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Heifer's transformative Cornerstones model weaves tradition and progress to inspire powerful change as its newest country program office opens.
By Puja Singh, World Ark contributor
Photography by Geoff Oliver Bugbee
JOARI VILLAGE, Bangladesh—Mossamad Sabina Begam sat on a porch with neighbors and friends, stitching one end of a quilt. In the traditional art of Nakshi Kantha, colorful patterns and designs are embroidered together to illustrate life in rural Bangladesh. Considering the more than 20 hands working, the pattern seemed amazingly harmonious. Perhaps it was their common struggles for a decent life and their victories over poverty and social limitations that made these women feel and stitch as one. Sabina's blue sari was pulled over her head, making her dark eyes with thick lashes appear all the more inquisitive.
Later, she settled onto a straw mat in front of her two-room mud home to share the story of how she, a young woman who had never before ventured far from her village, grew to shatter gender barriers and cross oceans to empower herself and others with the help of Heifer International.
As a girl, Sabina dreamed of going to college. "That dream came to a screeching halt when I was married at the age of 14. And as abruptly as it started, just a few years after, my husband left me for another woman," she said.
She described the fear and uncertainty of a divorced Muslim woman now solely responsible for two children, a son, Shamim Ahmed, now age 13, and a daughter, Shampa Khatun, age 9.
After the divorce, Sabina made Nakshi Kantha to provide for her children. A medium-sized quilt took two to three months to complete and sold for around 5,000 taka, or about $60. She also wove her sorrow into bed sheets, pillow covers and wall hangings. Despite her hard work, she often had to borrow money from her family. This made her feel like even more of a burden, since her parents had so recently sold a cow to pay the marriage dowry to her husband's family.
In 2008, Heifer International's partner, the Jagorani Chakra Foundation, approached Sabina and other women of Joari village in the northwest of the country to participate in a project that would give them cows and training in animal care and commercial vegetable production. They also received training in Heifer's 12 Cornerstones for Just and Sustainable Development.
The training revived Sabina's urge to learn.
"The Cornerstones were so comprehensive. They helped me reflect away from my needs to those of others around me. I found solace in my group," Sabina said through tears. "There's nothing I dreamed of more than to continue my education, and with the Cornerstones, I could."
The cows Heifer placed with Sabina and her fellow group members provided a good income. Within a year of receiving a cow, most families were able to pay for more and better food and to send their children to school. Some even saved enough to buy another cow.
Other women in the village who saw how well Sabina's group was doing wanted to join. Through Heifer's strategy of Passing on the Gift, soon another group of women who once had to choose between eating two meals a day and sending their children to school would also receive a cow, making life easier.
"Heifer's projects focus on inner transformation," said Kazi Mazed Nawaz, deputy director of the Jagorani Chakra Foundation, which has implemented microfinance and community building projects in Bangladesh for more than 10 years. "It is more about creating a philosophy of motivation, change and giving. Heifer beneficiaries feel a sense of dignity in being able to give to others through Passing on the Gift.
"When we first started working with Heifer, we were skeptical about the participants Passing on the Gift; after all these are the poorest of the poor. But soon we discovered that it required no convincing. We have been working in the microfinance sector for many years. And we know how difficult it can be for the poor to pay back. With Heifer it was easy," Mazed said.
He added that in areas where Heifer projects were started, payback was easier for microfinance loans as well. Social capital formed in the community motivated the borrowers to fulfill their duty of paying back the money they owed.
Heifer's projects here also have a savings and credit component where participants save a small sum every month and later take loans from the collected fund. "Heifer's savings and credit fund, also known as group fund, is their own money," Mazed said. "They control it and keep the benefits from the interest charged on loans. There is a sense of ownership that facilitates everything from payback to motivation to increase savings."
Word of the transformative qualities of Heifer's values-based model spread quickly. Two years after the start of the project, the Asian Health Institute Japan (AHI Japan) emailed Mazed to ask if a Bangladeshi woman farmer could travel to Japan to share her story. He immediately thought of Sabina.
In her two years working with Heifer, Sabina transformed not only herself but also helped lift up other women farmers. She became a social mobilizer, advocating for women's rights and health issues. Her shy demeanor changed completely when she addressed a crowd. Empowered by the training and the success of her fellow group members, she exuded confidence and purpose.
It would be a challenge for any rural Bangladeshi woman who did not know any English or Japanese to board an international flight and make her way to Japan. But Mazed was convinced that if anyone could do it, it would be Sabina.
And she did.
Sabina shared her experiences with Heifer's Cornerstones and Nakshi Kantha with her Japanese audience, the translator barely able to keep up with her enthusiastic presentation. Nawaz threw a proud glance at Sabina as he shared the details of her adventure.
"If you could only hear my heart beating [in nervousness and excitement], Nawaz bhai," Sabina told her mentor, referring to him as her brother.
Giving his age as 110, Sabina's grandfather Kamaluddin Mohammad still stood strong after years of hard work. "I am very proud of her," he said of Sabina. "She has taken her life in the right direction, helping others." At noon, a hot Bangladeshi sun blazed and Sabina moved her cow into the shade of betel nut trees growing in her backyard. The cow now had a new calf. "This calf will be ready to sell in Eid ul-Fitr," a Muslim holiday that marks the end of Ramadan, Sabina said. There is much more of her story yet to be written.
New Lessons from Old Traditions
The mustard plants are in full bloom and Bangladesh is bright with various hues of yellow. Flat and fertile plots filled with water await rice saplings. Most of the country lies in the delta of the three large rivers: the Ganga, Bharmaputra and Meghna, that flow in from the Himalayas into the Bay of Bengal. But come monsoon, these very rivers that breathe life into the soil will submerge it. Bangladeshi farmers have forever lived under the influence of the river that is both their boon and bane.
About 45 percent of Bangladeshis are employed in the agricultural sector, which contributes 18.6 percent of the country's gross domestic product. Most farmers harvest rice two to three times a year, making it the single most important crop. Everywhere you look, smallholder farmers toil dawn to dark, working the soil for a few sacks full of what they grow. It is not uncommon for them to live in a hut made of sticks with dried mud walls or to dream of owning a piece of land on which to build that hut.
Heifer has learned that for communities to become sustainable, they need to focus on much more than just monetary benefits. Heifer's values-based development model, together with Passing on the Gift, allows for resource-poor farmers like Sabina to play a part in their communities' transformations.
Just nine miles from Joari in Chapila village, Belly women's group gathered for a monthly meeting. The sun's warm rays filtered through the mango trees under which the group sat in a big circle. Children scampered about as their mothers talked and waited for another women's group, Ekata, to arrive. Belly group, the beneficiaries of a Heifer project through the same partner, Jagorani Chakra Foundation, were to teach Ekata group about musthi chal.
Musthi chal is a tradition in this area of Bangladesh. Every family separates a handful of rice from each meal's share and saves it. The group decides to either donate the rice or sell it; in the Heifer project, the money goes to the group fund. Ekata group files in and Belly group members make room; the circle of giving grows larger.
Amid the women sits a middle-aged man, Mohammad Huzzatullah. The women pay their respects to Huzzatullah bhai with an aadab, the Islamic way. The day's collection starts and Molina Begam leads, measuring the rice brought by each member in a scale and adding it to one big bag. Notes are taken and later announced. They have collected rice worth a substantial sum of 400 taka, or just under $5, without undue burden to any of the group members. Ekata group has learned another form of increasing their savings. Huzzatullah seemed pleased. He has much to contribute here; his story is one of inspiration, conviction and the self-determination of its own people that every country needs.
Man with a Mission
Huzzatullah's father, Abdul Sattar Sarkar, was a homeopathic doctor. As a young boy, Huzzatullah worked alongside his father, but at 25 years old, he had bigger dreams. He moved to Kuwait. There he worked as a cleaner in a building, making his way up to become a supervisor. After 11 years of this work, a silent discontent crept its way into his heart. He made good money but was left with a desire to do something for his own country, his own people.
When he returned to Bangladesh, his sister had recently become a part of a Heifer project. Heifer's projects include trainings for men and youth in the community. This process encouraged the participation of the female members, who according to the Islamic tradition of purdah, were not allowed to attend events outside of the household. The trainings also helped create a deep understanding of Heifer's work in the community.
The Cornerstones training, particularly the lessons in gender equity, gave Huzzatullah the inspiration he needed. Community service was in his blood, and the seed of an idea bloomed into reality. Huzzatullah formed his own group, the Ekata group, and invested 70,000 taka, or about $900, of his own money to buy goats and cows for 10 members.
Later that day, Ekata group gathered outside Huzzatullah's house to plan their first Passing on the Gift ceremony. It was almost a year since they received animals and training. Tohura Khatun, age 23 and a participant in Huzzatullah's Heifer project, beamed when asked how it felt to be giving to another woman in need after benefiting from a similar gift herself.
"We have already chosen a group from Bakibegpur village," she said. "We will pass on the animals and trainings to them. We feel so happy we can help others."
Huzzatullah was busy taking notes on a small notebook. It was easy to see that for this good-willed man, work did not end at forming the group and giving them animals. His passion for helping others went beyond this group to helping his whole village. "I will help at least two more groups," he said while jotting down names of the members of the new pass-on group. "Only then will I have followed in my father's footsteps and fulfilled my family's tradition of social service.
"Heifer planted the seed in me, and I am just distributing the fruits," he said.
What is the expected outcome of investments in development taking place all over the world? What is the meaning of empowerment? The answers were right here in a little village in Bangladesh, where the people had taken up the charge of their own development. In Chapila and in many villages like it, women and their families were leading their communities toward a sustainable future. The work fits in with all cultures.
Ramzam Ali Sah is 75 and has lived his entire life according to the Quran. He is an elder in Chapila village. His word counts. "Yes, women are more active with Heifer's project. They are out more and are involved in income-generating activities. Islam says nothing against women working to provide for their families. They are building a future for their children," Ali said.
Communities Decide What They Need
Even a four-wheel-drive can't access the rural community of Bhairab in the northeast of the country, where last year's floods washed away most of the road.
In Bhairab, a committee formed under a Heifer group with partner Pally Bikash Kendra took another huge leap toward changing its future for the better. The president of Heifer's group, Mossamad Asma Begam, said, "Our village gets cut off due to the floods. Most children can't go to school and their education suffers. That is why we decided to use our savings from musthi chal to fund a school."
Thirty students ranging from 6 to 8 years of age attend the school that is little more than a shed. It has an operating cost of 1,700 taka a month (about $20), which includes rent and a teacher's salary. It is all paid for by the income from musthi chal. "It is what will develop Bangladesh," explained Asma, who studied up to the eighth grade.
The women in Joari, Chapila and Bhairab have truly reflected in what they have become and what they can be. They have used their old ways, like Nakshi Kantha and musthi chal, to make a new path out of poverty and lack of education. They have taken the teachings of Islam and woven them with new Heifer Cornerstones trainings that help them to lift up not only themselves, but others, too.
In rural villages such as Holdibona, where this small journey began, women dance a traditional dance to the ancient beat of drums. Leaving Bangladesh by air, as the modern buildings of Dhaka gave way to the open fields of the country, its rivers flowing through it like veins, the past and the present meld with the promise of an abundant tomorrow. Tradition meets progress in the song of a new life in Bangladesh.
Puja Singh is Heifer Nepal's communication and networking officer; she lives in Kathmandu and recently completed a master's degree in international development.
Heifer Opens Country Office
Heifer International started its work in Bangladesh in 2006 with its Nepal office overseeing projects implemented by local NGO partners. This year, Heifer's leadership strengthened its commitment to this South Asian country with the opening of Heifer's newest country office in Dhaka on Feb. 20.
"The need in Bangladesh is deep, as it suffers the early symptoms of global climate change that overwhelmingly impact the rural poor," Heifer President and CEO Pierre Ferrari said. "Heifer's expertise with smallholder farmers and climate mitigation are key to making a difference to Bangladeshis living in hunger and poverty."
The Human Development Index places Bangladesh at 146 among 187 countries, making it one of the poorest countries in the world. It ranks third, after only India and Yemen, in the countries with the most underweight children, with 41.3 percent of children in Bangladesh in that category.
Bangladesh's challenges include a shortage of resources and infrastructure and frequent natural disasters, resulting in severe socioeconomic and environmental damage. About 45 percent of the labor force is still dependent on agriculture for income. Like many agricultural countries, Bangladesh needs to strengthen its rural economy for it to gain long-term economic stability and provide for its ever-increasing population.
Heifer's work supports that goal by investing in smallholder farmers, particularly women, to improve income and nutrition through gifts of livestock, agricultural inputs and training.
Siddiqur Rahman, with 30 years of experience in the field of development in Bangladesh and abroad, is country director for the team of three permanent and two temporary staff members.
"Poverty is one of the biggest challenges for Bangladesh," Rahman said. About 49 percent of the population is living below $1.25 a day, according to the 2010 Human Development Report of the United Nations Development Program.
Natural and human-induced hazards such as floods, cyclones, droughts, tidal surges, tornadoes, earthquakes, river erosion, fire and various forms of pollution and disease are frequent occurrences. Climate change adds a new dimension to community risk and vulnerability. Malnutrition in Bangladesh is also among the highest in the world, and its effects are passed from one generation to the next as malnourished mothers give birth to infants who struggle to develop and thrive.
"Women in Bangladesh are socially and economically disadvantaged and are often illiterate, have low life-expectancy and malnourishment," Rahman said. "Heifer's values-based development model gives people the opportunity and environment to use their ideas, potential and skills to develop themselves as individuals and as a community."—By Puja Singh


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Lindstrand creates world's largest aerostat for Commonwealth Games
After months of bad publicity, the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games kicked off in spectacular style. Seen by over 1 billion people, a huge aerostat emerged from the darkness of the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium to tumultuous applause and a shower of camera flashes. Read more.

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Monday, April 28, 2008
The Design Files
I am very flattered that an interview with me is up on The Design Files blog today! The Design Files is a Melbourne focussed design blog and profiles some really amazing local talent and places (today I learnt about Journal Canteen in the city - sounds just like my sort of lunch place!).
Thanks so much Lucy!!
8 comments:
- Lucy said...
Hey Lara, thanks so much for the link! :)
I can't stop looking at that lovely photo of your studio doorway with the bolts of fabric leaning up against the wall... what a gorgeous workspace :)
Thanks again for the interview... keep in touch - Lucy x
- 5:43 pm
- Danielle said...
Fantastic interview Lara, you must be really happy with it! Looks like a cool blog - makes me really want to come over to Melbourne!!
- 7:02 pm
- Jess said...
Hey Lara,
I read your blog all the time and never comment. Just had to say I enjoyed the interview, and I am a big admirer of your work. You're amazing. Keep it up!
- 3:29 am
Talented girl ;o)
- 5:15 pm
- Tali said...
nice one! and great interview! ;)
- 10:49 pm
- Brooke said...
Very nice interview!
- 8:57 am
*I just asked this over at pippijoe too...
I love your fabrics and hope to purchase. Quick question first...
I make purses which I sell to a local boutique in my area. Just wondering if your fabrics can be used for this commercial (although small scale!) purpose?
- 3:31 pm
- Lara said...
Hi Kirstin,
It's completely fine for you to use my fabrics for commercial purposes :) Thanks for asking though and enjoy!
- 6:03 pm


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Alicia Keys Remembers Whitney Houston!
Alicia Keys honors the late singer and their friendship during a performance at Clive Davis' pre- Grammy party.
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Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR)
Join DOE SBIR/STTR Programs Director, Manny Oliver as he provides an FY 2019 DOE SBIR/STTR OverviewTo just view the presentation slides, click here.
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Discipline and the Guest Teacher
Discipline and the Guest Teacher
As a guest teacher you will have good days and bad days. There will be students that will help you through your day and there will be students that will try to undermine you at every turn. Inevitably, there will come a time during your teaching assignment that you will have to discipline a student or possibly, an entire class. Disciplining students as a guest teacher can be daunting. After all, the students are fully aware that you will only be in the class for one day. Despite the challenge, it is important to discipline students effectively to maintain a well-maintained classroom and fulfill your duties.
How to be a Preferred Guest Teacher in a District
What are the benefits of being a preferred guest teacher? Here are some ideas: Be professional. Show up for assignment early to prep for the day ahead. Be engaged! Bring your "A" Game. Don't just go through the motions. Be polite to everyone you meet. This includes students, teachers, parents, and school administrators. Make sure to teach all the activities the teacher left in their lesson plan for the day Come prepared with your own plan. This includes back-up lesson plans, warm-up activities and activities for students to complete during downtime. Finally, at the end of the day leave the teacher feedback so they will have a better understanding of how the day went. Consider leaving specific examples of what the class accomplished and the names of students who behaved well. Leaving this feedback will demonstrate you were fully engaged with the class. Becoming a preferred guest teacher can take time and consistency of effort. Remember, together…we can make the biggest difference.
SubTalk: Appropriate Touch in the Classroom
Appropriate social touch in a school setting can be vitally important, especially for those children who do not experience affirmation at home. It's important for kids to realize that there is a role for social touching that's simply a normal and healthy means of bonding with another human being. So, before reaching out to a student, think about these strategies.
SubTalk - Winter Time Tips
Winter...it can be a tricky time of year for a substitute teacher. The very reasons that teachers may miss school and need your services are the very things that can keep you from being able to work as well. EDUStaff has a short list of winter time tips to help you. By remembering just a few simple things you can stay ahead of illness, poor weather and even lost work opportunities.
SubTalk: Classroom Management in a Special Education Classroom
Classroom management in a special education classroom is more about appropriate adaptations throughout the day then managing behavior. Making these adaptations and accommodations for students with special needs does not need to be difficult. Some ideas for adapting lessons might be: • Reduce the number of pages or questions • Reduce the difficulty of the assignment • Read directions aloud, speak slowly, repeat, rephrase instructions and questions • Increase a student's confidence by reinforcing success • Use LOTS of examples • Model, review and practice • Be patient and SMILE • Break a large assignment or activity into smaller tasks Remember, preparation is the key to success for any guest teacher assignment, but preparation is even more important in a special education classroom. The special education classroom can be a very rewarding experience for a guest teacher if you take the time to prepare. Remember…together, we are going to make the biggest difference.
SubTalk: How to Handle a Confrontational Student
Probably one of the scariest moments for a guest teacher is handling a confrontational student in the classroom. Thankfully, confrontations do not occur every day, however, most, if not all guest teachers, will have to deal with a student who is belligerent or disrespectful in the classroom. Here are a few ideas to help diffuse the situation and prevent it from escalating further: 1. Do not lose your temper 2. Do not raises your voice 3. Do not get other students involved 4. Privately speak to the student 5. Call the office if you require help Disruptive and confrontation students can sometimes be an unavoidable challenge, but if handled correctly, the situation can be diffused and classroom instruction can go as planned. Remember, together, we can make the biggest difference.
SubTalk: Reflections
Substitute teaching...some days it can be good, great even! But some days it can be straight up ugly! Reflection is the key...putting serious thought and consideration into what we have done then following this process up with action. If you need help with this, shoot me an email with your questions or comments to firstname.lastname@example.com , I'm here to help! Listen, we here at EDUStaff really do want you to be successful...if we attend to this important practice of reflection...together? We are going to make the biggest difference!
SubTalk Staying Healthy During Cold and Flu Season
Cold and flu season is in full force! The very illnesses that cause teachers to miss school and need Guest Teachers are the very things that can keep you from being able to work as well. While seasonal sickness can be tricky for a Guest Teacher, this SubTalk® outlines a few important tips for staying healthy during cold and flu season. By remembering just a few simple things you can stay ahead of illness and lost work opportunities this winter!
Spring Time Will Come!
Regardless of how the temperatures feel outside, spring is coming! With rising temperatures on their way, so with the number of absences. In fact, EDUStaff will fill more absences this season than any other! And for that reason we say, "All Hands on Deck"...We Need You! Remember you play a vital role in every district's vision of educational excellence. It is for this reason that EDUStaff will lose 1/3 of you to the very schools we are serving this Spring. Have questions or comments? Email us at email@example.com.
SubTalk: Oh nuts! Food Allergies in the Classroom
The best tool for being prepared for an anaphylactic reaction is to be educated! Be aware of any allergies in your classroom, know where a student's Epi-Pen is located, and know how to use it in the event of an emergency.
SubTalk: The Role of the Paraprofessional
A paraprofessional or teaching assistant is an employee who assists and partners with teachers and/or other professional educators to deliver instructional and related services to students. Teaching Assistants are an essential member of early intervention and school programs.
SubTalk: Strategies for a Better Classroom
Helpful tips to make your day in the classroom a little easier, including: 1. Preparing for your assignment 2. Welcoming the students 3. Introducing yourself 4. Establishing competency, trust and rapport 5. Developing an Attention Getter 6. Establishing smooth transitions and minimizing downtime 7. Engaging the students 8. Redirecting Misbehavior With these tips and ideas, together...we are going to make the biggest difference.
SubTalk: Proactive Behavior Intervention Strategies
When a student's behavior is disrupting the class or interfering with the learning of the other students, the behavior must be stopped and stopped quickly. One way to address the behavior is to give logical consequences, but unfortunately, a consequence will not work every time for every student. So, a guest teacher must be prepared to employ other strategies to address the challenging and disruptive behavior. These strategies might include proactive intervention strategies, nonverbal interventions and verbal interventions.
SubTalk Introduction
EDUStaff is excited to announce a new video series called SubTalk! If you would like to get in on the discussion send your comments to firstname.lastname@example.com.
SubTalk Video: Basic Classroom Management
Guest teachers are faced with the difficult task of interacting with students whom they know very little about. Unfortunately, as guest teachers, you do not know if you are walking into a class full of students willing to learn or an unfriendly, even hostile environment. An understanding of how to handle a variety of classroom situations will help you maintain a controlled learning environment. A proactive approach to helping students make good choices and focus on their important academic work is an excellent approach to classroom management.
SubTalk: The Professional Guest Teacher
A "professional" is one who works in a specialized field of study that requires preparation and adheres to a set of principles and standards. In order to be a professional guest teacher, you must hold yourself to high personal standards and commit to excellence in all you do. Use these suggestions to become a professional guest teacher.
SubTalk: Verbal De-Escalation Techniques
When working with students, you may encounter a student who becomes very upset or angry. This could happen in a special education setting or in the classroom. As a guest teacher or classroom aide, you should never attempt to restrain a student, even if the student has an IEP, 504 or a Behavior Management Plan that outlines specific physical restraint options. These options should only be enforced by a staff member trained in CPI (Crisis Prevention Institute). So, what are your options as a guest teacher or classroom aide in this situation? De-escalate the situation as quickly as possible. There are (3) techniques to verbally de-escalating a situation and it is important that you practice these techniques before they are needed so they become "second nature": 1.Be in Control of Yourself 2 The Physical Stance 3 The De-Escalation Discussion There is nothing magical about de-escalating a situation. Trust your instincts. Remember, together, we can make the biggest difference!
SubTalk: FERPA What You Should Know
FERPA is the Family Educational Rights to Privacy Act, enacted in 1974. This act insures parents the right to have access to their children's educational records, amend these records when necessary and to decide what personal identifiable information may be disclosed. As a school employee you must maintain the confidentiality of all student educational records that you have access to. You may not disclose or discuss student education records with anyone except with school administrators or teachers with whom you are working. So, sharing information with friends and family about students you encounter, is strictly prohibited and may in fact, place you in violation of FERPA. This includes all communication; oral, written and electronic form. Remember, you have the legal responsibility to protect the privacy of all students…and together, we can make the biggest difference.
SubTalk: Social Media and Students
The traditional student to teacher or classroom aide relationship of the past used to begin and end at the classroom door with conversations about math, grammar and history. Rarely, did conversations dive into the personal backgrounds. Today, with the explosion of social media, teachers and students have greater access to personal history more than ever before. From e-mail to text and from tweets to video chatting, technology is becoming ever-present in our daily lives. Many educators also see technology as an increasingly essential tool in the classroom. These new technologies open up a wide range of possibilities for teachers to stay involved with their student's education; assignments, resources, and connections to other classroom communities are just a few of the ways. The problem with all social media platforms is that they were established for socializing. Unfortunately, a guest teacher can be vulnerable to unintended misuses of electronic communication. E-mail, texting and social media encourages casual dialogue and often actions can be misconstrued or manipulated. Being a professional means that you project the values of your profession when communicating with students. Social media brings with it a new dimension and 'feel' to a relationship and this is particularly important when a student and guest teacher become 'friends' or start to 'follow' each other in an online environment.


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Pacific Delight Tours is building on its newly launched tours of Tahiti with programming in Australia and New Zealand.
The Australia program includes deluxe and five-star hotels in both Sydney and Melbourne. Travelers headed to Sydney can enjoy a city tour, luxury day cruises along the harbor and a visit to the Blue Mountains World Heritage Region to check out the country's famous critters such as koalas and kangaroos, or observe an Aboriginal ceremony. In Melbourne, cruise through a guided tour of the city's historical sites and landmarks, or opt for the three-night itinerary visiting Cairns Reef and Kuranda which allows travelers to explore the native flora and fauna of the area.
The Sydney program starts at $999 per person for three nights, while the Melbourne program starts at $449. The three-night Cairns Reef and Kuranda Experience is priced at $799 per person. All prices are based on double occupancy and include arrival and departure from the airport, hotels and activities.
The New Zealand program has two eight-day travel options: an escorted coach tour from Auckland to Christchurch or a self-drive tour with the same itinerary. Sites include Rotorua, the hot springs at Waiotapu, the Lady Knox Geyser and the Waimangu Volcanic Valley. The tour also goes through Queensland and continues to Mount Cook before reaching Christchurch.
This package starts at $2,149 per person for double occupancy for the self drive and $2,549 per person for the escorted program. Arrival and departure from airports and hotel transfers are included. International airfare is not included but can be purchased. Pacific Delight Tours is offering travel agents an introductory commission rate of 15 percent for 2013 New Zealand bookings.
"Our introduction of Australia and New Zealand will provide new options for agents whose clients seek new and exotic experiences, but desire the comfort of visiting a country where English is widely spoken," said Larry Kwan, president of Pacific Delight Tours.
The Australia and New Zealand packages come after the May launch of Pacific Delight Tours' three, five-night island packages on Tahiti, Moorea and Bora Bora. Each French Polynesia package includes one night in Tahiti, but guests can chose for four nights in Bora Bora, Moorea or both. Optional tours with English-speaking guides are available for the 71-mile coastal Circle Island Tour with a journey to Moorea's volcanic crater or a safari, glass bottom boat ride and fire dance show in Bora Bora.
The Tahiti and Moorea Islands package starts at $1,349 per person for double occupancy, Tahiti and Bora Bora Islands starts at $1,699 per person and the combination of the three destinations starts at $1,849 per person. These prices include five-star accommodations, arrival and departure from airport and hotel transfers, daily breakfast, all intra-island flights and boat transportation.
"While our guided tours to China and Asia continue to perform well, we've noticed a growing demand for unconventional sun and sand vacations as consumers look to check off exotic destinations such as Tahiti, Moorea and Bora Bora from their bucket lists," said Kwan.


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greysector needed a new web page design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 44 designs submitted by 8 freelance designers.
This site is all about data which can be boring to look at sometimes. But I want to present the data in an organized way backed with an awesome design so it doesn't look boring.
Target audience is internet savvy, familiar and are users of Facebook, Twitter, etc.
Design should make a good first impression on the site visitor.
Website will be like http://www.sitelogr.com and http://www.urbandata.com but with a different structure in terms of data layout and a completely different design. Please no copycat designs.
BE CREATIVE! Make the design FUN, ONE-OF-A-KIND, have PERSONALITY! Should look professional, but not boring.
The design is for TWO PAGES: (1) home page and (2) results page.
Must haves…
1. Web 2.0 is a must – clean, simple, modern
2. Page layout must be well organized and easy to read
3. Rounded corners preferred
4. Leave room for Google ad placements
5. The design must go with the logo design (attached)


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12:07pm PT by Philiana Ng
NBC Takes 'Saving Hope' Off Schedule, Final Episodes to Air Online
NBC is taking medical drama Saving Hope off the schedule.
Instead, the network will make the final two episodes of season one available online, The Hollywood Reporter confirms. The two episodes were originally scheduled to air Sept. 8 and 15 and will be replaced by encores of America's Got Talent and The Voice.
Led by Smallville alum Erica Durance, the hourlong drama has struggled to make a splash in the ratings. It launched to 3.1 million total viewers and a 0.7 rating among adults 18-49 in June. The news comes one month after scheduling veteran Jeff Bader jumped from ABC to NBC.
Series co-star Michael Shanks voiced his unhappiness with NBC's decision to take Saving Hope off the air. "Wow NBC......way to cheat 3 million people out of a resolution to the story #Disappointed#HardlySurprised," he wrote Wednesday on Twitter.
Saving Hope will live on, however, just not on U.S. television. Canada's CTV renewed the show for a second season.
E-mail: email@example.com
Philiana email@example.com insidethetube


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Hurricane Sandy may have devastated the East Coast on Monday, but the water-logged wheels of commerce keep turning, storm damage or not.
As cities from New York down to Washington began to dig out from the historic destruction brought by Sandy, companies scrambled on Tuesday to assess their facilities with an eye toward reopening as soon as possible.
Continue Reading Below
At least 15 people were reported killed along the Eastern seaboard by Sandy, one of the biggest storms to ever hit the country, which dropped just below hurricane status before making landfall on Monday night in New Jersey.
With the holiday season quickly approaching and tourists unlikely to be dissuaded from shopping, retailers in particular were hurrying on Tuesday to get back to business.
Luxury department store Saks Inc said it would reopen on Tuesday three of the stores that it had to close because of Sandy, including stores in greater Washington and Philadelphia.
The retailer's flagship on Manhattan's Fifth Avenue, which generates about 20 percent of company sales, along with five other stores in New Jersey and Connecticut, are set to reopen on Wednesday, a spokeswoman said.
Saks said it would not be coordinating transportation for employees.
"In the NYC store, many associates live nearby, and we can operate the store with lower staffing levels if needed," a representative said.
Similarly, Macy's Inc said its iconic Herald Square flagship store in Manhattan, and others in the city and in parts of New Jersey, would stay closed on Tuesday. Others in the East will open through the course of the day.
"The determining factor is if the store and shopping center have electricity, and if associates are able to get to work," a Macy's spokesman said, adding that the company had 195 stores closed all or part of the day Monday, about a quarter of its footprint.
Wal-Mart Stores Inc had 267 stores closed as of late Monday night due to the storm. By Tuesday morning, that was down to 168, with plans in progress to reopen some stores on generator power.
The world's largest retailer said none of its facilities had been seriously damaged and there was no disruption of holiday planning.
Drugmakers, heavily concentrated in New York and New Jersey, were also laid low by the storm. Novartis AG said all offices in the area would remain closed Tuesday, as did top insulin maker Novo Nordisk.
GlaxoSmithKline Plc said it had implemented a continuity plan to ensure medicines would continue to be distributed, especially given the numerous airport closures still in effect. But the company also said there was sufficient inventory in the supply chain to avoid serious disruptions.
Relatively high amounts of pharmaceuticals move by air, since drugs are light and high-value items, meaning companies like GSK have to arrange road transport in the meantime.
Multiply a decision like that by a few dozen or even hundreds of companies, and Sandy could actually end up being a boon to the trucking industry despite the short-term costs of widespread road closures.
"In the long run, however, the effect is clearly positive, perhaps close to $1 billion, because resupply and rebuilding generates freight growth and because trucking is the mode of choice for time-sensitive resupply," said Noel Perry, managing director at transportation consulting firm FTR Associates.


text: One advantage that comes to mind, although it may not be worth $6000, is when you have 20 PC's stacked, according to Murphy, the bottom one will fail first. The rack mounted version will be much easier to service a failed unit than the stack version. Just something to consider. Message: 2 From: "David Mathog" <mathog at mendel.bio.caltech.edu> To: beowulf at beowulf.org Subject: Racks vs. pile of PCs Date: Tue, 13 Aug 2002 08:02:53 -0700 Racks sure look nice and there is no question that they are space efficient, but I'm really starting to wonder if they are such a great idea for a smallish cluster (<=20 nodes) in those situations where there is enough space for a classic pile of PCs. I mean, what other advantages do they have besides those two to offset their many disadvantages? Racks better than piles: 1. Space efficiency. 2. Aesthetics (racks look cool) Piles better than racks (these are not orthogonal): 1. Internal space constraints 2. CPU/motherboard Cooling. This follows from [1]. 3. Motherboard/CPU options. This follows from [1]. With a few exceptions most motherboard/CPU combinations will fit into a standard ATX case - good luck getting a 2.4 Ghz P4 into a 1U. 4. Initial purchase price for equivalent performance. 5. Maintenance costs (rack parts tend to be nonstandard and expensive to replace, for instance, 1U power supplies). Other factors? I estimate that for a small cluster (<1 rack's worth of equipment) with node guts (mobo,CPU,disk,ram) costing <= $1200 the racked version will cost at least 20-30% more than the piled version. So if a piled 20 node cluster costs $24000, the equivalent racked version will be at least $30000. $6000 seems a lot to pay for no extra performance. If the "guts" were much more expensive the additional rack costs would, in theory be a lower percentage. In practice, it is my impression that the ratio is no lower because the vendors charge even more for the racked versions of high performance nodes. Comments? Regards, David Mathog mathog at caltech.edu Manager, Sequence Analysis Facility, Biology Division, Caltech --__--__-- _______________________________________________ Beowulf mailing list Beowulf at beowulf.org http://www.beowulf.org/mailman/listinfo/beowulf End of Beowulf Digest ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Notice: This e-mail message, together with any attachments, contains information of Merck & Co., Inc. (Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, USA) that may be confidential, proprietary copyrighted and/or legally privileged, and is intended solely for the use of the individual or entity named on this message. If you are not the intended recipient, and have received this message in error, please immediately return this by e-mail and then delete it. ==============================================================================


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What is Office 365?
Why Office 365?
For small and midsize businesses
For enterprise businesses
What is file sharing
One minute you're working on documents with colleagues nearby, and the next you're working with customers overseas on different files. No problem with Office in the cloud, which gives you lots of ways to store, organize, and share files with people inside and outside your organization. No headaches over version control, either. Your files are always up to date, so everyone can access the latest master copy.
Create a new team folder from Outlook easily, without IT, to help teams get to what they need fast.
With 1 TB of personal document storage, you can store files online so you can access them anywhere, from your PC, tablet, or phone.
When you store files online in your personal document storage, you can easily share them inside and outside your organization, sync them, and control access.
You need to share files, with people inside your company and outside it, and you need to do it simply and with confidence. With Office 365 you can share documents efficiently, while still being able to control who can see and edit each file. You can create, edit, and review documents with others in real time, too, which saves time and keeps everything in sync. With this kind of support for collaboration, you can keep projects moving ahead.
Invite people outside your organization to access files online. You control who gets to see and edit what. Easily add, respond to, and track comments and status updates.
Enterprise plans include social networking to enhance collaboration and spark innovation. Get updates on docs and sites delivered automatically.
No need to hunt down the document a colleague or partner shared with you. You can find it fast with the Shared with me view in your personal online storage site.
Collaboration is the way business gets done today, but the challenge of collaboration is keeping everyone working together on the most recent version of a document. You know how much time is wasted when that doesn't happen. Office 365 gives you many different ways to help ensure that everyone can find exactly the files they need fast and that all team members are moving forward together.
Keep project emails and shared documents together in one place with a project-specific mailbox only team members can access, so no time is wasted searching for what you need.
Manage who has access to the team site. Automatic policies, rights protection, and archiving help safeguard your team assets.
Share ideas using blogs and wikis to build team unity and project momentum. To help track the progress of projects, you can assign tasks across a team and see them on a timeline.
We've developed plans to meet the unique needs of businesses of all sizes, from unified productivity and communication needs to advanced control and compliance capabilities.
To help you manage your changing business needs, we offer several Office-only options:
Get your questions answered and dig into more detail about what Office 365 can do for your business, what it includes, and how it works.


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Brewer Police Arrest Store Employee in Big Apple Robbery
Brewer police have arrested a second person in connection to a robbery at the Big Apple convenience store. It appears to have been an inside job with a store employee conspiring with Meghan Herbert of Bangor to stage the robbery.
Stephen Thoner, 37, is charged with felony theft. Police say Thoner was an employee at the store and planned the June 10th robbery with Meaghan Herbert of Bangor.
Police say Herbert entered the store, assaulted Thoner, and left with the money. She was identified as the robbery after a surveillance video was circulated to the media. Herbert was previously arrested and has been charged with robbery and drug trafficking.


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Appearances can be deceptive; this is not a series of previously unseen photographs of the young Sir Mick Jagger. Rather it is an homage to the Rolling Stones singer created exclusively by MR PORTER and New York fashion label, rag & bone.
"When we saw the musician and model, Jonatan Frenk, performing, we were struck by his likeness to the young Mick Jagger," explains Mr David Neville, who, with Mr Marcus Wainwright, founded rag & bone in 2002. "Mick is an iconic Brit and his style is awesome in the early pictures of the Stones. We were shooting on the streets of New York, so it was a play on the idea of England meets New York, which is what rag & bone is about."
The founders of rag & bone are themselves Brits in New York. Mr Neville and Mr Wainright both attended Wellington College, an English boarding school, before working in New York as, respectively, an investment banker
and a telecoms entrepreneur. In 2002, when they were in their late twenties, they decided to step into a completely new industry and set up a fashion label. "We didn't have any fashion training," remembers Mr Neville. "We just had a dream about making clothes and creating a brand. We started with jeans. We worked with a denim factory in Kentucky, which was a very authentic old American workwear producer." It was four years before rag & bone took off. "We worked out of our homes for quite a long time and bounced along the bottom - only in 2006 did we get our first office and our first employee," says Mr Neville. "It's good not to be packing UPS boxes anymore, but you have to experience that to be hungry enough to achieve your ambitions." With four stores in Manhattan, and a successful women's range alongside the men's range, it is safe to assume Mr Neville no longer deals with the courier company.
Instead he can enjoy the more creative side of his business, such as working with Radiohead singer Mr Thom Yorke on soundtracks for rag & bone fashion shows. "It's pretty amazing considering what a genius he is," says Mr Neville. "He composes music and puts together a soundtrack. We've made clothes for him in the past and he and Marcus are good friends." It's not the only example of rag & bone's involvement with music; Brooklyn band (although they're originally from Cincinnati) The National mentions the brand in the chorus of "Sorrow", the second song on last year's High Violet album.
None of this, according to Mr Neville, would have been possible if the brand wasn't based in New York. "The city is an extremely important part of rag & bone," he says. "We would never have been able to do this anywhere but here; there's a spirit of opportunity and encouragement; if you have a crack at it you have a chance of succeeding."


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Currently 3.47/512345 Rating: 3.5/5 (Total votes: 15)
Rating: 3.5/5 (Total votes: 15)
OMG! Button! - Thanks to the OMG! Button! application for Android you gain access to a wide range of funny Internet sound memes. All of them are sound files, each assigned to a specific button. You can also use "Favorite" function, to select buttons you enjoy the most and have them instantly ready when you need them.
What's New in This Release:
· 10 new sounds
What's New in 1.8.1:
· 15 new sounds
What's New in 1.8.1:
· 11 new sounds
What's New in 1.7.5:
· 5 new sounds
· Removed xmas sounds
· Rate application button on info tab added.
What's New in 1.7.0:
· 5 Christmas sounds
· 14 new sounds
· Add APP2SD feature
What's New in 1.6.0:
· Added OMG! Button! WIDGET feature.
· Removed looped sound feature - to many persons doesn't know how to stop the sound.
· Added donation button. After make donation ads in you app will be removed.
What's New in 1.3.1:
· Bond, James Bond!
· Get to the Chopper!
· Hide Yo kids!
· I'll be back!
· You are so domb!


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Maybe having an extra week of training camp isn't a good thing, after all.
During the first practice of the Cowboys' 2013 training camp, which started two weeks to the day before the Hall of Fame game, defensive end Tyrone Crawford was carted off with a lower leg injury, according to multiple reports from the team's training camp in Oxnard, California.
According to Calvin Watkins of ESPNDallas.com, Crawford "banged his fist to the ground" in frustration while receiving medical attention.
The specific nature or severity of the injury isn't yet known. If Crawford, a third-round pick in 2012, misses significant time, it'll hamper the team's ability to shift from a 3-4 defense to a 4-3. Though roughly the same height as starters DeMarcus Ware and Anthony Specer, Crawford's listed weight of 285 outweighs each of them by more than 20 pounds.
Crawford's injury comes after defensive tackle Jay Ratliff strained a hamstring during a Sunday conditioning test. He'll have an MRI, and he'll remain on the physically unable to perform list until cleared to practice.
If Crawford's injury is severe, the Cowboys likely will carry him on the 90-man roster until able to shift him to injured reserve without subjecting him to waivers.


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Man and his symbols shows us great ways to use life" />
Testing Times has contains a large amount of symbolism that can be seen below. By gaining an idea about Testing Times and the associations it has we gain a more intuitive insight into its meaning.Man and his symbols shows us great ways to use lifes symbols to understand our inherit nature and purpose.
When Saturn goes retrograde it is a good time to revisit our relationship, work on long term goals, responsibilities and duties, is a time to restructure the way we manifest our reality, and find a...read more
Pluto retrograde in transit is a regular cycle lasting five months every year. As with all outer planets, it causes less concern than the rarer inner planet retrogrades. When Pluto goes retrograde ...read more
Venus in Aries indicates an impulsive, passionate, extrovert and bold romantic nature. There is a need for constant variety in both your romantic and social lives. You make friends easily and are f...read more
In Taurus, the Sun is methodical, sensual, and receptive. The Sun in Taurus is most active when it is defending or resisting things! As the Sun moves through Taurus when plants take root, our...read more


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Resources >> Browse Articles >> Job Search
Resources >> Browse Articles >> Salary Guides
5 Best States for Nursing Jobs
NursingLink.com and Careervoyages.gov
In order to find solutions to the nursing worker shortage, Pennsylvania created the Pennsylvania Center for Health Careers. The center tackles ways to fill the current 17,000+ job openings in the healthcare field. The Center has worked to increase educational opportunities, create career ladders and retain nurses. There is an estimated need for 128,100 RNs, 43,350 LPNs and 37,500 CNAs by the end of 2016. That is a total of 208,950 nursing-related jobs that will need filling in the next eight years.
Pennsylvania Nursing Jobs: Search >>
Nursing Salaries in Pennsylvania: Find Out >>
Network: Find NursingLink Members in Pennsylvania >>
Campus or Online Programs – Featured Opportunity
Do you enjoy working with people and helping them feel better? When you pursue a degree in nursing, you can learn how to help people get healthy and stay healthy.
Get more information


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Title: Caregiver/Home Health Aide
Job Category: Direct Care/Operations
Line of Business:
ResCare-Helping people live their best life.
Most jobs are about punching a clock, but at ResCare HomeCare, you can work for more than just a paycheck and make a difference while making a living. As a ResCare HomeCare Caregiver, you can be a hero every day and be a part of our compassionate team of people working for a common purpose to make a real difference in people's lives.
We are looking for people who want to join in our commitment to help others live their best lives. If that's your passion, apply now to work at ResCare HomeCare as a Caregiver, CNA or Home Health Aide.
We are one of the nation's largest health and human services and privately-owned home care companies in the U.S. We work in thousands of communities, helping more than 2 million people a year to stay in their homes, remain independent and live their best life.
We are proud of our employees. And we are proud that we are helping people live their best life – it is what we do every day.
Come join us.
Provide various personal caregiving services in accordance with an established plan of care. Provide for the personal needs and comfort of people in their own homes.
Your responsibilities:
Specific Requirements
Additional Information
ResCare offers a number of benefits to full-time employees including, but not limited to: medical, dental, vision, disability, life, and tuition reimbursement. All employees age 21 and older are eligible to participate in the 401(k) retirement savings plan.
ResCare also offers competitive pay based on experience, flexible work schedules, and will work to match you with cases close to your home.
ResCare is an Equal Opportunity Employer. ResCare does not discriminate against any person on the basis of gender, race, color, national origin, religion, disability, age, veteran status, gender identity or sexual orientation in admission, treatment, or participation in its programs, services and activities, or in employment, or on the basis of gender in its health programs and activities.
120 North Thomas Street , Baxley, GA 31513 USA


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In the Name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Does Quran misguide?
[7:146] I will divert from My revelations those who are arrogant on earth, without justification.Consequently, when they see every kind of proof they will not believe. And when they see the path of guidance they will not adopt it as their path, but when they see the path of straying they will adopt it as their path. This is the consequence of their rejecting our proofs, and being totally heedless thereof.
Quran is a unique book, full of miracles, full of guidance and full of light. One of the unique characters of the Quran is that while it is a book of guidance to the sincere believers it would misguide those who are not sincere in seeking the truth. The Quran has been proven beyond doubt to be the word of God as we can see in its mathematical miracle of the Quran. Even this miracle has been reserved for the sincere believers and others cannot see it.
[2:118] Those who possess NO KNOWLEDGE say, "If only God could speak to us, or some miracles could come to us!" Others before them have uttered similar utterances; their minds are similar. WE DO MANIFEST THE MIRACLES FOR THOSE WHO HAVE ATTAINED CERTAINTY.
[83:18-21] Indeed, the book of the righteous will be in `Elleyyeen. Do you know what `Elleyyeen is? A numerically structured book. To be witnessed by those close to Me.
Throughout the Quran God teaches us that His Glorious book, the Quran, will guide some and misguides others. This is is no more than God fulfilling His promise to give the humans what they asked for, take the full responsibility to choose freely and decide to accept Him or not.
[33:72] We have offered the responsibility (freedom of choice) to the heavens and the earth, and the mountains, but they refused to bear it, and were afraid of it. But the human being accepted it; he was transgressing, ignorant.
We should not be taken by surprise when we find others reading the same verses or read about the miracle of the Quran and get nothing out of them or even get the opposite understanding. It is God's system, "No compulsion in religion" 2:256
We all know that there are over 1.5 billion Muslims around the world who read the same Quran that we read but most of them get nothing out of it or get a distorted meaning and understanding supported by corrupted scholars or terrorists who are misguided because they chose to ignore God's teaching in the Quran and go after man-made books like the books of Hadiths and Sunna.
The following verses show the proof that Quran misguides those who choose not to find th truth and end being misguided.
[17:82] We send down in the Quran healing and mercy for the believers. At the same time, it only increases the wickedness of the transgressors.
[2:26] GOD does not shy away from citing any kind of allegory, from the tiny MOSQUITO and greater. As for those who believe, they know that it is the truth from their Lord. As for those who disbelieve, they say, "What did GOD mean by such an allegory?" He misleads many thereby, and guides many thereby. But He never misleads thereby except the wicked,
[5:64] The Jews even said, "GOD's hand is tied down!" It is their hands that are tied down. They are condemned for uttering such a blasphemy. Instead, His hands are wide open, spending as He wills. For certain, your Lord's revelations to you will cause many of them to plunge deeper into transgression and disbelief. Consequently, we have committed them to animosity and hatred among themselves until the Day of Resurrection. Whenever they ignite the flames of war, GOD puts them out. They roam the earth wickedly, and GOD dislikes the evildoers.
[5:68] Say, "O people of the scripture, you have no basis until you uphold the Torah, and the Gospel, and what is sent down to you herein from your Lord." For sure, these revelations from your Lord will cause many of them to plunge deeper into transgression and disbelief. Therefore, do not feel sorry for the disbelieving people.
[16:9] GOD points out the PATHS, including the wrong ones. If He willed, He could have guided all of you.
[76:3] We showed him the two PATHS, then, he is either appreciative, or unappreciative.
[90:10] Did we not show him the two PATHS?
Numerically Structured Books:
[83:7] Indeed, the book of the wicked is in Sijjeen.
[83:8] Do you know what Sijjeen is?
[83:9] A numerically structured book.
[83:10] Woe on that day to the rejectors.
[83:11] They do not believe in the Day of Judgment.
[83:12] None disbelieves therein except the transgressor, the sinful.
[83:13] When our revelations are recited to him, he says, "Tales from the past!"
[83:14] Indeed, their hearts have become shielded by their sins.
[83:15] Indeed, they will be isolated, on that day, from their Lord.
[83:16] Then they will be thrown into Hell.
[83:17] They will be told, "This is what you used to deny."
[41:44] If we made it a non-Arabic Quran they would have said, "Why did it come down in that language?" Whether it is Arabic or non- Arabic, say, "For those who believe, it is a guide and healing. As for those who disbelieve,they will be deaf and blind to it, as if they are being addressed from faraway."
[17:45-46] When you read the Quran, we place between you and those who do not believe in the Hereafter an invisible barrier. We place shields around their minds, to prevent them from understanding it, and deafness in their ears. And when you preach your Lord, using the Quran alone, they run away in aversion.
[18:57] Who are more evil than those who are reminded of their Lord's proofs, then disregard them, without realizing what they are doing. Consequently, we place shields on their hearts to prevent them from understanding it (the Quran), and deafness in their ears. Thus, no matter what you do to guide them, they can never ever be guided.
[56:79] None can grasp it Quran) except the sincere.
[3:7] He sent down to you this scripture, containing straightforward verses - which constitute the essence of the scripture - as well as multiple-meaning or allegorical verses. Those who harbor doubts in their hearts will pursue the multiple-meaning verses to create confusion, and to extricate a certain meaning. None knows the true meaning thereof except GOD and those well founded in knowledge. They say, "We believe in this - all of it comes from our Lord." Only those who possess intelligence will take heed.


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With gas prices on the rise across the country and around the world, automotive manufacturers are retooling their vehicles to perform better. How far are some auto manufacturers willing to go to stretch a gallon of gas?
The 2011 New York International Auto Show rolls into town this year with more fuel-efficient vehicles across the market, giving buyers an array of choices to choose from. Whether it is a turbo diesel SUV or an electric hybrid sedan, they are trying to offer something for everyone at this year's show.
Here are some highlights from this year's New York International Auto Show (NYIAS).
By Jonathan Li and Elizabeth Rocklin
Posted 21 April 2011


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No. 1 UConn routs No. 4 Louisville 81-64
Storrs - Louisville, facing UConn for the first time since last season's national championship game in New Orleans, pared the lead to five points with the first half winding down Sunday afternoon at Gampel Pavilion.
Then the ball wound up in the hands of UConn's Breanna Stewart. Twice.
Stewart, who was Most Outstanding Player at the Final Four as the Huskies earned their eighth national title, picked up where she left off against the Cardinals.
She hit two straight 3-pointers to push UConn's lead back to nine with 4 minutes, 28 seconds to go in the half, one of them spinning toward the basket and off-balance, and finished with 24 points, 10 rebounds, six assists and two blocked shots to lift the top-ranked Huskies past No. 4 Louisville 81-64 before a sellout crowd of 10,167.
"She's a special player," Louisville coach Jeff Walz said. "There's no question she's the best player in the country, in my opinion. We had back-to-back situations where we allow her to pull up (behind) the free throw line and shoot it. She hits back-to-back 3s."
"(In the second half), she had the ball right in front of me one time," UConn coach Geno Auriemma said of Stewart, a 6-foot-4 sophomore forward. "I wanted us to use some clock. She jumped up and hit a 3."
Moriah Jefferson finished with a career-high 18 points and five assists for the Huskies (25-0, 12-0 American Athletic Conference), while Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis had 13 points and Stefanie Dolson and Bria Hartley 12 each.
Mosqueda-Lewis hit the floor hard after having a shot blocked with 18.7 seconds left in the first half and went straight to the training room. She returned to the game briefly in the second half, attempting and missing just one shot before returning to the bench. Auriemma said the injury didn't appear to be as severe as the one to Mosqueda-Lewis' right elbow earlier in the year which caused her to miss eight games, but said the more recent injury would be evaluated.
Louisville, led by 18 points and eight rebounds from Asia Taylor, is 23-2, 11-1 in the AAC, coming into the game against UConn with 16 straight victories, the longest winning streak in school history.
UConn topped Louisville in last year's national title game 93-60, getting 23 points and nine rebounds from Stewart.
Auriemma said Stewart is "not even the same person that was playing a year ago at this time," speaking of her ability to shake off a bad play and come back with a great one.
"She scores 'em and exactly when you need 'em," Auriemma said. "It's like a guy who hits two home runs in the eighth inning when you're up 12-3. She hits three-run homers when we're down two. That's what makes her different."
Stewart is leading the team with an average of 19.8 points per game, adding 8.0 rebounds per game, second only to Dolson, the Huskies' All-America center.
Because of her height, Stewart is also a tough matchup for teams inside, following a 3-pointer in the second half against Louisville with a lob from Jefferson over the defense that resulted in a layup. Once again, a Stewart scoring spree stretched the UConn lead from seven to 52-40 with 14:37 remaining.
"You can tell when a team is trying to swing the momentum their way," Stewart said, told that Auriemma labeled her as clutch. "I think you do take a lot of pride in that. As a basketball player, any player would want the ball in their hands in a big moment. … At that point, I wanted the ball."
Asked about the off-balance 3, a play which started with her back to the basket, Stewart said: "I was faking the handoff. She wasn't up on me on the handoff, so I knew that when I turned around I would have room."
The Huskies limited Louisville leading scorer Shoni Schimmel (17.9 points per game prior to Sunday) to nine points. The Cardinals were also playing without starting guard Bria Smith (9.4 ppg) for the seccond straight game due to a knee injury.
UConn plays at South Florida next Sunday. The Huskies meet Louisville again in the final game of the regular season March 3 in Louisville.
Kushner says Mueller investigation was 'more harmful' to U.S. than Russian election interference


text: "Robert G. Brown" wrote: > > The big question is: Why telnet? Why any of the ftpd/httpd's? What is > wrong with just running something at least approximately secure like > sshd and entering your remote commands as (e.g.) > > ssh filehost ls -alF /path/to/files > ssh filehost cat /path/to/files/thisfile > > or > > scp filehost:/path/to/files/thisfile . > > This is at least modestly secure, provides something approximating > access control, and of course enables all sorts of OTHER work to be done > that e.g. tftp does not. Probably the most useful command I have on my small cluster is this simple shell script: #!/bin/sh for junk in `cat /root/worksystems.txt` ; do echo ${junk}: ssh ${junk} $1 echo ' ' done Distribute root's public key to the nodes, and it provides a way to get any output you want from the remote nodes. Combine it with this script: #!/bin/sh for junk in `cat worksystems.txt` ; do echo ${junk}: scp $1 ${junk}:$2 echo ' ' done and I can do just about all of my system administration via a shell script. Andrew Leahy --- [This E-mail scanned for viruses by Declude Virus]


text:
Germany's finance minister has called for a "two-step approach" towards European banking union, writing that a limited "timber-framed" union, set up without changing European treaties, would buy time to create a future "steel-framed" union.
In an opinion piece for the Financial Times, Wolfgang Schaeuble wrote that today's EU treaties provide a foundation for the new single banking supervisor but not for a central resolution authority to restructure or wind up failed banks.
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"As the rescue of Cyprus has shown, we need predictability about when shareholders and creditors - and in what order - would be called upon to bail in or wind up a bank," he wrote.
In June last year European Union leaders committed to a banking union but since then deep cracks have emerged in the visions they have of the scheme, with Germany in particular raising doubts about its overall feasibility.
While the first step - to create a single bank supervisor under the ECB - looks set to be in place by mid-2014, a second pillar, a "resolution" agency and fund to close failed banks, is in doubt. And there is little prospect that a third leg, a single deposit guarantee scheme, will ever see the light of day.
"Limited treaty changes would not just provide a safe legal base for a European resolution authority; they could create a better separation between supervision and monetary functions in the ECB," Schaeuble wrote.
"Amending the treaties takes time. Luckily, the alternative is not between a legally shaky resolution authority now and the postponement of repair work on the banks."
A two-step approach, he continued, could start with a resolution mechanism based on a network of national authorities.
"Instead of a single European resolution fund - which the industry would take many years to fill - such a model would lean on national funds, which already exist in several member states," he wrote.
"A banking union of sorts can thus be had without revising the treaties ... this would be a timber-framed, not a steel-framed, banking union. But it would serve its purpose and buy time for the creation of a legal base for our long-term goal: a truly European and supranational banking union."
Group of Seven finance officials meeting in Britain agreed on Saturday to redouble efforts to deal with failing banks.
(Reporting by Alexandra Hudson; editing by Andrew Roche)


text:
|Check Please Francie silkstone doll in Style Setters fashion
and vintage bend-leg Francie doll in Corduroy Cape fashion
'Style Setters' is one of the first Francie fashions I got years ago. I had purchased a Hair Happenins Francie doll dressed in it. When I took it off the doll, I had such a hard time putting the stockings back on her again. It's frayed so much around the sock openings that I dare not put them back on a doll unless it has hard legs, hence, the silkstone Francie.
'Corduroy Cape' is my latest Francie fashion acquisition. Just got it in the mail about a month ago. This one is in excellent condition and seems unused.
Both are such fun, as to be expected from most, if not all, of the vintage Francie fashions. Plus, I'm loving the shades of blue!
Happy Friday!


text:
Cralert is Windows Phone 8 app that lets you post questions concerning entertainment events to a social network and crowd source the answers.
The questions range from when the latest video game is going to be released to finding out information about a local concert. You can pose the questions, answer the questions or up/down vote correct answers. Cralert has possibilities but needs a little more audience participation to get off the ground.
The layout for Cralert is rather direct with the main page listing links to the top questions, new questions, your alerts and your posts. While you can search for events by keyword, there's no means to list all the questions in any order (chronological, by subject, etc.). Viewing content doesn't require membership but to participate you'll need to register with Cralert (free).
In viewing the questions, you'll have options to offer up your answer, add a reminder or up/down vote the responses others have offered up. Live tile support is present to let you pin questions to your Start Screen with alerts on any new answers that may appear.
While the concept has potential Cralert's success is dependent on audience participation. Much like any other Q&A forum, if nobody is asking or answering questions the forum will quickly become stale. Granted Cralert is barely a month old, it has had the same five questions up for a few days. Right now, Cralert is beginning to gather a little dust.
However, if interest builds, I can see Cralert being a source of information on concert dates, ticket availability, local sporting events information and other entertainment questions and answers.
Cralert is a free app for your Windows Phone 8 device that you can find here in the Windows Phone Store.


text:
Instructions: Click the "Play" button and listen to the recording. Then write the words you hear in the correct blank.
Ronald: Yes, I'd like to make an appointment to see Dr. Carter, please.
Receptionist: Is this your first (1)?
Ronald: Yes it is.
Receptionist: Okay. Could I have your name please?
Ronald: Yes. My name is Ronald Schuller.
Receptionist: And may I (2) who referred you to our office?
Ronald: Uh, I drove past your office yesterday.
Receptionist: Okay. How about the day after tomorrow on Wednesday at 4:00 O'clock?
Ronald: Uh. Do you happen to have an (3) in the morning? I usually pick up my kids from school around that time.
Receptionist: Okay. Um . . . how about Tuesday at 8:00 A.M. or Thursday at 8:15 A.M.?
Ronald: Uh, do you have anything (4), like 7:30?
Receptionist: No. I'm sorry.
Ronald: Well, in that case, Thursday would be fine.
Receptionist: Okay. Could I have your phone number please?
Ronald: It's 643-0547.
Receptionist: Alright. And what's the (5) of your visit?
Ronald: Uh . . .
Receptionist: Yes sir.
Ronald: Well, to tell the truth, I fell from a (6) two days ago while painting my house, and I sprain my ankle when my foot landed in a paint can. I (7) a few scratches on my hands and knees, but I'm most concerned that the swelling in my ankle hasn't gone down yet.
Receptionist: Well, did you put ice on it immediately after this happened?
Ronald: Well yeah. I just (8) the paint can with ice and . . .
Receptionist: And so after you removed the paint can . . . Sir, sir, Mr. Schuller, are you still there?
Ronald: Well that's part of the (9). Uh, the paint can is still on my foot.
Receptionist: Look, Mr. Schuller. Please come in today. I don't think your (10) can wait.
Score =


text:
We're your source of Judaic Needlecraft designs for Needlepoint, Stamped Cross-Stitch, Counted Cross-Stitch, Embroidery, Crochet, Knitting, Quilting and more.
Our popular Needlepoint designs are available as both Canvas Only (for those of you who prefer to select your own thread or yarn) and Complete Kits (includes hand painted canvas, Pearl cotton or Persian wool, needle, threader, and instructions).
Planning to stitch a needlepoint tallis bag for your child or grandchild soon? Select from over 100 needlepoint tallis bag kits for both boys and girls, many with matching tallis collars, yarmulkes, and tfillin bags.
If this is your first time visiting Crafty Needle, start with selecting the "Browse the Store" button or selecting the Categories or the Crafts buttons on the left menu bar. This will give you an overview of our products. You can also use the "Search" box above to type in a word or phrase. The search function will search the names and descriptions of items in our product database.
We ship anywhere in the world
Crafty Needle | Promote Your Page Too


text:
MartinM needed a new other design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 25 designs submitted by 7 freelance designers.
We provide ASP/SaaS Web Service for time tracking.
non-tech-savvy blue-collar workers
* a mock of the form whose design we want is at: http://eisler.vps.kotisivut.com/HourReport.xls
* web2.0 style or Glossy "apple style", fresh, youthful, something original
* appealing and easy-to-use for the non-tech-savvy blue-collar worker
* professional (=quality impression) and intuitive to use but not boring, can be fun
* Centered and optimized for 1024x768 screens, not too tall
* The table must be a html table
* columns begin, end, and lunchbreak are editable form <input> textfields
* Nice-to-have: Sliced HTML/CSS/js that validates with DTD "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN"
* Working html & css and any necessary images to make it work.
* If you submit only the design, we need all the separate images to make the html ourselves.
* Full ownership of the copyright of the winning entry.
* All text elements in pure text, not images. If we need to change the text on a link or button, we must not need a graphics program or a graphics artist.


text:
Definitions of sled
n. - A vehicle on runners, used for conveying loads over the snow or ice; -- in England called sledge. 2
n. - A small, light vehicle with runners, used, mostly by young persons, for sliding on snow or ice. 2
v. t. - To convey or transport on a sled; as, to sled wood or timber. 2
The word "sled" uses 4 letters: D E L S.
Direct anagrams of sled:
dels elds
Words formed by adding one letter before or after sled (in bold), or to dels in any order:
a - dales deals lades lased leads e - deles f - delfs g - gelds gleds i - deils delis idles isled sidle slide l - dells m - melds n - lends o - doles lodes soled s - sleds t - delts u - duels dulse leuds ludes slued v - velds w - welds y - lysed
Shorter words found within sled:
de del ed eds el eld els es led sel
List shorter words within sled, sorted by length
Words formed from any letters in sled, plus an optional blank or existing letter
List all words starting with sled, words containing sled or words ending with sled
All words formed from sled by changing one letter
Other words with the same letter pairs: sl le ed
Browse words starting with sled by next letter
Previous word in list: sleazy
Next word in list: sledded
Some random words: muenster joe luau wheal lea leben eager
This is not a dictionary, it's a word game wordfinder.
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text:
On Thursday, gold (NYSEARCA:GLD) futures for December — the most active contract — fell $12.10 to close at $1,324.10 per ounce, while silver (NYSEARCA:SLV) futures declined 12 cents to finish at $21.77.
Both precious metals received selling pressure as the U.S. Department of Commerce's third estimate of second-quarter gross domestic product leaves the picture of United States economic growth from April to June unchanged at an annual rate of 2.5 percent. Furthermore, the department said inflation remains muted.
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After rising at a 2.3 percent rate in the first quarter, spending slowed to a 1.8 percent growth pace in the last quarter. Incomes have failed to rebound since the end of the recession, and stagnating incomes mean Americans are more likely to keep discretionary spending to their immediate needs, posing a clear problem for economic growth. Consumer spending accounts for approximately 70 percent of the economy.
Due to the sluggish economy, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis President Narayana Kocherlakota believes the central bank should be more aggressive with stimulus measures and do "whatever it takes."
"Doing whatever it takes in the next few years will mean something different," he said. "It will mean that the FOMC is willing to continue to use the unconventional monetary policy tools that it has employed in the past few years. Indeed, it will mean that the FOMC is willing to use any of its congressionally authorized tools to achieve the goal of higher employment, no matter how unconventional those tools might be. Moreover, doing whatever it takes will mean keeping a historically unusual amount of monetary stimulus in place — and possibly providing more stimulus."
By the end of the trading day, shares of the SPDR Gold Trust (NYSEARCA:GLD) fell 0.80 percent, while the iShares Silver Trust (NYSEARCA:SLV) declined 0.30 percent. Gold miners (NYSEARCA:GDX) Barrick Gold (NYSE:ABX) and Yamana Gold (NYSE:AUY) dropped 0.80 percent and 2.5 percent, respectively.
Don't Miss: 5 Reasons Why You Don't Feel Wealthier
Follow Eric on Twitter @Mr_Eric_WSCS
If you would like to receive professional analysis on miners and other precious metal investments, we invite you to try our premium service free for 14 days.
Disclosure: Long EXK, AG, HL, PHYS


text:
The Northwest Green Home Primer
Targeted for lay people, to show that anyone can make 'green home' decisions, even on a budget.
Seattle Downtown Examiner
Everyone can make green home decisions on a budget with this inspiring, information-packed guide. Whether you are building, remodeling, buying, or just curious, here are real-world strategies for getting the greenest results from your budget, with hundreds of ideas for a home that is built to last, comfortable and healthy, money- and time-saving in the long term, and kind to the planet.
What shade of green is right for you, your resources, schedule, and setting, and how can you achieve it? What questions should you ask? What approaches and resources are best for the Northwest? From your home's exterior to its operating systems within, from siting to interior design, this is the basic training that has given many the confidence to proceed.
Award-winning sustainable design and building consultant and teacher Kathleen O'Brien and architectural designer and sustainability consultant Kathleen Smith offer their "top picks" for each phase. Their perspective is both down-to-earth and cutting edge. They've also each faced their own green home challenges in a single family house and a duplex, and other case studies show affordable energy-efficient green homes both old and new.
Brimming with ideas, clear and logical, with tips, checklists, and resources for green home planning, construction, remodeling, and maintenance, extensively illustrated with photos and diagrams, this is the essential green home manual for novice and professional alike.
- Format: Paperback
- Pages: 304 pp.
- Book dimensions: 8 x 9 in. (230 x 205 mm.)
- Images: 142 b/w photos, 46 line drawings
- Product code: 682797
Book preview
Want to see inside the book?View book preview.
Media reviews
"The tone of the book is targeted for lay people, to show that anyone can make 'green home' decisions, even on a budget. The book provides guidance and resources for people buying, building, or remodeling a green home, providing a unique perspective that includes an in-depth description of the process of getting a green home."
—Carolyn Hamilton Proctor, Seattle Downtown Examiner
This book is no longer available
Unfortunately, we don't have any copies of this book for sale.


text:
The biggest and best solar eclipse in American history is coming soon to a sky near you.
On Aug. 21, a total solar eclipse will be visible from coast to coast. It will be the first total eclipse visible only in the USA since the country's founding in 1776.
Here's everything you need to know about the spectacular event:
What is a solar eclipse?
A solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the sun and the Earth. The moon appears to completely cover the disk of the sun. By blocking the sun's light, the moon casts a shadow that turns day into an eerie twilight here on Earth. Eclipses occur because of the special coincidence of the moon and the sun being the same size to our eyes. The sun is 400 times wider than the moon, but it is also 400 times farther away, so they appear to be the same size in the sky.
When is the next solar eclipse?
The next total solar eclipse here in the U.S. will be on April 8, 2024, which will be visible from Texas to New England. More total eclipses in the U.S. will follow in 2044, 2045 and 2078. In other parts of the world, the next total solar eclipse will be visible in Chile and Argentina on July 2, 2019.
When was the most recent total solar eclipse?
In the U.S., it was on Feb. 26, 1979, in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and North Dakota, a day in which the weather was unfortunately "bleak." The August eclipse will be the first total solar eclipse that will be visible from coast to coast since June 1918. Elsewhere, the most recent total solar eclipse was in Indonesia on March 9, 2016.
Why is this called the "Great American Eclipse?"
This is the first total solar eclipse that's only visible in the U.S. and no other country. It will be the first total eclipse visible only in the USA since the country was founded in 1776.
Why is the total solar eclipse only visible in the U.S.?
Eclipses are only visible in parts of the world at any given time. This one just happens to be in the U.S.
What time is the solar eclipse?
It depends on where you live. The eclipse will start on the West Coast in Oregon and trace a 67-mile wide path east across the country, finally exiting the East Coast in South Carolina. The total eclipse begins in Oregon at 10:16 a.m. PDT. (To be the first person on land to see the eclipse, be on the waterfront at Government Point, Ore., at 10:15:56.5 a.m. PDT.) The total eclipse will end near Charleston, S.C., at 2:48 p.m. EDT.
How long will the solar eclipse last?
At any given location, the total eclipse will last for around 2 or 3 minutes. But from the beginning of the eclipse in Oregon to the end of the eclipse in South Carolina, the eclipse will last about an hour and a half.
Where is the "path of totality?"
The path, in which the moon's shadow sweeps across the Earth's surface, will cross parts of 12 states: Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina.
Some of the larger cities directly in the path include Nashville, Tenn.; and Greenville, Columbia and Charleston in South Carolina. Both Kansas City and St. Louis, Mo., are barely outside the path.
Smaller towns in the path include Salem, Ore.; Idaho Falls, Idaho; Casper, Wyo.; Grand Island and Lincoln, Neb.; St. Joseph and Columbia, Mo.; Bowling Green, Ky., Clarksville and Murfreesboro, Tenn.; and Anderson, S.C.
How "fast" is the eclipse?
The average speed of the moon's shadow as it crosses the U.S. is nearly 1,700 mph. That's over two times faster than a supersonic jet.
How many people will be able see the total eclipse?
An estimated 12 million people live within the path of totality. The number of people within just one day's drive of the totality zone is around 200 million.
What will I see during a total solar eclipse?
During a total solar eclipse, the disk of the moon blocks out the last sliver of light from the sun, and the sun's outer atmosphere, the corona, becomes visible. The corona isn't an indistinct haze; skywatchers report seeing great jets and ribbons of light, twisting and curling out into the sky.
What will happen during the total eclipse?
Plants and animals act as though night is falling, as flowers close up and birds return to roost. The temperature can drop 10 degrees or more.
Where will a partial solar eclipse be visible?
If you're not in the "path of totality," you'll still get a chance to see a partial eclipse, when only a part of the sun is blocked by the moon. A partial eclipse will be visible in all of North America, parts of South America, western Europe and Africa. While a partial eclipse is still cool, you won't notice your surroundings getting dark.
Could this be the most-viewed eclipse ever?
Astronomy magazine says yes, basing this proclamation on four factors: 1) The attention it will get from the media; 2) The superb coverage of the highway system in our country; 3) The typical weather on that date; and 4) The vast number of people who will have access to it from nearby large cities.
How can you look at the solar eclipse?
The only moment it's safe to look at the eclipse is during the 2-3 minutes when the sun is completely behind the moon. Before and after that — during the partial eclipse — special eclipse glasses, or welder's goggles, must be worn. That's because the sun's surface is so bright that if you stare at any portion of it, no matter how small, it produces enough light to permanently damage your retina. Our eyes never evolved to look at the sun without suffering severe damage. Regular sunglasses are also not safe to use.
Can you take a photo of the eclipse with your smartphone?
Yes, but the quality may be rather poor, as smartphones were never designed for sun and moon photography. The best thing to do is to cover the camera lens with a solar filter during the moments before (and after) the total eclipse when the sunlight is still blinding. Though it may be OK for a few moments, it's not wise to point your smartphone camera at the brilliant, un-eclipsed sun for an extended period of time without putting a filter over the lens. A telephoto lens system is absolutely a must-have for quality eclipse photography with a smartphone. Most of the best shots you'll see related of the eclipse will be taken with professional digital cameras on tripods, or shot through a telescope.
Will there be "eclipse tourists?"
Yes, the eclipse tourist hype is in full swing: Organizers of the Oregon SolarFest are calling it "a rare, mind-blowing cosmic experience," while Nashville promises visitors "a once-in-a-lifetime celestial event." Meanwhile, Carbondale, Ill., is promoting itself as the "Eclipse Crossroads of America," and Charleston, S.C., is planning a blues-and-barbecue harbor cruise during the eclipse.
Will traffic be bad on Aug. 21?
Yes, it could be one of the worst traffic days in U.S. history, some NASA representatives predict. Although about 12 million people live within the narrow band of totality, about 200 million reside within a day's drive of it. The agency has estimated that the population inside the path of totality may double on the day of the eclipse.
Why is the total solar eclipse only visible in the U.S.?
Eclipses are only visible in parts of the world at any given time. This one just happens to be in the U.S.
What cities have highest likelihood of clear viewing conditions?
Based on historical weather conditions, folks in Idaho, Wyoming and Nebraska will have the best chance of clear skies. Casper, Wyo., has an 88% chance of clear skies on Aug. 21.
What cities have highest likelihood of cloudy viewing conditions?
Both the Pacific and Atlantic coasts could see cloudy conditions. Increased cloud cover will also be possible as the eclipse travels across the country east of the Mississippi River. Both Nashville and Columbia have a 44% chance of clear skies.
Do solar eclipses affect humans?
No, there's no evidence that eclipses have any physical effect on humans. However, throughout history, eclipses have been known to produce profound psychological effects. For millennia, they were sometimes interpreted as portents of doom by virtually every known civilization.
How can "citizen scientists" participate in the eclipse?
NASA has many opportunities for amateur astronomers and lifelong learners to get in on the fun of doing science during the eclipse.
Why are solar eclipses so rare?
It takes three celestial bodies (the sun, moon and Earth), all of which are on various orbital paths, to line up in the exact way at the right time to create an eclipse. On average, a total eclipse is visible from any one spot on Earth about once every 375 years. In the U.S., it takes about 1,000 years for every geographic location in the Lower 48 to be able to view a total solar eclipse. So you must be in just the right place at just the right time to observe a total solar eclipse.
How are eclipses predicted?
Astronomers first must work out the geometry and paths of the Earth and moon as they orbit around the sun, mathematically figuring out the motions of each of the three bodies in three-dimensional space. Astronomers then feed the current positions and speeds of the Earth, moon and sun into a computer, programming it to calculate their future paths in relation to one another and what will be the view from the vantage point of us down here on Earth. Eclipses are specific predictions of where the three bodies will be at an exact time and place. Current eclipse forecasts are accurate to less than a minute in time.
What are some misconceptions about eclipses?
Here is a partial list of what total solar eclipses DON'T do: Emit harmful rays, affect pregnant women, poison food, predict bad events or foretell major life changes.
How many people have seen a total solar eclipse?
Fewer than 1 in 1,000 people has ever seen a total eclipse of the sun.
How many total solar eclipses are there each year?
There is one somewhere on Earth roughly every 18 months.
When was the first solar eclipse?
Solar eclipses have occurred for billions of years, but no one was here to see or record them. The earliest writings we have showing people paid attention to eclipses in any official way are around 5,000 years ago, based on some inscriptions on a monument in Ireland. Eclipses were also recorded in Ancient China, Babylonia, and Greece. In China, people would light fires or shoot arrows at the sun to try to make it catch fire again. After a total eclipse in 840, Emperor Louis of Bavaria was supposedly so terrified of the event that he died shortly afterwards.
What is an annular solar eclipse?
An annular eclipse occurs when the moon covers the sun's center, leaving the sun's visible outer edge to form a "ring of fire" or "annulus" around the moon.
What is a hybrid solar eclipse?
A hybrid eclipse shifts between a total and annular eclipse: At certain points on the Earth, it's a total eclipse, whereas at other points it appears as annular.
What is a lunar eclipse?
It's when the Earth gets in between the sun and the moon. The Earth's shadow is cast on the moon.
Sources: NASA, NOAA, Astronomy.com, AstronomyToday.com, Sky and Telescope, Space.com, "Get Eclipsed" by Pat and Fred Espenak.