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Two updates on the subject of insurance. First, likely a moot point already addressed by our compliant readership, but still interesting, from Thompson Hine: "Do you know your rule on malpractice insurance disclosure?" --
- "Only one jurisdiction in the nation — Oregon — requires lawyers to carry legal malpractice insurance. But all the other states have varying requirements about malpractice insurance and disclosing whether or not you carry it. Knowing the rule in your jurisdiction is vital to staying out of ethics trouble."
- The ABA's comprehensive state-by-state chart.
- "Ohio, for instance, is one of only seven jurisdictions that require lawyers (with certain exceptions) to inform a client directly if they do not carry a certain level of malpractice insurance. And Ohio lawyers who fail to communicate that fact to their clients have been reprimanded, and even suspended (at least when the failure to disclose is coupled with other misconduct). The other states with disclose-to-clients requirements are Alaska, California, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Pennsylvania and South Dakota."
- "Big Law is a big target for cyber thieves, experts warn. For starters, law firms are viewed by criminals as low-hanging fruit — because firms are perceived as having "relatively lax security as compared with their sophisticated corporate clients," said Roberta Anderson, a partner at K&L Gates, and co-founder of the firm's Cyber Law and Cybersecurity practice group."
- "Negligent acts, as well as internal and external hacktivists, are also typically covered — 'for example, an attorney mistakenly emailing a non-encrypted file full of Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act [HIPAA] information to a third party, and for an external event through a phishing attack and/or a rogue employee event,' said New York-based Joe DePaul, senior vice president, Finex North America Cyber and E&O team, Willis Americas Administration Inc."
- "'Thinking that cyber insurance policies are all the same and will automatically respond to any cyber event, regardless of the cause,' said Selby. 'The devil is in the details, and law firms should carefully consider their unique cyber risk profile and ensure that their cyber coverage provides adequate protection against those risks,' she said. Working with an experienced cyber broker, and possibly coverage counsel, is highly recommended.'"


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Arsenal a realistic option for €50m striker target
Brought to you by
Montpellier owner Louis Nicollin has ruled out selling Olivier Giroud to Newcastle United but admits the striker could join Arsenal.
The 25-year-old French international has attracted attention from a host of clubs across Europe after impressing in Ligue 1 with 13 goals already to his name this campaign.
Magpies boss Alan Pardew is understood to have targeted Giroud in January as a replacement for Modibo Maiga, after the Sochaux striker failed his St James' Park medical.
However, Gunners chief Arsene Wenger has also been credited with an interest in bringing Giroud to the Emirates Stadium, and may rival Newcastle for his signature.
Nicollin admits he is unsure how serious Arsenal are about signing Giroud, especially after he revealed the player is unlikely to leave Montpellier for less than €50million.
"Newcastle? They are too small for him," the supremo told RTL. "Arsenal? We must see if Arsene Wenger is interested because he has Van Persie.
"€10m? He won't go for that. Given that he still has more than two years left on his contract, he'll cost a lot more, either €50m [£41.7m] or €60m [£50m]."News Now - Sport News

subset: commoncrawl


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New York, the city that never sleeps, better known for it's concrete and hustle and bustle than for pastels and romance. But just try and pidgenhole this city! it is perfect as the backdrop for this soft and romantic inspiration shoot featuring this year's colors, Rose Quarts and Serenity.
Gown: Oceane | Photography: Olli Studio | Florals: Designs by Ahn | Hair and Makeup: Beautini by B. Lo | Invitation Designer: Bella Figura | Calligraphy: Designs Girl | Desserts: Cake Alchemy and Keyhole Doughnuts | Bridesmaids Dresses: Two Birds | Groom's Suit: Indochino
Happily Yours, CH


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Orange County Flooring by OC Carpet and More
The first thing we will consider together is which type of flooring you are interested in. If you have opted out of getting carpeting, tile, or stone flooring in your home, that leaves the choices other hard flooring types. OC Carpet and More offers hardwood, laminate, and linoleum flooring options depending on your preference and home style.
Hardwood Flooring in Orange County
Hardwood flooring is natural flooring that is made from wood materials. There are a number of options available for hardwood flooring including type of wood, wood finish or stain, etc.
There are also several advantages to choosing hardwood flooring. For example, if someone in your home has allergies, this option is hypoallergenic and very easy to clean. Hardwood floors also last longer than just about any other type of flooring as they can be refinished multiple times and keep their luster for even a hundred years or more!
Orange County Laminate Flooring Services
Laminate flooring is a synthetic material which can be designed to mimic a variety of materials such as wood, bamboo, and even stone.
You may ask yourself, why get a laminate when I can just get real wood or real stone? This is a great question – of course you can purchase "the real thing", and we offer it ALL! But for many laminate is a beautiful and cost-effective way to get the natural look without the "natural" price. Laminate is also easier to install and to maintain. It is not as vulnerable to water damage and other possible perils in the home from high traffic, little ones, big parties, etc.
Linoleum Flooring in Orange County, CA
Linoleum flooring is also synthetic and it is made from vinyl. The material is sold in sheets or in tiles, depending on the type and style. And several styles are available!
This type of flooring is definitely cost-effective and easy to maintain. It is extremely durable. And as we mentioned, it is available in so many colors, styles, patterns, etc. that almost any look is possible! Linoleum is often used in high traffic areas or in apartment buildings because of its ability to last a long time, and be more easily replaced.
Call OC Carpet and More for your Orange County Flooring Needs Today!
In Orange County, flooring is an important part of your home! Make sure you call the flooring experts at OC Carpet and More today to get your free in-home estimate on hardwood, laminate or linoleum for your home.


text: The Lone Tree paintings are of a solitary ponderosa pine, known as "Lone Tree," at the junction of Two Trails Road and Old Las Vegas Highway just east of Santa Fe, NM. It's a big tree with muscular branches and a thick trunk that smells of vanilla and butterscotch. It's also a geo-cache and, according to an old-timer who chatted me up while I was painting one day, was formerly home to an eagle. During my time in Santa Fe, it became a powerful presence and a welcome sight, a meeting place, and a creative inspiration.


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If Sunday school isn't exciting enough, take a trip to Kentucky. Ken Ham, who runs the Creation Museum, just finished building his magnum opus: Noah's Ark.
For the past six years, he's been planning and building a 510-foot-long, $102 million replica of the Ark from the bible. It just opened, and you can visit it in Williamstown, Kentucky.
Ham is a young Earth creationist who believes the Christian Bible is literal and universe is around 6,000 years old. "Ark Encounter," like the Creation Museum, is a landmark that's meant to advance that belief. It has lifelike models of dinosaurs, animals that still exist, and Noah and his family.
It's astonishingly detailed: take a look around.
One exhibit takes visitors through different flood legends. Young Earth Creationists believe that most dinosaurs died with the flood, but Noah saved a few. They also believe that dinosaurs may not be extinct.
Source: Answers in Genesis
Source: New York Times
Source: New York Times


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Plymouth Fisheries is celebrating its 20th anniversary since opening at custom-built new premises in Sutton Harbour as it is revealed turnover has risen by £17.95million in two decades, and last year was the most successful yet with auction sales up by 6.2 per cent.
The fish market – now the second largest in England – has revitalised the fishing industry in Plymouth since relocating to specially designed new premises in February 1995 following a substantial investment by owners Sutton Harbour Holdings plc.
Annual turnover has risen dramatically from £750,000 in 1994 when the market was based on the opposite side of Sutton Harbour, to £18.7million in 2014.
Plymouth Fisheries has become a key fisheries hub for the South West, sustaining over 600 direct and indirect jobs, and fish landed at other ports is often transported to be sold in Plymouth through the market's acclaimed electronic auction system, which was pioneered by Plymouth Trawler Agents to ensure a fairer deal for fishermen.
Today (Feb 24th), Plymouth Fisheries' managers, staff, local fishermen, key customers and supportive local businesses will gather at the market to celebrate the 20th anniversary with a drinks reception and the cutting of an elaborate 5-tier, fish-themed cake designed and created by students and staff at the nearby Plymouth School of Creative Arts.
Pete Bromley, Harbour Master and Manager of Plymouth Fisheries, said: "I was a fisherman myself for 20 years, and it was a cut-throat business with fishermen often sold short. When I joined Sutton Harbour Holdings in 1995 as Fisheries Manager, I worked closely with Dave Pessell of Plymouth Trawler Agents and our primary aim was to ensure local fishermen got a better deal.
"Fish landed at ports all over the South West is now regularly transported to be sold through Plymouth Fisheries because our auction system is so unique in ensuring fishermen can guarantee they'll receive a fair price for their catch, and up to 60 per cent of the 6,000 tonnes of fish sold in Plymouth every year arrives by road.
"Plymouth Fisheries has clearly made an enormous difference to both the fishing industry and the local economy, and we look forward to the future with ongoing investment by Sutton Harbour Holdings plc in upgrading and improving the fish market premises to ensure it remains one of the best places in the country to land – and to sell – a catch."
Last year was the best year yet for Plymouth Fisheries, with auction sales for fish landed during the period Jan 1st to Dec 31st 2014 up by 6.2 per cent on the previous year to £17,015,181. In addition, a further £1.7million of scallops and crabs were landed, along with some pelagic species sold directly to processors rather than through the auction. This brings the total turnover for 2014 to £18.7million.
Plymouth Fisheries also enjoyed its best ever month in 2014, with more fish landed in October than in any other month-long period since the market opened. Sales for October exceeded £2.14m, almost double the figure of £1.22 for the same month in 2013, which was thought to be the result of unseasonably warm autumn weather.
Sutton Harbour Holdings plc is investing in updating facilities at the fish market, with £30,000 announced at the end of 2014 to pay for a major upgrade of the external lighting systems, jointly funded by the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) through the European Fisheries Fund.
This followed a £1.2million investment in a new ice production and chilling facility, funded with £500,000 from the MMO, which opens officially in March 2015.The modern ice plant will provide an essential service for fishermen, ensuring Plymouth Fisheries can guarantee the provision of ice 24 hours a day.
Plymouth Fisheries also offers fuel and water on site from its base at the entrance to Sutton Harbour alongside the National Marine Aquarium. The fish market is open 24 hours a day – an arrangement pioneered by Pete Bromley in 1995 to enable fishermen to land a catch at any time of the day or night.
The facilities and access have helped ensure the success of Plymouth Fisheries when combined with the electronic auction system run by Plymouth Trawler Agents, which enables dealers to log in and bid online from anywhere in the world.
Dave Pessell, Managing Director of Plymouth Trawler Agents said: "The success of the fishing industry in Plymouth is a tribute to the unstinting support we receive from South West fishing boat owners, fishermen and merchants."
To help mark the 20th anniversary milestone, Plymouth Fisheries teamed up with the Plymouth School of Creative Arts, a mainstream school in Millbay sponsored by Plymouth College of Art which opened its primary phase in September 2013 and its secondary school in September 2014.
A group of year 7 students aged 11 and 12 from the school's active cookery club helped to design a commemorative cake, which was baked in the school kitchens by the school chef and acclaimed Plymouth cakemaker Lorna Roberts who works part-time as a teaching assistant at the school.
Lorna, who produces dramatic cakes for weddings and events through her business Ezziecakes, then brought her artistic talents to bear and decorated the 5-tier cake, basing her work entirely on pupils' designs.
Cakemaker Lorna Roberts said: "I was especially excited to work on this project with the students as my late father Ron was a fisherman, and I remember vividly going to the old market on the fish quay as a child and him sitting me on the fish scales so I could see everything. We always had a fridge full of bass and a sink full of crabs when I was growing up, and I knew first-hand what the realities of life were like for local fishermen.
"Things have changed so much in Plymouth in the last 20 years since the new fish market opened, and this project was a great opportunity to work with the students at Plymouth Creative School of Arts to help teach the next generation more about the fishing industry.
"The students were incredibly enthused about the project, drawing detailed images of fish which I've worked from to decorate the cake, amalgamating all of their ideas into the overall design."
Dave Strudwick, Headteacher of Plymouth School of Creative Arts, said: "Our school is based in Millbay opposite the docks and being so close to the sea means we regularly try to involve our students in learning more about the ocean and real-life industries like fishing, as part of teaching the children more about where food comes from.
"We were delighted to engage with Plymouth Fisheries on this exciting project to create an anniversary cake to help mark the 20th anniversary milestone."


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Fashion For Globe is a curated marketplace that connects independent designers and inspiring creative talent to retailers and manufacturers across the globe. We pride ourselves in discovery new talent, curating high quality designs as well as providing the resources and guidance necessary to take your talent to the next level.
Visit us at www.fashionforglobe.com for more information and to register as a designer member.


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South Fulton residents and businesses will have the opportunity to give their input about proposed fee increases for Fire and Rescue, Police, Planning and Zoning and other South Fulton services during an upcoming public hearing.
As residents string up the lights and ignite the candles, the Fulton County Department of Fire and Rescue encourages everyone to keep fire safety in mind.
The Fulton County Fire and Rescue Department is urging residents to take safety precautions when heating their home this fall and winter.
On Monday, December 13, 2010, the Atlanta Community Access Coalition-Corporation for National and Community Service Foster Grandparent Program participants will be recognized for their efforts. Participants of this program are seniors ages 55 and up. They take time out of their schedules to nurture disadvantaged or disabled youth.
The Atlanta Regional Commission has certified Fulton County as a "Green Community" based on its environmentally-friendly policies and practices.
Businesses currently located on Fulton Industrial Boulevard and those considering a move to FIB are invited to an Open House to learn about the recently created Opportunity Zone and how it can benefit their business.
The Open House is scheduled for Tuesday, December 7, 2010 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at 250 Great Southwest Parkway, Atlanta, GA 30336.
Fulton County's Office of Emergency and Transitional Housing needs volunteers during the holidays and throughout the year. Interested citizens can assist during the day or evening hours at Jefferson Place, Odyssey Villas and the City of Refuge.
Many Fulton County seniors have a new source for safe and reliable transportation with the launch of new Dial-a-Ride Transporation Services (DARTS).
Did you know that a person who is not a Law Enforcement Officer can apply for a Criminal Misdemeanor Arrest Warrant against another person?
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JERUSALEM — Avigdor Lieberman, the new foreign minister of Israel, was questioned by the national fraud squad for more than seven hours on Thursday, according to a police spokesman, as part of a longstanding investigation into suspicions of bribery, money laundering and breach of trust.
Also Thursday, a Palestinian wielding a pickax killed an Israeli boy, 13, and wounded another, 7, in a Jewish settlement in the West Bank before fleeing, witnesses and the Israeli authorities said.
Israeli officials said that the father of the wounded 7-year-old, Ofer Gamliel, is serving a 15-year prison term for planting a bomb outside a Palestinian girls' school in Jerusalem in 2002. But there was no evidence that the attack on the boy was retaliatory.
Mr. Lieberman caused an uproar on Wednesday, his first day as foreign minister, declaring in a blunt speech that Israel was not obligated to continue an American-backed peace effort with the Palestinians, started at a conference in Annapolis, Md., in late 2007.
The police spokesman, Micky Rosenfeld, said the interrogation did not come as a surprise but was coordinated with Mr. Lieberman several days in advance.Continue reading the main story
Mr. Lieberman is part of the new government led by Benjamin Netanyahu and his conservative Likud Party, which was sworn in late Tuesday. Mr. Lieberman leads the hawkish party, Yisrael Beiteinu, an important partner in the governing coalition and the third largest party in Parliament.
Critics of Mr. Lieberman were outraged at the outcome of the recent coalition negotiations, which put Yisrael Beiteinu in charge of the Ministry of Public Security, which is responsible for the police.
The new public security minister, Yitzhak Aharonovitch, is highly regarded as a former deputy commissioner of the national police. Nevertheless, police officials expressed surprise when Mr. Lieberman, the party chief, took the unusual step of turning up at Mr. Aharonovitch's inauguration ceremony on Wednesday.
The police have been investigating Mr. Lieberman's business dealings for 13 years, but he has never been charged. He has frequently railed against the police, accusing them of persecution.
Mr. Aharonovitch said Thursday that he had no intention of intervening in the investigations of public figures, and Mr. Lieberman's office said that he had fully cooperated with the police investigators.
The police spokesman said that the investigation was continuing and that Mr. Lieberman would be questioned again.
The teenager killed in Bat Ayin, a settlement south of Jerusalem, Shlomo Nativ, was attacked around midday outside a youth club about 50 yards from his home. Witnesses said he managed to reach the house, where he collapsed and died.
Several Palestinian groups claimed responsibility for the attack — among them Islamic Jihad and Al Aksa Martyrs Brigades, a militant group linked to the Fatah movement of the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas — but the authorities did not rule out the possibility that the assailant was acting alone.
"The new Israeli government will have a zero-tolerance policy toward these sorts of terrorist attacks and refuses to accept them as routine," said Mark Regev, a government spokesman. "The Palestinian government must both in word and in deed also have a zero-tolerance policy to demonstrate its commitment to peace and reconciliation."
Officials in the new government, which is dominated by right-wing and religious parties, have signaled a new approach toward the Palestinians, involving fewer Israeli concessions and more proof from the Palestinian side that it wants peace.
An official in the prime minister's office, who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly, noted that Mr. Abbas, the Palestinian president, had used "strong language" to attack Mr. Netanyahu on Wednesday, calling him a man who "does not believe in peace."
Instead of giving "fiery speeches," the Israeli official suggested, "perhaps Mr. Abbas and his people could do more to fight terrorism. There is clearly much to be done."
Bat Ayin, home to about a thousand Israelis, is in the Etzion settlement bloc. Israel intends to keep the area under any future peace accord with the Palestinians, who demand the whole of the West Bank as part of an independent Palestinian state.
Shocked residents of Bat Ayin wept and embraced one another in the aftermath of the attack. Daniel Kohn, the New York-born rabbi of the community, said by telephone that there was "on the one hand a great desire here for conciliation and peace in this land." But, he added, any peace would have to be based on "a very firm conviction of our place here."
Rabbi Kohn described the boy killed in the attack, whom he said he had known well, as "sweet and pure, very devoted spiritually, and involved in giving in private and modest ways."
Avinoam Maimon, 45, a resident of Bat Ayin, described how he struggled with the assailant and managed to disarm him before he escaped.
Shaul Goldstein, the leader of the regional Etzion council, said he hoped that the new government would reinstate money cut from the budget to help the army protect the residents of "Judea and Samaria," using the biblical name for the West Bank.Continue reading the main story


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I decided the other day to pull out my old consoles and see what works and what doesn't. Found out my Mario Kart 64 is broken which fucking sucks cause that is expensive to replace but anyways.
My NES. I bought it off a friend of a friend (like $20) 4 years ago or so. Never really played it except when my brother and his family was living with us for a few weeks while they were in the process of moving. During that time I could not get it to ever work, but him (growing up with one) got every game I own to work and relatively easy at that.
Anyways my experience with it so far is I got 2 games to work (YEAH!!!) but now it is back down to 1. SMB was the first game I tried and after a few minutes of the basics (blowing in the cart, up down up down, all that jazz) I got it to work and then I put in Tetris and got it work too. Super happy at that point. But since then it has been downhill. Tried Zelda (which has always been a problem), blinking grey. SMB 2 and 3, blinking grey. TMNT Arcade, blinking grey, so on. Went back to Tetris and it was doing the same. Eventually I got SMB to work again but now I can't get anything to work besides that.
Every game (except SMB) is either blinking grey or solid grey screen. I'm not sure if there is much of a difference between these screens but at least it is consistent. Are there any known fixes for this? Is it just as simple as cleaning the pins in the system? Is that fact that one game works consistently mean that the other carts are all fucked (which would be the worst most depressing thing)?
I've also been debating on just swapping out the 72 Pin with a new one. Sounds like that solves just about every problem no matter what. As someone who has never done anything with electronics, is this that hard to do? Anyone with first hand experience in doing this with any tips as I might end up just going down this road at some point.


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Hey kids, it's been a while so there's lots of good reading here for you:
- Queer comic heroes! The movie version of Deadpool will be pansexual (like he is in the comics), and Iceman, in a move that surprised (probably) no one, came out as gay! [The Mary Sue, The Advocate]
- Neko Atsume, the kitten collecting game I am obsessed with, is about the most wholesome thing imaginable, but "The Economics of Neko Atsume" makes it, amazingly, into a cat-controlled dystopia from which there is no escape. [The Billfold]
- "James Bond movies never deserved their Bond girls." [Buzzfeed]
- Here's the first episode of a web musical called Muzzled. It's about princesses who have enslaved their defeated foes and keep them from singing, and has some great talent from the likes of The Guild, The Lizzie Bennett Diaries, and, you know, Buffy.
- "Elves fuck, and dress better than you: what I learned in elf school in Reykjavik." I'll be leaving for Iceland shortly. [Jezebel's Flygirl]
- Fantasy archers are often portrayed in silly and inaccurate ways, and there is a whole tumblr devoted to that. [badarcherart.tumblr.com]
- Many people took part in a project to get every line from The Handmaid's Tale tattooed, and Margaret Atwood went to see the exhibit. [Tor]
- Tor also explores the nuances between horror and grimdark, a fantasy subgenre that focuses on violence and dystopian grittiness.
- Tor's usually great at media analysis, and this piece on Who Framed Roger Rabbit? is no exception, not least because of the way it looks at the film's female characters (and okay I might be feeling a bit guilty about objectifying Jessica Rabbit so hard in my last post).
- There's now a playable female version of Zelda's Link. Her name is Linkle but we'll forgive her that. [Kotaku]
- "The complete history of transgender characters in American comic books." This is part one of what will hopefully be a longer series. [Autostraddle]
- Watch the Girl Gamer Series by Fusion! So far they've tackled "who are girl gamers," "why do women make games," and "where are all the female heroines."
- Another good web series, Digging Deeper, has some great film analysis. They've got a video on the genre blending of Serenity, how It Follows is a typically American nightmare, and cars as metaphors of masculinity in Mad Max (I'm taking a literature and car culture class right now there is a lot to talk about).
- There's a Harry Potter-themed podcast called Witch, Please! It's done by Marcelle Kosman and Hannah McGregor and it's great.
- And and and before I leave you Jessica Jones is out and is fantastic! Seriously it does the film noir tortured gumshoe so well, and the writers deal with trauma and consent and the terrible horror of mind control so well, and Krysten Ritter does the anti-hero so well. Autostraddle called it an "awesomely, aggressively feminist superhero series" and Feministing was also very impressed with how the show dealt with trauma and recovery. Pretty much everyone is praising the show, in fact, including Jezebel and the Mary Sue.


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AutoForm Engineering, a leading supplier of software solutions for the sheet metal forming industry, has opened a new subsidiary office in Brazil. This office will focus on serving the Brazilian market, offering the full range of AutoForm products and services. In addition, AutoForm has appointed a new General Manager for its office in Germany.
AutoForm do Brasil Ltda.: Brazil's economy is booming and has become the largest in Latin America. AutoForm has recognized the importance of this economic expansion by establishing a new subsidiary office in São Bernardo do Campo, which is one of the most industrially developed regions in Brazil. Many automotive OEMs, such as Volkswagen, Ford, Scania, Toyota and Mercedes-Benz, as well as their suppliers have already established their presence in São Bernardo do Campo. The new office is headed by Fábio Henrique Vieira, General Manager, who has extensive experience in the metal stamping field and knows the Brazilian market. He and his knowledgeable team will cooperate closely with Brazilian customers to strengthen AutoForm's position in the Brazilian market.
A new General Manager in Germany: AutoForm has appointed a new General Manager, Christof Stech, for its office in Germany. Christof Stech joined AutoForm Engineering on February 1, with many years of experience in sales and general management. Throughout his career, he has worked for various well-known automotive suppliers and in his last position was responsible for the sales of entire Central European market. In his new position at AutoForm, Christof Stech will be responsible for driving the strategic growth of AutoForm Engineering Deutschland GmbH. He replaces Dr. Bart Carleer, who has been promoted to Corporate Technical Director for the AutoForm Group.
Dr. Volker Steininger, COO of AutoForm Engineering, stated: "We are delighted that we are able to expand our expertise in sheet metal forming and be actively present in Brazil, which is currently in an important phase of economic expansion. Our customers in this region can now benefit from our new experienced team located in São Bernardo do Campo. We are also delighted that Christof Stech has joined AutoForm Engineering in Germany in the position of General Manager. His extensive experience in business and management will further strengthen and expand AutoForm's recognized position in the German market."
Mar 30, 2011
AutoForm Opens a New Subsidiary Office in Brazil and Appoints a New General Manager in Germany
Filed under: Appointments, AutoForm
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If you're thinking about going down the tablet route in your school, you might like to attend the Tablets for Schools conference on Monday 9th December. I've had a look at the agenda and it looks quite interesting. It features a mixture of academic research and the experiences of schools that have adopted tablets.
Microsoft is giving a Surface tablet computer to each of the first 300 schools to attend.
To see more information about the Tablets for Schools programme, click the link. There is also some research reported on the site, which I haven't had a chance to read yet.
To book for the conference, go to their Eventbrite page. Sales end on the 8th December.


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Are There Issues In The Yankee Clubhouse?/
Aside from Derek Jeter's final few games and the last honorary send-off he was given by the Red Sox and their fans this past weekend, the only other bit of noteworthy Yankee news came in the form of a possible locker room controversy. On Saturday, Wally Matthews and Andrew Marchand of ESPN NY filed a story detailing a reportedly "scathing" locker room speech given by Joe to his team before Thursday's home finale. You can read the full story here if you haven't already, but the overall gist is that Joe was "angry" and called his players out for lack of effort. Here's the money pull-out quote:
"According to clubhouse sources who were present for the critique, and backed up by interviews with more than a half-dozen players, most of whom spoke to ESPNNewYork.com not for attribution for fear of angering their manager, Girardi chided some players for being overweight and others for not being 'hungry' enough.
One source described Girardi as 'angry,' and said he even took a brief timeout to allow the players, led by CC Sabathia, to present Jeter with the original painting of The New Yorker's Sept. 8 cover depicting the shortstop waving goodbye, and an expensive watch, before returning to Part Two of his tirade.
'It was a speech the likes of which I've never heard him give before,' said the source, who was in the room during the meeting. 'It's something he probably should have said back in spring training.'"
In addition to the anonymous clubhouse sources who spoke to Matthews, the story also includes direct quotes from Girardi and multiple players on what happened and they all acknowledge that the speech did happen. The issue of whether or not the speech took place isn't the story here, and if it did, then good. I've been critical of Joe and the team in general for how "blah" they've been talking about their under-performance all season, and I know there are plenty of fans out there who have been calling for Joe to be more "fiery" with his team in an attempt to turn things around. This team deserved to get dressed down for their performance this season and that dressing down should come from the manager.
What is the story here is exactly how "angry" Joe really was and how "scathing" the speech itself was, and also how and why this particular speech got leaked to the media. We're not exactly in the business of breaking news or providing consistent behind-the-scenes reporting here at IIATMS, but we have it from another source that the tone of Joe's speech was not an angry one and that the speech was really nothing out of the ordinary. Managers and players talk a lot over the course of 162 games and there are surely multiple team meetings and speeches at certain points when things aren't going well. It sounds like this particular one may have been nothing more than that.
If that is the case, then why the leaks to the media? What made this speech the one that made its way outside the locker room? Read through the whole article and you'll see that Joe wasn't especially happy with that fact, and none of the players quoted in the story come across as willing to divulge details of what was said. The tone from them comes across as one of the "no big deal" variety. So again, why the leak? Why the talk of Joe being angry? Why now for a story like this to come out, when the Yankees were out of the race and really had nothing left to play for other than honoring Jeter?
Perhaps it had something to do with the timing. If the part about Joe pausing mid-rant to allow the players to present their gifts to Jeter before the game are true, I would say that's probably cause for legitimate beef. Waiting until everything worth playing for is gone to call out players for their perceived "hunger" levels is like telling someone caught in a downpour that they should have brought an umbrella. It does no good. If the mood in the locker room prior to Thursday night was one geared more towards honoring Jeter and giving him his last moment in the spotlight, it's understandable that the manager choosing then to air some of his grievances could ruffle a few feathers.
Whose feathers were ruffled and how badly is the unknown part of this story, and that unknown opens up the possibility for a fracture to exist in the Yankee clubhouse. To spend all season spouting the same "we've got to be better," "I believe things are going to turn around," "we just aren't getting the job done" cliches from players and coaches alike and then have a supposedly fiery, angry speech from the manager right before Jeter's final home game doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Like many other things that happened this season, it speaks to things being amiss at the higher levels of the organization and those misses trickling down to the players in the clubhouse.
Obviously there was a meeting and some kind of speech by Joe last Thursday, and that's why ESPN NY reported it. The details and nature of the speech are unknown, however, and the inconsistencies in the accounts from the unnamed sources and players and coaches who were present are problematic. Internal team meetings like this, good, bad, or otherwise, shouldn't be making their way outside the clubhouse. That this one did suggests all is not well in that locker room and that's one more potential problem the Yankees might have to deal with heading into next season.


text: Occupying over 27 acres land, this water buffalo preservation area not only contains a water buffalo ranch, but also features the authentic rural lifestyle of farmers in Thailand's central region. Watch the daily activities of farmers such as rice-threshing, and explore traditional Thai homes on stilts. Various areas feature different types of folk knowledge such as traditional Thai medicine, traditional Thai massage, indigenous herbs, and Thai astrology. Visitors can also enjoy half-hour buffalo shows throughout the day.The Thai Water Buffalo Preservation Village is located on Suphan Buri-Chai Nat Road, Amphoe Si Prachan at Km 115-116 of Highway 340. The themed village is open from 9.00 am-6.00 pm. Tickets for foreigners are 150 baht and 70 baht for adults and children respectively. For more information, either contact the Bangkok office at 02270 0395-7 or the Suphan Buri office at 035581668, 0 3558 2591-3, or fax 0 3558 1676. Alternatively, visit the website at www.buffalovillages.com


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March 5, 2018
Impact Investing – Serenity Shares – with Scott Sacknoff
With a background in creating indexes, Scott took the United Nations' 17 Sustainable, Development Goals and created an ETF containing those companies that address one or more of the these U.N. Goals. After providing his insight into the accuracy of index ETF's, Scott discusses the genesis of Serenity Shares formation. Filtering all


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The New "Blood Libel"?
Israeli Organ Harvesting
By ALISON WEIR
Last week Sweden's largest daily newspaper published an article containing shocking material: testimony and circumstantial evidence indicating that Israelis may have been harvesting internal organs from Palestinian prisoners without consent for many years.
Worse yet, some of the information reported in the article suggests that in some instances Palestinians may have been captured with this macabre purpose in mind.
In the article, "Our sons plundered for their organs," veteran journalist Donald Bostrom writes that Palestinians "harbor strong suspicions against Israel for seizing young men and having them serve as the country's organ reserve – a very serious accusation, with enough question marks to motivate the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to start an investigation about possible war crimes."1/
An army of Israeli officials and apologists immediately went into high gear, calling both Bostrom and the newspaper's editors "anti-Semitic." The Israeli foreign minister was reportedly "aghast" and termed it "a demonizing piece of blood libel." An Israeli official called it "hate porn."
Commentary magazine wrote that the story was "merely the tip of the iceberg in terms of European funded and promoted anti-Israel hate." Numerous people likened the article to the medieval "blood libel," (widely refuted stories that Jews killed people to use their blood in religious rituals). Even some pro-Palestinian writers joined in the criticism, expressing skepticism.
The fact is, however, that substantiated evidence of public and private organ trafficking and theft, and allegations of worse, have been widely reported for many years. Given such context, the Swedish charges become far more plausible than might otherwise be the case and suggest that an investigation could well turn up significant information.
Below are a few examples of previous reports on this topic.
Israel's first heart transplant
Israel's very first, historic heart transplant used a heart removed from a living patient without consent or consulting his family.
In December 1968 a man named Avraham Sadegat (the New York Times seems to give his name as A Savgat) (2) died two days after a stroke, even though his family had been told he was "doing well."
After initially refusing to release his body, the Israeli hospital where he was being treated finally turned the man's body over to his family. They discovered that his upper body was wrapped in bandages; an odd situation, they felt, for someone who had suffered a stroke.
When they removed the bandages, they discovered that the chest cavity was stuffed with bandages, and the heart was missing.
During this time, the headline-making Israeli heart transplant had occurred. After their initial shock, the man's wife and brother began to put the two events together and demanded answers.
The hospital at first denied that Sadegat's heart had been used in the headline-making transplant, but the family raised a media storm and eventually applied to three cabinet ministers. Finally, weeks later and after the family had signed a document promising not to sue, the hospital admitted that Sadagat's heart had been used.
The hospital explained that it had abided by Israeli law, which allowed organs to be harvested without the family's consent. (3) (The United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime includes the extraction of organs in its definition of human exploitation.)
Indications that the removal of Sadagat's heart was the actual cause of death went unaddressed.
Director of forensic medicine on missing organs
A 1990 article in the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs entitled "Autopsies and Executions" by Mary Barrett reports on the grotesque killings of young Palestinians. It includes an interview with Dr. Hatem Abu Ghazalch, the former chief health official for the West Bank under Jordanian administration and director of forensic medicine and autopsies.
Barrett asks him about "the widespread anxiety over organ thefts which has gripped Gaza and the West Bank since the intifada began in December of 1987."
He responded:
"There are indications that for one reason or another, organs, especially eyes and kidneys, were removed from the bodies during the first year or year and a half. There were just too many reports by credible people for there to be nothing happening. If someone is shot in the head and comes home in a plastic bag without internal organs, what will people assume?" (4)
Mysterious Scottish death
In 1998 a Scot named Alisdair Sinclair died under questionable circumstances while in Israeli custody at Ben Gurion airport.
His family was informed of the death and, according to a report in J Weekly, "…told they had three weeks to come up with about $4,900 to fly Sinclair's corpse home. [Alisdair's brother] says the Israelis seemed to be pushing a different option: burying Sinclair in a Christian cemetery in Israel, at a cost of about $1,300."
The family scraped up the money, brought the body home, and had an autopsy performed at the University of Glasgow. It turned out that Alisdair's heart and a tiny throat bone were missing. At this point the British Embassy filed a complaint with Israel.
The J report states:
"A heart said to be Sinclair's was subsequently repatriated to Britain, free of charge. James wanted the [Israeli] Forensic Institute to pay for a DNA test to confirm that this heart was indeed their brother's, but the Institute's director, Professor Jehuda Hiss refused, citing the prohibitive cost, estimated by some sources at $1,500."
Despite repeated requests from the British Embassy for the Israeli pathologist's and police reports, Israeli officials refused to release either. (5,6,7)
Israeli government officials raise questions
Palestinian journalist Khalid Amayreh reports in an article in CCUN:
"In January, 2002, an Israeli cabinet minister tacitly admitted that organs taken from the bodies of Palestinian victims might have been used for transplants in Jewish patients without the knowledge of the Palestinian victims' families.
"The minister, Nessim Dahan, said in response to a question by an Arab Knesset member that he couldn't deny or confirm that organs of Palestinian youths and children killed by the Israeli army were taken out for transplants or scientific research.
"'I couldn't say for sure that something like that didn't happen.'"
Amayreh writes that the Knesset member who posed the question said that he "had received 'credible evidence proving that Israeli doctors at the forensic institute of Abu Kabir extracted such vital organs as the heart, kidneys, and liver from the bodies of Palestinian youth and children killed by the Israeli army in Gaza and the West Bank." (8)


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The City recognizes the effect that discrimination has in limiting housing choice and equal opportunity in renting, selling and financing housing. Its effort to eliminate discrimination based on race, sex, religion, national origin, disability or age, is implemented by the Southern California Housing Rights Center. The City of Rosemead has contracted this organization to implement its Fair Housing Program.
Southern California Housing Rights Center
(800) 477-5977 or visit http://www.housingrightscenter.org
For more Housing Rights Information click on the following flyers:
What is Fair Housing?
Housing Rights for People with Disabilities
Housing Rights Center Services


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Learn more about Smart Growth for Dallas.
Join us on Thursday, November 10th, at Dallas Heritage Village to kick off the community engagement events for Phase II of Smart Growth for Dallas, a new initiative to help Dallas protect its most important natural places and create a city of great public spaces. Sign-in begins at 5:30pm, presentation and activities will be 6:00-7:30pm.
During this event we will present work done to date, provide an opportunity to ask questions about the project and data gathered, provide details on the 7 community engagement meetings that will be held over the next two months, and record stories about Dallasites' favorite parks. We hope you'll join us for this exciting event on November 10th.
RSVP for the event here
For more information about the project, read our web-post about Smart Growth for Dallas.
Smart Growth for Dallas is a partnership with The Trust for Public Land, buildingcommunityWORKSHOP, The Dallas Park and Recreation Department, and The Texas Trees Foundation. Combining Geographic Information System computer modeling and on-the-ground engagement with residents and park users, Smart Growth for Dallas will create an interactive "decision support tool" to help Dallas prioritize its investments in parks based on their economic, social, and ecological benefits. Results of the program will be available to city staff, non-profit partners and the public through an interactive website.


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Spirits were high, bright, and lazy today! We had a wonderful Christmas Eve once we finally opened the box of goodies! The kids each received new pajamas, a movie, blanket, and were treated to popcorn and hot cocoa - all of which we enjoyed throughout the day.
Bear even opened a stocking stuffer! Although I failed miserably, because he doesn't like the bones :(
Cuddle time while we waited for Katie to come over..
Katie came over to hang out for a few minutes before we headed off to Spanaway Lights, then to dinner and a bonfire at their place. We had a really fun time. Alyx hung out with all the guys while they showed him all kinds of cool things. Much needed for my little guy! We're very thankful for our great friends, especially ones who love my babies too!
Once I finally peeled us away from Katie's place because it was getting late and the kids were tired, I came home to finish wrapping the last few gifts I got, and placed them around our little tree. I'm so blessed beyond belief, and I'm so excited to see Alyx and Kate in the morning!
Now that Christmas is here, that means leave is just around the corner! Oh my goodness, I can hardly wait! :)


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What I Learned: Third Annual 30 for 30
April has come to a close and May is officially here. Events such as weddings, horse racing (Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes) and graduations are taking over the calendar, which makes me happy that I blocked out the month of April to dedicate to my fitness and health. Health is a journey, not a destination and this year, there were a few lessons I learned.
1) Stay hydrated. This is especially important as the weather warms up and the humidity soars. Water is needed by every metabolic and cellular function in your body, and when you are dehydrated -- even slightly -- your body has to extract fluid from your food and hold onto it, creating a supply reserve, to ensure your cells have enough to work properly. This energy is used to take water from your foods rather than repair your body. Dehydration also causes fatigue and mimics feelings of hunger. To make sure you are properly hydrated, divide your weight in pounds in half and drink that number in fluid ounces every day).
2) Schedule workouts. I have to put workouts on my calender and schedule them one week out. If I don't take the time to plan, workouts get pushed to the back burner and work, coffee dates and dinners take priority.
3) I have a hard time trying new "things" and in this case, workouts. I've said for months (possibly years) that I'm going to take a Zumba class. Guess what? This year's 30 for 30 came and went, with nary a Zumba class in sight. Or a barre class. Or paddleboarding. You get the point. I stick to what I know: running, biking, swimming, yoga, strength work. Exercise should be fun, and the above workouts are, but I often "forget" that hiking, hip hop class or kayaking count towards my daily activity.
4) Fitness is more than a number on a scale. While I didn't lose the 5 pounds I had hoped (I lost 3), I did notice that clothes fit better, which ultimately means a more toned body. I felt better from day to day, there was a smile on my face and a bounce in my step. Working out until it breaks me or severely limiting my calories won't provide any of those effects.
Thank you, dear reader and 30 for 30 warriors, for joining me on this leg of the journey. But, as I said, this path continues and we continue to walk it together. I LOVED reading all of your experiences and am grateful for all of the wonderful (and constructive) feedback. Tomorrow, I will announce the winner of the Giveaway, which includes a Springy Danielle Nicole handbag and items (including nutrition bars!) from Vega.
Keep plugging along; update me on your progress and remember to enjoy the journey...
Until tomorrow (or next year for the challenge)...


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Zoom Introduces MRS-8 8-Track Digital Recorder
Zoom has introduced the MRS-8, a compact 8-track digital recorder featuring programmable drum and bass synths, sampled drum sounds, touch-sensitive pads, multieffects, and editing capabilities. The device is roughly the size of a laptop computer and runs on 4 AA batteries or AC power. The MRS-8 can record two tracks at a time (16-bit, 44.1 kHz resolution) and each track holds 10 virtual tracks. The device records to SD memory cards (supporting up to 1 GB) and includes a 128 MB card.
The MRS-8 can playback eight audio tracks as well as the drum and bass tracks simultaneously. A dedicated Master Track for mix-down is included. The device also includes eight effects algorithms and 100 effect types, bpm sync, automatic punch-in and -out features, and track-bounce functionality.
The MRS-8 offers a 1/4-inch high-impedance instrument input, an XLR combo jack for an external microphone or line level signal, stereo RCA master outputs, a headphone output, and MIDI Out. The MRS-8 can send MIDI Time Code or MIDI clock for synchronizing external devices. A front-panel mini-condenser microphone is also included.
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How to Survive on a Small Income
Explore this Article Creating a Budget Finding ways to Save Qualifying for Government Assistance Questions & Answers Related Articles References
This article was co-authored by Michael R. Lewis. Michael R. Lewis is a retired corporate executive, entrepreneur, and investment advisor in Texas. He has over 40 years of experience in Business & Finance.
There are 10 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.
There are 10 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.
Living on a modest or minimal income can be tiring and stressful, but by budgeting and seeking aid when necessary, you can survive on a surprisingly small amount of money. Federal, state, and local governments also provide aid for low-income individuals and families, and by combining this help with other cost saving measures you can stretch your income and make ends meet.
Part 1
Creating a Budget
1Analyze your spending. If you find you're having trouble getting by on the amount of money you bring in, start by getting a sense for where that money is going. Jot down a list of your known monthly expenses, like rent, utilities, transportation, etc. Then use your three most recent months of credit card and bank statements to categorize your other spending into food, household necessities, healthcare, entertainment, or other. Figure out on average how much you spend each month in each category, and use this as a baseline.
2Choose where to save. Once you've written down all of your expenses, you can look at the categories and decide where you can save money. Are there ways you can reduce your spending on food, entertainment, or other expenses? Are you spending more than you realized on food and clothing? Analyze each line item and be realistic about whether or not you can reduce it.
3Create a budget. Using your list of historical spending and combining the areas you plan to improve, create a monthly budget that you will work off of going forward. Don't budget for less than you can get by on — just try to eliminate anything you truly don't need. Once you've decided on this budget, stick to it as closely as you can and adjust it only deliberately.
- You can write down your budget in a visible place, like on your fridge or front door, and check in once a week in how you are doing. Having a visual representation of your spending can help you keep track of it, and motivate you to meet your savings goals.
- If you prefer electronic budgeting, tools like Mint.com and other budgeting software connect to your accounts, and allow you to see your budget and spending online.
4Consider using cash. Financial experts often recommend that if you are on a low monthly budget, you only use cash to make purchases. This avoids the charges that come with credit cards, and ensures you know how much you are spending — using a card (even a debit card) can make it difficult to keep track of how much money you are actually spending. Think about switching to this method at least for the first few months on your new budget, to help you adjust to your new spending pattern and avoid any extra charges using a credit card might bring.
Part 2
Finding ways to Save
1Save on rent. You can save the most by reducing expense categories that are highest, such as rent or mortgage, so ask yourself if you can spend less on your housing.
- If you're in a housing situation where you can leave without paying a penalty, look around for lower rent.
- Really hardcore? Microhousing is the latest form of cheap living, whether by renting a micro apartment or by buying a tiny house. If you're really embracing the simple lifestyle long-term, this may be a great saving option for you.
2Reduce your utility bills. Another type of monthly expense is utilities, or bills like water, sewer, electricity, cable, internet, garbage service, and natural gas. While some of these expenses are necessary, there are ways to reduce your use of utility services and save.
- Take showers instead of baths, and be brief. Also make sure your faucets are always completely turned off and you have no leaks to keep from wasting extra water.
- Always turn off the lights in rooms you are not using.
- Insulate your windows during the winter using clear plastic or bubble wrap, to stop heat from escaping into the outdoor cold. This will help reduce your electricity bill.[1]
- If you have internet service on your cell phone, consider getting rid of your cable internet, and doing your computer-based online work at a public library, where internet is free. You can check email and facebook on your phone, but may be able to save by getting rid of cable internet.
- Many cable and cell phone companies are in intense competition for business, so there are many ways to save on those bills by keeping your eyes and ears open. Pay as you go cell phones tend to be much cheaper than new ones, and by getting rid of cable and just using Netflix or HuluPlus, you can save hundreds each year.
- In some states, energy has been deregulated, which gives consumers the opportunity to shop around for the lowest price.
3Save on food. Another large household expense is food. While you can't eliminate the need to eat every day, you might be able to get more for less by reexamining how you spend money on food. Generally you will save more by eating at home instead of at restaurants, and by buying fresh food to prepare rather than pre-made meals.
- Food Studies scholar Leanne Brown's book Good and Cheap provides nutritious recipes you can make at home for $4 a day.[2] Consider using this or a similar cook book to plan low-budget meals in advance.
- Staple foods like rice, beans, and lentils are really nutritious and inexpensive. You can use these low-cost items to make the bases of your meals, and then add in fresh vegetables, spices, meat, or other items to liven up the meal. If you consistently use these staples to feed yourself, you can save tremendously on your monthly grocery bill.
- Couponing is another way to save on food or household items. You can look out for coupons for items you were already planning to buy, or you can plan your menu each week around couponed items.
- Consider buying non-perishables in bulk. Things like toothpaste, paper towels and toilet paper, trash bags, plus dry pasta, oatmeal, and dry rice and beans should be bought in bulk to save you money long-term.[3] Produce and other things that perish quickly should be purchased in smaller quantities, unless you plan to freeze them (and have room to do so).
4Eat out less. Every time you eat out, you pay for the food you buy, as well as the labor for the person who prepares it, all the packaging for the meal, and the environment you're eating in. Simply put, you can save money by not eating out altogether or reducing the amount you do.[4]
- You can save when you do eat out by buying more simple meals or side dishes, eliminating alcoholic beverages from your restaurant purchases, or finding deals like happy hour.
5Save on transportation. Another expensive item is transportation. You can save on transportation costs by biking or walking to work as often as possible, carpooling, or using public transportation instead of driving. These small savings (which can include saving on gas, parking, and wear on your vehicle) can add up and impact your bottom line — adding some funds back for eating or utilities.
- Ask your employer if they offer or support ride-share programs.
- Many employees now work from home one or more days a week, which saves the cost and time of commuting. Consider asking your employer whether you can work from home full-time or even just occasionally, if your job allows.
6Buy used. Another brilliant way to save is to shop first at second hand stores. This doesn't mean you buy everything you own at Goodwill — just make a practice of searching craigslist and the local thrift shop first before buying anything over $50. (Some examples are kitchen equipment, household furniture, clothing, or electronics.) Remember that buying used only saves if you already needed the item, but if you make a practice of buying used when you can, you will begin to reap the savings.
7Have fun for free. Instead of spending money on movie tickets and plays, check out the free entertainment in your area. Most towns have a public library where anyone can borrow books, audiobooks, or even movies, for free. Some cities have free movies or concerts in the park during the summer, where anyone can bring a blanket and watch.
Part 3
Qualifying for Government Assistance
1Seek housing assistance. Rent is most people's largest monthly expense, and depending on your income, you may qualify for housing assistance. This may come in two forms: 1) rent subsidy (where the government pays a portion of your rent), or 2) reduced rent housing. Both types of aid are based on your household income, and the number of people living in your house.[5]
- See if you qualify for federal housing assistance by using the HUD Website. [6]
- Also search for housing assistance in the state where you reside, which may also other assistance.[7]
2Apply for nutrition assistance. Like housing aid, the federal and most state governments also offer assistance to individuals or families with reduced incomes. Qualifying for aid is based on your household size and number of people living in the house, and the amount of assistance you qualify for can vary based on your income.
- Use SNAP's simple online screening to see whether you will likely qualify for aid.[8]
3Get healthcare help. Another government program is the Affordable Care program, which provides subsidized health insurance to low-income individuals or families. By enrolling for coverage, you will receive subsidized healthcare treatment, and have significantly fewer expenses should you or a family member experienced an unplanned medical event.
- You can apply for coverage during open enrollment, which starts November 1 before the year of coverage, and ends on January 31, in the year of coverage.[9]. (So for example, open enrollment for 2016 is November 1, 2015 — January 31, 2015.)
- You can also apply for healthcare assistance outside of the open enrollment period if you have life changes such as a marriage, birth of a child, loss of coverage, have a baby, or move to another area.[10]
4Apply for reduced utilities. Many local garbage, electric, gas, and cable services are operated by the government, and offer reduced prices for low-income individuals and families. If you qualify for any government assistance like housing or nutrition, you will likely also qualify for subsidized utilities. Check the websites of your local providers to learn about how you can save.
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QuestionWhy would getting rid of cable save money? Cable is free.DonaganTop AnswererFor most people, cable is not free.
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- ↑ http://energy.gov/energysaver/fall-and-winter-energy-saving-tips
- ↑ http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2014/08/01/337141837/cheap-eats-cookbook-shows-how-to-eat-well-on-a-food-stamp-budget
- ↑ http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/my-money/2014/03/18/15-items-always-worth-buying-in-bulk
- ↑ http://www.livingonadime.com/stop-eating-debt/
- ↑ http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/topics/rental_assistance
- ↑ http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/topics/rental_assistance
- ↑ http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/topics/rental_assistance/local
- ↑ https://www.snap-step1.usda.gov/fns/
- ↑ http://obamacarefacts.com/obamacare-open-enrollment/
- ↑ https://www.healthcare.gov/get-coverage
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Police Spokesman Micky Rosenfeld: Officers entered the compound shortly after 7:30 a.m., after receiving intelligence that a large group of masked Palestinian youths had barricaded themselves overnight in al-Aqsa mosque in order to attack Jewish visitors on Sunday morning. The police were attacked immediately upon entering the Temple Mount compound by Palestinians armed with rocks, firebombs, fireworks and metal pipes. Four officers were lightly wounded during the confrontation.
On Sunday morning (26 July 2015), a group of young Arab men rioted on the Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif plaza in Jerusalem's Old City. The riots were launched with the intent of disrupting visits by Jews to the Temple Mount plaza – the holiest site in Judaism – during Tisha B'Av (the 9th of Av), a holy day of mourning to commemorate the destruction of the first and second Jewish Temples, as well as to interrupt the normal visits of tourists to the plaza and attack Israel police officers.
After an initial attack on police officers, the Arab rioters retreated to the al-Aqsa mosque, exploiting this holy site to launch more violent attacks on the police, who were outside, from inside the mosque. The violence was only stopped after the police were able to close the outer doors to the mosque, thereby isolating the rioters.
The stockpiles of rocks, fireworks and firebombs used by the rioters and the barricades they placed in the entrance to the al-Aqsa mosque all demonstrate that the violence was pre-planned and that the rioters intended to focus the violence around the mosque. The al-Aqsa mosque is situated at the southern end of the Temple Mount plaza, covering a relatively small part of its surface and is one of dozens of buildings located there.
Timeline of events:
A group of young Arab men, some of them masked, barricaded themselves inside the al-Aqsa mosque overnight (25-26 July).
While inside the mosque, the group stockpiled rocks, planks, wooden sheets and fireworks, and also prepared Molotov cocktail firebombs. They set up barricades to prevent the outermost door to the al-Aqsa mosque from being closed. The barricades were composed of large cabinets (that normally hold the shoes of worshippers), wooden planks, metal rods, ropes tied to the mosque doors, marble slabs and other items.
On Sunday morning, the masked men gathered in the courtyards of al-Aqsa, armed with rocks and fireworks. When they saw police officers on the northern staircase near the mosque, the men began throwing rocks and firing fireworks at the police.
The rioters then took the sunshades that had been put up outside the mosque for Ramadan worshippers, placed them inside the mosque and used the screens as shields to hide behind while attacking the police through the mosque's entrance.
When a group of police and border guard officers led by a senior policeman entered the Temple Mount plaza, the rioters retreated to the al-Aqsa mosque and launched a heavy barrage of rocks, metal rods and heavy blocks at the officers from within the mosque. They also fired fireworks vertically at the officers and sprayed an unidentified liquid on them.
Under a continuous barrage of dangerous objects, the police officers began to remove the barricades blocking the doors to the mosque. Fireworks launched by the masked rioters injured a number of police officers.
In order to restore calm after the violent escalation by the rioters, the police entered a few meters into the mosque to remove the barricades erected in the entranceway to the mosque. In this way, the police were able to close the mosque's doors, which kept the rioters inside, and conditions on the Temple Mount returned to normal. Soon after, the status quo was restored and visitors were able to tour the Temple Mount plaza.


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Solon Public Library
We've got your adult fiction best-sellers
The library has the latest best sellers in fiction for you. These are the top nine best-sellers according to the Neilsen survey of best-selling hardcovers for the week ending March 31.
No. 1: "Lover At Last" by J.R. Ward (11th installment of the Black Dagger Brotherhood series).
No. 2: "Six Years" by Harlan Coben.
No. 3: "The Storyteller" by Jodi Picoult.
No. 4: "Alex Cross, Run" by James Patterson.
No. 5: "Gone Girl" by Gillian Flynn.
No. 6: "The Burgess Boys" by Elizabeth Strout.
No. 7: "Leaving Everything Most Loved" by Jacqueline Winspear.
No. 8: "A Week in Winter" by Maeve Binchy.
No. 9: "The Striker" by Clive Cussler and Justin Scott.
Sign up for email alerts
Email is a great communication option for Solon library updates. If you provide us with your email address, you can receive weekly reminders of what you have checked out and when those items are due, and receive an email when an item you have reserved is ready for pick-up.
We will soon be using email for sending overdue notices, saving us on postage.
Celebrate our volunteers
National Volunteer Week is April 21 through 27. The Solon library is fortunate to have a dedicated group of volunteers. Volunteers fill positions on the Library Board of Trustees, the Friends of the Library Board and the Library Foundation Board. These groups provide guidance in policy making or provide support through fund raising activities. Volunteers help with the daily activities within the building by checking overdue notices, preparing crafts, helping with summer programs, and landscaping. Our in-house volunteers (not board-related) last year worked over 1,500 hours for the betterment of the library.
Volunteer profile
A new periodic feature to this column will be profiles of our staff and long-time volunteers. This week we're featuring Betty Croy. Betty is originally from Cedar Rapids, but has lived here in Solon for 40 years with husband Wayne. They have four children and seven grandchildren and Betty has been a volunteer at the library for over 20 years. She's part of the "Thursday Morning Ladies," a group of long-time volunteers who cover, label and stamp all the new materials to get them ready for circulation. (And solve the world's problems over a cup of coffee while they're at it.) Betty has always loved books, and also has a passion for gardening. She's been active in the Solon Garden Club and part of her volunteer work also involves planning and maintaining our outdoor landscaping. She also processes the overdue notices. Some fun facts about Betty are that her youngest son lives in Scotland, and because of that she learned how to Skype last year, and that she's always loved fishing and has actually caught a barracuda. Thanks to Betty and all our volunteers for everything they contribute to our library and community.
Jennifer update
So many patrons have asked how our former youth services librarian, Jennifer Leveck, is doing, so here's a little update. Jen is doing well, she is enjoying her new job and has just purchased her first house. She and her four cats will be moving in mid-May and she's very excited about that. She's planning on coming back to Solon for Garage Sales on May 31, so you may see her out shopping to fill up her new house.
Final Fridays Café
The Teen Advisory Board (TAB) is sponsoring Final Fridays Cafe from 3:45 until 5 p.m. in the meeting room on the last Friday of every month during the school year. There will be lemonade, hot cocoa and assorted baked goodies for sale. Prices are 25¢ to 50¢. Come and eat some yummy food and support the teens on April 26.
Upcoming early out day
On school early out days, the library offers free programming for school-aged children. On Thursday, May 2, we will be showing an animated film (rated PG) about a video game villain who wants to be a hero and sets out to fulfill his dream, but his quest brings havoc to the whole arcade where he lives. The program will last from 1 until 2:45 p.m.
Storytime is a program every Tuesday for children ages two through five, featuring stories, songs and rhymes followed by a craft. Younger siblings are also welcome to attend. Our new youth services librarian, Carey Major is excited to meet all the Storytime children and families. The theme for April 30 will be "Butterflies and Bugs."
NEIBORS updates
The NEIBORS link on the library's webpage allows patrons free access to downloadable e-books and audio-books. NEIBORS has recently updated its site and some patrons have experienced issues where they had not previously. This is most likely due to your web-browser not being compatible with the new NEIBORS software. If you have any difficulties using this service with your Nook, Kindle or MP3 player and cannot find an answer for your problem in the help sections on NEIBORS, please send an email to firstname.lastname@example.com or call the library to set up an appointment for one-on-one assistance. There will be additional updates to the system coming in May.
Garden news
The Solon Garden Club is sponsoring a program on Monday, April 29, from 6:30 until 7:30 p.m. called "Raised Bed Gardening." It features Linn County master gardener Deb Walser. We also have a large collection of books on gardening, many provided by the Solon Garden Club– stop in and browse in the 635 area of our non-fiction shelves for inspiration for your next project.


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Our Longest-Lasting Wet-Black Shine! Gel control applicator included. Shine proven to last weeks. Thick gel and applicator enable even, no-mess application. Protects against harmful elements that cause fading and cracking. What does inour longest-lastingin mean? Other tire products claim to be long-lasting. Our breakthrough formula is scientifically proven to last weeks, not days. Extreme Tire Shine Gel's unique formula contains a proprietary blend of high-molecular-weight silicone fluids that adhere to your tire with a durable shield of wet-black shine. Gel control applicator gives ultimate control Gone are the days of messy overspray. Extreme Tire Shine gel's breakthrough formula contains special polymers that stabilize the product, creating an extra-thick gel. When used with the gel control applicator, the thick gel gives you ultimate control, resulting in an even, streak-free coating of wet black shine. Directions Shake well before use. Unscrew cap and remove foil seal before dispensing. Squeeze gel into groove on gel control applicator. Spread evenly around tires. Shine will intensify over the next few minutes! NOTE: Use only on sidewalls, not treads. Avoid putting product on treads, brakes or floors. Do not use on cycle tires. For Best Results First wash or rinse excessively dirty or muddy tires with Armor All PowerWash Gel. Allow product to dry thoroughly.
Please enter in your comments about this item, your past experience with this item, or any other general comments in regards to this item.


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Websites: Your First Impression
Your website is your home base, first impression and an opportunity to sell products and receive contributions. What does your site say about you? What kind of first impression does it make? Can it be easily found through a Google search? And does it work on mobile devices?
Although some marketers may charge thousands of dollars (think five figures) for a website, this is usually not necessary for small- to medium-sized businesses, non-profits and authors. Beware overcharging. Don't get taken.
We've had experience in building and redesigning numerous websites for businesses, non-profits and churches. Our expertise includes:
- Managing the project from conception to completion
- Writing crystal-clear, no-nonsense copy
- Blogging
- Search engine optimization (helping people find you on Google)
- Setting up measurement tools so you can see how many people visit your site and what they do there
- Linking all of your other marketing tools (social media, e-mail list forms, PDF brochures, etc.) to your website


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Just past the town of Berchtesgaden (famous for being Hitler's favorite vacation place) we parked at the end of the Konigsee. The river along the drive up had been the clearest green water we've seen so far, and obviously the clarity of the Konigsee was the reason.
The hike up passed a bobsled/luge track, which was a large concrete track running all the way down to the lake, making huge curves and turns as it dropped steeply down the mountain. A very contrived sport it seemed to us, especially in the middle of summer when the rough concrete sits there waiting for the ice of winter.
The klettersteig had a couple of options at the beginning before it all came together again, from easy to hard to extra hard. We went with just "hard" and actually didn't find it all that difficult although it did require a lot of upper body strength as usual.
The route was pretty nice, with good trails before and after the cabled sections. The cables did go on a bit along grassy slopes in the middle, taking us up and over a couple of knobs along a ridge. The final section (it was pretty new and not in our guidebook) was a super hard option, which we took, and enjoyed immensely. And finally at the top, we did get that view of the lake which had been touted in the guidebook. Luckily the weather was still holding then so we could see around us!
|Looking down at Konigsee (Eagles Nest far left mountaintop)
|I'm pretty sure the sign said no jumping but I couldn't help it
|The start of the bobsled track
|Konigsee dam


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Saying you're going to do away with Negativity while during a depression is like saying you're not going to get wet while swimming. It's incredibly unlikely. Not impossible, because I'm sure there are ways to do both, but the chance of failure is just too high. And I obviously failed. This past 40 has been incredibly miserable, what with my mind racing, the exhaustion after work, never getting things accomplished before or after work, using up my weekends in loneliness trying to catch up, never getting proper sleep because of it all…it was quite a bother.
Suppose it was the world reminding me that change doesn't happen overnight, regardless of how much you want it to. It takes work, small changes day by day, till one day you realize you're actually a lot different than you were. Sometimes you never even notice it, and it's those around you who see the changes. I got a bit of that this past week when I stood next to my younger brother, who is a fit fighting machine. Apparently our mother didn't know he was taller than me, or that I could actually fit into his pants now. While I already knew all that, what I didn't know is that I'm only a little over ten pounds heavier than him. And I always thought I had a ways to go in terms of my fat loss and muscle development. Amazing what the facts are when someone points them out to you. Continue reading


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by Virgil Walker, Discipleship Pastor
In the aftermath of an historic election, the country is wrestling with the meaning of its outcome. Many on the winning side are experiencing jubilation, excitement, and hope. For those whose candidate lost, many are feeling fear, confusion, and tremendous anxiety. Some people have taken to the streets in an effort to protest the outcome of an electoral process which held an equivalent standard for both candidates. Others have taken to the streets to voice opposition of a President-elect they believe doesn't speak for them.
The fact remains that one candidate received more than the required 270 electoral votes necessary to be the President of the United States, while the other candidate fell short. As the implication of the results are processed, many have soundly determined the meaning of the outcome. Charges of "racism, homophobia, xenophobia, and misogynistic sexism" are seen as sole motivations for the outcome of the election. In addition, White Evangelicals showed up to the polls and voted 81 percent for the new President-elect.
If the current narrative is true, did "White Evangelicals" give the election to a candidate they believe able to "turn back the clock" to a time of increased racism, sexism, and homophobic hysteria? Furthermore, what am I—a Black man in a White Church—to think? If it follows that the election result was due to the "Whitelash" of racism that has been stored up among the white "fellow-believers" at my church, how did I miss it? More importantly, what am I to do now?
Is it true and what am I to think?
According to Pew Research, 81 percent of Christians who self-identified as Evangelical and/or "born again" voted for the President-elect. This represents a 3-percent increase from those who voted in the previous Presidential election. In addition, Pew Research identified the top voting issues as follows: Economy, Terrorism, Foreign Policy, Healthcare, Gun Policy, and Immigration. Finally, Barna Research established that while many Evangelicals did not see the President-elect as "Presidential," there were a number of issues that mattered to them—gun ownership, pro-life, and traditional moral values.
In view of the facts, it's difficult to identify racism as the cause of the outcome. However, it stands to reason that something may have been missed. What about the candidate? As I listened to speeches and comments, it's difficult to overlook some of the poorly worded ideas where race was mentioned and the vulgarity used by the President-elect. Especially when he thought no one was listening. The real question that needs to be answered, in order for the charge of racism as a motivation to stick is this, "Were those who voted for the President-elect drawn to his more electrically charged rhetoric or were most voters repulsed by the rhetoric yet voted with the hope that something of substance would result?"
Interestingly enough, such a question is not often asked. Instead, the answer is assumed that racism, sexism, and homophobia are the driving factor for support. Most who oppose the President-elect never took his candidacy seriously but often took his comments literally. Those who support the President-elect took his candidacy seriously but often don't take his comments literally. What am I to make of this? Not much. I'd simply say that time will be the benchmark by which we determine what really matters.
How did I miss it?
As an African-American (I prefer the term Black American), I'm being told by the culture that the vast majority who elected the incoming President are indeed racist. What I struggle with most is how I missed this. These same people who once celebrated the historic election of a Black President are now, eight years later, racists? It's difficult for me to understand that the same people I attend church with, whose baptisms and weddings I preside over, including those I've counseled, have been capable of hiding their overt racism for such a long time. Have they been waiting for just the right political candidate to free them from the bondage of their pent up rage and hatred? For some reason, I doubt it.
Unfortunately, our current culture has so watered down the word "racism" that it has become equivalent to the word disagreement. True racism once had definitive meaning. The charge of racism was so condemning that it was reserved for the most extreme of circumstances. Now, the term racism is a by-word meaning, "strong disagreement between people of different races." While I'm not suggesting that racism doesn't exist, I am suggesting that the charge of racism is so overused and often abused that true racism may be overlooked in the same manner as Aesop's Fable, The Boy Who Cried Wolf.
What do I do now?
As a Christian, I have to examine God's Word as my standard for determining truth. Are there people who hold racist beliefs in the walls of my church? Scripture informs me that we are all sinners (Romans 3:23) and that all of us deserve death as a result of our sinful condition (Romans 6:23). This would include the sin of racism to be sure. Even those who believe in Christ still sin (1 John 1:8). The beauty of the Gospel is that those in Christ can be free from the penalty and power of sin (Romans 10:9-10; 6:14-15). Furthermore, Scripture informs me that my identity is as an Image-Bearer of God (Genesis 1:27). As a believer in Christ, I am an heir of an eternal kingdom (Romans 8:17). Scripture also tells me only God knows the heart of men (1 Kings 8:39) but that I can examine the fruit of someone's life to determine what is in their heart (Matthew 7:15-16). My hope is not in man, politician or parishioner, but my hope is in the Lord (Psalm 62:5). Finally, I recognize that it is the Gospel of Jesus Christ that provides the hope to bring together all people of every tribe, tongue, and nation (Revelation 7:9).
Is my church racist? NO!!! Not by any measurable standard. It has been my church that has provided me with tremendous support, encouragement, love, and community. So regardless of who anyone voted for, I (a Black American) have the confidence of knowing my trust is always in Christ and that I have the full support of my local congregation.
Virgil Walker is the Pastor of Adult Discipleship at Westside Church, husband of Tomeka, and father of Princess, Princeton, and Price. He is an MDiv student and currently attends Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He enjoys apologetics, theological studies, and evangelism and in his spare time enjoys writing blogs for Westside Church.


text: robot performing a task tends to be something of an attention-grabber, but should you ignore it that 'bot will usually ignore you too, mindlessly continuing on with its job. If that job is building a car then being ignored is nothing to worry about, but if that task is teaching a human then inattention is obviously something of a problem. Researchers at the School of Interactive Computing at Georgia Tech have managed to teach Simon, who we've seen before learning to understand your voice and face, to act more human-like in an attempt to capture you're attention. If that doesn't work, he can use cameras to detect inattention, with an 80 percent accuracy rating in spotting day-dreamers. We're not sure what he does if inattention is detected, but hopefully he doesn't go all ED-209 on any poor students.


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Hollywood Bottle Service Website Launches - Book VIP Table in Hollywood
Hollywood Bottle Service website has launched and it's going to take over the way you book VIP tables in Hollywood, California. From the experts at XS Bottle Service and Vegas Bottle Service we are bringing out talents to Hollywood. This website will cater to the best nightclubs in Hollywood area. You can book VIP table with one of the best VIP hosts in Hollywood. You will get exclusive access to the best deals and spots.


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Tuesday, February 15, 2011
"Guys and Dolls" and Other Writings by Damon Runyon
Every now and again I return to the stories of O. Henry, Edgar Allan Poe and the wry, witty writings of Damon Runyon. This neat little paperback was re-issued about 3 years ago with an introduction by Pete Hamill. It contains the complete manuscript of "Guys and Dolls", and then, as promised in the title, a few more stories are thrown in to round things out.
New York City in the 1930's through the late 1950's was a colorful place with equally colorful people. And many of them hung out on Broadway. Long before the re-vitilization of Times Square took place, it was a place to go and see all kinds of various hustlers, tricksters, 3 Card Monte sharks, street salesmen with suitcases that had accordion legs for quick getaways, and all sorts of hookers, shysters and gamblers.
I was first introduced to the Times Square area at about age 5 when my Uncle Irving took me with him to get tickets for a show. My mother was horrified. There were peep shows in antiquated machines that worked with the turning of a handle that caused still picture cards to flip rapidly, making a moving picture. They cost 5 cents. You didn't see much, but those machines were, for me at least, a tangible link to an era which was quickly passing.
The antics of characters such as Sky Masterson, Jew Louie, Sam the Gonoph, Liverlips, Benny South Street and all of their minions are not just some abstract creation of the author. They are the real thing. These "Guys", and "Dolls", are the people like my Grandfather Pincus, who made it out of the Lower East Side and spent alot of time and money gambling on the ponies. They spoke from the corners of their mouths as they went about their business, collecting bets and exchanging tips. They effected a thin veneer of class with their mispronounced mangling of words that they had only seen in writing, but had never heard spoken. They were saavy in the ways of the street, in much the same way as they were lost in the world of art and literature. But they weren't dumb.
The importance of the characters created, or chronicled, by Damon Runyon can be boiled down to the fact their story is the story of New York City during those decades. Mr. Runyon paved the way for the likes of Jimmy Breslin, Norman Mailer and Pete Hamill. His was the template that became the "norm" for a whole new generation of writer's who would go on to chronicle New York City during the 1950's and 1960's. Even the McCourt brothers, with their extensive writings, are an extension of this style of story telling.
New York City will always be in the midst of change. Her sounds and smells will always be in a flux. But the individual stories of people trying to make it, trying to scheme, scam and sell a dream will always remain the same. That's what I love so much about Damon Runyon. He captured it all so well, so many years ago.
Labels: Broadway, Damon Runyon, Gamblers, New York City, Sky Masterson, Sports
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text: Colette Fu's one of a kind pop-up artist books are based on her ancestral explorations. Fu traveled to China's Yunnan Province, where 25 of the nation's 55 minority tribes reside. Her exploration in the varied cultures of China culminated in a remarkable body of intricate pop-up books and photo collages titled "We Are Tiger Dragon People". Fu says of her work, "Pop-up and flap books originally illustrated ideas about astronomy, fortune telling, navigation, anatomy of the body and other scientific principles. This history prompted me to construct my own books reflecting ideas on how our selves relate to society today." Fu's unique process with its origins in photography cumulates in meticulously composed collages, offering an opportunity to foster cultural dialogue about identity, Chinese culture and art making practices within our community. DANA GALLERY "Colette Fu: We Are Tiger Dragon People" is curated by Amy Moorefield, Director.


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A mixed review is the best I can give to an article in the Christian Science Monitor on the rise of Evangelical Christianity in France. The 1400-word article entitled "In a France suspicious of religion, evangelicalism's message strikes a chord" tells a fascinating story about the changing religious landscape in France, but for every two steps forward it makes in its narrative, it takes a step back with its assumptions. It's a "yes, but ..." article. A stronger editorial pencil would have made it great. Let's walk through this piece and I will show you what I mean.
The author structures the story by opening with an illustration of the phenomena he is describing -- a French mega-church.
In a large former factory warehouse outside Paris on a Friday night, some 4,000 people assemble in prayer and praise to a God who loves all equally, they are told. It's mostly a minority crowd: young, African, from mixed heritage, and white. Hands are raised; a choir moves from jazzy to solemn gospel tones. Faces mark a wide range of emotions at week's end.
"His love goes past all borders, forgives everything, has no limits," the pastor cries out to a great many "amens."
This working-class area is one of France's official "urban sensitive zones." The Charisma Church, as it is called, abuts the back of a trucking center. But the mood is welcoming. People actually smile. Many worshipers travel an hour or more to get here, and press into dozens of church buses that ramble between local tram and train stations. It is a "megachurch" in a country where faith is officially relegated to the private sphere and unofficially frowned upon.
But the church is growing. Sunday services top 6,000 attendees on a regular basis. In fact, French scholars say, evangelicalism is likely the fastest-growing religion in France – defying all stereotypes about Europe's most secular nation.
This opening sets the scene rather well and is an effective way of using imagery to make the point that the Charisma Church is not stereotypically "French". Yet, I am also uneasy about the sentence structure and the tone. There is an undercurrent of anthropology here -- we are watching strange (maybe better to say 'different') people performing rituals akin to practices found in a substratum of another culture. What is the purpose of the "But" in "But the mood is welcoming"? While popular culture may tell Americans the French are an unfriendly crowd, that is not what is being said here. The "But" signals that because the church is in a poor part of town and abuts a "trucking center" the worshipers should not be happy. The joy the author found comes as a surprise. Poor people being happy?
And, as an aside, France is not the most secular nation in Europe. That honor belongs to the Czech Republic followed by Germany.
The article then offers reasons for the growth of Evangelical Christianity in France.
The reasons are manifold: growing minority populations in France from Africa and Asia are less strictly secular and more religious. Evangelicals offer a "friendlier" and less hierarchical model of worship, with more community warmth and room for emotive expression. Leaders say they "speak to the heart" in a Europe preoccupied with wealth and worldliness, and provide a haven in times of harsh economic setbacks.
"France itself is changing, and this is a reflection of this transition," says Sebastian Fath, a researcher at France's National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) and an expert on evangelicalism.
Again, this strikes me as being more of a scientist peering through the branches sort of response to the growth rather than an explanation of religious conversion or the awakening of faith. We have speculation on how, but little on why. Perhaps French evangelicals with whom the Christian Science Monitor spoke were shy about giving a faith testimony, mentioning Jesus, sin, redemption and so forth -- but their absence from this story about the growth of Evangelical Christianity I find odd.
The story continues with a statistical section followed by comments from some members of these churches. I was struck by the use of first names only in this section -- as if these were members of an underground church -- but that may be more a matter of taste on my part. Comments about the friendly form worship takes in these churches follows and the story then moves to a facile comparison to American Evangelicalism.
Nor are French evangelicals as politically conservative as their American kin. The French perception of American evangelicals as super-patriots of the political right is a cross French evangelicals have to bear.
"We don't want the American style, we are French," says an Assembly of God pastor, Thomas Okampo, whose church is just off a side street in the 15th district of Paris. Mr. Okampo was born in Kinshasa but studied religion in Brussels.
It may well be true that French evangelicals are not as politically conservative as their American brethren, but the quote offered to support this assertion does not say this. Is it the author's opinion that American evangelicals are "super-patriots of the political right" and a "cross French evangelicals have to bear", or is it the view of those interviewed for the story? And, given the recent French presidential campaign and the stories about the strong link between religious attendance and voting patterns, what data is there to support the contention made by the author? And, is it possible to compare French politics and voting patterns to American patterns? Is the author expressing his opinions and assumptions here?
There have been a number of French newspaper articles covering the immigrant and conversion fueled growth of Evangelical Christianity in France. This story has legs and I expect to see it again and again in the years to come. The bottom line with this article, however, is that it gives a nice narrative but appears not to comprehend what it is reporting. There is no there there.