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Last week on an online discussion forum, a poster asked if anybody had a connection to a John Kinloch or a William Comrie, as she had just found a photo album in her attic which she wished to dispose of. The album was not connected to her family, but in researching her own tree she knew how valuable it could potentially be. The names rang a bell, and after consulting my tree I realised that they were possibly related to my McEwan line in Perthshire. I contacted her and she very kindly offered to post the album to me.
The album arrived today, with dozens of wonderful images taken between the 1860s and the 1890s, but at first glance there seemed to be little to go on. Only a handful of the images, mainly carte de visit format, had names scribbled onto the frames, but in teasing the images out of their holders I've discovered that a few have additional info written on the backs, as well as vital information on the photographic studios where they were taken, which can help to date them.
About half way through the album, however, I came across the following image:
Now I know this lot only too well...! The picture shows Alexander Comrie, his wife Mary Paterson, and their children Annie McCowan Comrie, David Paterson Comrie, Jessie Paterson Copeland Comrie, Peter William Comrie, Helen Hardy Comrie and Alexander Comrie, as taken in approximately 1890. The reason I know this is that a few years past a distant cousin sent an almost identical image to me - the only difference being that Alexander senior's hand is not placed on Alexander junior's shoulder in the earlier version I have.
Alexander's grandfather, Andrew McEwan, was the brother of my four times great grandmother, Janet McEwan, who married Andrew Henderson and went on to have several children, including my three times great granny Janet, who was murdered in 1866. This image has therefore confirmed that the album is one that was held by someone connected to my family almost a century ago - the question now is who?
There are several clues - an image of the Reverend William Comrie, who died in Auckland in 1884 is labelled 'Uncle William', whilst another is labelled 'William Comrie Cousin Schoolmaster', and there are other names which should help to narrow it down a bit.
However, there are many images without descriptions, some taken in Ayrshire, others in Glasgow and New Zealand. In a few weeks time (once my next book is out of the way) I will digitise the images in the album and place them online with as much information as I can confirm. Hopefully other descendants of the McEwans and the Comries can find them of use, but also come forward to perhaps help identify some of those shown within them.
(And a huge thank you to the heroine of the hour - Mrs Susan Barnett in Dundee!)
Professional genealogical problem solving and research
Researching Scottish Family History (New book)


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Research in Motion has released the next version of its free BlackBerry server software that wirelessly synchronises BlackBerry smartphones with Microsoft Exchange and Windows Small Business Server.
Keen to seed technologies that support its product in the fast-growing market for enterprise-level remote device usage, BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express 5.0.2 is designed to allow businesses to wirelessly connect BlackBerry smartphones to the corporate network at no charge.
Built with the same security architecture as its BlackBerry Enterprise Server product, RIM says that the Express edition includes a subset of the over 500 IT policies and features available with the full-blown BlackBerry Enterprise Server software. It can be installed on the same server as Microsoft Exchange or Windows Small Business Server to connect up to 75 BlackBerry smartphones, or on a separate server to support up to 2000 devices per server.
For the internationally diverse IT manager, it is also worth noting that BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express is now available in seven languages including English, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Japanese and Brazilian Portuguese.

subset: commoncrawl


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Job Information
Deloitte Cyber Oracle Cloud and EBS Security & Controls – Consultant in Dallas, Texas
Are you interested in working in a dynamic environment that offers opportunities for professional growth and new responsibilities? If so, Deloitte could be the place for you. This is an unparalleled time of change with new information security challenges arising each day. Our team of Cyber risk professionals bring industry experience, confidence, and technical knowledge to help our clients tackle those unique challenges. If you are seeking a role that offers exposure to enterprise-level software implementations and variety to your day-to-day routine while allowing you to develop personally and professionally, consider a career in Deloitte Advisory s Cyber practice.
Work you ll do
Candidate will be responsible for delivering Oracle E-Business Suite (EBS), Oracle ERP Cloud, Security and Controls implementations and assessments. Daily responsibilities include the design and implementation of application end-user security, business process controls, interface and data conversion controls, and information technology (IT) controls.
The team
Deloitte Advisory's Cyber Risk team helps complex organizations more confidently pursue their growth, innovation and performance agendas through proactive management of the associated cyber risks. Our professionals provide advisory and implementation services that integrate risk, regulatory, and technology skills to help clients transform their legacy programs into proactive Secure.Vigilant.Resilient. TM cyber risk programs. Join the team developing the future state of cyber risk solutions. Learn more about Deloitte Advisory s Cyber Risk Services practice. at http://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/pages/risk/solutions/cyber-risk-services.html
1 3 years of applicable experience
Demonstrate an understanding of business processes designs, cloud security risk, Oracle application security and risk management
Contribute to a strong client relationship through interactions with client personnel
Actively participate in decision making with engagement management and seek to understand the broader impact of current decisions
Build and nurture positive working relationships with clients with the intention to exceed client expectations
Facilitate use of technology-based tools or methodologies to review, design and/or implement products and services
Identify opportunities to improve engagement profitability
Participate in and actively support mentoring relationships within practice
Contribute to a positive team attitude
Ability to travel 80-100%
Bachelor s Degree
CISA or CISSP Certifications
Experience with Oracle EBS and/or Oracle ERP Cloud Security concepts across application modules
Knowledge of Oracle EBS and/or Oracle ERP Cloud security design and implementation methodology
Strong understanding of Segregation of Duties (SOD) frameworks and personally identifiable information (PII)
Knowledge of business process, user provisioning process, and security maintenance process preferred
Understanding of Oracle Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC) configuration and securityconcepts and procedures
Experience with Oracle Risk Management Cloud
Excellent writing and verbal communication skills
Strong project management and organizational skills
Commitment to gaining exposure in multiple industries
Category: Information Technology
About Deloitte
As used in this document, Deloitte means Deloitte LLP and its subsidiaries. Please see www.deloitte.com/us/about for a detailed description of the legal structure of Deloitte LLP and its subsidiaries. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability or protected veteran status, or any other legally protected basis, in accordance with applicable law.
- Deloitte Jobs


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Animal rights received a big financial shot in the arm this November when LUSH Cosmetics announced the recipients of the first-ever LUSH Prize to eliminate animal testing. Created by the handmade-cosmetics firm, in conjunction with the not-for-profit Ethical Consumer group, the annual £250,000 ($400,000) prize is the largest monetary award in the alternative-testing sector to date. The LUSH Prize is divvied up among five categories: a Science Prize for the development of replacement non-animal tests, a Training Prize for training researchers in non-animal tests, a Lobbying Prize for policy interventions to promote the use of replacements, a Public Awareness Prize for public-awareness raising of ongoing testing, and four Young Researcher Awards for post-graduates specializing in replacements research.
An estimated 100 million animals, including mice, rabbits, and rats, are used in testing laboratories worldwide every year, according to LUSH. The 2012 winners, which comprise scientists, campaigners, lobbyists, training specialists and young researchers, represent a cross-section of the global movement to replace animal testing with methods that are both humane and effective. The judging panel was equally diverse, featuring the likes of Andrew Tyler, director of Animal Aid U.K., Troy Seidle, director of Research & Toxicology for Humane Society International, and Gill Langley, a former U.K. government advisor on animal research.
An estimated 100 million animals are used in testing laboratories worldwide every year, according to LUSH.
An estimated 100 million animals are used in testing laboratories worldwide every year, according to LUSH.
The £50,000 ($80,000) LUSH Training Prize went to the Institute for In Vitro Sciences and InterNICHE for their training work in Brazil, China, the former Soviet states, South America, and Africa?. Humane Society became the inaugural recipient of the £40,000 ($64,000) LUSH Lobby Prize for persuading the European Union to dramatically reduce requirements for animal tests of certain pesticides. (LUSH also commended The Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organisation and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals India for their work with Indian regulators, awarding them £5,000 each.)
The LUSH Young Researchers Prize, valued at £12,500 apiece, went to the United Kingdom's Elizabeth Woehrling for her work on the development of a new in vitro test for neurotoxicity, the United States' Felix Rivera-Mariani for expanding an existing non-animal test into new areas, Italy's Chiara Scanarott for innovations in skin sensitization and chemical mixtures, and Norway's Line Mathiesen for her studies on the impact of toxins on placental tissue.


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Discover the worlds top designers & creatives
The go-to destination for discovering and connecting with designers and creative talent around the globe.
or sign up below:
How do designers share work?
Uploading design work and commenting on the work of others requires an invitation from a member of our community.
See our Help Center for information on how invitations work.


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- AltCar Auto Show
- Beijing Auto Show
- CES Auto Show
- Chicago Auto Show
- DC Auto Show
- Detroit Auto Show
- Frankfurt Auto Show
- Geneva Auto Show
- LA Auto Show
- NAIAS Auto Show
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Auto Show Video: 2014 Chicago Auto Show
2015 Kia Soul EV: Chicago Auto Show - Video
Think affordable all-electric cars can't be cool? The 2015 Kia Soul EV may change your mind.
Battery Bonus
The new Soul EV has a range of 80 to 100 miles depending on the conditions. Also, the Soul EV has another advantage: Virtually no interior space is used up (versus the gasoline-powered Soul) by the batteries. Kia says that by using high-energy density batteries, they can get more power from a smaller battery pack.
Going Green
If saving the planet is really important to you, the Soul EV will help in more ways than one. Not only does the Soul EV use no gasoline, but the interior is made of biomaterials. That means recycled and recyclable materials help lessen the car's impact on the environment when it's time to retire your Soul.
We don't know the prices yet, but the automaker says that the 2015 Kia Soul EV will be "reasonably priced." We're hoping for a mid-$30,000 range with a lease in the $200 to $300 per month range.


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It's time for another installment of Pot Psychology, the biweekly "advice" column in which we attempt to solve everyone's problems with an herbal remedy.
(Remember, kids: Don't do drugs!) In this episode, Rich and I answer gay-related questions about skin tags, prison rape, and foreign accents. Got a burning question? Send it to firstname.lastname@example.com. Or to Twitter. If we remember to check it, we'll answer those, too.
How Do Gay Men Feel About Vaginas? from Pot Psychology on Vimeo.


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The problem is that it's all out of my control: I see or I do not see. This stuff about 'challenges' I simply can't understand: it's just up to nature and happenstance, unlike paid work where it's all up to skill and money to achieve the result required.
I was looking at the words of "King Henry" last night, and had forgotten the other meaning of "woo" is "to seek to achieve". Let never a man a wooing wendThat lacketh things three.A store of gold an open heartAnd full of charity.
Warning from a metropolitan divorcé?Rob C
For starters, more a warning from my bank manager when I mention my next photography purchase.
... in high style on a clients tab...
So, not doing it, but being paid for doing it is key? Or, to extend the metaphor, to find joy in sex one needs to...
Rob C., you aren't alone. Grief and depression and "stuckness" happen to most people. If you can join a non-photography hobbyists' group (eg, community chorus), or go to church/temple/mosque and work on a community assistance project with fellow congregants, or volunteer as docent at a museum or zoo, or... any activity that isn't photography and gets you out among people, it might help with the depression and stuckness. I am not being a pollyanna, this is what I have done in the past and present to get out of major depression and stay out. Sciemtific research, or photography, or any single pursuit, can't provide everything to a person's spirit.
One aspect that is essential in this discussion, yet has not been mentioned yet, is the aspect of publication. Taking pictures (or producing any form of art) is only half of the equation: you also need a public. Without somebody to actually watch the picture, the picture itself is meaningless. You also want to communicate what you have seen to somebody else. Without the ability to show your pictures, without someone to appreciate them, taking pictures becomes a pointless exercise. As somebody told me once: "I take pictures because I enjoy taking pictures, but sometimes I wonder why I put a film in the camera. It would be much easier without it". Yet, taking pictures that nobody ever sees is like throwing bottles into the sea and never getting any message back.Some amateurs, probably a lot more than one would believe, still take pictures and never show them. Think about Vivian Mayer and 50 years of undeveloped film in cardboard boxes. That is a good illustration to your saying: "you do it because you have no option".Of course undeveloped film does not exist with a digital camera. And, in our modern world, it would appear at first sight that the problem of publishing pictures is largely solved: the Internet makes it easy to publish.The problem has not been solved, the second part of the journey is still no completed. It is easy to put up pictures for people to see. It is still difficult to have people actually watch them. For that, the pictures need to be of interest to them. Now, "interest" or "interesting" are overused words in the English language, but I am using the word in its original meaning here: the viewer needs to find something in the picture that belongs to what he or she is interested in. For a pro, that problem does not exist: if someone is hiring you to take a picture, that person is per definition interested in the result. A pro photographer is someone producing pictures of interest to the clients (and not necessarily of interest to him or her). For an amateur, the opposite is true: you are producing pictures which interest you, but there is no reason that they would be of interest to anyone else. And it has nothing with the photograph being aesthetically pleasing, impressive, artistic or anything of that kind. The world is full of very nice pictures which interest nobody.Bridging the other half of the journey is dependent on finding people interested in what interests you. A bit like the Bechers did: they liked to photograph water towers and found out that there were people regretting that those disappeared without leaving a trace. Could you do that? Could you find people interested in what interests you? What are you interested in?


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Oh goodie...his Facebook says his fav quote is "Oh Shit"...That's useful...Oh, did you notice he's "sponsored" by Tamrac?Yeah, that'll buy you tons of cred...NOT!Sorry, doesn't really say "listen to me, I know my shit"...Ya know?
Oh goodie...his Facebook says his fav quote is "Oh Shit"...That's useful...
How could anyone miss your irritating little winks that go glove in hand with your irritating little put-downs.It's a damn shame Guy is leaving the forum.
I have to disagree; one of the strengths of this forum is the hands-off approach of the owners and moderators.Fred is an accomplished photographer and I value his input, but draw the line when by implication he questions the honesty and integrity of his peers.
...or we could throw our toys out of the pram and "quit" the forum, perhaps? Damn, those irritating little winks are catching.
Exactly my point and thank you. In this thread alone he has done this with at least 2 working Pros that just happen to be both PODAS instructors, run there own workshops, one a owner of another forum , one a producer of camera bags. Plus both Phase shooters that happen to like there gear they use. I will not tolerate these kinds of integrity crap. It's bullshit and we all know it. It just so happens the owner of this forum and partners are PODAS instructors , run there own workshops are Phase shooters and are working Pros. I can add Jeff Schewe to this mix here as well. It's these underlining we are on the take stuff that is intolerable . I will not continue to post anywhere when my words are twisted by a Troll for his own benefit and twist them into lies and misinformation. I will also always stand by other working Pros when I see them being slammed for no other good reasons as well. BTW B&H also is a affiliate on my forum and I been buying from them for over 40 years as I grew up in the New York area and attended the School of Visual arts there back in 1976. I visit the store every time I'm back in NY. Most amazing photo store in the world. Guess I'm bias about that too and yes I do make some income from that . Maybe a hot dog per week. LOL
B&H Affiliate ProgramJoin today and begin earning commission on every product we sell!No cost to join.Monthly commission.Low minimum payout of $20.Ready to use banners.Reports include items sold.Well Pay...Monthly commission begins at 2% with the possibility for increased percentage based upon performance. In addition, we offer 8% commission on a growing list of about 2000 products from any of the following brands:Audio EngineBoltBoseHelderImpactKopulMagnusObenPearstoneRuggardSound DeviceVelloWatsonXcellonXuma
If at all something needs to get banned from this forum it's those daft smileys. If you're language skills are not adequate to show you're in a ironic mood, adding a yellow little twinky can be overseen too easily
How is shooting vertical (portrait) with the HY6 and Credo/IQ backs that don't have the rotating sensor?Can the Credo or IQ be mounted vertically?Is the 90 degree prism still available?
There's no IQ back. The Credo can, in very much the same fashion as the non rotating Aptus does, or the 4560. And yes - the high eye point VF is still available. I think they retail for around 1100 ..I have the price knocking around somewhere from DHW.
I appreciate Fred's posts. He does have an ax to grind, but if you strip away some of that his comments are informative. Besides, it's valuable to have a view point challenged. It can reaffirm your opinions or even change them, even if you think Fred's opinions are BS.


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London-based photographer Tim Flach just released a new series of photos called "More Than Human," a gallery of animal portraits that are unlike anything we've seen before. Seven years in the making, these remarkably intimate photos capture the gestures and expressions of animals in a way that's eerily human — but at other times completely foreign. The result is a highly engaging gallery that's as poignant as it is beautiful.
Here's a small sampling of some of our favorites:
Flach's book is now available for purchase, and be sure to check out his website.
All images via Tim Flach. H/T MeFi.


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The NFL scouting combine kicks into high gear Wednesday in Indianapolis with 323 invited players funneling through the event's exhaustive evaluation process.
So what's most important for players as the buildup to the draft escalates? And how much is really at stake during one of the league's most hyped spectacles?
To shed more light on the process, the Tribune reached out to a quartet of participants who have experienced the combine from different vantage points.
Face time
Despite the buzz surrounding the 40-yard dash and the other on-field work, teams value their face-to-face meetings with players as much as anything else. Every NFL club is...


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July August Los Alamitos
Los Alamitos Unified School District Students
PCHS July-August Enrollment Directions
- Enrollment Instructions
- Enrollment Packet (This is a fillable form. Scroll down to the second page and return to the first if you are unable to type directly into the form.)
- July-August Subsidiary Agreements (not necessary to print.)
- Course List
- Enrollment Guide
- Add Drop Form


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One of the keys to unlocking the book of Ephesians is to understand that it is an epistle built around the concept of the church as the body of Christ. There are many metaphors in the New Testament used to describe the church. The church is called a bride. The church is called a family, a household, a kingdom. The church is called a flock; the church is called a building. The church is called a vine and branches. There are many ways in which the Spirit of God has designed to give us a picture of the church but uniquely the church is called the body of Christ. Because I believe above all other metaphors the one which most aptly communicates the unity and yet diversity and mutuality within the church is that of a body. As a human body functions in an incredible, multiple phase operation, as it functions totally dependent upon every muscle and tissue and nerve and everything else so does the church function. As the human body receives all of its direction from the head so does the church from the Lord Jesus Christ. And as the body manifests the person in the world so does the church manifest Christ in the world. And so I think uniquely the body is the most beautiful symbol for the church. And in fact all the other metaphors used in the New Testament to describe the church are also used in the Old Testament to describe Israel except the metaphor of a body.
That is the unique identification of the church. And thus it is the mystery of the church as the body, the hidden secret, never known in the past and now revealed in the new age.
And so the church, then, is the body of Christ. And as we go through Ephesians we're going to see how the parallels operate between the way a human body works and the way the church is to work. We'll see a little of that in our study tonight as well. Let me help you rehearse the scene in your mind for a moment. Look with me at chapter 1 verse 22.
And here, referring to what the Father has done for Christ, it says, and hath put all things under His feet and gave Him to be the head over all things to the church which is His body. There's that first introduction of the theme, the church as the body.
Look at chapter 2 verse 15. Christ has abolished in His flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances to make in Himself of two - one new man so making peace and that He might reconcile both unto God in one body. There's the body again.
Chapter 3 verse 6, that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs and of the same body.
Chapter 4 verse 16, speaking of Christ the antecedent in verse 15, "From whom the whole body fitly joined together."
Chapter 5 verse 30, "For we are members of His body."
Now in those five chapters we have the mention of the church as the body of Christ. Christ the head, manifesting His will through the proper functioning of the body. The church is not an organization. It is not something diagramed on a structure chart. It is an organism, something that functions not by structure, in terms of organization, but by the mutual flow of common eternal life. And so the church is best seen as a body.
Now in between the high points that we looked at in those five places in Ephesians the concept of the body is developed in the rest of the text of this wonderful epistle. So that the body concept really dominates the thinking of Paul as he delineates here the theology of the church. You might say that Acts is the history of the church, the book of Acts, the history of the church, and Ephesians the theology of the church.
Now some more introductory thought. In most of Paul's discussions of the church as the body of Christ, in most of his discussing that, whether in Ephesians or I Corinthians 12, he is referring to the present here and now operation of the church. That really dominates his thinking. Most of the time when he is discussing the church as the body he is speaking of how it came to be and in the death of Christ how He formed it and how it is to function. But in the first chapter of Ephesians he goes way back into eternity past and shows how God master-planned the church as the body of Christ before the world began. So this is really a look way back before history.
Look with me at verse 3 and let me read you through verse 6a. "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies in Christ according as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before Him, in love having predestinated us unto the adoption of sons by Jesus Christ to Himself according to the good pleasure of His will to the praise of the glory of His grace." Stop right there.
Now what we have here is God at work before the foundation of the world. It says it in verse 4, choosing out and forming His church, the body of Christ. So in the first part of chapter 1, actually going all the way through verse 14 from 3 to 14, we have the eternal forming of the body of Christ by God. We're not looking at the here and now operation; we're looking at God's eternal plan as He unfolds His purposes for His church. And this is an incredibly, exciting thing to study. Now we're going to take several weeks just getting though those 14 verses, by the way. Just so you won't be in a hurry. But verses 3 to 14 contain literally volumes of theology that must be taken with great care.
In the first place I'll just mention to you that in the Greek verses 3 to 14 is one sentence, if you can believe that. One sentence of 202 words. Now any English grammar teacher would flunk you on that. But Paul is under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and once he starts ascending the glories of the marvels of God's eternal plan he can't stop and so he just keeps going and going and going and going. He probably ran out of gas and had to put a period somewhere. At the end of verse 14. But it's a glorious, glorious passage. And it is basically a discussion of God's eternal forming of the body. It takes us back into eternity.
Now I'm convinced that this is needful. It's needful for us to understand this. It's needful for us to see ourselves in the plan of God. It's important for us to get a grip on the fact that we are not some Johnny-come-lately. That we are not some flotsam and jetsam floating in some big huge stream and God is up there with sort of a divine fishing hook, throwing it down trying to hook one or two of us now and then just to sort of preserve His impact on humanity. I don't see God trying to fish around trying to catch some men. I don't see God sitting up there saying, "Boy, I hope some of these people will respond to the gospel and come along with me because I really have invested a lot in it." I don't see God doing that. What I see in Ephesians 1 is God master planning every single person into the church, who is to be in the church before the world began. And history is simply the outworking of His story already written and planned in eternity.
And it's a tremendous insight, people. By the time we're done with these chapters you're going to know who you are in Christ. Homer this morning sang so beautifully "How Rich I am." He must have known what I was going to preach on, that's it. How rich we are in Christ. In fact, by the time we get done with verse 14 - no question about it we'll have to preach a sermon on humility, just to get everybody back down to where they belong. You will have ascended such incredible heights in this section, to understand your position in Christ. And I think this is vital for today.
You know, I think people today are looking for a sense of self worth. I think they're looking for a sense of value, for a sense of self acceptance. They want to be somebody that matters. They want to have identity. And, man, this is the answer.
Now there are other answers being offered but I think they missed the point. Sociologically, you know, in our world, unconverted man, unsaved man, just the average man, sociologically man is seeking for meaning. He really is. He wants a sense of identity. He wants some purpose. He wants some value. He wants somebody to say - You're worth something. You matter. I think that's why there's so many love songs in our society because people need to be told they're loved. They need to have some sense of value. And when they can't find it, why society has to sociologically sort of provide it for them. So we produce all kinds of books that they can go and read like - I'm okay, you're okay. And like things --- seminars that you can go to and they'll tell you how really wonderful you are and how to be a successful person and how to be number one and how to become an intimidator instead of being intimated. And how you can get on top. And if that doesn't work you can go back to your roots and you can study roots. And if you're not anybody on your own maybe somebody once in your family was somebody and you can borrow their somebody stuff. And so if you can just find out that you're half Scotch and half Irish, you're alright because there have been some good Scotchmen and some good Irishmen and you've got an identity.
And then we've got the ethnic identification thing is coupled with the roots thing and really what it is is sort of a psychological gloss. It's just a way to kind of give yourself a sense of meaning when you really don't know where your meaning is. You don't know what your value is, you have no sense of worth. And like everything else, of course, when the world does something the church does it too so you can go to the Christian bookstore and buy a whole pile of stuff that's based on Christian psychology and Christian self-image and Christian self-worth and they'll give you a lot of psychology sprinkled with some spirituality and some Bible verses to try to get you to think of yourself differently and assert yourself and feel better about yourself, to say what you think once in a while, no matter what it does to somebody, you're worthy of it. And it's all good motivated good, I think; they want to rescue people with poor self-image. So we develop techniques to help people over guilt and fear and timidity and weakness and inadequacy. And we give them a little psychology, it might help them along. But we missed the whole point. You're never going to get a real sense of self-worth out of playing psychological games with your mind. Some people have realized that so they take another approach.
Some people look for their self-worth in a system of works righteousness. They set about to establish their own righteousness which gives them value. For example, this is the person who feels like he's not with it spiritually, that nobody really respects him, he's not a high class Christian and other people don't seem to give him acceptance and maybe God thinks of him as second class and he's just barely in by the hair of his chinny-chin-chin, you know. He doesn't have any sense of value or worth and so what happens is he says, "I'll have to show people that I am valuable." So he begins to kind of do a works external righteousness trip and people begin to say, "Boy, it's wonderful that you serve the Lord over here, and it's wonderful that you're doing this. Oh, my, you're doing so much, you're so dedicated," blah-blah-blah. And it begins to feed that need for self-worth externally. They have to have praise, they have to have commendation, they have to have someone extol them so they put their Christianity on the outside, I don't know what's on the inside, it might be less than it should be and they begin to function externally like the Pharisees so people will commend them and they go about to establish their own righteousness and thus get a sense of self-worth and acceptance. But what happens is in doing that they destroy the real spiritual life which is internal and they get into a system that has to be fed more and more and more because it has the law of diminishing returns. And what it does is it pushes the guilt deeper and deeper and the fear deeper and the anxiety deeper and the depression deeper because you know it isn't true about you. You know it's only a front. And the sad part of it is it will work. If you do enough external things, people will commend you, it will feed this. But going about to establish your own righteousness doesn't do the job because you know the truth. You know it's only a game. And playing psychological games with your mind doesn't do it either because you know that's the same thing.
Now people don't need to understand psychology to get self-worth and they don't need to become legalists to get self-worth, what you need to have a sense of self-worth, a sense of significance and consequentially happiness and joy and meaningfulness is simply to understand your position in Christ. See? Your value comes because you're in Christ. That's your self worth. And listen to this, people, when I realized that I was chosen in Him before the foundation of the world, the conclusion is that I'm somebody. God selected me and placed me into His body before the world began. What a sense of significance.
It all began in eternity past - you, I mean you - you who are a Christian, God put your name down in His church before the world began. Did you get that? You say - Why? Because He wanted you, to be with Him in the Father's house for all eternity. Me? You! I don't understand that. Do you understand that? I don't understand it. I know me, I don't understand that. I know some of you and I don't understand that. I don't know what God has in mind. But I'll tell you one thing, what I don't understand I can still get excited about.
Now, Paul starts on the road to grasping this incredible truth by taking us back to eternity and letting us eavesdrop as the Trinity makes its plans. Plans that involve us. Nobody ever became a Christian as a surprise to God. It was all planned, all planned.
Let's look at the first verse that sweeps out of the heart of Paul, verse 3. We saw the introduction last week, let's look at verse 3. And he can't do anything but praise God before he gets into this discussion of His eternal plan. It's just full of praise. "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies in Christ." Stop there.
He begins with just a glorious benediction, a fantastic statement of praise. He opens with praise for God's eternal purpose in revealing the mystery of the body formed in eternity past. And, beloved, as we get into verses 4 through 14, that's the history of every Christian, it's right there. It's just incredible. It's like walking through a treasure house. I mean, it just explodes on our minds. All that Christ has done for us.
You remember the guy who wrote the will - I being of sound body and sound mind spent it all. You didn't remember that guy, huh? Well, let me tell you something. Jesus didn't spend it all. Jesus paid it all. And then left it for us to draw on forever. Riches, incredible riches. And as Paul begins to talk about them from 4 to 14 he just sweeps through eternity. You can divide those verses into three sections based on the Trinity. From verse 4, well 3 to 6 really is the Father. "Blessed be the God and Father." From verses 6 on it's the Son, accepted in the beloved, verse 6, we have redemption through His blood. It's the Son. Verses 13 and 14 it's the Spirit. The end of verse 13, the Holy Spirit of promise. So Paul takes us in to the very throne room of the Trinity and we see the Father's part and the Son's part and the Spirit's part, now watch, and it's all being master-planned before the world began. And we were part of it. And I'm saved today, I, John MacArthur, am saved today because God planned me into the church before the world began, so are you. What a reason for praise. No wonder he said, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Bless God."
I read Psalm 34 this morning to you when we began Bless the Lord, Oh my soul. I will bless the Lord at all times. He's full of blessing for God, full of praise. Why? Well, let's look. There are six aspects of blessing in verse 3, six aspects of blessing.
Let's see what they are. First of all the blessed one is God. "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." What does blessed mean, ulogeetos? We get an English word from that - eulogy. A eulogy is something that is usually recited at somebody's funeral and it means to speak well of someone. To bless means to speak well of someone. To speak good of someone. To say someone is good. And of God it can be said that He is good. In fact Jesus said in Matthew 19:17 there is none that is good but God. And we are to bless God because God is good. And so does Paul say good is God, good is God.
I remember a friend of mine in a conversation, one time, saying God is so good to me, God is so good to me, God is so good to me. I said - There's only one thing wrong with that, it ought to go like this - God is so good. period God is so good. period God is so good. Because you're His child it accrues to you. It's His nature. He's good. Blessed be God, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. And, of course, from Genesis to Revelation God is blessed. Melchizedek in Genesis says - Blessed be the most high God. And in Revelation you have that great song, Blessing and glory and honor and power be unto Him that sitteth on the throne and unto the Lamb. God is blessed from Genesis to Revelation. We are to continually bless the Lord. Whatever the adversary, whatever the foe, whatever the trial, whatever the trouble, whatever the pain, the struggle the need, we are to bless the Lord because He is good in the midst of all of it. God is the blessed one.
Second element I see here in blessing is that God is also the blesser. He's not only the blessed but the blesser. "Who hath blessed," who hath blessed. Where does all blessing come from? James put it this way, "Every good and perfect gift cometh down from the Father of lights in whom there is no variableness neither shadow of turning." Every good thing comes from God. You know, even when it looks bad He makes it good, Romans 8:28. "Now we know that all things work together for," what? "For good to them that love God and are called according to His purpose." God blesses because God is the source of every good thing. Get that in your mind, will you? God is not the source of some good things; He is the source of what? Every good thing. He made creation, made the entire thing, got all done, looked on it and said - It is, what? Good, it's good. The bad things in this world come because man is a sinner.
So we see that God is the blessed one and the blesser also. Who are the blessed? Right after the word blessed it says - us. That's us, folks. We're the blessed. In God's wonderful grace and His marvelous providence and His sovereign plan, He has chosen to bless us. Who are the blessed? Who are the us? Those who believe, Galatians chapter 3 and verse 9 it says; "So then they who are of faith are blessed." They who are of faith are blessed. You see, it's we who chosen by God have believed in faith, we are the blessed. And I'm telling you, folks, when you start to think about how rich you are in Christ, it's really incredible. We are blessed beyond our imagination. Blessed. He lavishes good gifts on His children.
When we bless God we speak good of Him. When He blesses us He does good to us. That's the difference. Our blessing is our words to Him. His blessing is His deeds to us.
How much blessing does He give us? Look at the fourth element, the blessings themselves, it says: "Blessed us with all spiritual blessings." Pnumatikos is spiritual, it doesn't mean spiritual as opposed to physical in the sense that it might mean a mental blessing. What it means is something attached to the Holy Spirit. Pnumatikos is always used in the New Testament to refer to the work of the Spirit. He blesses us with all that is possible to be dispensed to us through the agency of the Spirit of God. And, you know, it's so ridiculous for Christians not to think they have any resources. To say - Oh well, I don't know if I can really do that. Oh yeah - a lot of Christians like that.... Have you ever - I was studying Romans 8 one time and reading that text in 8:27 where he says - "We know not what to pray for as we ought." Do you remember that one? So the Spirit makes intercession for us. You know, one of the things we do is we constantly ask God for what we already have. Have you noticed that? Because we don't know our resources.
We go to God and we say - Oh God, I need more love, I just want You to give me more love. And the Bible already says -"That the love of God is shed abroad in your heart." You say - Oh, don't need that.
Lord, what I need is peace, I'm so distressed. And Jesus said when He left: "My peace I leave with you not as the world giveth give I unto you, never let your heart be troubled." Oh - I got that too? Right
Well, what I need is I need joy, I'm unhappy. No, read John 15, He said that He was going to leave His joy in us that our joy might be, what? Full. Oh, I don't need that either? No.
Oh, I know what I need, I need strength. No. You can already do all things through Christ who already strengthens you.
You see, we spend a lot of time asking for what we've got. You say - Well, What am I supposed to ask for? James said ~ ask for wisdom and wisdom is the sense not to ask for what you've got. You see, God has already dispensed to us all spiritual blessing. All blessing connected to the Spirit. And people say - Well, have you received the second blessing? I always say - Yes. And the 5,000th too - all when I received Christ I received how many? All spiritual blessings.
Look at II Peter chapter 1 for a minute, it says this in verse 3; "According as His divine power." Now there's the source, people. "His divine power hath (past tense) given us all things that pertain unto life and godliness." You see, He's already given us all things that pertain to life and godliness. There's no missing ingredient. The blessed One is the blesser who has blessed us with everything we need. All the resources are there. They're all there.
And in Philippians 1:19 Paul calls it the supply of the Spirit. The supply of the Spirit ... sadly, though, we don't always appropriate our possessions. But I want you to know, people, you're rich. Bless God; He couldn't give you more than He gave you in Christ. There's nothing else to get. I mean, there's nothing else to get. It's all there. All the pnumatikos, blessings, all the good things that the Spirit can dispense have been dispensed to you in the presence of the indwelling Christ, they're yours. It's not a question of finding something else; it's a question of using what you've got. So don't go stumbling around saying - Well, I don't know if I can do it. Oh yeah, you can do it. The resources are there. You're rich. You are rich, incredibly rich.
So, the blessings. You say - But where are these blessings? Well he tells us the blessing location - in the heavenlies, in the heavenlies. Now where is the heavenlies. Some people say - Well, that's heaven. Well, not strictly speaking, I think it includes heaven. But I think the heavenlies simply means the supernatural world of God, the domain of God, the divine realm. It isn't just heaven, it says, for example, in the sixth chapter we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against spiritual wickedness in the heavenlies. So it's the domain of the supernatural. So we're not just citizens of the earth but we're citizens up there. We really aren't citizens here anymore, although we're roaming around here. We start out being citizens of this world, we're saved, we become Citizens of heaven according to Philippians 3:20, our citizenship is in heaven from which we look for our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ. So we're citizens of heaven, we live in the heavenlies. It is the dominion of God. It is that dominion by which we are able to understand the supernatural. The natural man understandeth not the things of God because he is of the earth - earthy. Jesus said in Luke 16:8 they are the children of this world. But we have been transformed into God's kingdom, the kingdom of His dear Son, our minds have been elevated. Colossians 3 says - we are ascended into the heavenlies, our citizenship is there and so we live in a paradoxical kind of two-level existence here on the earth and yet citizens of heaven. Let me illustrate it. Now I'm an American citizen. No matter where I go in the world I'm an American citizen. If I'm in an Arab country or if I'm in a European country or Latin American or Central American country or an African country or wherever I might be, whatever country I'm in - I am an American citizen and have all the rights and privileges pertaining thereto. And you are the same; you are a citizen of heaven. Just because you happen to be traveling in a foreign land doesn't alter your citizenship one bit. You have all the rights and privileges belonging to a citizen of heaven.
Our life is in the supernatural, in the heavenlies. We commune with God, our Father is there, our home is there, our Savior is there, our friends are there, our loved ones are there. Our name is there, our throne is there, our room is there. It's in the heavenlies that we live and we're trapped in the tension of being heavenly citizens with an earthly sojourn. It's like the king, you know. The king who by virtue of the right to rule is the king. Is still the king when he's not sitting on his seat. Right? I mean, the fact that he walks in the world and mingles with the common people and comes out of the palace and comes down and trips around with the folks on the street, the peasants, doesn't mean he's not the king. Because someday he'll go back and sit on the throne because he has a right to do so. And you and I are kings, the Bible says. And we're right now walking among the commoners of the earth but one of these days we're going to be going back to the home where our throne is and we're going to be seated with Christ in His throne.
In fact in Ephesians 2:6 it says we're already seated in the heavenly places, it's as good as done. And you see, we are citizens of an eternal kingdom. We belong there. Everything we love is there. And we're trapped in a tension of the earthly and the heavenly. That's why Paul could say in the midst of that paradox - I am sorrowful yet always rejoicing. I am poor yet I make many rich. I have nothing yet I have everything. I am troubled on all sides but I'm not distressed. I am perplexed but I'm not in despair. I'm cast down but I'm not destroyed. You see, it was the tension of being in two worlds. And you may have nothing and you may be poor in this world, but let me tell you, man, you're so rich in the heavenlies that it's uncountable.
You say- My problem is I pulling it down, to get it here where I need it. That's the work of the Holy Spirit. And listen to me, Galatians 5 says if you walk in the Spirit, now watch, if you walk in the Spirit, the Spirit will produce everything you need. Watch. Love, what are they? Joy, peace, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, self-control, all the virtues. You can pull all the riches right down by walking in the power of the Spirit of God. You're rich. You've been blessed with all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies.
You say - How come? Why is God who is to be blessed becoming the blesser to bless me with all these things in the heavenlies and allow me to be a citizen of His world, why? The answer comes at the very end of verse 3 -because you are, what are the last two words? In Christ. You see, when you became a Christian you were placed in a marvelous union with Christ, I Cor. 6:17 says: "He that is joined to the Lord s one Spirit." And you became one Spirit with Jesus Christ. And as such all that is His is yours. Is that incredible? In case that boggles your mind you may need to affirm Romans chapter 8 where the Apostle Paul reiterates for us the truth that never ceases to thrill me, verse 17...16 says we are the children of God and 17 says - if children, then heirs, heirs of God and what? Joint heirs with Jesus Christ. All that is His is ours. We are in Christ; we are as rich as He is. All the resources He had, we have. Listen, beloved, you are a part of the church of Jesus Christ because you were planned into it before the world began. And in so being planned into it when you came to know Jesus Christ, you became a joint-heir with God, a Joint-heir with Christ and God dispensed at your disposal all the riches of everything the Spirit of God could transmit. And by walking in the Spirit it all becomes yours. That's rich. No wonder he blessed God. Huh? No wonder. We are in Christ. I don't understand that - it's a fabulous thought - I am one with Jesus Christ so that His righteousness is imputed to me, so that His inheritance is my inheritance. Let me sum it up by saying it four ways:
I am in Christ so His position is my position. His privilege is my privilege. His possession is my possession. And His practice is my practice. I'll say it another way:
Where He is I am. What He has I have. And what He does I do.
And I'll tell you something. If I'm in union with Jesus Christ and to be so planned before the foundation of the world then I am significant. So are you. But only because I am in Christ not because of myself. Right?
Remember what Paul said in I Cor. 15:10 - I am what I am by what? The grace of God. Not because I'm worthy.
Well, having blessed God in that third verse he moves on to discuss how this blessed God formed his body in eternity past. Let's go to verse 4; "According as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before Him, In love having predestinated us unto the adoption of sons by Jesus Christ to Himself according to the good pleasure of His will to the praise of the glory of His grace." Now, stop there.
That little section from 4 to 6a is the first part of this longer section through verse 14. And the whole section through verse 14 discusses the eternal forming of the body but that little section discusses the past aspect of it. The next section, the present aspect, the third - the future. The past aspect can be summed up in one word - election. The present aspect, verses 6b though 11 or so can be summed up in one word - redemption. That's the present aspect. The future aspect, the rest of it - inheritance. Election, redemption, inheritance, three key words that show the three different aspects of God's eternal plan.
Let's look at the first one and we're not going to get through it, just going to get through the first point of the first part. What is the past aspect of God's eternal plan? Well, we see in verses 4 through 6a seven aspects of God's past plan, seven aspects:
The first one is the method, which is election, verse 4: "According as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world... Stop there.
You know why he blesses God in verse 3? He blesses God in verse 3 because he's absolutely just overwhelmed that God has chosen him before the foundation of the world. That it isn't a question of saying Hey, you're a good guy, you deserve to be in My kingdom. Hey, you're a nice lady; you deserve to be in My kingdom. It isn't that at all. It's God, before the world began, setting His love on me. You see, the method - the method - by which God formed the body was election. You say - According as He has chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world? These people say to me all the time - Do you believe in election? I say - I believe in the Bible and the Bible teaches election. You mean you believe that God chooses people to be saved before they're ever born? The Bible teaches that. You believe that before the world even began Jesus wrote...Jesus and the Father and the Spirit wrote down in the Book of Life who would be saved already down there? And they planned that whole thing out? Absolutely believe that. You say - Well what about ... what about free will? In the first place free will is no biblical term, it's never used in the Bible because man may have a will but it isn't free, it's bound to sin but aside from that what about will? You believe that man has a choice? Absolutely. You believe that anybody who wants to can come to Christ? Absolutely. You say - But those are opposites? Absolutely. You believe in opposites? Of course. I believe the Bible teaches absolute sovereignty of God and election and I believe that Jesus said - Him that cometh unto Me I'll in no wise - what? Cast out. And I believe Jesus said - Whosoever will let him come. I believe that Jesus simply put it this way - Come unto Me all ye that what? Labor and are heavy laden, I'll give you rest. You say - But those are two opposites. That's right. And the only way they can ever be resolved is in the mind of God. And, you see, God has some things He can do that I can't do and that's fine. Listen, if I understood everything - I'd be God. And if I was God - we would be in lots of trouble. I don't need to resolve it but don't do this, don't take God's sovereignty and man's choice and try to find some middle ground or you've just destroyed both of them. Leave them alone. Let the tension be there. Let it be that God says He's sovereign. Don't worry about how He harmonizes that with people coming to Christ, that's His problem not ours. He just says - Come. Come.
Look, the terms here, He hath chosen, it's an aorist middle of eklego, which means to choose out, to pick. And the middle voice is reflexive which means that God is picking for Himself. And nobody else is involved in this. God didn't have anybody, you know, whispering in His ear - Well, I'd like it if You can include so-and-so. No. And there wasn't anything for us to do with it. God chose for Himself. He did it for Himself that it might be for His glory. It says that in verse 6, to the praise of His glory. It says it in verse 12, to the praise of His glory. It says in verse 14, to the praise of His glory. You see, when God chose the church, He chose it for His own glory before He ever chose it for the church's own good. In fact, it says in chapter 3 verse 10 that the reason He put the church together was that He might display it to the angels that they might see how wise He is. Not how wonderful we are.
And so we're elect. Before the foundation of the world we were chosen. In Revelation that is also stated in two passages, 13:8: "And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him whose names are not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world." The Book of Life, folks, was written before the world began. The same thing is true in 17:8 of Revelation, it says at the end of the verse: "Names were not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world." The Book of Life was written from the foundation of the world. Listen, election - don't have a problem with election. It just means God chooses everybody who is saved. That's right. And it's always positive; you never see it in a negative sense. We'll look at that next time.
God chooses who will be saved. Jesus...for example, let me back up a little bit and show you another angle on it. When God chose Israel, He didn't say - All right, all you nations - we're going to have a contest, and the best nation gets to be My nation. Oh no ... if that were the case I don't think Israel would have made it. He says to them - I didn't choose you because you were the most righteous, I set My love upon you because that's what I chose to do.
And the Old Testament, it says - Israel, Mine elect. Did you know that? Israel Mine elect. God elected Israel. Listen, when it came to angels, I Timothy 5:21, God says - They are the elect angels. The ones that are still glorifying God. They were elect to that.
I Peter 2:6 says - I will lay in Zion a cornerstone elect, precious -Jesus Christ was elect. Jesus said to His Apostles You have not chosen Me but I have chosen you. And of Paul He said He is chosen by Me as an Apostle of the Gentiles. Israel was elect. Angels are elect. Christ is elect. Believers were elect for Apostleship. And, believe me, when it comes to the church He doesn't switch gears and now it's a free-for-all. God will be consistent with His nature, the church was chosen before the foundation of the world.
In II Timothy chapter 1 verse 9 it says - that He has saved us and called us with a holy calling, listen, "Not according to our works." It had nothing to do with us. It had nothing to do with what we did or did not do. Or what He anticipated we would or would not do but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ before the world began. Can you believe that, God set His grace on you before the world began. Your birth in this world was not incidental it was the consummation of the divine plan of God.
Listen, you don't need to go to some psychological seminar to get a sense of value, is that enough? You were master-planned by God into His eternal plan.
II Timothy 2:10; "Therefore," Paul says, "I endure all things for the elects sake that they may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus." In other words, he says - I'm trying to reach the elect. The ones who are already chosen that they might take hold of the faith that has already been granted them in God's sovereign decree.
II Thessalonians, I would just remind you of, 2:13; "We are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren, beloved of the Lord because God, (listen to this) hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation." Boy, it can't be any clearer than that. You're chosen. Chosen before the foundation of the world. You are strategic. You are important to God.
In the took of Acts it says - And many believed, in chapter 13:48, because they were ordained unto eternal life. They were ordained unto eternal life
Now listen - you say - But if God chooses everybody what do we have to do with it? We have something to do with it too because the Bible presents that part of it. Just leave those two where they are. And believe them both. And let God resolve it in His infinite mind. But I'll tell you one thing, God is never a victim and it is the doctrine of election that lets God be God and God be the sovereign of history and it is the doctrine of election that says to me - You are a value eternally in the heart of God. You matter to Him. Jesus came to shed His blood to purchase you. You're important.
And so God has eternally formed His body. Beloved, you're a part of that if you're a Christian. Don't struggle with a sense of self-worth, you are worthy. And don't struggle with a sense of inadequacy; He has dumped on you all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies. The resources that are available to you are unlimited and you need to use them. Capitalize on them in order to live on God's best level. Use them in order to administer with the greatest amount of power. Use them in order to build the church that Jesus purchased with His own blood.
Now this is a beginning of who you are. And also the introduction to the sermon that I didn't get to preach. But I'll preach it next week. Let's pray.
How wonderful it is, Father, to know when all the world about us seems so confused and sometimes we wonder where it's going. The Word of God tells us it's all according to plan. The blueprint is being followed. The church is being built and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. All that the Father gives to Me, said Christ, shall come to Me and I have lost none of them. You'll build Your church, we'll all be there because that's the way You've planned it. And, Father, help us to know that each of us in important. Important in the ministry we have toward You, toward each other, toward the world. Help us to realize that You have equipped us with all spiritual blessings, with all things pertaining to life and godliness so that we can do Your work in Your way for Your glory. We would pray, Father, this morning, for some who perhaps do not know Christ who are gathered in our congregation. They've never opened their hearts to Jesus Christ. They don't have this sense of eternal worth. Oh Father, I pray today that this will be the day when they're own expression of will will be moved by Your Spirit to respond to You. We know that as well as You've elected, so You've called unto the souls of men to come unto You. And, Father, I pray that if there are any here that the Spirit of God is convicting, that they'll open their hearts and receive the One who died and rose for them. And enter in to the inheritance planned for them from before the foundation of the world. And, Father, for those of us who are Christians, who may not be living with all of our resources, help us to get with it, to tap what is ours in Christ, to walk in the Spirit to see the product that You want in us. We will I thank You, Father, for what You can do and what You want to do as we become available in Christ's name. Amen.
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April 2, 2008
Complete Release in PDF Format
The Schedule
Wednesday, Apr. 2, 7 p.m.
No. 14 UCSB at No. 7 UCLA
Pauley Pavilion
Los Angeles, Calif.
Online Audio: UCLABruins.com
Saturday, Apr. 5, 7 p.m.
No. 14 UCSB vs. No. 9 UC Irvine
Robertson Gymnasium
Santa Barbara, Calif.
KCSB Online Broadcast: KCSB.org
Gametracker: UCSBGauchos.com
Against UCLA
Last Meeting: 2/20/08 at UCSB
Result: UCSB 3, UCLA 1 (30-21, 31-29, 25-30, 30-24)
2008 Series: UCSB leads 1-0
2007 Series: Tied 2-2
All-Time Series Record: UCLA leads 111-29
Last UCLA Win: 2/23/07 at UCLA
Result: UCLA 3, UCSB 1 (30-28, 30-24, 30-32, 30-19)
Current Streak: UCSB two wins
Against UC Irvine
Last Meeting: 2/23/08 at UCI
Result: UCI 3, UCSB 0 (30-23, 30-25, 30-28)
2008 Series: UCI leads 2-0
2007 Series: UCI led 2-0
All-Time Series Record: UCSB leads 43-15
Last UCSB Win: 1/6/06 at UCSB
Result: UCSB 3, UCI 2 (30-24, 30-27, 27-30, 28-30, 15-10)
Current Streak: UCI six wins
KCSB Gets in on the Action
KCSB 91.9 FM and KCSB.org will be broadcasting several of UCSB's remaining regular season matches including: Saturday, Apr. 5 vs. UC Irvine (online only), Friday, Apr. 11 vs. Long Beach State (radio and online), and Saturday, Apr. 12 against UC San Diego (online only). Other matches may be added, so be sure to check the broadcast schedule at KCSB.org.
Track the Matches Online
For the first time ever, UCSB men's volleyball matches can be followed live online with Gametracker. All home matches and select road contests will be included. Just log on to UCSBGauchos.com, go to the men's volleyball schedule, and click on the Gametracker link for the match you're interested in. You can follow each point, keep track of player statistics, and view player bios. Gametracker is free of charge and works on PCs and Macs. Make sure you have Java installed and enabled.
Gauchos Swept in Five Games and Three Games at BYU
In a near upset, UCSB took Brigham Young to five games on Mar. 28 but ended up losing as the Cougars hit over .550 in the fifth and deciding set. Scores of the match, held in front of 2,060 fans at Smith Fieldhouse, were 25-30, 30-25, 29-31, 30-24, and 15-11 in favor of BYU. Outside hitter Ivan Perez proved to be too much for the Gaucho defense to handle as he led all players with 27 kills on 45 sets. He completed his eighth double-double of the season with a team-high 12 digs. Four Cougars had at least 14 kills on the night. BYU hit .330 for the match to UCSB's .245. The Cougars totaled 84 kills and the Gauchos had 63, while Santa Barbara found itself out-blocked 12 to 6.5. The Gauchos got a stellar match out of junior outside hitter Mike Runkle, who registered his third double-double of the year with 15 kills and a match-high 14 digs. Runkle set a new personal best for digs and tied his career-high in kills. He also hit a team-best .480. Opposite Jeff Menzel dropped in a team-high 19 kills while adding four digs and three blocks. However, Menzel hit just .088 with 14 errors in 57 attacks. Middle blocker Theo Brunner finished with 14 kills and outside Phil Mathew amassed a career-high 13 digs. UCSB came out of the gate strong and hit a solid .485 en route to the 30-25 win. BYU turned it around in game two, hitting over .300 while the Gauchos struggled and finished at .000. The Cougars had four blocks in the game. The third set was tied at 29-29 before a pair of BYU attack errors gave UCSB the 31-29 victory. BYU really stepped up its offense in games four and five, hitting .441 and .556, respectively. In the fifth set, BYU jumped out to a 3-0 lead and never lost its lead. UCSB would never get closer than two points and a Jonathan Charette kill ended the match. Charette finished with 16 kills, Trent Sorensen had 15, and Russell Holmes totaled 14. Holmes, who leads the nation in blocks, had a match-high six. Four Cougars hit over .400 on the night.
BYU swept the season series the next night by cruising to a 3-0 victory. It is the third straight season BYU has swept the regular season series against the Gauchos. Scores went 30-20, 30-28, and 30-28. The Cougars have won the last six meetings. Redshirt freshman Jeff Robinson banged a match-high 18 kills while hitting .517. Three Cougars record double-digit kill totals as Perez had 12 and Charette added 11. Both squads hit over .300 with Brigham Young at .396 and Santa Barbara at .310. The Gauchos ended up out-blocking the Cougars 10 to 5. No Gauchos had more than ten kills. Menzel and Runkle led with eight apiece. Menzel , who had had more attack attempts in all but two matches entering tonight, had 14 and outside Mike Fisher ended with a team-high 18 sets. Fisher had seven kills, three digs and two blocks. UCSB came out and hit strong at .429 in game one, but it wasn't nearly enough as BYU swung at .667. Both teams were evenly matched in game two, which featured 17 tie scores. UCSB was within one point at 29-28 in the set, but a service error gave the game to the Cougars. The third set was tight until the Cougars started to pull away mid-way through. They led by as much as six at 24-18 before the Gauchos pulled two straight points on kills by Matt Thobe and Runkle. Santa Barbara would get within one at 27-26 on a BYU attack error and tie the game at 27 on another Cougar hitting miscue. Brigham Young came right to score two straight on a Holmes kill and a block by Holmes and Reed Chilton. Following a UCSB timeout, the Gauchos brought the score to 29-28 in favor of BYU after a service error. However, an attack error by the Gauchos gave the game and the match to the Cougars.
The Early Playoff Picture
The top eight squads in the MPSF make postseason play with the No. 7 finisher taking on No. 8 in a play-in to the MPSF Tournament. The top-seeded team (regular season champion) receives a bye in the MPSF quarterfinal round. If the regular season ended prior to this Wednesday's match, UCSB would miss the postseason as it currently sits in 10th place. Cal State Northridge, Long Beach State, and BYU have already clinched a spot in the MPSF tourney.
Not Liking Kerouac's Work Too Much
UCSB cannot be a fan of Kerouac's "On the Road" this season. The Gauchos are a miserly 1-7 playing away from Robertson Gymnasium. Their lone road win came against Pacific on Feb. 9 in Stockton.
Double S Returns to the Lineup
Redshirt freshman middle blocker Scott Slaughter played against Cal Baptist on Mar. 25 after missing the previous seven contests due to an elbow injury. The last time Slaughter saw floor time was on Feb. 15 vs. UC Santa Cruz. He made the most of his return to the starting lineup, posting a triplet of career-highs including kills (9), blocks (7), and points (14.5). He also hit .727 (9-1-11) while adding an assist, an ace, and a pair of digs.
You're On the List
As a team, UCSB has broken into a couple of school single match top ten lists this year. The Gauchos' 17 service aces against Pacific on Jan. 5 is the most in the history of the program. The previous high was 16, set against Hawai'i in 1991. In addition, Santa Barbara posted 80 digs in the Feb. 1 match vs. Hawai'i in Honolulu. That number ranks fourth all-time for a single match.
Injuries Up the Middle
Even with middle blocker Scott Slaughter returning to the lineup recently, the Gauchos are still without middle Sam Moisenco, who up until this week was nationally-ranked in blocks per game. Moisenco last played on Feb. 29 at UC San Diego and has missed the team's last seven matches due to a left ankle injury.
Thobe or Not Thobe
Keeping with the middle blocker theme, Matt Thobe had a solid second match at BYU on Mar. 29 after not playing the night before. He tied a career-high with six kills and set a new personal best by hitting a perfect 1.000 (6-0-6). Thobe played in all four games at Cal State Northridge on Mar. 5. The junior estabished new career-highs with six kills, seven blocks, and 9.5 points. He also hit .455 with only one miscue in 11 swings. Thobe did not see any action in 2007 and played in just 17 games as a redshirt freshman in 2006. This season, he's contributed in 12 matches and 26 games.
Give Me a Brock, Man
Senior Ben Brockman spent most of last season as the starting libero for UCSB. This year, redshirt freshman Andy McGuire started at libero in UCSB's first 16 matches. However, Brockman has gotten the starting nod in the team's last seven contests. He kicked off his play with 17 digs at Long Beach State on Mar. 1 and followed that with 13 more at Northridge on Mar. 5. Since he's been starting, Brockman has averaged 2.56 digs per game over 25 games.
True freshman setter Vince DeVany got his first career start at Long Beach State on Mar. 1 and he didn't disappoint. Devany recorded a pair of career-highs with 60 assists and eight digs in the five-game match. He has now started at setter in UCSB's last seven matches. Originally scheduled to redshirt the season, he got his first collegiate playing time on Jan. 26 vs. Pacific. He recorded his first career kill on his first career attempt in the match and added four assists in the win. Devany and Jeff Menzel are the only true freshmen to play this season for the Gauchos. Ben Douglas, Blaine Nielsen, Jordan Nuni, Jake Scalise, and Alex Williams are redshirting the season.
The Man in the Irons Mask
Redshirt freshman Cullen Irons produced some career numbers in the Long Beach State match on Mar. 1. He collected six kills and five blocks, both career-bests. Irons hit 1.000 and added an assist, an ace, and 9.5 points. More recently, he totaled a career-best four digs against Pepperdine on Mar. 15.
Opposites Attract
True freshman Jeff Menzel has been the go-to guy on the UCSB attack. The opposite has led the Gauchos in swings in 20 of 23 matches and has 851 attack attempts this season, 359 more than the next Gaucho on the list. With an average of 4.70 kills per game, Menzel is ranked fourth in the MPSF and sixth nationally. He also ranks fifth in the league and seventh in the nation with 5.35 points per game. Menzel has recorded 10 or more kills in all but two matches and 20 or more nine times. He's had 30 or more swings in 18 matches.
Brunner Banter
Middle blocker Theo Brunner recorded the 1,000th kill of his career earlier this season, becoming just the 10th Gaucho in school history to reach the mark. He has had 10 or more kills in 13 matches played, including a career-high 26 at Long Beach State (3/1). He also had a career-best 28.5 points in that match. Brunner also set a new career-high this season with eight digs at UC Irvine (1/4) and tied a career-best with eight blocks on two occasions, the first at Pacific (2/9) and the second at UC Irvine (2/23). The 2007 All-American is averaging 3.5 kills, 4.2 points, and just under one block per game.
It Must be the Shoes
The men's volleyball team collected almost 200 pairs of shoes during its shoe drive on Feb. 20. On the night of the UCLA match at Robertson Gymnasium, 197 pairs of shoes and sneakers were donated. All of the product will in turn be given to Soles4Souls, a non-profit organization that distributes shoes to people and places in need on five continents. Many thanks to those that contributed!
Preston Will Retire Following the 2008 Season
Ken Preston, easily the winningest coach in UCSB men's volleyball history and one of the winningest active coaches in the nation, will retire following the 2008 season, his 30th as head of the Gaucho program. Preston began his UCSB head coaching career in 1979. In 29 seasons, he compiled a 506-364 overall record for a winning percentage of .582. He has guided the program to 21 of its 29 seasons of .500 or better, including 19 winning seasons. A search for Preston's successor will take place in the spring. Preston will remain on staff through 2008 and will be a key member of the committee assigned to select the new coach.
Gauchos Pick Up Four During Fall Signing Period
UCSB picked up four high school seniors during the 2007 fall signing period. Outside hitters Grant Goswiller, Mark Liebermann, and Matt Townsend, as well as middle blocker/opposite Jake Piva will don the blue and gold for the 2009 season. Goswiller, a 6-foot-3 outside, hails from Coto de Caza, Calif. and Tesoro High School. He has also played club ball for Balboa Bay and OC Riptides. Goswiller was an all-tournament selection at the 2007 Junior Olympics (17 Open) in Atlanta. Outside of volleyball, he was a member of the Lionsheart Community Service Club and the Invisible Children's Club. In the classroom, Goswiller was a three-year Presidential Honor Roll member. Liebermann is from Newport Beach, Calif. and Newport Harbor High School. The 6-foot-5 outside was part of a Balboa Bay Volleyball Club squad that took first place at the 2007 Holiday Classic. Piva, a 6-foot-8 middle/opposite, is from Valencia, Calif. and won a CIF title with Valencia High School, a perennial powerhouse in the Foothill League. With Santa Monica Beach Club, he won a 2007 title in the Open Division and has twice been named all-tourney at Junior Olympics. Townsend is from Granada Hills, Calif. and plays for Chaminade College Prep. A four-year letterwinner, the 6-foot-4 outside has garnered First Team All-Mission League honors. In 2007, he was a member of the Southern California Volleyball Association Regional Team that competed at the Slovenia Global Challenge. Townsend won gold at the 2007 Junior Olympics (17 Open) and silver at the 2006 JOs (16 Open).
-- UCSBGauchos.com --


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Spring break has arrived! Even if a fabulous family vacation isn't in the cards, you can start planning a few fun and eco-friendly staycation ideas! There are plenty of ways to keep the kiddos entertained during a full week off from school -- and you can find many right in your own neighborhood or backyard. If long days of "Mom, I'm bored!" give you a mini panic attack, relax. We have seven unique and eco-friendly ways for you to enjoy your spring break close to home without spending a lot of money. These ideas pack a huge fun factor for the entire family, so read on and get ready for a great, green spring break!
1. Plan a Staycation
Spring break is the perfect time to plan a staycation close to home because regardless of where you live it will likely be warm enough to enjoy the great outdoors. If you live near the mountains, plan an afternoon of hiking. If you live near the ocean, plan a snorkeling and beach-combing trip. Regardless of where you live, there are undoubtedly fantastic outdoor activities that you can enjoy — even if they're the winter variety like snowshoeing and skiing — the possibilities are endless. Even a camping trip in your own backyard will get your children excited about a spring break at home.
2. Plan a Volunteer Day
A great way to start spring break is by finding a way that your family can volunteer for a great cause together. Whether you sign up for a beach or hiking trail cleanup, collect items for a local food or clothing drive, or donate your time to helping someone in need or to clean up your community – you and your children will feel a sense of happiness knowing that you helped make our planet a better place to live.
3. Make Frozen Treats
Springtime is the perfect time to start experimenting with your own frozen treat recipes. It is amazing the concoctions you can come with when giving fresh organic fruit, juice, vegetables and yogurt. Simply toss the ingredients in a blender and blend until thick and smooth for a fresh organic smoothie. You can also simply pour fresh organic juice into reusable cups, adding a wooden treat stick and then pop in the freezer for yummy frozen pops. And if your weather is still frozen, well, consider a frosty dessert one way to embrace the cold!
4. Have an Outdoor Read-a-thon
Instead of spending the afternoons watching television or playing video games, get your children reading outside. Gather up a large blanket, pillow for each child, a snack and a great stack of new library books and head outside. Pick a large shade tree to spend the blanket and pillows out on. Then give each child a stack of books and a snack – we think it's the perfect way to relax after a busy day of playing outside. And you get a quiet chance to catch up on that great novel you have been wanting to devour. If it's too cold for reading outside, set up a reading nook inside or take an all-day trip to the library.
5. Teach Your Kids about Money
Let your children spend a day earning their own cash. Help them set up a simple stand outside of your home to sell their wares. Whether it is lemonade, cookies, play dough sculptures or the copies of a comic book they wrote – they will delight in preparing the stand and selling their goods to make a little extra money. It gives children great satisfaction to feel the pride and accomplishment that comes with owning their own "store."
6. Visit an Animal Shelter
If you are thinking of adding a new animal friend to your family – adopting a pet from your local animal shelter is the best way to go and spring break is the perfect time to do it. When you adopt an animal from a shelter your children make a new best friend and you give an animal a second chance at a wonderful life. The weather is warm enough outside to potty train a new pet and the children are home for the entire week to help with getting the new pet settled in. Even if you aren't looking for a new pet, children still enjoy visiting the animal shelter and it gives the sheltered animals a chance to be held and played with. Call ahead — you may be able to spend the afternoon volunteering by walking several shelter dogs.
7. Plan a Strawberry Patch Picnic
Springtime equals strawberries and a delightful way to spend a spring day is at the strawberry patch. Children love to search for and pick fresh, bright red strawberries. Before you head out for the day, pack a picnic of shortbread, whipped topping and drinks. After the children have collected the strawberry bounty, rinse off the strawberries and have surprise strawberry shortcake on the spot. Just remember to pack a cutting board, knife, plates and forks and enjoy!


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Feb. 9, 2001
LOS ANGELES --Down seven points at the half, the Broncos went on a 19-5 run in the second period to record their fourth come-from-behind conference victory in a 69-63 win over Loyola Marymount tonight at Gersten Pavilion to remain tied for first place in West Coast Conference standings.
Santa Clara improves to 16-5 overall and remains atop the WCC standings with a 7-2 overall mark. The Broncos are tied with Pepperdine, winners tonight against San Diego. Loyola Marymount, 15-7, 6-3, falls a game back into second place. Tonight's win gives Santa Clara a 29-6 lead in the all-time series and marks the fourth sweep of the Lions in the last five seasons.
The Broncos will face Pepperdine tomorrow night in Malibu, with the winner becoming the frontrunner in the WCC race. That game will begin at 7 p.m. at Firestone Fieldhouse.
Five players reached double figures in scoring for the Broncos, led by junior guard Caroline Gruening's 14 points. Senior forward Jennifer Glysson recorded her second straight game with a double-double, contributing 11 points and 10 rebounds tonight.
LMU's Kate Murray led all scorers with 22 points, 17 of which came in the first half.
"We really fielded two different teams in the first and second half," head coach Chris Denker said. "I think we were kind-of sleepwalking through the first half. We had good intentions and I know the kids were ready to play, but when they got on the floor, they were tentative and waiting for things to happen. In the second half, they didn't wait, they went out and made plays."
The second half opened with the Broncos outscoring the Lions 19-5, including a 16-3 run during a four-minute span. Junior guard Becki Ashbaugh drove to the hoop and scored at 16:14 to give the Broncos a 35-34 lead, after being down by seven at the half, 32-35. She converted a free throw for the three-point play. The next trip down the court saw Ashbaugh dish a no-look pass to sophomore forward Julie Butler for a quick score. Senior guard Kim Sorenson recorded a baseline three to extend the lead only to see it countered by the Lions' Raelen Self, who answered with her own three. Not to be outdone, Bronco Gruening recorded a three and a layin, followed by another Sorenson three and the Broncos were up 49-37.
Loyola's Adrianne Slaugher posted five points in one minute to reduce the Broncos' lead to three with just over three minutes remaining in the contest. Up by five with 19 seconds left, LMU almost pulled to within two, but Bryn Bitton's three-point attempt rattled in-and-out of the basket to secure the Bronco victory.
Although Ashbaugh made her first three attempts from the charity stripe, she missed her final two, ending a streak of 24 straight points from the free throw line that was spread over eight games.
LMU opened the game with an early seven-point advantage, as SCU did not hit a field goal until a Butler putback at the 15-minute mark made the score 11-4. A baseline three-pointer from Ashbaugh cut the lead to two, at 17-15, with seven minutes left, but allowed Loyola to extend the lead back to seven at intermission.


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Fort Thompson Man Sentenced for Illegally Shooting Wildlife
FORT THOMPSON, S.D. (AP) - A Fort Thompson man accused of illegally shooting wildlife has been sentenced to serve a year and a day in prison.
Twenty-five-year-old Richard Coleman also was ordered to pay $11,750 in restitution.
U.S. Attorney Brendan Johnson says Coleman illegally shot a bald eagle, a snowy owl and deer late last year and early this year. Coleman also faced a weapons charge. He pleaded guilty in August.
Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. Material may not be redistributed.


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Friday, January 4, 2013
Learning New Things
Iam trying to learn how to do a post from my iPad. DH is up grading my computer. It should be a screamer when it is done. In the meantime I think we will order in.
22 comments:
- AnonymousJanuary 4, 2013 at 11:10 AM
Is that a vacuum cleaner I see and the cover off of your hard drive? Does this mean you are cleaning the dust from your hard drive. If so, a great new years thing to do. And good luck with your IPad. How much fun.ReplyDelete
Oh My Marty!! I love the way you stay current!! You are an inspiration to all of us!! Hey, we have the same vacuum cleaner!! Happy Weekend,ReplyDelete
My computer has been on the blink for months, just got it back...no fun!!!ReplyDelete
Happy weekend!
Real life hits Marty's kitchen!!.....it will be back to normal - eventually!ReplyDelete
That's my exact vacuum! Ordering in sounds good to me too, I'm wiped out. Have a great day.ReplyDelete
Oh no! That's looks like not a great way to spend the weekend...ReplyDelete
My whole house is a mess....we are ordering in too! Every room is in different stages of getting Christmas put away, but I am almost done! I got a new computer for Christmas and it is soooo fast, I love it! Have a blessed New Year Marty...hugs, PennyReplyDelete
You go girl! I have several new things to learn this year. Beginning with better picture taking.ReplyDelete
why is it things always get more messy when we are cleaning!! I hate it when I have spent the day ripping something apart to clean it and some one inevitably walks in!! Hope it all goes back together for you nicely!!ReplyDelete
Too FuNNy~ You should see my war room/storage room, I have taken pics, trying to decide if I'm brave enough or anyone is going to be interested in the behind the scence's of a shopkeeper. hugs ~lynne~ReplyDelete
Mine looks the same at times to Marty! Sounds good to order in, we are going out to eat nothing fancy:)ReplyDelete
That looks way too complicated for me. Hope it all works out. Good luck with the Ipad.ReplyDelete
Oh my. Thankfully you have a new iPad! My hubby does that to computers too. He loves to take them apart and add things to them. What things? I don't know but they have more power afterwards. :) Ordering in sounds perfect. Enjoy!ReplyDelete
Order in is a great idea. Your kitchen always looks good even with a computer in pieces on your counter. LOL Thank you for taking a look at my antique cloche and leaving a comment. When is your next cloche party? I can't wait.ReplyDelete
Blogger is not iPad's best friend. I go to my "BigMac" for blogging. I'm saving my hair. (I was pulling it out until I decided it wasn't worth it)ReplyDelete
I do love this little darling, though for most things. Good luck.
Hi Marty, I had to laugh because we just got a new mini IPad and I'm trying to learn all the different things about it. WE have IPhones but our laptops are old school, so there are many differences to get used to.ReplyDelete
Hope your computer is fixed soon. Have fun.
Looks like a heavy duty tuneup going on. :-D My kitchen/dining looks like a war zone right now, but I don't have as good an excuse as you do. :DReplyDelete
It is not nearly as easy to post from your ipad...I can attest to that. Good luck with upgrading your computer.ReplyDelete
I actually fixed (heated) Stouffer's Lasagna for dinner tonight. I just did NOT want to drag out pans and have to clean up. We only dirtied up plates and forks. Good luck on your computer upgrade. I got a new printer today, and it seems really smart. It's a Four in One, (copier, printer, fax,and scanner). I should be set now!ReplyDelete
Have a great weekend.
And that's why I always keep some frozen pizza's in our freezer LOL!ReplyDelete
Great shot! HOpe you ordered in a yummy dinner!ReplyDelete
Real life!!!
Order in ~ or ~ dine out sounds like a good plan, dear friend!!!
I'll be watching for some of your marvelous kitchen vignettes soon, dear friend!!!


text: So, is BeoNSS a replacement to NIS, or is it on top of NIS? How are you able to solve the problem of saturating the network or overloading a single server (as in the case of NIS) exactly? Do you have replicated services over the network? Or, is there a hierarchical scheme of naming users in the network, so that the authentications are handled as name resolutions like in the case of DNS? "Using BeoNSS, compute nodes only need know about the users that are actively running jobs. They don't keep any persistant configuration that might be outdated. Only the master needs the full user list." How is it different from NIS? In case of NIS, as I understand it, whenever a compute node needs to authenticate a particular user, it will contact the NIS server, correct? So, where is the point of (or advantage of) maintaining a "partial user list"? Thank you, Srihari > -----Original Message----- > From: Donald Becker [mailto:becker at scyld.com] > Sent: Friday, February 14, 2003 11:47 AM > To: Srihari Angaluri > Cc: 'RANGI, JAI'; 'Jeffrey B. Layton'; Beowulf List; > scyld-users at beowulf.org > Subject: RE: Creating user accounts.... > > > On Thu, 13 Feb 2003, Srihari Angaluri wrote: > > > Is there any serious performance/scalability issue to using NIS, > > Yes. A difference between a clusters and a collection of workstations > is that a cluster-wide job will cause all nodes to be active at once. > Rather than getting scattered name service requests, all requests will > arrive at once. More than about 25 clients will cause a NIS server to > drop requests, and even in the best case you end up with a > serialization > point and slow-downs. > > The current practice is changing the name system, both implementation > and administrative model, to match each installion. > - People use NIS when there is a rapidly changing user base > - explicitly copy files when there is a small user and > node set, or > - synchronize, large mostly-static files with 'rsync'. > > The file approach is typically implemented with ad hoc scripts, which > work well for the people that wrote the scripts but make it > difficult to > trace an error to the change that caused the error. > > We developed BeoNSS, a cluster nameservice, to address the > administration and scaling problems. The advantage of our > BeoNSS system > is that it > - Scales very well > - Uses an unchanged administrative model > - Allows a single point of administration > (add users on just the master), > - May be extended to support multiple administrative domains > (each master sharing a cluster might have their own user list). > > > as > > opposed to copying the individual files to each and every > node on the > > cluster? Is this even a desirable option for large clusters, for > > example? What if I need to add more accounts? > > You missed a big one: what about machines that are down or > non-responsive (!) when you update? > > If you are willing to deal with more complexity and > administration, copying > files to cluster nodes with full installs will result in good scaling, > but... then you have administration issues. > > We designed our architecture on the following principle: compute nodes > exist to perform computations for a master. Using BeoNSS, > compute nodes > only need know about the users that are actively running jobs. They > don't keep any persistant configuration that might be outdated. Only > the master needs the full user list. > > Look at this from end-goal perspective: there shouldn't be an > administrative change or a compute node performance difference between > the master having 10 users, having 10,000 users, or > supporting arbitrary > job submission from an even larger user base. We still have to try to > keep UIDs less that 32767 but that's a compatibility issue with > old-style 16 bit UIDs, not a design limit. > > -- > Donald Becker becker at scyld.com > Scyld Computing Corporation http://www.scyld.com > 410 Severn Ave. Suite 210 Scyld Beowulf cluster system > Annapolis MD 21403 410-990-9993 >


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Meditation Center In New Home
On Sunday, dressed in a saffron-and-burgundy robe, Gen Kelsang Nordin — with a soothing English-accented voice and inspirational words — emphasized to students the importance of gaining control of their minds.
Gen (meaning Sister) Nordin, a practitioner of meditation in the Tibetan Kadampa tradition, was addressing the opening day of a three-week course at the Vajravarahi Meditation Center, which has just relocated from Hampton Bays to Sag Harbor. Through meditation and other tools, she said, it is possible to attain happiness and a state of general tranquillity.
The center, which opened on Feb. 1 at 112 Hampton Road, is open to anyone interested in daily prayers or guided meditation classes, regardless of religious beliefs.
Sitting beside a 20-foot altar set with flowers, bowls of water, crystals, and statues of the Buddha, Gen Nordin guided about 20 students through stages of prayer, silent concentration, and discussion; they sat shoeless on comfortable chairs, or on pillows on the floor, taking care to straighten their backs and relax their necks and shoulders.
The Vajravarahi space is simply designed and decorated, with clean hardwood floors, 22 chairs, many pillows, and an Asian rug. A small shelf is filled with books and CDs with such titles as "Understanding the Mind" and "Meditation to Make Our Life Happy and Meaningful." Shoes are left near the door. After class, students are invited to help themselves to cups of tea from a decorative urn set on a table, and join in casual conversation.
Some in attendance on Sunday were regulars at the center's previous location; others had come in for the first time. The primary goal of this introductory series is to teach them how to deal with anger, frustration, and other agitating states of mind. Gen Norden explained that the practice of patience does not involve the gritting of teeth, or ignoring problems, but facing challenges while remaining calm, accessing inner resources of peace and wisdom. She said that during the next few weeks, students will learn how to cultivate — instead of being victims of — their habit-based mind.
Gen Norden emphasized the value of these techniques in practical terms (with no pressure to believe or accept any religious dogma). So far, she said, the center has been "very well received by the community."
A Peace of Mind open house will be offered on Feb. 25 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. More information and a schedule of ongoing events can be found at meditationinthehamptons.org.
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CORRECTION: Meditation
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Find Your Closest Club Location
Holiday Harbor Marina is a family-owned, full-service marina located on beautiful Perdido Key, Florida.
Miles of white sand beaches, tiny islands waiting for you to discover, inshore fishing, offshore fishing, and plenty of protected water, are all just minutes from Holiday Harbor Marina.
We are situated on the Intracoastal Canal between Mobile, AL and Pensacola, FL (Map) with direct access to the Gulf of Mexico through either Perdido Pass (Orange Beach, AL) or Pensacola Pass. Our full array of facilities and services can accommodate the needs of both local and transient boaters.
Our on-site restaurant, Sunset Grille, has waterside dining in a relaxed, family atmosphere with the best sunsets views on the Key. We offer a full menu, including fresh seafood daily, a full bar and a boating-themed playground for children. And, we are pet-friendly.
Come and let us serve you!
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