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Evaluating a b-flat clarinet barrel
Date: 2019-06-16 21:59
I am about the try a Backun barrel for the first time on my R-13 Buffet. What should I be paying attention to? I like the Backun clarinet characteristics I hear from recordings on the internet, from Corrado and Morales, etc, but I certainly don't expect to sound like them! What should I listen for, to determine whether this Backun barrel is better than my Fobes barrel?
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Re: Evaluating a b-flat clarinet barrel
Date: 2019-06-16 22:28
chamberguy wrote:
> What should I listen for, to
> determine whether this Backun barrel is better than my Fobes
> barrel?
Well, to be honest, the Backun barrel will probably be *different* but it won't be *better.* You may like one more than the other, but they're both good barrels made by well-informed craftsmen who are trying to create equipment that conforms to their ideas about what a clarinet should respond and sound like.
The first criterion, obviously, is tuning. Not just whether or not the tuning note you use is in tune with A440 or A441, but how the scale tunes. Some barrels are designed to compensate for known tuning anomalies, sometimes in specific clarinets (Moennig was, probably among other things, trying to compensate for the sharpness in clarion A5-C6 that was expected in Buffets, especially the A clarinets, of his time).
The second criterion is the response. Does one feel stuffier or freer than the other? Which do you prefer?
The third criterion is related to the 2nd, partly because response can affect tone but also because response or "feel" can affect your *perception* of the tone you're producing with each barrel. Since "feel" can be so influential, if it comes down to this criterion, you should probably have someone who is disinterested listen to you play each and tell you what impression the setup makes with each barrel.
The most important consideration apart from those criteria is what you are trying to improve by changing barrels. If you don't have a fairly clear reason for changing from your Fobes - a problem you're trying to solve, you won't have much way of knowing if you've found the solution.
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Re: Evaluating a b-flat clarinet barrel
Date: 2019-06-17 00:54
Many thanks for the excellent advice! I am expecting the tuning to be quite close, because if it isn't then I'll stick with the Fobes. But we'll see, maybe it could be better! What I am looking for is a rounder and powerful tone in comparison but as you say, we'll see. I have been using the Fobes for a long time, and have gotten some compliments, so partly this is just a quest for something different.
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Re: Evaluating a b-flat clarinet barrel
Date: 2019-06-17 03:09
My own experience - fwiw - is that Backuns in general will probably sound "rounder" (if that's a word that has musical meaning) but your Fobes will seem more "powerful" (louder?). But if all else (tuning and response) is equal, then you should have another set of ears tell you which is "rounder" or "more powerful" because you really can't tell what's being transmitted through the air. Your eardrums get a significant part of the sound you hear of your own playing through bone conduction.
One other thought, if you've limited your comparison only to Fobes and Backun, is that, while I think Clark Fobes uses a fairly consistent bore in his barrels, the several Backuns I have (from many years ago, so I don't know about newer ones) vary considerably in entry and exit bore sizes. In fact, when I bought them, he didn't identify them as A or Bb barrels (Fobes does) - out of a sample of 12 barrels, some would work better on an A clarinet and some on a Bb clarinet, depending on the actual bore configurations of each barrel. So, if this is still the case, be very careful about tuning over the entire scale. It would be better to have more than one Backun to try, especially since he makes several external shapes and uses, I think, at least three different woods.
And one more thought: IMO if you're looking for the most bang for your buck in terms of timbre and power, you'd probably get more choice out of comparing mouthpieces than barrels. Barrels can influence the sound you produce, but the influence of the mouthpiece coupled with reed choice is much greater.
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Re: Evaluating a b-flat clarinet barrel
Paul Aviles
Date: 2019-06-17 03:12
There can be a little bit of the "mysterious" about barrels. The most dramatic example I experienced was when Greg Smith sent three Chadash barrels along with a bunch of his mouthpieces to try. Two of the barrels had the usual minor variances I was used to but the third was amazingly louder (they were all the same length so there was no really good reason for such a dramatic difference). For reasons at the time I did not get that barrel but I still dream about it to this day.
..............Paul Aviles
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Re: Evaluating a b-flat clarinet barrel
Steven Ocone
Date: 2019-06-17 15:51
Don't forget to attention to the altissimo.
Steve Ocone
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We have previously demonstrated a role for pyruvate cycling in glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS). Some of the possible pyruvate cycling pathways are completed by conversion of malate to pyruvate by malic enzyme. Using INS-1-derived 832/13 cells, it has recently been shown by other laboratories that NADP-dependent cytosolic malic enzyme (MEc), but not NAD-dependent mitochondrial malic enzyme (MEm), regulates GSIS. In the current study, we show that small interfering RNA-mediated suppression of either MEm or MEc results in decreased GSIS in both 832/13 cells and a new and more glucose-and incretin-responsive INS-1-derived cell line, 832/3. The effect of MEm to suppress GSIS in these cell lines was linked to a substantial decrease in cell growth, whereas MEc suppression resulted in decreased NADPH, shown previously to be correlated with GSIS. However, adenovirus-mediated delivery of small interfering RNAs specific to MEc and MEm to isolated rat islets, while leading to effective suppression of the targets transcripts, had no effect on GSIS. Furthermore, islets isolated from MEc-null MOD1-/- mice exhibit normal glucose- and potassium-stimulated insulin secretion. These results indicate that pyruvate-malate cycling does not control GSIS in primary rodent islets.
|Original language
|English (US)
|Pages (from-to)
|Number of pages
|Journal of Biological Chemistry
|Issue number
|Published - Oct 24 2008
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Biochemistry
- Molecular Biology
- Cell Biology

subset: commoncrawl


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Below is a list of recurring "public trend" questions, which will be analyzed over time to measure how and if opinions have changed within the community from survey to survey.
In addition to measuring public opinion as to the general direction of our community, each survey will also measure opinions to gauge pressing or "hot" issues facing our City and County along with the favorability of key public figures, projects, and plans.
The Coronavirus / COVID-19 had many different impacts. See what Bexar County had to say.


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Press Release
Emory Doctor Goes to Prison for Downloading Thousands of Images of Child Pornography
For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Georgia
ATLANTA - Kevin M. Sullivan has been sentenced to six years, six months in prison for downloading thousands of images of child pornography from a server in Switzerland. Sullivan, who was a professor in Emory University's Epidemiology department, used the university's Wi-Fi to access sites outside the country which provided access to child pornography.
"Sullivan downloaded thousands of files depicting the sexual abuse of children," said U. S. Attorney John Horn. "He attempted to cover his tracks by using his personal computer on the Internet system at Emory to download the images. As predators continue to try to develop new methods to feed and download child pornography, we will continue to find them and prosecute them.".
"Child pornography is one of the most heinous crimes HSI investigates due to the irrevocable harm it inflicts physically and emotionally upon innocent children," said HSI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Nick S. Annan. "Those who download these illegal images re-victimize innocent children who've already been subjected to unimaginable harm. ICE Homeland Security Investigations is committed to investigating and seeking prosecution of child exploitation cases as one the agency's highest priorities."
"This conviction illustrates the outstanding work of law enforcement around the world to investigate and prosecute child pornography cases," said Vernon Keenan, Director, Georgia Bureau of Investigation. "The GBI will continue to dedicate resources to identify and bring to justice individuals who exploit children."
According to U.S. Attorney Horn, the charges and other information presented in court: In October 2014, Swiss law enforcement seized a server that was hosting child pornography. Login information from the server showed that someone at Emory University Rollins School of Public Health was using Emory's Wi-Fi to access child pornography. With cooperation from Emory University's Information Technology Department, agents were able to determine that Dr. Kevin Sullivan was the person accessing child pornography from the Swiss website.
Dr. Sullivan was a professor in Emory University's Epidemiology department. Agents obtained a search warrant for Dr. Sullivan's office and executed it on June 15, 2015. Sullivan was present at the time, but left before agents found child pornography on his personal laptop and external hard drive. When agents went to his house later the same day to arrest him, they found Sullivan there at his home computer. A search of that computer revealed titles suggestive of child pornography, although the files themselves had been deleted. A search of the laptop and hard drive from his Emory office showed that Dr. Sullivan had more than 8,000 files containing child pornography.
Kevin M. Sullivan, 61, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced to six years, six months in prison to be followed by seven years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a fine of $15,000. Sullivan was convicted on these charges on December 1, 2016, after he pleaded guilty.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant United States Attorneys Paul R. Jones and Erin E. Sanders prosecuted the case.
This case is being brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In February 2006, the Attorney General launched Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney's Offices around the country, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney's Public Affairs Office at email@example.com or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga
Updated March 1, 2017
Project Safe Childhood


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by Tony Alamo
First Kings 15:5 states, "Because [King] David [over Israel] did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, and turned not aside from anything that HE commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite."
After David committed adultery with Bathsheba, Uriah's wife, she became pregnant. To cover it up, David called Uriah, Bathsheba's husband, in from the battle so that Uriah might have relations with her, and he would not be suspicious that the baby in her womb was not his but David's.
Second Samuel 11:8-27 shows that "David said to Uriah, Go down to thy house, and wash thy feet. And Uriah departed out of the king's house, and there followed him a mess of meat from the king. But Uriah slept at the door of the king's house with all the servants of his lord, and went not down to his house.
"And when they had told David, saying, Uriah went not down unto his house, David said unto Uriah, Camest thou not from thy journey? why then didst thou not go down unto thine house? And Uriah said unto David, The ark, and Israel, and Judah, abide in tents; and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, are encamped in the open fields; shall I then go into mine house, to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? as thou livest, and as thy soul liveth, I will not do this thing. And David said to Uriah, Tarry here to day also, and to morrow I will let thee depart. So Uriah abode in Jerusalem that day, and the morrow. And when David had called him, he did eat and drink before him; and he made him drunk: and at even he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but went not down to his house.
"And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah. And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die. And it came to pass, when Joab observed the city, that he assigned Uriah unto a place where he knew that valiant men were. And the men of the city went out, and fought with Joab: and there fell some of the people of the servants of David; and Uriah the Hittite died also.
"Then Joab sent and told David all the things concerning the war; And charged the messenger, saying, When thou hast made an end of telling the matters of the war unto the king, And if so be that the king's wrath arise, and he say unto thee, Wherefore approached ye so nigh unto the city when ye did fight? knew ye not that they would shoot from the wall? Who smote Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? did not a woman cast a piece of a millstone upon him from the wall, that he died in Thebez? why went ye nigh the wall? then say thou, Thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.
"So the messenger went, and came and shewed David all that Joab had sent him for. And the messenger said unto David, Surely the men prevailed against us, and came out unto us into the field, and we were upon them even unto the entering of the gate. And the shooters shot from off the wall upon thy servants; and some of the king's servants be dead, and thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also. Then David said unto the messenger, Thus shalt thou say unto Joab, Let not this thing displease thee, for the sword devoureth one as well as another: make thy battle more strong against the city, and overthrow it: and encourage thou him.
"And when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned for her husband. And when the mourning was past, David sent and fetched her to his house, and she became his wife, and bare him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD."
This was the only thing that David ever did which displeased the LORD (1 Kings 15:5). He committed adultery with Uriah's wife, then, instead of murdering him with his own hand, sent him into the heat of the battle. David paid dearly for his displeasing of the LORD.1
After all these centuries, people still haven't gotten it straight. They are still bringing many false accusations against David. The false accusers have more than likely committed more wickedness than King David, the sweet psalmist of Israel, ever thought of doing.
One of the false accusations appears in a book titled The Big Book of Pain; Torture & Punishment Through History. The book states that David tortured people to death by sawing them in half with saws, and hacking them to death with axes. It adds that David was the one who started this manner of execution of his enemies. David killed his enemies in war with his sling, with his sword, and with his bow and arrows.2 He never sawed or hacked anyone to death. The Scripture these false accusers use is 2 Samuel 12:31, which says, "And he brought forth the people that were therein, and put them under saws [under the yoke, work of saws to saw down trees for lumber and wood for fires, for there was no electric or gas stoves in those days. They had to use wood burning stoves.], and under harrows of iron [which means that he made them do farm work (a harrow is a heavy frame with spikes or disks used for breaking up and leveling plowed ground, etc.)], and under axes of iron [he made them chop down trees with axes for building materials], and made them pass through the brickkiln [made them work in the brickkilns to make bricks for building materials]: and thus did he unto all the cities of the children of Ammon."
There's no record of even one Ammonite receiving torture of any sort by the hand of David or at the hand of Israel. Those who write such things are wicked anti-Semites.
Here's a good example as to how the Hebrews punished their enemies for lying to them. Joshua 9:3-27 states, "And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho and to Ai, They did work wilily, and went and made as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks upon their donkeys, and wine bottles [skins], old, and rent, and bound up; And old shoes and clouted upon their feet, and old garments upon them; and all the bread of their provision was dry and mouldy. And they went to Joshua unto the camp at Gilgal, and said unto him, and to the men of Israel, We be come from a far country: now therefore make ye a league with us. And the men of Israel said unto the Hivites, Peradventure ye dwell among us; and how shall we make a league with you? And they said unto Joshua, We are thy servants. And Joshua said unto them, Who are ye? and from whence come ye? And they said unto him, From a very far country thy servants are come because of the name of the LORD thy GOD: for we have heard the fame of HIM, and all that HE did in Egypt, And all that HE did to the two kings of the Amorites, that were beyond Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan, which was at Ashtaroth. Wherefore our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spake to us, saying, Take victuals with you for the journey, and go to meet them, and say unto them, We are your servants: therefore now make ye a league with us. This our bread we took hot for our provision out of our houses on the day we came forth to go unto you; but now, behold, it is dry, and it is mouldy: And these bottles [skins] of wine, which we filled, were new; and, behold, they be rent: and these our garments and our shoes are become old by reason of the very long journey. And the men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the LORD. And Joshua made peace with them, and made a league with them, to let them live: and the princes of the congregation sware unto them.
"And it came to pass at the end of three days after they had made a league with them, that they heard that they were their neighbours, and that they dwelt among them. And the children of Israel journeyed, and came unto their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, and Chephirah, and Beeroth, and Kirjathjearim. And the children of Israel smote them not, because the princes of the congregation had sworn unto them by the LORD GOD of Israel. And all the congregation murmured against the princes. But all the princes said unto all the congregation, We have sworn unto them by the LORD GOD of Israel: now therefore we may not touch them. This we will do to them; we will even let them live, lest wrath be upon us, because of the oath which we sware unto them. And the princes said unto them, Let them live; but let them be HEWERS OF WOOD AND DRAWERS OF WATER unto all the congregation; as the princes had promised them.
"And Joshua called for them, and he spake unto them, saying, Wherefore have ye beguiled us, saying, We are very far from you; when ye dwell among us? Now therefore ye are cursed, and there shall none of you be freed from being bondmen, and hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my GOD. And they answered Joshua, and said, Because it was certainly told thy servants, how that the LORD thy GOD commanded HIS servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you, therefore we were sore afraid of our lives because of you, and have done this thing. And now, behold, we are in thine hand: as it seemeth good and right unto thee to do unto us, do. And so did he unto them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, that they slew them not. And Joshua made them that day hewers of wood [with axes and saws] and drawers of water [with buckets] for the congregation, and for the altar of the LORD, even unto this day, in the place which he should choose."
The truth is not at all as the authors, the anti-GOD people, who wrote the book titled The Big Book of Pain; Torture & Punishment Through History would have you believe. The Christians and the Jews, also called Hebrews and Israelites, have been falsely accused by Gentiles for many centuries. We are the ones who have been persecuted in the way the writers of this book described. Again, we Christians, who are the people of GOD, and the Hebrew or Jewish Christians are testified of in the book of Hebrews as being the ones who have been persecuted and tortured to death for centuries.
Hebrews 11:35-37 states, "…And others [Christians, Hebrew Christians, the people of GOD, not Catholics] were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings [beatings], yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute [totally impoverished], afflicted, tormented…" This doesn't sound as though we Jews and Christians were tormenting and torturing people. The torment and torture has been done for centuries by the Catholics to Christians and Jews. The Catholic and Lutheran church bells were ringing in the ears of the Jews at the Auschwitz concentration camp and many others while they were being gassed to death, put in ovens, and burned to death by the millions while the Catholic Nazi guards were laughing and mocking Jewish moms, dads, and children, who were weeping and screaming.
Many years before this, Roman Catholics held inquisitions and murdered millions of Christians and Jews. Catholics are not Christians, but are haters of Christians and Jews. They mention the name of CHRIST, but only to deceive. They deify and worship Mary. They say their enemies are the Jews and the born-of-the-SPIRIT Christians. Christians will never torture anyone.
To verify that the Jews were using axes and saws to cut down trees for building materials for the house of GOD and Solomon's house, 2 Chronicles 2:1-3 and 8 states, "And Solomon determined to build an house for the name of the LORD, and an house for his kingdom. And Solomon told out seventy thousand men to bear burdens, and eighty thousand to hew [down trees] in the mountain, and three thousand and six hundred to oversee them. And Solomon sent to Huram the king of Tyre, saying, As thou didst deal with David my father, and didst send him cedars to build him an house to dwell therein, even so deal with me.
"…Send me also cedar trees, fir trees, and algum trees, out of Lebanon: for I know that thy servants can skill to cut timber." (Your servants are able to work skillfully with saws and axes to cut down trees, not to saw people in half or hack them to death with axes, which is what the author of The Big Book of Pain; Torture & Punishment Throughout History said the people of GOD, the Jews, did. At the time, they were hewing and sawing trees down, not murdering anybody. As a matter of fact, the Bible states in 1 Kings 4:24 that during Solomon's reign in Israel, it was a time of peace. Also, in the later part of David's life, he was preparing to build the house of GOD and a house for himself, so he was getting the lumber to build these by using men who could cut down trees and saw them into boards.)
It is true that when King Saul did not obey GOD by destroying all of the Amalekites, GOD rejected Saul to be the king of Israel, and made David king. The Amalekites were always the unlawful, bitter enemies of GOD'S chosen people, the nation of Israel. They were descendants of Esau, of whom GOD said, "Jacob [Israel] have I loved, but Esau have I hated" (Romans 9:13).3 The Amalekites viciously attacked Israel when they were being delivered from Egypt at the hand of Moses (Exodus 17:8-16). Because of their vicious attacks against Israel, Moses declared GOD would continually wage war against them. GOD was angry at King Saul for not utterly destroying Agag, the Amalekites, and all that they had. King Saul kept Agag, the king of the Amalekites, alive. Samuel, the prophet of GOD, hewed King Agag, king of the Amalekites, to pieces to appease GOD (1 Samuel 15:33). Also, this is why GOD gave Saul's kingdom to David.
Many people ask, "If GOD is a GOD of love, then why would HE command King Saul, the king of Israel, to destroy all of the Amalekites, men, women, and children, along with all of their cattle?" You may also ask, "If we, the United States, are a GODLY nation, why do we bomb people and their nations based on false information?" For example, why did we say that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction when they did not have weapons of mass destruction? Why did we bomb them when we were the only nation in the world with weapons of mass destruction, and why did we use them on so many innocent people? And why are so many people rotting in prisons on false charges, and away from their families, when the ones that put them behind bars are living overindulgent lives on the outside? How many men and women have been executed in prison and later were found to be innocent? When GOD executes judgment on a person or on a nation, it is just judgment. This is because GOD is not unjust like men, and GOD doesn't make mistakes. GOD'S judgments are correct judgments.4
A GODLY king, before he would ever go to war, would greatly seek GOD in prayer. GOD told the people of Israel that if they were going to choose a king, he must only be a GODLY king, never a Gentile, never a king that didn't believe GOD, and never a king that would not seek GOD, especially before going into battle (Deuteronomy 17:14-15). This is because a GODLY king is responsible for those under him. He must never lie to his people. And if a king should ever lie to his people, the people should not listen to him. Proverbs 29:12 states, "If a ruler hearken to lies, all his servants [his entire administration] are wicked."
I warned President George W. Bush on several occasions that GOD told me that he (President Bush) should not go to war against Iraq. This is during a time that President Bush sent me many emails, wanting me to tell him what my ideas were regarding bringing about peace in the Middle East.5 What I told him was directly from GOD, and he didn't listen. How many people needlessly died because Mr. Bush paid no attention to the information given to me by GOD?
When Israel decided they wanted to have a king rule over them rather than GOD, GOD told them if they insisted on this folly, HE had rules for them to follow: "When thou art come unto the land which the LORD thy GOD giveth thee, and shalt possess it, and shalt dwell therein, and shalt say, I will set a king over me, like as all the nations [Gentile nations] that are about me; Thou shalt in any wise set him king over thee, whom the LORD thy GOD shall choose: one from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee [it must be one from among thy brothers, one who listens to and obeys GOD]: thou mayest not set a stranger [a nonbeliever] over thee, which is not thy brother" (Deuteronomy 17:14-15). This is why JESUS said, in Luke 21:25, that in the latter days there would be distress of nations, with perplexity. This is because the leaders, which you Gentiles have set over you, don't know GOD, nor do they seek HIM. They really don't know what they're doing. Many people are committing suicide, ending their lives, because they don't feel that their leaders in the Vatican are sound, but instead think they are what the Bible calls insane. The Bible symbolizes the leaders of nations as "riders on horses." Zechariah 10:5 states that in these last days, "the riders on horses [the leaders of nations] shall be confounded." This is because they are not led by GOD, they don't know HIM, and they don't seek HIM. Furthermore, Zechariah 12:4, in speaking of these last days, states, "In that day, saith the LORD, I will smite every horse [every nation] with astonishment [as you see, the whole world is astonished today], and his rider with madness [every world leader is insane]."
In the 25th chapter of Deuteronomy, GOD, by the HOLY SPIRIT through Moses, states why HE rendered GODLY, harsh judgment against the Amalekites, who are the descendants of Esau's grandson, Amalek. Moses said in Deuteronomy 25:17-19, "Remember what Amalek did unto thee [the nation of Israel] by the way, when ye were come forth out of Egypt; How he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee [the nation of Israel], even all that were feeble behind thee, when thou wast faint and weary; and he feared not GOD. Therefore it shall be, when the LORD thy GOD hath given thee rest from all thine enemies round about, in the land which the LORD thy GOD giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it, that thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven; thou shalt not forget it." All of GOD'S ways are judgment, but HIS judgments never call for HIS people to torture anyone. However, GOD'S judgments include the death penalty, and HE never forgets who the murderers are.6
In 1 Samuel 15:1-11, 13-23, the prophet Samuel spoke to Saul, the first king of Israel, saying, "The LORD sent me to anoint thee to be king over HIS people, over Israel: now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the LORD. Thus saith the LORD of HOSTS, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt. Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and donkey. And Saul gathered the people together, and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah. And Saul came to a city of Amalek, and laid wait in the valley. And Saul said unto the Kenites, Go, depart, get you down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them: for ye shewed kindness to all the children of Israel, when they came up out of Egypt. So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites. And Saul smote the Amalekites from Havilah until thou comest to Shur, that is over against Egypt. And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them: but every thing that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly [but did not torture].
"Then came the WORD of the LORD unto Samuel, saying, It repenteth ME that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following ME, and hath not performed MY commandments. [When GOD commands the death penalty, or for that matter any penalty or commandment, HE will positively have it carried out. HE will also severely punish the person HE commanded to carry it out, the one HE ordered to carry it out, if they don't complete their task. GOD is not a mere man. HE is not Jimmy Carter or Barack Obama. Jimmy Carter, Barack Obama, and all of us will stand before GOD and pay the penalty for whatever good or evil that we have done. GOD will remember all of it.] …And Samuel came to Saul: and Saul said unto him, Blessed be thou of the LORD: I have performed the commandment of the LORD. And Samuel said, What meaneth then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear? And Saul said, They have brought them from the Amalekites: for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy GOD; and the rest we have utterly destroyed. Then Samuel said unto Saul, Stay, and I will tell thee what the LORD hath said to me this night. And he said unto him, Say on. And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the LORD anointed thee king over Israel? And the LORD sent thee on a journey, and said, Go and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed. Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the LORD, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the LORD? And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and have gone the way which the LORD sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy GOD in Gilgal. And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the WORD of the LORD, HE hath also rejected thee from being king."
If you are a born-again Christian, GOD has made you a king and a priest.7 Therefore, the entire Bible states that if you are disobedient to the voice of the FATHER, the SON, and the HOLY SPIRIT, you have rejected the WORD of the LORD, and GOD will therefore reject you.
Revelation 5:9-10 confirms my words. It states, "And they [the born-again Christians, not Catholics] sung a new song, saying, THOU [JESUS] art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for THOU wast slain, and hast redeemed us to GOD by THY blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our GOD KINGS AND PRIESTS: and we [if we continue to the end8] shall reign on the earth." JESUS said in Matthew 24:13, "But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved." But the ones that shall not continue to the end will not be saved. In 2 Thessalonians 2:3, Paul, speaking of those who don't continue to the end, says, "Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day [the day of the LORD] shall not come, except there come a falling away [from salvation] first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition." JESUS said if we fall away, lose our zeal, HE will spew us out of HIS mouth (Revelation 3:16).
Many people reject the LORD by robbing HIM. Malachi 3:8-12 states, "Will a man rob GOD? Yet ye have robbed ME. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed THEE? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed ME, even this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in MINE house, and prove ME now herewith, saith the LORD of HOSTS, if I will not open you the windows of Heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of HOSTS. And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of HOSTS."
This obviously is a commandment from GOD, and we cannot disobey GOD as did King Saul, the first king of Israel. We distribute hundreds of millions of tracts in many languages all over the world. Our paper bill is into the hundreds of thousands of dollars, and our bill for outgoing mail is extremely high. GOD wants you to help us get the Gospel to the world in these last days. This is a very easy commandment to keep. We send millions of pieces of literature to our distributors on the street as well. So help us now before you die or before the LORD comes back, because it will be impossible for you to do it at that time.
First Samuel 15:24-33 says, "And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice. Now therefore, I pray thee, pardon my sin, and turn again with me, that I may worship the LORD. And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with thee: for thou hast rejected the WORD of the LORD, and the LORD hath rejected thee from being king over Israel. And as Samuel turned about to go away, he laid hold upon the skirt of his mantle, and it rent. And Samuel said unto him, The LORD hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbour of thine, that is better than thou. And also the STRENGTH of Israel will not lie nor repent: for HE is not a man, that HE should repent. Then he said, I have sinned: yet honour me now, I pray thee, before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and turn again with me, that I may worship the LORD thy GOD. So Samuel turned again after Saul; and Saul worshipped the LORD.
"Then said Samuel, Bring ye hither to me Agag the king of the Amalekites. And Agag came unto him delicately. And Agag said, Surely the bitterness of death is past. And Samuel said, As thy sword hath made women childless, so shall thy mother be childless among women. And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before the LORD in Gilgal."
Too many people have written books full of false accusations against CHRIST, true Christianity, and the elect of CHRIST. And too many people have harmed Christians with death, incarceration, slander, false accusations, persecution, prosecution, and all manner of trials and tribulations. GOD will not forget, as HE did not forget about the Amalekites, unless you repent and do good for the evil that you have done. You would do well to study the Bible and do what it says, and forget such books as The Big Book of Pain; Torture & Punishment Through History. Obey GOD by believing on the LORD JESUS CHRIST and thou shalt be saved.9 Start out now by saying this prayer:
My LORD and my GOD, have mercy upon my soul, a sinner. 1 I believe that JESUS CHRIST is the SON of the living GOD. 2 I believe that HE died on the cross and shed HIS precious blood for the forgiveness of all my former sins. 3 I believe that GOD raised JESUS from the dead by the power of the HOLY SPIRIT 4 and that HE sits on the right hand of GOD at this moment, hearing my confession of sin and this prayer. 5 I open up the door of my heart, and I invite YOU into my heart, LORD JESUS. 6 Wash all of my filthy sins away in the precious blood that YOU shed in my place on the cross at Calvary. 7 YOU will not turn me away, LORD JESUS; YOU will forgive my sins and save my soul. I know because YOUR WORD, the Bible, says so. 8 YOUR WORD says that YOU will turn no one away, and that includes me. 9 Therefore, I know that YOU have heard me, and I know that YOU have answered me, and I know that I am saved. 10 And I thank YOU, LORD JESUS, for saving my soul, and I will show my thankfulness by doing as YOU command and sin no more.11
Now that you are saved, make sure you are baptized, fully submerged in water, in the name of the FATHER, in the name of the SON, and in the name of the HOLY SPIRIT (Matthew 28:18-20).12 Serve GOD with all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength (Mark 12:30).13 Study the Scriptures, and do what they say until the day you die (2 Timothy 2:15, 3:14-17).23
The LORD wants you to tell others of your salvation (Mark 16:15). You can become a distributor of Pastor Tony Alamo's Gospel literature. We'll send you literature free of charge. Call or email us for more information. Share this message with someone else.
Please contact us for more information or for literature on other topics which may be of interest.
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THIS LITERATURE CARRIES THE TRUE PLAN OF SALVATION (Acts 4:12).
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Does God Condone Torture? footnotes:
1. 2 Sam. 12:1-23, chaps. 13, 15, 16:5-13, 21-22, chap. 18 return
2. 1 Sam. 17:14-51, 21:8-9 return
4. Deut. 32:4, 2 Sam. 22:31, Zeph. 3:5, John 5:28-30 return
5. See "Peace in the Middle East the Only Answer," vol. 5400 return
6. Gen. 9:6, Ex. 20:13, 21:12, Lev. 24:17, Num. 35:16-21, 30-33, Deut. 5:17, Matt. 19:16-18, Mark 10:19, Rom. 1:28-32, 13:9, Gal. 5:19-21, James 2:11, Rev. 22:14-15 return
7. 1 Peter 2:9, Rev. 1:5-6, 5:9-10, 20:6 return
8. Matt. 10:22, 24:13, Rom. 11:22, 1 Tim. 4:16, James 1:12, 1 John 2:24-25, Rev. 2:10-11 return
Prayer footnotes:
1. Psa. 51:5, Rom. 3:10-12, 23 return
2. Matt. 26:63-64, 27:54, Luke 1:30-33, John 9:35-37, Rom. 1:3-4 return
3. Acts 4:12, 20:28, Rom. 3:25, I John 1:7, Rev. 5:9 return
4. Psa. 16:9-10, Matt. 28:5-7, Mark 16:9, 12, 14, John 2:19, 21, 10:17-18, 11:25, Acts 2:24, 3:15, Rom. 8:11, I Cor. 15:3-7 return
5. Luke 22:69, Acts 2:25-36, Heb. 10:12-13 return
6. I Cor. 3:16, Rev. 3:20 return
7. Eph. 2:13-22, Heb. 9:22, 13:12, 20-21, I John 1:7, Rev. 1:5, 7:14 return
8. Matt. 26:28, Acts 2:21, 4:12, Eph. 1:7, Col. 1:14 return
9. Matt. 21:22, John 6:35, 37-40, Rom. 10:13 return
10. Heb. 11:6 return
11. John 5:14, 8:11, Rom. 6:4, I Cor. 15:10, Rev. 7:14, 22:14 return
12. Matt. 28:18-20, John 3:5, Acts 2:38, 19:3-5, Rom. 6:3-5, Col. 2:10-12 return
13. Deut. 4:29, 13:4, 26:16, Josh. 1:8, 22:5, 2 Tim. 2:15, 3:14-17, James 1:22-25, Rev. 3:18 return


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Posted in: Comics, DC Comics | Tagged: boris johnson, dc comics, hellblazer, john constantine, si spurrier, william blake
Prime Minister Boris Johnson Makes His (Naked) Debut in DC Comics' John Constantine: Hellblazer #1 Today (Spoilers)
I've just popped into Piranha Comics in Kingston-Upon-Thames for my weekly collection of comic books. The usual mix of superheroes and action-adventure that comics suits so well. But in between them all is one of comic books' dirty little secrets – as secret as something that has been adapted into a movie starring Keanu Reeves, a TV series on the CW with a character who has been popping up in their other TV shows as well and who is meant to look like Sting, could ever be.
John Constantine, created by Alan Moore, Steve Bissette and Rick Veitch almost 35 years ago, gets a new lease of life today in a new series from DC Comics, written by Londoner Si Spurrier, and it involves the man coming home to London, after spending a spell away dealing with all those American superheroes and the like. And he finds a country, a city, that has been moving on without him.
But he always has a type, doesn't he? Will Nat survive her first storyline? Odds are never good.
The first issue is called Green And Pleasant Land, and as angels come to Peckham, it gets very William Blake very fast indeed. Painter, poet, philosopher and mystic of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, he's currently got an exhibition of his paintings and prophetic visions at the Tate in London that I really must pop along to before it closes. If you don't know Blake's 'And did these feet in ancient time' poem, originally written as a preface to his epic Milton: A Poem in Two Books, and then turned into the hymn Jerusalem after his death, it known as England's unofficial National Anthem, embraced by the left and the right alike, the central message of which has to be that England is such a great place that surely Jesus must have visited her at some point. Makes sense, doesn't it. It's like a little England version of Mormonism. But the language is now deep within England's view of itself, for better or worse.
And did those feet in ancient timeWalk upon England's mountains green:And was the holy Lamb of God,On England's pleasant pastures seen!And did the Countenance Divine,Shine forth upon our clouded hills?And was Jerusalem builded here,Among these dark Satanic Mills?Bring me my Bow of burning gold:Bring me my arrows of desire:Bring me my Spear: O clouds unfold!Bring me my Chariot of fire!I will not cease from Mental Fight,Nor shall my sword sleep in my hand:Till we have built Jerusalem,In England's green & pleasant Land.
Okay, back to the comics.
And John Constantine realises that he has been away from London for quite a while, and may be slightly out fo his depth, though he'd be loathed to show it. In his absence, whether in American jail or in an American superhero team, and he probably wouldn't be able to point out the difference, we have had a new Prime Minister or three. And Hellblazer does always like to look at those in power, or whatever political stripe, and the deals done to get them there. Former Prime Minister-but-one David Cameron had a certain story about him that made the headlines, erroneous or not, about his young days as a student and a certain pigs head. And in today's John Constantine: Hellblazer a certain Prime Minister of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, in the depths of the Houses Of Parliament basement, has a rather magical abattoir to engage in his filthy pursuits.
More William Blake Jerusalem there. And no that's not a stretch of language regarding the sword, Blake could be a filthy bugger when he wanted to be, And Boris Johnson, an eloquent columnist and journalist-turned-politician, 'making love to the nation' sounds rather like him. But if you needed to be sure…
The shock of blonde hair is unmistakable. Thing is, if a paper did expose Johnson as someone having magical sex in the wounds of corpses, animal or human, in the bowels of Parliament, he'd still win the upcoming General Election against Jeremy Corbyn by a landslide.
John Constantine: Hellblazer #1 is published by DC Comics today in all good comic shops. I bought mine from Piranha Comics in Kingston-Upon-Thames. Piranha Comics is a small south London comic store chain with a small south-east store in Kingston-Upon Thames's market centre, which runs Magic The Gathering nights on Fridays, and a larger south-west store in Bromley, which also runs Magic nights and has an extensive back issue collection and online store. If you are in the neighbourhood, check them out.
(W) Si Spurrier (A) Aaron Campbell (CA) John Paul Leon
John Constantine is back in London, back to his old tricks-and just in time, as things have become very dark indeed in his old stomping grounds. A small-time gang lord has found himself dealing with a big-time outbreak of supernatural weirdness…and without any allies to call on and nothing left to call his own, John doesn't have much choice about taking a paycheck from one of London's worst, or accepting the help of one of the gang lord's would-be foot soldiers. But what should be an open-and-shut exorcism turns out to be nothing but…and the author of this madness may just be getting started on their terrible masterpiece!
The original Constantine is back in this series from Si Spurrier (The Dreaming) and Aaron Campbell (Infidel), with nothing to his name but decades of bad memories and an unearned second chance. How, exactly, will he squander it? There's only one way to find out…In Shops: Nov 27, 2019 SRP: $3.99


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The rich, toasted flavors of our signature All-Purpose Marinade bring out the best in a spread of 'chops. Pair with roasted root veggies and light the fire pit for a supper to remember.
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Shake marinade well before use.
Use up to a cup of marinade to coat pork chops. Add chops to marinade for 45 minutes. Remove chops from marinade and dust lightly with Head Country Original Championship Seasoning.
Smoke at 275 degrees F for 45 minutes. You can also grill these chops on at 325 degrees F for 4-5 minutes per side. Try baking them at 425 degrees F for 4-5 minutes per side, broiling to finish to add flavor and color.
Pull chops off the smoker and brush on a coat of your choice of Head Country Bar-B-Q Sauce. Add chops back to the smoker for another 5 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken to a glaze. Serve with roasted veggies and your favorite BBQ sides. Enjoy!
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Our Ultimate List of Fall Recipes: Oven, Grilling, Slow-Cooker, and Instant Pot Recipes


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From the city of London, England, the next fashion week will take place in Milan on 21 - 27 September 2021. As one of the biggest fashion weeks besides Paris, London, and New York or known as 'The Big Four', Milan is home to many the world's popular fashion house. Call it the fashion houses Versace, Prada, Giorgio Armani, Dolce & Gabbana, Moschino, and many more who started their fashion business in Italy. Coupled with street style that does not escape the trend, Milan's reputation as a fashion city has also shifted and is not inferior to other cities of The Big Four. Knowing that, of course fashion week in the city is no less interesting to listen to, including the origin of its formation.
The history of Milan Fashion Week (MFW) has some interesting stories that you may not yet know, Beauties. Premiered in 1958, fashion week in Italy was organized by the Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana (The National Chamber for Italian Fashion). In addition to hosting fashion shows, The National Chamber for Italian Fashion also plays a role in regulating Italian fashion, such as promoting, coordinating, and training talented Italian designers. Let's read more below.
4 Interesting Facts on the History of Milan Fashion Week
Milan Fashion Week has a long history with fashion shows that grow every decade. Here are some interesting things from the history of the MFW.
1 Starting from an Independent Fashion Show with a Local Scope
Famous for its impeccable sewing techniques, exclusive materials, handicrafts, and luxury items, the history of Italian fashion dates back to the Middle Ages. Seeing this potential, around the 20th century Italian designers sought to develop the fashion industry by competing in their own fashion shows, including businessman Giovanni Battista Giorgini who teamed up with several talented designers, such as Emilio Pucci and Fontana Sisters to create a fashion show at his residence. After their second performance at Palazzo Pitti, Florence, the Italian designers began to steal global attention.
2 Fashion Shows Dolce & Gabbana and Gucci Apart from The
After fashion week was first held by The National Chamber for Italian Fashion in 1958, Italian fashion grew and gained international recognition. But, although the majority of fashion shows are held by The National Chamber for Italian Fashion, big fashion houses, such as Dolce & Gabbana and Gucci withdrew from the non-profit organization. They chose to hold fashion shows independently.
3 Held in Another City Before Moving to Milan
The popularity of Italian fashion in the eyes of the world made its connoisseurs also visit the country to take a look at the clothing collection on display for the first time. In addition to being done in Florence, some fashion houses also had the opportunity to hold fashion shows in Venice and Rome. The success of the Italian fashion industry is reflected in another problem, namely the irregular visitor traffic due to the large number of people who come from various countries. Finally, a series of fashion shows were moved to Milan in 1975 and the Milan Fashion Week calendar was held for the first time.
4 Identical to Unique and Memorable Fashion Show
Consisting of womenswear and menswear, Milan Fashion Week focuses on the more popular women's fashion. In the late 90s, fashion shows were made not only to display the work, but also packaged in such a way as to leave a distinct impression for those who came. The designers dared to give an extra touch to their creations, from provocative slogans on the Moschino show to a row of Versace supermodels featuring Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell, Christy Turlington, and Linda Evangelista's lip-sync of George Michael's Freedom! '90 song.


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1st Edition
Indigenous, Modern and Postcolonial Relations to Nature Negotiating the Environment
Indigenous, Modern and Postcolonial Relations to Nature contributes to the young field of intercultural philosophy by introducing the perspective of critical and postcolonial thinkers who have focused on systematic racism, power relations and the intersection of cultural identity and political struggle.
Angela Roothaan discusses how initiatives to tackle environmental problems cross-nationally are often challenged by economic growth processes in postcolonial nations and further complicated by fights for land rights and self-determination of indigenous peoples. For these peoples, survival requires countering the scramble for resources and clashing with environmental organizations that aim to bring their lands under their own control. The author explores the epistemological and ontological clashes behind these problems. This volume brings more awareness of what structurally obstructs open exchange in philosophy world-wide, and shows that with respect to nature, we should first negotiate what the environment is to us humans, beyond cultural differences. It demonstrates how a globalizing philosophical discourse can fully include epistemological claims of spirit ontologies, while critically investigating the exclusive claim to knowledge of modern science and philosophy.
This book will be of great interest to students and scholars of environmental philosophy, cultural anthropology, intercultural philosophy and postcolonial and critical theory.
Preface and Acknowledgments
- A World of Motion and Emergence: an Outline of what's at stake
- Ending the Othering of Indigenous Knowledge in Philosophy and the Ontological Turn in Cultural Anthropology
- When the Spirits were banned: Kant versus Swedenborg
- The Return of (animal) Spirits in the Modern Western World
- Deconstructing or Decolonizing the Human–Animal Divide
- Vital Force: A Belgico-African Missionary's Spirited Philosophy
- Decolonizing Nature: the Case of the Mourning Elephants
- Spirited Trees – Negotiating secular, religious and traditionalist frameworks
- Blurred, Spirited and Touched: from 'the Study of Man' to an Anim(al)istic Anthropology
"Roothaan's Indigenous, Modern and Postcolonial Relations to Nature takes a fresh approach to dialogue between modern Western and indigenous or traditional approaches to nature. She neither insists that non-Western environmentalisms follow Western science before dialogue can begin, nor does she turn non-Western approaches to nature into a version of Romanticism. This book will be of interest to African philosophers and other non-Western philosophers, intercultural philosophers, environmental humanists, anthropologists, postcolonial studies scholars, and many others."
Bruce Janz, Department of Philosophy and Center for Humanities & Digital Research, University of Central Florida
"Dr Roothaan's inspiring quest for an intercultural rendering of human relations to nature challenges the modernist epistemological monopoly. Arguing convincingly that indigenous systems of knowledge are equally viable, this book shows how they provide promising models for a negotiation of the environment in this era of global environmental threats."
Dr Pius Mosima, University of Bamenda, Cameroon


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Why Writer Moon Ji-won Writes Autistic Characters
The writer and director of Strange Lawyer Woo Young-woo talked candidly about the various discourses surrounding the drama.
I'm Watching In the Soop: Friendcation, and You Should Too
This show is so funny but also gentle. At times it's quiet, pure quiet, and at others, it's boisterous in the way only young men...
Diversity in Dramaland: K-dramas and Racial Stereotypes
Backstreet Rookie In many ways, I think the less time spent talking about SBS's Backstreet Rookie, the better, but unfortunately, we need...


text: Three villains, one Dark Knight, and a deadly heist gone wrong. Catwoman, the Riddler, and the Penguin join forces to pull off the greatest robbery in the history of Gotham City. And their prize? A mysterious and priceless artifact in the secret possession of Bruce Wayne! But, as the events unfold, what fun is a heist without a bloody double cross or two?


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Our flagship server, designed to take Digital Audio to a new level of performance. A state-of-the-art source for the most discerning audiophiles.
Partnering once again with Dr. Sean Jacobs, a new power supply architecture was designed exclusively for the Statement. The power supply is distributed between two enclosures, with one enclosure containing the AC/DC conversion stage and the other containing the regulation stage together with the server components.
The advantage is clear: regulated "clean" power traverses a very short path, soldered point to point, with the least impedance and exposure to EMI. This is superior in efficiency compared to a traditional architecture where a separate power supply is used – regulated "clean" power needs to go through more obstacles of internal cabling, output connectors, cable, input connectors and more internal cable before it reaches its destination.
8 Independent Linear PSU Rails
Each critical component of the server receives its own dedicated power supply from one of the 8 independent power rails, further preventing component cross-contamination. Of particular note is the use of a dedicated power supply for each of the Ethernet and USB high-precision OCXO clocks, ensuring these clocks work at their best.
Custom-designed Motherboard
The motherboard has been fully EMI-optimised to our own exclusive design by, removing any unnecessary, noise-generating components capable of compromising audio. A fully-customised BIOS ensures the hardware works at its lowest noise without impairing performance. Further EMI treatment is then applied to the motherboard so that EMI is absorbed rather than reflected to other components.
Custom-designed Ethernet and USB Re-clocker
Not fully satisfied with existing USB and Ethernet re-clocking designs, Innuos designed in-house their own boards for this purpose.
At the heart of the design are 3 principles: The use of very high-precision OCXO clocks for timing the signals, extreme care in powering important components preventing cross-contamination, and extremely short paths between components.
While apthe use of OCXO clocks is not new, the way they are powered and the layout of the board has proven to be extremely important for their performance. As an example, dozens of USB controllers were analysed in terms of how they were powered and clocked so that they allowed this control to be done externally. The USB Controller is regulated by no less than 3 ultra-low noise regulators, one per independent voltage.
Keeping the clock very close to the controllers, via a dedicated track on the board itself, helps to avoid the losses in signal quality that come with the use of external clock units.
10mm CNC-machined Aluminium Chassis
Housed in a casing of 10mm-thick CNC-machined aluminium, the Statement is not just a pretty face. The thick metal enclosure helps to isolate external EMI, and its weight helps dampen harmful vibration into the system. By using a double-enclosure design, it also helps to contain the vibration effects of the massive 540VA toroidal transformer at its heart.
TWO PSU OPTIONS Standard PSU
8 Independent Linear Rails
Each critical component of the server receives its own dedicated power supply from one of the 8 independent power rails, further preventing component cross-contamination. Of particular note is the use of a dedicated power supply for each of the Ethernet and USB high- precision OCXO clocks, ensuring these clocks work at their best.
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|Disc Compatibility
|Audio format for stored CDs
|FLAC (zero compression), WAV
|Audio Formats Supported for streaming and playing
|WAV, AIFF, FLAC, ALAC, AAC, MP3, MQA (with supported DACs)
|Sample Rates
|44.1kHz, 48kHz, 88.2kHz, 96kHz, 176.4KHz. 192kHz, 352.8KHz, 384KHz, DSD64, DSD128, Native DSD up to DSD512 on selected DACs
|Bit Depths
|16bit, 24bit, 32bit
|Web Interface
|Web Browsers from iOS, Android (4.0 and up) or up-to-date Windows and OS X browsers
|App for iPhone/iPad, Android and Windows 10
|CD/DVD drive
|TEAC Slot-loading drive
|Hard Drive
|1TB SSD with Vibration and EMI treatment
|Intel Quad Core N4200
|8GB DDR3 Low-Voltage RAM (4GB Dedicated for RAM Playback)
|Integrated UPnP Server
|Streaming Services
|Qobuz, Tidal, Radio Paradise, Internet Radio
|Roon Compatibility
|Roon Core and Roon Endpoint
|Average CD Storage Time
|5 minutes
|CD Metadata
|FreeDB, MusicBrainz, Discogs, GD3
|Compatible Music Systems
|Sonos Multi-room Wireless Music System
|DLNA/UPnP compatible devices
|USB DACs complying to USB Audio Class 2
|USB DACs supporting DSD over DoP protocol
|Selected USB DACs supporting Native DSD
|Internet connection to access album metadata when storing CDs, Internet Radio, Streaming Services and software updates
|Network router with at least one available ethernet port
|Premium subscription required for some streaming services such as Spotify, Qobuz and Tidal
|Recommended App (USB Connection Only)
|iPeng 9 (iOS), OrangeSqueeze (Android), Squeeze Control (Windows 10)
|Mains Supply
|230V AC / 115V AC – 8x Internal Linear Power Supply
|Power Consumption
|20W when idle, 35W peak
|Server = 420mm x 352mm x 88mm
Power = 420mm x 352mm x 102mm
(W x D x H)
|Server = 8.2kg
Power = 13.4kg
|In the box
|Innuos STATEMENT Music Server
|Mains Cable
|2x 0.3m umbilical interconnect
|2m Ethernet Cable
|Quick Start Guide


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Birx: Protestors not practicing distancing is "devastatingly worrisome"
White House coronavirus coordinator Deborah Birx said on "Fox News Sunday" that from a public health standpoint, it is "devastatingly worrisome" that protestors in Michigan and around the country are gathering in close quarters and not wearing masks while demonstrating against stay-at-home orders.
Why it matters: President Trump has tweeted support for the Michigan protestors, some of whom were armed and successfully entered the state's Capitol building last Thursday where lawmakers were voting on whether to extend a public health emergency.
- Birx noted that these protestors could return home and transmit the coronavirus to family members who may be more vulnerable because of old age or underlying medical conditions.
- "They will feel guilty for the rest of our lives," Birx said. "So we need to protect each other at the same time we're voicing our discontent."
The big picture: As U.S. deaths from the coronavirus surged past 65,000, Birx said on Fox that the White House has always projected that the death toll would be between 100,000 and 240,000 — even with full mitigation measures and social distancing guidelines in place.
- She said that "every single metro area and every single outbreak across the country is different," and so while places like New Orleans and Detroit are showing significant declines in new cases, others are ramping up.


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The Story Behind "Burn The Ships"
Hi, this is Luke with for King and Country, and this is the story behind our song Burn the Ships.
Several years ago, my wife walked through a season where she'd accidentally become addicted to pills and having walked through that journey with her. There was so much shame and so much guilt in the aftermath. One of the things I wanted to say to her was you can leave the past behind. Your past doesn't have to define your future. That's really what this song, Burn the Ships, is about. It is about leaving the past behind and understanding that God has a much brighter future ahead.
I encourage you to find out whatever it is in your life that is holding you back, and the thing I would say to you is this. Go and burn the ships.
(February 3, 2020)
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Gordon L. Graber
Colonel Gordon L. Graber was commissioned an Infantry Officer upon graduation from Officer Candidate School 13 November 1942, class number 100. His first duty assignment was as Rifle Platoon Leader, Company A, 413 Infantry, 104th Infantry Division. | His subsequent duty assignment include: Intelligence and Reconnaissance Platoon Leader, Headquarters Company, 413, Infantry, 104th Infantry Division; Intelligence Officer, Headquarters 6th U.S. Army; Company Commander, Company I, 4th Infantry Regiment; Infantry Tactics Instructor, Artillery School, Anti-aircraft and Guided Missile Branch; Division and Senior Advisor, 7th ROK Division and ROK Intelligence School, Korean Military Advisory Group; Brigade Advisor, Wisconsin National Guard Advisory Group; Inspector General, Headquarters SIX U.S. Army Corps; Executive Officer, Headquarters Support Command, 3d Infantry Division; Executive Officer, Headquarters, 5th Combat Support Training Brigade, Fort Dix, New Jersey; Chief, Plans and Policy Branch, G-3 Section, Headquarters 8th U.S. Army; Deputy Post Commander, Headquarters Fort Harrison, Indiana. | His awards and decorations include: Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Service Medal, National Defense Medal (1 Oak Leaf Cluster), Army of Occupation Medal (Japan Bar), World War II Victory Medal, European Theater of Operations Medal (3 Bronze Stars), American Campaign Medal, American Defense Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Purple Heart, Army Commendation Medal w/ 2 Oak Leaf Clusters, Bronze Star, Legion of Merit w/ 2 Oak Leaf Clusters, Silver Star, Combat Infantryman Badge.


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Through watching many landscape travel videos on Vimeo and Youtube, I came across Namibia. It looks like a beautiful place with so much wildlife and incredible contrasting landscapes with bright orange sand dunes mixed with dead trees. Africa is a continent that contains so much beauty, and it would be a great addition to our world trip.
Why do we want to go?
We've always wanted to travel to Africa, but we did not really know where to go. The more we see and hear about Namibia, the more we want to explore it. The epic landscapes, the culture, and wildlife are a big part of why we want to go. There is even a travel meetup on Namibia this month, so it seems to be calling us. These bucket list contenders should be convincing enough!
What are some bucket list contenders?
- Sossusvlei– The world's oldest desert
- Definitely Deadvlei with its pitch-black trees and rusty sand dunes
- Stargazing!!! Some of the best in the world.
- Etosha National Park
- zebras, elephants, tigers
- Kolmanskop Desert ghost town
- Bwabwata National Park
- Lions, african wild dogs, birds, antelope
- Cape Cross
- Shipwrecks, Seal Colonies, Chameleons, Hiking, Hyena, Tortoise
- Spitzkoppe Mountain
Country Profile
|COUNTRY | Namibia
|SW Africa
|Best Season
|June through October is the dry season
|Average Temp / Weather Conditions
|Subtropical desert climate with big swings between day and nighttime temperatures. Averages high temperatures during the best season are 21-25°C/70-77°F, but the lows can get down to 7°C/45°F and sometimes below freezing so be prepared.
|Key Attractions
|Hiking, wildlife, photography, national parks, culture, epic landscapes
|Entry / Visa Requirements
|Passport Valid for 6 months beyond departure date. Tourist Visa available at port of entry. Requires 6 blank passport pages.
|CURRENCY | Namibian Dollar (~$1 NAD = $.073 USD)
|Daily Budget
|Frugal Tips
|Book activities, etc. well in advance; cook your own food
|THE STAY | Possible duration: Two weeks to a month
|Lodging Types
|Hotels, hostels, Airbnb, couchsurfing, camping, vacation rentals
|Meat barbecue, stews, homemade cheeses, beer, sausages, and bread rolls filled with cheese, eggs, meat or salad
|Transportation Options
|Buses, trains, hitchhiking, car rentals (know how to change a tire as roads are corrugated, take 2-3 spare tires to remote areas)
|Driving Requirements
|Drive on the left side of the road; gasoline is cash only; road signs are in English; roadblocks are common and you need to show your international driver's license; tolls are common; 4X4 recommended for remote along with adequate supplies
|Wifi is not very common, so check to see where you are able to connect. Some accommodations will have it as well.
Want to get more out of your Namibian adventure?
|CULTURE | Language: English (Official), Afrikaans, German and up to 30 native languages
|Local Laws
|Possession of illegal drugs is punished severely with long jail sentences; Defamation is illegal and the accused often pay fines.
|English Availability
|English is the official language, but speak slowly because they will not be used to your accent
|Attitudes Toward Americans
|Generally friendly
|Photography Concerns
|The desert heat and sand could cause problems for your camera if you aren't careful with it as well as other electronics. Theft is also a concern in cities primarily.
|General Safety
|Emergency Number
|Vary by location. See this site for more info.
|Location of U.S. Embassy / Phone
|14 Lossen Street, Ausspanplatz, Windhoek, Central Namibia, Namibia, Namibia Phone +264 61 295 8500
|Medical Facilities
|Modern medical care is readily available. Government hospitals tend to misdiagnose more frequently and are not as good quality as private hospitals. From most places you are likely a half a day away from a medical facility, so be prepared with a first aid kit. Some hotel lodges can provide basic first aid.
|Vaccinations Needed
|None unless traveling from a yellow fever endemic country
|Health Concerns
|HIV is very common a 25% of the population has it. Also, malaria is prevalent in the most northern part of the country, north of Etosha.
|Water Quality
|Water is safe in hotels, lodges and other public places where it is purified. They do tend to recycle and purify wastewater, as water is a limited resource in Namibia. Bottled water is available at supermarkets.
Additional Resources
Have you been to Namibia? What activities do we have to try out? What other countries should we consider?
Photos by Nomis Simon, Creative Commons


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Regenstrief Vice President for Data and Analytics, Shaun Grannis, M.D., M.S., discussed the recent surges of U.S. flu and RSV cases as a result of a two-year "exposure gap."
- Experts
In The NewsView All
Dr. Williams Interviewed by Healthcare IT News
Regenstrief Research Scientist Linda S. Williams, M.D., addressed how teleneurology...
InfluenceView All
Regenstrief researcher named chair of quality committee of one of nation's largest medical professional organizations
A national leader in improving the quality of healthcare provided...
- Opportunities
Featured FellowshipView all
- About
Regenstrief envisions a world where better information empowers people to end disease and realize true health.
- The Latest
VideoDr. Williams-Farrelly: Childhood experiences affect later-life health. Supportive relationships can help.
NewsSupportive later-life social relationships mediate the risk of severe frailty in adults who had negative childhood experiences
NewsCOVID-infected adults with 4 or more underlying diseases or advanced age face higher risk of ICU stay, death
- Experts
November 1, 2022


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When you're selling a home, curb appeal will make a first impression on potential buyers. Ideally, you want to make a strong and positive impression. If your home doesn't look good when potential buyers arrive, they're going to make lower offers.
One way to increase your home's aesthetic is to replace the windows. Windows make up a large portion of people's perception of a home because they stand out in their design, construction, and shape.
If you haven't yet considered window replacement, and you care about curb appeal, here's why new windows will make a big difference:
- It's all about shape
If you've never replaced your windows or built a home from scratch, there are several types of windows that you may not know about. Some of these can make your home look instantly more charming. For instance, double hung and arched windows can make your home look more attractive.
The shape of your windows can drastically alter your home's personality. You can create a specific vibe just by choosing a certain window style. For instance, square windows, round windows, and arched windows all give off a different vibe. All the same, large windows and windows with multiple small sections also give off different vibes.
All in all, the shape of your windows can influence a large percentage of the factors that make up curb appeal.
- Windows provide a view into a home
Windows are designed to be transparent so you can look outside. Although, people on the outside can also look through your windows and peer into your home. If your home has windows that put you and your entire family on display for the neighbors, people are going to judge your home by what they see inside.
If you have floor-to-ceiling windows, you have to be careful if you're in a residential neighborhood with nearby streets or walking paths. You'll need to draw your curtains to prevent people from staring inside. If your home looks fantastic on the inside, you probably don't have to worry. However, if your home is a mess, people will notice and your home will lose aesthetic appeal.
- Ugly windows can be a deal-breaker
Ugly windows automatically reduce your home's attractiveness to potential buyers. Unlike other elements that are easily overlooked, like peeling siding, ugly windows can be a deal breaker. Windows are seen as a more permanent part of a home and not a quick fix.
If you have ugly windows, a potential buyer won't necessarily be thinking about how they can change the windows. While some people have no problem completely renovating a new home, most people would rather find a better property.
- Windows give your home personality
What personality do you want your home to have? You can control that with your windows. That's precisely what architects have been doing for centuries.
When you look at different home styles like Craftsman, Modern, and Tudor homes, you'll notice the windows are entirely different and seem to create the entire perception of the home. For instance, Tudor windows are made with small glass panes held together in a crisscross lattice pattern. Although this was a structural necessity, it's what makes Tudor windows so charming.
Another home style with unique windows are the Craftsman homes. Although these homes have many unique features, the windows are prominent. For instance, the windows on and around the front door are usually intricate and decorated. The other windows usually slide up to open and the frames are usually painted to match the rest of the home's exterior.
- Window coverings can determine curb appeal
Have you ever seen a window covered by a sheet or a blanket? In some neighborhoods, that's perfectly acceptable. However, if you're in a nice neighborhood and you put up a sheet, your curb appeal will drop fast.
Part of the way windows influence curb appeal is through the window covering as seen from the outside. Whether it's a drape, a curtain, or something decorative, all window coverings play a role in curb appeal.
Why care about curb appeal if you aren't selling?
Curb appeal is more important than you might think. If you're not selling your home, you might not think it matters. After all, who cares what your nosy neighbors think about you, right?
The truth is, curb appeal can affect the perception of your whole neighborhood, and if it's really bad, it can drive down home values. The more attention you place on your windows, the better your home will look.


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ReviewerCredits has obtained a convertible loan from the Intesa Sanpaolo Group through the Intesa Sanpaolo Innovation Center, which will support the company in accelerating its development.
The Covid-19 pandemic has brought to light the importance of careful evaluation of scientific data before they can be published in renowned and indexed journals: the so-called peer review process, aimed at ensuring authenticity, relevance and rigor of the results to avoid the spread of fake news, both in the medical scientific disciplines, as well as in the economic and humanities. It is precisely due to a hasty peer review process that even eminent journals such as the "New England Journal of Medicine" and "Lancet" have this year made blatant errors of assessment which they then had to correct.
Intesa Sanpaolo's recent investment in reviewercredits.com should also be read in this light.
ReviewerCredits is an innovative start-up, spin-off of the Milano-Bicocca University, founded by professors Giacomo Bellani and Robert Fruscio in 2017, with the aim of creating a digital platform totally dedicated to the enhancement of peer review (the process of checking and validating articles by experts before publication by scientific publishers). Peer review is an indispensable job, but the work of researchers and reviewers does not currently receive any formal recognition. The increase in scientific research (+ 6.1% YoY) makes it difficult to find scientists willing to take on the role of peer reviewer (about 14 million reviews per year) and progress is slowed down by an inefficient and sometimes non-transparent system.
Reviewercredits.com is an international platform that guarantees reviewers a solid certification of peer review activities to be included in their curricula, to obtain visibility and career advancement, and, unique feature, virtual credits that can be spent on the platform. At the same time, it allows publishers to optimize the search for reviewers to entrust with the evaluation of articles.
The ReviewerCredits network now counts more than 10,000 reviewers and about 600 registered scientific journals. Over 12,000 revisions have been confirmed. It should be emphasized, precisely with a view to improving the reliability of science, that the peer-review certification has not been confirmed in about 5% of cases. A fact that underlines how reviewercredits.com can help clarify the peer-review process and contribute to the advancement of knowledge.


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Law School Students
Law Clerks:
The Oregon Law Center accepts applications from interested law students for our Law Clerk positions throughout the year. Opportunities are available in the summer as well as during the academic year.
Qualified applicants will exhibit abilities and interest in poverty law issues. This may be demonstrated through coursework, employment, volunteer activities, internships or other appropriate experience. Applicants must have excellent research and writing skills, good communication skills and be highly motivated. Spanish communication skills are highly desired, but not required. Please send cover letter and current resume to Ed Johnson, Director of Litigation via email.


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RWK Goodman birth injury specialists represent young boy in £23 million action for negligent care to his mother
His claim for £23 million against United Hospitals Bristol NHS Trust was settled and approved by HHJ Lambert at the Royal Courts of Justice yesterday (4 February 2020). The Judge also made an Anonymity Order.
Following the action, RWK Goodman Clinical Negligence Partner Kerstin Scheel – who acted for the boy – has highlighted the need for maternity safety to be a top priority.
She commented:
"It is highly prevalent with the maternity scandals in Wales, Shrewsbury and Kent that maternity safety must be a top priority for some of the most vulnerable patients, the mother and her newborn."
The boy was born in the autumn of 2013, following the birth of his elder brother at the same hospital in early 2012. During the delivery of his elder brother shoulder dystocia occurred, where the baby's shoulder becomes impacted on the mother's pubic bone. This is a serious emergency at the time of birth and the elder brother required resuscitation on delivery.
Despite this event the hospital failed to inform and explain to the mother that shoulder dystocia had occurred, she simply thought it was a difficult delivery. She was therefore unable to advise midwives of this in her further pregnancy which would have automatically resulted in obstetric led care and needed advice on the option of a caesarean birth to avoid this complication occurring again.
During the course of her pregnancy, his mother was referred to an obstetrician as there were concerns this was a very large baby. Late into the pregnancy she was seen by an obstetrician but the notes of her previous delivery (which would have revealed the history of shoulder dystocia) were not available in time for the appointment. There was therefore no discussion as to the risks of a vaginal delivery with the mother so that she could make an informed choice about whether or not to opt for an elective caesarean section.
Miss Scheel explained:
"The mother was induced for a vaginal delivery and indeed, again, shoulder dystocia occurred. Unfortunately this time even standard emergency steps did not allow for the delivery of the baby (as he was so large). There was a panicked situation which was hugely traumatic for both parents. It took 20 minutes to deliver the claimant, by which time his oxygen circulation was so badly compromised that he suffered a period of acute lack of oxygen and significant brain damage. He had no signs of life at birth and required immediate intubation. In addition to his brain injury the brachial plexus nerves in his neck were severely damaged and he developed the most severe form of erb's palsy and has no use of his right arm.
"The boy was subsequently diagnosed with cerebral palsy. He cannot communicate, he is doubly incontinent, he requires a wheelchair and will need 24-hour care for the remainder of his life."
Miss Scheel added:
"The errors at the Trust which occurred were simple ones of human and systemic error. There was no pro forma checklist requiring the midwives to confirm that they had informed the mother of the complication of shoulder dystocia and provided her with a leaflet regarding the implications for future pregnancies.
"There was then a system error in failing to ensure the consultant had the medical records from the first pregnancy (at the same hospital) available to her when she saw the mother. The consultant then failed to follow this up and ask to review those records once they were available.
"We work very closely with the Erb's Palsy Group, the only national charity focused upon people with erb's palsy. We are seeing increasing numbers of clients, like this claimant, who have significant brain injury in addition to their erb's palsy.
"Such simple and totally avoidable errors have had the most catastrophic consequences for this family, whose lives have been turned upside down by their son suffering such a catastrophic brain injury. It is another reminder that patient safety has to be at the forefront of the operation of the NHS every single day and with every single patient."


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How to Use Ice Breaker Games
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Anyone can use ice breaker games to bring fun to an event, liven up proceedings and quickly disperse that awkward getting to know you stage. Whether you find yourself in charge of organising a wedding, family reunion, meeting , function or charity event, ice breaker games are an invaluble way of helping people to feel relaxed more quickly and comfortably. Use them at the beginning of a gathering of people and help people socialise quickly.
Use ice breaker games as energizers part way through a conference or meeting. They help maintain interest and excitement within the meeting and help people keep focussed. They keep people's attention and prevent boredom from setting in.
Think also about using them for youth groups, schools events, charity meetings etc. - in fact anywhere people are coming together for a common purpose.
Take a look at our great selection of ice breaker games to enhance any event


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Has something been missing in your life since 'Gossip Girl' ended and you lost Nate Archibald? If so, you're life is about to get a lot better. Chace Crawford is coming back to TV, in a leading role.
According to Entertainment Weekly, Chace, 29, has been cast in ABC's pilot 'Boom'.
The series is about the recent oil boom in North Dakota. Chace has snagged the role of Billy, "a quick-witted and ambitious hustler who travels to the North Dakota oil fields," EW reported.
Don Johnson ('Miami Vice') and Delroy Lindo ('The Cider House Rules') have also been cast to star in the ABC pilot.
Josh Pate wrote and directed the pilot and Rodes Fishburne also helped write the pilot.
Since Chace left 'Gossip Girl', he starred in 'What to Expect When You're Expecting' and guest starred on 'Glee'. The 'Gossip Girl' alum has three projects in the works for this year, 'Undrafted', 'Eloise' and 'Untitled Warren Beatty Project'.
Chace was great at playing Nate and it's hard to see him playing anyone else. His character grew so much in six seasons. I'm really looking forward to seeing him play Billy in 'Boom'. I hope this ABC pilot ends up being a success for him.
Are you looking forward to seeing him back on TV?


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Caroline Pontifex - KKS Savills
Caroline advises major organisations on transformative workplace strategies that bring together people, space and technology.
Caroline has led the Strategic Consulting team at KKS Savills for over 17 years, joining the firm as a founding member. Since then she has established a reputation as a leading practitioner in occupier and workplace strategy, regularly speaking at events and contributing articles on evolving trends and best practice across multiple sectors. She developed KKS Savills workplace strategy standards and methodology, widely viewed as the hallmark of added value in occupier consulting.
Caroline's goal on every project is a user experience that fosters cohesion, culture and business productivity. Each step on the occupier journey is a collaboration, beginning with the empirical analysis of space usage, engaging with stakeholders and evaluating appetite for change, to defining a new workplace landscape, followed by critical post-occupancy studies.
Sectors and Expertise
- Workplace Experience
- Development Strategy
- Occupier Strategy
- Change Management
- Interior Architectural Design
Based in: London
Areas covered: UK, Global


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The Boards of Directors Lakeland Credit Union and Vision Credit Union have begun formal merger discussions.
Vision Credit Union has its head office in Camrose, and serves 17 branches. Most of its branches are in the central Alberta/Battle River region, with half a dozen in the northwest part of the province.
Lakeland Credit Union CEO Kelly McGiffin says Vision is a very good match for a merger.
"We'd only want to look at a partnership if that was a cultural match that offered some of the diversification that we think we need in terms of economy; that they were complementary; and that they respected the regional relevance that Lakeland's always been able to build success on," he said.
"And with Vision, we found that that partner hit all the checks."
He said "economies of scale" make it logical for credit unions to form formal partnerships. Shrinking margins in the finance sector mean that small, regionally-based institutions are at a disadvantage when competing with national banks.
"When you start to figure out how do you cover those costs with a reduction in your income, in your margin, and still stay competitive, what other options do we have? Can we be stronger together by combining some of those resources to better afford new expertises and new products, new services, new consumer expectations? And so I think you are seeing more and more consolidation as a result. The challenge is how do you do that without just becoming a branch of a bigger organization?" he said.
"We think this model really answers that by having a regional approach that retains a fair amount of autonomy within that region under a larger umbrella."
If approved by the members of Lakeland and Vision credit unions, the merged institution will operate under the Vision Credit Union umbrella. But McGiffin says the Lakeland branches will maintain their brand.
"It'll be known as the Lakeland Region of Vision Credit Union," he said. "Vision was very respectful of the success of the Lakeland Credit Union and the Lakeland organization, and felt that legacy should be kept."
McGiffin said it's also important that Vison's existing service area borders on Lakeland's, but the two don't overlap. Among other things, this means the merger won't lead to staff layoffs.
McGiffin said their philosophies and cultures also line up well. One key compatibility is the principle of patronage, or returning profits to the membership. Not all credit unions offer that.
"Lakeland has always been a very big proponent of returning profits to our members and our community, and those have been significant," he said. "When we looked at Vision, their profit return was at an even higher grade than ours. And we thought, well, that automatically tells us that culturally they think the same as we do in terms of co-operative benefit for our members and our communities."
He said the strength of Lakeland Credit Union has been its ability to serve local membership and respond to local economic conditions. Under the merger, that autonomy will be continued.
"What we're building into the strategy is a very regional model. One of the things that we understand very clearly is that the success that Lakeland's been building for 80 years has been on our ability to reflect what's happening locally, having local decision making, local leadership.
"Boots on the ground is what we're calling it, is critical to the model we're building. So we don't see losing anything, but just adding a very strong back room where you put this third- and fourth-largest credit unions in Alberta together," McGiffin said.
Both credit unions intend to host virtual and in-person town hall meetings, as pandemic restrictions allow. An information site, www.ruralvisionab.ca, will be updated on a regular basis with the latest information about the merger.
Vision and Lakeland Credit Unions plan to bring the proposed merger to a vote of their respective memberships this fall.
According to a joint news release, if members of both credit unions vote in favor of the merger and the required regulatory approvals are received, the amalgamated credit union will serve more than 35,000 members at 19 locations, with more than 269 staff members and approximately $1.9 billion in assets.


text: HERITAGE STYLE. MODERN COMFORT. Women's Nike Air Max 270 Shoe delivers visible cushioning under every step. Updated for modern comfort, it pays homage to the original, 1991 Air Max 180 with an exaggerated tongue top and heritage logo. Large volume Max Air unit cushions each step. Neoprene stretch bootie delivers a snug fit. Three-piece midsole offers durability. Mesh elements throughout provide breathability. Durable rubber toe tip reads AIR.


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For those not in the know, Thor actually started out as a concept band in 1973. They were first called Centaur and then Mikl Body Rock, both of which were the brainchild of Jon Mikl, a vocalist, musician and body building champion who won titles such as Mr. USA and Mr. Canada.
He decided to combine Muscle with Music. Mikl Body Rock toured throughout North America seeking fame and to garnish enough attention to secure a record deal. The press dubbed them "Kings of Muscle Rock" or " Warriors of Gladiator Rock."
Only The Strong was originally released way back in 1985 and was the second full-length album from the Canadian muscle-man turned cult heavy metal icon Thor (Keith Zazzi, bass, vocals; Pantera, vocals; Thor, vocals; Steve Price, guitar; and Mike Favata, drums)
Remember, this was around the time when along with singing, he was on-stage bringing his fans actual real feats of strength! Like bending iron bars and so much more, akin to the band's Manowar-style metal.
Stage antics aside, Only The Strong yielded the singles, 'Let the Blood Run Red,' 'Knock 'Em Down,' and 'Thunder on the Tundra' which went a long way to strengthening (no pun intended) the album's performance. Especially as it subsequently reached platinum status in both Canada and the United Kingdom.
This just re-released special Deluxe Edition of the classic 1985 heavy metal masterpiece is a doozy as it is a CD/DVD combined set. Indeed, some might say it is the complete Thor experience as it includes the whole of the band's aforementioned album PLUS rare and unreleased bonus tracks. And, lest we forget the mind-blowing 60 minute concert DVD capturing the band in live performances during their early 80's heyday!
All this and packaged in a gorgeous 8 panel digipak with a full color 16-page booklet, Only The Strong kicks off with talk of Demigods on '2045,' before heading into the title track, the vocally immense 'Only The Strong,' 'Start Raising Hell,' and then both 'Knock 'Em Down' and the tuneful (yup, I said that!) 'Let The Blood Run Red.'
The powerhaus vocals of 'When Gods Collide' is then backed by the pulsating 'Rock The City,' the thundering 'Now Comes The Storm' and then 'Thunder On The Tundra.' The original album is brought to a close with both the KIISSesque 'Hot Flames' and 'Ride Of The Chariots,' and then it's the turn of 4 songs from The Edge of Hell: 'Wild Life,' 'Steal Your Thunder,' 'Energy' and then 'We Live to Rock.'
Next up and 5 demos, and yes, they all sound exactly like demos should do: 'All Evil in My Path' (1983), 'Forever and After' (1982), 'Anger Is My Middle Name' (19810,' and then both 'I Am Thunderhawk' (1986), and 'Ride Away From You' (1981). The entire disc is then brought to a close with live recordings of both 'Lightning Strikes' (1984) and then finally, 'Thunder on the Tundra' (1984).
The live action DVD is culled together from clips of shows such as: Marquee, London, 1984, Great Yarmouth Festival 1984, Connecticut 1983, New York 1983, New York 1982, Washington DC 1982, Great Yarmouth Festival 1984, Vancouver, Canada 1984, and also somewhere in the United Kingdom 1984.
Reviewed by: Russell A. Trunk


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When to Have Your Child's Eyes Examined
Undiagnosed vision problems can severely impact your child's ability to learn. They rely on their visual skills and eyesight academically, recreationally, and socially.
To ensure your child gets the best start in life, the Canadian Association of Optometrists recommends that children undergo eye exams at crucial moments of their development.