users will be identified, and specifying the scope of monitoring in your network environment. Finally, you will need to define the system's initial users, as described in Authorizing Initial Users. Note that if you are installing a split-server configuration, you will need to configure each Collector system. This is described in Configuring a Collector System.
Caution:The configuration of RUEI should be discussed with someone with a detailed knowledge of your organization's network topology.
In order for RUEI to start data monitoring and reporting, it must be configured with some information about your network infrastructure. Once completed, user traffic reporting is available. Note that this initial configuration can be changed later, as necessary. It is only intended to provide RUEI with sufficient information to start real-user monitoring and reporting.
To perform the initial RUEI configuration, do the following:
Start the Initial setup wizard by pointing your browser at
/ruei. The dialog shown in Figure 6-1 appears:
Specify the
admin user, and the password defined with the
set-admin-password script (defined in Installation of the Reporter Software). When ready, click Login. The dialog shown in Figure 6-2 appears.
Note that the first time a user logs on, they receive a warning that the Web server was unable to verify the identify of the site's certificate. Depending on your security policies, you can either choose to accept this certificate permanently, temporarily for this session, or reject the certificate. Alternatively, you can purchase a certificate from a Certificate Authority (CA). You can also create an SSL certificate. More information at the following location:
Figure 6-2 Initial Setup Wizard Dialog
Click Next to proceed with configuration. The dialog shown in Figure 6-3 appears:
Specify the requested information. The e-mail information is used to configure RUEI's interface to your internal network, and will be used for reporting problems. When you have entered the required information, click Next. The dialog shown in Figure 6-4 appears.
Figure 6-4 Settings Overview Dialog
Check that the information specified in the settings overview is correct. You can use Back and Next to move between dialogs as necessary. When ready, click Next. The dialog shown in Figure 6-5 appears.
Figure 6-5 Applying Settings Dialog
This dialog indicates how far the system has got in applying your specified settings. Typically, this process takes a maximum of 15 minutes. When finished, click Finish to close the dialog.
To register a Collector to a Reporter system, do the following:
Within the Reporter system, select System, then Maintenance, and then Network data collectors. The Network data collectors window appears.
Select Configuration, and then Register remote Collector. The Register Collector dialog shown in Figure 6-6 appears.
Figure 6-6 Register Collector Dialog
Enter the IP address of the Collector. Optionally, you can also specify a brief description of the attached Collector. When ready, click Register. On return to the Network data collectors window, the new Collector should be listed.
If for any reason you need to register a Collector system with a different Reporter system than earlier configured, do the following:
Logon to the Collector system as the
moniforce user, and remove the Collector's currently defined Reporter assignment by issuing the following commands:
su - moniforce appsensor delete wg
Follow the procedure described in Configuring a Collector System to register the Collector with the required Reporter.
In order to start reporting, the RUEI needs certain information about the monitored network environment. It is important to understand that RUEI is designed to work within a wide range of network environments. Therefore, the configuration choices you make will affect the accuracy and usability of the reported data. It is strongly recommended that you carefully review the settings described in this section.
Within RUEI, session information is based on cookies. Therefore, RUEI needs to know and understand the cookie technology (or technologies) your organization is using. The procedure to configure this is described in the Oracle Real User Experience Insight User's Guide. The structure of supported cookie technologies is also explained in the Oracle Real User Experience Insight User's Guide.
If cookie information is not available, user tracking is based on visitor IP address. This can lead to unreliable session information. For example, in the case of users behind a proxy server, all users coming from that network would be identified as the same user.
Uploading SSL keys to the system is extremely important if most of your HTTP traffic is based on SSL sessions. Without the SSL keys being available to the system, the Collector will not be able to decrypt the SSL session traffic. In these circumstances, further configuration of cookies, user identification, and application pages would make little sense. Ensure that you upload and activate your HTTPS SSL keys as early on as possible in the configuration process. The management of SSL keys is fully described in the Oracle Real User Experience Insight User's Guide.
Within RUEI, user identification is first based on the HTTP Authorization field. After that, it is derived from the supplied GET/POST argument within URLs. Therefore, if you are using arguments within URLs, the item within these used for user identification must be specified in order to provide reliable results. This is fully described in the Oracle Real User Experience Insight User's Guide.
Page identification within RUEI is based on applications. Essentially, an application is a collection of Web pages. This is because pages on a Web site are typically bound to a particular application. For each page that the system detects, it uses the available application definitions to assign a name to it. Note that information about any pages that could not be identified using these definitions is discarded, and, therefore, not available through reports and the data browser. This is fully described in the Oracle Real User Experience User's Guide.
Within RUEI, you control the scope of traffic monitoring by specifying which TCP ports the SYSTEM should monitor. Obviously, no information is available for non-monitored ports. In addition, you can restrict monitoring to specific servers and subnets. This is fully described in the Oracle Real User Experience Insight User's Guide.
In order for users to start working with RUEI, you will need to authorize the required users. Only one user,
admin, is available after installation. The procedure to set the initial
admin user password is described in Installation of the Reporter Software. All other required users must be created and assigned the necessary roles and access permissions through the Reporter GUI. In particular, it is recommended that you create a dedicated Security Officer account to finalize the security-related configuration. User roles, creation and management are fully described in the Oracle Real User Experience Insight User's Guide.
Note that user names and passwords are case sensitive. For ease of entry, it is recommended that you do not include any diacritic characters, such as umlauts, within passwords.
To ensure the quality and quantity of data being collected and analyzed by your RUEI system, it is strongly advised that you verify the system's configuration using some core metrics. These are described in the following sections.
You can open an overview of the monitored network traffic by selecting System, then Status, and then Data processing. This provides you with immediate information about hits, pages, and session processing, as well as the system load. An example is shown in Figure 6-7:
Figure 6-7 Data Processing Dialog
The precise number of percentage of identified sessions, page views, and hits relies heavily on your exact configuration. If you intend to measure all traffic, it is recommended that at least 80% of sessions, page views, and hits are reported as "identified". It is also recommended that you regularly review the reported numbers and percentages to ensure the quality and quantity of reported data.
Important:After initial configuration of cookies, user identification, and application page structure, the system will take at least 5 - 10 minutes before the Sessions/Hits/Page views tabs are updated with green bars. If, after 20 - 30 minutes after initial configuration, there are no green bars showing on any of the tabs, please review your initial RUEI configuration. If the bars do not indicate any activity at all, please review your system's network card configuration as outlined in Network Requirements
At this point, RUEI should be collecting data from each of its associated Collectors. You can easily check the status of these Collectors by selecting System, then Status, and then Collector status. This opens the Network data collectors window. This is fully described in the Oracle Real User Experience Insight User's Guide.
It is important to understand that the data being collected by Collector system(s) is offered to the RUEI data processing module for further analysis. If no data is collected, there is no means by which it can be processed.


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The guidebook is compiled by the office of the dean of faculty. The policies and procedures described in the guidebook are published as fully accurate to the best of the college's knowledge, but are subject to change without notice.
Questions or comments regarding the guidebook should be directed to Lisa Mickola.
3203 Southeast Woodstock Boulevard
Portland, Oregon 97202-8199
Phone: 503/771-1112
Fax: 503/777-7769


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March 2017
February 24, 2017 By LCHDAdmin
Filed Under: 2017, Newsletters
Located approximately 30 miles from Lubbock, LCHD serves the South Plains with pride in offering the very best in personalized healthcare. We invite you to visit us and learn for yourself that you are never just another number or nameless face in a large institution of other numbers and nameless faces. At LCHD it's All ABOUT YOU!


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Cole Lecture given by Dr. Misha Angrist• March 7, 2013 Share:
Wabash College Biology Department will present Thomas Cole Biology Lecture Series given by Misha Angrist. Angrist will give his talk on "If you are not a king then I am not a subject: Treating research participants like people" at 8 p.m., Monday, March 11, in room 104 in Hays Science Hall.
Angrist is an assistant professor of the practice at Duke Institute for Genome Sciences and Policy. Angrist was the fourth subject to have his genome sequenced in George Church's Personal Genome Project, and the experience provided the basis for his book, Here is a Human Being. His research interests are focused at the "intersection of genomic science and society" and especially the emerging personal genomics initiatives. He is the author or co-author of several articles that deal with ethical issues arising out of the personal genomics initiatives. Angrist holds a PhD in genetics from Case Western Reserve, an MS in genetic counseling from the University of Cincinnati, and an MFS from Bennington Writing Seminars.
In addition to his Monday evening lecture, Angrist will give a 12:10 p.m. talk on Monday, on "An Acre of Tea Leaves: The Past, Present and Future of Clinical DNA Sequencing." The talk will take place in Hays Hall, room 104.
Both lectures are free and open to the public.


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Be sure to check out the instructions of our pirate themed party ideas for our easy-to-use how-tos and tips.
Want a fun party full of treasure hunts, scavenger hunts and a lot more? Or are you just looking for a fun birthday party theme? If you answered yes to both, then a pirate party might just be what you are looking for.
Do you have special instructions to your guests? Instructions can vary from your preferred attire of your guests to some special requests like "Bring a bandana or two" just in case you need it for a party game. Don't forget to send those special instructions with your birthday party invitations.
You can find free pirate themed party ideas and invitations on this page. We also provided similarly designed thank you notes and blank party cards to go with each birthday party invitation.
If for one reason or another you decided the printable on this page is not for you, check our other pirate themed party ideas and invitations.
How to use our pirate themed party ideas:
Download our image by right-clicking on the image, and choosing Save Picture As. Save image to C:\Images folder.
Insert your chosen invitation in a blank Microsoft Word document. You can do this by choosing Insert > From File and then browsing to C:\Images and choosing the right invitation image.
Insert a text box by choosing Insert > Textbox > Horizontal. A text box should appear in your document.
Double click on the text box and ensure that in the Colors and Lines tab, the Fill-Color section says No Fill and Lines-Color section says No Lines.
You can then move the text box such that it overlaps the image you inserted before. Just move the text box to the lined spaces, click on the text box, and type in your details. Feel free to customize your font type, size and color.
You can use one text box per invitation field (eg. One for date, another for the time field). This will make it way easier for you to align your text to the image text.
Once the necessary fields are filled up, you can just highlight the image plus your text and make another copy in the same document. In this manner, you can print the document with two invitations, instead of just one.
Or if you would rather email this invitation to your friends, just copy image + text to Photoshop or your preferred image editor and save it as JPEG. Your invitation is now ready to be emailed!
If you will find it easier, feel free to use our blank card to create your invitation. The text box method mentioned above should also well for this process.


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[Review] Generation of Chaos: Pandora's Reflection
When Sting and Idea Factory joined forces, they had the audacity to brand their collaboration as "Super Sting." It reeks of hubris, but if I can be honest, I'd expect nothing less from Idea Factory. On paper it sounds like a really promising venture as Sting consistently creates unique gameplay options while drudging a bit on the story. Idea Factory is a well known visual novel producer in Japan so pairing a gameplay focused studio with a story driven one is just a good idea.
On paper at least.
With this being Generation of Chaos' sixth entry, it begs to question whether Sting would be able to rejuvenate the series. Did this super collaboration prove successful? Read on to find out.
Instead of coming to the board anew with Generation of Chaos: Pandora's Reflection, Sting decided to retool their Yggdra Unison battle system to work for the PSP. If you haven't heard of Yggdra Unison, that's because Atlus never localized it for the west. What this system does essentially is create an RTS battle structure within the limitations of the PSP. For those questioning RTS systems without pointer controls, yes it does work.
It works because they simplify the structure down to traditional strategy RPG definitions. Party size is capped at 5 people on screen, the arenas are all the size of the PSP screen and most importantly, it all works around a tower defense style structure of resource management. All battles follow the same techniques with subtle variations in their goal structure so Sting eases you in to the system gradually. This is something they are very good at; they build complex systems and give the player a lot of room to make mistakes and understand how the game works.
This is very important because the game has numerous real time considerations that it needs to employ at any given time. Little things like which unit to use, where to move them and when to use a summon monster are all things that Sting spends the time to work out with you. You'll need it because the way the battle system works boils down to essentially the attack structure to Elite Beat Agents meets volleyball.
If you think that's an odd description for a battle system, it is. If you see in the above image, whenever two people collide they attack with a simple rhythm game prompt. Different weapons offer different prompts, but with only six weapon types you'll get used to them fairly quickly. Following a successful attack, you have the ability to knock around the character to another one of your attackers in what could only be described as gang violence.
So a large part of this game is setting your allies up to beat a single character around the field. Bouncing an opponent around five times results in a flashy "Chaos Attack Special" that causes an explosion which damages the enemy and people around them. It is a very active system, but it ultimately gets repetitive. With only those six weapons, the rhythm game becomes the same thing over and over again. They have a nice little upgrade system for weapons that changes a Platinum Sword in to a Fire Gun that would be a fantastic excuse to change the rhythm up a bit. Sadly that's not the case. Characters can equip two (or in a rare case three) weapons, so that adds a bit to the game, but not much when it all comes down to it. The focus instead lies on the distance weapons can bounce characters which does add a lot more strategy to things, but after 30 missions a bit more could have been done.
Instead of relying on Sting's penchant for layering the gameplay by adding a late twist as in Yggdra Union, they presented a straightforward system and relied mostly on the story to liven things up. Within those 30 chapters, it starts to lag in the middle, but certainly begins to ramp up near the end when the difficulty starts to get tough. To offset this difficulty, they allow you to cheat by grinding through free battles. The nice part was I never felt compelled to use this option until just before the final boss.
Generation of Chaos: Pandora's Reflection is a standalone title in the series so there isn't any need to worry about back story. Many of the motifs have been carried over, but that's about it. What Idea Factory has crafted is an overly complicated narrative involving really horrific events and a storyline belonging more in tune with a comic book than a video game. This is high drama stuff here, or at least as high drama as you can get while still using a selling point like shy mermaid girls and busty mages.
The story is focused on the very close relationship between an alchemist and his cursed sister as they travel the land trying to find some cure for her disease. They gather together a band of characters each of which fills their perspective archetypes as one would completely expect. This crew will march forward fighting oppression, human rights abuses, fate and the occasional psychopaths. Compelling stuff really.
It is a very intriguing story to burn through that could be extremely depressing if it weren't for the plucky attitudes of our rag tag band of adventurers. It really tries to take from the pages of manga like Full Metal Alchemist with its tone and overuse of homunculus. It doesn't succeed that lofty goal, but there is some real drama that they try to pull off and it creates some interesting backdrop to battles that can get repetitive. For those who think I'm kidding about how depressing it could be, here are the titles of some of the chapters: The Forbidden Land of the Cannibal, The Falling Ceiling, and The Prism and the Death Butterfly. It's like they hired a goth to write the story and then somebody at Idea Factory asked the obvious question of "where do the cute girls come in?"
Idea Factory made an overly dramatic comic book story that they fit in to the confines of an RTS. It is admirable in its success. Unfortunately, like most Idea Factory games, the attempt is still a bit short sighted. It's a story essentially about the butterfly effect which incorporates a time travel mechanic and parallel universes. This story is too complicated for DC Comics, you can't expect them to get everything right. To make it work, they just push forward through the story and leave most questions unanswered or solved by the cureall that is magic. It is something that gets a bit ridiculous and while I certainly get a kick out of stuff like that as a comics fan, others might not.
It's also fairly disappointing that this story that focuses on repercussion has only one random decision tree thrown in. Not a deal breaker in the slightest, but when I finally stumbled upon it, it shocked me. I sat there staring at this decision tree for minutes wondering why it wanted to show up here of all places.
For those looking at the Idea Factory name and cringing a bit, relax. This is a good game because they partnered with a developer who knows how to make good games. It has that Idea Factory quirkiness that people want to love paired with Sting's unique gameplay to carry it through. It is not perfect, but it is a unique game with a crazy story. Not quite super, but it is one of those games that plays to convention while going absolutely insane with it's story.
I'm not sure who I'd recommend a game like this to, but if I ever did find that person who wanted a portable RTS rhythm game centered around conventions that many comic book writers wouldn't employ, this would be the game I would heartily recommend to them.
Final Breakdown: Good
[+Strong, Unique RTS System] [+Interesting Story] [+Solid Gameplay] [-Repetitive]


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Finch's Sunny San Francisco Kitchen
Who cooks here? Finch and boyfriend, Ben.
Location: San Francisco, CA
Own or rent? Rent
Kitchen size: 82 square feet
What challenge have you overcome in your kitchen?
When I first moved in, the refrigerator was where the bar table now resides, blocking most of the one window. Moving it next to the oven opened up the window and improved the work flow triangle of the space, and made it possible to put the nice little table in.
Thumbs Up Voting is only activated for 48 Hours — so don't delay!
What's the story of your kitchen?
The previous occupant painted the floor to ceiling cabinets orange, and the landlord didn't paint them over when she moved out. It was really startling at first but it makes it really cheery. There's also a lot of counter and storage space, and places for indirect-light loving plants.
What is your favorite meal to cook here?
It's really difficult for me to choose... I love making week night dinners, desserts and baking bread, and cooking breakfast/brunch on the weekends.