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This week I spent a great deal of time working on the church grounds—something I do not usually do. As David Mills and I were standing in front of the church talking, a woman who lives across the street from the church walked up to us and asked, "Do you men attend this church?" We told her we both were members of the church. She seemed satisfied by this and followed up with this request: "My husband and I went out for a walk and accidentally locked ourselves out of the house. Do you suppose that you could help us get back into the house?" David knew that I had some skill in this area, and so he went on back to his work. I told the woman I would be delighted to help her "break in" to her house if she would not tell anybody what I had done. In less than a minute she was back in her house, pleased to be in so easily, but a little distressed to see the ease with which I got past her front door lock.
Later in the day, David called. He asked if I had been successful. I told him that I managed to get in in less than a minute. It only later occurred to me that there might be a connection between this neighbor's asking if we were from the church and her asking if we could help her break into her own house. She wanted someone to help her break in, but she also wanted some assurance that the person who did so was trustworthy. In effect, she wanted an honest "second story man." I guess that was me.
It is strange how things like this work out, isn't it? It reminds me of another time, when I was helping a friend "break into" his truck. It suddenly occurred to me, as I was standing there in the darkness, clothes hanger in hand, that my friend was holding the light, and I was doing the breaking in. That amused me because he had spent a fair bit of time in prison for dealing in stolen car parts.
The conversion of the Ethiopian eunuch is similar, as I read this text in the eighth chapter of the Book of Acts. Here was a man who had just been to Jerusalem, to worship the God of Israel there. And yet he was not saved in Jerusalem, but in the desert. And rather than being "led to the Lord" by one of the apostles there in Jerusalem, or even by Peter or John in a Samaritan city, he was converted through Philip, who was divinely directed to him in that remote desert place. One would think that the first Gentile convert (specifically mentioned in Acts) would have been won by an apostle. How strange the ways of God are! The salvation of this Ethiopian eunuch was clearly a matter of divine election and calling, as was the choice of the human instrument (Philip) a part of God's sovereign will. The reasons for this are important, and we shall seek to discover them as we continue on with our study.
The Return of the Apostles
25 And so, when they had solemnly testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they started back to Jerusalem, and were preaching the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans.
Stephen's preaching resulted in his own death, and in the persecution of the whole church in Jerusalem, with Saul as a prominent and dominant force behind this. This brought about the exodus of the church, except for the apostles (Acts 8:1-3). Along with Stephen (and five others), Philip was one of those chosen to oversee the feeding of the widows, giving particular attention to the Hellenistic Jewish widows, who had previously been overlooked (Acts 6:1-6). This same Philip had fled from Jerusalem, and had gone to Samaria, where he performed many amazing signs (Acts 8:4-7). As a result of his ministry, many Samaritans were saved, including Simon the magician (8:9-13). When the apostles in Jerusalem learned of the revival which was taking place in Samaria, they sent Peter and John to Samaria. These apostles laid their hands on the Samaritan believers and prayed that they might receive the Holy Spirit (8:14-15). When they had finished their task, they departed for Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in the Samaritan villages as they journeyed home (8:25).
The Conversion of the Ethiopian
26 But an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip saying, "Arise and go south to the road that descends from Jerusalem to Gaza." (This is a desert road.) 27 And he arose and went; and behold, there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure; and he had come to Jerusalem to worship. 28 And he was returning and sitting in his chariot, and was reading the prophet Isaiah. 29 And the Spirit said to Philip, "Go up and join this chariot." 30 And when Philip had run up, he heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, "Do you understand what you are reading?" 31 And he said, "Well, how could I, unless someone guides me?" And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 Now the passage of Scripture which he was reading was this: "HE WAS LED AS A SHEEP TO SLAUGHTER; AND AS A LAMB BEFORE ITS SHEARER IS SILENT, SO HE DOES NOT OPEN HIS MOUTH. 33"IN HUMILIATION HIS JUDGMENT WAS TAKEN AWAY; WHO SHALL RELATE HIS GENERATION? FOR HIS LIFE IS REMOVED FROM THE EARTH."
34 And the eunuch answered Philip and said, "Please tell me, of whom does the prophet say this? Of himself, or of someone else?" 35 And Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture he preached Jesus to him. 36 And as they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch said, "Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?" 37 (See marginal note.) 38 And he ordered the chariot to stop; and they both went down into the water, Philip as well as the eunuch; and he baptized him. 39 And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; and the eunuch saw him no more, but went on his way rejoicing. 40 But Philip found himself at Azotus; and as he passed through he kept preaching the gospel to all the cities, until he came to Caesarea.
We are not told how it was that Philip ended up in "the city of Samaria" (Acts 8:5). We can safely assume that Philip left Jerusalem because of the intense persecution that arose in connection with the death of Stephen (8:1). We are not told that Philip was divinely directed to this city. The impression I get is that he simply ended up there. When the power of God was manifested through Philip, both by means of his miracles and his message, many were converted. In the case of the conversion of the Ethiopian, we are very clearly told that Philip was specifically directed to this man, and to the meeting place, in a remote location in the desert.
This divine direction is given through the "angel of the Lord"119 (8:26) and through the Holy Spirit (8:29, 39). I think it is significant that both the "angel of the Lord" and the Holy Spirit are employed in guiding Philip to the eunuch. The "angel of the Lord" is perhaps God's primary means of specifically guiding individuals in the Old Testament, while the Holy Spirit is the more dominant instrument of guidance in the New. Used together, the guidance of Philip and the salvation of the Ethiopian is shown to be the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies and promises,120 pertaining to the salvation of Gentiles, as well as a New Testament phenomenon, brought about by means of the Holy Spirit. Thus the Old and New Testaments are demonstrated to be in harmony in this matter of the eunuch's salvation.
There could be no mistaking it. God intended to save this one individual. He was an Ethiopian, a high government official, and possibly a eunuch.121 Had this man been saved in Jerusalem, it might have been looked upon as a kind of fluke, an exception. But this man was being sought by God. Here, in the midst of a Samaritan revival, and before the accounts of wide-spread evangelism of Gentiles, this Gentile was sought and saved by God, a kind of "first-fruits" of that which was to come. According to church tradition, this man was to become an evangelist among his own people. There is no mention of this in the Scriptures, however.
Obediently, Philip went to the place he was directed by the "angel of the Lord." It was at this place that he saw the eunuch. Then, the Holy Spirit directed Philip to join himself with the chariot122 (8:29), and thus with its rider. While Philip was very precisely guided to the man, he was not told what to say. His message was to be indicated by the passage the eunuch was studying, and the question which he asked.
There is no doubt that Philip was guided to this man, in this remote desert spot. This is clear and it is emphatic in the text. While not so clear, nor so emphatic, it would seem that the eunuch was divinely prepared for Philip's appearance as well. The man was not on his way to Jerusalem, but from the holy city. He had been there to worship. What could have happened in Jerusalem, which might have prepared the eunuch for his encounter with Philip, and with the gospel?
In the first place, the eunuch may have heard about Jesus. If this were the eunuch's first pilgrimage to the holy land, he would have many questions. If the eunuch had been in Jerusalem before, he would likely have heard of Jesus, of His claim to be the Messiah, of His ministry, His rejection, His trial, His death and burial, and likely His empty tomb. He may have heard of the apostles, of their radical change after the death of Jesus, and of their ministry and message. At the time of the eunuch's arrival in Jerusalem, the "headline news" would have had to do with Stephen's ministry and martyrdom, and of the widespread persecution of the church, led (at least in part) by a Jew named Saul.
It would seem that the eunuch had a strong commitment to Judaism (his pilgrimage to Jerusalem was no small effort), and that he also had a strong sense of messianic expectation. Would he not have asked about Jesus? Would he not wish to look into this matter of Messiah personally, to see for himself what the Old Testament prophets had written? Did the eunuch purchase his copy of the Isaiah scroll (an expensive gesture) so that he could read the prophecies about Messiah? And who told the eunuch about baptism? We all assume that Philip did, but we do not know this to be so. The apostles had preached that Israelites must repent and be baptized, calling upon the name of the Lord to be saved. Is this why the eunuch was so eager to be baptized, when he saw the water? There may have been a great deal of groundwork already accomplished in the eunuch's life, so that he was ready to receive the message which Philip would disclose to him, from the Scriptures.
What a thrill it must have been for Philip to hear the eunuch reading aloud from the prophecy of Isaiah. What an evidence of God's leading. Indeed, this was the right man. When Philip run alongside the eunuch's chariot and asked if he understood what he was reading, the Ethiopian quickly accepted his help. He needed, as he said, someone to guide him. The Old Testament only went so far as to prophecy concerning things to come. The gospel was the record of these prophecies having been fulfilled. Philip was about to tell this man that the prophecies of Isaiah concerning Messiah were fulfilled in the person of Jesus. Thus, he began with this text, proclaiming Jesus to him.
The prophecy which the eunuch was reading included these words, words which greatly perplexed him:
These words come from Isaiah 53:7-8. I would understand that these words were especially perplexing to the eunuch, and thus the focus of his attention and of his question. But I would also assume that the eunuch had read the entire text, and thus was well aware of the overall passage and of its context.
The problem which the eunuch had with this passage was wrapped up in the identity of the one referred to in the text:
"Please tell me of whom does the prophet say this? Of himself, or of someone else?" (Isaiah 53:34).
If the prophet was referring to himself, his suffering (and death) would not come as a surprise. After all, the prophets were rejected, despised, and persecuted (cf. Stephen's words in 7:52). But how could Isaiah be speaking of himself? The immediately preceding verses spoke of the death of this mysterious figure, but a substitutionary death—a death for the benefit of others:
Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed. All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him (Isaiah 53:4-6).
If Isaiah could not be referring to himself, and he was referring to another, than was this person not Messiah? But if this was the Messiah, He was not the kind of Messiah that Israel was looking for. They looked for a hero, to rid Israel of her oppressors. In fact, this description perfectly portrayed the coming of Jesus, and His rejection by Israel. Jesus' message, was rejected by Israel, just like the rest of the prophets (Isaiah 53:1). Jesus was not outwardly attractive, and indeed, He was rejected by men, who viewed His suffering and death as deservedly from God. He was, however, from God's point of view, sinless. His suffering and death were for the sins of others, rather than His own. If these words of Isaiah were a description of Messiah, then Jesus was the Messiah. No wonder the identity of this One was so important to the eunuch.
Philip's answer was to proclaim Jesus as the Messiah, beginning with this text, and then from the rest of the Old Testament (Acts 8:35). The eunuch joyfully accepted Philip's words. When he saw water (a rare thing in this desert place) he wished to make the best use of it. He wanted to be baptized.123 Who told him of the need for baptism is not stated, but he was right in seeing it as an important responsibility for a true believer. When the chariot stopped, both got out, and Philip baptized him.124
Even more quickly than he appeared on the scene, Philip disappeared. Some may doubt the fact of a miraculous disappearance and transporting of Philip, but the words strongly imply such. Philip was "snatched away"125 by the Holy Spirit, in a way that is similar to the transporting of Old Testament saints like Elijah, end even of New Testament personalities.126 Philip found himself at Azotus, some twenty or so miles distant,127 from which place he passed on to other cities, preaching the gospel as he went on his way to Caesarea (Acts 9:40).
The Ethiopian, on the other hand, proceeded in a more normal way, back to his native land. We are told no more of this man in the New Testament, although some ancients viewed this man as the father of evangelism in Ethiopia.128 What we are told is that this man went his way rejoicing (8:39). When the gospel comes and is received, there is great joy. Such was the case in the city of Samaria (8:8). It is always the case (cf. 1 Thessalonians 1:6). This is, I believe, the "joy of our salvation" (cf. Psalm 51:12). Sin may rob of this joy for a season, but repentance will restore it to us, and us to God. It is difficult to believe that salvation has come when there is no joy.
There are a number of important lessons to be learned from this brief account of the conversion of the Ethiopian eunuch. First, let us look at this event in the light of the argument of the Book of Acts. It is a significant event in the transition from Jerusalem to Rome (cf. Acts 1:8) and from the preaching of the gospel to the Jews (only, at first) to the Gentiles. We have been prepared for the evangelization of the Gentiles throughout the Gospel of Luke and in Acts (thus far) as well. In Luke chapter 2, Simeon spoke of the Lord Jesus as a "light to the Gentiles" (Luke 2:32; a citation from Isaiah 42:6). In Luke chapter 4, when Jesus was welcomed by His own people at the synagogue in Nazareth, Jesus made it clear that the salvation He had come to bring was for Gentiles as well, a disclosure which reversed the attitude of the people, so that they now tried to kill Him (cf. Luke 4:16-30). The account of the good Samaritan (Luke 10), the prodigal son (Luke 15), and the Pharisee and the tax collector (Luke 18) all put the self-righteous Jew in his place, while it elevated the despised "sinner" and gave him hope of God's salvation, due to his repentance. In Acts chapter 2, speaking in tongues was a sign, a sign of "things to come" in the salvation of those from every nation, just as our Lord had given instructions in the great commission to make disciples of every nation (Matthew 28:18-20).
The conversion of the Ethiopian eunuch was a very significant event, recorded in the midst of the great Samaritan revival. The Samaritans were regarded as "half-brothers," so to speak, but were at least received by the church as saints. This Ethiopian was a kind of "first fruits" of the Gentiles. His race, along with his physical deformity (if, indeed, he was a true eunuch), would have kept him from approaching God, but God approached him, seeking him out in the desert, making it clear that he was a true saint, and the first of many more to come. Later on, Peter would be sent to the house of another Gentile proselyte, a God-fearer, but the Ethiopian was first brought near to God by his faith in Jesus as the Christ. And this man was not saved through the ministry of an apostle (Peter and John were on their way home), but rather through Philip. The sovereignty of God is once more emphasized.
This text is vitally important for it would seem that it is here, for the first time, that Isaiah 53 is clearly indicated as a messianic prophecy. It would not have been received (or welcomed) as such by those within Judaism who wanted a different kind of Messiah. Philip's identification of the One of whom Isaiah wrote as the Messiah, Jesus, was that which opened the door to much further study, meditation, and apostolic preaching. But here this text is seen in what appears to be a new light.
This text is a key, I believe, to Jewish evangelism. It not only helps us understand why unbelieving Jews would reject Jesus (as Saul did), but also what an unbelieving Jew must do in order to be saved. This passage would require a Jew to repent (to change their mind about Jesus, and about Messiah), so as to acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah (something Saul is going to do in chapter 9). They must recognize that their conception of Messiah was wrong, as was their rejection of Jesus as the Messiah. They must see that Jesus was the innocent, suffering Savior, who came to be rejected and to die, not for His own sins, but the for sins of the world, so that men could be saved. They must see that it was their perception of Him that was wrong, and that in their sins they had rejected the One whom God had appointed. They must admit that God was utterly right, and that they were wrong in this matter of Messiah (as with all else). Jesus is the bone of contention, and rightly so. It is not that Jesus does not fulfill prophecy perfectly, but that Israel no more accepted Messiah than they did the prophets. To be saved required repentance—the admission that they were wrong—and trust in Jesus as the Messiah of God. Jewish evangelism should lean hard on this passage, for it says all that is needed to be said, and it point to Jesus as the Messiah, the only One who has perfectly fit this divine description and prophecy of the Savior.
I should also add that this text is they key to Gentile evangelism. The fact is that God's Messiah was a Jewish Messiah. The salvation which we must accept for eternal life is, in a sense, a Jewish salvation. We are saved by trusting in a Jewish Savior, who perfectly fulfilled the Old Testament (Jewish) scriptures. We are not saved (as the Judaizers would insist) by becoming Jewish proselytes, for the Ethiopian was a proselyte. But while he was a religious Jew, he was not saved. People thus are saved by recognizing their sins, just as the Jews must, and by trusting in Jesus as God's Messiah, just like the Jews. Gentiles must be saved as Jews are (so here), and Jews must be saved as the Gentiles are (so Galatians 2:15-21).
The salvation of the Ethiopian eunuch is an interesting commentary on the charges which were leveled against Stephen. He was charged with speaking against the law of Moses and against the "Holy place." The Jews had an undue attraction and devotion to the "holy city" and to the temple. They attributed an excessive value to these places, not knowing (or refusing to accept the fact that) God was about to destroy them. It was a new "holy city" that would be the headquarters of the kingdom, not this city, which was to be done away with. The "holy place" did little for the eunuch. Instead, he was brought to faith in a remote "desert place," although he had just been to the temple and to the holy city. Just as Jesus had told the woman at the well in John chapter 4, worship was not a matter of the "right place," but of the "right person" and of the "right spirit." We see this evidenced by the conversion of the Ethiopian.
Finally, the process by which God saved the Ethiopian eunuch provides us with an important lesson in divine guidance. Here, Philip is specifically directed to the Ethiopian eunuch, in a remote place, so that God's election and salvation might become evident, in an undeniable way. And so it was necessary for the "angel of the Lord" and the "Holy Spirit" to direct Philip to the eunuch. But in the salvation of the Samaritans in the "city of Samaria" above (8:4-25), no statement is made that Philip was divinely guided to this place. It is clear that God "led" Philip, in an indirect way, but from all outward appearances, Philip went there out of pure necessity and on the basis of his own judgment.
My point is this: God guides. God guides supernaturally, at times. He specifically and undeniably guides men to do that which they would not have ordinarily have done. Thus, God guided Philip to set aside his Samaritan ministry for a time and to go to this remote place so as to bring about the conversion of an African. This guidance was necessary because Philip would have never chosen to do this on his own, and rightly so. But in many (I would say most) cases, God guides and uses men and women, who act on their own judgment, just as God used Philip to reach this Samaritan city, and many of the others who fled from Jerusalem to avoid the persecution of Saul and perhaps others. It may not seem like a very kind of pious guidance—this flight from persecution—but God succeeded in putting men and women where He wanted them. Why is it that we want the God's particular direction, but we turn up our nose at His providential guidance? It think it is because we deem direct guidance to be more spiritual than indirect guidance. And this, in my opinion, is why we so often try to sanction our own decisions with the phrase "God led me to…" when, in all truth, this guidance is the indirect kind, and not that of a specific set of instructions given by an angel of the Lord. Let us be assured that God does guide, but that He is under no obligation to guide us as we might prefer, or as we might deem more spiritual. A God who is sovereign, who is completely in control, does not have to tell every Christian every step they are to take. And this is why we must walk by faith, and not by sight. Faith acts, based upon biblical principles, trusting that God is guiding. Faith does not presume to demand that God must give us verbal instructions from an angel or His Spirit, so that we can be sure He is with us. Much that is done in the name of faith is really its opposite—unbelief. Faith trusts God when we have not seen (an angel or a vision), and when we do not need to. Let us be men and women of faith.
One final word—about discipleship. I believe that discipleship is a divinely given duty, as stated, for example, in the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20). Having said this, I must also point out that God sometimes provides for the discipling of men apart from the normal means. Saul, for example, was discipled by God in the wilderness, and not by the apostles, and for a good purpose (as we shall later see). So, too, this Ethiopian is not discipled by Philip or by any other saints, so far as I can tell. In these exceptional cases, God will meet the need. This Ethiopian had the Word of God and the Spirit of God. That was enough. And for those of us who become overly dependent on others ("accountability" is a word that makes me a little nervous—it is not thoroughly biblical), let me remind you that our primary dependence should be upon the Word of God and the Spirit of God as well, rather than upon men, even godly men.
The Ethiopian met God in a deserted place, when he came to realize that his religion was not enough, and that Jesus was the Savior, who died for his sins. Have you met the Savior yet? I pray that if you have not, today might be the day.
119 For a study of the "angel of the Lord" consult these texts: Gen 16:7,9,11; 22:11, 15; Exo 3:2; Num 22:22-27, 31-32, 34-35; Jud 2:1,3; 5:23; 6:11-12, 21-22; 13:3,13, 15-17, 20-21; 2Sa 24:16; 1Ki 19:7; 2Ki 1:3,15; 19:35; 1Ch 21:12,15-16,18,30; Psa 34:7; 35:5-6; Isa 37:36; Zec 1:11-12; 3:1, 5-6; 12:8; Mat 1:20,24; 2:13, 19; 28:2; Luk 1:11, 2:9; Act 5:19; 8:26; 12:7,23.
120 Cf. Deuteronomy 23:1; Isaiah 56:3-5; 66:18-21.
121 The title "eunuch" can be used of a government official who is literally a eunuch, but also for an official who is not. Thus, we cannot know for certain whether or not this man was literally a eunuch. If he was, indeed, a eunuch, he would have been forbidden to enter the "assembly of the Lord" (Deuteronomy 23:1).
122 Unromantic as it may be, this could also have been a mere ox cart.
123 Verse 37 is omitted in some texts. I am inclined to accept it as genuine. It may not add a great deal to the passage, nor would its absence do great damage to it. It may be that the words of verse 37, which stress the importance of the eunuch "believing with all his heart that Jesus is the Christ" are, to some degree, a result of Philip's disappointing experience with Simon the magician, whose sincerity seemed a bit doubtful under close apostolic scrutiny.
124 I am an immersionist, by conviction, but the fact that both men are said to go down into the water does not necessarily prove that this man was immersed. They could have "gone down" into a creek or (more likely) an oasis, which was but a few inches deep. The "going down" need not refer to the depth of the water, but to the elevation of the water, with respect to the two men. And even though the water were deep enough to immerse the Ethiopian, this does not, in and of itself, prove that he was immersed. That is an inference derived from a number of lines of evidence. This text does not add much to these lines of evidence. After all, a man could have been sprinkled in a pool six feet deep.
125 Paul employs this same term for being his being "caught up" into the third heaven in 2 Corinthians 2:2, 4, and for the rapture of the living saints in 1 Thessalonians 4:17 (cf. also Revelation 12:5).
126 We see something similar happening elsewhere in the Bible. Notice the marginal notes in the NASB here, referring to 1 Kings 18:12; 2 Kings 2:16; Ezekiel 3:12, 14; 8:3; 11:1, 24; 43:5; 2 Corinthians 12:2.
127 Cf. Charles W. Carter and Ralph Earle, The Acts of the Apostles (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1973), p. 122.
128 ". . . tradition has assigned to this man the early evangelization of Ethiopia." Carter and Earle, p. 122.
Related Topics: Christology, Soteriology (Salvation), Evangelism


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Beshalach 5777
The Power of Ruach
In September 2010, BBC, Reuters and other news agencies reported on a sensational scientific discovery. Researchers at US National Center for Atmospheric Research and the University of Colorado have shown through computer simulation how the division of the red sea may have taken place.
Using sophisticated modelling, they demonstrated how a strong east wind, blowing overnight, could have pushed water back at a bend where an ancient river is believed to have merged with a coastal lagoon. The water would have been guided into the two waterways, and a land bridge would have opened at the bend, allowing people to walk across the exposed mud flats. As soon as the wind died down, the waters would have rushed back in. As the leader of the project said when the report was published, "The simulations match fairly closely with the account in Exodus."
So we now have scientific evidence to support the biblical account, though to be fair, a very similar case was made some years ago by Colin Humphreys, Professor of Materials Science at Cambridge University, and Professor of Experimental Physics at the Royal Institution in London, in his book 'The Miracles of Exodus'.
To me, though, the real issue is what the biblical account actually is. Because it is just here that we have one of the most fascinating features of the way the Torah tells its stories. Here is the key passage:
Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided, and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left. (Ex. 14:21-22)
The passage can be read two ways. The first is that what happened was a suspension of the laws of nature. It was a supernatural event. The waters stood, literally, like a wall.
The second is that what happened was miraculous not because the laws of nature were suspended. To the contrary, as the computer simulation shows, the exposure of dry land at a particular point in the Red Sea was a natural outcome of the strong east wind. What made it miraculous is that it happened just there, just then, when the Israelites seemed trapped, unable to go forward because of the sea, unable to turn back because of the Egyptian army pursuing them.
There is a significant difference between these two interpretations. The first appeals to our sense of wonder. How extraordinary that the laws of nature should be suspended to allow an escaping people to go free. It is a story to appeal to the imagination of a child.
But the naturalistic explanation is wondrous at another level entirely. Here the Torah is using the device of irony. What made the Egyptians of the time of Ramses so formidable was the fact that they possessed the latest and most powerful form of military technology, the horse drawn chariot. It made them unbeatable in battle, and fearsome.
What happens at the sea is poetic justice of the most exquisite kind. There is only one circumstance in which a group of people traveling by foot can escape a highly trained army of charioteers, namely when the route passes through a muddy sea bed. The people can walk across, but the chariot wheels get stuck in the mud. The Egyptian army can neither advance nor retreat. The wind drops. The water returns. The powerful are now powerless, while the powerless have made their way to freedom.
This second narrative has a moral depth that the first does not; and it resonates with the message of the book of Psalms:
His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse,
nor His delight in the legs of the warrior;
the Lord delights in those who fear Him,
who put their hope in His unfailing love. (Psalm 147:10-11)
The elegantly simple way in which the division of the Red Sea is described in the Torah so that it can be read at two quite different levels, one as a supernatural miracle, the other as a moral tale about the limits of technology when it comes to the real strength of nations; that to me is what is most striking. It is a text quite deliberately written so that our understanding of it can deepen as we mature, and we are no longer so interested in the mechanics of miracles, and more interested in how freedom is won or lost.
So it's good to know how the division of the sea happened, but there remains a depth to the biblical story that can never be exhausted by computer simulations and other historical or scientific evidence, and depends instead on being sensitive to its deliberate and delicate ambiguity. Just as ruach, a physical wind, can part waters and expose land beneath, so ruach, the human spirit, can expose, beneath the surface of a story, a deeper meaning beneath.

subset: commoncrawl


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|187ed someone
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Definition of 187ed someone
- a murder.
Citation from "Pilot", Terriers (TV, 2010), Season 1 Episode 1 censored in hope of resolving Google's penalty against this site.
- See more words with the same meaning: to kill.
Last edited on Sep 23 2010. Submitted by Walter Rader (Editor) from Sacramento, CA, USA on Sep 23 2010.
verb - transitive
- to murder, kill. From the crime code used by police.
187 yo mama.
- See more words with the same meaning: to kill.
Last edited on Sep 24 2010. Submitted by Kevin K. from Del Valle, TX, USA on Feb 12 2000.
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Other terms relating to 'to kill':
|Definitions include: Food poisoning
|Definitions include: very good, excellent; "cool".
|Definitions include: to kill via stabbing.
|Definitions include: to kill.
|Definitions include: to leave.
|Definitions include: to kill or destroy.
|Definitions include: to kill.
|Definitions include: diamond-containing jewelry.
|Definitions include: to have sex with.
|Definitions include: messy, trashy, or dilapidated.
|Definitions include: to kill.
|Definitions include: to shoot.
|Definitions include: crazy.
|Definitions include: leaving.
|Definitions include: "a target has been injured or killed" or "a terrorist has been injured or killed."
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|Definitions include: response typical in the southern U.S. to mean yes; especially when the answer in the affirmative is assumed to be known and well understood.
|Definitions include: to wrestle.
|Definitions include: an unusually ugly woman.
|Definitions include: Hell Hole is a slang word for school
|Definitions include: affirmation, making a statement, agreement.
|Definitions include: a female who can't control her sexual appetite; "nympho".
|Definitions include: "public relations".
|Definitions include: the manipulation of people's trust to learn secrets about a person, organization, or business.
|Definitions include: diarrhea.
|Definitions include: "okay, thanks, 'bye".
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I was lucky enough to get an extended look at the duo's return -- in pre-alpha form -- and was left quite impressed with what I saw. In short, Into the Nexus gets the series back to its roots, a so-called "traditional" Ratchet & Clank game the likes of which PlayStation gamers haven't seen since 2009's A Crack In Time.
Check out our video preview below, and then keep on reading to learn more about what to expect when Into the Nexus launches later in 2013.Into the Nexus begins with Ratchet and Clank transporting twin villains Vendra and Neftin Prog to a location known as the Vartax Detention Center. This voyage brings our favorite lombax-and-robot duo to haunted space, however, and while in the process of bringing his foes to lock-up, they escape Ratchet's grasp. This leaves Ratchet and Clank alone and stranded in the scariest sector of space they've ever visited.
Long-time Insomniac employee and the visionary behind the Ratchet & Clank series, Brian Allgeier, noted that "the time was right to come back to the core series" with Into the Nexus after he'd spent time on Fuse. All 4 One and Full Frontal Assault were enjoyed by some and criticized by others, but it can't be disputed that neither was a traditional, true-to-form Ratchet & Clank game. Allgeier said that doing a "family" and "competitive" game, respectively, allowed his team to finally "do something different," but Into the Nexus allows them to go back in an old-school direction.
As such, Allgeier wanted to "make Ratchet feel like Ratchet again." To accomplish this goal, he and his team made a prototype stage -- a "jungle gym," as he described it -- to get Ratchet's quintessential feel just right. They then segued what they learned (or re-learned) into their new project, which isn't only designed to give longtime Ratchet fans what they crave, but to explore the "darkness of space." While Into the Nexus is very humorous, as all Ratchet games are, Allgeier thought it would be "fun to take [the series] in a spookier direction" with its newest entry.
Following Vendra and Neftin Prog's escape, Ratchet & Clank arrive at a planet called Yerek. Yerek is your typical Ratchet & Clank locale -- a temperate place inhabited by bumbling, heavily-armed enemies -- and it's here that I got my very first glimpse of Ratchet's new, incredibly wacky arsenal. Sure, Ratchet has some of his typical weapons -- his sidearm called the Omniblaster and his signature melee weapon, for instance -- but there are a bunch of new tools at his disposal that are worth noting.One such weapon is called the Nightmare Box, which is really more of a distraction than an actual weapon. When deployed, it scares enemies, forcing them to either flee or to attack the box, giving Ratchet an angle to strike his foes. Another weapon, the Repulsor, will leave bad guys suspended in midair when deployed, again giving Ratchet the time he needs to attack without being damaged by the opposition.
Into the Nexus also contains two types of grenades: the Vortex Grenade and the Fusion Grenade. The Vortex Grenade creates black holes that raise nearby foes into the air and force them to helplessly revolve around the black hole while Ratchet picks 'em off from afar (it's also useful to coerce armored enemies from stationary, defensive positions like gun turrets). The Fusion Grenade is a little more straight-forward: it's an arc-thrown explosive that does major area-of-effect damage.
The strangest -- and funniest -- weapon of them all, however, is the Winterizer. When Ratchet employs the aptly-named gun, all enemies it hits will turn into snowmen. Better yet, the weapon plays Jingle Bells while it's working its magic. It's an amazingly fitting, totally insane Ratchet weapon, and from the looks of it, it appears extremely useful during the heat (heh) of battle.
Ratchet also has a non-offensive device at his disposal, an extremely useful gadget called the Grav Tether. With it, Ratchet can attach portals strewn about the environment, creating beams that will transport him seamlessly from one portal to another. What's cool about the Grav Tether is that the puzzles that demand its use become more complex as time goes on. It won't be long before you're connecting several portals together at once, all while under a strict time limit, in order to cross wide chasms and other dangerous obstacles.
Clank also has an all-new function in addition to some of his returning moves (such as giving Ratchet the ability to long jump, high jump, and glide). Into the Nexus revolves heavily around the idea of what are, in essence, alternate dimensions, and when Clank is deployed in one of these areas, he gets to go to work. Players will control him directly in puzzle-heavy 2D platforming sections somewhat reminiscent of the lesser-known downloadable game Pid. Successfully completing these areas -- called Netherverses -- open up new locations for he and Ratchet to explore.
Apart from a ton of new gadgets and weapons -- and some new tricks and skills -- a lot of familiar staples of the series have returned. The franchise's famous Skill Points are back, of course, as are hidden Gold Bolts. Regular bolts that are collected can be spent as currency to acquire new goods, and every weapon can be upgraded through experience earned by using that weapon in battle. Familiar characters will also return, including Captain Qwark, Cronk, Zephyr, and Talwyn. Even the Thugs-4-Less mercenaries from Going Commando will be back. This game is, after all, an epilogue to the Future branch of the Ratchet & Clank franchise.
Oh, and as for the complete lack of innuendo in Ratchet & Clank: Into the Nexus' name? One of Insomniac's working titles for the game was Ratchet & Clank: Into the Nether Regions. But the developer eventually settled on Into the Nexus as its final title (it will be called just Ratchet & Clank: Nexus in Europe).
And as for a Vita iteration? It's entirely possible, but it's still up in the air. The Vita version of Ratchet & Clank: Full Frontal Assault met a whole lot of trouble during development and came to the market much later than it was supposed to. As such, Insomniac is cautious this time around. "Everyone would love for it to come to Vita," Insomniac's James Stevenson told me, "but it has to be up to the series' standards" before the company makes any definitive statement.
In the meantime, rest assured Ratchet & Clank: Into the Nexus will be available for PlayStation 3 this fall both digitally and on disc -- and for $29.99 to boot. Colin Moriarty is IGN's Senior Editor. You can follow him on Twitter and IGN and learn just how sad the life of a New York Islanders and New York Jets fan can be.


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There are signs that the ongoing protests against last week's presidential election results may be starting to divide Iran's conservative leadership.
Iran's influential parliamentary speaker Ali Larijani on Thursday blamed the Interior Ministry for a bloody crackdown on civilians, including students at Tehran University, after Monday's protests. At least eight people died in the violence.
Reformist candidate Mir Hossein Moussavi and his supporters have taken to the streets this week urging the government to dismiss the results that gave President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad a second term in office. They are calling for a new election. Read full article »
CNN's Azadeh Ansari in Atlanta, Georgia, contributed to this report.
All About Iran • Mir Hossein Moussavi • Mahmoud Ahmadinejad • Ayatollah Ali Khamenei • Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps


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Utility for running set of tests against a Live System or a snapshot/sosreport
Project description
Citellus is a framework to help with system configuration validation on either live system or any sort of snapshot of the filesystem.
Via execution of 'plugins' it reports status on each one execution against the system that gives you an idea on health status, actual problems or problems that will reveal themselves if no preventive action is taken.
Please if you have any idea on any improvements please do not hesitate to open an issue.
Plugins written in your language of choice.
Allows to dump output to json file to be processed by other tools.
Allow to visualize html from json output.
Check our sample at: Citellus-www
Ansible playbook support.
Save / restore default settings
Check latest changes on Changelog.md
Check for plugins listing on citellusclient/plugins/
Framework contains additional readmes for the tools included:
Check README above for detailed instructions outside os simple ones: - Just clone the git repository and execute it from there 'or' - use 'pipsi' or create a python virtual env to install package 'citellus'
Give it a try running as 'root' on your system with: ./citellus.py -l so it will show live execution and only Failed tests.
How does it looks like?
Check how does it look in an execution at: asciicast
Additional resources
Check https://citellusorg.github.io for more details and information
Project details
Release history Release notifications | RSS feed
Download files
Download the file for your platform. If you're not sure which to choose, learn more about installing packages.
Source Distribution
Hashes for citellus-18.104.22.168.20210515101640.tar.gz
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text:
Lecture Slides in Advanced Applied Economics
Lecture handouts, slide decks, problem sets and a detailed reading list from a graduate-level course given in 2017.
Lecture notes, lecture slides, and reading list from a Spring 2013 graduate-level course covering positive and normative issues in international trade as well as inter-regional trade and economic geography.
Video lectures, slides, sample exam papers and lecture notes from a graduate-level Fall 2008 course as part of MIT OpenCourseWare. Content is arranged in 12 topics including portfolio theory, options, present value relations and capital budgeting.
From an archived graduate-level course taught in 2002, this MIT OpenCourseWare site includes PDF-format lecture slides, a reading list and syllabus.


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The pollution of waterfowl meat and their poisoning by lead shot has dropped by 50% since this type of munitions was prohibited in wetlands in 2001. This is one of the data in a report from the Hunting Resources Research Institute, which also states that the hunters' compliance with this mandate has been very high.
The pollution of waterfowl meat and their poisoning by lead shot has dropped by 50% since this type of munitions was prohibited in wetlands in 2001. This is one of the data in a report from the Hunting Resources Research Institute, which also states that the hunters' compliance with this mandate has been very high.
Lead shot was forbidden in 2001 in Spanish wetlands on the Ramsar List of these areas of international importance. Ten years later, this prohibition -and the consequent use of steel shot by hunters- has started to bear fruit, according to a report in the journal 'Environment International'.
"The most important part of our work is that it shows that, despite it's still covering a partial area, the change of material from lead to steel shot has reduced waterfowl poisoning and the contamination of hunted meat," Rafael Mateo Soria of the Hunting Resources Research Institute (IREC) and co-author of the study, said.
Lead shot accumulating in wetlands, with over 100 per square metre in many areas, remains in the sediments for decades.
Its main damage is to the health of waterfowl. When the shot is eaten it is retained in the gizzard and is worn down in the stomach, freeing lead that reaches the animal's tissues.
"The birds start to develop neurological problems, they cannot move and they also suffer from anemia. Normally, if they ingest lead, they die with notable emaciation after days or even weeks after starting to ingest the shot," explained Mateo.
In species such as the mallard, 30% caught at the start of the 1990s in the Ebro delta had ingested lead shot, a figure which has now dropped to 15%. The same trend has been seen in other species such as the northern shoveller, the Eurasian teal and the common pochard.
On the other hand, the case of the northern pintail caught continues to cause alarm since over 70% have shot in their gizzards, a rate similar to that seen three decades ago.
The scientist notes that to discover the reason for the high percentage of poisoning in this species, they will start to fit birds with transmitters. "What we do know is that, because of its type of diet, this is a species with a high risk of ingesting shot. Nevertheless, in others that also have these risk factors, such as the common pochard, the rate has reduced after the change to steel shot," he added.
Another problem caused by lead shot is the contamination of meat. Even after lead shot was banned, the traces in animals caught with this metal exceed the limits set for meat for human consumption.
Lead in the rice fields
Hunters who prefer lead to steel shot claim that the latter is harder and less dense. "With steel, one has to fire a larger shot so that it has the same mass. One cannot fire against the ground because of the risk of ricochets and it is said to damage the shotgun bore. Experience shows that these disadvantages have not affected hunting and that one can continue to hunt perfectly with steel," said Mateo.
Researchers stress that the hunters' compliance with this prohibition has been very high and that they have continued to hunt waterfowl in the same amount after the change from lead to steel.
However, the law forbids lead shot in protected wetlands only. For this reason, lead shot is permitted in rice fields that ducks use as feeding areas, thus maintaining focuses of contamination for the birds and their meat.
"These animals use the rice fields as well as the natural lakes for feeding.. There is little logic in stopping the entrance of a pollutant into a protected area if the pollution continues at the same rate a few metres away. The birds don't understand boundaries. It has not been prohibited mainly because these areas are not protected," said the scientist.
Legislation in most European countries
This study has allowed the assessment of the effectiveness of the measures adopted by countries signing the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA). At the last AEWA meeting, the parties were asked to assess the effectiveness of the lead shot prohibition in wetlands and of the changeover to non-toxic alternative munitions.
The AEWA is an agreement to protect waterfowl along their entire migration route between Africa and Eurasia. It was signed by some 30 European countries.
According to the scientist, most European countries have legislation that limits or prohibits the use of lead shot. "Some, such as Denmark, have gone further and have forbidden the use of this type of shot in all types of hunting since 1996."
Other countries, such as the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden, have followed. Lead bullets have started to be replaced with copper bullets with a hollow point in some areas to reduce deaths from lead poisoning in carrion birds such as the Californian condor (USA) and the white-tailed eagle (Germany).
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For a profession that has such a direct impact on our daily lives, to hear an urban planner speak about our cities sometimes requires having a glossary at hand.
What influence will an enhanced transit system have on the proximity compactness of a city? Is your city fractal? Too many abutters in your neighbourhood? Should you care?
Of course, the majority of the language used is relatively accessible – brownfield or greenbelts, infrastructural bottlenecks, transit nodes. But for such an important project as designing or redesigning a city, things should be kept quite democratic.
At a recent policy conference in London, architects, planners, politicians and advocates sat shoulder-to-shoulder in the audience and on panels discussing how the city could be an even greater one. But, of the many presentations on London's housing agenda, the success of the Olympic Park, or growing quality of life in the city, there were only a few standouts.
And, coincidentally, the most compelling presentation was one that dedicatedly ditches overly technical terminology and esoteric planner-speak – despite its audience of insiders. It came from Amanda Burden, director of the New York City Department of City Planning and chair of the City Planning Commission.
Over the past decade working alongside Mayor Bloomberg and colleagues such as transport commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan, she's helped transform her city. People walk more, the High Line project has set a world standard for creative green space and all over the city you can find a place to sit and relax – whether a sidewalk café or the middle of Times Square.
A lot of hard work, yes. But some credit for the success of New York today is surely due to Burden's ability to make her plans for the city seem so fantastically human.
Her language is that of an average city resident: you'd never hear her talk about increasing density around a transit node. It's all about how many minutes it takes you to walk to a subway station (it should be less than 10).
Mayors and city planners around the world should not only study what Amanda Burden does but how she speaks about it. Such public projects as hers should have public support. And Burden knows that getting her plans put into action means getting them put into law – and convincing lawmakers means communicating with the electorate to get them on side.
In New York, she would tell you quality of life isn't a set of metrics – it's simply how you feel on the street. And when she talks in those terms it's hard not to feel like she's there to look after you.
The result is Burden has been able to rezone 40 per cent of New York City to her standards through community support and will leave a legacy that will be tough to undo.
And the lesson for London's planners: even the least technical jargon may be too technical.


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Peugeot Partner III 2018- Fixed Swan Neck Tow Bar for LWB Van & MPV
Citroen Berlingo III Tow Bar for Van & MPV Models 2018-
Simple fit for any competent DIY enthusiast. However, if you'd prefer to have your new tow bar fitting for you by one of our experienced technicians please contact 01677 428794 for further details.
Our fitting centres are located at Leeming Bar, North Yorkshire and Coleshill, Birmingham. In certain cases, we can even offer local mobile fitting.
Ball Type: Swan
Towing Weight: 1500kg
Nose Weight: 90kg
D-Value: 8.75
No Bumper Cut Required
Fitting Instructions Included
Towing electrics not included, so please remember to select the appropriate 13 or 7 pin electric kit that you require.
|Select Vehicle
|Peugeot Partner
|Select Year
|Partner 2018-
|Country of Manufacture
|United Kingdom
Van Accessory Fitting Service
We offer professional fitting services for all the van accessories we sell. Fitting is available at two locations in the UK, one in Yorkshire at Leeming Bar and the other in Coleshill, near Birmingham.
From roof racks and tow bars to alloys and body kits; we can fit any of the van accessories we supply. Our fitting team are professional, knowledgeable and provide a first-class service.
Pre-booking a convenient day and time is required for any van accessory fitting.
Please use the links below to mail us for further information or call us on 01677 428794 to arrange an appointment.
Book Fitting Appointment - Northallerton
Meridian Park, Tutin Rd, Leeming Bar, Northallerton, DL7 9UJ
Click here to find us on Google Maps
Book Fitting Appointment - Coleshill
The Armoury Coleshill Manor, Coleshill, B46 1DL
Click here to find us on Google Maps


text:
mergesort(3) [freebsd man page]
QSORT(3) BSD Library Functions Manual QSORT(3) NAME
qsort, qsort_b, qsort_r, heapsort, heapsort_b, mergesort, mergesort_b -- sort functions LIBRARY
Standard C Library (libc, -lc) SYNOPSIS
#include <stdlib.h> void qsort(void *base, size_t nmemb, size_t size, int (*compar)(const void *, const void *)); void qsort_b(void *base, size_t nmemb, size_t size, int (^compar)(const void *, const void *)); void qsort_r(void *base, size_t nmemb, size_t size, void *thunk, int (*compar)(void *, const void *, const void *)); int heapsort(void *base, size_t nmemb, size_t size, int (*compar)(const void *, const void *)); int heapsort_b(void *base, size_t nmemb, size_t size, int (^compar)(const void *, const void *)); int mergesort(void *base, size_t nmemb, size_t size, int (*compar)(const void *, const void *)); int mergesort_b(void *base, size_t nmemb, size_t size, int (^compar)(const void *, const void *)); DESCRIPTION
The qsort() function is a modified partition-exchange sort, or quicksort. The heapsort() function is a modified selection sort. The mergesort() function is a modified merge sort with exponential search intended for sorting data with pre-existing order. The qsort() and heapsort() functions sort an array of nmemb objects, the initial member of which is pointed to by base. The size of each object is specified by size. The mergesort() function behaves similarly, but requires that size be greater than ``sizeof(void *) / 2''. The contents of the array base are sorted in ascending order according to a comparison function pointed to by compar, which requires two arguments pointing to the objects being compared. The comparison function must return an integer less than, equal to, or greater than zero if the first argument is considered to be respec- tively less than, equal to, or greater than the second. The qsort_r() function behaves identically to qsort(), except that it takes an additional argument, thunk, which is passed unchanged as the first argument to function pointed to compar. This allows the comparison function to access additional data without using global variables, and thus qsort_r() is suitable for use in functions which must be reentrant. The qsort_b() function behaves identically to qsort(), except that it takes a block, rather than a function pointer. The algorithms implemented by qsort(), qsort_r(), and heapsort() are not stable, that is, if two members compare as equal, their order in the sorted array is undefined. The heapsort_b() function behaves identically to heapsort(), except that it takes a block, rather than a function pointer. The mergesort() algorithm is stable. The mergesort_b() function behaves identically to mergesort(), except that it takes a block, rather than a function pointer. The qsort() and qsort_r() functions are an implementation of C.A.R. Hoare's ``quicksort'' algorithm, a variant of partition-exchange sort- ing; in particular, see D.E. Knuth's Algorithm Q. Quicksort takes O N lg N average time. This implementation uses median selection to avoid its O N**2 worst-case behavior. The heapsort() function is an implementation of J.W.J. William's ``heapsort'' algorithm, a variant of selection sorting; in particular, see D.E. Knuth's Algorithm H. Heapsort takes O N lg N worst-case time. Its only advantage over qsort() is that it uses almost no additional memory; while qsort() does not allocate memory, it is implemented using recursion. The function mergesort() requires additional memory of size nmemb * size bytes; it should be used only when space is not at a premium. The mergesort() function is optimized for data with pre-existing order; its worst case time is O N lg N; its best case is O N. Normally, qsort() is faster than mergesort() is faster than heapsort(). Memory availability and pre-existing order in the data can make this untrue. RETURN VALUES
The qsort() and qsort_r() functions return no value. The heapsort() and mergesort() functions return the value 0 if successful; otherwise the value -1 is returned and the global variable errno is set to indicate the error. EXAMPLES
A sample program that sorts an array of int values in place using qsort(), and then prints the sorted array to standard output is: #include <stdio.h> #include <stdlib.h> /* * Custom comparison function that can compare 'int' values through pointers * passed by qsort(3). */ static int int_compare(const void *p1, const void *p2) { int left = *(const int *)p1; int right = *(const int *)p2; return ((left > right) - (left < right)); } /* * Sort an array of 'int' values and print it to standard output. */ int main(void) { int int_array[] = { 4, 5, 9, 3, 0, 1, 7, 2, 8, 6 }; const size_t array_size = sizeof(int_array) / sizeof(int_array[0]); size_t k; qsort(&int_array, array_size, sizeof(int_array[0]), int_compare); for (k = 0; k < array_size; k++) printf(" %d", int_array[k]); puts(""); return (EXIT_SUCCESS); } COMPATIBILITY
Previous versions of qsort() did not permit the comparison routine itself to call qsort(3). This is no longer true. ERRORS
The heapsort() and mergesort() functions succeed unless: [EINVAL] The size argument is zero, or, the size argument to mergesort() is less than ``sizeof(void *) / 2''. [ENOMEM] The heapsort() or mergesort() functions were unable to allocate memory. SEE ALSO
sort(1), radixsort(3) Hoare, C.A.R., "Quicksort", The Computer Journal, 5:1, pp. 10-15, 1962. Williams, J.W.J, "Heapsort", Communications of the ACM, 7:1, pp. 347-348, 1964. Knuth, D.E., "Sorting and Searching", The Art of Computer Programming, Vol. 3, pp. 114-123, 145-149, 1968. McIlroy, P.M., "Optimistic Sorting and Information Theoretic Complexity", Fourth Annual ACM-SIAM Symposium on Discrete Algorithms, January 1992. Bentley, J.L. and McIlroy, M.D., "Engineering a Sort Function", Software--Practice and Experience, Vol. 23(11), pp. 1249-1265, November 1993. STANDARDS
The qsort() function conforms to ISO/IEC 9899:1990 (``ISO C90''). HISTORY
The variants of these functions that take blocks as arguments first appeared in Mac OS X. This implementation was created by David Chisnall. BSD
February 20, 2013 BSD


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US employers add 175K jobs despite harsh weather
By Christopher S. Rugaber-
WASHINGTON (AP) – U.S. employers stepped up hiring in February despite a blast of harsh winter weather, renewing hopes that the economy could accelerate this year. There are a number of reasons why employees choose to quit their jobs and now that employment rates are finally increasing, businesses are learning about the signs employee is leaving to prevent rates dropping again. Hiring new staff can be a challenging and time-consuming time for human resource workers, so it's important that companies are doing everything they can to prevent staff from leaving.
February's gain of 175,000 jobs, up from January's 129,000, coincided with a rise in the unemployment rate to 6.7 percent from a five-year low of 6.6 percent. The rate rose because more people began seeking jobs but some didn't find them. That's still an encouraging sign: More job hunters suggest that people grew more optimistic about their prospects.
Friday's figures from the Labor Department were a welcome surprise after recent reports showed that harsh weather had closed factories, lowered auto sales and slowed home sales. Along with an increase in wages last month, the report suggests that some employers are confident that consumer spending will pick up in coming months.
"If the economy managed to generate 175,000 new jobs in a month when the weather was so severe, once the weather returns to seasonal norms … employment growth is likely to accelerate further," Paul Dales, an economist at Capital Economics, said in a note to clients.
Investors welcomed the news, pushing up the Dow Jones industrial average about 44 points in late-morning trading.
The severe winter had less effect on hiring than most economists had feared. Construction companies, which usually stop work in bad weather, added 15,000 jobs.
Manufacturing gained 6,000 for a second straight month. Government added 13,000 jobs, the most in six months. Shipping and warehousing companies and retailers cut jobs.
Still, the monthly average of 129,000 jobs that employers have added from December through February marks the weakest three-month stretch since mid-2012. It's down from a 225,000 average for the previous three months.
The report presents "a picture of a grinding but positive recovery in the economy," said Stephen Wood, chief market strategist at Russell Investments.
The government revised up its estimate of job gains for December and January by a combined 25,000. December's gain was revised up from 75,000 to 84,000, January's from 113,000 to 129,000.
Average hourly pay rose 9 cents in February to $24.31, the biggest gain since June. Hourly wages have risen 2.2 percent over the past 12 months, ahead of 1.6 percent inflation over that time.
Friday's report makes it likely that the Federal Reserve will continue reducing its monthly bond purchases at its next meeting March 18-19. The Fed is buying Treasury and mortgage bonds to try to keep long-term loan rates low to spur growth. Fed policymakers have reduced their monthly bond purchases by $10 billion at each of their past two meetings to $65 billion.
Though harsh winter weather didn't appear to slow hiring much, the number of Americans who said weather forced them to work part time in February rather than full time reached the highest level in the 36 years that the government has tracked the figure. Hours worked fell.
Some recent reports hint that the economy will accelerate as the weather warms. The number of people who applied for unemployment benefits fell last week and is at about the same level as before the Great Recession.
Applications for unemployment benefits essentially reflect layoffs. The decline suggests that companies are confident about future growth, because layoffs would rise if employers expected business to weaken. Instead, companies advertised more jobs online last month, according to the Conference Board. Online job ads rose 268,100 in February to 5.19 million.
Still, other factors are weighing on the economy. Auto makers and other manufacturers built up big stockpiles of goods in the second half of last year. That means they are likely producing fewer goods this year and is probably one reason factory orders are down.
Most economists forecast the economy will grow at a 2 percent annual pace or less in the first three months of the year, down from a 2.4 percent pace in the final three months of 2013. But they expect growth to accelerate in the spring and summer to roughly a 3 percent annual pace.
AP Economics Writers Josh Boak and Paul Wiseman contributed to this report.


text:
Sir Bernard Lovell
Our editors will review what you've submitted and determine whether to revise the article.
- Born:
- August 31, 1913 England
- Died:
- August 6, 2012 (aged 98) England
- Founder:
- Jodrell Bank Observatory
- Subjects Of Study:
- meteor shower
Sir Bernard Lovell, in full Sir Alfred Charles Bernard Lovell, (born August 31, 1913, Oldland Common, Gloucestershire, England—died August 6, 2012, Swettenham, Cheshire), English radio astronomer, founder and director (1951–81) of England's Jodrell Bank Experimental Station (now Jodrell Bank Observatory).
Lovell attended the University of Bristol, from which he received a Ph.D. in 1936. After a year as an assistant lecturer in physics at the University of Manchester, he became a member of the cosmic-ray research team at that institution, working in this capacity until the outbreak of World War II in 1939, when he published his first book, Science and Civilization. During World War II Lovell worked for the Air Ministry, doing valuable research in the use of radar for detection and navigation purposes for which he was named an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1946.
On returning to the University of Manchester in 1945 as a lecturer in physics, Lovell acquired a surplus army radar set for use in his research on cosmic rays. Because interference from the surrounding city hampered his efforts, he moved the equipment, which included a searchlight base, to Jodrell Bank, an open field located about 20 miles south of Manchester. Shortly thereafter authorities at the university agreed to provide him with a permanent establishment at the site, which already belonged to the university's botany department, and to sponsor the construction of his first radio telescope, for which he used the searchlight base as a mounting.
Lovell's initial investigations with the instrument involved the study of meteors. About 15 years earlier, when radio waves had been bounced off meteors during certain meteor showers, some astronomers had noted that the number of meteors observed visually was much smaller than the number of radio echoes received, an indication that the showers actually consisted of more meteors than could be seen. To determine if the echoes were meteoric in origin, Lovell used his new radio telescope to observe a particularly intense meteor shower on the night of October 9–10, 1946. As the shower first increased and later decreased in intensity, radio signals from the instrument's transmitter were directed toward the shower. Throughout the evening, not only did the number of optical sightings coincide with the number of radio echoes being received, but the timing of the two rates was also as predicted, conclusively proving that the echoes were caused by the meteors. Having established this fact, Lovell could now apply radio techniques to meteor showers previously unknown because they occurred during daylight hours. Further experiments showed that orbits of meteors are elliptical, confirming the belief that these bodies are members of the solar system and are not of interstellar origin.
In recognition of his work and growing reputation, Lovell was appointed by the University of Manchester to the position of senior lecturer in 1947 and reader in 1949; from 1951 to 1980 he was professor of radio astronomy at the university. During this time, he had already begun planning and building a bigger and more sophisticated radio telescope, which, when it was completed in 1957, was the world's largest of its kind, with a diameter of 250 feet. The structure rotates horizontally at 20° per minute, and the reflector itself moves vertically at 24° per minute. While work on the telescope was in progress, Lovell published Radio Astronomy (1952), Meteor Astronomy (1954), and The Exploration of Space by Radio (1957).
Lovell frankly admitted that it was mainly the prospect of using the new radio telescope to track the first Sputnik, scheduled for launch by the Soviet Union on October 4, 1957, that spurred his efforts to complete the instrument by that time. By supplying a much-needed boost to the prestige of the project at a time when it was being seriously threatened by rapidly rising costs, this application of the instrument guaranteed its success and Lovell's personal fame. Ever since, the giant radio telescope at Jodrell Bank has been a vital tool for pinpointing the exact locations of Earth satellites, space probes, and manned spaceflights, as well as for collecting data transmitted by instruments in some of these vehicles. (The telescope was originally called the Mark 1 but was renamed the Lovell Telescope in 1987.)
Because of the widespread publicity given to Jodrell Bank and its director, coupled with the latter's reputation as a popularizer of science, the British Broadcasting Corporation in 1958 invited Lovell to give a series of radio talks, known as the Reith Lectures, which were published in 1959 as The Individual and the Universe. When Lovell was knighted (1961) for his pioneering work in radio astronomy, 20 investigations—mostly on radio emissions originating thousands of millions of light-years away—were in progress at Jodrell Bank. Some of this work is discussed in his book The Exploration of Outer Space (1962). His subsequent research was concerned mainly with cosmology; radio emissions from outer space, including those from pulsars (discovered in 1967); the measurement of the angular diameters of distant quasars; and flare stars.
Lovell received a number of honorary degrees from various academic institutions as well as honorary membership in several academies and organizations. He was elected a fellow of the Royal Society in 1955, receiving its Royal Medal in 1960. He was knighted in 1961. From 1969 to 1971 he was president of the Royal Astronomical Society, and he received the Society's Gold Medal in 1981.


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Wild Turkey™
Game Rules
- Wild Turkey™ is a 5-reel, 3-row, 20 bet line video slot featuring Free Spins, Wild substitutions and Stacked Wild symbols in Free Spins.
- The game is played with 1-20 bet lines, 1-10 levels and different coin values.
- The bet lines are set using the LINES selector.
- The bet level is set using the LEVEL selector.
- The coin value is set using the COIN VALUE selector.
- COINS displays the number of coins the player has available to wager.
- MAX BET plays the game at 20 bet lines, the highest bet level, and the current coin value.
- AUTOPLAY automatically plays the game for the selected number of rounds.
- Winning combinations and payouts are made according to the PAYTABLE. Alternatively, click any symbol on the reels during the main game to view a mini paytable for that symbol.
- Bet level is the number of coins bet per bet line.
- A bet line win in coins is equal to the value shown on thePAYTABLE multiplied by the bet level.
- A bet line win in currency is equal to the win in coins multiplied by the coin value.
- Only the highest win per bet line is paid.
- Bet line wins pay if in succession from the leftmost reel to the rightmost reel.
- Simultaneous wins on different bet lines are added.
- All wins pay on selected bet lines only, except for Free Spins won with Wild and Stacked Wild symbols.
- Wild symbols can only appear in the main game and substitutes for all symbols.
- 3 or more Wild symbols appearing anywhere on the reels in the main game activate Free Spins according to thePAYTABLE.
- Wild symbol substitution pays the highest possible winning combination on a bet line according to the PAYTABLE.
Free Spins
- Stacked Wild symbols can only appear in Free Spins and substitute for all symbols.
- Stacked Wild symbol substitutions pays the highest possible winning combination on a bet line according to thePAYTABLE.
- The Stacked Wild can appear as a single symbol, or a Stacked Wild of 2, or a Stacked Wild of 3.
- A Stacked Wild of 3 appearing on any reel and covering the entire reel it appears on during Free Spins activates 2 additional Free Spins.
- Additional Free Spins won are automatically added to the current Free Spins.
- Free Spins are played at the same number of bet lines, bet level, and coin value as the round that activated Free Spins.
- At the end of Free Spins, the total win from Free Spins is added to any wins from the round that activated Free Spins.
Game Functions
- The table below lists the different buttons found in the game and describes their functions.
|Click to start a game round at the current bet level and coin value (alternatively, press the spacebar).
|Click to open the game settings menu and select game options. Refer to Game Settings section below.
|Click to mute the game sounds or use the slider to adjust the sound volume.
|Click to open the game rules.
|Click to open the Autoplay settings menu and play the game automatically. Select the number of spins to Autoplay or open the Advanced Settings to configure stop Autoplay options.
|Click the arrows pointing to the left or right to scroll through the PAYTABLEpages. Click the centre button to return to the game.
Game Setting Options
- Quick Spin. Turns the Quick spin option on or off (not available in all Casinos).
- Intro Screen. Turns the intro screen on or off.
- Ambience sound. Turns the background soundtrack on or off.
- Sound effects. Turns the game sound effects on or off.
- Graphics Quality. Adjusts the graphic quality for optimal performance.
- Spacebar to spin. Turns the spacebar function on or off.
- Game history. Click to view your latest game history (not available when PLAYING FOR FUN).
Advanced Autoplay Options
- To set advanced autoplay options click AUTOPLAY, and then click Advanced settings.
- On any win. Stop Autoplay when you win in a round.
- If Free Spins is won. Stop Autoplay when Free Spins is won.
- If single win exceeds. Stops Autoplay when the amount you win exceeds or equals the amount you specify.
- If cash increases by. Stops Autoplay if cash increases by the amount you specify.
- If cash decreases by. Stops Autoplay if cash decreases by the amount you specify.
- Note: When changing Autoplay settings during a game round or Free Spins, all settings will take effect once the game round or feature is completed.
- Note: If you are disconnected while playing, all Autoplay settings will return to default when you reload the game.
Return to Player
- The theoretical return to player for this game is 96.6%
The maximum win from a single game is £250,000
Additional Information
- The following game features and settings may be subject to the terms and conditions of the gaming site. For more information on the following, refer to the gaming website:
- The procedures used to manage unfinished game rounds.
- The time after which inactive game sessions automatically end.
- In the event of malfunction of the gaming hardware/software, all affected game bets and payouts are rendered void and all affected bets refunded.
Translations of Game Terminology
|English Term
|Translated Term
|Stacked Wild
|Stacked Wild
|Free Spins
|Free Spins
Last modification date: 10/14/2020


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Architects: Soh Design Studio
- Area: 800 m²
- Year: 2008
Text description provided by the architects. Design Brief
Our vision was to create a building to behold the impressive vineyard against backdrop of picturesque mountains. The design brief was to capture the beauty of traditional Thai architecture while remaining contemporary.
Design Process
There were two design impetus. Firstly, we were inspired by local building culture in terms of forms and materials. Secondly, we were driven by traditional passive cooling system which was widely practiced in the region.
We travelled around central and North Thailand observing modern and traditional architecture. The repeatedly seen sensual curvilinear roof on traditional houses and temples caught our attention. The strong and modern curve feature not only serves as a main passive cooling structure but it also reflects thai sensuality and elegance. During those visits, we also admired the use of natural materials such as clay bricks, bamboos, rattan and wood.
Building Layout and Passive Cooling Concept
Layout of the building is according to the rules of passive cooling system - large open walkways, platforms with openable doors and windows, high roofs, generous overhangs, elevated from the ground and plenty of in-between spaces for natural ventilation. Most critically, it responds to the local prevailing winds to encourage ventilation and positions the longest elevation away from the afternoon sun. In addition to that, all spaces have large openings cladded with glass windows for natural daylight. Through these tall glass windows, users always have the views of lush landscape around them. Wine storage room is purposefully sunken into the ground in order to achieve a natural cooling effect.
Design Features
The main architectural feature of Sala are three overlapping curve roofs made of Cedar shingles, visible from a distant against the mountainous backdrop. Each curve roof houses a main function - first and lowest curve houses a mini-exhibition to introduce the vineyard upon arrival, second curve presents the restaurant while the last and highest curve contains the ultimate designated experience - wine tasting. Curvilinearity is emphasized by expressing all elements that made up the roofs from cedar shingles to the strong bended steel purlins.
Another unique feature is a 3m high brick wall flowing through all main spaces in a linear way. The brick wall gives a human scale to the tall interior and it is laid with continuous horizontal grooves to further highlight linearity of the building. Each brick is different and the overall appearance is highly tactile and organic.
Similarly, bamboo is an organic material aging naturally with time. We used bamboos to clad main facades, sun shades as well as ceilings. It is a highly versatile material. Local bamboos are small in diameter and they make intricate bamboo walls.


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This is a 1931 Canada Five Cent
The coin has been listed as an EF+ but I am not a professional grader. Please look at posted pictures and make your own condition determination.
These coins are very rare in high quality, perhaps this will fill an empty spot in your collection
Scans of some of the lower grade coins show little detail
The image you are looking at is the actual coin and not a generic file image.
I have listed my coins with FREE shipping simply to make transactions easier to handle.
My FREE shipping DOES NOT include TRACKING or INSURANCE.
If you require either, contact me and be ready to PAY ADDITIONAL CHARGES.
Purchaser is responsible for any local fees
|Shipping / Handling Cost
|Cost For Each Additional Item
|$0.00 - Free Shipping
|Standard Shipping (1 to 5 business days)
Standard Free Shipping DOES NOT include Tracking or Insurance, If you require either your final price will reflect seller's cost for those services.


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Good For You Macaroni and Cheese
12 oz brown rice macaroni
1 small head cauliflower, chopped fine
1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, packed
3 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons butter
2 cups milk
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
pinch cayenne
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
salt to taste
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 3-quart baking dish with cooking spray.
- Cook macaroni according to package directions and add cauliflower during the last 3 minutes of cooking. Cook until pasta is al dente and drain.
- Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add flour, onion powder, and garlic powder, and cook 1 minute, whisking constantly. Slowly whisk in milk and mustard. Increase heat to medium-high, and bring sauce to a boil, whisking constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat, and stir in cheddar cheese. Stir in macaroni and cauliflower. Season with salt and pepper.
- Transfer to prepared baking dish, and top with breadcrumbs. Lightly spray breadcrumbs with cooking spray. Bake 30 minutes, or until top begins to brown.


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Air Marshal Sir Ian Macfadyen
The Lieutenant Governor, His Excellency Lietenant General Sir John Lorimer KCB DSO MBE
In 2005 the Trustees of the Manx Regiment Old Comrades Association decided to loan their exhibits to us because, due to advancing years, their members had been finding it increasingly difficult to keep their museum at Tromode, near Douglas, operational. We were delighted to assist by offering a new home at Ronaldsway, thereby ensuring the survival of the collection as a whole and also by making it available to a wider audience.
John Huxley, Chairman of the museum, said: "This is a massive vote of confidence from the Association. We consider it an honour to take on custodianship of their historic artefacts and records which form a collection of great importance to the Manx nation. We get thousands of visitors every year so a lot of people will be able to learn about the truly incredible feats of the Manx Gunners all through World War Two. We are proud to be able to tell the story of these men who were involved in the Battle of Britain, the campaigns in Eritrea, Crete and North Africa, the Italian campaign and the liberation of Europe."
The Museum of the Manx Regiment gives a detailed history of the Regiment's wartime service, with uniforms, weapons, equipment and photographs. It includes a special section giving a a detailed view of life in German Prisoner of War camps. Over 100 men of the Regiment's 129th Battery were captured by the Germans on the Island of Crete in 1941 and spent the rest of the war in captivity. On display are photographs of daily life in the POW camps along with concert and theatre programmes and posters. A secret radio makes a fine centrepiece. It was built by one of the Manx POWs and was hidden from the camp guards in a hollowed-out log, kept by the stove in one of the camp huts. Another section shows some of the souvenirs which were brought back to the Island by members of the Regiment, including flags, weapons, and even a piece of Adolf Hitler's writing paper.
The Regimental Museum and archive continues to grow and is Britain's most comprehensive museum of a Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment.
The Manx Regiment (15th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery), used Bofors guns to provide anti-aircraft defence for factories, airfields and military units. On 3rd September 1939, the very day that Britain declared war on Germany, the Regiment fired the first shots of any of the British Armed Forces and two of the shell cases from this historic action are on display. It later saw action in southern England, Eritrea, Crete, North Africa, Italy and in northern Europe. Its total of enemy aircraft destroyed or damaged is higher than any other light anti-aircraft regiment in the British Army.


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February 10, 2011
Cutie Valentine Class Party
15 comments:
Seriously, you are sooo talented!! Everything looks so cute, I love it!!ReplyDelete
Soooo cute! I love the S'mores idea!ReplyDelete
So adorable!! I love those mini flower cupcakes!!ReplyDelete
Super cute, Party Mom! :) I absolutely love those cupcakes!ReplyDelete
:: GASP::A Cupcake centerpiece!?!?!ReplyDelete
OMGOSH!!! That is TOOOO DARN ADORABLE! I AM SOOO Stealing this IDEA My Creative Sweet Friend! :)hehe
Oh and i am SO happy you loved the Page Printables i made :) I actualy did have you in mind!! :)
Love Ya Mucho!
I read through this post saying, "Oh, that's my favorite. Nope THAT's my favorite. Oh, wait a minute... that's GENUIS! Holy cow, you've gotta be kidding me!!"ReplyDelete
I love all the ideas so much I can't pick a favorite. Except maybe you!!!
everyday i like YOU smore! what a wonderful party. if i'm room mom someday, i'll know who to ask for some awesome ideas!ReplyDelete
Love the cupcakes and the s'mores!!ReplyDelete
I am struggling to not be terribly jealous of tee-shirts in February... as I freeze my bottom off in MN. We are going to FL in March and I can't wait!! Maybe we'll just have to stay there. :)
First - I am so in love with the new look. LOVE the header. Second - I love Jenny's comment. Third - I had so many favorites. Fourth - I don't have a 4th except that I love and miss you and wonder if we'll get a phone date ever ever again!ReplyDelete
Am I at the right place? I LOVE your new look :) You are so good at changing it up! Not me :) I am way too habity!ReplyDelete
LOVE the cupcakes! How cute that they got to pick their flowers!!! I lOVE that! I was wishing I could help at Annie's party but the teacher never sent out anything asking for helpers! I was a little bummed :) I am glad you got to be there & take pics! I am sure you were crazy busy! Looks like everyone had a LOVEly day :)
Hope you guys are good! I don't know why but this month seems extra hard to get online. I never realized February was so busy before! :) Take care!!!!
Oh. my. GOSH! The Valentine Smores are the cutest thing I have ever seen!!! I did bubbles, which I am about to post on my blog, but these are way better and I am stealing this idea for next year! Love your blog!!ReplyDelete
-Amazing Grace's Mom from Alabama
- AnonymousFebruary 14, 2011 at 7:01 PM
OK, I never comment, (although I love your blog), but I am beside myself with your creativity! AMAZING and oh, so cute! All I can say is WOW! Great job!ReplyDelete
How cool is that? And those girls, I just want to squish em. Too cute!ReplyDelete
- MoniqueJanuary 31, 2012 at 2:16 PM
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the smores valentine!!! I will be doing this for my sons playgroup valentine party:)ReplyDelete
- AnonymousFebruary 14, 2012 at 4:48 PM
This idea is adorable! I am going to give them to my kids with a tag that says, "I Love You S'more Everyday!"ReplyDelete
I love, love, love, comments and I read every one! Please keep in mind that I sometimes moderate each one so it may take a bit before it appears on the post. Thanks my sweet friends!