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[A rush manuscript, to fulfill a promise. Please report any typos to email@example.com.]
"Behold, I make all things new," says the Enthroned One of Revelation 21. What did He mean by this announcement of a totally new creation?
One of the most misunderstood and misapplied themes in all of Scripture is that of "new heavens and new earth" mentioned in Revelation 21:1 and 2 Peter 3:13. Peter wrote "we are waiting" (v. 13) for this reality, and many Christians think this is the case still for today: Christians are waiting for the appearing of the Lord, a final cataclysmic judgment of the world, and then a new heavens and new earth.
In the studies which follow, I am going to tell you why this is almost entirely incorrect.
The Promise of His Appearing
(See here for the previous exegetical work on 2 Peter 3:1-13.)
Different Worlds, Same Word
Peter's answer to the scoffers (of 2 Peter 3:3–4) is notable in many ways, particularly in what it implies about the nature of the judgment—both in general and for what Peter's audience should have expected in their episode. The relevant passages say,
For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly (2 Pet. 3:5–7).
First, there are translational issues here. I don't like the ESV (above) here, nor am I happy with any one popular translation that's out there. Considering that punctuation and verse divisions came much later than the earliest manuscripts, and looking at the overall message Peter is trying to give (that is, a parallel between the certainty of the prophesied judgment of Noah's flood and that of Jesus' prophesied return in judgment), I think verses 5–7 could better be translated like this:
For they willingly ignore this: that heavens existed long ago, and land out of water and with water gathered together, by the word of God the world at that time perished, being flooded with water; and the present heavens and the earth by the same word, are being reserved for fire, kept unto a day of judgment and destruction of godless men.
While this is not a noticeably large difference, the key thing of interest here is the parallel of the two certain judgments being effected by the same Word of God. During the flood, the "world at that time" suffered judgment "by the word of God"; this was for Peter enough to refute the scoffers' view that all things continued the same since the beginning of creation. But since the same God and the same Word also now pronounced judgment coming upon "the present heavens and earth" (of Peter's day, before the AD 70 destruction of Jerusalem), then the scoffers were equally wrong for questioning this time as they were about ignoring the history of Noah. Translating the verse this way brings to the fore the eternal reliability of the Word of God despite and against the claims of godless men, the scoffers. Peter is not trying to spin some arcane theory of creation here, he is simply reemphasizing the trustworthiness of the "sure Word of prophecy" (1:19) in judgment, for this simple fact alone overturns the scoffers' view of both history and the near future.
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Second, there is both interplay and distinction between "heavens and earth" and "world" here which shows the two are not necessarily to be considered equivalent, although not mutually exclusive either. This means there is flexibility and overlap in how these phrases are understood and applied, and contexts will play a role in determining how they are used.
The heavens existed from long ago, and the earth standing out of and with the water. This "heavens and earth" is a clear reference to the themes developed in Genesis 1:1–10, which includes the separation of waters and earth beneath the heavens, and the gathering of the waters together.
(There may be some semantic relation between the Septuagint's sustema ("gathering") of the waters and Peter's usage of sunestoma ("standing together"), which I translated interpretively as "gathered together," in regard to the land and water. There should be further study of the etymology and usage of these two words. There should be some focus given to how closely Peter came to the Septuagint of Genesis 1 here.)
Interestingly, the heaven and earth, land and sea described here are not the subjects of judgment during the flood, per Peter, but rather the water of that creation was the agent which does the flooding; and it floods not the land or earth (ge in Greek) specifically, but the kosmos at the time. This indicates at least some linguistic distinction between the physical elements of creation per se, and perhaps even as a whole—"heavens and earth"—and some other way of understanding the totality of what God used those elements to judge, here called kosmos. In short, kosmos is not necessarily exactly the same as the "heavens and earth," nor vice versa.
At this point we must be quick to note that Peter does seem to use the two categories interchangeably. In verse 6, speaking of the old world before the flood, judgment comes via the creation upon the kosmos that existed at the time. But in Peter's reapplication of that certainty to his own time, judgment was about to fall upon "the present heavens and earth." So there seems to be at least some interchangeability in the terms. To the extent that there is, both terms can have flexibility to be understood sometimes metaphorically, representatively, typologically, and at other times literally. However much their penumbrae of meaning may overlap, Peter's presentation of the two judgments as parallel examples of God's reliable advance of righteousness in the earth expects us to accept significant if not total overlap in this place. And while I do not think they are technically identical by any means, Peter's parallelism is clear (I paraphrase):
The world [kosmos] of that time perished by the Word of God (v. 6)
The heavens and earth of this time will be destroyed by the same Word of God (v. 7)
Yet since the "world"—as in the physical heavens and earth—of Noah was not literally "destroyed" and was not literally replaced by a new physical world after the flood, we need not necessarily assume that Peter is looking for a total physical change in the planet in His time either. There would certainly be a physical aspect in the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70, just as there was in the physical flood of Noah; but the death of the old world and the birth of the new need not itself to be understood as a purely physical transformation. This is primarily a covenantal change which carries with it certain limited physical transformations.
The long story short, here, is that God's covenantal judgments—however extensive and severe—at different times can delineate different "worlds" before and after, as well as different "heavens and earths" before and after, while not necessarily being understood as literally as possible. There was an "old world" along with a "heavens" that "existed long ago" which perished in the flood, and there was a "present heavens and earth" which were about to be destroyed in Peter's time to make way for a new heavens and new earth which Peter and his audience "expected" as we shall see. Yet during none of these judgments was the physical creation completely obliterated and replaced. The change from "old" to "new" in each case had limited physical applications which pertained to God's covenants with man, judgment on wicked men, and the preservation of God's elect into the new world. Thus there are multiple applications of "world" and of "heavens and earth" which we ignore at our peril.
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While this begs for a much more diverse study than I can pretend to offer here, the immediate application to 2 Peter 3 should be obvious: the heavens and earth about to be destroyed by no means necessarily refer to a destruction of the physical heavens and physical earth. Peter and his audience have something much simpler, though just as profound, in mind for this event. There was a destruction of the "present heavens and earth" coming in their lifetimes, after which they expected a new heavens and new earth," and both of these expectations were built directly upon the teachings of Jesus.
Heavens and earth will pass away
We have established a close connection between Peter's letters and Jesus' eschatological predictions. This is particularly true of Matthew 24:34—"this generation"—as we saw. In this context, too, we should emphasize Jesus' very next words in Matthew 24:35: "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away." These are obviously connected to the same predictions of Jesus. They also correlate directly to Peter's "new heavens and a new earth."
But what did Jesus mean "heaven and earth will pass away"? On the surface, this appears to be merely some kind of figure of speech to emphasize the invincibility of God's Word compared to even the entire universe; but we should rethink this. Is it not the case, rather, that it is directly connected to the idea of a new heaven and earth about to come in the same time frame as the destruction Jesus just predicted. Indeed, seen from this viewpoint, Jesus was promising the passing of the present heaven and earth and the creation of a new heaven and earth in the lifetime of those listening to Him. And this is exactly the issue which Peter takes up in 2 Peter 3.
This connection is not only thematic, but literary also. Jesus' word for "pass away" [pareleusetai] is repeated by Peter: "the heavens will pass away [pareleusontai] with a roar." Peter is again applying the teaching of Jesus for his audience.
The word in itself does not denote so much a physical disappearance or death (in the way we today euphemize death as "passing away"), but is widely used to refer to passing or passing by in time, event, or physical distance. This is further evidence that the event Peter is describing is not a destruction of the physical planet, but a transition from one type of world order to a new one.
What then is meant by the obviously literal language Peter employs? What about the "heavenly bodies" and "all these things" being "dissolved," the heavens being "set on fire and dissolved," etc.? There is no good reason to take these literally in this case. There are good reasons not to, in fact:
First, to think that the literal "heavenly bodies" will literally "be burned up and dissolved" is nonsensical. Since "heavenly bodies" is held distinct from "the heavens" here, the phrase cannot refer to the heavens of the earth's atmosphere (which could, technically, burn away and dissolve). If "heavenly bodies" is to be taken literally, it must refer to stars, planets, etc. But this presents a literal, physical problem: the vast majority of these heavenly bodies are stars. And what are stars? They are, to be blunt, balls of fire. Is God here saying He intends to destroy balls of fire by burning them with fire? Perhaps the insistent literalist will say God will use the hottest fire imaginable. But then again, stars are not just fire, they are essentially natural nuclear fusion reactors—the hottest temperatures imaginable. Again, is God warning us here that He plans to burn up the hottest temperature imaginable by using the hottest temperatures imaginable? Granted, with God all things are possible, but there seems to be something contradictory and irrational if this language is to be taken literally.
This problem is cleared up quite nicely when we understand this language to be like so many other Scriptures which describe God's great covenantal judgments in terms of undoing creation (Isa. 13:10–19; 34:1–5; Ezek. 32:2–11; Joel 2:30–31; Matt. 24:29–30, to name a few). Whereas covenant blessing is frequently spoken of in terms of pristine creation language—gardens, rivers of water, abundant fruit, fish, etc.—covenant curses present the opposite: not the abundance of creation, but the undoing of it. This is exactly what we see in Jesus Olivet Discourse, as well as Peter's instruction in 2 Peter 3.
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Second, the text does not say that the earth will be burned up and dissolved, only the heavenly bodies and the heavens. While the less reliable manuscripts behind the KJV do say the earth and its works will be burned up, the better MS tradition now reads "discovered" instead. While this sounds a bit strange at first, it is actually more biblical. Again, God is not burning up the literal universe here; this is a covenantal judgment destroying the present order of things and ultimately a judgment upon godless men. The burning up and dissolving of the heavens is a metaphorical removal of the heavenly firmament and exposing the godless sinfulness of the polluted land and the works in it—particularly, the faithless Jerusalem which had rejected and murdered Jesus. The godless will be exposed.
This is consistent with images found elsewhere in Scripture, and again during other covenantal judgments. For example, Ezekiel 8 has God giving Ezekiel a tour of the Temple complex, exposing all of the abominations of the Israelite people at the time. God had Ezekiel look through a hole in the wall (Ezek. 8:8) and discover what the Israelites thought they kept well-hidden (see 8:12). God then ordered a slaughter of the Israelites throughout the land. He specifically exempted the faithful and marked them (the elect), and then called for the judgment specifically to "Begin at my house" (Ezek. 9:6).
Now the ultimate symbol of the Old Covenant administration—the "present heavens and earth" of 2 Peter 3—was the Jerusalem Temple. Jesus had clearly predicted it would be destroyed, not one block left upon another (Matt. 24:2). James Jordan and Peter Leithart argue that the Temple was a symbolic "creation" of God, an image of "the heavens and the earth," and I tend to agree.1 This is why the tabernacle/temple was adorned with beasts, lights, trees, fruit, a sea, etc., and separated from the other heavens by a ceiling (firmament), while a veil (again, a firmament) separated God's presence in the Holy of Holies from everything else. While I do not have the time to develop this completely, let it suffice to say that God was about to destroy this particular heavens and earth literally, and by extension, the entire covenant world-order associated with it.
After Christ came in the flesh (the living tabernacle/temple), the Jews rejected Him, and He finished His work, any continued worship at that Old defunct Temple was rank idolatry in God's eyes. It was an abomination. Thus Peter's situation replays almost exactly that of Ezekiel 8ff. A covenantal administration lawsuit was in view, and unbelieving Israel was about to be destroyed for their abominations (rejecting Christ not the least of them), and Peter had even expressly told his readers that judgment must "begin at the household of God" (1 Pet. 4:17; cf. Ezek. 9:5).
God had rent the firmament to expose the land and all the works in it to His holy consuming presence. The godless men—unbelieving Jews—were thus discovered, exposed, and were soon to be destroyed.
Third, the translation "heavenly bodies" is not very supportable here anyway. Both times this phrase appears the Greek word is stoicheia, "basics" or "principles." The KJV actually went with "elements," but even this is not quite right if understood as physical elements, earthly elements. In the New Testament, the word is used to refer to principles of the covenant order, often of the Old Testament, to which the people should not want to return (Gal. 4:3, 9; Col. 2:8, 20; cf. Heb. 5:12). In one place, a group of Jews uses the verb form specifically to direct Paul to follow Old Covenant rituals (Acts 21:24). In other places, the verb form refers to a basic discipline of living righteously, by the faith, or by the Spirit (Phil. 3:16; Gal. 5:25; 6:16; Rom. 4:12). This is about all the biblical direction we get, and none of it refers to the heavenly bodies or to the physical elements of the world, earth, heavens, or universe. It seems the consistent theme throughout the biblical usage is that of basic principles of religion. Thus it seems that the "heavenly bodies" mentioned in 2 Peter 3 should probably be translated something like the KJV, but understood as a reference to the elements of the Old Covenant order. God was not about to nuke the stars, but He was about to destroy the Old Covenant Temple with all of its special rules, rituals, rites, vessels, and paraphernalia. These basic elements—which Paul calls stoicheia tou kosmou ("elements of the kosmos")—would be no more.
And as that old heavens and earth passed away, Peter and his audience looked for—"expected," "eagerly anticipated"—a new heavens and new earth in which righteousness dwells.
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New heavens and new earth
Peter concludes this section:
But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells (2 Pet. 3:13).
Most commentators make the connection between this passage and Isaiah 65:17: "For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind" (Isa. 65:17). Isaiah's description which follows of this new heavens and new earth includes the well-kown references to extra-long age (someone dying at 100 years is just a child and considered accursed for living so briefly) and changes in the nature of deadly beasts: "'The wolf and the lamb shall graze together; the lion shall eat straw like the ox, and dust shall be the serpent's food. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain,' says the LORD" (Isa. 65:25).
The exact phrase appears again in Isaiah 66:22, and later in the New Testament in Revelation 21:1. Again, I must shorten this study more than I would like:
While 2 Peter 3:13 is definitely related thematically to Isaiah 65, it is a mistake to think that there is an exclusive relationship between the Isaiah passage and any New Testament usage, as if Isaiah were giving a unique prophecy of a unique event in the future, and then Peter and John were announcing the fulfillment of that one predicted event on their horizon (or at any time in the future). It is not that Isaiah announced "X," and that Peter and John were saying "the time has come for X," after which time "X" is done and gone. Rather, both texts are partaking of a much larger theological genre which is replayed many times throughout Scripture, and which reappears particularly prominently in these passages. This is to say that while Isaiah 65 is certainly a backdrop to the New Testament references to a new heavens and new earth, it is not the ultimate basis of it.
That ultimate basis is found in Genesis 1. All talk of creations or new creations and the mechanisms God uses to bring them about are rooted in the first chapter of Scripture and cannot be understood properly unless we begin there. This is not just because the theme of "creation" in general begins there, as if we cannot discuss "new" creation without relaying the theological foundations of creation in general afresh every time. Rather, it is because creation and Spirit-nurtured re-creation are there exhibited as God's primary modus operandi for every act of blessing He brings about (by contrast, acts of judgment are often presented as language of de-creation).
At many points in Scripture these relational/covenantal images are rehearsed, usually in conjunction with periods of transition and judgment. God creates primordial tohu and bohu (Gen. 1:2); the Spirit/Wind of God then hovers (flutters like a bird) over the waters, and out of this comes ordered creation (Gen. 1:2ff).
God created man out of the dry land, and His Breath/Spirit entered that lifeless form and became a living system and image of God. God's is now carried in the Temple made without hands, man.
The same story plays out with Noah. God had Noah prepare an ark/Temple in which life was preserved, which floated upon the chaotic flood. After some time a dove is sent out—an image of that Spirit hovering over the face of the waters—until dry land appears. A new creation is born. Indeed, emerges from the shut-ark—an image of resurrection. He is then designated an ish hadamah (Gen. 9:20)—translated as "man of the soil" and understood as "farmer," but h-adam-ah is also a clear poetic reference to the original man Adam who was taken from the adamah, soil. The image: Noah is a new "Adam" standing upon the dry land of the Spirit-discovered new creation.
It plays out again with the Israelites, living in the "without form and void" of the Sinai wilderness. The unfaithful die there (in judgment), but the faithful are led by the Spirit (pillar of fire and cloud), across the waters of the Jordan, into the promised land (a new garden).
Jesus replays this exact picture: He is baptized in the waters of the Jordan river; at that moment the Spirit descends upon him in the form of a buffalo—just seeing if you were paying attention—no, in the form of a dove, and this is indication to John the Baptist that Jesus is the Messiah. Indeed, Jesus is, once again, the new Adam, the new creation, the new Israel, the new Temple etc.
This Jesus then predicts the destruction of the Old Covenant Temple, while predicting the rebuilding of the Temple (His body) in three days—His resurrection. The Old Temple is thus being replaced by the New One. Thus, in covenantal language: the present heavens and earth were being replaced by the new heavens and earth.
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This new heavens and earth was, first, the new Temple, the body of Jesus. The new "stone cut out without hands" which would grow and fill the earth (Dan. 2:35–45). But this body/Temple, we know, is not limited to Jesus' physical/resurrected body alone. There is a whole doctrine of the "body of Christ" in Scripture (Rom 12:5; 1 Cor. 12:12–27; Eph. 3:6; 5:23; Col. 1:18, 24; cf. John 15), and it is all implicated in the doctrine of the new Temple as well. Peter—it is fitting—mentions how believers are living stones that build up a spiritual house: "you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ" (1 Pet. 2:5).
Paul is even clearer on this point. Union with Christ in "one new man" he connects with the new temple image:
For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit (Eph. 2:18–22).
And just as Peter was looking for that new creation in which "righteousness dwells," so Paul assures us that the "new man" is "created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness" (Eph. 4:24).
In other words, the church—the body of all believers—are part of the new Temple. They are thus the new creation as well: the body of the new Adam, the new dwelling place of God via the Spirit. For this reason, Paul can say, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come" (2 Cor. 5:17). The literal Greek here is so spare it is even more frank: Therefore, if anyone in Christ, new creation: the old things passed, behold, new have come.
This—the church—is the new heavens and new earth in which righteousness dwells which Peter and his audience anticipated. It was already there definitively because of the finished work of Christ, but it was not fully ratified—confirmed in history, if you will—until the purge of that old system was completed, and until that old Temple—a stack of stones which were cut out with hands—was leveled to the last block.
New Creation, New Adam, New Eve, New Marriage
The doctrine of "new heavens and new earth" appears most prominently in the New Testament in Revelation 21, and it ties together all of these themes and then some. The text reads,
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away." And he who was seated on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new." Also he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true" (Rev. 21:1–5).
We have seen the doctrine of the new creation and the new Adam, and we have discussed "union" with Christ in which believers become part of that creation. These images are repeated here, largely, and a hint is given which both 1) involves the nature of that union, and 2) ties all of the imagery back to the original creation.
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First, we have already mentioned that there can be many heavens and earths in this regard, in this typological application, so we must not necessarily translate protos here as "first." One could only be dogmatic about this from the basis of some preconceived eschatological system being imposed upon the text. Instead, verse 1 should better read, "I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the former heaven and the former earth had passed away." This is perfectly allowable within the range of normal meanings for protos and fits better with what else we've learned so far. This interpretation also fits better with the common translation of protos in the following verse 4: "former [prota] things have passed away."
This understanding is also backed up by the fact that there was a "world" (kosmos) prior to the flood (2 Pet. 3:5), and yet another "world" after it (Gal. 4:3 et al), and yet the new heavens and new earth of 2 Peter 3:13 and Revelation 21:1 is yet another new creation. In other words, there is not simply a first and a second, but many recurring new creations covenantally speaking as God progresses his creation toward glory.
Second, we are introduced to another new creation theme, and that is the new Jerusalem. This is yet another reference to the church, for Paul tells us in Galatians 4:26, "But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother." This is in contrast to the earthly Jerusalem, which was in bondage to the Old Covenant, and which was soon to be destroyed, or "cast out" in Paul's allegory (Gal. 4:21–31).
Indeed it is just this "Jerusalem above" which we meet again in Revelation 21, for this "new Jerusalem" was above, but descended "down out of heaven from God."
This image is nowhere made more forcefully brilliant than in the book of Hebrews, where the author culminates his pro-Christian argument against the Old Covenant systems by telling the saints,
you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel (Heb. 12:22–24).
So it's clear that this new Jerusalem is indeed the New Covenant church. We also have reiterated the righteousness that dwells in this new creation which houses "the righteous made perfect."
In one sense, new Jerusalem is indeed the church, wedded as a bride in union to Christ. In another image, new Jerusalem is a New Eve to conjoin the New Adam, and Paul says "she is our mother." Since only those who are in Christ have life, we can say that this new Jerusalem is the mother of all living—and thus, truly a New Eve, New Adam's Bride (Gen. 3:20).
Third, the connection between the New Jerusalem of Revelation 21 and the New Testament body of Christ/new Temple is seen in the language of the relevant passages:
the household of God, built on the foundation [themelio] of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone (Eph. 2:19–20).
And the wall of the city had twelve foundations [themelious], and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb (Rev. 21:14).
Unless this foundation that is the apostles has more than one superstructure erected upon it, we must assume some vital organic connection between the New Testament "temple in the Lord . . . dwelling place of God" of Ephesians 2 and the "new Jerusalem . . . dwelling place of God" of Revelation 21.
Fourth, what really is of delightful interest here, in terms of biblical theology, are the images opened up by the phrase "prepared as a bride adorned for her husband" (Rev. 21:2). This draws together creation, marriage, and covenant, and world-order all in one place.
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A Bride Adorned, or Kosmetology School
We have encountered the idea of "world" (kosmos) and have seen than while it significantly overlaps with "heavens and earth," it is by no means always identical. Without time to do an extensive study to hash out all of the instances, it will suffice to say that "heavens and earth" seem to be a much broader and more general category than kosmos is most often used to denote. Granted, "world" does have universal import in many cases (dare we deny it in John 3:16?), but too many uses of kosmos and its various forms denote something much narrower and more technical than the universe at large.
Significantly here, this new Jerusalem bride of Revelation 21:2 is said to be "adorned" as a bride for her husband. The word for "adorned" translates a form of kosmos—here a perfect passive participle, kekosmemenen ("having been adorned"). In its verb form—kosmeo, etc.—the word alerts us to the more technical meanings that we are not used to associating with "cosmos" in our vernacular. We are too used to thinking of the "cosmos" as the "universe": Russian astronauts, space explorers after all, are called cosmonauts. Carl Sagan—an astronomer—wrote a book and TV series about the universe called Cosmos. We describe things of grand, interstellar scale as being "cosmic." And yet we have a perfectly technical usage of the word in our vernacular which is even more common but does not seem to register as quickly in regard to kosmos, and that is cosmetic. Makeup, fashion, plastic surgery, hair styling—all aspects of kosmeo which register more with "a bride adorned" than with a "universe." Much of the usage of the word in Scripture relates more to our modern cosmetology than to our astronomy. This is about arrangement, adornment, even decoration, more than the physical matter of outer space and solar system—except insofar as the solar system, etc. are understood as God's intricate and aesthetic ordering of things.
Indeed, this is the sense we more often than not get from Scripture (with the exception, perhaps, of the writings of John, who uses the word inordinately and almost always has a universal meaning in mind). Just a few examples:
- The multitude of stars are referred to as "the host of heaven." "Host" is kosmos (Gen. 2:1; Deut. 4:19; 17:3; Isa. 13:10 all LXX). Here the idea is "array" and the Hebrew word behind it is often applied to an army set in array for battle.
- In many cases ornaments of different types of apparel—in many cases, jewelry—are described by forms of kosmo (Ex. 33:5–6; 2 Sam. 1:24; Isa. 3:1–26; 49:18; 61:10; Jer. 2:32; 4:30; Ezek. 7:20; 16:11; 23:40–41; 1 Pet. 3:3; 1 Tim. 2:9; Rev. 21:2, 19). Here it clearly means adornment and even decorative adornment. It is often a cause of sinful pride and vanity.
- It is used to describe other types of decorations, such as of tombs, houses, and buildings (Matt. 12:44; 23:29; Luke 11:25; 21:5).
- It described the fashioning or crafting of things in a special way: for example, who can straighten [kosmesai] what God has made crooked? (Eccl. 7:13 LXX). Solomon "set in order" [kosmion] many proverbs (Eccl. 12:9).
Again abbreviating, what we see here is not just making in general, but purposeful, delightful, decorative, comely art. We see this as God's creation, yes, but in kosmos He is making something that has beauty and attraction. He is an artist, painting His divine bride, a delightful companion, and falling in love with her. It is His bride specially adorned for Him.
Yet she is also a city. She is a system: both chaotically buzzing and orderly, predictable, grand, complex—just like the fixed constellations and host of heaven, and the armies of God in battle-array. Applied to the covenantal systems governing God's people over centuries in different forms, God's kosmos is more than a decorative adornment, it is a world order. And dare we say it? Every time God brings about a new heavens and new earth—a new kosmos—we may well be justified in saying God brings about a new world order.
So here we see the theology behind the new heavens and new earth—at least in an abbreviated version. It is rooted in Genesis 1 and 2. Noah preached it. So did the Patriarchs, Moses, and Joshua. Samuel knew it; David preached it and sang it several times. Isaiah pronounced it; so did Ezekiel, and all the prophets, really. Nehemiah lived it, in part. Jesus brought it about, and His apostles lived through its birthpangs. This theology has never changed, though it has been told many times. It lies at the heart of what 2 Peter 3 is saying, as well as Revelation 21. They are all connected. One logos, one word, manifested in several "worlds" so far.
- See Leithart, The Promise of His Appearing, 100.(↩)


text:
Using symbolic mathematics to solve System of ODEs in python
by Kailash Yadav (firstname.lastname@example.com)
Point of contact: Raaisa (firstname.lastname@example.com)
Python has many great inbuilt packages that make solving system of ODEs a piece of cake. In this post I will explain how we can use Sympy, Scipy, Numpy and some other libraries to solve a system of ODEs.
Continue reading "Using symbolic mathematics to solve System of ODEs in python"

subset: commoncrawl


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James Murdoch has just fired the first shot in the general election campaign (Put an end to this dumping of free news, 29 August). A defining issue will be the split between public and private, after 30 years of systematic attack on the public sector from the right. As Murdoch pointed out, the private sector has one aim: profit. Our public spaces, our public services, the very idea of the public, have all been appropriated by the language and practices of profit and the private sector. We are no longer passengers, students or citizens, only consumers of services that must make a profit.
Murdoch is wrong to say public provision penalises the poorest; it is in fact their bulwark against exploitation. "Free news", by definition, is available to all. Sky News is available only to those forced to pay the subscription by Sky's progressive appropriation of programming that used to be in the public sphere, but which is now private.
Professor Andrew Dobson
Keele University
• Hot on the heels of Americans bashing the NHS, another British institution is now in the sights of American-educated and resident James Murdoch. Murdoch makes the case for what he describes as "genuine independence in news media", when what he really wants are favourable conditions for billionaire media tycoons free from regulation. He attacks the BBC as a state-sponsored medium, as if it were the Chinese state, which his father's media empire has done deals with in the past: it appears one person's "independence and plurality" is another billionaire's business opportunity.
His straight-faced "inescapable conclusion" is unsurprising: "The only reliable, durable and perpetual guarantor of independence [in news media] is profit." Perhaps he has Fox News in mind. My own inescapable conclusion is simpler: news media owned by billionaires tend to reflect the views of their owners, and ensure that a world view is presented which shows Mr Murdoch and his ilk as enlightened defenders of free speech (from such evil wrongdoers as the European Union). Mr Murdoch may be right on one thing – there is a "serious and imminent threat" to independent news provision. But he needs to look closer to home for the culprit.
Graeme Routledge
Doncaster, South Yorkshire
• The existence of the BBC's high-quality, free, credible news on the internet has not stopped the Times and other Murdoch newspapers from having their own websites. It is good for democracy for there to be at least one major source of information on the web that is not reliant on advertising income from rich and powerful companies, just as it is good to have BBC television and radio for the same reason. Undoubtedly, the existence of the BBC is bad news for News Corporation's profitability. But in attacking the BBC's free provision, it would appear to be Murdoch's News Corp, not the BBC, that "is incapable of distinguishing between what is good for it and what is good for the country".
Richard Mountford
Hildenborough, Kent
• James Murdoch says "the BBC feels empowered to offer something for everyone, even in areas well served by the market". So what he wants is for the BBC to drop out of activities where there are programmes provided by commercial TV companies. Then the BBC becomes just a source for specialist and intellectual programmes, so the number of viewers falls; there is no justification for the licence fee to support the BBC - and so on to oblivion for the BBC and a clear field for Murdoch and his commercial aspirations. Of course the BBC can improve – but it offers wonderful programmes, satisfies a variety of interests and provides transmissions unencumbered by commercial breaks. Long live the BBC!
John Chubb
Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
• The BBC licence fee is £142.50pa for a plethora of services covering TV, radio, internet, etc, of wide-ranging interest. The Sky subscription of about £50 a month for a basic package – £600 a year – goes straight into the Murdochs' pocket for providing commercial TV only, with very little original UK programming.
Douglas Hartington
• The day when a station owned by Rupert Murdoch produces or commissions a single programme, let alone a lifetime of programmes, of the quality of Blue Planet or Blue Peter, Life on Earth or Life on Mars, Gardeners' World or World at One – and allows us to see and hear them for under £150 quid a year – is the day when we should even entertain his son's self-serving views about broadcasting or any other subject. As to his belief that the only measure of quality in broadcasting is profit, I suppose it has to be admitted that he clearly practises that whereof he speaks.
David Robertson
West Malvern, Worcestershire
• It is infuriating that you give free space for James Murdoch to promote his family's vile assault on integrity and public accountability. Can you imagine an attack by Alan Rusbridger on News International being given prominence in the Murdoch press?
Philip Foxe
• What's "chilling" is surely the prospect of a greater stranglehold by private oligopolies like Murdoch's, not any plans by the BBC. What we need is more support for community and alternative outlets, not more deregulation for trans-national media conglomerates.
Diana Raby
• James Murdoch might reflect on what Hannen Swaffer said 80 years ago: "Freedom of the press in Britain is the freedom to print such of the proprietor's prejudices as the advertisers don't object to."
Mike Starke
Chale Green, Isle of Wight


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December 28, 2005
Longtime downtown business Van Metre's Furniture has closed its doors and is preparing for a going-out-of-business sale to begin Jan. 1.
"This is not a negative thing," owner Mark Van Metre said. "This is a good thing."
Mark and his wife, Jodi, have decided to change course after spending 31 years in the furniture business. They stress that they are not being forced out by "big box" stores or anything like that.
"We've had a good year, actually," Mark said. "Our decision was to go out while things were still good. What we'll be doing is done by choice – we don't have to get out."
The furniture store has been in the Van Metre family since 1965, when Mark's father, Ron, went into partnership with John Emerson to buy Hampton Furniture – a store he had been managing for seven years.
The partners changed the name to J & R Furniture, which it remained until Van Metre bought out Emerson in 1981 and changed the name to Van Metre's.
The building has nearly always housed a furniture store. It was constructed in 1906 for Stewart Hardware and Furniture Co., and later became Kelly Bros. Furniture.
In 1934 the east end of the building became "Doc" Eby's grocery, "The Red & White Store," while the west end was occupied by Tucker's Feed and Seed. But it wasn't long before the building returned to its furniture roots as Field's Furniture.
Field's sold to Rusty Hampton in 1958, and that's when Ron Van Metre entered the picture. He had been working at another furniture store in The Dalles when Hampton asked him to manage the new Hood River business.
"This is my fourth 'Going-out-of-business' sale," Ron laughed. "Field's, Hampton's, J & R, and now Van Metre's."
Ron and his wife, Marlene, sold the business to Mark and Jodi in the early 1990s, but retained ownership of the building. They plan to continue as owners and will lease the building to new businesses, with Mark taking care of securing new tenants. The west end of the building, 10,000 square feet worth, has already been leased and will hold a mattress, linens and accessories business.
"Sort of like Bed, Bath and Beyond," Mark said, adding that the owner, a local person, was out of town for the holidays and would be able to provide more information at a later date.
After the inventory is sold, the Van Metres will spend some time readying the rest of the space for new businesses, and then will be free to pursue other interests.
"Our kids are grown and starting new lives," Mark said. "Alisha is at college working on her master's degree, and Allan has his associate's degree in fire science — and they are both engaged. We decided we're young enough to start a new career.
"I'm going to do a little construction with my dad," Mark said.
"When you work retail, you're working six days a week. That's 31 years of working Saturdays. It's time to change that! It's time to take weekends off and do something different."
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text:
The Mercedes SL came out in 1955, and the 2017 SL450 retractable hardtop convertible I am reviewing this week is the sixth generation version. For 2017, there are a number of changes from last year's SL400.
For starters, it has a revised and much prettier front-end fascia, it gets 34-more horses, it is 300-pounds lighter due primarily to the use of aluminum. Perhaps the biggest news is the SL now has Dynamic Driving Modes to enhance performance and handling.
Under the hood, the SL450 has a 3-liter Bi-turbo V6 that puts out an impressive 362-horses and produces 369 lb-ft of torque. It comes with a new 9-speed automatic transmission that can be shifted from paddles on the steering wheel.
This is an outwardly beautiful car that receives many compliments. 19" wheels, the classic body lines of the SL, the dual exhaust, and hood air intakes set off the new look of the SL450, and it is one of the few roadsters produced that looks as good with the top up as it does with the top down.
My evaluation car is Cardinal Red and has white Nappa leather seats. The interior is everything you would expect from a Mercedes.
It has heated and cooled seats, your choice of red, white, or blue ambient lighting, push-button start, and rearview camera. The seats will massage you if you wish and they will move mechanically to hold you in place when in a turn. That feature is a bit of a shock the first time you turn the car. The seats are extremely comfortable, and there are even built-in neck warmers that shoot warm air on your neck.
The gauges are colorful and easy to see, and there are system settings from the steering wheel between the speedometer and tachometer.
Audio Controls, vehicle settings, and apps operate from a color screen in the center of the dash and are controlled from a round knob near the gear shifter. The system is easy to learn and scroll through.
The center console lets you choose different driving modes.
You can get the best fuel economy with Eco, but you can also choose comfort mode. However, the real fun starts with sport and sport plus modes. As you try them all, you notice that you go from a quiet, luxury experience to a growling monster in sport plus mode that changes everything about the performance of the car.
The SL does not have any sort of back seat, but with the push of a button, you can slide the seats forward to access the interior cargo area, and there is storage space on each side.
As you would expect, the SL450 comes loaded with many standard features including Apple Car Play, Bluetooth connectivity, voice recognition, and navigation.
My tester has a little over $20,000 in options including a $5400 Bang & Olufsen sound system with 900-watts and 12 speakers, including two illuminated acoustic speakers that stand up from the dash.
Perhaps the coolest feature I have ever seen on a car is the $2500 Mercedes Magic Sky Control.
When the hardtop is up, there is a glass panel that you can look through. Just touch the Magic Sky button, then like magic, the glass changes from clear to dark. This is done through an electrical charge sent through the glass and it is pretty amazing to see.
Other options include the white Nappa leather interior, which runs $2600. Soft closing doors cost you $450, and this car has the Premium Package for $5050. With it, you get a rearview camera, Parking Pilot to park itself, the massaging seats, keyless entry, electric trunk opener and closer, and upgraded brakes.
To make the SL an almost self-driving car, it has the Driver Assistance package for $2250 that includes Steering Pilot, which keeps the car centered in its lane, emergency brake assist, blind spot monitoring, and adaptive cruise control. This car also takes action if it senses a frontal or rear collision by tightening the seat belts before impact.
Let's talk about the top operation.
When you want fresh air, the hardtop folds quickly and efficiently into the trunk to make it a convertible, and you can drop the top at speeds up to 25 miles per hour.
The entire operation of the retractable top is amazing to watch while looking inside the trunk. It even has a power windscreen you can raise when the top is down to cut down on the wind coming into the cabin.
The SL450 is a technological marvel of a car.
It's also awesome as a sports car, it's awesome as a luxury coupe, and it is as quiet as any convertible I have ever been in, thanks to heavy insulation and a double-floor inside the car.
Fuel economy is rated at 20 in the city and 28 on the highway, but of course, you have to behave to get that kind of mileage.
MSRP on this car as equipped is $108,385, which I think is reasonable considering the amazing ride and performance of this car. You can move up to the SL550 convertible for $23,000 more and get 449-horses, but honestly, I can't see any reason to do that as well as this car performs.
- What I liked most: The looks, handling, and performance of this beautiful car.
- What I would change: I racked my brain, nothing!
- MSRP: Base price $86,950. As equipped $108,385.
- Fuel Economy: Rated at 20 in town, 28 on the highway, 23 Combined.
- Official Color: Cardinal Red Metallic
- Odometer reading when tested: 400 miles.
- Weight: 3826 pounds.
- Length-Width-Height: 182.3" long/82.6" wide/51.2" high.
- Fuel Tank Capacity: 19.8 gallons with the filler on the passenger side.
- Towing Capacity: N/A.
- 2017 SL450 in a few words: An amazing car, top up or top down.
- Warranty: 4-year/50,000 mile bumper-to-bumper with roadside assistance.
- Final Assembly Location: Bremen, Germany.
- Manufacturer's website: Mercedes-Benz
Photo Credit: Mercedes-Benz


text:
EPI Seminar Series: Daheia Barr-Anderson, PhD, MSPH
Dr. Barr-Anderson's research interests focus on physical activity, sedentary behaviors, and obesity prevention in children and adolescents. She is particularly interested in home- and community-based, environmental interventions that incorporate both physical activity and nutrition to achieve healthy outcomes and to decrease racial/ethnic health inequalities. An area of research she is beginning to explore is how factors within the home activity and food environments interplay with individual and interpersonal factors to contribute to overweight and obesity in children, adolescents, and their families. She has been the Principal Investigator of grants from the General Mills Foundation, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and NIH Building Interdisciplinary Careers in Women's Health (BIRCWH) program and Co-Investigator on several NIH R01 grants.


text:
There are two ways to access the properties of an object: the dot operator (
.) and bracket notation (
[]), similar to an array.
The dot operator is what you use when you know the name of the property you're trying to access ahead of time.
Here is a sample of using the dot operator (
.) to read an object property:
var myObj = {
prop1: "val1",
prop2: "val2"
var prop1val = myObj.prop1; // val1
var prop2val = myObj.prop2; // val2
Read in the property values of
testObj using dot notation. Set the variable
hatValue equal to the object property
hat and set the variable
shirtValue equal to the object property


text:
Good Grips Stainless Steel Food Scale with Pull Out Display, 22-Pound from OXO
I've been using this scale for the past several months and really enjoying it. You know when you're weighing a few pounds of flour for a big batch of bread, and suddenly your scale runs out of weight? That doesn't happen here. It takes up to 22 pounds, and if you're using a really big bowl, you can pull the scale display away out of its shadow. And while it's a big scale, it's flat and light. I just slip it in a drawer when it's not in use.


text:
Game production definitely took the most of my time last year; a lot of the things we learnt I'd never done before which meant that not only was everything trial and error, but the work itself was more interesting. Now that I've got a better grip on the basics of 3DS Max, I hope I can focus a bit more on my visual design skills, which to be honest I made minimal progress on.
In some ways, I feel that I went backwards a bit, because I was scrambling around trying to use digital painting and neglecting my traditional art skills. It's easy to want to use Photoshop for everything because it's so quick to get started, but in practice I find that the actual process of using it to create an image is a lot less intuitive than when you're physically putting something onto paper.
Digital Painting has the unfortunate tendency of turning me into a perfectionist, which means I never get anything done because I'm agonising over every pixel instead of looking at the image as a whole. I might try to make more of an effort to do some of the assignments in traditional media I or do preliminary paintings and then trying to replicate the techniques I used in a digital version.
I also want to make more of an effort to bring my visual design skills into my 3D work. Last year I ended up spending the majority of the time I'd allocated to game production just working on the mesh, and it shows. I need to give a lot more time over to concepting and texturing, in particular looking at better ways to produce normal maps. Thankfully the summer projects have helped my greatly in learning how to make more efficient meshes, as well as giving me a little more basis from which to plan how much detail certain assets need, and how to best make use of textures.
As with Visual Design, my blogging was a bit neglected last year. This year I'm going to make a real effort to post on my blog at least once a week, and to blog about my 3D and 2D work in addition to posting the Critical Studies assignments. By posting my work regularly, including scans of my rough work, I will hopefully be able to get more valuable feedback, both from the course tutors and from other students, as well as just demonstrating my creative and concepting processes.
I'm looking forward to the group project as an opportunity to learn how to coordinate the skills I've learnt with the work of other people on the course. It will be the first time I've ever participated in a group art project, so I'm somewhat nervous about it, but I think that ultimately it will be fun. After all, the group work will be closer to what it would be like working in the game industry, and it will be good to get a better idea of what that will be like early on.


text:
|Siena Duomo
|Piazza del Campo
Take some time to stand in the midele of the Piazza and admire the beauty of the archirecture surrounding it, this truly is one of Europe's special places. You can see that we were blessed with a beautiful sunny day when we were there which helped to showcase the city at its best.
The focal point of the Piazza is the Fonte Gaia, a rectangular marble basin decorated by statues. The fountain now seen in the square is a 19th century copy of the original which was removed to preserve it from the ravages of the weather. The reliefs on the fountain feature Adam and Eve, the Madonna and Child and the virtues. Water is fed into it by a 25km (15mile) aqueduct, which has brought fresh water to the city from the hills since the 14th century.
|Fonte Gaia
The Palazzo Pubblico, the Gothic townhall was completed in 1342. At 102m (330ft), the belltower is the second highest medieval tower to be built in Italy and as you can see I struggled to capture the complete building in one photo.
|Palazzo Pubblico
We loved our time in Siena, the city is small enough to wander round without getting lost and unlike Florence it feels clean and less overwhelmed by tourists. If you plan to visit Tuscany, be sure and add Siena to your plans for your trip, you won't be disappointed.


text:
Harry Dixon is a private eye. A good one.
Back in his home town of Steelopolis, in Rru-Ssarn (Passage75), he was a cop, until he was framed by a crime he didn't commit. The corruption in City Hall had gotten too much and he needed out, and the fat cats up in central office wanted him out. Thus the Passage Opening was a blessing in disguise.
In Thyra, he found a Place filled with good guys, bad guys and the same corruption up where The Ministerium meets (The Big House). But this time? This time he's being paid to track people down and to solve crimes the Yellowstripes don't want to touch.
Saw the picture and simply couldn't resist. Above average shooting and tracking.


text:
On February 27, 2014 IGMR received correspondence from the IRS regarding transcripts.
Hi, XXXXXX. I wanted to pass on some language that was added to our filing season page (http://www.irs.gov/uac/Newsroom/Filing-Season-Update). It addresses transcripts and how they really aren't a good indicator of when a refund is coming.
Will ordering a transcript help you determine when you'll get your refund?
No, a tax transcript will not help you determine when you will get your refund. This is among the common myths and misconceptions that are often repeated in social media. The codes listed on tax transcripts do not provide any early insight into when a refund will be issued. The best way to check on your refund is by visiting "Where's My Refund?" While transcripts include a lot of detailed information regarding actions taken on your account, the codes do not mean the same thing for everyone and they do not necessarily reflect how any of these actions do or do not impact the amount or timing of your refund. IRS transcripts are best and most often used to validate past income and tax filing status for mortgage, student and small business loan applications and to help with tax preparation.
For more answers to common refund questions visit our 2014 Tax Season Refund Frequently Asked Questions page.
What is a transcript?
A tax return transcript shows most line items from your tax return (Form 1040, 1040A or 1040EZ) as it was originally filed, including any accompanying forms and schedules. It does not reflect any changes you, your representative or the IRS made after the return was filed. In many cases, a return transcript will meet the requirements of lending institutions such as those offering mortgages and for applying for student loans. A tax account transcript shows any later adjustments either you or the IRS made after the tax return was filed. This transcript shows basic data, including marital status, type of return filed, adjusted gross income and taxable income.
What does IGMR think about transcripts?
Please see the various posts from our users about this topic old threads can be found on the Hot tab or in the forums.
jemar707311 (admin) said: Ordering transcript can only definitively mean you exist to the IRS. However, it has been a theory around here that after transcript success, you have made some progress and are likely o get a hard DD soon. But please kep in mind that it has also been reported that after success at transcript, you could still be held up for various reasons.
I just don't want this site to ever lead someone down the road of rejoicing or exploding based on us providing "definitive" type information that could be inaccurate. Please if you are offering your advice or experience, whether it be re: transcript or any other matter, to ensure that you communicate to people that your comments are your experience or opinion. I want people to be able to come here and read everything, and then chew the information around to make their own informed decisions or theories. Please do not tell people "you should" or "that means", without a disclaimer… lol
ma4pa.igmr (mod) said: I don't see the need to order them one reason, its a burden on an already overburdened system. While it may mean you are out of processing it doesnt mean you are getting a HDD in fact your return may still have other issues, some who have their transcripts still have no money and no HDD, others have received blank transcript with no info on them. So I don't recommend ordering them. But the choice is yours.


text:
Under Connecticut law governing employment discrimination, an employer may be liable to an individual or employee if it "refuse[s] to hire or employ or to bar or to discharge from employment any individual or to discriminate against him in compensation or in terms, conditions or privileges of employment because of the individual's sexual orientation or civil union status." C.G.S. § 46a-81c (1). The question recently posed to the Connecticut Supreme Court in Patino v. Birken Manufacturing Co., was whether the mandate that an employer must not discriminate regarding "terms [or] conditions" of employment made an employer liable if it failed to take reasonable steps to protect an employee from workplace harassment/a hostile work environment due to the employee's sexual orientation.
In reaching its decision, reportedly one of the first state supreme court decisions tackling this issue, the Connecticut Supreme Court concluded it did not matter that the law does not expressly make an employer liable for failing to prevent workplace harassment or remedy hostile work environments targeting an individual because of their sexual orientation. Rather, the Connecticut Supreme Court, after examining the statute, related state and federal laws and case law, concluded that the phrase "terms, conditions or privileges of employment," which already is used in many laws to employees from discrimination due to race or gender, has become a special phrase that covers employees facing workplace harassment or a hostile work environment due to protected qualities, such as race or gender. Therefore, because the state legislature used this phrase in the statute making an employer liable for discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, the legislature meant to protect employees from – and make an employer liable for – unremedied workplace harassment or hostile work environments.Questions or Comments? Contact Jared Cantor.


text:
Aruba Brand Name Networking Contract: Contract #409652
EMC WSCA/NASPO: Contract#B27161
NetApp WSCA/NASPO: Contract B27170
Search the Louisiana Electronic Catalog.
Sigma's networking solutions deliver the performance needed for mission-critical applications and services.
Sigma Solutions can help organizations develop and implement a virtualization strategy that maximizes the benefits of virtualization while minimizing business disruption.


text: Hi there i am wondering,could i use blogspot to promote my products and at the same time do some seo,build backlinks and get google rankings? Or i could only do so with a own website and domain? If i could build backlinks with blogspot,is it with the url i got from blogspot with the xxxxxxxx.xxxxxx.blogspot.com .Is this the url i need to build backlinks?


text:
you say it's your....
Not for nothing, Vicky, but when people are linking to you because you are celebrating the anniversary of your blog, those following the link might be put off by that Erectile Chicken Dysfunction headline.
Then again, maybe not.
Many more, Vicky.
Oh look at this, it's Bill's anniversary, too. Go tell him
UPDATE: I forgot to say that Bill's blog does not have oozing facial sores and it is not fat and ugly. In fact, Bill is the one with the canker sores and extra 300 pounds, not the blog. His blog is damn beautiful, so damn entertaining, so incredibly perfect in every way, that you have a hard time believing that a guy who is so ugly, so fearsome, so bitter and nasty, could have not only a dazzling blog, but a beautiful, smart wife.


text:
By looking through these stunning Constance Jablonski editorials, it should come as no surprise that the French beauty is one of the most respected and requested models in the fashion industry.
At only 21 years old, Jablonski is one of the most recognized names in the industry and luckily, she shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. She got her start in the industry by competing in the French Elite Model Look Contest of 2006, and since then, her career has skyrocketed.
She made her runway debut in September 2008 on the catwalks of New York, Milan and Paris Fashion Weeks. Jablonski has walked for some of the biggest names in the industry, like Dior, Burberry, Alexander McQueen, Balenciaga and Yves Saint Laurent.
These Constance Jablonski editorials showcase why the blond bombshell is a force to be reckoned with.
Steamy Car Shoots
Short Shorts Fashion Shoots
Winter Wonderland Editorials
Sapphic Advertising
Sleazy Chic Editorials
Free 2019 Report & eBook
Get the top 100 trends happening right NOW -- plus a FREE copy of our award-winning book.
Our Research Methodology
This article is one of 350,000 experiments. We use crowd filtering, big data and AI to identify insights.


text:
According to Gartner, "Marketers rank analytics as one of the top three capabilities for supporting marketing goals. Just as dependence on data accelerates, so does marketers' expectations of it." Marketing leaders need support when it comes to navigating the volume and complexity of real-time data and insights activation. They may want to outsource this to providers with advanced analytic skills and technology who understand the trends shaping today's marketing analytics category to help execute against data-driven marketing programs.
Gartner considers the following capabilities essential for providers in this market:
- Marketing focus
- Advanced analytics expertise
- Enterprise client base
- Service-led delivery


text:
5-Year Anniversary of "MY OPINION" ... by: Ken B.
Yeah that's right, 5 YEARS!!
I've been doing my public access show, "MY OPINION" ... by: Ken B., for 5 years this month. My premiere show was actually on 3/20/01 @ 12:00 Midnight.
It's been one Hell of a ride so far. I also want to mention that I will be in the April/May edition of "Urban Literature Magazine" in about two weeks. It's a short interview that will be available in over 3000 FREE copies of the local mag in The Triad and should be in the online edition as well.
I've interviewed many local people from up-and-coming musicians to mayoral canidates to local businesspeople to local politicians. I can't say I've "done it all" or have done all that I wanted, but I'm getting there.
So check out my retrospective show this and next Tuesday @ 9:00 PM on Cable Channel 8.
Now on to the show!!


text:
The Bulls (8-5) gave up a 19-point lead on the road and fell to the Los Angeles Clippers 102-95 on Saturday night. Our grades for the game:
Jimmy Butler
Grade: B-
Statistics: 38 minutes, 22 points (5-of-18 shooting, 11-of-12 on free throws), 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 2 turnovers
Butler didn't have a great night shooting the ball, but he stayed aggressive and still managed to have a decent night offensively by getting to the free throw line a ton off his drives.
Butler had a tough assignment defensively in J.J. Redick, and he did a good job of fighting through a sea of picks all night. Redick shot just 3-of-9 and was held in check by Butler's solid defense.
Butler also guarded Blake Griffin on a switch in the game's closing seconds and got called for a very controversial foul that put the game out of reach for the Bulls.
Butler called foul on Blake. pic.twitter.com/aASLESdb3z
— ⓂarcusD2.0 (@_MarcusD2_) November 20, 2016
Dwyane Wade
Grade: A
Statistics: 36 minutes, 28 points (9-of-20 shooting, 5-of-9 on 3-pointers), 8 rebounds, 3 assists
Wade was on fire in the first half, connecting on 4-of-6 of his 3-pointers.
.@DwyaneWade had total command that first half 🔥 🔥 🔥 🔥 pic.twitter.com/TCQ0C0Ka76
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) November 20, 2016
Wade cooled down as the game progressed, missing on some heat check 3-pointers. He was still the Bulls' best offensive weapon on Saturday.
The Bulls play again on Sunday, and Wade hasn't played well in back-to-backs this year. With a heavy minutes load, Hoiberg will have to keep a close eye on Wade against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Rajon Rondo
Grade: C
Statistics: 35 minutes, 9 points (4-of-7 shooting), 10 rebounds, 8 assists, 3 turnovers
Rondo had a deceptively poor game in his return from a sprained ankle. He filled up the stat sheet, approaching triple-double status. But his minus-14 was the lowest plus/minus mark of any Bulls player. His defense was poor as usual, and he had some costly bad plays in the closing minutes of the game.
If you're gonna criticize Hoiberg, should be for leaving Rondo in. He blew 3 assignments on D in the last 2:35, was 5 feet off on this pass. pic.twitter.com/O1B9znk2F9
— Stephen Noh (@hungarianjordan) November 20, 2016
Taj Gibson
Grade: B
Statistics: 32 minutes, 11 points (5-of-8 shooting), 4 rebounds
The Bulls got off to a big lead early in the first quarter by going through Gibson. He went 4-of-4 in that first period. He quieted down later in the game, but did have a nice dunk off a good pass from Rondo.
Rondo sets up Gibson for the slam on @NBATV! #NBARapidReplay https://t.co/kerfmuGfaw
— NBA (@NBA) November 20, 2016
Gibson's primary role though was to play defense on Blake Griffin, and he did a good job. Griffin scored many of his baskets on switches and Gibson forced him to work for tough shots when he was on him.
Robin Lopez
Grade: A-
Statistics: 26 minutes, 10 points (5-of-6 shooting), 6 rebounds (3 offensive)
Lopez had a solid game. He kept DeAndre Jordan off the offensive glass, had a bunch of tip-ins, and hit a hook shot on a good duck in.
He got dunked on by Blake Griffin in a video that has been making the rounds on the Internet, but he also did his usual excellent job of protecting the rim on other less glamorous plays.
Lopez is gonna be all over the internet for that Blake dunk, but props for being willing to contest and also forcing misses like this pic.twitter.com/xsPNU6mYWP
— Stephen Noh (@hungarianjordan) November 20, 2016
Lopez barely played in the fourth quarter, and Fred Hoiberg received a lot of heat for using Bobby Portis instead. This was another game where the matchups were poor for Lopez, so it was difficult for him to play huge minutes.
Isaiah Canaan
Grade: C-
Statistics: 17 minutes, 8 points (2-of-5 shooting), 2 assists, 4 fouls
Canaan was the first guard off the bench and had a rough night on both ends. He didn't shoot the ball particularly well, although he did get to the line four times to salvage his night.
Canaan did not have a good defensive performance. He was fouling far too often and he could not stay in front of Chris Paul to save his life.
Nikola Mirotic
Grade: D
Statistics: 16 minutes, 2 points (1-of-7 shooting, 0-of-5 on 3-pointers), 1 steal, 1 block, 1 rebound
Mirotic had a horrid night shooting. He missed all of his 3-point attempts, including two back-to-back on the same possession.
Niko 🙁 pic.twitter.com/uPk0a2VBtz
— ⓂarcusD2.0 (@_MarcusD2_) November 20, 2016
Hoiberg had a short leash with Mirotic, and he sat for most of crunch time.
Jerian Grant
Grade: C
Statistics: 15 minutes, 3 points (1-of-4 shooting), 1 assist, 2 steals
Grant has found himself into the rotation as of late. He struggled again shooting the ball, although he did hit one of his 3-point attempts.
Two for a dollar! @JerianGrant pic.twitter.com/HlFdhE2FQI
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) November 20, 2016
Grant has proven himself to be a bit of a ballhawk so far this season, and he chipped in another two steals in this game.
Bobby Portis
Grade: C-
Statistics: 20 minutes, 2 points (1-of-1 shooting), 3 rebounds, 4 fouls
Portis played for most of the fourth quarter, but he was really hurting the team on the defensive end. He isn't very good at closing out possessions, as evidenced when he gave up a key offensive rebound to Mo Speights with under two minutes left in the game.
Portis provides spacing when he's on the floor, but he didn't do much on the offensive end either. It is puzzling why he keeps getting so many minutes in Hoiberg's rotation.
Denzel Valentine
Grade: D
Statistics: 3 minutes, 0 points, 0 assists, 0 rebounds
Valentine played very briefly in the second quarter. He missed a 3-pointer in his only shot attempt and was a minus-6 in his short stint.
Cristiano Felicio
Grade: D
Statistics: 2 minutes, 0 points, 0 assists, 0 rebounds
Felicio played non garbage-time minutes for the first time in the past two weeks. Hoiberg inserted him in for a very brief stint to close out the second quarter, and he did not do anything at all of note.


text: Hey, I'm new here and I've tried to find a thread with what I'm looking for and I've found close but not exactly what I want. So I got my Droid wet and broke it and got sent a new one. I put in my original mini SD card and it seemed to load all my contacts up and sync with my gmail account and everything seemed to be working fine. The only exception is that now when I load a contact by clicking the add new contact in the contact app it puts it in my "all contacts" folder in my gmail account instead of the "my contacts" folder which makes it not appear on my contacts list on my Droid. Now the only solution I have really heard people try and come up with is that I need to check the "all other contacts" under the display options which is not the solution I am looking for since I only want to list what is in the "my contacts" folder and I don't want to have to go into my gmail account and transfer contacts from "all contacts" to "my contacts" every time I want to add someone new into my phone. My old Droid had no problem with this and I could just add new contacts with no problem. The only other weird thing about my new Droid's contact app is under display options it lists everything as a system group which it also did not do before I'm pretty sure and also lists "system group: my contacts" twice which makes me think this might have something to do with my issue. I hope this describes what I am talking about and any help would be appreciated as this is very frustrating when I am trying to add a new contact. Thanks in advance.


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|MPAA Rating:
What's this?
|PG Reason for Rating...
|Julia Roberts, Owen Wilson, Jacob Tremblay, Mandy Patinkin
|Stephen Chbosky
|Movie Studio:
|Run Time:
|113 Minutes
|Release Date:
|A young boy born with a facial deformity is destinied to fit in at a new school, and to make everyone happen to understand he's just another ordinary kid, and that beauty isn't skin deep.
|Movie Link:
Below is a list of movies and their upcoming national release dates. Please click on the poster to get additional information about any movie listed. We strive to show all of your favorite motion pictures. However, sometimes it is not feasible for us to play every new release. Please see the Coming Attractions section at the bottom of our home page to see the movies we have scheduled to play at this theatre. Please be aware that our bookings are subject to change at any time.
Ticket Pricing
All shows before 6:00 PM
NEW Early Bird (Applies to shows starting before noon): $5.00 (Does not apply to midnight shows)
All Admissions (Applies to shows starting between noon and 5:59 pm): $6.50
3D Surcharge: $2.00
All shows 6:00 PM and after
Adults: $8.50
Children (11 and under): $6.50
Seniors (62+): $6.50
3D Surcharge: $2.00
Bargain Day - Tuesday: $5.00 (2D), $7.00 (3D) (Bargain Day pricing may not be available for all films - film company restrictions may apply. See cashier for details.)
|Ticket prices and showtimes are subject to change without notice. Special events and concerts pricing will be different from above. Please see event showtimes for pricing.


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Wednesday, 2 May 2012
Pére Lachaise & other poems
A collection of about sixteen of my poems will be published later this year by Fiddleblack - in their first annual edition, "Apparitional Experience". More information to follow. Meanwhile, you can see their latest journal here: www.fiddleblack.org
Posted by Christiana Spens at 03:52
Labels: Christiana Spens, Fiddleblack
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50 Cent starts off 2014 with a brand new song called "This Is Murder Not Music". Watch out for his upcoming project 'Animal Ambition: An Untamed Desire To Win' due out soon.
Tags: 50 cent, Music
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User Summary
Released in conjunction with Pirates CSG Online, Pirates: Quest for Davy Jones' Gold Online was a downloadable, internet-based adaptation of the similarly-named boardgame, Pirates: Quest for Davy Jones' Gold.
The physical boardgame included a coupon code that allowed purchasers to play the online version for free.
SOE ceased support of the game on January 31, 2011 and it is no longer available.


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Impact was founded on the principle of creating outstanding schools and acquiring passionate teachers who can engage and inspire students both locally and globally. However, our purpose is not just limited to finding talented teachers and cultivating outstanding schools, we also provide invaluable development opportunities through our education programmes – overseas teacher training trips, classroom linking and project funding. Our aim is to positively influence the practice and skill set of teachers, to ultimately improve students' experience and overall impact of education at home and abroad.
The Problem
Indian Primary teachers that don't have the required qualifications
Indian primary level teachers that have attained ISCED 5 level qualifications
Ugandan secondary teachers that don't have any qualification
The Solution
After 10 years developing and funding global education projects, we came to realise that the best way to impact education in developing nations would be to focus our efforts in teacher training and infrastructure projects. Our programmes mirror our efforts and have helped train more than 450 Indian and Ugandan teachers and benefited over 35,000 children.
Our Programmes
Overseas Teacher Training Trips
Our overseas training programme gives teachers the opportunity to train fellow teachers in India and Uganda, using a current, established curriculum produced by Impact's board of education specialists. Our aim is to positively influence the practice and skill set of teachers, to in-turn improve students' experience and overall impact of education at home and abroad. Read more and apply
Linking Classrooms
Linking Classrooms is a learning programme designed to broaden students' understanding of the world whilst positively impacting overseas communities and education. The programme directly connects classes in the UK with classrooms in India through shared learning and cross cultural education, as well as providing a base for school assemblies and fundraising projects. Read more and apply
Project Funding
Since 2006, Impact has funded a series of community and education projects in India and Africa. From teacher dormitories to classrooms and latrines, the projects have enabled educators to develop sustainable, positive environments in the classroom and at home. We also commit to matching any fundraising efforts by our schools for these projects, and encourage involvement when possible. To receive further information about funding, please email email@example.com
Get In Touch
If you've any queries regarding our programmes, please don't hesitate to get in touch using the form below.


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Synopsis The Platts move to Chipping Hanbury and begin to look after the village and its startled inhabitants. They look after it so well that very soon people are wishing they would go and find another village to look after. The only thing that keeps them going is the thought that soon the Platts will decide to look after Daniel Emanuel. Luckily, Daniel Emanuel is not very impressed with the Platt's efforts to tidy his life.
It is in two short story collections: Warlock At The Wheel: And Other Stories and Unexpected Magic and Puffin Post Vol. 13 no 4.


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Cthegreen necesitaba un nuevo diseño de camiseta y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
2 ganadores han sido elegidos entre 61 diseños de 16 diseñadores freelance.
Total Team Wares - totalteamwares.com
We are a fun energic bunch of people that love swimming. We want modern, classic, and everything in between. Something that grabs attention. This is for a national championship swim meet that attracts the best swimmers in the country!
Our Mission: The entire team at Total Team Wares is dedicated to the sport and the swimmers we serve. We deal honestly and are always willing to go the extra 'lap'. So, whether this is your first time with our Team, or if you have been with us for many years, we assure your satisfaction with our service and our products.
These are younger swimmers we are talking about. High School to College age kids. 13-18 age group kids. Parents, coaches, and others are definitely a target as well. Whole country comes to this event.
-Up to 3 Color artwork. If your so talented that you can knock it out of the park with less then dazzle us!
-Mockups with the folowing T-Shirt Colors White, Burnt Orange,Mocha, Denim, Lime Green, and Black. Or other light colors.
-Speedo Logo incorporated somewhere on the shirt. Sleeve can be used but not req'd.
-Modern, cool, hip, [insert awesome word here] design. Owner is older so lets not get too crazy. :)


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Hundreds raise money for cancer patients
TORONTO, Ohio —
Saturday's cold temperatures didn't stop a crowd from attending the annual Campbell-Dickinson Bike/Run/Walk.
Saturday's cold temperatures didn't stop a crowd from attending the annual Campbell-Dickinson Bike/Run/Walk.
Nearly1,000 participants came out for the event that helps raise awareness and money for those affected by cancer.
Most didn't seem to mind the cold weather; it gave them more incentive to finish their race, but there was no bigger reason to participate than the cause.
"We've all had people that have died (from cancer)," said George Komar, race coordinator.
It's hard to find someone who hasn't been affected by cancer.
"My mother-in-law passed away," said Tina McGrath.
"We've had family members that have been survivors and lost family members to cancer," said Nancy Porreca.
"We've all been touched by cancer, so we're giving back," Komar said.
Money raised from the races, gifts and apparel all benefit those affected by cancer.
"To be here, to be a part of the event, to know that what you're doing is changing lives, it's an unspeakable feeling inside your chest, truly," said Matt Lewis, St. Baldrick's coordinator.
"I know that it's a good cause and I want to support all the families who need it," said Marianne Dubois.
"To know that there's going to be somebody out there that has to have treatment, and this might be the only way they can get it. You know, Toronto is a good community, they support so many people, and so many events, but this has just grown, it's amazing," said Porreca.
Jenny Dickinson is a coordinator of the event and a 7-year breast cancer survivor.
"Every year I feel it just gets bigger and better. It runs smoothly. So many people I just think love coming here to just support what it's for," Dickinson said.
Race coordinator George Komar says it's all of those who come out to support that make Toronto what it is.
"Those are the jewels that make up the gem in Gem City. It's beautiful," Komar said.


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The dust is still settling from the explosion of power golf with which John Daly won the PGA championship a month ago. But while the fallout of his newfound fame is making the 25-year-old tour rookie a rich man, some of it is already old.
The star-making machinery has been grinding the private life of golf's newest hero to a halt, with the national news media shadowing him, countless business deals including an instruction video and a book on the table, and even a country song, "Long John Daly," on the charts.
"Some of it's been fun, but it's been really hard in a lot of ways," Daly said the other day from his home in Memphis, where he has been attempting to rest since taking a break from competition two weeks ago. "I expected this to be a vacation, but it turned out to be a nightmare.


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Yesterday HTC announced their new Phablet, the HTC One Max, which is basically a larger version of the HTC One. UK mobile carrier Vodafone has announced that they will have an exclusive on the HTC One Max at launch here in the UK.
Vodafone have said that the HTC One Max will be available to order from this week, the handset will be available on Vodafone's Red 4G ready plans.
The HTC One max is a Vodafone exclusive from launch, and will be available on a 24 month Vodafone Red 4G-ready plan from £49 upfront and just £47 each month. That'll give you the choice of Spotify Premium or Sky Sports Mobile TV access, along with 2GB of data each month. Fancy a #4GBonus? There's an extra 4GB each month on offer if you sign up before the end of October. Swish.
The HTC One Max comes with Android 4.3 Jelly Bean and the latest version of HTC's custom UI, HTC Sense 5.5, the device features a 5.9 inch full HD display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels.
Processing on the HTC One Max is provided by a quad core 1.7GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor, there is 2GB of RAM and either 16GB or 32GB of storage.
If you want to add in extra storage to the One Max, there is a microSD card slot which offers support for 64GB cards, the handset also comes with a 3,300 mAh battery.
The HTC One Max features a fingerprint scanner, this is located on the back of the handset next to HTC's Ultrapixel camera, there is also a front facing 2.1 megapixel camera for video calls.
You can find out more details about the HTC One Max on Vodafone at the link below, the device will be available to order with the carrier later this week.
Source VodafoneFiled Under: Android News, Mobile Phone News, Top News


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For you avid thrifters, you'll no doubt remember their old location on Olympic. This new-improved spot is bigger and is conveniently located right next to Whole Foods. There's a separate area just for vintage clothing, plus jewelry and collectibles in the glass case up front, linens, jeans and some furniture pieces. Good men's section with higher end clothing and some women's designer stuff, too. Look for their annual Vintage Sale in October and check back often for scores of deals on a whole host of gently-used merchandise.Hospice Boutique Thrift Shoppe 1345 Newell Avenue, Suite A Walnut Creek, CA 94596
(925) 947-1064
Hours: Monday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Donations accepted during store hours. Call store to arrange for pick up of larger items.
Proceeds go to support the hospice of Contra Costa County.


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UFO Sighting Report - United Kingdom
July 19th 2008 : Worsbrough Bridge, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, England
UFOINFO Sighting Form Report
Location: Worsbrough Bridge Barnsley South Yorkshire England
Date: 19/07/2008
Time: 12.45
Number of witnesses: 3
Number of objects: 6
Shape of objects: round
Weather Conditions: warm and clear skies
Description: At around 12.45 my husband shouted me to look through the window as there was a big orange ball sort of thing going straight past our window.so i then shouted my daughter come and look at these as well, as this was the most amazing thing i have ever seen as we watched the object going into the distance another 2 came past exactly the same they went in the distance to join the first one then just as before another 2 came past followed by one more they all came within 2.or 3 minutes of each other.
Then as they went in to the distance they there wasn't any noise at all no trials or nothing.
The first 3 that went past seem to be waiting for the last 3 to catch up to them before they all vanished.....


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Member Favorites: 0
Luke Notos Greyrat (ルーク・ノトス・グレイラット)Luke was born into the Notos Greyrat family as an Asura Kingdom high noble. He was tasked at a very young age of being the Guardian Knight to second princess Ariel Anemoi Asura alongside Derrick Redbat. He is very fervent in his duties as a guardian despite his frivolous attitude towards girls and his mediocre skills.
(Source: Mushoku Tensei Wikia)
Voice ActorsNo voice actors have been added to this character. Help improve our database by searching for a voice actor, and adding this character to their roles here.


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Happy Dessert is a "delicious" iPhone game / iPod Touch! Quickly search the ingredients to make your favourite desserts! Indulge yourself in these eye-catching desserts and you may even earn items to decorate your dessert house! Simple enough to learn, yet difficult to master. please goto our website to preview the game play video.
High-quality artwork graphics
Over 60 Desserts
over 70 Ingredients
5 Stages
21 Trophies for dessert house decoration
How to play:
1. Order a dessert by customer.
2. Take a look at the list of ingredients and select the correct ingredients to make the dessert.
3. If you make the dessert with no error, you will make a perfect dessert.
4. If you make the dessert quickly enough, you will get a "gold dessert".
5. You can get time bonus after you made a dessert.
6. Try to make all the desserts within time limit.
7. You will get a trophy when you meet some specific requirements. Then some decoration items will be added into your title screen.
In-Game Features:
Magnifier to help you find the ingredient
Simply pause the game by clicking the on-screen clock


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Separate names with a comma.
Discussion in 'New Member Introductions' started by nagavenkata, Nov 1, 2012.
Hi Friends, I am new to the forum.
HI nagavenkata, welcome to Business Advice Forum. I hope you enjoy your time with us and please do let us know if there is anything we can help you with.


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Michael Rodriguez, Haya Ajjan present on CRM and social media technology
Michael Rodriguez, assistant professor of marketing, and Haya Ajjan, assistant professor of management information systems, recently presented at the Academy of Marketing Science's annual conference.
Rodriguez and Ajjan presented their paper, "CRM/Social Media Technology: Impact on Customer Orientation Process and Organizational Sales Performance," which was coauthored by Robert Peterson of Northern Illinois University.
The conference, held May 15-18 in Monteray Bay, Calif., featured refereed paper sessions, research-in-progress sessions, panels, workshops and other special invited sessions.
Below is an abstract of the paper:
The importance of technology in managing relationships with customers has grown significantly, especially with the advent of innovations such as cloud computing and web-based technology. One of the more popular topics in both academic research and business discussions has been the use of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) technology to increase business and sales productivity through the ongoing development of relationships with buyers. A new phenomenon in understanding buyers' needs and reaching new customers is social media. Organizations are capturing data from tools such as LinkedIn, Facebook and blogs, and attempting to integrate this information into their sales process. In order to extract value from technology, organizations need to build a framework and processes to deliver value to the customer.
The purpose of this research study is to ascertain how customer-oriented technology, CRM and social media, might impact sales performance. In this exploratory paper, we attempt to understand the impact of technology on performance through the use of customer-oriented processes. Customer orientation refers to the extent an organization focuses its efforts in understanding and satisfying its customers' needs for quality and timeliness and building long-term relationships.


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Models Own's Lilac Sheen and accent nail stampingFriday, December 18, 2015
These Models Own pastels really do have a good place in my collection. It feels nice to wear them once in awhile and It's hard to neglect them when the polishes I own from the Hyper gel collection are such good solid colours. Good on its on and good as a design base.
The base of this mani is Models Own's Hyper gel Lilac sheen. Some of you may not know but I do tweak my photo lighting to prettify things a little. My camera really likes to dull things down against this shade so I'd say this polish is looking a shade lighter after the editing.
Hopefully my new camera doesn't give me this problem anymore and I'm looking to show you more macro shots.
For this manicure you'll need:
- One coat of your preferred base coat (I used Essie's Protein base coat)
- Two coats of Models Own's Lilac Sheen - Pastel purple
- With and black and gold polish, stamp the image from the Moyou Festive collection No 22 plate on the ring finger nail.
- Seal the nail with one coat of your preferred top coat. (I use INM's Out the door.)
Hmm, I tried to do the whole two tone stamping technique but with the design lines being kind of thin and all it didn't quite work out. The two shades did mix a little but I didn't think it was much of a big deal overall I'm still quite happy with how it turned out.
What do you think of this manicure? What other colour combinations should I try for the two tone stamping techniques?


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Paula Deen's "MasterChef" appearance was everything that would be expected from the onetime Queen of Southern Cooking. She was charming, looked as cheery as a daffodil and wondered aloud why one of the competitors missed an opportunity to deep-fry some catfish. ("Some things you just have to fry," she explained.)
The episode kicked off with Deen pulling up in a tractor loaded with bales of hay and greeting the final five competitors with a "How y'all doing? Are ya ready to find out whatcha gonna be doin' today? Hop on the back y'all and I'm gonna take ya to the party."
Deen's foes will find plenty to complain about Fox's decision to air the episode, which was taped in March, months before Deen's reputation imploded following revelations about her use of the N-word decades ago. That damaging revelation was dug up by a lawsuit filed by a former employee, a lawsuit that has since been settled.
PHOTOS: Celebrities by The Times
Show executives considered a variety of ways of handling the episode, from not airing it to trying, somehow, to edit Deen out. Those options weren't realistic, however, and would have greatly disrupted the competition at a key stage -- winnowing the field down to the Final Four. In the end, Fox decided to air it.
For Deen's fans, the episode was reminder of what has been lost since the Food Network decided to part ways with the controversial celebuchef. So, was this appearance Deen's TV swan song? Or Deen's first fledgling step back into the spotlight?
Social media seemed divided on the issue. Deen's appearance on the show had her hosting a thank-you luncheon for local volunteers, with the competitors cooking the meals to be served. One person tweeted that no black people appeared to be at the luncheon. Another tweeted that "Paula Deen came off very likable. Yes, this could be a small step toward a comeback."
PHOTOS: Hollywood Backlot moments
Deen's appearance highlighted a topsy-turvey two-hour competition that at one point saw Krissi and Natasha on the chopping block. Could it be? Could one of them really go home? Of course, not, this is "MasterChef," the most leg-pullingest show on TV!
Chef Gordon Ramsay allowed Natasha to dangle on the string for a few moments before announcing that all five competitors would move along to the next round, because it was just too tough to call. (Or, it was just too much good TV!)
The shocker of the night?
No, not how unbelievably cute the judges' kids' are.
No, not just how delish that Vietnamese pork noodle soup looked.
PHOTOS: Cable versus broadcast ratings
No, just how how un-delish that sea urchin dish looked. (Apologies, Joe. I'm sure it was, indeed, amazing. It just did not translate onscreen.)
The shocker of the night was that Elf -- er, James -- was sent home after Luca and Jessie shrewdly gave James a delicate panna cotta dessert to re-create for the judges. (It was far more likely that Natasha or Krissi would have nailed it.)
But James -- who some had predicted would win the competition -- failed to put that dessert into the turbo blast freezer, so it was more like a... gloopy soup.
So, what do you think about this Final Four?
Paul Giamatti will star in 'Hoke' pilot for FX
Queen Latifah nabs Will Smith, John Travolta for her new talk show
Keith Olbermann returns to ESPN to talk sports and hate on the media
PHOTOS: TV shows and their spinoffs
Overrated/Underrated 2014
PHOTOS: 101 best-written TV shows of all time