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A little way from this lake I heard a beautiful and mournful history of faery kidnapping. I heard it from a little old woman in a white cap, who sings in Gaelic, and moves from one foot to the other as though she remembered the dancing of her youth. (The Celtic Twilight, "Kidnappers," 73)
The Irishness of early William Butler Yeats has never meant much to me. As, in his later years, he becomes one of the greatest poets of English, he abandons much of his early interest in Irish mythology and folklore. So I never cared much that I did not care much. I guess I cared enough, though, to read the early prose books of Yeats, The Celtic Twilight (1893), The Secret Rose (1897), The Stories of Red Hanrahan (1897), and some other stuff, much augmented and rearranged over time and eventually crammed together in the 1959 Mythologies – page numbers refer to that book.
The early prose is a lot of fun. Yeats is a great writer; gee, who knew. The Celtic Twilight is mostly a collection of anecdotes about ghosts, fairies, and other Irish weirdness as told to Yeats by a series of ancient people, and occasionally as experienced himself. The quotation above, from a chapter that collects a bundle of stories about fairy kidnappers, shows how meeting the tale-tellers is as enjoyable as hearing the tales.
The dancing returns, too, at the end of the chapter:
There is hardly a valley or mountain-side where they cannot tell you of some one pillaged from amongst them. Two or three miles from the Heart Lake lives an old woman who was stolen away in her youth. After seven years she was brought home again for some reason or other, but she had no toes left. She had danced them off. (76)
The tone of the whole book is like this – casual, conversational:
Drumcliff and Rosses are choke-full of ghosts. By bog, road, rath, hillside, sea-border they gather in all shapes: headless women, men in armour, shadow hares, fire-tongued hounds, whistling seals, and so on. A whistling seal sank a ship the other day. (92)
The other day! I've not been to Ireland, but if I ever go I would reread The Celtic Twilight to prepare myself for encounters with ghosts.
The Secret Rose and the Red Hanrahan stories are more of a hodgepodge. Some are written like fairy tales of the Grimm variety, some more like short stories, magazine fiction. They are quite brutal, even violent – a bard executed, crucified, for no reason ("The Crucifixion of the Outcast"), or a Crusading knight sacrificing himself to recover some pigs ("Out of the Rose"). A lot of murders; a lot of curses. Red Hanrahan is a schoolteacher who violates some supernatural rule and is cursed to become a bard, a story-teller. He is given powers, but also burdens, and it is never clear why. The uncertainty creates a sort of tragic sublimity.
A great terror had fallen upon Hanrahan, and lifting his arms above his head he screamed out loud three times, and the cattle in the valley lifted their heads and lowed, and the birds in the wood at the edge of the mountain awaked out of their sleep and fluttered through the trembling leaves. But a little below the edge of the rock, the troop of rose-leaves still fluttered in the air, for the gateway of Eternity had opened and shut again in one beat of the heart. ("Hanrahan's Vision," 252)
Mythologies concludes with a series of pieces about alchemy and esoteric writing. Yeats introduces his mystical pseudo-philosopher Michael Robartes. All of this is very important for Yeats's late, great poetry, but I do not pretend to understand it. Something to wrestle with on my next pass at Yeats.


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Streamlined Yogurt Making
All you need is a microwave oven, a Mason jar and a thermometer that goes to 200°F (93.3C), a quart of whole milk (better if it is antibiotic, hormone and GMO free), and about 1/4 cup Greek yogurt or the same size sample from a batch of previously home made yogurt. Using the microwave saves you the extra step and clean-up of a pan on the stove. This method is so easy you may never need to purchase the expensive stuff from the store ever again!
Step one: Have your 1/4 cup sample of yogurt ready to "seed" the quart of milk in your pre-sanitized Mason jar (boil half a quart of water in it prior, then cool it by slowly add the milk). The milk in the mason jar goes into the microwave for approximately 5 minutes or until the thermometer reaches 180° (82.2C). Stir occasionally to ensure even temperature top to bottom and skim light skin when it appears.
Just needs another minute…
Step two: Cool the scalded milk back to a temperature you would be comfortable bathing in; about 110°F (43.3C). Add the culture; about a quarter cup of plain yogurt from an earlier batch, or you could use a sample of store-bought plain Greek yogurt; the more organic the better. Not all commercial yogurts are created equal but FAGE is a brand highly recommended for taste and quality ingredients if you need to go that route for your culture. About half of a single serving tub is sufficient. Stir it in, mix well and screw on the lid. As long as you make the next quart of yogurt from your own stock you will never have to purchase yogurt from the store again! The taste and quality of home made is superior to anything mass produced.
The Cool-down and the Culture
Step three: Set the jar somewhere it won't be disturbed but will stay warm the whole day; about 10 to 12 hours. Because it's summer the temperature outside is perfect for culturing yogurt; about 90°F (32.2C) average. As long as the temperature stays between 80° and 100° it will be fine. This temperature range is the perfect temperature for the lactic acid producing bacteria to thrive and multiply causing the milk to thicken but not curdle. Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus are the common strains of bacteria which produce a creamy, thick, gut-health boosting yogurt. If you start this process at 7:00 a.m., by 7:00 p.m. the bacteria will have done its job. Watch the temperature outside carefully that it stays within the range I mentioned earlier. In this case the temperature outside was 80°F by 8:00 a.m. when the cooking and cooling was done and that was perfect. It got to the mid 90°s and by 7:00 p.m. it was 85°; again, perfect.
Set it out in the Hot Summer Breeze
Step four: Now put the jar in the refrigerator overnight and by 5:00 a.m. or so the next day you will have a delicious creamy, tangy, treat to eat for breakfast. If your end product is too thin you can strain the whole jar of its whey in a strainer with cheesecloth or a large coffee filter until it is the consistency you desire.
Bonus: Don't throw out the whey! It can be used in soups, mashed potatoes, smoothies, etc…anything you usually add milk and water to will get a boost of protein and added flavor, plus the probiotic benefit.
The Greek yogurt business is in the 1.7 billion range today. I really get a kick out of taking away at least one customer. At the store at nearly $2.00 per serving you get 7 oz of a product in a plastic tub with an aluminum lid glued to it and who knows what else added. Give this pure and simple method a try! You too will keep that money in your own pockets and be so much more satisfied with the taste, and the knowledge of exactly what you are eating from a sterilized glass jar. Take charge! I'm having mine with chunks of home-grown tomatoes. YUMMO!

subset: commoncrawl


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DIY a denim vest. Now that the weather is cooling down, denim vests are comfortable to wear again! Grab a cheapo vest from Forever 21 or a thrift shop and decorate it to your heart's content. Dip dye, install studs, sew on patches, add buttons... make it yours!
Pledge to read the printed word. Autumn is the perfect time to get cozy with a good read. Pick up the latest comic books or join an online book club, like the NovelTea book club run by Kristin at My Life as a Teacup.
Treat your hands nicely! Give yourself a weekly manicure, use cuticle oil daily, and carry hand lotion with you. A little effort goes a long way. This extends to the rest of you, too - take care of your temple!


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We have a tremendous opportunity to reach out to young adults, ages 18-39!
Here you will find resources, training materials, and ideas.
The Office of Young Adult Ministry offers programs and materials at both the diocesan level and the parish level.
Feel free to contact us at:
(920) 272-8304
Young Adult Ministry Coordinator
Phone: (920) 272-8304
Young Adult Ministry Resources
Young Adult Events
Young Adult Strategic Plan
Newsletter Archives
Area Young Adult Groups
Parish Young Adult Leaders Handout
Young Adult Ministry Regional Grants


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Bike to Work 2016 will be held on Friday, May 20, 2016 at the end of Missouri's Bike to Work Week (May 16-20) and during national Bike to Work Month (May) . The St. Joseph Metropolitan Planing Organization (MPO) hosted the 8th annual Bike to Work Day with prizes, discounts at local retailers and restaurants, an employer competition and photo contest, as well as an after work awards ceremony and celebration at Norty's. View our Bike to Work Day gallery here to get more acquainted with it all..
Bike to Work Day 2016 has 5 Simple Steps:
First register by emailing your Name, Employer and Shirt Size to email@example.com
Then pick up your Registration Packet at Horizon Cycling on or before Friday May 20th between 11-5PM. Address: 3607 S. Belt Highway St. Joseph, Missouri.
Email the MPO (firstname.lastname@example.com) a bike related picture to enter the Photo Contest for a chance to win a gift certificate from Horizon Cycling. NEW this year: Top employer with the most participants will WIN a Free Bike Rack!
BIKE TO WORK on Friday, May 20th and then ride to all of our participating businesses for a discount!
After work come on down and celebrate the camaraderie of the day at the NEW D&G for our awards ceremony at 5:30PM on Friday May 20th!
In previous years we have had over 100 registered participants and 40 area businesses, and would like to see that number grow! This event is aimed at bringing greater awareness to cyclist on the road, and promotes cycling as a safe alternate mode of transportation!


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Jeffrey Boyd Parlier, 42, of Dogwood Road, Boone, passed away Wednesday, June 18, 2014 at his home following an extended battle with colon cancer. Until he became ill, Jeff worked as general manager of Spruce Pine Chevrolet. He loved to spend time
James Ernest "Ernie" Hayes, 91, of Linville Land Harbor, Newland, NC, passed away peacefully on June 17, 2014 following a brief period of declining health. A genuine, caring individual, Ernie never met a stranger and loved his family and friends dear
Mr. Ralph Junior Arnette, age 65, of Arnette Hollow Road, Vilas, passed away Sunday morning, June 15, 2014 at Watauga Medical Center. Born July 25, 1948, he was a son of the late Ralph and Grace Hayes Arnette. Junior was a member and Deacon at Ti
Buster Burleson, 89, of Banner Elk, passed away on Wednesday, June 11, 2014, at his home in Banner Elk. Born on May 26, 1925 in the Roaring Creek community of Avery County, he was the son of Robert Jefferson and Bonnie Young Burleson.
A U. S. Navy
Ruth Copeland Williams, age 90 of Broadway, died Monday (6/9/2014) at Life Care Center in Banner Elk, NC. She was born in Harnett County, daughter of the late Archie Oscar Copeland and Mattie Lee Kelly Copeland. She was preceded in death by her paren
© Copyright 2015, Austin & Barnes Funeral Home - Designed & Hosted by Dougnet Computer Consulting


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Brazil to test higher ethanol requirement in gasoline -source
BRASILIA, June 18
This blog is produced by the Center for Advanced BioEnergy Research CABER) at the University of Illinois. CABER is under the direction of Hans P. Blaschek, professor and Assistant Dean of the U of I College of Agricultural,Consumer and Environmental Sciences Office of Research. This blog is a roundup of research news and related topics dealing with biofuels. It does not cover biofuel production and prices at this time.
How to download slot apps to spend free time with pleasure. All answers at artslammagazine.com.


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A Spirit-jailbroken iPhone has been combined with the iPad USB camera kit to allow external HDD access, once again proving no amount of lockdown or lockout can stop a dedicated users from getting the functionality they want.
Sure, it's a bit of a hack but we've got a Spirit jailbreak guide to help you out and Time-More.com provides step-by-step instructions to get your HDD mounted.
Video after the break. If you give it a try be sure to let us know how it works for you.
[Time-More.com via Engadget]


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Second to None
The Breakfast Club, Book 3
Felice Stevens
M/M Romance
Nightclub owner Marcus Feldman never met a man he didn't love, at least for the night. Although his best friends have all found love, Marcus shuns their advice to commit to one man and settle down. His past has taught him monogamy and marriage is for fools, and Marcus is anything but a fool. Tyler Reiss's dream of dancing professionally is unexpectedly cut short and replaced by a different kind of love. He trades in his ballet slippers for go go boots, and spends his nights dancing at the hottest gay club in the city. Flirting with the customers for tips is easy, but resisting the dark and sexy Marcus is becoming harder to do with each passing day. Unforeseen circumstances bring Marcus and Tyler closer and though they give in to their mutual passion, both still struggle to guard their hearts. When crises threaten, Tyler and Marcus find their strength in each other rather than falling apart. Tyler must choose to either run, or stay and fight for the life he wants, while Marcus realizes that love doesn't mean losing himself and opens his heart, making him a better man in the end.
Cover Designer: Reese Dante
Cover Photo: Stock Photo
Release Date: January 28, 2016
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1Vp6UK4
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1NyzbI5
Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/1OWTwcf
Amazon AU: http://bit.ly/1PBF13e
KOBO: http://bit.ly/1nNIQGd
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/1K7uhSq
"I didn't mind it last night." He walked over to Tyler and placed a hand on his neck, stroking him. This he could do. He had no qualms about seducing Tyler to stay with him. The troubling reason why he wanted him there so badly, Marcus pushed to the side for now. Instead, he pulled Tyler close, settling their hips in line, and his cock thickened in his pants. "I'd tell you if I did. Please, come with me to brunch, and we can talk."
Doubt clouded Tyler's eyes. "I don't belong there. Those are your friends, the people you're closest with."
"I had my dick inside you twice last night, Tyler. How much closer could we get?" It took Marcus many minutes of deep, persuasive kisses to rid Tyler of his confusion. When he pulled away though, the ground under his feet reeled, and Marcus needed a moment to compose himself. They remained standing close; Tyler's hands rested on his shoulders while he clasped Tyler around his hips. He nuzzled Tyler's ear, then pleaded with him.
"Come on; you have to help me out here. They're all coupled up, and the last thing I want is to listen to them be all disgustingly loving and happy." An amused glint lit Taylor's eyes.
"And you hate that, huh?"
"Bet that sweet ass of yours I do." He gave Tyler's ass a squeeze for effect, and the light in Tyler's eyes smoldered. "If you want me to come, you'd better get your hands off my ass."
Marcus's lips curved up in a grin as he popped open the button of Tyler's jeans and drew them down. "I definitely want you to come; in every way possible," he said, and sank to his knees, uncaring of how late he might be to meet Zach and Julian.
Felice Stevens has always been a romantic at heart. While life is tough, she believes there is a happy ending for everyone. She started reading traditional historical romances as a teenager, then life and law school got in the way. It wasn't until she picked up a copy of Bertrice Small and became swept away to Queen Elizabeth's court that her interest in romance novels was renewed.
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/felicestevens/
Instagram: https://instagram.com/FeliceStevens
Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/felicestevensauthor?ref=hl
Newsletter: http://felicestevens.us8.list-manage2.com/subscribe?u=d43061d90bf2256eb322ed69f&id=586ac8fa57
The Breakfast Club Series
Beyond the Surface, Book 1
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1MPImrX
Amazon UK http://amzn.to/1S1zUpD
Betting on Forever, Book 2
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1Px4utJ
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1X3tWG7
All Romance: http://bit.ly/1MykS7o
Promotional post. Materials provided by the author.


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Stephen, my old adversary - and never 'Steve' - has started to make welcome reappearances at the Nightowls. Thus one Sunday we were able to have a friendly little game of Hail Caesar. For this game my Spartans, were to wear their colonial garb and pretend to be Syracusians, whilst Ste brought the multinational Carthaginians to propagate their efforts to take over the isle that would later be known as Sicily.
As it was only Ste's second game of these rules, and as I'd written the army lists, I kept things simple and we played a classic linear battle, which of the period is entirely justified.
My Greeks were formed of two Hoplite divisions of four heavy units and some Psoiloi each, and a light division of two hill tribe units and a warband of coastal tribes, along with more Psoiloi. I formed with my Hoplites in supported palanxes, and the light troops on the right exploiting the more difficult terrain.
Stephen had a heavy centre of African, 'Lydian' and Mercenary Greek troops, with a handful of Psoiloi. To their left was a division of Celtic warbands and their skirmishing youths; whilst to his right was a division of small cavalry units, led by two Carthaginian units supported by two Numidian.
Both sides advanced, with the skirmish screens covering the heavy troops of the centre, whilst my light division tried to circle the Celtic fringe. On Ste's side the Greks and Lydians refused to advance, demanding back pay and privileges. The Syracusian Hoplites prefered not to be baited by the onrush of Gallic tribesmen.
This meant that the Gauls slammed with full force in to the supported lines of the Greeks. Thankfully to bounce off in some confusion, on Ste's right his cavalry attempted to outflank the Greeks whilst skirmish fights broke out along the lines
In close up it was a titanic struggle:
Both the Greeks and Celts retired from the fight; but some of the Gauls were a spent force whilst the Greeks rallied with the support of their Generals. Sensing the approach of Carthaginian cavalry was an inevitability the other Greek division formed a wedge, whilst on the opposite flank the hill tribes flushed the Celtic skirmishers out of the trees.
This would slowly develop in to a threat for the Celtic warbands as they realised the hill tribes were more of a threat than their open order suggested.
The combination of Greek and Sicilian light troops began to wear down the Gallic line, which started to retire...
By this point the Carthaginian infantry had begun to engage the Greeks, and their mercenaries had finally accepted terms to advance on the Syracuse line. With the advance of the cavalry, the Greeks felt obliged to thin their line on their left to meet all possible foes.
But on their right the light troops were making good progress. The centre was now a confused melee with both sides gaining the upper hand on certain points.
For the Syracusians it seemed time to strike before the battle put tthem entirely on the back foot:
Part of the centre was destroyed by the remaining Gauls, but the Greeks crashed in to the Lydians and forced back the whole mercenary line with heavy losses. Half of the Carthaginians were broken too, and seeing the time to strike was now on them, the Greeks even charged the cavalry in a desperate attempt to defeat the might of Carthage.
And somehow all this worked.
Although the remnants of the Celts were still a threat, and the Greek mercenaries were trying to earn their gold in the centre, the Carthaginian cavalry had proved a glass hammer against the stout bronze shields of the Greeks. As sun set the battle seemed inconclusive, but with most of the Carthaginians withdrawing the field fell for now to Syracuse.
It's certainly good to have Stephen back playing games, his banter and insistence on using painted models are always appreciated. Hopefully with his wide range of Ancients armies we can expand on the historical scenarios at the club.
And any day when we can get 500 figures on the table for a run of the mill game is all right by me!
Dwarfs of Oakenhammer
2 hours ago


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Greg Michalowski
Chief Currency Analyst
Joining FXDD at its inception in 2001, Greg Michalowski has been instrumental in risk management and educational offerings. With over 28 years' experience in finance, he has served as a vice president for both Citibank London and the Treasury Department at CSFB. Greg is a regular contributor to the Wall Street Journal, Reuters, Bloomberg, TheStreet.com, and many others. His book, Attacking Currency Trends (Wiley, April 2011), is one of the highest ranked Forex books on Amazon.com (4.7 out of 5 stars). An early adapter to Twitter, Greg was named by SmartMoney magazine as a go-to source for smarter money moves in 2009. Greg's insights can be found daily at http://fxddnow.com. You can also hear him on his regular webinars for FXDD, FXStreet, and SFO.
Robert McKeon
Senior Vice President Markets and Liquidity
Robert McKeon is the Senior Vice President at FXDD. He oversees all market risk, banking relationships, liquidity and pricing, and he manages an average daily trading volume of more than $4 billion. With more than 25 years of trading experience, Mr. McKeon has managed trading desks for some of the world's largest banks including Bank of America, Citibank, Credit Lyonnais and Swiss Bank Corporation (SBC). He was a proprietary trader at UniCredit, a major European financial institution with a presence in approximately 50 international markets. Prior to UniCredit, Mr. McKeon served as head of the Emerging Markets Desk at SBC, where he was responsible for all trading products and spearheaded a unique approach to combine options, interest rates and spot into one unified product group. Over his career, Mr. McKeon has traded in four major financial markets, having worked in New York, Tokyo, Paris and London. He is a frequent guest lecturer at many universities including Iona College and New York University and has been featured as an expert commentator in numerous outlets, including The Wall Street Journal, MarketWatch and CNBC.
Robert Slade
Managing Director
Robert Slade started his career in the FX and Money Markets in 1982 with Garvin Guy Butler (ICAP). In 1987, he moved to Tradition Inc. He joined American Express in 1998 and then moved to Cleveland-based financial services company KeyBank, where he worked as a vice-president in corporate FX. In 2005, he joined FXDD as Managing Director. Mr. Slade's appointment marks his return to the Tradition camp, having previously managed the brokerage's "after hours" dealing desk for US-based clients to deal directly with Asian and Australian markets.
Amgad Attia
Director - Middle East
Amgad Attia is an experienced Forex consultant, lecturer and educator. A Commodity Trading Advisor with the National Futures Association and the Commodities Futures Trading Commission, Mr. Attia travels internationally on educational tours to provide professional market insights to Arabic-speaking regions. With over 15 years' experience as a journalist and translator for economic and geopolitical events, Mr. Attia has developed particular expertise in economic trends and lectures traders of all levels. In addition to his tours, Mr. Attia has been a featured contributor on MSNBC Arabic. He was a member of the Cairo Foreign Press Association in Egypt, where he graduated with a degree in journalism and political science. He also held various positions in the United Nations.
John Corbett
Director of Marketing
John Corbett is a Wall Street veteran with extensive experience working with equities and fixed income traders. He began his career in finance at Bear Stearns in 1999. From Bear Stearns, Mr. Corbett moved onto Commerzbank AG, Alta Capital, LLC, and Cowan Financial Group/Mass Mutual. In 2006, Mr. Corbett moved to Avrett Free Ginsberg creative agency, to take on a position that demanded artistic thinking and exercised abstract problem-solving skills. The executive team at FXDD asked Mr. Corbett to assume the role of Director of Marketing in 2011. Combining his financial knowledge with his imaginative vision, Mr. Corbett has been instrumental in creating innovative advertising and brand new education, including the Masters Live course. He can be contacted via email at: firstname.lastname@example.com


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Next Episode of The Occasional Cook is
not planed. TV Show was canceled.
Trained in the UK and France, host James Reeson simplifies and demystifies feats like preparing a dinner party for a large number of guests. His approach is "anyone can do it" and he can help every cook from beginner to expert prepare the perfect meal to suit the most special occasions.
Looks like something went completely wrong!
But don't worry - it can happen to the best of us,
- and it just happened to you.
Please try again later or contact us.


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What Does $550 Million Buy You in the NBA?
Wall Street billionaires Marc Lasry and Wesley Edens paid $550 million for the Milwaukee Bucks, the team with the worst record this season in the National Basketball Association. Mike Spector reports on the News Hub. Photo: Getty Images.
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
... the ... the law ... they have the worst record in all the NBA bases and the acting is top a pair of Wall Street billionaires from shelling out five hundred and fifteen ... million dollars to buy the team ... what's driving that big that the law Street Journal's Mike Spector is here with deatails I might ... it fits it's how we live about a little more about these new owners has guided the team was worth five hundred well it's it's kind of fitting as Marc Lasry its potential and add friends with President ... and former president and wet seasons ... another of private equity guys that they both ... DowBull Island distressed debt and around bankruptcy so aam ... they just bought the team with the worst record in the NBA ... and form says it's the least valuable team in India is so ... kind of in their wheelhouse in that regard um ... and they're both lifelong basketball fans in ... he stands just do these things now Apollo's Josh Harrison owns the Philadelphia seventy six is steep and Yucatan Capital ... owns the Boston Celtics so you know ... if the dotted line on advanced spun down of up to a baseball team bass Polzin football team ... here typing my team though that is ironically a championship since nineteen seventy one at that time it ... might not be a great investment why they think it's worth five hundred fifty million well the thing that they're very excited about is that believes is very behind and you are reading ... a lot ... it's an order in there ... the hope was is that with them the next three years or so they can then a new nice arena there and ... you know we've seen in sports when you get a new stadium or arena for a team that can you now ... is that some life in the sayings and generate a lot more revenue so ... they can be a big top the list and you know that just five hundred million dollars toward that in the form runner should this well so now there's an investing are done on ... city as this addictive I can spend a lot of time in awhile here they after all and this is just something that RI Theo ... no and yes so ... basically a ... fortress which was Edens runs has a portfolio company is in the Wisconsin area Marc Lasry Avenue has some investors there are so ... aam to use certain investing term there is some synergies there when they go to visit for basketball time they can ... try and attend tool that of business aam ... and look at me for these guys now you as ... you know they wants an outwardly but ... I think the price was right for them and they have always wanted to sports team like these very rich billionaire types like to do this kind of thing ... so they decided to take the plunge and you know ... of there in New York a lot but if you have a corporate jet ... now it's a short trip to Milwaukee probably not for most of us this prime much longer trip but then the GP's plans no big deal right you have the millions of dollars laying around in a private jet


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[ About me ] [ Children's Fiction ] [ Adult Fiction ] [ Non-Fiction ] [ Contact Me ]
Advice on Writing
Writing fiction is a great thing to do. You have the freedom to create whole worlds no one has ever seen before, or to hold up a mirror to the world around you. It's even possible to do both in the same book. You can explore things that have happened to yourself, whether painful or wonderful. Or you can give life to a range of characters very different from yourself and find what they will do in the situation you invent for them.
It's even better if you can persuade someone to pay you for day-dreaming.
As well as writing my own books, I am an editor for The Writers' Workshop: www.WritersWorkshop.co.uk. I read scripts from would-be novelists and advise them how to make their work more publishable. Here are some of the points I frequently need to deal with.
I was at a children's literature conference when someone said to William Mayne, 'I've always wanted to write a book.' He rounded on the unfortunate woman and retorted, 'No, you haven't! If you had, you'd have written it by now.'
Tough, but true. Nina Bawden, at a similar conference, said that the only difference between a published author and anyone else who can write a decent letter is persistent motivation.
It's not necessarily those with the most talent who get published, but those with the most determination to succeed, and the willingness to go on improving their craft.
I remember two very different people from a creative writing course I taught. One was a rather self-important man, nearing retirement. He assured us all that he had a winning idea for a book, and that once he had the time, he was going to write it.
The other was a young mother. She found it impossible to write at home. Even when her child was at play school, there were too many jobs crying out to be done. So she would set off to collect her child twenty minutes early. She spent those minutes sitting in the car writing her book.
I know which of those two I'd back to succeed.
When they hear I am an author, some people say, 'Oh, I suppose you write when the Muse strikes you.'
No, anyone who writes for publication will tell you it doesn't work like that. It's a discipline, like any other job. Well, all right, it is more fun than a lot of other jobs, but you still need to keep working hours.
What those hours - or even minutes - are, depends on you and your circumstances. But once you have set them for yourself, you need to keep them. No matter how little you write each day, or even each week, if you stick to that, you will eventually finish the book. Once you start letting yourself off the hook, making excuses, you may never finish.
You may not feel like writing when you start. Inspiration may have deserted you. If that happens, I sit there imagining, even day-dreaming, my way into the scene I need to write next. Sooner or later, it becomes so vivid that I hear in my head the words I need to write. Once I pick up my pen, the words start to flow. But if I didn't make the effort, it wouldn't happen.
Writing for publication is a fiercely competitive business. Hundreds of scripts a week pour into publishers' and agents' offices. When an editor picks up yours, you want them to feel that you are someone who works to the highest standards. The pages should immediately look right.
Don't leave a line between paragraphs, except to indicate a change of scene.
Indent your paragraphs.
If you are writing dialogue, make each person's speech a new paragraph. Keep your narrative separate from the dialogue in paragraphs of its own.
Key Question
There are two things which can keep the reader turning the pages. If the book is beautifully written, or extremely funny, the quality of the writing alone can provide enough enjoyment. But with most books, it's curiosity which stops the reader putting it down. They have to find out what happens.
The key to a page-turning plot is to pose a question which the reader will really care about. Whodunnit? Will she marry him? Can they save the universe from annihilation? Will he find his teddy-bear?
This question needs to be raised at the start. The rest of the book is the answer to it. It should only be resolved just before the end.
The important thing is that it should not be resolved too easily. The plot will progress in a series of ups and downs. An initial crisis is resolved. Success appears in sight. Then it all goes horribly wrong again. The tension rises through a succession of increasing peaks, leading up to the climax.
Never let the reader lose sight of the fundamental question you posed. It may throw up interesting subsidiary questions, which the characters have to deal with before they can resolve the main one. But don't get so caught up with these that you forget what your book is really about.
This underlying rule applies, whether you are telling a gentle story about the small dramas of a year on a farm, or whether it's a spine-chilling thriller about international espionage.
Point of View
You've got an idea for a story and you've decided on the readership you are aiming at. The next important decision is the point of view from which you're going to tell it. Can't you just say what happens? I'm afraid not. A story isn't a parcel of information to be passed on; it's a living experience. The reader needs to see, hear, feel, smell, taste it. Each scene must happen in front of their eyes. Whose eyes are they to see it through?
If you start by writing a scene as A sees it, and then switch to what it looks like to B, you'll confuse the reader. They can no longer work out where they supposed to be. (Unless it's a witty novel where you make the switch deliberately, to turn the reader's first perceptions upside down.)
There are several choices open to you.
1. You can adopt a god-like overview, enabling you to see everything that happens and know the thoughts in everyone's head. This is not a good idea. Novels thrive on unanswered questions. It's curiosity which keeps readers turning the page. If you tell them in a crime story what's going on in the heads of all the suspects, there's not a lot of reason for them to read on.
2. You can be an eyewitness who is present at a number of scenes, but only knows what the characters are thinking through their appearance, words and actions. This may apper to have advantages. You can keep the reader informed about scenes at which the chief protagonist isn't present. But again, you risk giving away too much.
This broad canvas approach may work for Dickens, who can keep us entertained with vast cast of characters, all of them fun to be with. Novels have moved on since then. Readers have come to like the deeper experience of following one character more consistently. As an author, you have to work hard to get the reader to care about your central protagonist. The more scenes you spend away from that character the weaker the reader's engagement with them will become. When the character reappears, you will have to do the work all over again.
3. You can become a minor character in the story, who tells the reader about the events as he/she witnessed them, using the first person 'I'. This will make the story more vivid and immediate, involving the narrator's own emotions. You can still include some scenes at which the chief character was not present, but your understanding of events will be partial. This is a good thing. It preserves some mystery as the story unfolds.
4. You can tell the story through the eyes of the central character. Now the emotion is really heightened. The reader experiences directly fear, joy, rage, whatever.
5. You can have two central characters, who sometimes act separately. You can alternate between their points of view, so as to cover the complete story. Writing the scenes where they act together can be tricky. Whose viewpoint are you going to take then?
6. You can follow the experience of the central character either by writing about 'he' or 'she', or by getting even more deeply in their character and writing as 'I'. They style in which they speak will give you a rich opportunity to show further evidence of their personality.
The important thing is that you must decide. If you mix up these methods, the book will be a mess.
Before setting pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard, you need to decide what readers you are aiming at.
You may say, " I just write for myself." Fine, but what picture do you have of this self? As you are now, as you were as a child, as a younger adult? And what sort of person are you? What books do you enjoy reading? The answers to these questions define your target readership.
New writers sometimes say to me, "I'm not sure if this for children or adults." I made the same mistake myself when I was writing the prototype for the Morgan le Fay series. I couldn't decide whether to write it for teenagers or adults. I decided to go ahead with it, anyway, and see how it turned out. This was a bad mistake. As I should have foreseen, the book fell between two stools and wasn't properly suited to either readership. It didn't get published until I made up my mind to rewrite it firmly for adults.
In the same way, you might have an idea for a romantic story, but the treatment you give it will vary according to whether you are aiming at publication by Mills & Boon or a more literary house.
This doesn't mean that, once you have made your decision and started to write, you need to be consciously thinking about your readers and checking for language, length, emotional level, etc. It's more like a golfer getting ready to play the ball. First you look up, decide where you want the ball to go, how hard you need to hit it, at what angle. Once you have clarified the picture of the ideal shot in your mind, you then concentrate your attention on the ball at your feet, the set of your body, the swing of your arms. With luck, the ball will then follow the trajectory you hoped for.
That sense of your readership should be there throughout, but at the back of your mind, while you get down to the business of writing the words that will woo them and wow them and keep them turning the pages.
Every writer, whether engaged in fantasy or not, needs to be a magician. You have to enchant your readers so that they fall under your spell for as long as it takes them to read the book.
For your spell to work, you must have a clear vision of what you want it to achieve.
First, of course, you want the readers to believe in your characters and the world in which you have set them. But there is more to writing a convincing book than that. You have to make the readers feel what you want them to feel on every page.
Mood matters. Is this an exciting episode, when you keep the readers on the edge of their seats? Go for short sentences, a taut, sparse style. To achieve this, I sometimes write sentences without verbs. It gives a tense, staccato feel. Cut out any irrelevant detail, but do focus in on the one detail that will shock.
You can't keep up that level of excitement throughout the book, even in a thriller. It would be counter-productive. I was scared of thunderstorms and spiders until I went to live in Zambia. There, they were so common and so big that I just couldn't maintain that level of fear. You don't want to deaden your readers with non-stop danger. Your dramatic passages will be all the more thrilling if you separate them by scenes with a different mood.
Think of Lord of the Rings. Tolkien invents so many scary baddies that he almost empties the cupboard of ideas for those who follow him. Yet it is not just the awful orcs and the nasty Nazgul that we remember. What fans love are those magical scenes between the life-threatening dangers, when the protagonists find respite in the elven realms of Rivendell and Lothlorien.
This calls for a different style of writing: longer, flowing sentences, more commas, fewer full stops. Conversation can be more relaxed. There is space to show aspects of the surrounding scene which are not strictly necessary to the plot, but which deepen the atmosphere and solidify the setting.
All the same, keep an eye on the key question of the book. The sense of unfinished business should never quite leave the protagonists.
This works for realist fiction as well. If the sun shines and people are kind, the next shock will be all the more telling.
The use of humour depends much on the writer's personal style. Some people have the gift of being funny throughout. Others will try to enliven their pages with flashes of humour. Make sure these are appropriate. If you have worked to build up a tense scene, you don't want to ruin the effect with a joke which makes the reader feel it's not really scary after all. There is certainly a place for black humour, the breathless joke in a tight situation, as long as it leaves the reader knowing the characters are genuinely frightened. Where humour is useful is in changing the mood after a fraught passage, bringing the readers down to a gentler level before taking them back up to the next crisis.
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|Once Like a Spark Photography
Leap Year Wedding
Did you know that this year, 2016, is a leap year? Yep, there will be a February 29th heading our way. An Irish tradition was brought about because of this special day. The tradition says that on this day every 4 years a woman is allowed to propose to a man and the man must accept the proposal. Although, today's culture might suggest that women can propose whenever they like. This day has also been known as Bachelor's Day.
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The Staff and Educational Development Association (SEDA).
Using Technology to Enhance Learning
17 November 2011 - 18 November 2011
"The conference will be of particular interest to all those involved in promoting effective change in HE learning, teaching and educational development. This includes:
Academic and staff developers
Lecturers and teachers in further and higher education
National and institutional teaching fellows
Heads of academic schools and academic development
Learning technologists ..."
Rebecca Galley and Nick are presenting (item '38'), "CloudEngine: creating networks for professional development and research".


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I have just finished reading another histrionic undercomplicated arguement as to why high abv beers are the greatest threat to mankind since some bloke said 'I bloody am Jesus, now go and write a book about me and my dad'.
Now, I am quite certain I could write several very long poorly informed pages on why no MP should ever be allowed to influence the social framework of this country, how big breweries are the scourge of the earth and why minimum pricing is a brilliant idea, but will never be implemented because the decision takers and policy makers lack the courage to stand up to big business.
No, my time would be better served operating on my own genitalia using a heated spoon and a can of Special Brew. It is impossible to pinpoint exactly why the UK has such a destructive drinking culture but one thing is for certain, the government have got it horribly, catastrophically wrong.
The Review of Alcohol Taxation published by the powers that be at the end of last year was a quaint little read. Researched and written by a small group of deaf and blind miners from Patagonia, aided by some government policy makers who were guided helpfully by various consumer groups who have no vested interest in protecting the price of beer which is around 4%, like CAMRA and breweries who have no interest in protecting the price of beer which is around 5%, such as Heineken, AB In-Bev, Molson Coors and Diageo. Of course other independent contributors were much less biased, such as Macro, the wholesaler, a popular shopping venue for the high abv beer consumer. Cynical? No, just fact.
Looking at the claims made by the government about the UK's drinking problems. Which can be found here; http://www.drinkaware.co.uk/facts/health-facts . You can only marvel at the level of hypocrisy, it is truly impressive.
- More than 30,000 people were admitted to hospital with alcohol poisoning in England in 2007-08 (13,400 men and 16,700 women) – that's more than 500 every week - This is a beer blog so I'll skip over the details, but how many of those almost 17k women do you reckon were admitted to hospital because they'd over done it on the Cantillon? I'm guessing very few... How ever it would be 'infair to penalise the responsible drinkers of wine and spirits'.
- Around 40% of patients admitted to Accident and Emergency departments (A&E) are diagnosed with alcohol-related injuries or illnesses.
These are just two of the statistics on the governments website. Do they seriously think that these stats were created by a small group of beer geeks and a few scruffy chaps sitting on benches shouting at people? No, but it would be 'unfair to penalise premium beers which are generally under 7.5% abv in strength'.
Put it this way, if you see a fight on a street corner on a Saturday night you can be pretty sure that neither of the protagonsists is a beer geek or a homeless bloke, but its a safe bet that at least one of them will have traces of what the government describes as 'premium beers' and what the rest of us describe as industrial swill, in their system
So to the beer geeks, the price insensitive social hooligans who have the audacity to go to a local independent store to hunt out something made with passion, creativity, care and integrity and then walk home in a civilised manner and sit on the sofa enjoying this rarity, taking notes and discussing this treasure with friends.
It is up to us to purge our society of the menace we provide, it is up to us to solve the ills we project and the problems we create. We must educate those around us, explain our behaviour. Its not our fault, its an addiction and those graced with the power to resist tasty well made and expertly crafted beers need to understand our compulsion. We are the true bane of society, we'd love to just hit the pub, sink 10 pints of Stella, fight someone we've never met and end up in a police van or an ambulance. We're just not the type, sorry.
We have a drinking culture in the UK which needs to be changed and education is key. Traditional education is no good, teenagers are invincible, so telling them that drinking 6 cans of cheap lager in a graveyard is going to give them liver disease will have no impact whatsoever. Trips to breweries, vinyards and distilleries are no good either because unless you are a super geek, these places are just plain boring. You will never instill passion amongst the masses by talking about valves and stainless steel.
No, young people need to be educated and educated by people with passion and understanding. People who can articulate how drinking responsibly can be fun. Get these people in to schools, get the pupils to try different beers (yes, I did say that), smell different hops, taste different malts and educate them on how the ingredients produce the different products. Empower them, give them a choice, and I guarantee their attitudes to drinking will change.
It won't eradicate the problem but you'd see one hell of a difference. Alternatively, price them out of interesting beers, leave them with no knowledge, no power and the disillusioned premise that Peroni is the epitomy of quality.
Wake up and smell the hops.


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- Cruise ships can be wonderful, but there are also some disturbing things that happen on them.
- There are actual morgues on most cruise ships.
- Overflowing toilets aren't as uncommon as you'd hope.
Cruise ships sound like a luxurious way to knock a few locations off your bucket list — at their best, they're paradisiacal wonderlands, filled with interesting people from all walks of life, mountainous buffets, and a plethora of activities.
But a record number of cruise ships failed to meet health and safety inspections in 2017, and, after reading reports about overflowing sewage, secret morgues, and bedbug infestations, they begin to sound more like nightmare vessels than enticing expenditures.
Here are some disturbing tales about the cruise ship industry.
It sounds macabre, but it happens — and more often than you'd think. There's even a website that keeps track of deaths reported on cruise ships and breaks the causes down by category.
While a significant portion of cruise ship deaths are the result of natural causes— old age is a common culprit — the website also lists suicides, incidents of passengers falling overboard, overdoses, and even murder.
One cruise ship worker on Reddit claimed to see at least three deaths a month, while Cruise Ship Critic puts the number of deaths on cruise ships at three per week, worldwide.
Cruise ships are legally required to carry body bags and maintain a morgue.
The size of the morgue depends on the size of the ship. Should there not be enough space, crew may have to get creative.
Ex-cruise ship employee and Reddit user Thatcsibloke broke down what happens when someone on a ship dies: "There were small refrigerators on the ships that, from memory, could take one or two corpses, but the contingency plan was to use a walk-in freezer. If it got really bad then the bodies can be flown back anyway."
Reddit user Phantomsplit explained why it's not rare for a cruise ship toilet to overflow. On the bright side, it appears these mishaps can mostly be prevented with some common sense and discretion.
"You would be amazed at what people will flush down the toilet," Phantomsplit wrote. "Pool noodles, t-shirts, shoes... pretty much anything that people don't want to pack with them when they leave. Cruise ships primarily use vacuum flush systems. These are very efficient but very sensitive. A tampon or condom can take out the toilets for everyone above and below your room. Then somebody from the engine department has to start breaking open black water pipes or ripping open pumps to find [the culprit]."
According to a 2014 report, that's more than 1 billion gallons of sewage a year that goes straight into the ocean, teeming with bacteria and harming both humans and marine life.
Despite different cruise companies' attempts to institute more eco-friendly practices, cruise ships still pollute the oceans.
They dispose of harmful bilge water by dumping it into the ocean, can generate the same amount of sulfur dioxide fumes as 13.1 million cars in a day, and, according to Daniel Rieger, a researcher at German environmental association NABU, they are "damaging global climate and human health." NABU has also found that air quality on cruise ships can be around 20 times as bad as air in a busy city center.
According to a recent report from research firm G.P. Wild, approximately 60 people per year are injured on cruise ships due to "operational mishaps," which can range from small fires on the ship to actual explosions, collisions, and ships sinking or getting stranded.
In fact, a casino cruise ship caught fire with 50 passengers aboard in January; additionally, a Royal Caribbean cruise ship caught fire in the Mediterranean in October 2015.
Cruise ships must feed thousands of people multiple times a day, and do so with food that's stored on board for the duration of the cruise.
Nearly 200 passengers on board the Ovation of the Seas cruise ship contracted gastrointestinal illness after indulging in the "bottomless brunch" in December 2017, while a staggering 332 Royal Caribbean passengers fell victim to a gastrointestinal illness in December 2017. Additionally, around one in 10 cruise ship guests contracted a gastrointestinal illness between the years 2008 to 2014 — that's 129,678 people — according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
According to a report released for the Cruise Lines International Association in 2016 by G.P. Wild, approximately 19 people go overboard while aboard a cruise ship or ferry every year. From 2009 to 2016, there were eight fatalities tied to overboard incidents.
The cruise industry isn't exempt from crime. As Joyce Gleeson-Adamidis, who authors a series of stories called "Under the Captain's Table," wrote: "There is a dark side of what can happen on a cruise ship."
From petty brawls to downright theft, crime might not be prevalent on cruise ships, but it's not unheard of. In 2016 alone, there were 62 reported sexual assaults on cruise ships (out of 92 total alleged crimes); NPR's Eric Weiner noted that, according to FBI statistics, some 16% of all murders and 7% of sexual assaults aboard cruise ships lead to convictions or plea bargains.
While rare, pirate attacks do happen.
In 2009, the Piracy Reporting Center of the International Maritime Bureau claimed that pirates along the coast of Somalia had attacked 214 vessels that year, resulting in 47 hijackings.
Just last year in 2017, passengers on the Sea Princess departing from Sydney were subjected to a 10-day dusk-til-dawn blackout to avoid a perceived pirate threat.
"What was supposed to be a relaxing vacation turned into a nightmare!" Cruise Critic user gordon046 wrote after discovering bedbugs on their cruise in 2016.
Bedbugs aren't necessarily present because of a cruise's uncleanliness or negligence, but they do happen. According to Vance Gulliksen, a spokesperson for Carnival Cruise Lines: "Bedbugs typically are brought on board via guests' hand bags or luggage."
Raw sewage taking over ships has happened more than once.
The Carnival Triumph cruise ship famously caught fire and subsequently lost power in the Gulf of Mexico in February 2013. For five days, passengers were subjected to raw, rising sewage (the plumbing system collapsed), propelling the media to nickname the debacle "The Poop Cruise."
The 3,143 passengers aboard the ship reported scarce electricity, water shortage, dwindling food supplies, and "sewage running down the walls and floors." Eventually, the Triumph was towed to Mobile, Alabama.
A mere month later, passengers on the Carnival Dream cruise ship fell victim to a similar fate.
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Retailing for $18.95 in Australia, I definitely wasn't too eager to pay that much for one small pot of lip butter no matter how great people said it was. I had a look around, and considered the $11.90 price for each pot from asos. But luckily I did pick up a great offer from StrawberryNET and got these three for $18!
|L-R: Pomegranate, Guava, Mango
|Mmm buttery, colourful goodness
|Guava- smells like vanilla!
|Mango- smells like mango! :P
|The Pomegranate hadn't been touched yet in this photo!
Overall, I am very happy with these Korres Lip Butters. They deliver creaminess and a nice sheen to the lips, while keeping them hydrated as well as smell amazing! It doesn't hurt that they are in cute little pots which are presented beautifully too. Another plus side is that Korres makes products which are environmentally friendly and have formulations based on natural ingredients. I was so impressed with these beautiful lip butters that I went and purchased the Korres Lip Butter Glazes which I will review soon, keep an eye out for it!
Have you tried the Korres Lip Butters? How about other products from the Korres range?


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Commentary: United Methodism and the Ordination of Women
Why does the United Methodist Church ordain women, especially when certain passages of Scripture seem to suggest that they not be given ministerial standing? Especially pertinent are statements in the New Testament that women should not teach or have authority over men (1 Tim. 2:8-15) and should not speak in church (I Cor. 14:34-35).
Behind the question rests an assumption about how Christians should reach positions on major issues and the weight given to the Biblical text in arriving at those decisions. Until this issue is resolved the question of the legitimacy of the ordination of women, and questions on other issues before the Church, will be in doubt.
From Methodist beginnings, the Bible has been the chief source for reaching most decisions in our Church. John Wesley gave it first place among the resources to which we should turn in reaching important decisions about Christian belief and practice. But Wesley did NOT (note the emphasis) make it the sole source, nor did he believe the text of Scripture to be the literal Word of God. He believed serious Christians will always read the Bible using the insights of tradition, reason, and experience.
The Methodist tradition over nearly 300 years has sought to be faithful to these insights of Wesley. The Bible has been our principal source of inspiration as we have sought to interpret God's will for our time and place, but we have not ignored the insights that have come our way through a careful reading of the church's history, through the exercise of our minds, and by the testing of religious insights by Christian experience. We believe the Holy Spirit works through all of these as we seek to be faithful to the will of God.
The result of the interplay between the Bible, tradition, reason, and experience has caused Methodists to arrive at conclusions that are contradictory to a literal reading of certain biblical passages. For example, in Mark's gospel (10:2-12) Jesus clearly condemns divorce, but our church and other denominations have come to accept divorce as "a regrettable alternative" for member couples who have become "estranged beyond reconciliation." (Social Principles, 34) And then there is John's gospel wherein Jesus clearly attacks "the Jews," labeling them children of the Devil (8:44)--the basis for much anti-Semitism in European and American history. United Methodism, on the other hand, holds that the "Jewish people continue in covenantal relationship with God" and that "Jews and Christians are coworkers and companion pilgrims" in seeking to serve God. (Book of Resolutions, 189-197)
Nor should we fail to mention the United Methodist view on the place of women in the marriage relationship. "We reject social norms that assume different standards for women than for men in marriage." (Social Principles, 34) In the Old Testament, on the other hand, husbands are regarded as superior to wives in every respect; indeed, it is not inappropriate for husbands to have numerous wives and to offer them to other men for sexual favors. And then there is the issue of slavery. United Methodism's view is stated in unequivocal terms: 'The Church regards the institution of slavery as an infamous evil. All forms of enslavement are totally prohibited and shall in no way be tolerated by the Church." (Social Principles, 48) Both the Old and New Testaments assume the legitimacy of the practice of slavery and at no point is it condemned.
Finally, we can point to a whole host of less prominent statements in Scripture where Methodists, like other Christian groups, have deviated from a literalist reading: Christians must not associate with "a drunkard," those who profane the Sabbath should be put to death, the child that curses his/her father should be put to death, etc., etc.
These, and other examples, indicate that God's people must constantly struggle using the four sources mentioned above to discern God's will on pertinent issues that present themselves. While the Bible is still our chief instrument in that quest, it is not the only resource at hand. We believe that the Holy Spirit continues to lead, revealing God's will in ways that previous generations may not have discerned as we face new situations and questions of critical import in our time. On some matters we believe that we understand more clearly God's will than Christians of previous generations.
Now, more specifically on the question of the ordination of women. Methodists begin by underscoring the point that all baptized Christians are ministers of the gospel. "Our links with the apostolic faith... lead us solemnly to affirm ... that all who are baptized into Christ are members of Christ's ministry...." (Social Principles, 153) Hence, all of us — men and women — in the Methodist fold are called to witness to Jesus as Lord and Savior. Further, we believe that in the sight of God all — men and women — are equal. "We affirm with Scripture the common humanity of male and female, both having equal worth in the eyes of God." (Social Principles, 35) If these affirmations are taken seriously, it is only logical that our Church would conclude that ordained ministry should be open to both men and women--regardless of what some texts of Scripture might suggest to the contrary.


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The best routes I did on the trip were Asfalto at El Torcal and Tinto de Verano at Frontalas.
|Me leading the excellent Asfalto.
|Nikki on the start of the King's Walkway.
|Nikki going back through the railway tunnels after the walkway.
By the end of the week we both needed a change of scene so we head to Gibraltar. I'd not been Gibraltar before and it was pretty cool; warm and sunny with lots of friendly people. Perhaps Brits would be as patriotic if our weather was as good? We headed up the rock on the cable car to the check out the Macaques (not apes!), which were quite entertaining.
|Visiting relatives in Gibraltar.
|Did I mention I had a shop in Gibraltar...
|I didn't know it was alcohol free beer honest...
|Duncan looking psyched to back almost back on the bridge having just snapped the static.
|Remember kids ropes aren't strong even if you have a negative mass, you can snap them if you know how...
|Livingstone proving to us all that he is better than us!
|Burrow cruising a wet Barbarian.
After lectures the next morning Polly and I headed to Craig Y Forwyn for more banned goodness. We abseiled in and climbed Route 66 a great, but slightly over grown, VS. I then had a go at Mojo the classic E1 of the crag. I did the difficult start moves and reached the first break. I got a small cam in, but I wasn't too inspired. I tried to fiddle in more gear, but got progressively more pumped and then lowered off.
|PH on an abseiling masterclass...
We then climbed Fido's Redemption, which I had had a complete mare on last year. I don't know what I was on that day because I cruised it this time. As I reached the belay a posh voice traveled up from the caravan site: "CLIMBERS! YOU ARE TRESPASSING!" Thankfully Polly saved the day by apologizing profusely in her best school girl voice and he left us alone.
|Polly leading the awesome top pitch of Fido's Redemption.
|By the end of the day Polly had progressed to extreme abseiling jiggery pokery...


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Its been a while since I wrote something in this blog. As I wonder in my empty house about where my life is directing I came across a book that I started reading.As most of you know , I love Marketing. I do not know everything about it , but everyday I refresh my mind by reading books , videos, and etc. I started reading a book that explained that the saying that you have to make money even if you do not love what you do because that is why you are a business. Honestly I felt sorry for the author of the guy. My question for him is why would anyone do something they hate just to make money? Money is not about everything .There are billions of people out there doing the things that they hate , but yet they still do not have money. My advice to those who are wanting to start a business is find something that you are passionate about , that you are willing to do for free. If You can do that, and it is something that you love the money will come.
How do you use Instagram to market your product or service?
Are you a small business frustrated? Are you not getting enough customers? Well say no more because I got an idea for you that you can use in your business. Ok I know a lot of you already know about Instagram because you probably take a lot of selfies like I do anyways. But are you trying to sell a product? perhaps you have a weight loss program your trying to sell, a personal trainer, food carts, etc. Whatever products you are trying to sell Instagram can really help you because people search on Instagram for many things. Let's take an example for a weight loss program. Let's say that you are a personal trainer and you got these personal training package that you are trying to sell. The number one question that you have to keep asking yourself is that you always have to prove to the consumers why should they choose you over the other millions personal trainers out there. I believe that is when Instagram can help you market your service. You can choose to get pictures of your past before clients and then the results after 30, 60, or 90 days and compare them with each other. You can post that picture and hashtags. What is hashtags per say? Hashtags is a sign # that is used on social media for a given message. For Instagram its like in a folder where that picture and message fall under. For example, as a personal trainer you post your before and after client picture you would hashtags #weightloss#personaltrainer#beforeandafterresults#healthylifestyle. And so people who are searching for like motivation pictures like weight loss would see your pictures and if they see that your service is well proven then people are going to start asking you questions and if you can prove to the customers that your service is better than the other millions personal trainers out there then you will gain that customer. Marketing your service or product on Instagram's is really not that hard, you just have to make sure that your hashtags as many as you can to increase the chance of people seeing your product or service pictures.
Have you ever google yourself??
So its been a while since I wrote a blog and I honestly missed doing it. I do apologized that it took forever , I have been busy, and life just really took a turn for me. As I mentioned in my about me blog , I am in college and I am currently finishing my business degree in Marketing. This blog would be quick because I just want to emphasize to those people how privacy can be really important for professional people. In one of my class , we did an exercise where we googled each other to find out about one another. When my partner googled me " Jan kate alfonso" some of the things that came up for me is my ex boyfriend picture and I , my linked, myspace, and google account. Luckily I didn't really have anything to hide that my partner saw. For me i did not like how my picture with my ex boyfriend pictured showed up because who needs to know about my past right? . In college we study about how you need to make yourself look diligent in every possible way that you could imagine.I have heard a story before when a young man have applied for a job, and he got the job but because he posted stuff about it online they ended up not hiring him. Guys , Please I can't stress enough how privacy is very important if you are in the professional world. I am not saying to never have Facebook, Instagram, or any social media platform because I love all those myself. What I am trying to let you know is that you need to be careful what you put on your social media because companies that you apply for DO GOOGLE YOU. OK guys, this is it for now. If there is something that you are interested in , let me know. And please don't forget to like.
Do you have a small business that you are having a hard time getting clients and don't know how to approach marketing and advertisement? well no need to worry because you are not alone.Many business do not take advantage of Instagram which is one of the biggest social media platform in today's social media.
It works with pictures. let's say for example that you have a personal trainer business , you can post a picture of video of a certain workout with a client and tag such as results ,healthy, weight loss or something along those lines.Then people who post the same tags will see your post and you have potential of getting a client .For every 100 people who see your post you can expect to earn at least 1 client.
Bottom line is if your a small business and you are not taking advantage of Instagram yet, Get on it!!!
Why I love Blogging
Ever since I was a little kid , I have always love to write. My family would always make fun of me because everyday when I come home from school I would rewrite all my notes from one notebook to another. So I guess writing has always been within me. Now that I am an adult and about to graduate college and hopefully land in a job I truly enjoy my whole perspective on writing is different. I love the big aspect of blogging. I love it because it gives me a chance to open up my idea on a certain topic, as well as discuss topics that I am really interested in. In addition, I also love social media. If there is someone that knows a lot about social media that would be me.
Whole Foods
Whole Foods is known to be one of retail grocery store that focuses on organic foods. Their main competition are grocery stores like New Seasons who is doing fairly well in the business. Recently , Whole Foods have announced that they will be opening a new store with a new perspective. This store will be different than the other Whole foods , it will specialize in providing cheaper products. Do you think this will be a successful project for Whole Foods ? . In my opinion , I believe that it will definitely be beneficial for Whole Foods because for those who cant afford to buy Whole Foods product would now be able to buy their product at a cheaper price . However , it is not going to be easy because Whole Foods will encounter challenges to provide this product. They will need to come up with a solution to provide these quality products to the consumers. For example; they can negotiate with the farmers if they buy certain amount of products in a month , if the prices would go down. No matter what ideas they come up with, I think its really interesting to see how they will effect stores like New Seasons.
How I think Whole Foods should attack this type of business ?
It is know that Whole Foods will be competing with a different competitor if they are successful in making this new store low price because they will be one of the grocery store who will be providing a good quality organic products and cheaper price? Obviously , organic foods are expensive . The one way that they can buy these organic products for a cheaper price is to negotiate with farmers, or built their own farm which will be expensive in the beginning but will be worth it in the end because not only they will be able to make this new store less expensive but if they have their own farm for some of the organic products they have , they can also lower the cost for the current whole foods stores.
I am very excited about how this will turn out, and I am sure that this will be very exciting to people who loves organic foods.
About me
My name is Jan Kate Alfonso, I am 26 years old and I am a college student majoring in Business Administration in Marketing. I work full time , and currently going to school full time as well. The main reason I created this blog is because as I reach the end of my college years, I wanted to get practice on hand on the type of marketing I want to be involve in. I am really passionate about online marketing which is why I decided to get started with blogging. My schedule at the moment is very busy, so I will try and post a blog or two every week. If you have any suggestion on topic you want me to talk about , please feel free to email me.
If you have any other questions. Please feel free to email me at email@example.com


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Brasfield & Gorrie provides general contracting, design-build, and construction management services designed to exceed the expectations of our clients. To provide the best quality, value, and overall experience throughout the life of a project, we work in partnership with our client, design partners, subcontractors, and vendors. We foster teamwork on every level, but when it comes to our core values, we don't compromise.
Brasfield & Gorrie is a family-oriented company, and our clients are our extended family. In fact, many of our current projects are with clients we have served in the past. They know they can rely on our commitment—to safety, quality, value, teamwork, efficiency, and excellence in all our services and products—because we earn that trust every day. From foundations or renovations to design assistance and full-service construction of complex multiuse projects, we tailor each project to the individual needs of the client.
As part of our commitment to continuous improvement, we embrace innovative management and construction practices and cutting-edge technologies—including lean methodologies, integrated project delivery, LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) sustainable building and development practices, Latista, virtual design and construction, and building information modeling—to increase our quality and efficiency. We continually broaden our knowledge, hone our expertise, and improve our processes for the benefit of our clients.
We offer expertise in a broad range of services:
- Safety management
- Preconstruction estimating
- General contracting
- Construction management
- Design-build
- Self-performance
- Lean construction
- Integrated project delivery
- Constructability assessment
- Procurement
- LEED certification planning and management
- 3-D and 4-D modeling
- Building information modeling
- Virtual design and construction
- Execution analysis
- Value management
- Mechanical/electrical/plumbing consultation
- Logistics planning
- Quality assurance and quality control
- Scheduling
- Contract administration
- Field supervision/coordination
- Commissioning/validation
- Inspection
- Production of precast concrete components
- Fabrication of specialized structural steel members
- Planning and installation of rigging and erection equipment


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|Welch & Rawlings: Spiritual-Musical Heirs of John Dowland?
Gillian Welch in Concert—In reality, it's a shorthand for Gillian Welch & David Rawlings in Concert. Welch without Rawlings is yin without yang; Laurel without Hardy. Three standing ovations at the end of their November 28th two-hour concert at the Calvin Theater in Northampton, Massachusetts celebrated the musical beast with two fronts & two backs--Welch & Rawlings. (Still, their website and my Calvin ticket cast their brand as "Gillian Welch.")
Throughout the evening, Welch's distinctive, nuanced alto and phrasings embodied the constancy of a mature yet ominous river of song. Midway through each number, Rawlings responded with guitar improvisations that consistently surprised while adding crepuscular shadings. They cut odd harmonic channels and at times added intensity through wanderings on the outskirts of dissonance.
|Flow gently their tears
Above all, Welch & Rawlings excelled in material from The Harrow and the Harvest, their first new cd in seven years. On the disc and on stage, they have embraced an aesthetic that holds melancholy to be most sacred (and thoroughly profane). Together, they've donned melancholia's dark musical vestments, enshrouding themselves and their audience in somber songs like "Scarlet Town," a "Dark Turn of Mind," and "The Way It Goes." For up-tempo irony at the Calvin, they turned to "Six White Horses," a thigh-slapping, shoe clomping reverie about a proto-hearse that comes for mama and by the song's end for the singer/narrator herself. It brought down the house.
In their glass-is-half-empty aesthetic, Welch &Rawlings prove worthy descendants of John Dowland, the post-Elizabethan composer-singer-lutenist whose art exemplified his own dictum: "The Dark Is My Delight." For him and other practitioners of the genre, melancholia was a good thing—a low-risk musical dwelling place for exploring and embracing dark emotional waters. As fellow travelers, Welch and Rawlings follow suit but with (at least) one notable difference—they explore those depths through a woman's lens. That take on darkness is their delight—and ours.
Dark Turn of Mind:
Flow My Tears (Dowland):
Bonus Track: The Sick Rose (Benjamin Britten/William Blake)


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Telogis API - Libraries
Telogis provides a scalable fleet management system to help improve asset utilization, driver safety, and reduce labor and fuels costs. The Telogis API is available in JavaScript and several other formats including a ASP.NET and Silverlight package. A free trial SDK is available with registration to the developer zone.


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USB300 - USB 3.0 to SATA Bridge Controller
LucidPort's SuperSpeed USB 3.0 controller brings significant power and performance enhancements to the popular USB standard while offering backward compatibility with the billions of USB-enabled PCs and peripheral devices currently in use. Delivering data transfer rates up to ten times faster than Hi-Speed USB (USB 2.0), with optimized power efficiency, SuperSpeed USB is the next step in the continued evolution of USB technology.
- Single chip USB 3.0 to SATA-II Bridge Controller with integrated USB and SATA PHYs
- Built in USB Mass Storage Class support
- USB stream protocol support for UASP
- SATA Native Command Queuing up to 32 commands
- Single voltage (3.3V) and clock source (30 MHz) requirement


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7 Stops I'm Glad I Didn't Miss When Visiting Alsace
2 oktober 2017
Magical, petite and calming. The Alsace region is a perfect little getaway for those who are searching for something different in Europe.. or France. I only stayed to explore the region for 3 nights – long enough to see the surroundings of the wine route and the little villages that…Continue reading


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This article was originally published in the April 2012 edition of The Voice, CCO's monthly e-newsletter.
When Salma Khokhar lost her job as a Lawyer's assistant in 2010, she didn't know what she was going to do.
"I had a little girl and no job, but enough legal knowledge not to throw it away," she said.
One day, while riding a streetcar through downtown Toronto, she saw an ad for Herzing College in the local newspaper and decided to give them a call. Khokhar set up an appointment to tour the college the next day. After completing and passing an entrance exam, she was faced with a dilemma.
Khokhar's disappointment was short lived. College staff offered to guide her through the OSAP loan process and before she knew it, she was on her way to getting her diploma.
Near the end of her program, she was required to complete 80 hours of internship. But before she could do that, she was offered a job in her field through the careers department.
With three months left of the program to complete and now balancing a full time job and family life, Herzing assisted Khokhar by changing her class schedule to accommodate her.
The now twenty-five year old says attending Herzing was the best choice she made and is grateful for their understanding of her situation.
"I never thought I was ever going to be able to go back to school, being a single mom, but it changed my perspective, it changed my entire life," she said. Khokhar graduated from Herzing in November, 2011 with newfound confidence and belief in her abilities.
In less than a year, she had started her career, obtained a diploma and she is now pursuing her dream working as a law clerk at Waisberg & Associates in Yorkville.
Do you have a student success story to share? Contact Alix Mahé at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Membership in CCO can help you and your staff understand the facts, keep informed and learn how to participate in the establishment of outcomes.
If you are not a member please apply for membership to get full access to our website and many other benefits.


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The Winsch ones are always so elegant,
no matter the holiday...this one is from 1910.
Kitties celebrating are always fun!
Leo, Cyrus and Tallulah thought I should post all kitties,
but I said we needed a little variety ~ ;^)
I wonder what Little New Year is writing?
These Kitties look like they may be having a little too
much fun! Look at the expression on the little Girl-Kitty in the back!
One can never go wrong with Fairies and Gnomes...
...or Cherubs and pigs...with sacks of coins ~
And more waltzing Kitties!
I have been back to blogging for a little more than a year now,
and I have met the dearest people...
thank you all for visiting me and for all your sweet comments...
I used to paint and decorate,
and then have my Mom come over to see...
Or I'd tell my Dad about it on the phone when I talked to him every evening.
After they both passed, and after the loss of my nine Angel Kitties,
I could have easily let depression take over...
Of course, I have my sweet children, but they are grown
(well, all but one, and he is almost) and have busy lives...
Blogging has given me an outlet to share what I do with
all of you, and the immediate responses I get from you are
more than gratifying...♥
Thank you.
I wish all of you a wonderful, healthy, prosperous 2013!


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Hey all,
The other day I was looking through my stash and found a polish I totally forgot I had!
Isn't that terrible? It utterly escaped my memory!
Like, crap! How long have I had it for? When did that happen? o.O
Does that ever happen to you?
I really try to be an attentive mother. (._.)
Since I was feeling like a bum about it, I had to use it right away to cement the fact that, yes, I do own this!
Poor little A-England - Perceval. How could I forget about you?
That's right, an A-England! Like what the hell?? *facepalm*
But Momma's here now and it'll never be ignored again.
Perceval is a fantastic ruby red metallic. This is like the Taj Mahal of reds, no lie.
And to prove it, I'm only wearing ONE coat!! :O A-England how do I love thee?
I was feeling the red so I paired Perceval with Model City Polish - Strawberry Jam.
I stamped with A-England - Her Rose Adagio using Bundle Monster plate BM414
The fingerprints came out so well! Again, A-England how do you do it?
Such twinkly holographic perfection!
And Strawberry Jam, wow! This is two coats that were a dream to apply.
I must do a full manicure soon. It's so squishy, so vibrant, and SO sparkly!
Ommm nomm nomm doesn't even begin to describe it.
I'm going to start another bracelet tonight, for my Mum. :)
She gave me "Russian Drab" as my inspiration, which makes it both difficult and easy.
Hopefully the colours and pattern I picked work with the theme.
*Fingers crossed* We'll see how it turns out...
Hope you're having a great week! Take it easy!


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Hoover Crips Street Gang Members and Associates Charged with Drug Conspiracy and Other Criminal Offenses
TULSA, OK—In a 5th Superseding Indictment, unsealed today in the United States District Court, approximately 51 members and associates of the Hoover Crips Street Gang and the Donald Walter's Drug Trafficking Organization were charged with 238 criminal offenses, including drug conspiracy, engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise, weapon offenses, retaliating against a witness, and conspiring to promote dog fighting.
The charges are the result of a three-year U.S. Attorney's Office, Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force investigation, led by the Tulsa Police Department's Homicide and Special Investigation Divisions, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in collaboration with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; the Tulsa County District Attorney's Office; the U.S. Marshal Service; the Oklahoma Attorney General's Office; the Tulsa County Sheriff's Office; the Broken Arrow Police Department; the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations; the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Oklahoma Highway Patrol; and the Norman Police Department.
The charges were announced today at a press conference by United States Attorney Danny C. Williams Sr., Northern District of Oklahoma; FBI Special Agent in Charge James E. Finch, Oklahoma City Division; Oklahoma Attorney General E. Scott Pruitt; Tulsa County District Attorney Tim Harris; Tulsa Police Chief Chuck Jordan; and DEA Special Agent in Charge Dan Salter.
According to the allegations in the 5th Superseding Indictment, from April 2011 to August 2014, the defendants conspired to purchase cocaine and marijuana from the Sinaloa Cartel and the Los Zeta Cartel. Both Cartels operated in Mexico, and sold drugs in the Tulsa area. During the conspiracy, money generated was used for dog fighting, gambling, travel, and vehicle purchases.
The 5th Superseding Indictment further alleges, the defendants operated "crack houses" in the Tulsa area for cooking, packaging, and selling of cocaine. These houses were also used as locations for money drops. The defendants would also use dozens of coded phrases when communicating and would "drop" phones in order to avoid law enforcement detection.
The defendants are also charged with purchasing, training, and breeding pit bulls for dog fighting.
In addition, Lorell Antonio Battle and Gaywone Dekeith Blades are charged with conspiring to retaliate against fellow gang member Anthony Campbell, who was a witness in a Federal trial and who provided information to law enforcement about street gang activities and other crimes. On April 3, 2013, Battle allegedly shot approximately 13 times at close range and killed Campbell.
If convicted, the defendants face forfeiture of vehicles, firearms, and nine (9) residences used to manufacture and distribute crack cocaine. The defendants also face entry of a $10 million dollar criminal forfeiture money judgment.
Assistant United States Attorneys Allen J. Litchfield, Robert T. Raley, Eric O. Johnston, and Catherine Depew are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
An indictment is one method of charging defendants with alleged violations of Federal Law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant's presumption of innocence.


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So, if you are so newbie as i was a minute ago than this should help you if you have problem with weather shower.. which shows not your town as current while you are in other town.
1. Anyways all you need to do is to remove weather and time widget from desktop.
2. Press "+" to add widget
3. Add time widget which you like
4. It should ask you about City selection, after you selected Clock design.
5. Select your town
6. Add weather widget.
Solution was fount here ( post by Marshal ): http://androidforums.com/htc-hero/8157-current-city-issues.html


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It's no secret that, from a compensation perspective, your organization must be competitive and fair to recruit, hire and retain quality employees. HR Trust is ready to lend its extensive experience in this area to assist your organization to develop an organizational compensation strategy and to maintain the competitiveness and fairness of your compensation practice. Using surveys and labor market data, we will advise you of the trends in the area of compensation and on the current rates of pay for given job classifications to keep your pay competitive within the labor market
Click here to contact us for additional information and we will respond promptly.


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Defense News
Reporter's Notebook – 2012 Singapore Airshow
By Andrew Chuter and Wendell Minnick
Introducing the 'Viper'
Lockheed Martin is offering F-16 fighter customers a new variant dubbed the Viper, which is intended to better operate with fifth-generation fighters.
The F-16 is officially known as the Fighting Falcon, but "Viper" is a common nickname used by F-16 pilots. Unveiled Feb. 15 at the 2012 Singapore Airshow, the new variant should not be confused with Lockheed's F-16IN Super Viper, offered to India for the Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft contest.
The Viper program will offer customers options, including active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, upgraded mission computers and architecture, cockpit improvements, and fuel tanks that are flush with the fuselage.
"We believe this F-16V will satisfy our customers' emerging requirements and prepare them to better interoperate with the fifth-generation fighters, the F-35 and the F-22," said George Standridge, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics' vice president of business development.
... And 2 C-130 Variants
Lockheed also announced plans to create two C-130J variants.
The C-130XJ (Expandable J) and the SC-130J (Sea Herc) will offer customers more capability choices than the current Super Hercules J model, Standridge said.
The C-130XJ offers the U.S. domestic and international markets a variant that does not feature all the capabilities inherent in the C-130J, thus providing a lower price. However, the XJ's capability can expand after delivery in a variety of mission areas, except for the Enhanced Cargo Handling System, Standridge said. Interest is expected to come from the special mission market, which uses roll on/roll off mission packages, and operators who use airlift for low-threat air and land transport of troops and equipment.
The SC-130J Sea Herc will offer an affordable replacement for the P-3 Orion maritime patrol aircraft and anti-submarine warfare aircraft, Standridge said.
Radar Competition
A competition pitting Northrop Grumman against Raytheon to supply AESA radars for retrofits for F-16 fighter upgrade programs in South Korea and Taiwan heated up at the air show.
Northrop received official permission from the U.S. government to submit proposals to sell the Scalable Agile Beam Radar (SABR) to South Korea for 135 KF-16C/D Block 52 fighters and to Taiwan for 146 F-16A/B Block 20 fighters. The SABR is facing off against the Raytheon Advanced Combat Radar, which received an export license in 2008.
A DSP-5 export license was issued in January, said Joseph Ensor, Northrop's ISR and Targeting Systems vice president and general manager. The license allows for the release of technical information and other data to a foreign country. The DSP-5 is the first step in the Foreign Military Sales program.
In some ways, Raytheon's possession of a DSP-5 since 2008 has given it advantages over Northrop. In addition, Raytheon's earlier AESA radar, the APG-63(V)2, is the only AESA radar to have been installed on Lockheed's F-16 Falcon, as well as Boeing's F-15 Eagle and F/A-18 Hornet.
Singapore was the first to get an AESA radar, the APG-63(V)3, for the F-15SG. Jim Hvizd, Raytheon's vice president of international strategy and business development, said that radar is being offered on the F-15 for South Korea's FX-3 contest.
The winner of either of these competitions could provide a leg up in follow-on international and U.S. contests, Ensor said.
The stakes could be high with the Feb. 10 issuance by the U.S. Air Force of a request for information on AESA retrofits.
Indonesia Airbus
Indonesia's Air Force will buy nine Airbus Military C295 transporters, the two sides announced at the air show. The $325 million deal will see the first machine delivered later this year and the final in mid-2014.
Airbus parent company EADS will hand over a sizable industrial package, including setting up a local production line by aerospace producer PT Dirgantara Indonesia and creating a service and delivery center.
Airbus and PTDI will set up a joint company to market the C295 in the region. Manufacture of structural components such as the rear fuselage and tail assembly are also part of the agreement.
Sikorsky Deals
Coast guards in two Asian countries have struck deals with Sikorsky Aircraft to supply helicopters for search and rescue (SAR) and other duties, the company said at the air show.
The U.S. helicopter maker said it had signed with the South Korea Coast Guard to deliver one S-92 in 2013 as part of the country's Multi-purpose Helicopter Program. The deal could be expanded to include three additional helos for a program aimed at enabling the South Koreans to conduct SAR, maritime security, emergency medical services and personnel transport.
Sikorsky also announced it will supply four SS-76D helicopters to Japan to replace machines damaged in last year's tsunami. First delivery is planned for later this year.


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Japan's Keynesian experiment
By Dennis Rice
If you ask a Keynesian what to do about economic slumps, you will generally be told that it is essential that there be increased government spending and monetary expansion to revive growth. But when we look across the ocean to Japan, we have ample reason to wonder whether that kind of an approach has any value at all.
As a result of the crash of an economy riddled with favoritism and senseless regulation, Japan has been in the economic doldrums for several years now. What is becoming apparent is that the Japanese government, far from adopting a laissez-faire attitude to the downturn, is in fact pursuing all the routine Keynesian remedies. By those standards, the economy is supposed to be experiencing a rebound by now. However, that is anything but the case.
On the monetary front, the Japanese are doing a great deal of what interventionists like to call pump-priming. The central bank's discount rate has fallen from 9 per cent in 1980 to near zero today. According to one report, central bank assets grew by 36 per cent during the 12 months previous to November 1998. In stark contrast to what Keynesians would expect such explosive monetary growth to achieve, the Japanese economy is now perched on the verge of serious deflation. More ominously, long term interest rates are actually beginning to rise.
The reason for the rise in long term interest rates can be traced to Japan's adoption of Dr. Keynes' prescriptions for fiscal policy. Government spending has been ballooning over the past few years, supposedly to lift the economy up by boosting demand. Last year, the government set aside almost $520 billion (U.S.) for bank bailouts, in addition to a $207 billion economic stimulus package mainly for public works. The result? Unemployment levels that continue to grow and skyrocketing debt. The projected budget deficit is now predicted to reach 10 percent of gross domestic product, among the highest in the industrialized world.
Undeterred by such troubling statistics, the central planners have recently come up with an even more desperate scheme to jolt the economy: free shopping vouchers. Almost $6 billion worth of coupons will simply be given away to youngsters under 15 and low-income earners over 65. One reporter interviewed some eager teens who supported the voucher program "...because it would help them buy Sega's new Dreamcast video game unit."
The business community is, understandably, less than ecstatic about these policies. Significant parts of the economy now resemble a zombie on life support. The Japanese stock market's performance continues to be anemic. It would be difficult to argue, though some undoubtedly would, that the Japanese are just not trying hard enough to implement the Keynesian approach. If deficits of 10 per cent of GDP aren't doing the trick, does anyone seriously think that deficits of 30 or 40 per cent would? By now it should be clear: the Keynesian approach is not working because it seriously misunderstands the reasons for the contraction of the Japanese economy.
Japanese central bank credit expansion in the 1980's fuelled a mindless consumption boom, pushing real estate and stock values far above any sensible valuation. That malinvestment boom has fizzled out over the past decade, resulting in a cascade of bankruptcies. Since the salvage value of a bankrupt firm is rarely equal to the money that was originally put into it, it is imperative that the lost capital be replaced as cheaply as possible, so that the firm can rebuild and grow under new management. Unfortunately, that objective is now being confounded by the government's ravenous appetite for debt.
Rather than taking pressure off the bond markets by slashing outlays, the borrow and spend policies of the Japanese government are having the effect of making capital more expensive and scarce by destroying it in public works projects and giveaways that offer not a cent of profit but rather massive losses. As long as this trend continues, profitable investment in the private sector, the only true engine of growth in any economy, will remain elusive along with hope for recovery.
With stormclouds gathering on our own economic horizon, no doubt we will soon hear calls to undertake the kinds of Keynesian initiatives we now see in Japan. Given the Japanese experience with those policies, it is the kind of advice which is best ignored.
Dennis Rice is a writer living near Winnipeg, Manitoba
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