text:
What are the important things in life to you? Really. Give it a thought for a moment. Hobbies? Friends? Pets? Socializing? Family? I'm going to wager that, among whatever else you thought, most all of you were in agreement with family and friends. Splendid, after all what could be more important than the ones you care about and who care about you? Hold on now. Let me ask you this: Was December the 25th or is today and tomorrow the only times you made time to visit them? Some of you will say 'of course not!', but some of you may say something else. If you are among the folks who said something else, then I'd like you to consider this: Something—or someone—is only as important to you as you make it.
What do I mean, you may ask? Well, I imagine that all of you try to spend time doing whatever those things are that you find enjoyment in. Despite the busy schedules that our lives lead us on these days (curse you, smartphones) we all do seem to find time for making ourselves feel important. Now, of the important things that came to mind when I asked what you considered important in your lives, how many do you actually, willfully, make time for? You see, you can go on about how important something is to you till the end of time, but if you never really show it, take the time to show it, take the effort to show it, than it truthfully is not that important to you at all.
Lots of folk claim to place importance on so many things, and yet so little of those things really matter to them. I hope that, as this year comes to a close, you will think hard and decide what is—or who is—truly important to you, because nobody ever fooled others or themselves forever.
Keep Strong!


text:
Church Newsletter & Calendar
Vacation Bible School
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Plus, kids walk away with a rock-solid faith that they can rely on God when life gets tough! Look for the Everest VBS link at www.stpetersnorthwales.org.
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
If we all pattern our behavior after the worst examples available to us then all is truly lost.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Newt the Impaler
"Vlad" Gingrich is molesting the Constitution in the name of national security again. This time he's on a tirade about the recent Supreme Court decision that grants prisoners held at young Mr. Bush's pleasure in Guantanamo the right to a habeas corpus hearing.
"This court decision is a disaster and it could cost us a city," Newt said on Face the Nation. Land o' Goshen. The only way this court decision could cost us a city is if it makes Newt's head explode. Driving Newt's noodle to critical mass would be the kind of disaster we need, but it would force us to make some difficult decisions. Losing New York City or Washington D.C. might be too high a price to pay to be permanently rid of Newt, but if we're talking, say, Minot, North Dakota, well…
I take that back. Minot's a lovely city and we have a strategically significant military base there. We'll blow Newt's noggin to smithereens in that chancre sore on the Potomac. Let's just make sure all the politicians are in town when we push the plunger.
All the President's Yes Men
Newt has a squadron of wingmen on this mission. Fellow vampire and dissenting Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia calls the decision a "self-invited…incursion into military affairs."
I find it fascinating that a Supreme Court Justice would consider the high court's involvement in a constitutional matter an "incursion," or that the court "invited" itself to rule on a case brought to it by a plaintiff. As to interfering in military affairs, Scalia must be reading a different Constitution from the one the rest of us have available. Article III of the Constitution we peons have to make do with says that the Supreme Court's judicial power extends to all cases rising from the Constitution, and habeas corpus is most certainly a constitutional issue. The Constitution doesn't say anything about the military having a say in constitutional matters.
Lipstick neocon Lindsey Graham says the decision gives every member of al Qaeda "the same constitutional rights as an American citizen." Graham's a lawyer, and a reserve Air Force JAG officer to boot. He knows good and well that granting Guantanamo prisoners the habeas privilege does not give them the same rights American citizens have. If it did they could all move to South Carolina and vote Graham's happy wazoo out of office. More to the point, though, is that the Constitution treats habeas as a universal right, not as a privilege of U.S. citizenship. That's why it's mentioned in Article I instead of in the bill of rights.
Graham also says that thanks to the ruling, the decision as to who qualifies as an enemy combatant "is not going to be made by military personnel tribunals, trained in the matters of warfare, but that decision will be made by the most liberal judges the detainees can find." Gingrich echoed that sentiment on Face the Nation when he screeched that the decision will allow "any random nut case district judge, who has no knowledge of national security, to set the rules for terrorists." I'm not convinced there's a judge in the land who's a bigger nut case than Newt, but his and Lindsey's concerns can be easily addressed. Article III empowers the legislature to establish new courts. Congress could easily create a court with specific jurisdiction over enemy combatants much in the same way it made courts with jurisdiction over tax issues and military appeals, and the president can nominate judges to fill that court's benches who know a lot more about matters of warfare than Newt and Lindsey combined.
Judges like that won't be hard to find.
They Vant to Shed Your Blood
Newt was going for the throat on Face the Nation when he rolled out his main argument: "Five lawyers had decided that the Supreme Court counts more than the Congress and the president combined in national security" and had meddled in an affair "that ought to be a principled argument between McCain and Obama."
Will someone please invite this undead bag of pus to a garlic festival?
This wasn't a national security issue, it was a constitutional issue, and even if it was a national security issue, Newt's biggest nut-case district judge is more qualified in matters of national security than George W. Bush is. Hell, all three of my dogs are better qualified to be commander in chief than Bush is; none of them have lost two wars.
Article I, the part of the Constitution that establishes powers of the legislature, states: "The privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in cases of rebellion or invasion the public safety may require it."
We're not in a state of rebellion and nobody's invading us, so Congress has no business putting its grubby paws on habeas. Article II doesn't let the president anywhere near habeas, and nowhere does the Constitution remotely suggest that habeas corpus is a matter for discussion, principled or otherwise, between presidential candidates.
You tend to think Newt is smart enough to know that he's talking garbage, and that his ideologue pals like Scalia and Graham do too. It's anybody's guess what really goes on between these yahooligans' ears, but it's telling that neoconservative crown prince John McCain considers the court ruling "one of the worst decisions in the history of this country" yet says that the invasion of Iraq "was not a mistake."
Commander Jeff Huber, U.S. Navy (Retired) writes at Pen and Sword . Jeff's novel Bathtub Admirals (Kunati Books), a lampoon on America's rise to global dominance, is on sale now.
24 comments:
Commander, funny you should pen a column today, on things "constitutional."ReplyDelete
One of my bookmarks is a website called www.Op-EdNews.com. This morning the site has a link to the Cedar Rapids, Iowa online Gazette. There are also some YouTube videos.
"Martial Law" has been declared in the flooded areas of Iowa. It would seem that this "declaration" gives "strike teams" in the area the authority to, restrain homeowners from entering their homes, while the "strike teams" knock down the doors, to enter and supposedly check for structural damage. At times they find firearms, and they are confiscated. Meanwhile, the homeowner, who has keys to his abode, is left standing, at the edge of his/her neighborhood to watch all this happen, or possibly arrested, and then left with not only possible flood damage, but having to now do a complete door replacement. hopefully before looters decide to also enter, uninvited.
I know your expertise is things military, and such. But, doesn't that pesky 4th Amendment in the Constitution say something about "unreasonable search and seizure?".
And, while we are talking about consitutional rights, shouldn't they apply to our own folks also?
Also, just what the hell about a flood, which has happened in Iowa and other places in the midwest, many times in years past, triggers a "national emergency" which in turn triggers "martial law?" Which then triggers some thugs that law enforcemwent calls a "strike force", busting in peoples doors, and climbing through windows, to enter people's homes, all the while adding to the misery of people already in a world of hurt.
Curious minds want to know.
Now that we have secured habeas corpus for Gitmo detainees, reckon what can we do about Iowa?
Yeah, maybe now we can go about protecting the rights of our citizens.ReplyDelete
"Congress could easily create a court with specific jurisdiction over enemy combatants"ReplyDelete
What a great solution.
Meanwhile, "Nuke Gingrich" would look great on a t-shirt if anyone wants to create one on cafepress.com and sell it.
No, they don't give a shit about civil liberties unless it's their civil liberties.
I think you've got a money maker there!
Jeff, great article.ReplyDelete
I am recommending it to several friends.
These neocons have made the case that they hate Habeas, they hate Article I, Article II, Article III.
Why don't they just come out and say they hate our Constitution?
Why don't they just come out and say they hate us for our freedoms?
Wait a second, the neocons already said that.... about the terrorists!
The duck test applies here.
Neocons are revealing themselves as the fundamentalist radicals dressed up in conservative clothing that they really are.
Thanks, Geoffrey. Yeah, water runs off their backs all right.ReplyDelete
you know, you have the dubious 'honour' to be an enlightening, entertaining AND a depressing writer all rolled in one! Alas, that's what happens when you call'm as you see'm. Especially these days. It is so 'darn' exasperating with all that stupidity abounding..my only hope for relief is "Yes Prime Minister" somehow being revived on an American set so we can all laugh and cry at the same time.ReplyDelete
Until then, I'll just chuckle at 'young mr. Bush' to the left of me (sidebar) with his 'interesting hand gesture'... [big sigh]
November can't come soon enough..
Keep in mind, Ingrid, that the neo-undead won't go away, they'll just be out of office.ReplyDelete
ray mcgovern just called them 'crazies' but I like the term neo-undead. btw..you need to be less modest and promote your interview with Russ a bit more Jeff. I followed his commentary and read the interview and discovered a very interesting blog in the process..ReplyDelete
surely as a retired commander you can toot your own horn??
I'm familiar with Ray through Gareth Porter. Ray's a fine man. Any suggestions on what to do to promote Russ's interview?ReplyDelete
I got home really late last night so did you have the 'Russ Wellen interview' on the top of your sidebar then? (If you did, I did not see it but that was me being way too tired. However, after eating you cannot go to bed hence I was browsing through 'my blogs')ReplyDelete
So what else could you do? Well, since you are on Booman and Daily kos, could you at least post part of the interviews there? Naturally linking to Scholars&Rogues. Also, perhaps instead of solely having a picture of Russ and referring to your interview, how about a short, enticing excerpt to make people curious? If I had the masses flocking to my blog I'd excerpt and link to it but alas, no fan-dom there..
alright Jeff, I did some looking around online and found this link that has some good tips. I get the impression (I might be wrong) that your publishing company is not too big so what expense they have put aside for your book promotion, I don't know.
Check out this link;
let's say for now that you are your own publicity agent, I'd suggest you check out on that page the 'submit your press release'. It mentions online, but I would do it for your local, or other newsoutlets as well. We have an alternative weekly here called 'The Chronicle' (http://www.austinchronicle.com/) and I don't know if you have something comparable in your neck of the woods. University rags are also good. I mentioned Ray McGovern not to name drop as I never met him, but I briefly volunteered at our community radio (http://www.koop.org/) and those independent radio stations do get quite a few independent minded listeners. Anyhow, the radio dj I shadowed interviewed Ray over the phone and I believe even met him at Camp Casey at Crawford (don't quote me on that, as I am not sure).. this radio dj could perhaps interview you if you have an angle for him (where you would talk about for instance about 'politicians play general, generals play politics', giving real life examples). I suspect that if he'd read your blog, he'd have plenty of material to interview you about. Still, you would need to come up with the 'line' (if you will) why people should buy the book even though it's fiction. I would not know anything about that. If you'd start with these, then I suspect that it would become word of mouth which is what you need.
Also, if you like, I can call and see if I can get you interviews at some of our local independents (koop radion, jim hightower has his own blog and writes two columns in the Chronicle, definitely send a press release to him; third coast activist)
another thought I just had (I'm brainstorming now) is that we have an independent bookstore, The Book People. They have authors come and sign their books now if you can fenagle (sp??) interviews with above mentioned sources, perhaps I could try to talk to them to have a front display of your books (since I think organizing a signing will be too time consuming at this point) with reference to upcoming interviews (say Koop radio).
I hope you have something comparable where you live and then you can start doing that right at home.. but I'll gladly help promote your book as I think it's also (!) a good way to promote your writings of your blog. Only knowing those I think they are worth their weight in gold and honestly, I think you ought to collect some of them and publish that in bookformat.
Ok.. enough for you to think about. My brain is wired for pr but until I can be released from 'mommy duty' (which really is entirely up to me but I'm still 'attached'), I'll help out here and there with whatever idea I have.
That said, my background is poli sci (yes, very unuseful I know) not pr but I've been told by my pr friend that I 'should' go into it.
good luck Jeff and please, don't hesitate to enlist my help. I'd love some outside the family stimulus and yakking with people is my forte!
(or email me, see my blog contact info)
LOL, Ingrid. I should probably work it so the text is a link too.ReplyDelete
I respectfully disagree with the Supreme Court on the habeus corpus question.ReplyDelete
I am neither a lawyer nor a constitutional scholar. However, the rights outlined in the constitution apply to the (United States) government as granted by "(We) the People" Capitalization is deliberate.
The right to habeus corpus for enemy combatants is as guaranteed as a U.S. Citizens right to due process in Saudi Arabia.
I support the argument that the U. S Constitution should provide habeus corpus for "enemy combatants". However, it does not.
This constitutional change is something that should flow out of black letter law, such as through a constitutional amendment or congressional lawmaking, not from the Judicial branch.
Keep up the good work Jeff.
Consider this: the Constitution doesn't establish habeas. The great writ comes from English law and goes back, as I recall, to the 12th century. It is recognized by most countries, but other countries generally allow it to be suspended in time on national emergency.
Article one says it may only be suspended in time of invasion or rebellion when public safety requires.
You might also want to consider that the first 10 amendments don't say anything about who they apply to.
- Anonymous7:29 AM
I had the misfortune of reading John Yoo's WSJ editorial as well as the gravely misinformed pro-Republican commentary. How incredibly ignorant/mendacious can former Bush White House Counsel John Yoo be when he doesn't even distinguish between PoWs and criminals? He clearly demonstrated what a horrible lawyer he is (horrible in every meaning of the word). And one of the first comments on that editorial flipped the issue into the Supreme Court undermining the Geneva convention and reversing progress towards more civilized warfare! WHAT? Tell me again who authorized treating prisoners as subhumans subject to torture?ReplyDelete
The Geneva Conventions on people captured on a battlefield is quite clear. They are to be treated as 1) Prisoners of War to be hauled into a PoW camp or 2) Criminals to be hauled before a court or 3) Civilians to be released. Every person captured has to be assigned to one of these categories. No exceptions.
Except Bush outright lied (along with his counsel John Yoo) that the Geneva conventions didn't cover terrorists. So he created another category that flew in the face of the Geneva conventions (the so-called "unlawful enemy combatants"). Which is how we ended up with this mess.
The Supreme Court did the right thing and thus reaffirmed both the Constitution of the United States as well as the Geneva Conventions. They haven't quite made Bush's own category on prisoners irrelevant but it's going there.
The inestimable Paul Craig Roberts is an excellent source on the roots of Anglo-American jurisprudance, including the origin/meaning of habeas corpus. The gist. More recent. He's also written a book on the subject of our disentigrating legal system. You might also check out this book by Jim Bovard.
Here's hoping that Obamarama will repudiate the Bush "legacy" in his first inaugural (preferably within the first 30 seconds). If not, I think we're in for "interesting times".
Well all, habeas may still be with us, but the 4th amendment got mortally wounded yesterday in the House. It will be finished off next week in the Senate. Chalk up one more for the special interests.ReplyDelete
On the book front, Commander. Somewhere I read about a "Progressive Book Club." NY Times had an article, and I think there was a mention in the interview with Mr. Wellen. Regardless, Google will find it. Everything is done on-line. Same format used by all book clubs. Right now special offers of 3 books, for $1.00 each. (An incentive to get people to join.) Different from most other book clubs is that members can recommend books and authors. Additionally when you buy books, you can designate the "cause" of your choice to receive a couple of dollars donation. (Everything from VoteVets - to Habitat for Humanity.) Members are notified by e-mail of the "current month selection" and are able to accept or decline. I think you have to buy about 3-4 books a year, to maintain membership. Anyway, I'll probably do this. I saw at least three I haven't already read. I also plan to recommend they add your book, and a link to your blog.
Sometimes you have to put your money where your mouth is. And show your support, for progressives, with more than words. Sometimes, I can do that. I buy books anyway. Seems like a good idea to buy them where I can also designate, and send a couple of dollars to --- especially VoteVets.
The problem with neocon lawyers isn't that they're horrible per se. Some of these men and women are technically brilliant. The problem comes from the reality that there is not a single fundamental principle or overarching concept of law that guides these lawyers. John Yoo, and men and women like him, are driven by the axiom that the "end justifies the means." Thus, no matter what the damage to ordinary Americans, the law, the courts, or the military, if torture would "accomplish" the victory, then it should be used.ReplyDelete
Of course, that reveals the second neocon weakness--they're not very good at reaching goals by any means.
- Anonymous4:08 PM
> You might also want to consider that the first 10 amendments don't say anything about who they apply to.ReplyDelete
As far as I'm concerned it's abundantly clear. First, you have to notice that our BOR has a separate Preamble. The wording is plain enough, the "why" is fully explained. What part of "in order to prevent misconstruction or abuse of its powers" is vague?
The first 5 words of the 1st amendment are perfectly clear, "Congress SHALL make NO law ..."
The 4th and 5th amendment do not refer to citizens, they refer to "the people" and "person". The government is either restrained or compelled to act in a certain manner. Nothing is demanded or required of the people or the person.
I get absolutely nauseous when I see or hear the phrases, "granted rights", "Consitutional rights" or "Citizen's rights". None of these things are described in the original Constitution. If it is granted, then it is a privilege.
A right is something you have inherently.
As you may guess from the tone of my post, I am in full agreement with the Anti-federalists. It rankles me that Hamilton has been deified and George Mason is essentially forgotten.
I'm glad it's all clear to you.ReplyDelete
- Anonymous1:10 AM
Really trustworthy blog. Please keep updating with great posts like this one. I have booked marked your site and am about to email itReplyDelete
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text:
International Journal of Mathematics and Mathematical SciencesVolume 2007 (2007), Article ID 58132, 8 pagesdoi:10.1155/2007/58132
Department of Applied Mathematics, Lanzhou University of Technology, Lanzhou 730050, China
Received 9 January 2007; Accepted 18 June 2007
Academic Editor: Akbar Rhemtulla
Copyright © 2007 Yongduo Wang. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Let R be a ring and M a
right R-module. It is shown that (1) δ(M) is Noetherian if and only if M satisfies ACC on δ-small submodules; (2) δ(M) is Artinian if and only if M satisfies DCC on
δ-small submodules; (3) M is Artinian if and only if M is
an amply δ-supplemented module and satisfies DCC on
δ-supplement submodules and on δ-small submodules.


text:
Do you know why "Anonymous" said this? Because any one of us could have said it, we've all experienced it. Think about a time when you've tried to do something new. If it was hard (success was more difficult), you may have given up, or at least found yourself dreading the idea of doing it again, but if it came easily (success was easier), you may have continued, or at least tried again. Success encourages us. It gives us hope, highlights our accomplishments, and makes us feel capable.
Most definitions of success include the words "prosperity", "popularity", "wealth", and "goals", however, I think being successful includes far more than having an outcome that involves money or everyone thinking we're swell. Success moves beyond achieving goals, and into the realm of interaction with others, perception of self, and a life lived with depth and meaning.
|Success is so much more than just performance, prosperity, and popularity
I continually assess my success, sometimes haphazardly, and in a few instances, with repeatable certainty. For example, every year, I do a "success inventory", a process in which I take time to give myself kudos. I do my success inventory on a special day, my birthday. I don't know about you, but to me, birthdays mean a lot! I love spending time with family and friends and visiting special places. Birthdays also offer a clean slate, a new year, and provide a marvelous opportunity to reflect and grow.
So, as Earth begins its course around the sun again, I take time to reflect on my previous revolution, and set seeds of intention for my annual adventure. Several weeks prior to my birthday I begin asking myself questions to get my brain thinking (check out "One Small Step Can Change YourLife" by Robert Maurer.) I don't' have to find the answers right away, I just want my brain to chew on the questions for a while, 'stirring the pot' so to speak.
I start to think about what I accomplished, where I fell short, the challenges and unexpected opportunities that arose, and whether I reacted or responded to them, and how. I ask myself, "What was the general tone of my year in terms of my emotions". I consider how my interpersonal relationships played out, where I need to take responsibility, and where I need to let go and not get caught up in drama – even If that drama is only in my head.
On the day of my birthday, I start out by creating sacred space. Whether at home, or a location like the beach or park, I lay out a cloth, using a material I love, select iconic items that have meaning for me, and light a candle. The candle reminds me to bring in the light, positive energy. Often times I will include a natural item such as a flower, leaf, or seashell, something that reminds me of my connection to the world around me.
|Rituals support humans in their daily life
Once my sacred space is set, I allow myself to settle, spending time in meditation, either a mindfulness meditation, a guided visualization, or centering prayer. With that done, I begin to free write, allowing myself to remember my year; sometimes I will go month to month from my last birthday, other times I will notice the highlights first. What I've found, is that usually, I've had an amazingly successful year, not just because I've accomplished goals, but because even in my trying, difficult times, I realize that I've learned something, or taken away something of value that makes me a better person today. I end my ritual by considering how I would like my next year to flow – I don't list goals per se, but rather, I set a tone, and come up with words that indicate my intentions. This year I decided to focus on being joyous, inspired and confident; ultimately with those intentions I will be successful.
By engaging in my annual ritual, I recognize that "success" means so much more than accomplishing a goal, obtaining wealth, or becoming popular – success is a quality, a timber that defines my experiences. To be kind, is to be successful. To be happy, is to be successful. To be connected with others, empathizing, celebrating, contributing, is to be successful. I've had a rich and marvelously successful year, and I've accomplished quite a bit too!
Practice engaging your inner wisdom:
What does success mean to you? How do you measure your success? Do you engage in a birthday ritual, or other rituals to give yourself credit for your success? Have you ever considered doing a "success inventory" – try them daily, weekly, monthly, or annually – by taking stock of your success, you will bring about more success.


text:
Matthew 25:36 "Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me;" James 1:27 "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless, and widows in their affliction, and to keep self unspotted from the world". Zechariah 7:9 "This what the Lord Almighty says, "Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another."
The work of Christ is a work inside the heart and soul of an individual but it is not to remain there. An old portion of the wedding liturgy calls the ring the 'outward sign of the inward emotion' and that is exactly how the life of the Christian should function.
From the motives and desires of the Christ-like heart there should be a need to share God's love and forgiveness with the world and those who have need to hear it. From the changed heart comes the desire to be the hands of Christ helping others. "Social Justice" is not merely a 20th century political action statement or buzz phrase. It is centuries old with the words of Zachariah that true justice in society was grounded in showing mercy and compassion.
Thus the Church – those who claim Jesus as their Lord – should be leaders in society and demonstrating the power of the people of God to positively impact their world in the name of Jesus. Instead, we too often allow government groups and social agencies to do the work of the church. Government should be able to assist citizens in time of need and emergencies/disasters but if each community saw people of faith doing "pure religion" - society would be better.


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Is "steady dating" really a sin?
Full Question
I was reading the teenage guide for confession, and in the "fornication" section, it mentioned "steady dating" (placing oneself in the near occasion of sin by dating the same person steadily with no intent for marriage within approximately 12-18 months). I'm a sophomore in college, and have been dating my boyfriend for two months. I don't want to get married until I have graduated with at least my bachelor's, so I have three years to go. So am I really sinning because I don't want to marry my boyfriend in 12-18 months?
Without looking at the guide you were reading, I don't know for certain what it says, so I will answer the question of "steady dating" independently of assessing what that author was trying to say.
Steadily dating someone for a long period of time when one has no intention of marriage in the near future is not a sin but it is imprudent. The purpose of dating is to discern marriage. If your individual circumstances mean that you are not a position to be considering the vocation of marriage in the near future -- and twelve to eighteen months is a reasonable timetable -- then you should be wary of entering a committed relationship with one person.
That's not to say that you can't casually date a wide-range of people, as do older teenagers and young adults, with the intent of socializing and learning how to interact positively and constructively with the opposite sex. It is only to say that it would be imprudent for someone with no current interest in marriage to become involved in the type of relationship that is expected to either progress to marriage or end. One reason it is imprudent is because "steady dating" encourages the kind of physical intimacy that is appropriate only to those who are engaged to marry. Regularly engaging in that kind of physical intimacy with no expectation of marriage may lower one's inhibitions about chastity outside of marriage and place one in the near occasion of sexual sin.


text:
The inkling that something was not right in the wild world of weather happened in 1999. I had moved into my almost-hilltop bungalow in Nashville, and had a marvelous view all around. I could see to the horizon and the hills, and with a short walk to a slightly higher hill I had a stunning view for miles around, and photograph-worthy for certain sights.
One night not long after I was preparing for bed, I looked out a western window and saw lightning flashing white and frequently from an approaching storm. It was far enough away that thunder was not yet audible, and it was after 1o PM. I thought it odd, but stayed awake till well after midnight to make sure the bad weather passed. 1999 was the start of what I later realized was a change in the weather in that part of the world.
When I was younger, it seemed bad weather happened in the morning or early afternoon. It seemed rare to get tornado-producing storms late at night, as happened in 1999 and into 2003 and beyond. From my bungalow I would see lightning flashing from storms so distant no thunder could be heard, and there were spectacular storms that came from explosive systems of clashing fronts and dry lines and unstable air.
Oklahoma and points west were the marker for storms we would get in those years. Explosive is an understatement for the cells that invaded Tennessee, setting off sirens in the middle of the night, dropping hail, producing high winds that whistled through the bars of the storm door, hail that pounded the windows and sounded as though someone was trowing ice cubes at the panes, and generating greenish and bluish lightning that would sear the skies for an hour or more.
These were storms that, unless one was a very sound sleeper, would either awaken one or, if on to the weather reports, might keep me up to watch and make sure danger was past. Even in 2002 there was an unusual day for bad weather, and I documented some of that in still color photos.
The conditions that hung over Tennessee on Veterans Day weekend of 2002 produced gigantic storms. In the afternoon it was sunny in Nashville, and I was going about my chores in the bungalow. I had the news on and the reports kept talking about storms going on, and eventually I was intrigued and went outside to ascerain if I could see anything or if some storms was approaching Nashville. What I saw was stunning.
Nearly due east of Nashville was a massive storm with a high top in motion. It was so large I could actually see the clouds moving in a clockwise direction and that feature came out in one of my photos. I snapped more pictures of that storm, which was not even in Davidson County but about 70 or so miles away. Incredible power,wild beauty, and the striking forces of nature took over that day.
As evening came I went outside again to photograph storms south and east of Nashville. Sunset colors painted those large clouds with pink and gold, and fine features of the cumulus clouds were highly visible as the storms were so big. Nashville eventually had storms that night.
2003 was another year of massive storms. Oklahoma was hit again and endured significant damage. Tennessee had storms from one of the larger systems that year, and the sirens went off over and time again.
2004 was a strange year. First odd happening was the death of my younger brother in April. Things went from bad to worse in the week we planned to lay him to rest. We were preparing to drive to the Johnson City area for the funeral and other events, and we stepped out of my parents' home. At once I sensed very heavy and humid air, the skies with a milky gray appearance and cloudy. We drove on to the home of my dad's best friend, and still we had no idea of what we would encounter less than an hour later.
On the road to the airport to collect my cousin who was coming in from Houston, I happened to turn back and look around. To the northwest was a dark, huge, gigantic storm bearing down on us fast. Shades of 1998 hit me all over again, and I had the feeling that storm had to be tornadic. It was, and we barely made it to the airport before the bad weather bulled on in. Heavy rain started just before we exited the interstate, and the rain was so heavy the airport roof started to leak.
Now that roof is fine when the weather is dry and sunny- the view is clear as a bell and the scenery is hilly. You can see the air pattern come in and work as usual, but in severe weather the last place you want to be is under a glass roof with a huge expanse. Fortunately no one in our party was injured, and I could see the storm moving off into other counties. Seems the reports said a tornado was down in Williamson County, but at last it was out of our way and we could resume our drive. Naturally we were careful along the way, and we arrived safely.
I learned a lot from those storms between 1998 and 2004, and did one more thing before moving to Chicago. I taught my mom how to read the clouds, to know the signs of incoming bad weather, such as the anvil, strange colors, vivid lightning, and of course tuning in to the weather. A severe storm that barreled through one afternoon as we were at the office inspired me to do that. Mom is a native Texan but still I thought it a good thing to do to fine tune her knowledge of approaching bad weather. It served us well when she visited Chicago in 2005, as there was a severe storm in that week.
Hopefully we will not get caught out in any of those conditions again, but we know what to do if we are fortunate enough to be around safe places to go. The storm that came through Chicago the week mom visited was heralded by diagonal clouds with an unusual color, greenish in appearance. We returned from the grocery store and had the television on. A tornado warning was issued for Cook County. It took only a second for me to say, "This IS Cook County!" And downstairs we went to wait it out.
Since that incident, Chicago has had its share of bad weather. Tornado warnings have happened at least once a year since I moved here, and there have been storms that painted the skies with layered clouds stacked like plates, rotating majestcally and with greenish appearances. Another storm produced a line of green lightning and a tornado strike in the north of town.
Yet another storm was one painted in my memory, and it happened to come in while I was at the Field Museum. On a top floor I was looking west and northwest and there was a massive, moving cloud making a bee line to the city. I left the museum and went to the Loop, figuring it a safe place to be in the face of the incoming weather. I visited my boyfriend at his workplace and he knew the storm was coming. He figured I might be able to make it home on the Red Line before the storm hit, and I tried to do just that.
Only seconds after I started walking down Jackson Street I looked around as usual for vigilance, and looked down the street. I paused- the storm was coming in and lowering with a grayish-black heavy cloud. I turned and started back for the shop but I was almost pushed down the street by a sudden driving rain and wind, and barely made it to the store before the area darkened with the full force of the tornadic storm. I stayed far away as possible from the glassy entrance of the store, and thought I heard a nearby tornado siren.
I feared for anyone stuck on the elevated tracks at that point, or anyone at the airports watching that hit downtown. The EL is close enough to the row of shops along Wabash Street that had the winds been strong enough, they might have shoved a train over to the street and possible into the store. It was a relief when the storm finally ended and I skedaddled for home.
One more well-documented storm happened during baseball season. The game was in the evening, and the event started as normal. Now, it is usual for cameras to pan around to gather the game-time atmosphere, and one of those cameras caught a sight that brought out a comment from one of the Cubs regular announcers. Northwest of the city was a lightning producing cloud and the lightning was green. Green lightning made the announcer nervous and it made me nervous too. Then the storm came in, Wrigley Field emptied and another camera caught the empty ballpark and the tornado warning siren could be heard. Again it was time to take cover, and the complex basement became the safe haven for a while. Our area of the city sustained no obvious or severe damage, and it was good when the bad weather finally passed.
Take nothing for granted- when conditions are ripe, pay attention to the skies. Watch and listen, know what is going on and what you are looking at. Have a plan of action- where to go, what to take along. Be careful when going above ground when the all clear is given. There could be structures damaged, glass and debris in the streets, and electric lines down and live. Stay out of the way of emergency vehicles and obey authorities' instructions.
Lessons learned, photographic memories made, and still there is that little part of me that wants to chase those storms across the south and the prairie, camera at the ready, watching and listening. Someday perhaps I might take one of those tornado safaris or join a chase group… but seeing the average storms that come through here is enough for me right now.
Interesting reference: Veslind, Priit J. The Hard Science, Dumb Luck, and Cowboy Nerve of Chasing Tornadoes. National Geographic, April 2004. Includes fine photographs by Carsten Peter.
Divi Logan and ®EDUSHIRTS, Nashville and Chicago, ©2004 – 2012.


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When I wrote my post about Slither, I mentioned that I wasn't a great fan of the zombie genre, mostly because the zombies themselves are rarely the real threat. Most zombie stories – indeed, most "apocalypse" stories in general – are about what happens when civilization is stripped away. 90+% of the time, the answer to that is chaos. Only the most brutal and violent survive, and they take what they want from the soft and civilized, because that is the true nature of humanity. We are the monsters.
Except that we never would have invented civilization in the first place if that were really our nature.
Cracked makes that point in greater depth in:
4 Reasons 'The Walking Dead ' Hates Humans More Than Zombies
(Incidentally, if you want to read their classic article about why a zombie outbreak would never become an "apocalypse" in the first place, check it out here. I love World War Z as much as anyone, but Max Brooks had to cheat like hell to make his collapse plausible, and he's more honest and skillful than most.)
As long as you're at Cracked, check out 28 Celebrities With Amazing Secret Talents, because people are never limited to what you know about them, and it would be nice to have some of those surprises be non-horrible for once. I was particularly surprised and impressed by Johnny Cash and Flavor Flav.
Next up is our next installment of The Horrors of It All. Once again, it's a double feature: The Thing That Devoured A Planet/It Came From Beneath The Earth. The first makes an utter hash of the Theory of Relativity, but it makes a good cosmic horror story nonetheless. The second is just the kind of goofy fun that those old horror comics loved.
And now, last but not least:
Have you ever heard of Vivian James?
She's the mascot of #Gamergate. She's supposed to represent the perfect gaming girl, the kind that isn't interested in all this inclusivity and representation bullshit, she just wants to play Vidya Games (see where she got her name?). Nothing wrong with that, as far as it goes (though it seems odd to think that using a fictional female mouthpiece will somehow make the horrible things you do to real women okay), but #Gamergaters being the kind of people they are, it was about five seconds before they took this character, who they often spoke of with doting affection as their daughter, and started making porn of her. Hell, even in the original version (the green and purple one), her clothing is a reference to an obscure 4chan rape joke.
It wasn't long before we white knights and Social Justice Warriors started to feel sorry for the poor kid. So finally, one of us went and wrote the comic about what we'd all like to do:


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I left off here, part 2.
we were really great at having a fun time, but then really taking time to chill.
"all hail, Caesar's home."
(yes, I sang that everrrrry time we walked by.)
dinner @ Mesa Grill.
limo to the comedy club.
& birthday celebration!
the next two days were filled with really great breakfast and tons of shopping!
such a great trip!


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So Krieg is now pretty well geared out. Just about the only things left for me to upgrade on him out side of a raid environment are one trinket, lets and gloves. And also some BOE epic boots, but I don't have the pattern, nor the funds right now to get it off the AH.
I've been reading some interesting things about disparity in tanking classes. From both the tanking boards I read as well as a few of the healing blogs I visit.
Tamarind over at Righteous Orbs describes his impressions of healing tanks in raid environments. The post over there is complete with fancy graphics straight out of mspaint.
Druids seemed to be taking damage at a steady and somewhat predictable pace. They cannot block or parry but have exceptional dodge rates, so their combat log must look something like: miss, miss, miss, hit, miss.
Paladins as Tamarind notes in his post are just a straight line... "steady and pure"
And then there's the death knights. It looks more like a wave. And I, for one, know for damn sure that's a close analogy to the way my tank handles incoming damage. My extent of tanking most recently in wow has been limited to normal dungeons and heroics (except for Halls of Reflection. Owwie make it stop.....)
Which has me curious about starting to gear up my paladin and compare the two. I have experience tanking on both classes and it would be intersting to see how the two stack up.
The problem with that is my paladin. I just love to hate him. I cannot express what exactly it is about him, but it eventually makes me a very angry individual when playing him. Well ok, not angry really, but more like frustrated...
That could be because the last time I played him, dual specs were not out yet and I was stuck 24/7 as a protection paladin. Let me tell you, having what (at the time) was a decent set of gear and trying to quest solo was an excercise in frustration. Mana? What mana... I hit the mob with three special attacks and now I have to wait for a bit before I can do anything. Time to tab out and surf the net.
Perhaps the introduction of dual specs will allieviate some of that frustration, as I could run around as Ret when doing solo quests or just out and about to stir up some trouble.
Time will tell if I want to jump back into the light.


text: Recently, Sal of Already Pretty wrote a great post about how to stay warm in cold weather. I left a comment about the importance of good winter shoes, and realised yesterday that I didn't actually have any. The weather has been cold here, well below freezing, and there is a fair bit of snow, too. As I was trying to stay awake yesterday (I am suffering from jetlag, as always), I went for a really long walk in the cold, and made a decision to get proper shoes. Here is my winter gear:


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Friday, August 30, 2013
Thursday, August 29, 2013
Mr Sweet Potatoes
An older book published in 1899, Mr Sweet Potatoes.
Mr Sweet Potatoes reclines in his sexy pose waiting for Leonardo DiCappuccino to finish his sketch of him.
Posted by MrVampire at 2:10 AM No comments:
Sunday, August 25, 2013
Cutsie Evil
BabyMetal broke my musical compass.
Usually flanked by skeleton suited musicians, BabyMetal is an all girl, three-piece, J-pop/black metal band.
The evil school girl line up is:
Su-Metal (Suzuka Nakamoto): dance & lead vocals
Moa-Metal (Moa Kikuchi): dance & screaming
Yui-Metal (Yui Mizuno): dance & screaming
Skeletons: drums, guitars, etc.
I think I like it but it hurts my brain.
Usually flanked by skeleton suited musicians, BabyMetal is an all girl, three-piece, J-pop/black metal band.
The evil school girl line up is:
Su-Metal (Suzuka Nakamoto): dance & lead vocals
Moa-Metal (Moa Kikuchi): dance & screaming
Yui-Metal (Yui Mizuno): dance & screaming
Skeletons: drums, guitars, etc.
I think I like it but it hurts my brain.
Posted by MrVampire at 2:19 AM No comments:
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Heroic Anachronism
I'm not all that big on war stories and war heroes but Jack Churchill was the stuff of legends.
Rather than wield a rifle or sub-machine gun in battle, the commando leader inspired his comrades by storming beaches armed with a Scottish broadsword, a longbow, a kilt and a set of bagpipes. Known as Mad Jack, he was very fond of saying "any officer who goes into action without his sword is improperly armed", Lt Col Churchill's fearlessness under fire became his hallmark and made both Robin Hood and Rambo look like sissy school girls.
Born John Malcolm Thorpe Fleming Churchill in Surrey in 1906, he was educated on the Isle of Man and at the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst. He joined the 2nd Battalion the Manchester Regiment in 1926. He spent his first few years in the army learning to play the bagpipes, despite his lack of Scottish heritage, and riding his motorcycle across the entire Indian subcontinent just for the hell of it. Jack later left the Army to pursue his bagpipe playing career. In that time he also worked as a newspaper editor, a professional male model, represented Britain in the 1939 World Archery Championships and appeared in films. Probably because of a shortage of people hiring bagpipe musicians.
At the outbreak of the second world war he was recalled to the Army and posted in France just as Blitzkrieg was beginning and British troops were being pushed back towards the sea. Well Mad Jack wasn't going to have any of that Jerry Blitzkrieg malarkey. Jack launched small-scale guerrilla raids and surprise attacks on German positions and supply depots. Riding his trusty motorcycle and armed only with a his longbow and and broadsword, he would assault the Germans medieval-style catching them completely off-guard. Despite being shot in the neck by a machine gun, Mad Jack Churchill battled throughout the Dunkirk campaign, at one point even winning the Military Cross for bravery when he rescued a wounded British officer from a German ambush.
Jack returned to England and signed up to a new organisation known as the Commandos. He wasn't sure what a Commando was, but it sounded like something he'd been waiting for. His first mission was to lead the Number 2 Commandos to take out the artillery batteries on Maaloy Island, as part of the amphibious assault on the German base in Vaagso, Norway. As the landing craft raced towards their LZ, he belted out "The March of the Cameron Men" on the bagpipes to inspire his men, probably alerting the Germans to the oncoming attack. When the assault ramp swung open, he lead the charge at the head of his men, with his trusty sword in hand. Two hours later, British High Command received a telegram from the front: "Maaloy battery and island captured. Casualties slight. Demolitions in progress. Churchill."
He was also playing his bagpipes in the thick of the action while leading the 2 Commando through Sicily, to Messina and the landings at Salerno, Italy, where he won another award for bravery. His squad was charged with taking out an artillery battery that was pinning down a nearby British force, despite the fact that it was garrisoned by a force much larger than his own. Churchill had his men charge the town from all sides in the middle of the night, screaming as loud as possible. The Germans were surprised and confused, and offered poor resistance. The 50 men of Number 2 Commando took 136 prisoners and inflicted an unknown number of casualties. Another night on the same campaign, he single-handedly took forty-two German prisoners and captured a mortar crew William Wallace style using only his broadsword, by taking one patrolling guard as a human shield and sneaking from sentry post to sentry post forcing the soldiers to surrender under threat of his sword.
Mad Jack was finally captured in an attack on the island of Brac, most of his unit had been killed and as bombs exploded around him, he continued to play his bagpipes until he was knocked unconscious by an explosion. The Germans took him to Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp. But it would take more than some Nazi concentration camp to hold Jack Churchill. One night in September of 1944, he escaped by crawling through and abandoned drain. He was later recaptured while walking towards the Baltic coast and sent to a prison camp in Austria. This too would prove to be insufficient to hold the likes of Jack Churchill, for one night when the camp lighting failed in April 1945, he simply walked away. He marched 150 miles through the Alps, liberating vegetables he found along the way, until finally he met up with a U.S. Armoured division and was sent back to England.
By this time the war in Europe was more or less over, Jack expressed interest in fighting the Japanese, but as his train was pulling into the station in Burma he received word that the atomic bomb had been dropped on Hiroshima and the Pacific Campaign would soon be over. But still, Jack's adventures weren't finished yet. At the age of 40, he qualified as a paratrooper and went on to see action in Palestine, where he earned fame for defending a Jewish medical convoy from an Arab ambush while wearing his full military dress uniform. After Palestine, Churchill went on to serve as an instructor at a land-air warfare school in Australia and became an awesome surfer. He even designed and built his own surfboards and eventually retired from the army in 1959 and died in 1996.
Posted by MrVampire at 2:03 AM No comments:
Labels: Excitement, History, Peril, Swords, War
Saturday, August 17, 2013
Honest Dad
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
Friday, August 09, 2013
Electromagnetic Immorality
Some time ago I posted about how magnets on your left temporal lobe can make you more artistic, but that opens up the question: what happens if you put the super magnet on the right temporal lobe? Well you disrupt the brains moral compass that's what.
Want to make somebody lose her belief that harming somebody else is wrong? All you have to do is stick super magnets in the right side of their hat. Using a technique called transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), in which magnets are used to disrupt neural activity in specific parts of the brain, scientists managed to "turn off" people's moral centres.
Researcher Liane Young and colleagues applied transcranial magnetic stimulation to disrupt neural activity in an area of the brain known to process information about beliefs and then asked twenty subjects to rate actions on a scale from one (morally forbidden) to seven (morally permissible). The researchers report that study participants judged actions in which a person believes he or she will cause harm to another person-but fails to do so-were more morally permissible during TMS application to the brain region responsible for processing beliefs, compared to when TMS was not applied, or applied to other brain regions.
Now we can see why most supervillan minions have elaborate headgear as part of their uniform. In addition to making a bold fashion statement, having a switch to turn both creativity and moral reasoning on or off on a whim, built in to your employees uniforms has its distinct possibilities. In other words, if you need an army of minions willing to kill for you without hesitation, you're going to need a lot of magnets.
Monday, August 05, 2013
Chinese Beatles
Meet The Beatles... when they were Chinese.
Because no self respecting, Chinese music lover is going to buy an LP of a bunch of round eyed devils.
Posted by MrVampire at 1:02 AM No comments:
Friday, August 02, 2013
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I'm trying to push my efforts into overclocking a bit further, I would like to try and grab a wide varity of things that won't be breaking the bank
Has anyone out there got any AMD CPUs or motherboard bundles of any socket and such that they are willing to part with?
I'm also after a decent phase/rotary/cascade but that will have to wait a little while as cash is a little tight as I'm trying to get shite sorted
Please throw it up here, I might well be interested!
AMD motherboards and CPUs...
Looking for something specific for your gaming? Post your wanted advertisement here...
Please read the Market Place rules and guidelines
Please read the Market Place rules and guidelines
3 posts • Page 1 of 1
Re: AMD motherboards and CPUs...
I do have a Asus Sabertooth 990 fx mobo with my AMD 8350 piledriver and 8gig ram still in it
Intel I7-4790k @4.4 ghz
Asus Maximus 6 Extreme Z87
NZXT phantom enthusiast case - white
Asus Maximus 6 Extreme Z87
NZXT phantom enthusiast case - white
Re: AMD motherboards and CPUs...
Apologises for the delay in posting, how much are you looking for it roughly?
3 posts • Page 1 of 1
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Study 8 From the Book of Isaiah is: Isaiah 11 and 12
The Assyrian cedar would be irrevocably felled, but out of the stump of the pollarded Judaean tree will come forth a shoot-the Messiah, in whom Isaiah's hope for the future is centered. His glorious reign (11) is considered (a) in relation to human society (2-5); (b) in relation to the brute creation (6-90; and (c) in relation to world history (10-16). There follows (12:1-6) a song of thanksgiving to God for His forgiveness, together with a vision of a united Israel (cf. 11:13) enjoying the blessings of salvation, and engaging in missionary activity among the nations.
- What are to be the characteristics of the coming Messiah (11:1-5)? Compare this picture of His reign with 9:1-7, and notice any new truths brought out.
- Chapter 12 is the song of those who have discovered that God's anger is turned away from them. What results of salvation are mentioned here, and are you experiencing them all?


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Status: Open
Know more about this business than we do? Cool! Please submit any corrections or missing details you may have.Help us make it right
Locally owned & operated
Be the first MLive.com user to add photos or videos of Grey Fox Floral
Grey Fox did my bridal bouquets and alter arrangement for my recent wedding. The staff were friendly and helpful in drafting up a quote and listening to my ideas. I was pretty flexible in my...
Sorry to read about the review above, but really that type of order should have been done in person if the reviewer was going to have so many restrictions. I have used Grey Fox many times (in...
Grey Fox Floral can be found at S Evans St 116. The following is offered: Florists. The entry is present with us since Sep 10, 2010 and was last updated on Nov 14, 2013. In Tecumseh there are 4 other Florists. An overview can be found here.


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If you are a Zara nut, raise your hand . I am sure by now its well known that I love Zara. Their designs fit my style to a T. Well, I popped in on the site last week and these motorcycle gloves were listed as new, and I had no choice but to order them. They arrived yesterday and made me such a happy lady. I had been looking for some half hand gloves, but these will work just fine. The "leather" and "tweed like" material offer a great balance of style, and warmth. More style than warmth I would say. I will warn you that they are currently sold out, but will probably pop back up. They sold out in less than 2 days for $25! Good LUCK!
High Fives & Hugs,


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Other machine for reference>>
Vertical Sole Machine EVA Crocs Shoe Machine Sports Shoe Making Machine
1. Technical Parameters
Clamping force
Opening stroke
Mould dimension
Height of injection nozzle
Screw diameter
Screw L/D ratio
Max.injection volume
Injection speed
Screw rotation speed
What working show of our machine?
1. Machine Workshop Show
>>Click Here to know more machines>>
2. Spare Parts Workshop Shoe
3. Mould Workshop Show
What products produced by our machine?
Kingstone Machinery is a manufacturer of various kinds of shoe making machine. Different machine for different shoes, please check below, if you has any question, please feel free to conact us.
If you do not know which machine is suitable, please conact us and we will give you some advices.
1. Our customer will visit our factory and make a checking for the quality of machine.
2. We will go our customers factory for visiting and provide the good after-sales service and advices.
Trade Terms:
Trade term: FOB,CIF,EXWPayment terms: T/T,Westem Union,PayPal,Escow,MoneyGram.Payment Condition: 30% deposit in advance. 70% balance before delivery.Delivery time: 25-35days working days after deposit.Packing: One Container for one machine, or Wooden case with machine.Shipment: By Sea.
Yes, we are manufacturer for shoe making machine and shoe mold. Welcome to visit our factory!
Address: Huarui Industrial Park, Hengjiang Village, Chashan Town, Dongguan City, Guangdong P.R.C
The boss start machine business many years, so he know the quality for machine is very important. From Kingstone Machinery Begining, we stressed the high quality of machine to win a good reputation.
We are confident with our machine.
The price of our machine is not lowest, but competitive. We stress the machine quality, so the spare parts of our machine is made from international brand. With it, we keeped high quality and competitive price.
Yes, we can provide the detailed information of machine and video to you if you want it.
That's a good question.
First, the spare parts is different. Ours is made from international brand, others is made from domestic factory. The function has a big different. That is why other machines can provide lower price.
Second, the conformation of the machine. According to the height of people, we adjust the height of the machine, now it's convenient to put the mold and take the shoes from the mold for everyone.
Third, the performance of the machine. Previous machine will waste some materials in the working process. Now we make changes and reduce this kind of waste. It will help our customers to reduce the cost.
The delivery time is about 30-45 days. Because we need arrange production line, and after finished, we need test the machine some days. If you are urgently, we can try our best to arrange the production.
Yes, we will send our technical workers to your factory and install the machine and teach your workers how to operate the machine. But your factory need arrange the living and food.


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Scion: A New Beginning
The Races
Humans are considered the "children of fate" due to their close association with the world of the divine. Stories speak of unenlightened creatures in the distant past that were blessed by the Ever-Changing Goddess of Fate, turning them into the humans the new world.
Initiates: Strange folk full of eccentric desires and behaviors. Initiates are privy to rules that govern the world outside of what others can perceive. They are usually aloof, quiet or detached. Those who do not live by themselves are usually distant from their relations. Initiates start with an additional dot in the Mystery Purview. When Initiates channel the first dot of the Mystery purview they do not require a Relic to do so.
Seers: Timid individuals who are adored and feared alike because of their moods. Seers overflow with emotion, both good and bad. Sometimes they are labeled manic or disturbed. They believe in constant vigilance against what is yet to come, giving the air of anxiety or pessimism. Seers start with an additional dot in the Prophecy Purview. When Seers channel the first dot of the Prophecy purview they do not require a Relic to do so.
Mystics: Magicians who feel the ebb and flow of Fate all around themselves. They are often wizened or salt-of-the-earth individuals who are hard workers and stubborn. It is unusual that they give something for nothing, preferring instead to trade favors or have someone in their debt. Mystics start with an additional dot in the Magic Purview. When Mystics channel the first dot of the Magic purview they do not require a Relic to do so.
In this new world the "children of eternity" trace at least part of their ancestry (at least 1/32nd) back to the aes sídhe of the dead world. While the bloodline has thinned many aspects of the aes sídhe survive in lesser forms; beauty and grace are prevalent attributes, all fae exhibit extended lifetimes compared to humans, and iron still causes allergies and rashes.
Silverkin: Beings of intense beauty and poise. Silverkin are haunting individuals who remain stoic in the face of adversity, never hinting at the sea of emotions that lies beneath their fierce exterior. They are powerful allies to befriend but cunning and deceptive adversaries to cross. Silverkin start with an additional dot in Presence, and an additional dot in Subterfuge. Silverkin also gain a third Merit dot at character creation that must be spent on a social merit.
Granite Bones: Fierce and thuggish fae who take after the less comely subraces of the unseelie. Granite-Bone fae are not necessarily ugly, just less full of the charm and alacrity that other fae exude. Their skin is sometimes rough to the touch and their eyes burn with hues of the earth's deep fires. Granite Bone Fae start with an additional dot in Stamina, and an additional dot in Brawl. Granite-Bone fae also gain a third Merit dot at character creation that must be spent on a physical merit.
Old Souls: Wise and sagely fae who see the world as a series of lessons to be learned and remembered. Old Souls are those individuals who do not run head-long into danger without first knowing the full story. They are careful and persistent in their search for answers, only giving an inch to gain two. Old Soul Fae start with an additional dot in Intelligence, and an additional dot in Academics. Old Souls also gain a third Merit dot at character creation that must be spent on a mental merit.
The gods promoted tolerance and an exchange of knowledge between the mortal races and the animals that roamed the earth. As a result new breeds arose as a hybrid of these exchanges. Beastfolk are humanoid creatures with characteristics of their animal ancestors. Most beastfolk remain denizens of the wild, but some few have come to live within the bounds of civilization. Beastfolk are often viewed with suspicion or intolerance due to their part in the The First War.
Far Runner: Sleek, diminutive and otherwise smaller individuals with the features of non-confrontational animals. Far-Runner Beastfolk exhibit features of rabbits, rodents, deer and other lesser ungulates. They are often found in close-knit societies of other Far Runners or citizens of large interwoven communities of all races. While more skittish by nature many Far Runners are amazingly dependable individuals with brilliant minds and suprising imaginations. Far Runners start with -1 Size, an additional dot in the Athletics skill, and two additional dots in the Survival skill. Far Runners also gain the first tier of the Dexterity merit, Lightning Sprinter.
Shadow Stalker: Keen hunters with frightening countenances. Shadow Stalkers are Beastfolk who descend from predators and carnivores. They often exhibit features akin to wolves, lions, bears or crocodiles. Despite their large forms Shadow Stalkers move with surprising stealth when they wish to. They usually prefer to have fewer acquaintances but are faithful and dependable to those they befriend. Shadow Stalkers start with +1 Size, and an additional dot in the Stealth skill. Shadow Stalkers also gain the first tier of the Presence merit, Horrifying Presence.
Sky Dancer: Fierce and intense individuals with astoundingly fluid grace. Sky-Dancer Beastfolk exhibit characteristics of birds, usually sparse plumage, large eyes or sharp features. Sky Dancers are the least social of the Beastfolk, preferring the company of their own kind or none at all. They were major perpetrators of the First War and the most likely to be bigots and xenophobes. Sky Dancers are always able to use the Sky's Grace boon from the Sky purview as if it were part of their Mantle, in addition it never costs a Sky Dancer the requisite Legend to use Sky's Grace. Sky Dancers also gain an additional dot in the Investigation skill.
The undine are the best kept secret of the world. Distantly related to the other races and removed from them geographically, the undine have developed their own culture, history and language quite apart from the rest of the world. The undine are limited by their biological need of water and thus are usually found in coast-land cities or within the deep underwater city of Neatis. So rare is their existence on land that some still believe their existence to be fantasy.
All Undine are able to use the Water Breathing boon from the Water purview as if it were part of their Mantle, and never pay Legend to activate it. However, they are unable to process Oxygen from a non-fluid environment without assistance and begin "drowning" without access to water. In addition, undine suffer no penalty for actions taken under water, but instead suffer an equal penalty out of water as terrestrial animals do while submerged.
Mer: Curious and cautious individuals who resemble scaled humans and fey. Mer are communal and often trade with the creatures of the land but are often seen as outsiders because of their timid ways. In truth, mer are simply more alarmed at the intensity of the dry world's loud noises and bright colors as opposed to the muted stillness of the ocean's depths. Mer possess the unique ability to shift between creatures of the water and creatures of the sea. They are always able to use the Zephyr's Embrace boon from the Sky purview as if it were part of their Mantle, in addition it never costs a Mer the requisite Legend to use Zephyr's Embrace. Mer also gain an additional dot in the Stealth skill.
Lo Am: Bizarre entities who hail from the regions of the ocean that border the deep abyss. They most often resemble bipedal crabs or lobsters with retractable armor-like plating. The Lo Am (although strange by almost any standard) are usually calm and reserved individuals who prefer to watch instead of interact with other creatures, sometimes becoming violent when their "personal space" is invaded. The armor a Lo Am possess from birth hardens as they age giving them an additional layer of Bashing and Lethal Soak equal to their Legend Score plus one tenth their age. This additional soak is added to both natural soak as well as any armor worn.
Qua: An alien race from the deepest chasms of the ocean's abyss. They claim divine lineage from the god Bhiyankaha'ara, but offer little proof beyond their non-humanoid form. They possess starfish-like, tentacled bodies that grow from a central orb that contains both eye and beak. Most qua are friendly if not truly likable which usually makes other races confused over their own feelings given the qua's grotesque visual appearance. Despite having a mouth qua do not use a vocal language, instead broadcasting and receiving communication via telepathy. All qua have access to the first three tiers of the Intelligence Merit Telepathy and never need to use Legend to fuel its use. In addition, qua possess an incredible resiliency, healing wounds at twice the rate of other races. Qua also gain the first tier of the Dexterity Merit, Onidexterity.
Tales speak of objects brought to life by the Gods and endowed with supernatural gifts. The Crafted are the rare examples of these creatures to walk among the mortal races. Some were created knowing their purpose for existing, but others are set to wonder the world guessing as to their purpose, much like the mortal races.
The types of Crafted are as numerous as there materials to make them out of. For this reason the crafted do not possess a static template. Instead, each crafted entity possesses unique talents and weaknesses unlike any other being in existence.
The rules for creating a crafted entity can be found here.


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Diamond Rings – That is true that most people will try to look for diamond rings for their wedding. Diamond symbolizes luxury and pure beauty. Furthermore there is no one in this world who rejects diamonds. People will feel so proud if they can use diamond as it is so high class and also expensive. Below are some tips you can use while choosing diamond ring for wedding and engagement.
Diamond Rings for Engagement Selecting Tips
If you are looking for engagement rings, you shall not buy for couple rings as well. You can simply find diamond ring for women with unique diamond color. Women will really love it. We suggest you to look for red or blue diamond color as the color will be really good to wear especially in formal occasion like party. It is fine to find unique shape engagement rings with colorful diamonds as most women like to wear engagement rings in special occasion only rather than for daily jewelry wearing.
Diamond Rings for Wedding Selecting Tips
When you plan to buy diamond rings for your wedding, it is better to look for simple diamonds. You do not need to buy the big diamond that mounted from the rings surface because the rings will be used every day. Remember that you have to wear your wedding ring while working, taking care your children, or while you attending party in office. So make sure your wedding diamond ring has not too much design. Usually men love simple design by choosing diamond rings band as their wedding rings.
If you are looking for diamond rings cheap you can save more budgets by avoiding palladium and white gold rings. If you want to pick white gold rings, you can select for lower gold percentage and carat. If you want to save good money, you can find for diamond rings discount, you can look for wedding expo and exhibition because usually the sellers offer for lower price for promotion. Diamond Rings.


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God's divine plan is flowing smoothly and perfectly, and shortly, humanity's liberation from its illusory dream will take place. You have been experiencing that dream for a long time, and now you are almost ready to awaken into the brilliant light of reality, your eternal home. Your welcome, when you awaken and the life support systems you no longer require are turned off, will be ecstatic. There are so many who love you dearly waiting to greet you at the magnificent celebration that has been prepared for this great moment of restoration.
You have worked long and hard to reach this time of change – from living in sorrow and strife, to living with unbridled joy and delight. Your awakening is essential and unavoidable, and you know this, have always known it, even though you have chosen not to acknowledge it until now. God is breathing forth unimaginable quantities of love into each one of you, which is stimulating your vital signs, your life force, as never before.
The 'rush' that you are soon to experience would overwhelm you had you not enthusiastically taken part in the training required to give you the strength and vitality to withstand, embrace, and experience the infinite wonder of it. It is to be a 'rush' of mind-boggling power and wonder that you will control and direct endlessly for your eternal delight.
Truly, your moment of Divine Enlightenment is almost upon you. So relax in the certainty that all you could possibly desire will soon be yours forever.
With so very much love, as always, Saul.


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My memory of the pilot didn't really do it justice. 🙂 I've seen in a a few times by now, and it still grips me like the first time. One of the many thing I love about Arrow.
I've decided to break this down by characters and specific moments that grabbed me. I'll do my best to keep it within what I was thinking at the time I first saw it and go from there. This is, after all, as much my journey (as a fan) as it was Oliver's journey.
The Island
We first see Oliver on Lian Yu in the first few minutes, and it's really a character in and of itself. It plays as much of a role in Oliver's development as anyone or anything else on the show, in spite the fact that he doesn't spend the entire five years there.
My first impressions were remote, cold, and unforgiving. Lian Yu does mean 'purgatory', after all. And it shaped Oliver in it's image. His expression while watching the island get farther and farther away from him said it all.
While we're on the subject, this guy. The focus of the show. The distance he held from everyone became apparent to just about every character at some point during the episode. They didn't wait to show the reveals later on. Everyone, including Diggle (who had all of five minutes screentime), knew something was up with him by the time all was said and done.
What I found interesting is that Oliver showed some humanity. I won't touch on that here because I'm going to touch on it when I go into the other characters. This being Oliver's show, all roads eventually lead back to him.
Tempted to go by order of appearance, but we'll see how that goes.
With Moira, we're left with the impression that we don't really know her by the end, marking the habit that Berlanti properties have by now of using the last five or so minutes of the show for some kind of reveal. In this case, the caring mother has a big secret, and she had Oliver kidnapped to find out if he knew what it was.
The part that grabbed me with her, though, was the part where Oliver nearly choked her out when she tried to wake him up, after finding him sleeping by an open window with freezing rain pouring inside. If she hadn't known he was damaged before then, that moment certainly got the message across. What strikes me is that the moment didn't make her afraid of him. When you know what she'd been through up to that point, you realize why. She knows he didn't mean to hurt her, whereas there are those elsewhere in her life who wouldn't hesitate to do just that. Talk about scary.
Re-watching Season One, as I discovered earlier this year, was a big revelation as far as this character was concerned. I remembered why I liked her so much in that first season, and how it all went so wrong in the next.
Laurel Lance, for all that people like to complain about her, isn't really that bad. My problem was that I initially watched it from the POV of, "Oh, I know you had it hard, but look what he had to deal with!" Not realizing that Laurel was on an island of her own, something you don't realize until you yourself have dealt with the death of a loved one. At least when my stepfather passed, we had ashes to do with as we pleased. Laurel never even knew if her sister was still alive, let alone dealing with the fact that said sister was sleeping with her boyfriend. In that way, I can see her anger as being completely justified. Do I wish they'd handled it better? Yes. Do I think Katie did well with what she had to work with? Absolutely.
Her scenes in the law office were also pretty good. "I'd say if $50,000 mysteriously showed up in your account, it would be best not to speak about it. To anyone."
The interaction with Oliver later, where he told her to stay way from him, more or less reinforces her feelings about him, at least for now. Which I'm aware he did on purpose, but as I'll go into later, it also made me think that they weren't going to follow canon all that closely. But it wasn't my first indication that this show was an AU (Alternate Universe).
With that lead-in, this was the first indication. 🙂 Yes, I know, she's supposed to stand in for Mia Dearden (who I dearly love). However, she's still a sister Oliver never had in the comics. She was, therefore, my biggest clue that Arrow was going to be a Green Arrow AU. Her very existence, more than anything, caused me to expect nothing canon to happen from there on in. Which, I believe, might have been the point.
Thea, the character, is a big part of Oliver's life. This may be stating the obvious, but if you factor in the next two seasons and all their interactions, you can see how very important she is to him. The way he is when she comes running into his arms on the stairs, and his actions later when it came to her drug use (not to mention what he does in season 3 in regards to that during flashbacks), tell me he didn't just come back to Starling to save the City. He also came back to save Thea.
Also of note: Speedy name drop. "Worst. Nickname. Ever."
Okay, deviating a little bit, but the flashbacks are important, especially if you take a look back at what they set up for.
In this case, it set up that there is always someone to openly question Oliver's judgement when it comes to women. True, we find out that Robert can't really talk, but it might be because he's had such bad judgement himself that he was able to say that to Oliver. Just too bad that Oliver didn't realize he knew whereof he spoke…
As for his later suicide, I did not see that coming, and I was still reeling from his killing of the ship captain. Talk about unexpected.
Oh, and of course it shows how Oliver wound up on Lian Yu in the first place. 🙂 Another important piece to the puzzle.
I miss this guy. And I just found out he became a regular on another series, so if they were somehow planning to bring him back, that's obviously not going to happen now. But good for Colin Donnell.
Tommy is the one who got the quotables, this early in the season, both making me laugh and making me feel.
His 'what you missed in pop culture' primer.
"Have you noticed how hot your sister's got?" Off look from Oliver, "Because I have not."
"Everyone is happy you're back, and you want to see the one person who isn't."
"The one who looks like the chick from Twilight?" "What's Twilight?" "You are so better off not knowing."
"What happened to you on that island?"
And we can't forget the reveal of his relationship with Laurel during the time Oliver was gone. That's a big part of the story that continues throughout Season One and into Season Two. Not as big as Sara/Oliver, but definitely something that drives the story. I still have issues with his, "Dinah Laurel Lance, out to save the world," line, but only because they hadn't established much beyond her being a tenacious lawyer by way of 'saving the world'. I think it would have been sold to me better had they at least shown her kickboxing in this episode. But Tommy continues to be one my favorite parts of the first season.
Another Colin! This one with the last name Salmon, and I'm really sorry they haven't gotten him back after the second season. I loved his character, and it was more than just because of his deep voice, though that doesn't hurt. 🙂 He was amazing, and I don't think people say that enough.
He wasn't in the episode for very long, and I'm still unclear as to how Oliver knew about him being married to Moira. Did he know before he came back? Was Walter too comfortable around the Queen mansion? But his role was clear, and he played it well. I'll say more when he has a bigger chuck of screentime.
I only put this off because I didn't really have a segue for it. 🙂 This, too, was a man with a small role in the episode. But we basically learned everything we needed to know about the man. Ex-military, working now in the private sector, and extremely intelligent when it comes to routing his boss. It's not his fault Oliver keeps surprising him. As I stated earlier, this is a theme in the episode.
Special note: First name drop of 'Dig.'
I'm not sure what to say about this. I mean, they eventually retcon this because actress availability, but at least I can say that she appeared to feel bad about going behind her sister's back the way she was. And then… she gets sucked out the hole and presumed dead. I'm not saying she deserved it, it's just what happened.
I put this off because the last season was a rehash of this version of him, and I've been unhappy with him for months. Paul Blackthorne is a great actor, I just wish they gave him better material. What is it with the Lances and needing better material?
All this being said, at least here his attitude makes a lot of sense. He blames Oliver for Sara's death, and he does not appreciate having a hooded vigilante (remember the greasepaint?) in his city. He did get nasty, but he had a good reason for it.
The Hood
Well, it's not like this isn't a different aspect of the show. 🙂 From setting up the foundry as a base of operations to making Adam Hunt literally pay for what he did, I was a fan. Though I wasn't too fond of the killing part during the kidnapping (yes, I'm a fan of Batman's no-kill rule, sue me), I could see how it all fit in. They made it work, and I appreciated it.
Wrap up: In summation, I loved this pilot. David Nutter (director) does great work, and everyone played their part well. I believe I've only missed one episode per season so far, as they aired, which is a good indication of how much I loved it. Can't wait to not only continue this project, but for Season 4.


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Here Comes The Forced Labour Party – Massive Extension Of Workfare And Benefits To Be Slashed
So finally we have the truth, or at least some of it. Pensioners, sick and disabled people, the young unemployed and the poorest families will all face unprecedented attacks should Labour win the next election.
In their election manifesto released today Labour have pledged to scrap benefits completely for 18-21 year olds by introducing some form of mass YTS or workfare scheme. They will force huge numbers of older unemployed people into compulsory training – by which they probably mean workfare – and the rest into their shit workfare plus a sandwich scheme. They also want to lower the benefit cap in some parts of the country, meaning that the soaring homelessness caused by the policy in London will be extended to other cities.
They will keep the despised Work Capability Assessment, possibly making it worse with the ominous threat of it becoming even more work focussed. This will…
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I am in a process right now of recovery. This very "commercial" blog I've had for several years may seem like a weird emotional cryptic blab. Forgive me. I am in the process of purging and rediscovering everything. I still don't know any life routines to follow, I can still rock my career with so much passion but I could not see myself anywhere anymore for the next five to ten years.
Please let me find myself but don't hate me for not being the Tracy that you used to know. Please hold my hand when I come crashing again, if you care enough to do so. Few things I've discovered so far:
1) You can find good people in bad situations.
2) Sometimes you'll never know how bad you're in a situation until you stepped out of it.
3) I am not a wise person, I'm not trying to. I just recently learned I'm in the "experienced" category. WTF
4) I am tired of over analysing and strategizing. I just don't want to think anymore.
5) If I don't start dating, I will never stop crying from that pain from that break-up. This is not the ideal way to get over someone but between sulking in depression or serial dating... Yeah I think I'll date.
6) There are so much to learn. Defying yourself will test your life principles and beliefs.
7) Painting gives me inner peace. But sure hell hard to clean after.
That's all for now.


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TF2Pickup.net sponsored by SimRai.com
Created 12th December 2012 @ 00:43
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http://tf2pickup.net is up again
I forget to vote map almost every time on the beta, maybe the button should be more colourfull when you add for a spot
Wow nearly a year since last post here.
We haven't had any games played since 17/09/16 but i just kept the website running etc.
Sorry the beta didn't really work out as we all planned, but stuff happens. Kampfkeks is still working on it, i'll maybe make a more detailed post over the next few days.
Anyways, the website and the mumble will be dead (for real now). The DM Servers will stay for now, but what exactly gonna happen is up to Lamqta and he'll tell you for sure if anything changes.
Was fun when it was alive and going well, but lets face it (heh funny pun) TF2Pickup is dead and I should have done this a few months ago already ;)
Might show some stats if I ever get the motivation to do so.
It was fun while it lasted. Thanks for the work over the years :)
huge thanks for being around even when pugchamp took over, not only was tf2pickup a great site but also a swell community of active players, users, people hanging out in chat all the time; one thing other pug sites probably won't ever recreate
hope to see you and your next projects again in the future, in case there wont be any good luck with whatever you are up to
Screw pugchamp, tf2pickup was better in every way.
Thanks for all your work Kuferl and everyone else
Yes, I'm still working on the new website. I can't give any date when I will have a working prototype ready because I have my A-Levels the next two months so I can't commit that much time to programming as I would like.
Though I wrote down some plans for the new website and other projects.
Also, the new design will look similar to this one: https://material.uplabs.com/posts/youtube-redesign-ii
Feel free to drop some feedback even though those are only plans.
Suggestions are still appreciated ;)
I need this in my life again whats happening.
not much you can expect anytime soon though :v
It was already 10 times better than Pugchamp currently is I don't get it.
Well the old version was quite buggy and not very well optimized.
Also as mentioned in the post from like 7 months ago, there haven't been pickups played for like 5 months or so when i took it down.
Bringing back the "old" version could work in theory, but it is not something I will do since it'd be shit.
There's a lot of features I always wanted to add, but never got to do or got to finish, like map voting, queuing up for a spot, adding up to different gamemodes at the same time etc.
We'll see how and if they will be there in the new version (well map vote for sure tbh).
No promises and stuff, me and kampfkeks are working on it when we can, but for me atleast its not #1 priority, coding for a hobby isn't always easy when you already do coding 40h+ a week for work :P
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Scottish Islands Explorer
A blog that backs a bi-monthly magazine covering all the islands of Scotland
Friday, 27 January 2012
Sitting by the Shore
The makers of this chair are Orkney born and bred. There is a traditional and flourishing industry on the island. Read about
Scapa Crafts
and the involvement of husband and wife, Jackie and Marlene Miller, together with their team. Sit comfortably ... and enjoy.
Scottish Islands Explorer
- to be read, preferably when seated
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I propose all of us infidels accused of Islamophobia rewrite the dictionary. This word is meaningless and actually an oxymoron. The word was created by the Muslim Brotherhood to control the dialogue and use our past errors to manipulate our collective conscience as a nation. Our past issue of slavery led to division and clashes between races that we are still trying to recover from. So when anyone plays the victim card for any reason, we crumble. Muslims are not victims of our perception of them; they are victims of their own ignorance and of an ideology that steals their soul at birth, their minds every day, and never apologizes. An excellent write-up on this topic is covered here: http://sheikyermami.com/2011/08/25/islamophobia-3/
By using the Webster dictionary definition of "phobia", the Muslim Brotherhood says we infidels suffer from "an irrational, excessive and persistent fear of some particular thing or situation." Instead, I believe Muslims suffer from an irrational, excessive and persistent HATE and INTOLERANCE of all things non-Muslim. This ideology is taught throughout the Qur'an and the Hadiths. We are most certainly rationally afraid of Islam. We know its bloody tyrannical history and present day influence. We see its poisonous fruit throughout Islamic families, societies and governments. We hear their threats and goals of worldwide domination. We see honor killings, demand for Muslim sharia law, Muslim concessions in holidays, hijab concessions, and mosques and madrassas building at a fever pitch rate, all here on American soil. If our level of fear had grown to "excessive" we wouldn't still be having the problem with the spread of Islam; we would have squashed it already. But we're too politically correct to take the bull by the horns and our collective FAILURE to stand against it is damning us to a future you cannot even imagine.
So I'm suggesting a paradigm shift in terminology; one in which WE control the talking points and the definitions. Instead of letting them describe us by their unsavory and ill-suited words, let us describe them by an appropriate moniker: ISLAMOBULLY. Let's inspect the definitions of bull and bully and see if they fit Islam. According to Webster, a bull is (paraphrased): an adult male large animal, a person who buys stocks expecting them to rise or who seeks to bring such rise, a person regarded in strength like a bull, short for bullshit, to bluff as with insincere talk, to talk foolishly, a ludicrously illogical or incongruous mistake in statement. And here are some common uses of the word: "like a bull in a china shop," "don't give me that cock-and-bull-story," "in the bullpen" "that's bullshit," and "like a red flag to a bull." Other words with "bull" give us an even clearer picture: bulldog, bulldoze, bullfight, bullheaded, bull terrier, and lastly, bully.
According to Webster, a bully is (paraphrased): a person who hurts, frightens or tyrannizes over those who are smaller or weaker, to browbeat. It appears that bullying in the school system has reached epidemic proportions. New laws, websites and organizations have evolved to deal with the problem; check out http://www.schoolsecurity.org/trends/bullying.html. Seems we really don't want our children being bullied.
One last connection. Around 315 AD Constantine, emperor of the Roman Empire, became a Christian and moved his headquarters to Byzantium and renamed the city Constantinople. The location is pivotal and considered the Gateway to Europe because it lies on the isthmus between Europe and Asia Minor. In 1453 the Muslim Ottoman Turks conquered Constantinople. Later they changed the name to Istanbul, which is a shortened version with a Turkish character of the Medieval Greek phrase "εἰς τὴν Πόλιν" [is tim ˈbolin], meaning "to the city." The Muslims immediately converted the largest Christian church in the world, the Haghia Sophia, into a mosque. If you separate the town name into syllables it has even more relevance: I stan Bul. And to cap it off, here's a recent story from the Wall Street Journal about a new Turkish movie titled "Conquest 1453": http://blogs.wsj.com/emergingeurope/2012/02/16/turkey%E2%80%99s-blockbuster-replays-istanbul-conquest-stoking-controversy/?mod=google_news_blog. It celebrates the Muslim conquest of Constantinople as "one of the most spectacular, the most proud events in our history."
According to Islam there are only two parts of the world: Dar al Islam and Dar al Harb. (along their lines of only two types of people: Muslim and infidel) Dar al Islam (House of Peace) is where Islam rules and Dar al Harb (House of War) is where Islam does not yet rule so there must be war to subdue it. The war is allowed to take on whatever form is best suited to the current conditions: civilizational and stealth jihad (moral dilemma, merchant, marriage, money, mosque, madrassas, media, mysticism, migration) when small, then force and violence when sufficient strength has been attained. This is why they claim Islam is a "religion of peace" because when all the lands are finally Dar al Islam, they can stop fighting and experience peace. Terrifyingly brilliant manipulation of words which the uninformed fall for.
Islamobully. Do you think it fits? What do the Qur'an and Hadiths say?
Sura [9.5] So when the sacred months have passed away, then slay the idolaters
wherever you find them, and take them captives and besiege them and lie in
wait for them in every ambush, then if they repent and keep up prayer and pay
the poor-rate, leave their way free to them; surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.
Sura [9.14] Fight them, Allah will punish them by your hands and bring them to
disgrace, and assist you against them and heal the hearts of a believing people.
Sura [9.41] Go forth light and heavy, and strive hard in Allah's way with your
property and your persons; this is better for you, if you know.
Sura [9.73] O Prophet! strive hard against the unbelievers and the hypocrites and be
unyielding to them; and their abode is hell, and evil is the destination.
Sura [9.123] O you who believe! fight those of the unbelievers who are near to you
and let them find in you hardness; and know that Allah is with those who
guard (against evil).
Sura [5.33] The punishment of those who wage war against Allah and His apostle
and strive to make mischief in the land is only this, that they should be
murdered or crucified or their hands and their feet should be cut off on
opposite sides or they should be imprisoned; this shall be as a disgrace for
them in this world, and in the hereafter they shall have a grievous chastisement,
Sura [63.4] And when you see them, their persons will please you, and If they speak,
you will listen to their speech; (they are) as if they were big pieces of wood clad
with garments; they think every cry to be against them. They are the enemy,
therefore beware of them; may Allah destroy them, whence are they turned
Sura [24.55] Allah has promised to those of you who believe and do good that He
will most certainly make them rulers in the earth as He made rulers those
before them, and that He will most certainly establish for them their religion
which He has chosen for them, and that He will most certainly, after their fear,
give them security in exchange; they shall serve Me, not associating aught with
Me; and whoever is ungrateful after this, these it is who are the Transgressors.
Sura [48.28] He it is Who sent His Apostle with the guidance and the true
religion that He may make it prevail over all the religions; and Allah is
enough for a witness.
Sura [48.29] Muhammad is the Apostle of Allah, and those with him are firm of
heart against the unbelievers, compassionate among themselves; you will
see them bowing down, prostrating themselves, seeking grace from Allah
and pleasure; their marks are in their faces because of the effect of
prostration; that is their description in the Taurat and their description in
the Injeel; like as seed-produce that puts forth its sprout, then strengthens
it, so it becomes stout and stands firmly on its stem, delighting the sowers
that He may enrage the unbelievers on account of them; Allah has
promised those among them who believe and do good, forgiveness and a
great reward.
Islam. I slam. I surrender. That is the Arabic definition. Instead our anthem shouted from every rooftop should be "Lan Astalem" which in Arabic means "I will not submit; I will not surrender."
I will not be bullied by Islamobullies. Islamobully. If the shoe fits…..