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Enjoy. And Praise God for His gift of freedom. Political freedom, absolutely. But infinitely more important, praise God for freedom from sin.
In America, we enjoy a degree of freedom unknown throughout most of the history of the world. This freedom had its formal birth with the Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776, in which the 13 colonies declared themselves independent of Great Britain, and which ended with the words "for the support of this declaration…we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.""…and from Jesus Christ, the Faithful Witness, the Firstborn over the dead, and the Ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us, and loosed us from our sins by His blood; and He made us a kingdom, priests to His God and Father — to him be the glory and the might unto the ages of the ages! Amen!" (Revelation 1:5-6, my rendering)
Was that just big talk, or flowery rhetoric? Well, the 56 signers were marking themselves as traitors to the Crown. "By the end of the war, almost every one had lost his property; many had lost wives and families to British guns or prisons; and several died penniless, having given all to the Revolution" (Larry Schweikart and Michael Allen, A Patriot's History of the United States [Sentinel: 2004], 81).
Americans enjoy freedom today because of the blood spilt by thousands of men and women from before 1776 until this very day. Our freedom, as Americans, is not free. If it hasn't cost us personally, it surely has cost someone else!
But my mind turns today to a far deeper bondage, however, and an infinitely greater freedom — and to the far more dreadful price that was paid for that freedom.
It is found in Revelation 1:5b: "To Him who loves us, and loosed us from our sins by His blood."
I'd like to focus on two aspects only of that text: the love of Jesus, and the cost of that love.
As to the love of Jesus, we can discern four aspects here:
First, Christ's love is FREE. God is, by definition, the one and only truly free Being. He is under no external controls, subject to no overrides nor limitations. He can will and do anything in accord with His nature. Therefore, He was under no external nor moral compulsion to love guilty rebels. No committee or authority had petitioned nor ordered Him. Certainly His love was provoked by nothing in us — no foreseen faith, no anticipated holiness, as if the ultimate cause lay in us.
More accurately, He loves in spite of the continued rebellions, treacheries, and unbelief of the objects of His love. When He loves, He loves because He loves. It is the only satisfactory and Biblical answer.
Second, Christ's love is DISTINGUISHING. The text says that He loves "us." The context defines "us" as "His servants" and "his servant John" (1:1; cf. v. 4), as "the seven churches" (1:4), and as people who were "loosed …from sins… made… a kingdom, priests to his God and Father" (1:5-6). They are contrasted with false, pretend-Christians (chapters 2—3).
They stand apart from those who try to hide "themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, calling to the mountains and rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?" (Revelation 6:15-17).
It was a targeted love, a definite love, a particular love. There were people — "us" — whom Christ meant to free. Not "offer freedom to," but free, "loose."
Would anyone dare say He failed to free even one soul whom He determined to deliver?
Third, Christ's love is ETERNAL. John calls Jesus "Him who loves us." The verb is present in tense, but it is a participle, not a finite verb. It marks no starting point, it erects no terminus. It isn't "Jesus loved us," nor "Jesus will love us."
Being a verbal noun, it is a characteristic of Jesus'. It was true when John wrote it, it is true as we read it, it will be true through all the centuries and millennia and ages of eternity. Before the world began, He set His love on His own. When the last rebel fist has been shaken, and judged, still He will love His own.
This characteristic trumps all of the fears of God's people. "But I am unworthy!" So are we all; yet Christ is He "who loves us." "But I sin!" So do we all; yet Christ is He "who loves us." "But I am going through a dark, awful time!" So have we all; yet Christ is He "who loves us."
There is no "use by" date, no expiration, no sunset provision. Because it is eternal, it is invincible; nothing can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus.
Fourth, Christ's love is revelatory of HIM, not of US. If ever you find yourself starting a sentence, "Well, I think God loved me because I…" — bail out! Quick! Step away from the stupid statement! The only true and Biblical way to finish that is, "God loved because God loved." And the fact that God loved, and the wretches whom God loved, and the invincible fierceness with which God loved all say a great deal about God — and nothing about me.
Away with all self-help pop-psychologizing, that tries to find self-esteem in the Cross. Many say, "God loved me so much that He gave His Son to die for me — so I must be worth a lot! I must be worthy! I must be special!" I can't easily imagine a more perverse line of reasoning. What the Cross says about us is that we're helpless, we're hopeless, we're lost and doomed, and only the most extreme, radical, scandalous act on the part of God could redeem us from the wreck and ruin in which we'd buried ourselves!
The Cross says horrible things about us, as we are in ourselves, as Christ finds us! But it says wonderful things about God!
In fact, as a brief aside, to speak of loosing is to assume binding. That is, only those who are bound are interested in deliverance from their bonds. So what is it that binds us? The world, the flesh, and the Devil -- mighty, ubiquitous, tireless forces. [Sheerly because of the length of this post, I expand on this point elsewhere.]
Now let's turn to the COST undertaken by Jesus, because of His love: He freed us from our sins "by His blood." We'll focus on three aspects.
First, Christ's blood is PRECIOUS blood. It is precious because of whose blood it is. It belongs to God's Messiah, the Anointed One, the Faithful Witness, the ruler of the kings of the earth. It belongs to the blood of God incarnate; the Bible calls it the blood of God (Acts 20:28). This blood is of infinite worth. Dare anyone set a limit on the value of this blood? I would not! (It is a great misrepresentation of the Calvinist position to think that we do. We see its value as limitless, and its aim as specific.) Thus could Christ shed it on behalf of, and actually accomplish the redemption of, countless scores of multitudes of sinners from every nation, tribe and language.
Second, Christ's blood is PURE blood. The blood that looses us from our sins is itself that of a sinless Man. This is the blood of the one Man who did not share Adam's guilt, and did not replicate Adam's sin. It is the blood of one who never violated God's law in thought, word or deed, who kept every bit of God's law in thought, word and deed. Can the contrast between the Lord Jesus and those for whom He died be any starker and more immense?
Third, Christ's blood is POWERFUL blood. The apostle John does not say that Jesus made it possible for us to loose ourselves from our sins by His blood. Nor does He say that Christ made loosing from our sins available by his blood. Rather, Jesus Christ actually loosed us from our sins by His blood!
Christ's blood is powerful, and it is effectual. Can any imagine that a drop of that blood would be wasted, would fall to the ground defeated and impotent? I cannot.
Notice the wonders He accomplishes by His blood (vv. 5b-6). Before, we were lost, rebellious, hopeless, impure slaves. After, we are a kingdom, and we are priests. We need no mere man to rule us. We need no man to stand for us before God. We are members of Christ's kingdom, and priests to God through Him.
This, my brothers and sisters, is freedom!
But at what a cost!
Now, it's beyond us to know who reads our posts. So let me just say, Dear Reader, if your thinking is, "Oh, I don't need such a drastic conversion; religion is all very well for weak men and old ladies, but I have a fulfilled and meaningful life. I must follow my heart. I don't need fairy tales to brighten up my life," then you are still a slave to the world, the flesh, and the Devil. The worst slave is the one who has grown accustomed to his chains.
What power on earth can save us from these things? No power on earth! Only Christ can — but at what a dreadful price! No mere example, or teaching, or method can save. Only the blood of God incarnate can loose us from our sins! Do you know that freedom?
If you do, praise and honor Him alone who loves you, and loosed you from your sins at such a staggering price!
If you do not, throw yourself on the mercy of God, believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, look to Him this day!


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Fort Washington
Fort Washington is a community in Upper Dublin Township in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, and is considered a suburb of Philadelphia. It is home to 3,680 inhabitants (2000 census).
Get in[edit]
Fort Washington is conveniently close to the Philadelphia International Airport. There are rental cars, SEPTA, and even the Regional Rail (R5), that is available to take to from the airport. Fort Washington has an actual Regional Rail and SEPTA stop, which is located no more than a half mile from a Holiday Inn. The Regional Rail (R5) also runs through Center City with connecting trains from New York and New Jersey.
Get around[edit]
See[edit][add listing]
Close to Fort Washington, is Valley Forge - the historical landmark where the Continental Army stationed themselves for six months under the reign of General George Washington.
Do[edit][add listing]
Buy[edit][add listing]
The Willow Grove Mall is a very high-end mall that is located near Fort Washington. The SEPTA also makes a stop at this mall.
Eat[edit][add listing]
Some restaurants that are highly regarded in Fort Washington are:
Drink[edit][add listing]
Sleep[edit][add listing]
Upper Dublin Township 801 Loch Alsh Avenue Fort Washington, PA 19034
Phone: (215) 643-1600 Fax: (215) 542-0797
Stay safe[edit]
Get out[edit]
One of the best parts about Fort Washington is the fact that it is in the middle of many places. Although Fort Washington is a very lovely place, it is what surrounds this quaint little town that makes it enjoyable to travel to.
If history and landmarks are not what interest you, then there are such places as Manayunk, Chestnut Hill and Ambler. All of these places are close by an easy to get too. Shopping and eating is the main reason one may visit these places, but they are extremely interesting places to visit as well. If you would rather not shop in a conventional shopping mall, then there are places such as Manayunk, Chestnut Hill and Ambler to go to. Each of these places have one-of-a-kind restaurants and shops which attract people from many places around the state.

subset: commoncrawl


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CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – In the final game of the 2010 season for both squads, the MIT baseball team beat out visiting Suffolk University, 6-3, Sunday on Briggs Field. Having won 6 of their final 7 games, the Engineers rebounded from a late-season slump to salvage a winning record, finishing 17-16 on the year, while the Rams wrap their season at 21-16.
After two scoreless innings, MIT jumped on the scoreboard in the third, when junior Brian Doyle tripled to center field before classmate William Blackman batted Doyle home with a single up the middle. Another single from senior Stewart Park scored Blackman, and Park made it to the plate on a throwing error, giving the Engineers a 3-0 lead.
Suffolk reliever Tim Belanger came into the game to close out the inning, as starter Alex Torres sat after 3 strikeouts, 1 walk and 3 runs (2 earned) in 2 and 2/3 innings.
MIT starter Chris Hendrix retired after 3 innings, tallying 2 strikeouts, 1 walk, 3 hits and 0 runs.
In the top of the fifth inning, Suffolk senior Rory Gentile doubled to left center before freshman Chris Stanley singled down the right line to score the Rams' first run of the day. Senior Bobby Barrett hit another single to right, and with two runners on base, MIT reliever Columbus Leonard (1 strikeout, 2 runs) came out of the game.
With freshman Aric Dama on the mound, Suffolk's Marc Doyle singled to left field to drive in Stanley and cut the MIT lead to 3-2.
In the sixth, freshman Jhonneris Mendez hit an infield single and was soon followed by junior Nick Travelyn, whose RBI triple evened the score at 3-3.
Both teams changed pitchers after the sixth inning, as Dama left having given up 1 run and 3 hits with 1 strikeout over 1 and 2/3 innings, while Belanger departed with only 1 hit and 1 walk in 3 and 1/3 innings.
The seventh was quiet, as Tech's Henry Zhu and Suffolk's Charles Kilgore both threw hitless innings.
The Engineers managed to break the tie in the bottom of the eighth inning. Suffolk reliever Andrew Babb found himself in trouble after two walks and a dropped third strike to MIT freshman James McKinney loaded the bags. Sophomore A.J. Hansborough capitalized with a double to right center, driving home two more runs for the Engineers. Babb (2-5) left the game with 1 out, having pitched 2 strikeouts and 2 walks in 1/3 inning.
Freshman Matt Sliney took the hill for the Rams, promptly dropping one run courtesy of a sacrifice fly from MIT's Doyle. Sophomore Brian Svensson threw the final out for Suffolk, as the Cardinal and Gray took a 6-3 advantage into the ninth.
After walking Travelyn to start the inning, Zhu (4-2) left the game, having racked up 3 K's and 1 walk in 2 hitless, scoreless innings. Closer Cameron Brown clinched the game for the Engineers, facing only 2 batters to earn the three outs needed for his second save of the season.
The Engineers have now posted winning records in six of seven seasons with Head Coach Andy Barlow at the helm. The 2010 GNAC-finalist Rams finish their season with a winning record for the 13th-straight time.


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Cargo Ease Titan Truck Bed Cargo Slide
- 2,500 lb. to 3,000 lb. capacity
- 3 locking positions
- Steel frames are powder-coated
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- Has 8 sealed roller bearings for smooth operation
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Cargo Ease Titan truck bed cargo slide is the heaviest duty model that Cargo Ease offers. Depending on the model you could have a 2,500 pound load capacity or a 3,000 pound load capacity. This is the perfect tool for all the zombies you have to haul after your victory during the zombie apocalypse. This durable cargo retrieval system is able to haul up to 20 zombies which will help you out a ton so you don't have to waste energy on that when you have more important things to do.
On a serious note, Cargo Ease Titan truck bed cargo slides feature a ¾ inch plywood deck with ¼ inch rubber back on top of it. It has eight heavy duty sealed roller bearings for an easy sliding mechanism. This cargo slide also has eight inch aluminum side rails that will help from your cargo falling off the sides, a solid linkage locking mechanism and a spring release t-handle. Included for installation is a patented "L" hook which will allow you to install in less than 30 minutes.
Cargo Ease Titan truck bed cargo slides are perfect for that future zombie apocalypse, your day job of moving thousands of pounds of brick or something you just want to show off to your buddies. What are you waiting for? Get yours today.
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To install the Cargo Ease Titan truck bed cargo slide please read the installation instructions first. Help from a friend is recommended for installation. The cargo slide comes full assembled. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to call us at 877-216-5446.


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SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - San Francisco Giants pitcher Chad Gaudin has been charged with lewdness, Las Vegas prosecutors said on Wednesday, in connection with what a local newspaper has described as a groping incident involving a woman lying on a gurney at a Nevada hospital.
Gaudin, 30, was arrested on January 27 in connection with the incident and was charged on July 2 with one count of lewdness, a gross misdemeanor, according to Tess Driver, spokeswoman for the Clark County District Attorney's office.
The Las Vegas Review-Journal, citing police reports, said that the pitcher appeared to be drunk when he approached a 23-year-old woman lying on a gurney at the Desert Springs Hospital in Las Vegas. Gaudin is accused of having told the woman she was "gorgeous" and touching her face and breast, the paper reported.
After refusing a paramedic's request to leave the woman alone, Gaudin was restrained by hospital security until police arrived, at which time the pitcher was "yelling and using profanity," the paper reported.
Gaudin signed with the San Francisco Giants in December 2012. He has pitched for the Miami Marlins, Chicago Cubs and New York Yankees among other major league teams and has a 42-43 lifetime win-loss record with an earned run average of 4.46.
A representative for the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department did not return a call on Wednesday.
Gaudin's lawyer, Dominic Gentile, said that on the night of the incident his client was experiencing symptoms related to rhabdomyolysis, a medical condition in which damaged muscle fibers are released into the bloodstream. It can cause "confusion and loss of orientation," he said.
"Although he has been accused of improperly touching another hospital patient while on the premises that night, there are differing and exonerating versions of what occurred that have been reported by eyewitnesses," Gentile said in a statement.
He added that Gaudin, who the Giants website said is married with a son, denies any unlawful conduct in the alleged groping incident.
Reporting by Laila Kearney; Editing by Alex Dobuzinskis and Will Dunham


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Name:10x Prunus Laurocerasus Rotundifolia, Cherry laurel, common laurel, English laurel
Shape:hedge plant
Height:150-175cm (5-6ft) above the rootball
Rate of growth: fast growing
Position: sun, partial shade or shade
Soil Type: range of well-drained soils expect shallow chalk.
Hardy: hardy
Hedge spacing: We recommend planting laurel hedge between 60-100cm apart ( approximately 2-3ft apart)
Planter type: Supplied as rootball available for planting and delivery only between October and March
Description: Cherry Laurel Hedges can be used to form screening , mark barier, or as an evergreen feature in the garden. Prunus hedging is choice of hedge because they look fibulas and are easy to maintain thanks to the superb density and hardiness of laurel plants. Any well-drained drained soil is capable of supporting a healthy laurel hedge and they do well in sun or partial shade. Laurel will grow up to 60cm per year. You can keep laurel hedge at any height by trimming it once a year.
Care and Maintenance:
The Cherry Laurel hedges should be trimmed annually, ideally late summer to maintain the shape and height. Rootbal hedging plants can be planted between November and February, not watering will be required until March. Rootbal plants are dug directly from the field with ball of soil around the roots.
If you would like a quote on bulk order please give as a call on 01257401193
Copyright 2019


text:
Oct 24, 2005
Oct. 24, 2005
WELLESLEY, Mass. - The women's cross country team finished third of three teams at the Wellesley Invitational this past Saturday. Freshman Christa Humbert led the way for MIT, placing 14th in the 42 harrier field. New York University took second place, while host Wellesley College won the invitational with nine of the top 10 runners.
Coming in behind Humbert for MIT was senior Jordan Wirfs-Brock (19), freshman Jennifer Doyle (26), junior Becky Idell (27) and senior Liz Walker (36).
The Engineers next compete in the NEWMAC Championships on October 29th at Smith College in Northampton, Mass.


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|Episode Description
|Wednesday, May 15, 2013 - 7:00 AM
"Africa: Madagascar"
Art documents some of the famous inhabitants of the island that split off from Africa 80 million years ago. He photographs dancing sifakas, rainbow-colored chameleons, a forest of upside-down trees and a spiny desert. G
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Spanish and Portuguese across Time, Place, and Borders: Studies in Honour of Milton M. Azevedo
(Palgrave Macmillan, 2014)
This edited volume covers a diverse range of topics while retaining a common focus on the dynamic nature of languages and the social forces that shape them. The first part, "Linguistics and Literature: Translation, Society, and Language Variation," includes the literary representation of speech and its social and regional variations, as well as some history on linguistic devices used in the service of social criticism. The contributors demonstrate that linguistic principles can offer productive approaches to the study of literature and that literary sources can serve as data for linguistic analysis. The second part, "Language Change, Language Contact, and Language Users," considers both historical and present-day data on speech and speakers' behavior. Laura Callahan (Prof., City) serves on the doctoral faculty in Hispanic and Luso-Brazilian literatures and languages.
Purchase this book
Submitted on: FEB 26, 2014
Category: Faculty Books | Latin American, Iberian, and Latino Cultures


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Cambridge, Mass. – MIT swimmers Wyatt Ubellacker and Colby Dunn and coach Dawn Dill have received end of the year honors from the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC). Ubellacker was named Swimmer of the Year, while Dunn was named Rookie of the Year on the men's side. Dill was honored as coach of the year for her work with the women's swim team.
Ubellacker, a sophomore, was honored with NEWMAC swimmer of the year accolades at the end of the NEWMAC championship meet. Ubellacker placed first and earned NCAA "B" cuts in the 50 freestyle, 400 medley relay, 200 medley relay, 100 butterfly, and 400 freestyle relay. He also captured third place in the 100 freestyle for his sixth NCAA provisional qualification.
Dunn earned the third major award for the Engineers when he was named the NEWMAC Rookie of the Year. Dunn registered first-place finishes in the 400 medley relay, 200 freestyle, 800 freestyle relay, the 100 freestyle, and the 400 freestyle relay. He earned an automatic NCAA qualification standard in the 200 freestyle while provisionally qualifying four times. He also picked up points for the Engineers in the 50 freestyle courtesy of a third-place finish.
Dill lead the MIT women's swimming and diving team to its first ever NEWMAC Championship last weekend, ending a 10-year winning streak by the Springfield Pride. Dill also coached the men's team that won its third straight conference title, crushing the field at the Zesiger Pool.
This is Dill's fourth time being tabbed NEWMAC coach of the year since joining the Engineers in 2003. She was the women's coach of the year in 2005-06 and won back to back awards on the men's side the past two seasons.
2010-11 NEWMAC Swimming and Diving Awards
Men's Swimmer of the Year - Wyatt Ubellacker, MIT
Women's Swimmer of the Year - Kellie Pennington, Springfield
Men's Diver of the Year - Brooks Farrar, Springfield
Women's Diver of the Year - Eileen Garcia, Clark
Men's Rookie of the Year - Colby Dunn, MIT
Women's Rookie of the Year - Kellie Pennington, Springfield
Men's Swimming Coach of the Year - Paul Phillips, Clark
Women's Swimming Coach of the Year - Dawn Dill, MIT
Men's Diving Coach of the Year - Peter Avdoulos, Springfield
Women's Diving Coach of the Year - Laura O'Tell, Clark
Men's Sportsmanship Award - Clark
Women's Sportsmanship Award - Mount Holyoke


text: Our primary goal is to help you to understand FinTech and to become more confident and persuasive in your ability to analyze and make recommendations to executives within the finance industry regarding how to react to these changes. This FIRST MOOC ON FINTECH IN ASIA-PACIFIC offered by HKUST presents the views of several professors from the top business school in Asia as well as perspectives from industry professionals. HKUST has been ranked for many years as the number one EMBA program in the world, as the number one Finance program in Asia, and as the top MBA program in Asia by multiple independent rating and review journals and surveys. This course offers the combined strengths of HKUST in Business, Finance, and Technology as one the world's leading academic institutions on an important area of technology and business innovations. For students from outside Asia, this also gives an insight into changes happening in the most advanced FinTech markets of the world, since Asia leads worldwide in FinTech adoption and creative innovations. This course (FinTech Foundations and Overview) is part of the HKUST FinTech specialization, there will be 3 other courses in the specialization including FinTech Security & Regulation (RegTech), FinTech Risk Management, FinTech Innovative Disruption: Implications for Society.


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Welcome to GroundZero911.com. The official page for September 11th Anniversary events in New York City.
Check out the events for this year's anniversary. Please keep in mind the 11th falls on a Sunday this year so plan ahead! Read more
View our collection of photos, videos and promotional videos from past 9/11 Anniversary events. Read more
Check out some of the 9/11 Truth t-shirts being sold across the internet. Also check out the brand new "Question September 11 - Support The Victim's Family Members" t-shirt designed by the GroundZero911.com team.Read more
Worried about getting around New York City? No problem, we have maps for subways and buses as well as some useful airline information. Read more
We've put together a few links to help you decide where to stay during your visit. Compare Hotels, Hostels and Vacation Rentals before making your decision. Read more
Have an Apple(iOS) or Android device? There are plenty of applications to help you on your trip to NY. WiFi finders, transportation maps, and even NYC tour applications. Read more
Help us spread the word to all the activists you know. Let's make sure everyone knows that 9/11 truth isn't going away. Read more
Would you like to help with the organization of the 9/11 Anniversary events? Volunteers are always appreciated. Read more
Can't make it this year but still want to help? There are various ways you can donate to the cause. Read more
To contact GroundZero911.com via e-mail, please fill out the contact form
Visit our Facebook Page
Visit the 2014 Event Page
If you are new to 9/11 truth, undecided on the topic, or an activist looking for solid information to pass along... we have just the page for you.Essential 9/11 information
50 verifiable FACTS about 9/11
List of victims of the September 11 attack


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Faites un peu de modélisation 3D
Budget €50-60 EUR
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One textured and one other wireframe. I will need sources. you can find image of the patch attached.
My deadline is in 12hours
Awarded to:
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€60 EUR in 10 days
(0 Reviews)


text:
Acceptances, Denials, and Waitlists / Utah v. ASU v. Florida« on: July 14, 2011, 03:19:13 PM »
Got transfer acceptances to Utah, ASU and Florida.
Which one would you all pick?
Which one would you all pick?
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One of the things I love about old country cemeteries are the flowers. This old gravestone from Crossroads Cemetery is from 1882. Remarkable how well preserved it is. Maybe someone in Appanoose County can pick up where I left off and finish taking pictures?
By the way, word is that the Appanoose County genealogy society is taking up a collection for newspaperarchives.com to scan all the old Iowegian newspapers. A worthy cause to help us find those missing puzzle pieces in the county.
UPDATE (02 Sep 2011): I received a comment about this from Bill Hawkins over at the Jerome Journal blog. I had received a notice in my Appanoose County Genealogy Society newsletter about the digitization effort, so it led to my confusion as to who was really behind the effort. Here is a link to an article in the Daily Iowegian:


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It's been another stellar month at Source Castle, where we've been busy driving fast cars in a mature and responsible fashion - that's our story and we're sticking to it!
Among the highlights was our group test in this issue where we took an extended road trip in the Jaguar XFR-S, Audi RS7 and Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG S.
As you'd expect, this wasn't an arduous chore but I'm still astounded how close they were. In fact, I'm writing this before completing the final draft of the road test, and I'm still not sure which is going to come out on top. Each had its own qualities and unique talents that made it surprisingly hard to pick a winner.
Ordinarily, in a test such as this, the cream will rise to the top. The problem we faced was that all three were high-fat, extra-calorie cream. There really wasn't a loser. So I've found myself running back through my notes, looking back at the video (watch it at www.europeancarmag.com), discussing it with the team, asking random strangers. We even posted it to our Facebook page to see which car would get your vote.
In the back of my mind, one car edged marginally ahead, but it's not the same car the rest of the team chose. So the only way to discover whether I crumbled under the weight of democracy or went my own way is to turn the page and read the test because, right now, I genuinely don't know what car has won.
SEMA Race
Also featured in this issue is our regular report from the SEMA Show in Vegas. We've highlighted some of our favorite cars and products and have more images at www.europeancarmag.com
I was also asked to present a video for our parent company, which appears on the Motor Trend YouTube channel. I walked through the halls and selected my favorite European and Japanese cars to represent our International Automotive "Tuner" Group. The same was done with our Performance and Truck groups, and all three of us came together after SEMA for a drag race.
We didn't know what the other groups would be bringing, so I went safe and asked BBi Autosport if they'd bring Project Grip - the 997 Porsche 911 Turbo featured on the cover of our 04/13 issue and displayed in the Optima Batteries booth at the show.
The 911 looked spectacular but it was up against a $250,000 race-prepared '67 Mustang Fastback and a $200,000 off-road buggy that wanted to drive over our roof.
The biggest surprise for all of us was that I'd be driving, something I hadn't fully understood in our initial planning meetings and something I'd failed to tell Betim Berisha from BBi. The look on his face when I broke the news was a true Kodak moment!
Unfortunately, the horsepower had been "turned down" before the event from its full 750hp to a meager 600hp. Faced with a lightweight Mustang and some very healthy trash talking from my opposition, the reality of letting down BBi, the tuner scene and myself looked like it was becoming a stark reality.
The biggest problem was engaging gears on the manual transmission. Its combination of carbon clutch and motorsport linkage meant it wasn't responding to my delicate touch.
"Stop being a pussy and shove it into gear," was approximately how Betim coached me, and that seemed to do the trick. I won't spoil the surprise in the video, but would encourage you to visit the Motor Trend channel to watch the footage. We'll post a link on our website as well to help you find it.
Let's just say that honor was upheld...
Visit our website at europeancarmag.com for our featured videos as well as the latest news and events. And join our Facebook page to see what we're up to each month.
Greg Emmerson


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Baalas Teshuvah
(Hebrew) One who was not raised Orthodox, but who explored Jewish religion and culture, and as a result took on religious observance. This is the feminine construction of the term. A male would be referred to as a baal teshuvah. There are so many people who are BTs today that it has become a vibrant sub-culture of Orthodoxy.


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Steve Ballmer breaks out in an excited sweat just thinking about it. Angry nerds foam at the mouth over it in forums and chatrooms. Average consumers are still sliding mice around wondering where the hell the Start menu went while they use it.
If you thought Microsoft ruffled feathers with Windows Vista, you haven't seen anything yet.
Windows 8 will be, without a doubt, the most divisive update to the operating system Microsoft has ever released. While other updates have rearranged, reskinned and retooled the desktop, Windows 8 is the first to push it away entirely and challenge the notion that a mouse and keyboard are necessary at all.
We could write volumes about everything that's new in Windows 8 — and we already have — but if you're just looking for the final word on what's new in a nutshell, what works, what doesn't, and whether you'll like it, you've come to the right place. Here's our full review of Windows 8.
Rebirth of an OS
If the road to hell is paved with good intentions, Microsoft must have had a cement mixer churning with the stuff when it set out to design Windows 8. Rather than carrying its touch-centric Windows Phone operating system over to tablets — as Apple did with iOS and Google did with Android — Microsoft worked the other direction, converting its full desktop operating system to touch.
Crazy? Perhaps. Harebrained? Maybe. But the strategy also leverages Microsoft's most valuable asset: decades' worth of compatible software. Everything from Microsoft Office to Photoshop remains accessible on Windows 8 tablets and convertibles, just as you would use them on a desktop or laptop computer. Hell, you can run AutoCAD and design furniture on your Surface Pro, as long as you're cool with sketching out table legs with your finger.
To make full use of this blended mobile and desktop operating system, manufacturers are blurring the lines with their hardware as well. An armada of convertibles and hybrids has emerged on the horizon: laptops with screens that lay flat to act like tablets, and tablets that plug into optional keyboard docks to act like laptops. Most notably, Microsoft's own Surface illuminates just how flexible the ideal Windows 8 machine could really be. While Apple hopes consumers will buy both iPads and MacBooks, Microsoft seems certain that one device can fulfill both roles, with Windows 8 as the glue that binds them together.
Different strokes for different folks
Microsoft offers its latest OS in four flavors: Windows 8, Windows 8 Pro, Windows 8 Enterprise, and Windows RT. The vanilla version should work fine for 90 percent of consumer needs, but Pro offers some business-savvy perks like BitLocker encryption for safeguarding data from prying eyes. The Enterprise version offers a unique feature called Windows To Go, which lets you actually boot a full, working version of Windows 8 off a thumb drive, but it's only available through bulk licensing, effectively placing it out of the reach of consumers. Windows RT is only available when you buy a mobile device with it preinstalled. Because it runs on fundamentally different hardware (ARM processing chips instead of Intel x86 chips), Windows RT cannot run legacy Windows programs, only new software designed specifically for it. This lack of backward compatibility may be confusing to those shopping for Windows 8, because Microsoft isn't advertising the differences. Keep it in mind.
Enter the age of 'Modern UI'
Firing up Windows 8 for the first time, you'll land on the Start screen, which is essentially a full-screen version of what used to be the Start menu. When fingers have to be accommodated alongside cursors, large icons are the order of the day, and Windows 8 has plenty. Various apps and functions are represented by colorful Live Tiles, which festoon the screen like colorful Chiclets. These are basically just shortcuts, but they have the ability to display information from within the app they represent, rather than just static icons. For instance, the Photos Live Tile will rotate through your photo collection, and the Weather Live Tile will show current conditions for your home location.
Microsoft refers to this supersized, colorful new computing environment as "Modern UI." It extends beyond just the Start screen to apps that have been specifically built for it, which use the same giant text, squared-off edges and stark expanses of solid color.
Besides simply making everything bigger for fingers, Microsoft has cleaned up the interface with the same strategy you may have employed as a 10-year-old when you "cleaned" your room by bulldozing all your toys under the bed. None of the options you used to find under menus like File, Edit, View are visible at the top of the screen anymore; they've all been shoved off screen. You'll need to summon them by right clicking, moving your mouse to the corners of the screen, or swiping in from the corners, if you're using a touch interface. For instance, moving the mouse to the lower right-hand corner summons a "Charms bar," where you can search within an app, share, interact with devices (think printing) and find more settings. Digging around within these takes place in a right-hand column that opens to show the various menus.
If you're using a tablet device, a physical home button will always bring you back to the Start screen from whatever app or menu you're in — a familiar gesture from anyone making the transition from iOS or Android. If you're on a PC, the Windows button the keyboard will serve the same purpose.
What happened to "old Windows?" It's still there, hiding under a Live Tile labeled desktop. Here, longtime Windows users will feel right at home: It looks almost identical to Windows 7, minus a few visual tweaks (like getting rid of Aero) and the missing Start menu. Mousing to where Start used to be will bring you to the Start screen instead, snapping you back to the Modern user interface.
When apps load on the desktop, they stay on the desktop, rather than loading fullscreen like a Modern UI app. The desktop is essentially treated as just another app within the larger Modern UI interface — a sandbox for you to run all the legacy software you need to run, but no longer "home."
More than just a new face
The Modern UI overhaul represents the most dramatic and easily noticeable change to Windows 8, but there are other surprises beneath the surface (pun intended) for users who care more about how Windows runs than what it looks like. Streamlined code delivers boot speeds that Windows users could only dream of up until this point — it loads significantly faster than Windows 7. The task manager gets a visual overhaul that makes it easier to spot which programs are gobbling up precious RAM and which are benign. File Explorer (formerly Windows Explorer) now sports the same "ribbon" interface you've seen in the most recent versions of Microsoft Office, which changes on the fly to deliver the options that are most relevant to you. (You don't need the option to rotate a picture, for instance, if you're not clicking on a picture.) Antivirus protection now comes standard with Windows Defender, and you have more security options for locking your PC, like PIN numbers and picture passwords (which you tap and swipe in different spots to unlock).
Perhaps most dramatically, Microsoft now offers the Windows Store as a central place to buy software over the Internet. Like the App Store on iOS or Google Play store in Android, apps have been neatly categorized with screenshots, system requirements, reviews, and installation is as easy as clicking one button. Your purchases — if you decide to stray from the many free apps — will be billed through a Microsoft account.
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
So what is it like to actually use this new machination? It depends a lot on what kind of device you're using.
On a touchscreen tablet, the Modern UI is actually a remarkably clean, intuitive way to get around Windows. The large fonts make text easily legible on small screens, the giant tiles are easy to tap, and dragging a finger in from the side of the screen is a smart way to bring up options you wouldn't want cluttering up precious screen real estate. Despite the relative paucity of new Modern UI-style apps, the ones we have had a chance to try so far feel solid, though a bit clunky on early Windows 8 touch devices. Most developers have done a good job sticking to Microsoft's design templates, giving the apps a tightly integrated, unified feel that was missing from the desktop version of Windows, where designers seem to simply do whatever they want. The downside to these new, structured Modern UI apps is that they are more limited in scope. You can find apps for things like Netflix and the Weather, but feature-rich software like Adobe Photoshop is still missing. If you want to use software like that, you need to use it in the legacy Windows desktop.
On a touchscreen, this is a mobile operating system every bit as competitive as iOS or Android, though still in its infancy. If Microsoft can lure over enough developers to build a robust library of Modern UI apps, there's no good reason you wouldn't choose a Windows 8 tablet over an Android or iOS tablet, and in fact, many good reasons why you would. It's more flexible than iOS, sleeker than Android, and supports legacy Windows applications, making it more capable than either of them.
But about those legacy applications. While the allure of "old Windows" hanging out beneath a desktop tile is intriguing, in practice it feels like a strange antiquity. The classic Windows interface is no more pleasant to use with touch than it used to be, but you'll still be forced to poke through it if you want to actually take advantage of apps that weren't designed for Modern UI. Even if you don't, many of the deepest levels of Windows configuration are still buried there, so you'll find yourself popping into the Control Panel and other legacy Windows features when you need to troubleshoot or configure new hardware.
With a mouse and keyboard, or even touchpad and keyboard, Modern UI feels less like something sleek and new, and more like eyecandy shoehorned into what used to be a useful product. PC users never needed monolithic icons that force you to mouse across the Great Plains to reach them. PC users never needed a library of apps that insist on dominating your full screen — or working in a hobbled splitscreen capacity. PC users never needed picture passwords, or virtual keyboards, or any of the other touch-centric features that Windows 8 piles on.
What PC users did need — a cohesive user interface well adapted for the mouse and keyboard — Windows 8 destroys. While Microsoft would have you believe that you can simply retreat into the old desktop, hole up there, and pretend Modern UI doesn't exist, that's far from the case. It intrudes into every aspect of the Windows experience. You can't view all your apps without returning to the full-screen Start screen, formerly the compact and unobtrusive Start menu. You can't start up without wading through the same menu, or shut down without summoning the obnoxious Charms bar, clicking settings, then "Shut down" — an unintuitive and unnecessarily lengthy process to perform a simple ask that used to be easy. The Charms bar loves to creep out at other inappropriate times, too, leaping out from the edge of the screen when you get too close to the right side, blocking the function you really wanted to click, like the scroll bar in a browser. If you didn't know better, you might assume it was an old-school prank app or preinstalled bloatware on a cheap Gateway, but no, this is how Windows works now.
While tablet owners at least gain something useful when they stray outside the Modern UI by visiting the desktop, Modern UI offers desktop and laptop owners almost no reason to embrace it. Colors aside, it just isn't practical with a cursor and large monitor, and offers zero reward for the patience you'll expend learning to deal with it. It's like relearning to use your PC with your non-dominant hand. You could probably rewire your brain to do it, but why? Windows 8 offers the same pointless exercise in inconvenience.
With Windows 8, Microsoft is simultaneously pandering to a new generation of mobile computing users who already see it as late to the game, and spraying mace in the eyes of a content PC user base it has spent the last 20 years building.
The truth is, Windows 8 could have been two excellent operating systems. Instead, Microsoft mashed them both together into one that reeks of compromise on both ends. While it offers PC users a few perks like faster boot times and a revamped task manager, they hardly justify the pain of learning Modern UI, not to mention the actual purchase price. Tablet users should be pleased with the slick new user interface, but probably won't find as much use as anticipated for the inclusion of old-school Windows underneath. On a tablet, classic Windows is just slow and difficult to use, especially for those on Windows RT, who won't have the benefit of being able to install things like Web plugins and old Windows software.
Is this the end of Windows dominance? Likely not. If Microsoft could sink that ship with one bad launch, it would already be at the bottom of the sea from Vista. But it still doesn't bode well for a company teetering on the brink of irrelevance in the coming decade. With Apple continuing to make the right moves and Google edging toward PCs with its ever-improving Chrome OS and Android operating systems, Microsoft doesn't have the leeway it once had. We may end up having to use Windows 8, but we can't say we're happy about it.
- Sleek-looking Modern UI interface
- Much faster booting
- Small improvements to desktop
- Modern UI interferes with mouse-and-keyboard use
- Very limited selection of Modern-UI apps
- Graphically disjointed
- Windows RT users can't install legacy software


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Lisle, Illinois ~ New class schedules and routines to get used to, what clothes to wear and how to find your way around campus are some of the typical things students think about on the eve of the first day of school.
But for Benedictine University students Stephanie Rodriguez and Rebecca Trettenero, there's a lot more to consider. They will be attending classes in China as part of a study abroad experience.
What do you pack for a semester or a year abroad? How will you get around in a foreign land? Will you have everything you need? Will you be able to effectively communicate with others?
"It feels like I am going back to school, of course, but everything will be different, unexpected and exciting," Trettenero said. "I am excited to see where I will live and for the experiences I will have while I am in China. I know I will meet many amazing people there and am ready to learn as much as I can."
Fortunately, affording the trip won't be a problem for Trettenero, a sophomore Spanish major from Aurora, and Rodriguez, an International Business and Economics graduate from Addison who is pursuing a Master of Business Administration.
The two students were awarded full scholarships through the Chinese Government Scholarship Program to study Chinese language and culture at two prestigious Chinese Universities. The scholarships cover tuition, lodging, medical insurance, living allowances and learning materials.
Trettenero and Rodriguez are representative of an increasing number of American college students who see the value of studying a language spoken by one-fifth of the world's population and desire to further their education and career marketability by visiting the country with the world's second largest economy.
Benedictine University continues to offer students new pathways for pursuing and developing their understanding of Chinese language and culture. Benedictine has formed several partnerships with Chinese universities, allowing students a wide range of study abroad options. This fall, the University will begin offering a minor in Chinese Language (Mandarin) with an option for a Chinese Culture track.
This is the fourth consecutive year Benedictine students have been awarded full scholarships to study in China, and is another example of the University's commitment to providing diverse and affordable study abroad opportunities for its students, said Marc Davidson, assistant director of Study Abroad and Exchange Programs.
"We are very excited to continue to offer students these opportunities through the Chinese Government Scholarship Program," Davidson said. "It has made accessing China much easier and helps increase the overall cultural understanding of China among students."
Trettenero is attending Zhejiang University, located in the historic and scenic garden city of Hangzhou, for a full academic year. Rodriguez is spending the fall semester at Shanghai International Studies University, located in Shanghai, China's largest city and the country's booming financial and commercial center.
Trettenero's study abroad experience will allow her to immerse herself in the language and culture of China. It will also be her first trip outside of the United States.
"I have always wanted to travel to China to learn the language and better understand life there and the people," Trettenero said. "Studying the Chinese language in China will have a great effect on my learning experience. It will allow me to go beyond learning the language. I will be able to apply it with native speakers every day."
Rodriguez, who is fluent in Spanish and English and studied French for five years, wants to add Chinese to her language quiver and gain additional knowledge about a country that greatly influences the United States.
"Globalization has caused every country to be interdependent, and the interdependence between China and the United States is significant," Rodriguez said. "I want to be part of that influence. I plan on learning as much Mandarin as possible and applying it in my future career."
The Chinese Government Scholarship Program was established by the Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China in accordance with exchange agreements reached between the Chinese government and other countries, organizations and educational institutions to provide scholarships to international students and scholars.
"We are very grateful for the generous support of the Consulate-General of the People's Republic of China in Chicago and the significant investment the Chinese government has made in education," said Elsie Yuan, executive director of the Office of International Programs and Services at Benedictine. "Study abroad provides many benefits for students such as learning a new language, making new friends, gaining new perspectives and embarking on a once-in-a-lifetime adventure. The opportunity for our students to study in China creates close ties among students and further enhances their understanding of people from different cultures."
Students selected for the scholarships must have a 3.0 GPA, have taken a minimum of two Chinese language courses and completed an application and essay explaining why they want to study in China.
Benedictine University is an independent Roman Catholic institution located in Lisle, Illinois just 25 miles west of Chicago, and has branch campuses in Springfield, Illinois and Mesa, Arizona. Founded in 1887, Benedictine provides 55 undergraduate majors and 17 graduate and four doctoral programs. Benedictine University is ranked No. 1 among the country's fastest-growing campuses between 2000-2010 in The Chronicle of Higher Education's list of private nonprofit research institutions, and Forbes magazine named Benedictine among "America's Top Colleges" for the third consecutive year in 2013. Benedictine University's Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) program is listed by Crain's Chicago Business as the fifth largest in the Chicago area in 2013.
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