text:
Feng Shui and The Balance of NatureWednesday, June 10th, 2009
Feng Shui principles believe in living in harmony with the natural elements of your surroundings. The more in tune your home is with Nature the better is the Feng Shui of your life. Remaining closer to the natural flow of things you will enjoy better health and happiness.
It's all about balance and was meant to be that way; the natural order of things has basic five elements and every aspect of life can be compared to these and measured. For instance the element of wood is provided by the flora and fauna in our environment; if these are insufficient then we rely on the color green or wooden objects. The balance of the element of Fire is provided by sunshine in the absence of which we have lights, fire place or the kitchen fire. The Earth element is the home itself the most grounding factor in our lives. The other elements like Water and Metal are generally available to us in their natural forms as jewelry or artifacts and water bodies or images of it.
The laws of Nature believe in fairness; for every give there is taking. Matter may simply transform as we know but the essence remains the same. The 'Chi' factor the most important life force energy rests in all around us; with us included. For every mud mound you create there is a pit dug somewhere.
Speaking of ecological balance; for every structure we build whether it is mud, stone and concrete or wood we are digging into natural resources and transforming them into our dwelling.
The local cultural beliefs associate certain rituals performed before construction, or felling of trees used in the process as a mark of respect towards Nature. It's time we take note and give back to Nature what we draw from it. Say 'Each one plant one' or restricting the use of wood, looking for alternates, for it is our responsibility to maintain the balance. Global warming and related issues are now to be dealt with on war footing.
Strange but true; we could always switch back to the bicycle, or the traditional sloping roofs to keep homes cooler. Eating fresh raw or lightly cooked foods can be healthier and save on packing and processing; besides they need less fuel to cook too. We need to take the responsibility 'Now' to equate the highs and lows in life. This Earth is our home.
Some of the support methods for saving our Earth are:
- Following traditional natural healing methods using native wisdom
- Using bio fuel
- Car pooling, minimizing use of private transport wherever possible
- Restricting the use of plastic, cans etc.
- Conserving electricity
- Recycling natural waste
- Using solar energy, for heaters, cooking and other house hold gadgets
- Imbibing in our children the love for Nature
- Supporting bio friendly endeavors
- Saving paper
- Restricting the use of gadgets, use the appropriate size to cut electricity consumption
- Planting more trees, smaller lawns and more plants and trees. Use bird baths to attract birds they support eco-balance
- Encouraging construction of parks, water bodies in urban areas
- Living healthy life, walk where you can it is healthier, use bicycles for local commuting needs
- Having your own kitchen garden, and bartering your produce with fellow neighbors
- Every township should be self sufficient to avoid transportation of goods and save fuel
- De-centralizing industries to control pollution and generating livelihood to local population.
- Relying on cottage industries and appreciating environment friendly goods
- Conserve water by good plumbing and proper storage of water; water waste from the kitchen is excellent for watering a garden
- Keeping beaches and natural water bodies clean
- Avoid wastage of food
- Donate old winter wear and warm clothing for recycling


text:
NBC did something non-terrible this afternoon when they announced that beloved but thinly watched sitcom Community will be returning to the network's lineup this spring. While this news is worth celebrating, don't have a paintball orgy yet— they haven't committed to a fourth season, which means the show's future may be hanging on by a thread.
When Community went on hiatus this fall, viewers reacted with a combination of dismay, outrage, and annoyance at whoever the fuck's idea it was to keep Whitney around. But now, NBC executive says fans can expect at least a few more episodes.
So, Community fans, this is your chance to make the show's waning episodes count. Watch, tell your friends to watch, and buy the things the advertisers tell you to buy. Do it! Or it may be a very long time before we see Joel McHale or Donald Glover goofing around without their shirts on again.
'Community' Returning, But NBC Won't Commit to a Fourth Season [The Wrap]

subset: commoncrawl


text:
The perfect sports drink to stay hydrated and refreshed during your workout.
During physical activity, the body loses vitamins, electrolytes, and water. AMPED Hydrate provides the proper hydration that is essential to recovery when exercise is intense or extended.
The glycogen complex in AMPED Hydrate delivers optimal levels of carbohydrates athletes need to perform at peak levels.
Enriched with vitamins C and B-complex, this refreshing, natural sports drink mix is great way for athletes to hydrate without any artificial colors, flavors, or sweeteners.
The possibility of substances banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) in sports supplements is surprisingly high. Researchers estimate that somewhere between 3-25 percent of sports products contain traces of banned substances that are not present on the label.*
At Isagenix, we produce products that are safer for athletes all over the world. For this reason, we are pleased to announce that the AMPED™ line (as well as other performance-focused Isagenix products) are now Informed-Sport Certified. Everyone from competitive athletes to everyday performance enthusiasts can feel confident knowing that their Isagenix products have been tested for banned substances.
*Source: Judkins CMG, Teale P, and Hall DJ. The role of banned substance residue analysis in the control of dietary supplement contamination. Drug Testing and Analysis. 2010 Sep;2(9):417-20.
Ionix Supreme Adaptogens, antioxidants, and nutrients to help strengthen the body's ability to fight the effects of stress and promote better recovery, focus, and overall energy.
A long-lasting, flavorful energy shot made with naturally-sourced, plant-based caffeine and adaptogens.
Clean, powerful, effective. An Informed-Sport certified preworkout supplement that provides energy, strength, and helps enhance cognitive performance.
A pre-workout shot that supports nitric oxide production, which increases blood flow and oxygen delivery to cells so your muscles can function efficiently and prevent fatigue.


text:
View Mathematics titles by topic:
View related subjects
New & forthcomingSee all
Probability on Trees and Networks
Lyons/Peres Lyons/PeresPaperbackPrice is not yet setNot yet published - available from September 2019Unavailable
Mathematics seriesSee all
From the Blog
Making mathematical methods less intimidating
April 26th
My research career has taken a somewhat non-linear path, starting in theoretical cosmology and ending up in marine sciences. Each transition has required me to learn new things, and so many years ago I was involved in an Antarctic Field Training Course ru…
To what extent is the History of Mathematics a History?
March 29th
Mathematics rivals theology when it comes to ontological difficulties Mathematics rivals theology when it comes to ontological difficulties; consequently there are today three very different philosophical positions that can be taken. Platonists assert tha…
Digital innovation and entrepreneurship: bridging the skills gap
February 13th
The technology start-up sector is booming. The Global Entrepreneurship Monitor estimates that more than a million tech start-ups are created worldwide each year, and that these contribute to a dynamic $3 trillion ecosystem. In the UK and the USA, the digi…
Latest News
Steven Weinberg Q&A
Steven Weinberg discusses his career, and his latest book, Lectures on Quantum Mechanics
See all
Sign In
Please sign in to access your account
Not already registered? Create an account now. ×


text:
Travelers Bracelet
Ronda has been teaching wire wrap design and soldering classes over 10 years at bead shows and local bead stores. She has been teaching at larger venues around the country since 2015. She specializes in traditional wire wrap design and loves to see her students succeed in her classes. She released her first book in October 2013, Twists n Turns the Art of Wire Wrap Design and her second book was released in July 2016, Twists n Turns the Art of Wire Wrap Design II. She is co-owner of the Great Bead Escape Retreat which is in its 9th year of introducing attendees to the world of Jewelry Art. Her work can be found on her website, http://www.twistsnturns.com
Currently not available.
Skill Levels: All
Dates/Times: February 6, from 5:00pm to 7:00pm
Fees: $90 » workshop fee
« Back to Workshop List


text:
This is the first story in a Planet Money series on money in politics. We'll have more this afternoon on All Things Considered, and this weekend on This American Life.
We think of lawmakers having one job: making laws. But there's a second job most lawmakers have to do. And it's a big job.
"I think most Americans would be shocked — not surprised, but shocked — if they knew how much time a United States senator spends raising money," says Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin. "And how much time we spend talking about raising money, and thinking about raising money, and planning to raise money."
And this second job — the raising-money job — doesn't happen in the nice congressional offices, with the rugs on the floor and landscape paintings on the wall. That would be against the rules.
So senators and congressmen go across the street to private rooms in nongovernmental buildings, where they make call after call, asking people for money.
In other words, most of our lawmakers are moonlighting as telemarketers.
"If you walked in there, you would say, 'Boy, this is the about the worst looking, most abusive looking call center situation I've seen in my life,'" says Rep. Peter Defazio, a Democrat from Oregon. "These people don't have any workspace, the other person is virtually touching them."
There are stacks of names in front of each lawmaker. They go through the list, making calls and asking people for money.
The fundraising never stops, because everyone needs money to run for re-election. In the House, the candidate with more money wins in 9 out of 10 races, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, a nonpartisan group that tracks money in politics. In the Senate, it's 8 out of 10.
It's not uncommon for congressmen to average three or four hours moonlighting as telemarketers. One lawmaker told me if it was the end of the quarter and he really needed to make his numbers, he'd be there all day long.
There's not always time to do both jobs. And often, the fundraising wins out over the lawmaking.
Let's go now to money and politics. This year's election is expected to break all previous spending records. So our Planet Money Team has been talking to Members of Congress, lobbyists, ex-lobbyists, congressional staffers, and fund-raising consultants to put together a series about the role money plays in the political process.
And that series kicks off today here on MORNING EDITION and ALL THINGS CONSIDERED, and then this weekend on WBEZ's This American Life.
Let's begin with some numbers. On average, the race to win a seat in the House of Representatives costs between one and $2 million. For the average Senate race it's millions more.
MONTAGNE: It's not uncommon to hear people complaining about all the money in politics. And as Planet Money's Alex Blumberg reports, some of the people who hate it the most, are the ones who have to raise it.
ALEX BLUMBERG, BYLINE: We think of lawmakers having one job, you know, making laws. But Illinois Democratic Senator Dick Durbin says when you're in elected office, you have a second job, raising money.
SENATOR DICK DURBIN: I think most Americans would be shocked - not surprised, but shocked - if they knew how much time a United States Senator spends raising money. And how much time we spend talking about raising money, and thinking about raising money, and planning to raise money, and, you know, going off on little retreats and conjuring up new ideas on how to raise money.
BLUMBERG: And this second job - the raising-money one - it doesn't happen in those nice offices with the American landscape oil painting on the wall. No, when lawmakers raise money, they have to leave those cushy digs and go across the street to these call centers. Both parties have them, private rooms in non-governmental buildings, where they dial and ask people for money.
That's right, most of our lawmakers are moonlighting as telemarketers. But Democrat Peter Defazio says, even that makes it sound better than it is.
REPRESENTATIVE PETER DEFAZIO: If you walked in there, you would say, boy, this is the about the worst looking, most abusive looking call center situation I've seen in my life. These people don't have any workspace, the other person is, you know, virtually touching them.
DURBIN: We sit at these desks with stacks of names in front of us, and short bios and histories of giving.
BLUMBERG: Again, Senator Dick Durbin. He says that on the Senate side, a bunch of them will take an afternoon and go to the call center together. They call it a power hour. You sit in that room, call down the list...
DURBIN: ...and ask them to give, and this goes on and on and on.
STEVE DRIEHAUS: It just never stops.
BLUMBERG: Steve Driehaus was a one term congressman from Ohio, a Democrat. And he says the reason the fundraising never stops, you can't stay in office without the money. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, a non-partisan group that tracks money in politics, nine out of 10 races, the candidate with the most money wins. That's in the House. In the Senate, it's eight out of 10.
Driehaus needed to raise thousands of dollars every single day. And if that wasn't enough to worry about, he had his own party breathing down his neck.
DRIEHAUS: Oh, there's tremendous pressure, you know they expect you to be raising money. That will be a determining factor as to whether or not they feel it's a good use of their resources to support your reelection efforts.
BLUMBERG: How is that pressure made apparent to you? What do they say to you?
DEFAZIO: They check in on you. They check in to see if you're doing your part to raise money. They check in with your fundraising folks.
BLUMBERG: Just looking over your shoulder and saying like, this isn't going to be enough to win?
DEFAZIO: Yeah, absolutely.
BLUMBERG: Many Americans might say that lawmakers should give priority to the first job, the job they were elected to do. But it's not uncommon for congressman to average two, three, four hours a day doing the other job, the one in the call center.
One member told me, if it was the end of the quarter and he really needed to make his numbers, he'd be there all day long. The fact is, you don't have time to do both jobs. And often, the fundraising wins out over the lawmaking.
For NPR News, I'm Alex Blumberg.
MONTAGNE: You're listening to MORNING EDITION from NPR News. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.


text:
Name: Lowest price of wedding card paper arabic wedding card Model: IC1503-05Material: 250gsm matt paper or 200gsm pearl paperFolded Size: 23cm*8.9 cmPacking: 12 pcs packed into one polybag
Our other different designs :
More colors :
1. Welcome to customerized design
(1) Produce cards according to your design or sample;(2) Add relative information (names,date,greeting words,hotel name,map,logo,photo,picture…) on the card in your language for you by printing/hot stamp;(3) Remove all the words on the cards;(4) Change the size,material,color,style of the card according to your request;2. Payment: Payments can be made through Bank Transfer, Paypal, Western Union, 3. Delivery Time:(1)Sample:1-2 days after confirming the payment;(2)Produce Time: normally 10-15 workdays, depends on your quantity.4. Transportation:(1) By sea;(2) By air;(3) By express: DHL, UPS, Fedex, and EMS.
5. Print Service:we could offer black ink print or color ink print service, if you need to print informtions for your wedding invitation cards, please send your words to us by decument.
1. How can i place an order?
You can contact any of our sales person for an order. Please provide the details of your requirements as clear as possible. So we can send you the offer at the first time.For designing or further discussion, it is better to contact us with trade manager of alibaba, Skype, email,whatsapp or other instant ways, in case of any delays.
2. When can i get the price
Usually we quote our best price within 12 hours after we get your inquiry.
3. How can i get a sample to check your quality?
After price confirmation, you can require for samples to check our design and paper quality. For printed samples, we will check $30-$100 to cover the cost on film&printing. The sample cost can be refunded back after confirm the order.
4. What kind of files do you accept for printing?
AI, PDF, CDR, etc.
5. Can you do the design for us?
Yes, We have a professional team having rich experience in Wedding favors design and manufacturing.Just tell us your idea, we will help to carry out your idea into perfect boxes,such as size , color , your own logo .....
6.Can I get other items to match my invitations?
Yes,we can coordinate anyting to you invitation selection,such as tags,save the date,place cards,program,menu,announcemens,thank you card and mor.Even if you do not see them pictured on the site,we can make them.
7. What about the lead time for mass production?
It depends on the order quantity and the season you place the order.Generally 15 -25 days.
We are a Professional Orignal Design Manufacturer of : wedding decoration ,wedding invitations, wedding card, wedding invitation card, wedding invites, wedding accessories, wedding supplies,Handmade invitation, luxury invitations, invitation card, greeting card, paper card, gift card, birthday cards, Christmas card, handmade card, valentine card, Valentines Day card, anniversary card, candy box, wedding candle ,gift bags etc.
Guangzhou Red Leaves Stationery Co., Ltd.
Add: Rm D008, Dongtai Building, Zhuji Road, Guangzhou, P.R.CHINA , 510663
Website : www.redleavesgift.com
Tel: 0086-20-82322787


text:
America loves zombies and auto insurance — well, at least zombies — so it makes sense for Progressive Corp. to try something inventive with its latest marketing campaign, using characters known as "Rate Suckers." Forbes.com breaks down the first spot, which highlights Progressive's Snapshot device and aired during last night's season premiere of "Mad Men." Snapshot monitors motorists' real-time behavior. "The quirky new campaign from Progressive's longtime agency Arnold Worldwide depicts a mob of zombie-like characters called Rate Suckers, representing bad drivers, who "attack" a car driven by a safe driver by jumping on it and attaching themselves to the windshield, terrorizing those inside," according to Forbes.com, which, helpfully, includes a video of the spot. (The Rate Suckers are repelled when a rescuer hands the driver a Snapshot.) In addition to TV, the website says the campaign will include cinema; print advertising in People and USA Today; interactive; and a viral campaign. Progressive "wouldn't reveal how much it is spending on this campaign but it is believed that historically it has spent over $300 million annually," Forbes.com says. Progressive's iconic "Flo" character isn't in the spot. Jeff Charney, Progressive's chief marketing officer, tells Forbes.com, "Flo has done a great job for us and she'll be back. But we were looking to do something totally disruptive in the marketplace, with a capital 'D,' so we decided we have to do something different than the Superstore concept." He takes issue with Forbes.com's characterization of the campaign, based on this exchange: Forbes.com:Was the idea behind the advertising to capitalize on the popularity of shows like "True Blood" and "Walking Dead"? Mr. Charney: No. We are not using vampires or zombies. These are new characters that we've come up with and are an over-the-top manifestation of why good drivers have been mispriced. Almost two-thirds of people are not aware that they pay higher car insurance rates because they subsidize those Rate Suckers, people with bad driving habits." Mr. Charney describes the goals of the campaign this way: "I hope that it will be a line in the sand not only in the consumer's mind, but for the industry as well," he says. "Insurance companies commonly price consumers by comparing them to drivers with whom they share basic characteristics, like age, gender, or vehicle year, make and model. These factors do not directly reflect individual driving habits, but until Snapshot, there wasn't a simple, reliable way to determine how a driver actually drives when calculating a customer's rate."
Editor's Choice
Flo is a no go in Progressive's 'Rate Suckers' campaign
Smoke 'em if you've got 'em: USA Today takes a look at the mainstreaming of marijuana-related entrepreneurship in a story that includes a mention of a Cleveland company, Cannassure, For instance, a Seattle private equity fund, Privateer Holdings, is designed to buy up smaller marijuana-related businesses "to create one big fat one," USA Today says, to take advantage of last fall's legalization of most personal pot consumption in Colorado and Washington state. "After Washington and Colorado, the pot business is, if not mainstream, at least ready to push toward it," the newspaper reports. "Advocates hope to legalize personal use in another 14 states by 2017, mostly among the 16 states besides Washington and Colorado where medical pot is legal (it's also legal in Washington, D.C.). Industry estimates say today's $1.5 billion legal market could quadruple by 2018." Instead of backing marijuana dispensaries, "investors such as Privateer and San Francisco-based ArcView Group are rushing to find consulting firms, software companies and insurance agencies to serve the new market," USA Today reports. "Even Privateer's strategy of merging small companies to form a big one is familiar: In traditional buyout shops, it's called a 'roll-up.'" (Perfect!) The newspaper notes that Privateer's first buy was Leafly, a Yelp-like website and mobile app that reviews 500-plus strains of cannabis, luring 2.3 million monthly visitors. The heavy traffic "has allowed Leafly to begin selling ads. Several help pot entrepreneurs who can't otherwise buy insurance because most insurers think their businesses are too risky, said Patrick McManamon, managing director of Cleveland agency Cannassure," which specializes in providing marijuana insurance products and services to the medical marijuana industry. This bites: More bad news, red meat-lovers. "The fat and cholesterol found in a steak may not be the only components bad for the heart," Bloomberg reports, based on work by Cleveland researchers who have found another substance in red meat that can clog the arteries. "The substance is called carnitine, and as bacteria in the gut breaks it down, it turns into a compound known to harden arteries," the news service says, based on a study published today in Nature Medicine. "What's more, people who eat a lot of meat allow more of the bacteria that convert carnitine to the harmful compound to grow, increasing its effect. " Previous research "has shown that high levels of meat-eating are linked to cardiovascular risk, due in part to the saturated fats and cholesterol in meat," according to Bloomberg. "However, the higher levels of these ingredients aren't enough to explain the difference in heart disease between meat eaters and vegans or vegetarians. Today's study, which takes into account the differences in the stomach's inhabitants, may begin to explain the difference." Study author Stanley Hazen, the section head of Preventive Cardiology and Rehabilitation at the Cleveland Clinic, said in a statement, "The bacteria living in our digestive tracts are dictated by our long-term dietary patterns. A diet high in carnitine actually shifts our gut microbe composition to those that like carnitine, making meat eaters even more susceptible." Buy the book: Pamela Sandy, founder and CEO of Confiance LLC in Cleveland, is among the financial advisers asked by The Wall Street Journal to recommend a book about money. Her choice: "Who Stole the American Dream?" by Hedrick Smith. "It's an excellent historical perspective of how we got here" to the current economy, Ms. Sandy tells The Journal. She adds that the book details the policy decisions that have worked to enrich Wall Street and hurt the middle class. Ms. Sandy calls it a must-read for financial planners. "We need to raise our voices when it comes to the public policy discussion," Ms. Sandy adds. "We should be supporting policies that increase the net worth and financial stability of the people we hope to serve."
You also can follow me on Twitter for more news about business and Northeast Ohio.


text:
Cookies on Schiphol.nl
We use functional and analytics cookies that are necessary to make this website work correctly. In addition, we use marketing cookies. Accept all cookies or choose which ones you allow.
In the above list you will find the departure times of this flight from Schiphol for, generally, up to 21 days in advance. It's good to know that all flight information is definitively in our system only 48 hours in advance. Of course, the information about the departure time of this flight for today, is the most accurate. Select the flight on your desired date and get detailed flight information for your departing flight on that specific day.


text:
Mar 20, 2013
From staff reports
The largest charity-based race event in Athens—the O'Bleness Health Systems Race for a Reason—will draw hundreds of Ohio University community members for three different races on April 27.
A joint venture between Ohio University Athletes in Action and The Center for Sports Administration, the Race for a Reason allows individuals to raise funds for the charity of their choice. This year's event co-directors are Kate McGowan and Mike Wendling. Bill Hauschild of Athletes in Action is lending a very helping hand in the advising and planning process.
This year's goal is to exceed 1,000 combined participants and to raise more than $60,000 for charities and organizations around the county.
Participants may run as individuals or with an organization in one of three unique races:
Participants can raise funds for any charity, nonprofit organization or cause that means something to them, setting a goal and raising money through pledges and donations. A portion of each registration fee is automatically donated to the charity of the participant's choice.
"We are proud to partner with Race for a Reason again this year," said Greg Long, president and CEO of O'Bleness Health System. "We believe this is a great way for individuals in the community to make a difference by raising money for what matters to them. The mission of this event aligns perfectly with the mission of O'Bleness Health System."
For more information about the O'Bleness Health Systems Race for a Reason and to register, visit http://ouraceforareason.com/, and follow the event on Twitter (@OURace4Reason) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/OBlenessHealthSystemRaceForAReason).
Please contact Kate McGowan or Mike Wendling, event co-directors of O'Bleness Health System Race for a Reason, at firstname.lastname@example.com or 740-401-9482.


text:
This compact electric bike, the EC-02 from Yamaha, costs just under $2000. First introduced in Japan two years ago, the EC-02 is similar to the Enertia motorcycle I wrote about recently in TreeHugger. But this scooter has more modest specs: a top speed of 18 MPH and a range of 40 miles. So it's more suitable for commuters and scooting around in your neighborhood. There's also a special iPod edition of the EC-02, that has a built-in iPod dock.
Interestingly, this scooter also glows in the dark Why? Yamaha says: 'The technology enables the exterior to give a more vividly stereoscopic impression of the three-dimensional shape of any surface treated with the film.'
From what I've read, this bike is only currently available in Japan.
Personally, the most impressive electric bike I've seen is the Optibike.
Via: AutoblogGreen


text:
Watch a show and start the conversation.
Loading messages...
Send a message to start the conversation.
Send a message to start the conversation with your viewers!
Send gifts with monetary value to Mastah Myndz ™ and appear here as VIPs.
Be Sure To FOLLOW "Mighty" At chew.tv/wutonearth
Please Visit Us At Our Website & Sign The Guest Book mastahmyndz.com/
Join Our Mastah Myndz Discord discord.gg/fJm9nWq
Be Sure To FOLLOW Us Here & Twitter twitter.com/Mastahmyndz And LIKE Us On Facebook www.facebook.com/MastahMyndz/
Also Catch All Replays of Sets LIVE On Mastah Myndz Radio 24/7:
ChewTv - chew.tv/mastahmyndzradio/…
Periscope/Twitter - www.periscope.tv/Mastahmyndz
Twitch - go.twitch.tv/mastah_myndz_crew
StreamMe - www.stream.me/MastahMyndz


text:
>>>boxscore game one
>>>boxscore game two
COLUMBUS, Ga. - No. 8 Georgia College & State University baseball (28-11, 14-7 PBC) took game one today (April 11) 5-4 before dropping game two 6-4 in 10 innings at Columbus State University (22-17-, 10-10 PBC), maintaining the tight Bobcat lead on first place in the Peach Belt Conference (PBC). Georgia College took the series 2-1.
The Bobcats are atop the PBC standings at 14-7, one game ahead of No. 24 USC Aiken (13-8). Six PBC contests remain on the Bobcat schedule, a series at UNC Pembroke April 18-19 and one at home with Augusta State University May 2-3.
Game one featured two solo home runs early to get it going and an important insurance run late to preserve a 5-4 win. Starter Dylan Lightell (Rosamond, Calif.) went seven strong innings in the win (3-2), allowing just one unearned run and scattering five hits with five whiffs. Cougar starter Danny Davidson (0-2) went 7 1/3 innings in the loss, allowing all five runs.
Centerfielder Sean Harrell (Martinez, Ga.) hit his first of two home runs today to lead off the third, stretching the lead to 2-0. A Buddy Elmore (Dallas) double followed a Derek Johns (Waynesville, Ga.) double for a 3-0 advantage. With two out in the fourth, leftfielder KyleAllen (Conyers, Ga.) pulled a shot to rightfield for a 4-1 lead.
After CSU had trimmed the lead to 4-2, Elmore led off the eighth with his third double of the game, this time in the left-center gap. After an out, second baseman Brooks Robinson (Evans, Ga.) ripped a two-bagger down the left field line for a 5-2 lead and an important insurance run. Elmore finished the first game 3-for-3 with two runs and an RBI.
In the bottom of the ninth, after a leadoff walk to the Cougars' Aaron Beasley, third baseman Chris Martin made the score 5-4 with a home run to right center. Bobcat stopper Martin Dewald (Mannhiem, Germany) entered the game, getting two quick strikeouts, a single and then a groundout to end the threat. Dewald picked up his 10th save, tying the school single-season record.
In game two, the Bobcats led 4-1 going into the bottom of the seventh. The Cougars plated one run in each of the next three innings to knot it up, tying the game at 4-4 on a run-scoring double by shortstop Eric Skinner. The game was ended in the bottom of the 10th, when catcher Jeremy Slutzky hit a walk-off two run shot to left center for the 6-4 finish.
Dewald (5-2) took the loss in 1 1/3 innings of work, allowing three runs. CSU reliever Jason Weaver (3-2) got the win, working the final two innings with no-hit ball.
Harrell had a 3-for-8 day, scoring twice and driving in two with a pair of solo home runs. He now has five on the year. Allen finished the day 3-for-6 with two runs and an RBI.
The Bobcats return to action Wednesday, April 15 at 2 p.m., hosting the University of West Georgia (13-24). The Wolves most recently lost to the University of Montevallo 11-4 today.
Visit www.GCSUBobcats.com to nominate your favorite former Bobcats and Colonials to the GCSU Athletics Hall of Fame. The GCSU Department of Athletics sponsors 10 varsity athletic programs at the NCAA Division II level. As a Division II program, GCSU prides itself on balancing the life of the student-athlete, evidenced by the Bobcats' multiple appearances in post-season competition as well as documented academic success and community-service involvement. Sign up at Twitter.com username GCSUSID for up-to-the-minute reports.


text:
This example shows how to use Stateflow® to model a bang-bang control system that regulates the temperature of a boiler. The boiler dynamics are modeled in Simulink® in a boiler plant model.
The bang bang control logic lies within the Stateflow chart and controls when the boiler is turned on and off. Initially, the boiler is turned off through the use of the turn_boiler graphical function. Every 5 seconds, the boiler's LED flashes, again through the use of a graphical function. After 40 seconds, if the boiler is cold, the boiler is turned on. After 20 seconds, the boiler is turned off once again, and the bang bang control cycle repeats.
Note the use of absolute time temporal logic in the bang bang control logic to control the transition between the states and to periodically flash the LED. The syntax
after(20,sec) means take the transition 20 seconds after the state was entered. Note that the chart does not have an input event called
sec is a keyword that can be used in temporal logic operators to specify delay in terms of simulation time rather than occurrences of events.
Since we cannot use the
every temporal logic operator with the
sec keyword, we use a "workaround" which involves an inner substate called
Flash with a self-transition triggered by the condition
after(5,sec). This means that the entry action of the
Flash substate is performed every 5 seconds in this bang bang control system.
Looking at the Simulink scope, we can see that after approximately 450 seconds, the boiler temperature is effectively maintained at the set temperature of 20 degrees Celsius with this bang bang control logic.


text:
The Crighton Players Open THE LION IN WINTER Tonight
Continuing the winter theme, The Crighton Players follow their immensely popular production of Irving Berlin's White Christmas with James Goldman's classic tale of a historical dysfunctional family,The Lion in Winter. Nominated for two Tony Awards, the original Broadway production debuted in 1966 and was followed with the 1968 motion picture starring Peter O'Toole and Katherine Hepburn, earning 7 Oscar nominations and giving Hepburn her 3rd Academy Award for Best Actress and Goldman his 1st for Best Adapted Screenplay.
Centered on the Plantagenet family, The Lion in Winter takes place at a Christmas court that never was, in Chinon, France in 1183 A.D. The events might be fictional, but the characters are larger than life and endlessly fascinating. Goldman goes so far as to state in the preface of his play, "The historical material on Henry's reign is considerable insofar as battles, plots, wars, treaties and alliances are concerned. This play - while simplifying the political maneuvering combining a meeting of the French and English Kings in 1183 with a Royal Court held at Windsor in the following year into a Christmas Court that never was - is accurately based on the available data. The facts we have, while clear enough to the outcome of relationships - such things as who kills who and when - say little if anything about the quality and content of those relationships. The people in this play, their character and passions, while consistent with the facts we have, are fictions."
The Lion in Winter storyline is legend, and it's full of twists and turns. Henry II, the first of the Plantagenet Kings, is an old man sick of war. He has built an empire and rules over more than half of Western Europe. He wants to know that his empire will remain unified upon his death and fears that his sons' greed will divide it, plunging it into civil war. The son he had hoped would succeed him has died over the summer and he has three left, Richard, Geoffrey, and John.
Henry's family is far from ordinary. His sons are simply mad for power, and he's done everything he can to satiate their lust for crown and land. He holds a Christmas court at Chinon to decide which of the three is capable of shouldering his legacy.
Henry also invites his wife, Eleanor to court. He has let her out of prison for Christmas to help celebrate with the family. For a decade, Eleanor's been imprisoned in Salisbury Tower at Windsor Castle because she and their eldest sons led a revolt against him. Though imprisoned, Eleanor still holds great political sway, and Henry needs her at court to find out what tricks she has up her sleeve.
Who will get the crown? Henry favors John, Eleanor champions Richard, and no one even bothers to consider, Goeffrey who changes allegiance as often as he breathes.
Add to that the young King of France, Philip, who by treaty has been promised that his sister Alais will marry Richard. But Alais is Henry's mistress and political pawn, and so has been promised as the wife of whichever son Henry names as heir to the throne. She was even raised by Eleanor who, at one time herself, was Phillip's father's former wife.
Henry and Eleanor's problems seem unrelentingly tragic. On the Owen Stage however, all these complicated dynamics combined with everyday concerns like aging, death, sibling rivalry, marital jealousy, legacy, inheritance and love are transformed into situations to which everyone can relate.
Seven talented actors have taken Goldman's colorful characters under the direction of Brandi D. Baldwin and created a night at that theatre that won't soon be forgotten. Henry II is played by Crighton Players Board President, Jeffrey L Baldwin, who was recently seen playing another famous King in The King & I. Marilyn Moore, who won Monties for her roles in To Kill A Mockingbird and You Can't Take It With You, portrays Eleanor of Aquitane. Kathleen Baker (Alais) and J. Christopher Blanchard (Richard) are new faces to the Crighton Players and the Owen Stage, both having performed in several Houston Family Arts Center productions including The 39 Steps and Crazy for You. The cast is rounded out with other familiar CP faces: Timothy Eggert (Geoffrey) was Murray in The Odd Couple, Caleb Glass (John) was Jem in To Kill A Mockingbird and Travis A. Braynt was last seen as a Bobby in Oliver!
The Lion in Winter runs tonight, January 25th through February 10th. Show times are Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays, February 3rd and 10th at 2pm. Get your tickets now. To reserve your seat, call 936-539-4090 or purchase on-line at www.owentheatre.com.


text:
She was dead.
Dear, gentle, patient, noble Nell, was dead.
Her little bird -- a poor slight thing the pressure of a finger would have crushed -- was stirring nimbly in its cage; and the strong heart of its child-mistress was mute and motionless for ever.
Charles Dickens, The Old Curiosity Shop (1841)
The Anglo-Irish playwright and bon vivant, Oscar Wilde, once observed that "one must have a heart of stone to read the death of Little Nell without laughing."
On the surface, Wilde's aphorism is wicked. Laughing at the death of an impossibly good child is a heartless act. Yet the strength of Wilde's remarks -- and their repetition to this day -- comes not from the discovery that Little Nell's death was funny. Rather it is the realization that Dicken's depiction of Little Nell's death was aesthetically flawed. So over the top, so one-dimensional that the power of the narrative collapsed under the weight of its treacly sentiment. It was bad art.
Reading an article in USA Today entitled: "Mosque projects face resistance in some U.S. communities" elicited the same response from me as Little Nell's death did for Wilde.
One must have a heart of stone not to laugh at the persecution of Muslims in America as depicted by USA Today. This article is so bad, so one-sided, so inept that its ham-handed attempt to elicit sympathy by condemning prejudice felt by some Muslims in America brought me to tears -- of laughter.
The article begins:
CHICAGO – Mohammed Labadi has a lot at stake when the DeKalb City Council votes Tuesday on a request from the Islamic Society of Northern Illinois University to build a two-story mosque.
Labadi, a businessman and Islamic Society board member, wants a bigger mosque to replace the small house where local Muslims now worship. He also hopes for affirmation that his neighbors and city officials have no fear of the Muslim community.
The article offers a protestation by Mr. Labadi of his American credentials -- and then notes the zoning commission has approved the request for a new mosque. An inaspicious beginning for an article on prejudice against Muslims -- but USA Today has a narrative arc in mind that will not be deflected by the facts in its lede.
The article then takes a bizarre turn. Starting with the plea by Mr. Labadi not to "look at me just as a Muslim, look at me as an American" and to "take the unfortunate stereotypes about Muslims out of the picture" the article then removes Islam from 9/11. It states:
Since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, which were carried out by hijackers from Arab countries, animosity toward Muslims sometimes has taken the form of opposition to construction of mosques and other Islamic facilities.
What is the author trying to say? Is it that 9/11 was really an Arab affair that has spawned unfortunate repercussions against Muslims? That Islam has nothing to do with it?
The article reports on "anti-mosque activity" in more than 25 states since 9/11, citing the ACLU as its source of information, and then quotes the director of the ACLU's freedom of religion program as saying that some mosque opponents raise concerns about traffic and parking.
A lawyer for the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) then enters the story, claiming prejudice -- not zoning issues -- lay behind the decision by DuPage County, Ill., to block a construction permit for a mosque.
Some DuPage County residents who objected to the permit "raised allegations of terrorism," Vodak says. "The post-9/11 atmosphere has created a lot of fear and hysteria about Muslim institutions."
The article does offer the voice of a neighbor to the proposed mosque, objecting to the building being located in a residential area -- and then offers anecdotes of zoning concerns over proposed mosques in Connecticut and a successful zoning application in Wisconsin. The article then ends with comments from two Muslims a la Rodney King -- "Why can't we all get along".
Still, says Othman Atta, the Islamic Society's executive director, some opponents said the mosque would teach violence and impose Islamic law. "The level of knowledge about Muslims is pretty abysmal," he says. "People, if they don't understand something, they tend to fear it."
Ebrahim Moosa, a Duke University professor of religion and Islamic studies, worries that discrimination against Muslims is growing. "Opposition to mosques," he says, "is not a misunderstanding, because reasonable people can talk and mutually educate."
Why the laughter? Why the sniggering? Because this is a mess of an article.
The news reported in this story is that two mosques have received zoning approval and two mosques have been denied zoning approval. The expert commentary offered in this story, however, comes only from those condemning anti-Muslim prejudice and ignorance -- nothing from experts on religion and zoning.
A further problem with the story structure is that the article fails to offer any proven examples of prejudice and ignorance. We are offered a few factual crumbs courtesy of the ACLU, but they are not placed in any sort of context. How many mosques have been vandalized? Are Muslim hate crimes on the increase or decrease? Are hate crimes against Jews, Sikhs, Buddhist, Christians on the increase or decrease as well? What sort of Muslims are we talking about? Sunni, Shia, Ismaili, Ahmadiyya? Are mosques backed by Saudi money being built, but not those of other schools?
And CAIR? In an article complaining about the linkage between Islam and terrorism it is a bit much to have a group some members of Congress believe is a terrorist front organization put forward as a source without having any sort of context explaining from whom we are hearing.
This article is full of cliches and stock metaphors and uses these trite devices as well as an appeal to sentiment to advance an argument that it does neglects to support with facts.
Which takes me back to the death of Little Nell. The Old Curiosity Shop presented an unrealistic picture of death. Dickens offered the reader a child who on its death bed is uncomplaining -- who as death approaches only increases in earnestness and gratitude for the little she has received in this life. There is no suffering, no pain, no loss. The only action found in the pages describing the death of Little Nell is the fluttering of an innocent bird hoping about its cage as life slips away.
Dickens depiction of death was so unconvincing, so trite and contrived that it was funny. Wilde's bon mot was not heartless but an apt judgment on aesthetic failure -- on the failure of Dickens as an artist in this passage from The Old Curiosity Shop.
While I concede that this article has no pretensions to being art, it too is an aesthetic failure. It is also a professional (journalistic) failure and a moral failure. It seeks not to establish the truth but to prove a point. All it succeeds in doing, however, is to glorify sentiment.
Oscar Wilde in a letter to Lord Alfred Douglas described the sentimentalist as one who
desires to have the luxury of an emotion without paying for it . . . Even the finest and most self-sacrificing emotions have to be paid for. Strangely enough, that is what makes them fine. The intellectual and emotional life of ordinary people is a very contemptible affair .... And remember that the sentimentalist is always a cynic at heart. Indeed sentimentality is merely the bank holiday of cynicism.
By crafting the story on a foundation of sentiment rather than fact, USA Today fell short in its reporting. There is a story to be told on the acculturation of Muslims in America in the wake of 9/11. What say you GetReligion readers, does this article help tell this story?
Mosque image courtesy of Shutterstock.


text:
Southfield-based construction manager Barton Malow Co. is part of the four-company consortium hired to build a $622 million stadium for the Atlanta Braves.
The 41,500-seat ballpark is scheduled to open in 2017. The architect is Kansas City-based Populous.
Barton Malow is part of a joint venture for the project called American Builders 2017 that includes Kennesaw, Ga.-based Brasfield & Gorie LLC, Minneapolis-based M.A. Mortenson Construction Co., and Atlanta-based New South Construction.
American Builders beat three other bidders for the job, said Alex Ivanikiw, senior vice president at Barton Malow and one of the executives overseeing the project.
Staffers from the four companies will work for American Builders, rather than their respective firms handling individual parts of the job, Ivanikiw said.
"We're putting all of our best people into the project," he said.
Len Moser, a Barton Malow vice president, will be American Builders' project representative, Ivanikiw said.
Moser already had a relationship with the Braves: He oversaw Barton Malow's construction of 10,427-seat Gwinnett Stadium (now Coolray Field), home of the Braves' Triple-A affiliate, the Gwinnett Braves. It opened in 2009 at a cost of $64 million.
The Cobb County Commissioners awarded the construction contract for the new Atlanta Braves stadium to American Builders 2017 on May 28.
The public will pay $392 million of the construction cost, and the team will spend $230 million.
Construction is scheduled to begin in July. The site is northwest of Atlanta in Cobb County.
The ballpark will be owned by the public Cobb-Marietta Coliseum and Exhibit Hall Authority, but operated by the team.
The contract is the latest high-profile sports deal for Barton Malow.
Here are some of its major stadium jobs:
- In April, the firm was part of a joint group awarded the construction contract for the $450 million arena set to open in 2016 for the Detroit Red Wings. It also was the general contractor for the team's current home since 1979, Joe Louis Arena.
- It was the managing partner of a joint venture overseeing a four-year, $150 million renovation of the famed 91-year-old Rose Bowl stadium in Pasadena, Calif.
- The $226 million Michigan Stadium expansion and upgrade that finished in 2011.
- The $24.5 million expansion of Spartan Stadium that will wrap up in 2015.
- The ongoing $400 million redevelopment of Daytona International Speedway's mile-long grandstand.
- The forthcoming construction of three new buildings around Notre Dame's football stadium at a cost of $400 million.
- The $85 million stadium this year for the Orlando Lions, a Major League Soccer expansion team.
- The company's first sports work was designing, building and financing the $55.7 million Pontiac Silverdome in the mid-1970s.
"We've had a good run here," Ivanikiw said.
The yet-to-be-named Braves stadium will replace 49,586-seat Turner Field, another Barton Malow project, that opened for the ballclub at a cost of $209 million in 1997.
It was used for the 1996 Summer Games in Atlanta, and the Olympic committee used donations from NBC, Anheuser-Busch, McDonald's, AT&T, NationsBank, Delta Air Lines and IBM instead of any public money to fund its construction.
The new stadium will be surrounded by a mixed-use development that will include restaurants, retail outlets, residential properties, office space and a hotel that will be open year-round, MLB.com reported.
Details are at HomeoftheBraves.com.
Barton Malow, privately held, had $1.1 billion in 2013 revenue. It has 1,500 employees and 13 offices.
The Maibach family has been involved with Barton Malow since 1925 and acquired majority control in 1961. Ben Maibach III is chairman and CEO.
Bill Shea: (313) 446-1626, [email protected]. Twitter: @bill_shea19