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Ten Things I loved about Derek Landy's SKULDUGGERY PLEASANT
December 15, 2013 § 3 Comments
1. Skulduggery is a magical skeleton detective.
Just stop and think about that for a second. So many children's authors would expect their young readers to simply suspend their disbelief and accept that, in the world of this novel, magical skeleton detectives are just part of how things roll. Not so Derek Landy. Instead, Skulduggery's past and his current status as animate skeleton are explained so matter-of-factly that the reader is able to place complete trust in the potential of this world to exist. Skulduggery is witty, droll, powerful, loyal and just a little bit shifty. Few titular characters are as likable as the skeleton detective.
2. The meta-fictional sense of humour
Skulduggery Pleasant is a book that is constantly aware of its genre, and of the reader's scepticism. Rather than trying to overcome this with detailed descriptions and overwhelming world-building, Landy instead turns this into a basis for humour. Skulduggery Pleasant literally made me laugh out loud so often that I repeatedly garnered odd looks from my fellow passengers on public transport.
"China is the same age as I am, and even I have to admit that she wears it better!" He laughed, then stopped and peered at her. "Because I'm a skeleton" he explained."
"A living skeleton isn't enough for you, is it? What does it take to impress young people these days?"
"Doesn't sunlight kill them? Doesn't it turn them to dust, or make them burst into flames or something?"
"Nope. Vampires tan, just like you and me. Well, just like you. I tend to bleach."
3. The character's names are excellent.
The magic system in the world of Skulduggery Pleasant is based upon names. Individuals are given three names – their given name, the name they choose, and their true name. Some of the names that characters choose for themselves are simply wonderful: Skulduggery Pleasant, for one, but also: Mevolent, the evil sorcerer; Meritorious, one of the wise Elders; Ghastly, the scarred but kindly tailor; and China Sorrows, dangerously beautiful librarian.
4. Stephanie's inquisitive and enjoyably bossy personality
I'm so tired of reading reviews that praise "strong female characters." It's a concept I can no longer be bothered engaging with, because I think I believe it is more detrimental than it is helpful to depictions of female characters. What fiction, especially children's fiction, needs more of are characters like Stephanie. Through a combination of inheritance and conscious choice, Stephanie finds herself fully immersed in the magical world of Skulduggery and his companions. Certain that she is now on the path to realising her life's goals, she pesters, annoys and frustrates Skulduggery into taking her on as an apprentice. Stephanie is whip-smart, insolent and determined. In other words, she's an actual twelve-year-old girl, and not an idealised "role model" coming to us from the top of an unrealistically high pedestal.
5. The book does not speak down to its readers
This is not a book dumbed down for its young readers. Now, it should be noted that the narration, content and language used are all age-appropriate, but in no way is it lowered in either quality or context for the younger reader. This means that Skulduggery Pleasant is just as enjoyable for the adult readers as it is for the kids!
6. The cleverly revealed layers of the plot
In addition to the highly entertaining dialogue, the plot of the first novel is fast-paced, action-packed and character-driven. All the things that you need to make a compulsive read. The author pays homage to the noir tradition, but also splices in all manner of pop-culture references (not the least of which is Lovecraftian!).
7. The relationship between Skulduggery and Stephanie (later Valkyrie)
Skulduggery is Stephanie's teacher, mentor and protector. In turn, she is his loyal protégée. At times, they act like bickering siblings, and they're certainly not afraid of being open with one another, but it's quite clear that they are fiercely protective friends. It is refreshing and endearing to read about a genuinely caring relationship which is not based on romance. Skulduggery and Stephanie are simply in this together because they want to be, and that's lovely.
"…what I was going to say is there's something about you that is really annoying, and you never do what you're told, and sometimes I question your intelligence—but even so, I'm going to train you, because I like having someone follow me around like a little puppy. It makes me feel good about myself."
She rolled her eyes. "You are such a moron."
"Don't be jealous of my genius."
"Can you get over yourself for just a moment?"
"If only that were possible."
"For a guy with no internal organs, you've got quite the ego."
"And for a girl who can't stand up without falling over, you're quite the critic."
"My leg will be fine."
"And my ego will flourish. What a pair we are."
8. The fact that Skulduggery Pleasant is not yet a movie franchise
This is surprising, because it's a series bound for the silver screen. I'm delighted to have found these books before they get to movie-stage, because it could be done so very badly. Derek Landy's novels are eccentric, quintessentially Irish and highly imaginative, and I worry that they would not translate effectively through the lens of a Hollywood camera. Read them before a film comes out, so you can make up your own mind.
9. The darkness that counterbalances the humour
Many children's novels lean toward the saccharine in order to avoid frightening young readers. Few authors manage to walk the line between humour and darkness, but Landy carries it off without a hitch. There are scenes of surprising darkness in Skulduggery Pleasant, but the characters balance this out with unexpected quips and flippant commentary. Indeed, when Skulduggery is faced with somewhat graphic torture, he lightens the mood considerably by simply laughing at his captor.
10. The fact that this is a whole series I get to discover
These are the kind of books I look forward to reading during my breaks, on the bus and before bed – an escape into a world with vivid characters, a multi-faceted magic system and an endless font of humour.
§ 3 Responses to Ten Things I loved about Derek Landy's SKULDUGGERY PLEASANT
Sounds like an interesting series, I am tempted to try this in 2014.
[…] 2. Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy […]
[…] Mira Grant's Parasite, – Derek Landy's Skulduggery Pleasant, – Mur Lafferty's The Shambling Guide to New York City – and J T Clay's The Single […]


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The alleged inventor claims:"I claim:
1. A replicating in vitro cell culture of human embryonic stem cells comprising cells which (i) are capable of proliferation in in vitro culture for over one year without the application of exogenous leukemia inhibitory factor, (ii) maintain a karyotype in which the chromosomes are euploid through prolonged culture, (iii) maintain the potential to differentiate to derivatives of endoderm, mesoderm, and ectoderm tissues throughout the culture, and (iv) are inhibited from differentiation when cultured on a fibroblast feeder layer.
2. The preparation of claim 1, wherein the stem cells will spontaneously differentiate to trophoblast and produce chorionic gonadotropin when cultured to high density.
3. The preparation of claim 1 wherein the cells are negative for the SSEA-1 marker, positive for the SSEA-4 marker, and express alkaline phosphatase."
I will report more on this later.

subset: commoncrawl


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President Bush has held talks with the leaders of Rwanda, South Africa and the Democratic Republic of Congo on consolidating the recent Rwandan-Congolese peace agreement.
Mr. Bush met Friday with presidents Paul Kagame of Rwanda, Thabo Mbeki of South Africa and Joseph Kabila of Congo on the margins of the U-N General Assembly in New York City. Mr. Bush left for Washington following the meeting, on which no details were immediately available.
Last month, Rwanda and Congo signed an agreement normalizing relations after four years of war.
Earlier Mr. Bush held talks with the leaders of 10 Central African countries on trade and development issues and the AIDS pandemic. Mr Bush met with the presidents of Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon, Chad, the Central African Republic, Burundi, the Republic of Congo, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Sao Tome and Principe.
After that meeting, the White House reiterated the Administration's commitment to its Millenium Challenge Account. The program would grant 10 billion dollars in aid to African countries that demonstrate a strong commitment to good governance.


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After 13 years of waiting you'd think the gaming world would welcome the return of The King with open arms, but judging by the growing number of negative reviews, it seems that Duke's latest adventure isn't what fans of the franchise were hoping for.
as it turns out it was 13 years to early. It needed more Development time
Time for journalists to stop beating the poor dead horse behind barn just bury it the ground for god's sake!


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Project blog
Researching Refugee-Run Micro-Finance
Organisation: Young African Refugees for Integral Development (YARID)
Partners: Refugee Communities; Humanitarian Innovation Project, University of Oxford; the Paper Airplanes Project (NGO)
Location: Kampala, Uganda
Type of grant: Core – recognition
Status: Completed
This innovation aims to research refugee-run micro-finance and develop a micro-finance model based on urban refugees' community initiatives in Kampala, Uganda, with the aim of piloting 'bottom-up' micro-finance programmes at a later stage.
What humanitarian need is being addressed?
Very little research focuses on refugees' own micro-finance mechanisms, and thus little is known of the potential for refugee communities to access capital and host micro-finance programmes. Our project promotes economic self-reliance, and local integration for refugee populations through a process innovation aiming to invent a new model for approaching micro-finance for refugees.
What is the innovative solution?
As a project directed by a refugee-run organisation and involving refugee communities themselves, we view this innovation as an important bottom-up contribution to both research and practice involving refugees.
We ask: What degree of access to financial tools are available for refugees? From the lender's point of view, what conditions would enable refugees' access to micro-finance? Are refugee-run micro-loan and micro-savings groups sites of successful micro-finance and, if so, how could these be expanded upon? We seek to undertake research on urban refugee micro-finance access and programmes through an in-depth literature review and fieldwork in Kampala, Uganda. We aim to map existing initiatives and programmes, provide evidence-driven recommendations for micro-finance, and develop a model that builds on refugee-run micro-finance initiatives and provides avenues for urban refugees to directly access capital.
How does the innovation build on and improve existing humanitarian practice?
Since 2000, UNHCR has implemented different forms of microfinance in 45% of its country operations, yet these have only recently occurred in urban areas. Larger organisations have struggled with receiving loan repayments, often due to refugees perceiving loans as hand-outs. In Uganda, successful rural initiatives provide models that could be adapted for an urban environment – yet their lack of urban counterparts demonstrates the gap for micro-finance provision to urban refugees. Refugees' own micro-savings and micro-lending groups are mentioned in literature, yet have not been comprehensively researched. We aim to build on existing literature and programmes and research how refugee-run micro-finance groups operate within communities, how they interact (if at all) with outside capital providers, what their main challenges are, or whether they are potential sites for bottom-up innovation in micro-finance models.
What materials or research outputs are likely to be produced?'
The outcome of our research will be a more comprehensive understanding of how urban refugees could directly access capital, and the creation of an implementable model for both strengthening and initiating micro-finance programmes with and within urban refugee communities. We aim to produce a variety of outputs sharing our results, including a written report outlining our micro-finance model and the type of loan product that is most suitable for refugees in an urban environment. We will additionally publish our research in the UNHCR New Issues in Refugee Research Working Paper Series and in a peer-reviewed journal such as 'Development and Change'.


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|Sudden Death Due to Infiltration of Left Bundle Branches by Interventricular Septal Cardiac Fibroma.
MedLine Citation:
|PMID: 22900851 Owner: NLM Status: Publisher
|Cardiac fibromas are benign conditions; however, their location and size may cause ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death. We report a case of a 68-year-old female who died suddenly. Postmortem investigation detected a huge cardiac fibroma in the pars muscularis of the interventricular septum, occupying almost the entire muscular septum, and restricting the volume of left ventricular chamber. Histological examination revealed numerous foci of calcification in the alternating complex interlacing or strictly parallel collagenous fiber mass. Tumor mass was mainly demarcated, but in some places, fibrous infiltration of surrounding working cardiac muscle was found. We present a case when direct tumor involvement in the descending left bundle branches was evidenced. Mainly, the branches of septal fascicle were disrupted, entrapped, and degenerated by the tumor mass. This case report emphasizes that postmortem histological examination of conduction system in all sudden cardiac death cases may substantially improve the accuracy of postmortem diagnosis.
|Kristóf István; Klára Törő; Magdolna Kardos; Czirják Imre; Dunay György; Nemeskéri Agnes
Publication Detail:
|Type: JOURNAL ARTICLE Date: 2012-8-17
Journal Detail:
|Title: Journal of forensic sciences Volume: - ISSN: 1556-4029 ISO Abbreviation: J. Forensic Sci. Publication Date: 2012 Aug
Date Detail:
|Created Date: 2012-8-20 Completed Date: - Revised Date: -
Medline Journal Info:
|Nlm Unique ID: 0375370 Medline TA: J Forensic Sci Country: -
Other Details:
|Languages: ENG Pagination: - Citation Subset: -
Copyright Information:
|© 2012 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.
|Department of Forensic and Insurance Medicine, Semmelweis University, Üllői út 93, 1091, Budapest, Hungary.
Export Citation:
|APA/MLA Format Download EndNote Download BibTex
|MeSH Terms
From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine
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Twitter has rapidly risen to become an excellent source of breaking news and a collection of wide-ranging viewpoints. At the same time, however, it can a bit intimidating to the new user. It's sometimes difficult to know who to follow for quality fantasy football-related news. To help erase this difficulty, we have interviewed some of our favorite tweeters.
Name: Chad Parsons
Twitter handle: @PFF_ChadParsons
Approximate number of tweets per month: Inseason >1,000. Offseason 300-500, 99% directly related to fantasy football.
Number that are following you: 1,200 and counting, always a new level of humility with the support.
Number that you are following: 130-150 at any given time. I think following any more reduces the likelihood of actually reading most of them for me.
Tweeting since: Regularly since the spring of 2011.
Occupation (when not talking about football): Active Duty military, Official Musical Escort to the President of the United States here in Washington, DC.
Family life: Married for 4 years, love the "couple with a dog" lifestyle.
Quick Bio (who you are, site(s) you represent, etc.): I am a staff writer in the dynasty fantasy football section of profootballfocus.com. In addition to articles, rankings, and written content for the site, I am the host of the PFF Dynasty podcast, Under The Helmet, airing on Thursday nights, 6:30pm EST and available on download through Blogtalkradio.com and iTunes. It is a great staff at PFF Fantasy to work with there. @Bryan_Fontaine is a great dynasty mind as the senior writer and editor in the dynasty department.
What is something unique about you that few would know about? I analyze things almost to a fault – the things I care about at least. I will consider the best value on a restaurant menu based on the best monetary and nutritional value. I was crunching numbers for the best deal in a grocery store long before the days of the "price per unit" tags everywhere. I drive a very old car and have very few possessions. That lifestyle will facilitate retirement from a traditional job (never from fantasy football) in my early 40s. My wife and I love the idea of an active retirement community. There are tons of activities and resources for pretty much every interest. They just need to build some of these communities right on the beach!
What you do for fun during the football offseason: I am an avid tennis player and nutrition nut when not thinking about football. I enjoy financial planning as well.
Favorite NFL Team(s): Strange, but true: I do not have a rooting interest. I watch all 32 teams equally with an objective and non-emotional eye.
Favorite NFL player(s): I love great quarterback play. It is like beautiful artwork to watch a signal-caller "in the zone". Peyton Manning in his prime (regular season of course) was mesmerizing to watch. Drew Brees, Tom Brady, and Aaron Rodgers are other active players that have consistently shown to have those moments as well.
Make your case for why fantasy football addicts should get on Twitter: It is the single best outlet for fantasy football discussion and interaction in my opinion. All the breaking news happens on twitter, along with the biggest names in the NFL and fantasy giving their reaction on the spot. Everyone is responsive to questions, whether it is a trade proposal you are mulling over or a sit/start decision. Most think twitter is about gossiping celebrities, but for fantasy football, it is the melting pot for a world of great discussion and information. All I can say is to get on there, start following 40-50 beat writers and fantasy minds and THEN tell everyone you don't like it.
Except for yourself, give us three to five MUST FOLLOWS on Twitter: @MikeClayNFL is a great source for changing information in terms of depth charts, playing time, and updated projections based on probably the biggest Excel database in the western hemisphere. @GregCosell is eye-opening in terms of his observations on a film study and strategic/game planning level for the NFL game. In terms of NFL draft prospect videos, @Jmpasq quickly became a must follow for me. They include all the relevant plays for a collegiate player in a given game and are posted on youtube. @fantasydouche is a great resource to challenge the accepted conventions of the NFL. His concepts are great to think about subjects differently and expand your mind. @SigmundBloom, @MattWaldman, and @CecilLammey are also must follows. There are so many great fantasy resources on twitter.
Years playing fantasy football: Since 1998 officially, but the number of leagues have grown exponentially in the past 2-3 seasons.
Favorite style of play (Dynasty, Redraft, Auction, Best Ball, Survivor, etc): I love auction keeper leagues with escalating salaries. They offer the benefit of cap efficiency for the savvy and forward-thinking owners with the flexibility to churn most your roster on a year-to-year basis if you so choose.
Your biggest score(s) in fantasy football: When asked this question, I always refer to my "go-to" fantasy story of taking a chance on a rookie WR and QB that had yet to take a snap in the NFL as my starters in 1998, leading me to my only undefeated season to this point. They were Randy Moss and Daunte Culpepper.
Name two players that you expect will be undervalued in most fantasy drafts this year. Explain why you think these sleepers could drastically outperform their ADP: Jake Locker and Jahvid Best are my value choices. Both are risk/reward plays with low floors of production in 2012, but the potential is there to be a difference-maker as well.
Locker's big-play ability meshes well with the surrounding talent of Chris Johnson, Kenny Britt, Kendall Wright, and Jared Cook. When he finally gets the starting role, top-5 QB production is definitely possible for the second-year signal-caller with his added rushing ability.
Jahvid Best is a guy with some serious concussions in his past. Austin Collie was able to make it through 2011 without missing time, so I retain hope for Best to have fantasy value going forward in the same vein. In his first two seasons, Best has averaged 13.3 and 18.8 FP/game respectively. With Mikel LeShoure on the mend and Kevin Smith a walking injury report, Best will have a good-sized PPR role in Detroit when healthy. He is a great flyer in the middle-to-late rounds in redraft and dynasty.
Name two players that will not be on your roster at any draft position. Explain why you think these busts could drastically underperform their ADP:
Shonn Greene was a popular sleeper in 2011. While I believe the fantasy community is too quick to write off players after a disappointing year, I can't see a rebound coming from Greene in 2012. Greene has had a below-average TD rate all three of his seasons and Tim Tebow's presence will keep Greene's rate suppressed going forward in that regard. I also am not a fan of backs that are not active in the passing game. Greene would be lucky to see 40 targets again like he did in 2011. His 66.7% and 75% catch rates the last two seasons do not give me much confidence in his PPR ability moving forward.
Anquan Boldin is another player I will not own in fantasy moving forward. He is a big, physical receiver that I see regressing statistically faster than his age would suggest. Moving from Arizona to Baltimore hurt his fantasy value a few years ago and now, I see Torrey Smith as the #1 WR moving forward. Boldin's catch rate has been 62.1% and 55.9% in the last two seasons, along with being targeted on
How much of fantasy football is skill? How much is luck? I think everyone's goal should be to make the playoffs as the "skill" portion of fantasy football. Most of the playoff teams I see are the stronger ones in a given league. After that, anything can (and usually does) happen in a head-to-head format. Keeper and dynasty formats eliminate some of the redraft luck factor because the sample size increases, allowing for the cream to rise to the top more often.
What's the biggest mistake you see fantasy players make? Fantasy owners that give up on talented players in dynasty/keeper leagues because of a slow first couple years in the NFL is a common mistake. The transition from the college game and atmosphere to that of the NFL is a steep curve that every player handles differently.
What do you wished you had learned about fantasy football five years ago? Nothing beats doing your own due diligence. Have your resources and tools for statistical measures, news, advice, etc. Think about all those things and then, at the end of the day, be your own GM and take a stand on player values for YOUR team.
Give a wild prediction about the 2012 season that most would be shocked if it happened (out on the limb thought): Based on my floor/ceiling projections for the QB position, I don't think it is out of the realm of possibility for both Jake Locker and Tim Tebow to be top-8 QBs in terms of PPG in 2012.
Super Bowl Teams and Score: Green Bay 27, Houston 14
NFL Rookie of the Year: Trent Richardson
NFL Comeback Player of the Year: Peyton Manning
Parting thoughts about anything at all: With the increase of advanced metrics and game-charting, we are living in the golden age in terms of fantasy football analysis and growth as a football-loving circle. In terms of film study, I cannot wait for all-22 tape to be available to the general populous. One thing I have learning in the past couple years looking at statistical trends and regression is to not be sucked into thinking a player or situation cannot change. There is always a range of possibilities from which a new reality is formed. Outliers are just that – exceptions. A great deal of fantasy owners fall into the trap of stock market investors – they are prone to buying high and selling low. I preach due diligence in thinking about each individual situation. Over the long-term, the talent will rise to the top and remain there longer than the "flash in the pan" type of oscillations in the short-term.
Others Featured (Listed alphabetically):Interview: Jarrett Behar - Twitter: @EyeoftheGator
Interview: Matthew Berry - Twitter: @MatthewBerryTMR
Interview: Sigmund Bloom - Twitter: @SigmundBloom
Interview: Jene Bramel - Twitter: @JeneBramel
Interview: Joe Bryant - Twitter: @Football_guys
Interview: Ryan Burns - Twitter: @FtblSickness
Interview: Will Carroll - Twitter: @injuryexpert
Interview: Mike Clay - Twitter: @MikeClayNFL
Interview: Jim Day - Twitter: @Fantasytaz
Interview: Eric Dickens - Twitter: @DLFootball
Interview: Gary Davenport - Twitter: @IDPManor
Interview: David Dodds - Twitter: @fbg_dodds
Interview: Joe Everett - Twitter: @RookieDraft
Interview: Michael Fabiano - Twitter: @Michael_Fabiano
Interview: Bryan Fontaine - Twitter: @Bryan_Fontaine
Interview: Chet Gresham - Twitter: @Chet_G
Interview: Ken Griggs - Twitter: @Dexters_Library
Interview: Bob Harris - Twitter: @Footballdiehard
Interview: Bob Henry - Twitter: @bobhenry
Interview: Tom Kessenich - Twitter: @TomKessenich
Interview: Cecil Lammey - Twitter: @cecillammey
Interview: Zach Law - Twitter: @zach_law
Interview: Alex Miglio - Twitter: @AlexMiglio
Interview: Andrew Miley - Twitter: @AndrewMiley
Interview: Sam Monson - Twitter: @Sammonson
Interview: Josh Moore - Twitter: @4for4_Josh
Interview: Chad Parsons - Twitter: @PFF_ChadParsons
Interview: John Paulsen - Twitter: @4for4_John
Interview: Brian Quinlan - Twitter: @BNQuinlan
Interview: Matt Schauf - Twitter: @mschauf63
Interview: Evan Silva - Twitter: @evansilva
Interview: Matt Waldman - Twitter: @MattWaldman
Interview: Chris Wesseling - Twitter: @ChrisWesseling
Interview: Matt Williamson - Twitter: @WilliamsonNFL
Interview: Eric Yeomans - Twitter: @Eric_Yeomans
Interview: Lance Zierlein - Twitter: @SidelineFB and @LanceZierlein
Editor's Note: If you have liked this series, check out Zach Law's interviews here


text: Yeah, I'm gay, but that's not what I'm talking about. I have found that everyone has a metaphorical "closet". A place of secrets. With unexplored doors with nooks and crannys. Mine was a spiritual closet. I went back and forth with my spiritual beliefs. One day I believed in "energy" and another day I believed in nothing. Yet on other days I believed in EVERYTHING. I am perfectly ok with my search. I have gone from hating Jesus for about a decade and finally realizing I didn't hate Him, but I had problems with a lot of His followers. In 2010 I began a journey which would ultimately lead me to angel work.


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Sorry, no definitions found. Check out and contribute to the discussion of this word!
Sorry, no etymologies found.
Sorry, no example sentences found.
That's correct. The English y whereas is equivalent to Finnish j, at least when it's pronounsed like in the word 'you', and sometimes to Finnish i.
//Edit: Oh, I just noticed that I have been expressing myself a bit oddly. I meant in my first comment that the rought translation is 'wedding night intuition' not that it's something about it.
It may bear mentioning that y in Finnish is a vowel, equivalent to German ü, French u. This word is like whalesong.
Well, my dictionary says that 'aie' means 'intuition', 'purpose', 'plan'. And then 'hääyö' means 'wedding night', of course. So, I guess you can say it's about which presents to unwrap first.
Is that about which presents to unwrap first?
This is a word that even the Finns consider as a bit odd. No one ever uses it because it means something about 'wedding night intuition', but the children think it's funny because it has so many vowels in a row.


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This Week's Parsha | Previous issues | Welcome
- Please Read!
work contains two items:
* D'var Torah on the Parasha (on this occasion, on the Haftara)
* Questions on different levels on the Parasha and the Haftara.
King David's life was drawing to a close, and he gave his final instructions to (Solomon), his son… (Kings I 2:1).
Guided Tour…
Parashat Vayechi relates the details of Jacob's final words and blessings to his children, which assigned each son their respective ultimate roles in shaping the Israelite nation. The Haftara recalls King David's final words.
They differ from Jacob's in three fundamental ways. Firstly, unlike Jacob, he communicated his message to one son only – Solomon. Secondly, he stressed that his future success would be dependent in his 'following the right path' – Jacob, by contrast, seems to have taken the future good deeds of his progeny for granted. Thirdly, he left his son some 'unfinished business' to take care of, and most of it was of a highly unpleasant nature.
That unfinished business was to liquidate certain individuals who caused David great distress. They were Joab, his chief general, and Shimi ben Geira, who, according to the Talmud (Berachot 17a) was David's teacher, and also confidante and advisor.
Joab killed Abner and Amasa - two military commanders. Abner, as the text relates, had originally been Saul's premier general, but after his death and some unseemly 'goings-on' at the court of his successor, decided to leave that household and move over to David. Joab knew nothing about David's acceptance of Abner, and on his first meeting with him stabbed him to death 'in the fifth rib'. In so doing, Joab assumed that Abner was David's deadly enemy – as he had been in the time of Saul.
Near the end of his life, David wished to replace Joab with Amasa. That was because he was furious that Joab had dealt the final deathblow to his son Absalom following Absalom's almost successful rebellion against David. On a later campaign, Joab met Amasa and stabbed him to death – again 'in the fifth rib'. In both cases the text implies that he murdered them in a cowardly and treacherous way after gaining their confidence.
Shimi ben Geira had sided with Absalom in his rebellion against David, and, in so doing, publicly execrated him with vile curses. Although he profusely apologized to him after Absalom's rebellion proved to have failed, and later on sided with David and Solomon during Adonijah's rebellion, David nevertheless told Solomon to 'put him on the list' to be 'dealt with'.
On a kindlier note, David urged Solomon to show special kindness to the family of Barzilai of Gilead – who in his old age had gone out of his way to supply David with board and lodging during the hardest time of his life. That was when his and his followers' lives were in grave danger as he fled from his patricidal son, Absalom. Solomon was to include Barzilai's family amongst 'those who sat at his table'. His loyalty to David was to be rewarded publicly, so that people would draw proper lessons for their own behavior.
D'var Torah
The obvious question: why did King David leave those unpleasant tasks for his son? Why did he not issue the royal decree for Joab's removal from office after he murdered Abner – or Amasa? And why did he promise on oath to spare Shimi's life after his apology, instead of putting him to death under the royal privilege?
In answering this question, it is essential to look at the stages of David's life as king, and at his relationship with G-d during those respective stages.
When Abner moved over to David's side and Joab murdered him, David himself was in a very vulnerable situation. He was not king over all Israel – Israel was a divided kingdom, and he ruled, rather tenuously, over Judah only. The northern part of the country was until then loyal to the ruling house of Saul, which at that time was 'becoming weaker and weaker'.
Thus David had to establish his credibility to those loyal to the House of Saul – Saul himself had been his murderous enemy. He did this by publicly mourning Abner, who was their beloved commander, and in joining his funeral procession. At the same time his position in the south of the country was not yet strong enough to demand Joab's removal from office. His own position as king was not well established, and Joab seems to have already been enjoying public confidence and popularity. In short, David needed him.
David's lament for Abner finished with the words: 'I am tender, and anointed as king. These men (Joab and his family) are too strong for me. May G-d pay he that did this act of wickedness in a manner commensurate with his wickedness.' (Sam. II 3:39) In other words he handed the matter over to G-d, requesting Him to intervene personally.
In having to please both parts of the country, David used his skills as a political tightrope walker. In fact, subsequent events suggest that David never ruled over a united Israelite kingdom in the same way as his son, but rather, he ruled over two separate entities – each having entered into a separate personal contract with him.
But the words 'I am tender' may also mean tender in faith. Deep down, David felt that he should have removed Joab in some way or other, but his faith was too 'tender' to hand his own need for popular acclaim over to G-d. That was his test from G-d. And in saying that he was tender, he expressed regret that he was spiritually too weak at that early stage of his monarchy to place more faith in G-d by taking more decisive action.
Later on he probably wished to take action against Joab, but could not – for a different reason. Not because of lack of faith, but because G-d had withdrawn His protection from him. The circumstances in which he came to marry Bathsheba - the woman who was to be the mother of his successor, Solomon, were stated in the text to be 'evil in the eyes of G-d'. (ibid 11:27) As a result, Nathan the Prophet brought the G-d's sentence on him saying:
And now the sword shall never depart from your House – because you despised Me by taking the wife of Uriah the Hittite (Bathsheba) for yourself as a wife. (ibid 12:10)
It seems that from then onwards David regarded his many misfortunes as G-d's punishment. That explains why he took Amnon's murder, Absalom's rebellion, and later on Adonijah's rebellion (sons one, three, and four respectively) with comparative stoicism. In addition he initially shrugged off Shimi ben Geira's curses – the fact that his teacher and mentor turned against him were part and parcel of having to take what was due to him. David's relating to his misfortunes in that way showed spiritual progression. Instead of doing the human thing of wreaking revenge on those threatening his monarchy, he saw the Hand of G-d in everything that happened to him – he had sinned, and he had to pay the price with as much good grace as possible. Thus the distress brought to him by Shimi's curses and Joab's murder of Amasa was a product of the negative spiritual emanations of his sin. It was his sin, rather than his enemies, that were the root of the tensions and suffering of his last years.
By the time he was about to die, he entered his third final stage in his relationship with G-d. As Job would have put it (c.f. Job 3:17): 'The wicked had ceased from troubling, and the weary were at rest.' David's opponents were no longer a threat. He knew then that he was forgiven. And that he was blessed.
At that stage he could not give an execution order in his own right because these people had done G-d's bidding by ensuring that the sword should not depart from his house. That does not mean that they did not exercise free will and that they had not attacked the monarchy. They were guilty. Had they been worthier, G-d would have executed his judgment through other, less worthy people. As the Talmud puts it: 'G-d brings good through worthy people and bad through guilty people.'
It was left to Solomon to give the monarchy a clean slate by 'observing the commandments of G-d'. (Kings I 2:3) However Solomon was not told to murder Joab and Shimi gratuitously, or in vengeance for the trouble they gave to his father. Nevertheless, David was shrewd enough to see the underlying deep character flaws in both of them, to the degree that both were dangers to Solomon's monarchy. Joab's aggression and impulsiveness were already established. Shimi, as Abarbanel explains, had let David down to such a degree in the capacity of his former mentor, that he could no longer be trusted at the royal court. He might win Solomon's confidence and then betray him.
Solomon needed a reason to order their execution independent of anything that they did to David. That is why David told did not tell Solomon to execute them, but to 'act wisely' against them. Thus Joab's ordered assassination followed his challenging Solomon's monarchy by backing Adonijah. And Shimi's soon followed because he defied King Solomon's initial order that put him under house arrest.
Who said to whom, and in what circumstances?
(a) I will do as you say.
(b) Who are these?
(c) May G-d make you like Ephraim and Menasseh.
(d) Judah is a lion cub.
(e) G-d, I long for your salvation!
(f) I will go up... and bury my father.
(g) Am I in the place of G-d?
(h) G-d will certainly remember you and bring you... to the Land that He swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.
(i) Be strong, and become a man!
(j) You shall act according to your wisdom.
(a) Joseph to his father Jacob (48:30), agreeing to ensure that his burial would not be in Egypt, but in the Patriarchal tomb in the Holy Land.
(b) These are the words Jacob exclaimed in Joseph's presence when he set eyes on Ephraim and Menasseh (49:8) in his old age.
(c) Jacob, in blessing his grandsons, Ephraim and Menasseh (48:20) - initiating the text henceforth used for giving blessings.
(d) Jacob, in blessing his son Judah (49:9) with powers of leadership before his death.
(e) Jacob, in blessing his son, Dan (49:18). [Commentators read in this a reference to the last recorded words of Samson, one of his descendants, as he brought down the temple of Dagon on the Philistines, crushing himself in the process.] (Judges 16:28)
(f) Joseph to Pharaoh (50:5), in persuading him to let him leave Egypt temporarily to bury his father Jacob in the family tomb in the Holy Land.
(g) Joseph to his brothers following their father's death (50:19), after they begged his forgiveness for grievously wronging him.
(h) Joseph to his brothers on his death bed - reminding them that the Israelites' permanent home was the Holy Land and that their presence in Egypt was to be only a temporary phenomenon. (50:24)
(i) King David, in his final words to his son and successor, Solomon (Kings I 2:2).
(j) King David to Solomon (Kings I 2:6), in the same circumstances as above. 'You shall act according to your wisdom' refers to his impetuous commander, Joab, who needlessly put to death two people who, by the time they were murdered, were David's close allies: Avner (Samuel II 3:27) and Amasa (ibid. 20:10). David had not succeeded in catching up with him in his own lifetime - he left that to his son, Solomon. (See Kings I 2:34)
From where, according to Rashi's commentary, may the following be deduced?
(a) 'Bow down to the fox when he has his hour.' (There are times when a great person should show respect to an inferior person)
(b) The Shechina (Divine Presence) is always above the head of a sick person.
(c) Express severe criticism by condemning the wrong specific act: do not assassinate the general character of the wrongdoer.
(d) Both those that learn Torah and those who support Torah have great merit: indeed one activity complements the other.
(e) One may tell untruths to promote family harmony.
(a) The text states that Jacob bowed down to his son Joseph after he agreed on oath (47:31) to promote his burial in the Holy Land. Although Joseph was only the 'fox' - the Patriarch's son, he was unique in having the political key to obtain permission to leave Egypt for that purpose. (Talmud: Megillah 16b)
(b) From the same verse as above - 'Jacob bowed down at the head of the bed' (47:31). According to this explanation, he did not bow down to his son Joseph per se, but to the Divine Presence in the vicinity. On that, the Talmud pins the tradition that the Shechina (Divine Presence) is always above the head of a sick person. (Shabbat 12b)
(c) When Jacob sharply rebuked his sons Simeon and Levy for their impetuousness in killing the people of Shechem over the rape of Dinah, he cursed only their anger (49:7), without assassinating their personalities as people.
(d) Rashi explains Jacob's cryptic blessings to Zebulun and Issachar as stating that the former's forte would be in business and trade, whilst the latter's would be in studying Torah and spiritual leadership (49:13-14). Their working in partnership together (c.f. Deut. 33:18) means that as Issachar has a share of Zebulun's acquired wealth, Zebulun has a corresponding share in Issachar's Torah study. That precedent sets the tone of the relationships between Torah institutions and their financial benefactors.
(e) After Jacob's death, Joseph's brothers feared that Joseph might use his political powers to avenge their treatment of him earlier in life. They approached Joseph telling him, by the command of their father (50:16), to forgive them. There is nothing on record in the text to state that Jacob gave any such order, but they invented it to prevent any future family trouble. (Gen. Rabbah 100:8)
1. Why, according to Hirsch, did Jacob insist on being buried in the Holy Land?
2. How, according to Abarbanel, may Jacob's wish to transported for burial in Holy Land be reconciled with the stated tradition against such a practice? That tradition is recorded in the Talmud (Sanhedrin 111). It quotes Jeremiah 2:7: 'You came and contaminated My Land and you made My inheritance as an abomination'. On that theme, R. Eleazar adds: 'In your lives you did not go up - shall you come and contaminate My land in death?'
3. What is the significance, according to Rabbeinu Bachya, of all the letters of the Hebrew alphabet being used in Judah's blessing except the letter 'zayin'?
4. When, according to the Malbim, did the first phase of the Israelite servitude in Egypt begin?
5. Why, according to the Talmud (Sotah 13b), was Joseph's place of burial in the Holy Land the city of Shechem? (Joshua 24:32)
1. Hirsch derives from the closing words of the previous Parasha (47:27) that the Israelites were feeling more and more settled in Egypt. They began to look to the Nile rather than to the Jordan. By insisting on being buried in the Holy Land, Jacob sought to demonstrate to his sons that Egypt was not the permanent home for the Israelites.
2. Abarbanel explains that only the corpses of the wicked contaminate the Holy Land. Insisting on being buried in Israel after constantly rejecting it and detesting it, and the Mitzvot, is the act of hypocrisy that 'contaminates My Land'. However, Abarbanel stresses that people living worthy and upright lives deserve to have the merit of being buried in the Holy Land...
3. Rabbeinu Bachya points out that in blessing Judah, Jacob used all the letters except 'zayin'. That is a hint that the future Israelite monarchy will not be based on 'klei zayin' - weapons, but on truth and justice. 'Not by might, nor by power, but by My spirit,' says G-d, the Lord of Hosts. (Zacharia 4:6)
4. According to the Malbim, the servitude in Egypt started at the time the adults left Egypt to bury Jacob, leaving the children behind (50:8). He deduces that the children had to remain as Pharaoh had specifically ordered that to be so. He did this to show the Israelites were not free agents. That is why Joseph had to assure his brothers (50:24) that G-d would remember them and (eventually) bring them out of Egypt to the Promised Land.
5. The Talmud states that Joseph was eventually buried in Shechem because his brother tribes wished to make amends for their ill-treatment of him in that very place, for it was in the Shechem area that they sold him.
1. Following Rashi to 48:1, why did Jacob wish to reveal events of the future to his sons at the final stage of his life? And why, following Rashi's commentary, should that prophecy have left Jacob's mind at the moment he wished to do so?
2. In the section dealing with the blessings of Jacob, Jacob appears to be rebuking some of his sons, designating roles to others, and only explicitly blessing Joseph. However the future of Jacob's children does not seem to fit into what he said to them. Joseph – blessed – was a father of two tribes that ultimately suffered ignominious exile under the Assyrian Empire around 720 BCE, together with the rest of the Northern Kingdom. In contrast, Levi, severely rebuked because of his role in the massacre of the people of Shechem, fathered children whose descendants thrived within Judea, up to and including the present day. How may this be explained?
*Please note – My own attempts to deal with the issues related in #1 and #2 may be found in the archives for last year on Shema Yisrael – on Parashat Vayechi.
Written by Jacob Solomon. Tel 02 673 7998. E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com for any points you wish to raise and/or to join those that receive this Parasha sheet every week.
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This article is provided as part of Shema Yisrael Torah Network
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He was The President that wanted to do his job well. And he stood firmly on his belief, and did not waver under pressure. He gave up everything to live by the principles he believed in. He could have done otherwise and be better recorded in the history books of Singapore, and given a state funeral.
Today, there are not many glamorous reports or write ups of this son of Singapore, a great man, a highly respected President in the eyes of many Singaporeans. Many people have spoken very highly of him in private. Somehow there is a dearth of reports praising the works that he had done. An uncomfortable silence. Who knows, in the not too distant future, history may all be rewritten, and President Ong Teng Cheong will be elevated to the honourable and rightful place he deserved in the history of this island.
While the contest for the Presidency is hotting up, Teng Cheong should be remembered as the shining example of what an elected President is expected to be, and to be emulated. In the hearts of many Singaporeans, he was and is their President, and the best Elected President the country has ever had. He is the President that lives quietly in the hearts of the people. All Elected Presidents will be measured against Teng Cheong and whether they live up to his high standard of Presidency, or whether they live up to the Ong Teng Cheong Spirit.
From Detroit Museum of African American slaves. This is the land of the free, free slave labour and free native Indian land, and printing free money for petrol dollars.
The Spirit of President Ong Teng Cheong
2 comments:
After having been in the Party(PAP) for decades and helped to rule the people per PAP Style(Policy). He tried to repent, but unfortunately too late.
- June 30, 2011 8:00 pm
At least he tried repenting. Some will never repent even in the grave, and will still rise up to exert his evil influence.
- June 30, 2011 9:58 pm
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Everyone has heard the phrase "Everything's bigger in Texas," and that my friends is including the egos. Texans are the proudest residents in the entire world, and they will not hesitate to show it. This is coming from a girl who has lived here her entire life, Texas is one unique state and there's not another like it. If you are planning a visit, you might want to prepare yourself for the following…
- Cowboys fans: Ah yes.. the proud supporters of "America's" team. Unfortunately these fans can not be contained to the Dallas area. While visiting Texas, you're destined to encounter many of them, no matter what area you venture to. Do not start any sort of football argument with these guys. No matter how many horrible seasons they've had, or how many interceptions Romo has thrown, they will argue to the death that they are the best team in the NFL.
- Hatred for "Yankees": No I am not referencing the baseball team. Texans use the term "Yankees" to describe anyone that essentially is not from Texas. Say you're from Iowa and you are wearing dress shoes to a Texas bar…Yankee. You're from DC and you're a Democrat (GOD FORBID)…Yankee. And the worst of worst, those Yankees from New York City. The majority of Texans hate New York. I have been twice and absolutely love it, but I am not the majority. When I told my father I wanted to move there after college he looked like he was going to shit a brick. "New Yorkers are rude MFer's" – my dad (and just about every other Texan) "Dad you have never even been there" -Me. Just a warning for those of you who say "you guys" be prepared to hear a flux of Texan shit
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- Longhorns or Aggies: No matter where you go in Texas you are going to meet Longhorn and Aggie fans. In case you're unaware, the two do not get along. I can safely say that a good 80% of the people you meet that are die hard Longhorn or Aggie fans did not attend either college. They will yell "hook em'" or "gig em'" just yell something back like "hell yea" and precede with your day.
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This list could easily be continued, but I am just hitting you with the basics. Hope you find yourself better prepared for all the chaos Texas has to offer. Now keep calm & carry on y'all.


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Originally posted by thisguyrighthere
reply to post by HunkaHunka
Oh, it's beating a guy up to make you feel better but vicariously.
Kind of like kids on a playground, drunks in a trailer park or capital punishment.
That's money and time well spent.
Originally posted by thisguyrighthere
They aren't asking any questions he can answer.
They're treating him like he was on the ground and personally making decisions on the rig.
A CEO is so far removed from actual production it's ridiculous.
The politicians are just rambling on trying to get positive coverage of how "tough on oil" they are.
This is a massive waste of time and money.
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Originally posted by Divinorumus
That idiot Joe Barton is trying to back peddle now, lol. Sorry, dude, but your political career is SCREWED!
Originally posted by CaptainCaveMan
A CEO is so far removed from actual production it's ridiculous. ... and ... ..... and blame it on an idiotic CEO office idiot who wouldn't have the first clue how to change a tire on his car.
Originally posted by HunkaHunka
When asked if the relief wells would be used to make a profit
Tony says they will both be filled up afterwards...
Also... He is being asked about the waste which is being collected...
And being put in our landfills
How can we be sure it's safe?
But he doesn't of ourselves know the details of that....
[edit on 17-6-2010 by HunkaHunka]


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In fact, they've probably been holding back because the Hitachi Magic Wand Massager can give any woman a mind-blowing orgasm, even if she's never had one before. And that's not hearsay, that's the absolute truth reported by many, very satisfied customers.
Hitachi Massager: The Pros
TheHitachi personal massager is the perfect device for complete stress relief. Not only will it help relax your muscles, unlike many other personal massagers, but it will also take your sex life to a whole new level. The great thing is that you can use the Hitachi Wand with your partner as well as alone because there have been plenty of men who reported that the stimulation this device offered took their own orgasms to new heights.
In fact, many couples have reported that their sex life has been completely transformed with the Magic Wand Massager. Many have tried a wide range of product over the years to enhance their intimate moments, but they claim that nothing can compare to the Hitachi massager. Adjectives such as earth-shattering, mind-blowing and magical have been used to describe the orgasms this personal massager delivers.
Another side benefit is the fact that this unit doesn't resemble a sex toy because you don't have to worry about the kids finding it and asking awkward questions. And if you're mother-in-law asks, you can always play innocent and tell her that it does wonders for your tense shoulders, after a long day at work.
Hitachi Massager: The Cons
The biggest problem users reported was that the Hitachi wand has the potential of becoming addictive if used too often. Also, some ladies mentioned that they no longer see the point of dating since their Hitachi massager can offer them something no man can.
Therefore, gentlemen, a word to the wise, get your girlfriend or your wife a Hitachi Wand instead of waiting for her to buy it and she'll be stuck to you like glue. After all, what woman can resist a man who wants to make her see stars?
Another issue that was mentioned is the fact that the Hitachi massager is corded. However, most of the users stated that a battery-operated device could never deliver the same level of power and the cord was a tiny inconvenience compared to the advantages.
Additionally, battery-operated vibrators tend to go through batteries pretty quickly and there's nothing worse than having your sex toy die on you when you're teetering on the edge of complete satisfaction.
-> Excellent as a body massager. Can relieve muscle tensions and knots to provide relief.
-> Brilliant as a personal massager and vibrator and guarantees an orgasm.
So, to conclude, the general consensus is that if you don't own a Hitachi Magic Wand Massager, you don't know what you're missing and you should buy one right now because you won't regret it. After all, a day at a spa costs a fortune and you won't achieve the same level of relaxation and bliss that this device can offer you at a fraction of the price.
G-spot and Straight Personal Massager Attachments for Hitachi Wand
This is a must have accessory for anyone intending to use the Hitachi Wand as a vibrator. By itself the Hitachi Wand is a great personal massager and its vibrations also give intimate pleasure, but to take the experience to the next level one must buy the G-spot and Straight Personal Massager Attachments in my opinion. The straight attachment is good for in and out penetrations whereas the curved G spot attachment is absolute magic – its arched at a good angle and does hit the G spot and coupled with the vibrations of the hitachi wand it will take orgasmic pleasure to the next level. It will definitely get you there.
The Love Seat Accessory for Hitachi Massager
If you already own a hitachi massager or a similar personal massager or vibrator you should have a look at this interesting contraption aptly called the Love Seat Accessory. This enables a woman to have a pleasure ride by sliding the hitachi wand or vibrator in the slot provided such that the head sticks out. I have used this, the best part is you can ride this while you work on your man. Having said that many woman will want to use the massager with hand or have her partner use it on her, but then for that extra bit of variety you can consider buying this. The seat itself is made of washable hypo-allergic foam and is 8.5 in in width and 14 in in length.
On the negative front one can argue that its pretty soft with no solid frame, so while you can ride it, I wouldn't put my full body weight, Besides I doubt if anyone would want to put their full body weight on the massager head, its for gentle titillation not for jumping wild. It works but you should understand these points before getting one.
Trinity Vibes Speed Controller for Hitachi Wand
By itself the Hitachi Wand is essentially limited to 2 speed modes and users who wanted more precise control over the vibrations were left wanting. The "Trinity Vibes Wand Massager Speed Controller" is designed to offer variable speed control so that the hitachi massager users can have extra control on the speed and vibrations.
In my opinion, a variable controller for a small hand held massager/vibrator seems like an overkill, but I do understand that it has its place, especially for people who would like to operate it in milder modes which will help bring in ticklish excitement apart from keeping the unit very silent. If you think you need it, go for it, but if you are undecided you can give this a pass. I noticed some people on Amazon suggesting lamp dimmers instead of buying this, but I would advice against it. Lamp dimmers operate under resistive loads more suited for lamps, not for AC load. If you need variable control you can get this. But its not a must-have product according to me. Verdict is buy it if you really need it.


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I wanted to share my pictures of Colton that I have taken on the first day of school at the front door!
First Grade
until now ~ My second grader!!!
I try to take a picture of him at the front door on the first day every year. Obviously that did not work out on the first day of Kindergarten for some reason. This is the very reason (not for the blog but for the memories, which is why I enjoy doing the blog) that I started taking these pictures. A lady that I used to work with at Springfield Elementary told me she took a picture of her son standing at the front door on the first day every year. I thought it was a neat idea and decided that I wanted to try and do the same thing. I LOVE seeing how much he has grown from PreK until now! Unbelievable:)
I am so thankful for......... his ability to learn so easily, his beautiful smile, his silly laughs and that most of all I am his mom. We have faced many challenges and I know there are so many more to come, but I wouldn't trade it for the world.
Oh, and here is a picture of me, Colton, Andrew and Keeli!
This is first day of second grade!
and here is a picture of the first day of PreK!
How cute is this????
They tried to leave us, but knew in the end that there would never be anyone else that could take their place in our lives or theirs:) We are so glad they stayed. We will have to do this every year from now on (and get Benny Ben in some).


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By Tim Glon
CINCINNATI — Senior Nate Burger (Dayton/Alter) poured in a career-high 33 points and freshman Brandon Waugh (Columbus/Northland) added 11 points as the Ohio Northern men's basketball team dropped a tight 77-73 decision to No. 9-ranked Washington (Mo.) on Saturday afternoon at the Harrington Center.
The Polar Bears (1-1 overall) will now wrap up the Mount Saint Joseph Tip-Off Classic on Saturday with a 3 pm contest against Case Western Reserve (0-3).
The Bears (4-0 overall) had four players in double figures in scoring, led by Jake Knupp with 17 points.
Northern led 33-24 at halftime, but Washington was red-hot in the final 15:20, making 14-of-20 field goals and 4-of-5 3-pointers to outscore ONU 53-40 in the second half.
Burger scored with 15:41 to play to put the Polar Bears ahead 43-30, then added a pair of free throws at the 14:33 mark to make it 45-32.
A 14-2 Bear run got Washington within 47-46 with 10:33 to play.
Burger made two free throws and followed that with a 3-pointer to put ONU back on top 64-58 with 5:18 remaining.
WU scored the next eight points to go up 66-64, but Waugh answered with a basket at the 2:51 mark to tie the game at 66-all.
Senior Travis Feitshans (Arcanum/Franklin Monroe) made a pair of free throws with 1:23 to go to get ONU within 69-68, but Knupp would make a 3-pointer with 52 seconds left to extend the lead to 72-68.
Northern had a chance to tie the game in the final seconds down 73-70, but Burger's shot with 7 seconds left was off the mark and WU would make four free throws in the final four seconds to ice the game.
Ohio Northern made just 28-of-63 field goals for 44.4 percent and were 5-of-16 from 3-point range for 31.3 percent, while Washington was 21-of-61 from the floor for 34.4 percent but made 7-of-12 threes for 58.3 percent.
ONU out-rebounded WU 44-36, led by six rebounds apiece from Burger and Feitshans.


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Hey guys,
I try to cover different issues in this blog, like fitness exercises, nutrition, motivation and some other thoughts related to these topics. For the nutrition part I like to post some recipes, which should help you to diversify your meals during a low-carb diet. Sometimes I provide you with more complex recipes, sometimes (more often) I write down recipes, that are easy to prepare. Beside the effect that you get some tasty recipes it should also show you, that even a low-carb diet could be very rich in alternatives.
Today I'm gonna show you how to cook a really easy but delicious one pan/pot meal. Even though beans have some carbs the glycemic load is quite low and they are rich in vegetable proteins (so they fit into my diet).
- 1 can/glass of broad beans
- 2-3 garlic cloves
- 2,5 oz. (approx. 70g) tomato paste
- 4-5 carrots
- 2-3 oz (60-90g) peperoni (salami)
- some olive oil
Peel the carrots and cut them into slices. Put them in a pot (filled with water) and boil them for 10 minutes (they still should be al dente). Meanwhile peel the garlic and chop it into small pieces. Cut the peporoni into pieces as well. Wash the beans under cold water and drain them. Now heat some olive oil in a pan or pot and add the beans. Let them sauté for approx. 5 minutes and add the garlic. Put in the carrot and peperoni pieces as well and let the whole stuff sauté for 5 more minutes. Afterwards add the tomato paste and a bit water. Now let it simmer for 5 minutes (until there is no more liquid in the pan). Arrange it on plates or in bowls and enjoy!
"Andi's Fitness Blog" is about my journey to gain and maintain incredible strength, untouchable health, unchallengeable functional fitness and undescribable mental power for a lifetime. Every interested person is invited to join me on my journey...I strongly belive that YOU can get something out of it as well (no matter if it's a whole new lifestyle or just a few interesting thoughts). So enjoy reading and leave a comment if you want (I'm looking forward to hear from you guys)! Cheers, Andi
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Beans + Pepperoni + Carrots = One healthy low-carb pan meal
Posted by Andreas Heller at 3:16 AM
Labels: beans, delicious, diet, easy-to-make, fat loss, low carb, meal, nutrition, pan meal, peperoni, protein, Recipes
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Hi and welcome on our weblog!
We are Victor, Joost, Yasmine and Marc and will be doing a project in Soft robotics as part of our minor Advanced Prototyping for the next few weeks.
Our task is to help Rob Scharff in his research in flexible 3D printing in combination with pneumatic sensors.
The Connex printer at IDE now offers the possibility to print combinations of rigid and flexible materials.
It creates a lot of new opportunities to enrich the functionality of 3D-printed soft robots which is something we have to explore.
During the upcoming four weeks we will be posting our research process and prototypes on this weblog.
Marc van Almkerk, Victor Gutgesell, Joost Remmerswaal, Yasmin Koers


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So, after we found out we were having a boy. I only 2 bedding options to choose from- that I had previously picked out.
And while many of you said you liked the ABC bedding, it just didn't exude the cool, neutral, "fits into the rest of my home" vibe I was going for. So, I opted for the argyle pattern that I had seen and loved.
With my nesting urges in full effect, I had to of course purchase the set since it would be the jumping off point for the rest of the room (and I'm totally ready for project nursery). However, once it came it brought the next set of questions. What color to paint. A few trips to Home Depot and Lowe's brought me these...
...a zillion color samples, and the choice of what color to paint. Light orange, yellow, green, blue, aqua, so many choices. That pic is literally only a portion of all the samples I brought home.
However, before you cast your vote the nursery is already painted. Thanks to a couple people tipping us off to this invention the painting took place in literally no time. Now, if only we'd purchased that tool 5 rooms ago. :)
Anyway, I will reveal our fun colors soon enough. For now you must wait! :0


text: SERGEANT ANDREWS Posted June 30 (edited) i played with a Veteran who said in real life logi trucks could haul metric tons up hill with ease. he said they were beasts. it would be nice to be able drive them uphill Edited July 1 by SERGEANT ANDREWS Share this post Link to post Share on other sites


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His oopsie make him poopsie in his pantaloons.
Looks like Steely has made it into the slave quarters or the former slave quarters, depending on your point of view.
Actually still on campus. This is Acinonyx's bed room. Kev just got himself caught in a world of hurt.
Okay, the last panel did it for me. twice. Her reply is brilliant and hilarious, and I laughed so hard I started choking, and then I looked over at poor Kevin. Them eyes. Them eyes on the badge! I lost it all over again. Hope Mr. Mirror isn't too breakable.
ps- I always like it when apparel matches it's wearers expression. Adds to the sight gags.
pps- those under things...Steeley is already naked, isn't she? Oh Dear...
Far be it from me to wish a painful demise of asphyxiation upon you, but...that really made my day. XD
ps That is always a great sight gag.
pps No, this is Acee's room and those are her things. Steely is actually pretty covered up...for now. >:3
Methinky the party is about ready to start. And what sick bastard would want Goth Goo Girl as a concubine?!? She's the bubonic plague with a vagina!
Party rock is in the house to-NIGHT! :D
No, no, it's Acinonyx's room Kev slunk into, check the second panel. Steely's presence is not at all what he had expected.
Or wanted!
Ah, my error. Got 'em mixed up. Don't ask me how.
Is all cool! :)
I hope Steely said that in Christian Bale's throat cancer voice!
Ah-cha-cha! :D Glad someone caught it. ^^


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China Railway Construction Corp signs $5bn in African infrastructure deals
China' largest railway constructor, China Railway Construction Corp, has won two infrastructure projects in Africa with a combined value of US$5.5 billion.
The first, an inter-city railway project in Nigeria known as the Nigeria Ogun State Intercity Mass transit Project, is valued at over US$3.5 billion.
The Chinese company also won a $1.93 billion residential construction project in Zimbabwe.
Financing for the Nigerian rail project is not yet finalised.
However, it has been reported China will allocate $62 billion of its foreign exchange reserves to three state-owned "policy banks" in order to support its New Silk Road project.
The project is aimed at creating infrastructure links with foreign markets.
The People's Bank of China will direct $32 billion to China Development Bank and $30 billion to Export-Import Bank of China.
Chinese president Xi Jinping had met his Zimbabwean counterpart, Robert Mugabe, last week in Indonesia on the side-lines of the Asian-African Summit.


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The revenge of Saddam
"The Presidentĺs priority ľ and my mission ľ was to focus on WMD," Kay told TIME. "Abizaid needed help with the counterinsurgency. He said, ĹYou have the only organisation in this country thatĺs working.ĺ But military guys are not used to people telling them no, and so, yes, there was friction." Sanchez learned that autumn that there were 38 boxes of documents specifically related to the city of Fallujah, a hotbed of Sunni rebellion. Months later, when military-intelligence officers finally were able to review some of the documents, many of which had been marked "No Intelligence Value", the officers found information that they now say could have helped the US stop the insurgencyĺs spread. Among the papers were detailed civil-defence plans for cities like Fallujah, Samarra and Ramadi and rosters of leaders and local Baathist militia who would later prove to be the backbone of the insurgency in those cities.
US military-intelligence sources say many of the documents still have not been translated or thoroughly analysed. "You should see the warehouse in Qatar where we have this stuff," said a high-ranking former US intelligence official. "Weĺll never be able to get through it all. Who knows?" he added, with a laugh. "We may even find the VX [nerve gas] in one of those boxes."
AS early as June 2003, the CIA told Bush in a briefing that he faced a "classic insurgency" in Iraq. But the White House didnĺt fully trust the CIA, and on 30 June, Rumsfeld told reporters: " I guess the reason I donĺt use the term guerrilla war is that it isnĺt ... anything like a guerrilla war or an organised resistance." The opposition, he claimed, was composed of "looters, criminals, remnants of the Baathist regime" and a few foreign fighters. Indeed, Rumsfeld could claim progress in finding and capturing most of the 55 top members of Saddamĺs regime ľ the famous Iraqi deck of cards. (To date, 44 of the 55 have been captured or killed.) Two weeks after Rumsfeldĺs comment, the Secretary of Defence was publicly contradicted by Centcom commander Abizaid, who said the US indeed faced "a classical guerrilla-type campaign" in Iraq.
In a sense, both Rumsfeld and Abizaid were right. The backbone of the insurgency was thousands of Baathist remnants organising a guerrilla war against the Americans. According to documents later seized by the US military, Saddam ľ who had been changing locations frequently until his capture in December 2003 ľ tried to stay in charge of the rebellion. He fired off frequent letters filled with instructions for his subordinates. Some were pathetic. In one, he explained guerrilla tradecraft to his inner circle ľ how to keep in touch with one another, how to establish new contacts, how to remain clandestine. Of course, the people doing the actual fighting needed no such advice, and decisions about whom to attack when and where were made by the cells. Saddamĺs minions, including al-Duri and al-Ahmed, were away from the front lines, providing money, arms and logistical support for the cells.
But Saddam did make one strategic decision that helped alter the course of the insurgency. In early autumn he sent a letter to associates ordering them to change the target focus from coalition forces to Iraqi "collaborators" ľ that is, to attack Iraqi police stations. The insurgency had already announced its seriousness and lethal intent with a summer bombing campaign.
On 7 August, a bomb went off outside the Jordanian embassy in Baghdad, killing 19 people. Far more ominous was the 19 August blast that destroyed the UNĺs headquarters in Baghdad, killing UN representative Sergio Vieira de Mello and 22 others. Although al-Qaeda leader Abu Mousab al-Zarqawi claimed responsibility for the attack, US intelligence officials believe that remnants of Saddam's Iraqi Intelligence Service (IIS) carried it out. "It was a pure Baathist operation," says a senior US intelligence official. "The Iraqis who served as UN security guards simply didnĺt show up for work that day. It wasnĺt a suicide bomb. The truck driver left the scene. Our [explosives] team found that the bomb had the distinctive forensics of Saddam's IIS."
On 27 October, 2003, the assaults on "collaborators" that Saddam had requested began with attacks on four Iraqi police stations ľ and on International Red Cross headquarters ľ in Baghdad, killing 40 people. The assaults revealed a deadly new alliance between the Baathists and the jihadi insurgents. US intelligence agents later concluded, after interviewing one of the suicide bombers, a Sudanese who failed in his attempt, that the operation had been a collaboration between former Baathists and al-Zarqawi. The Baathists had helped move the suicide bombers into the country, according to the US sources, and then provided shelter, support (including automobiles) and coordination for the attacks. Additional reporting by Brian Bennett inWashington and Michael Ware in Baghdad
© 2005 Time Inc. All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission of Time Inc. All rights reserved.
Home: Australian Independence


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My apologies for not being able to update my blog. I was in Alice Springs without internet or cell phone service, and therefore unable to make any updates!
Before I begin to describe my wonderful adventures in the Outback, I would like to make a side note – I'M HOME! I arrived back in Canada Sunday May 29 at 1:00am. Most people have been saying, "Oh no! That sucks you had to come home so early!" So before you start thinking that, I would like to explain that it was MY choice to come home early, and for a variety of legit reasons.
Sunday May 22
This morning Ian and I flew to Alice Springs from Cairns at 11:35. With only 30 minutes of a time difference (Alice Springs is 30 minutes behind Cairns time), we landed at 1:00, Alice time.
Peeking out the window of the airplane as we were landing excited me. I have been so use to seeing "city" from an eagle-eye view, but now I was in the Outback, and the ground was red and orange.
Not much changed when we stepped off of the plane. Red and orange dirt covered the land. High mountains were towering over us, dark orange with tints of red and lush green (as the rainy season that just past in Alice was heavy this year).
After hopping on a bus to our hostel, we stopped at the famous landmark: the welcoming sign to Alice Springs!
It was a pleasant change of scenery, compared to all of the other cities I've visited in Australia thus far. Alice is somewhat sad, however. It's full of aboriginal people who look less fortunate, with many being homeless in the city. "In town" consists of a few big stores, such as K-Mart and Coles. There's not much to it here, but that's why it's so beautiful: the abandon, the simplicity of the town yet the complexity of nature, the people.
The weather was gorgeous too: 30 degrees with a nice breeze and a few white clouds in the sky. I spent the afternoon lounging by my hostels (Haven Backpackers Hostel & Resort) small pool, reading Cosmo and lathering on the sunscreen every half-hour. It felt like home in a sense. I was so very content.
Monday May 23
*(Please excuse the point-form blog from here on out)
– Ian and I were picked up at 6:10am by Adventure Tours for our exploration of The Outback!
– Stopped at a camel farm were we were able to go on a camel ride:
– …and play with domesticated Dingos:
– Continued on our way to Uluru/Ayers Rock and Kata Tjuta
– Hiked through Kata Tjuta (translates to "Many Heads")
– Rocks go 6K deep
– Fly nets = best. invention. ever.
– Ended the day at Uluru/Ayers Rock and sipped champagne during sunset:
Tuesday May 24
– Woke up at 5:00am to watch the sunrise at Ayers Rock/Uluru
– Walked the base of Ayers Rock (almost 10K, a 2.5 hour walk)
– Spent the rest of the day exploring more of the rock and visiting the Aboriginal Art Centre. Continued our adventure and drove to our campground at Kings Canyon.
Wednesday May 25
– Woke up at 6:30 (heard wild dingos howling in the early morning). Drove to Kings Canyon. Walked throughout the canyon for 3 hours.
– Drove to Glen Helen after lunch on the Marinee Loop where we would be staying for the night.
Thursday May 26
– Drove to Palm springs and explored
– headed back to Alice Springs at our Haven Backpacker Hostel & Resort
– Flew to Melbourne the next day (27) and spent the night with friends there. My Australia Tour was officially over 😦 I flew back to Canada on the 28 of May from Melbourne – LA – Dallas – Toronto.


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A student who opened fire on a classmate at Maryland's Great Mills High School died Tuesday morning after injuring two people, St. Mary's County Sheriff Tim Cameron said at a news conference.
>> READ MORE: Do video games lead to violence seen in Parkland, other mass shootings? | How to cope with fears, sadness after a mass shooting | How to talk to your child about traumatic events like school shooting | What to do if you are in an 'active shooter' situation | MORE


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Tag Archives: Second Anointing
The Second Anointing of Modern-day Mormonism
Latter-day Saint Tom Phillips was an Area Executive Secretary for the Mormon Church in the United Kingdom when an LDS General Authority invited him to receive his Second Anointing in the Preston England Temple. On Sunday, 19 May 2002, Mr. … Continue reading
Posted in Mormon Temple, Salvation, Worthiness Tagged godhood, M. Russell Ballard, Second Anointing, Temples, Tom Phillips 80 Comments
The Deception and Fall of Apostle Albert Carrington
In a Note I recently wrote for my Facebook Page Mormon & LDS Facts, I detail what I've called "The deception and fall of Mormon Apostle Albert Carrington." The Note can be found in its entirety here. (Update: This Note … Continue reading
Posted in Early Mormonism, Mormon Leaders Tagged Albert Carrington, Discernment, Second Anointing 92 Comments


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26 U.S. Code § 7214 - Offenses by officers and employees of the United States
Any internal revenue officer or employee interested, directly or indirectly, in the manufacture of tobacco, snuff, or cigarettes, or in the production, rectification, or redistillation of distilled spirits, shall be dismissed from office; and each such officer or employee so interested in any such manufacture or production, rectification, or redistillation or production of fermented liquors shall be fined not more than $5,000.
For penalty on collecting or disbursing officers trading in public funds or debts or property, see 18 U.S.C. 1901.
1976—Subsec. (a)(8). Pub. L. 94–455 struck out "or his delegate" after "Secretary".
1958—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 85–859 struck out a cross reference that related to penalty imposed for unlawfully removing or permitting to be removed distilled spirits from a bonded warehouse.
Amendment by Pub. L. 85–859 effective Sept. 3, 1958, see section 210(a)(1) of Pub. L. 85–859, set out as Effective Date note under section 5001 of this title.
LII has no control over and does not endorse any external Internet site that contains links to or references LII.


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Fireplace type
- Stone & Slate Antique Fire Surrounds
- Antique Cast iron Fire Surrounds
- Wooden Antique Fire Surrounds
- Antique Fireplace Accessories
- Architectural Antiques
- Slips and Cast iron Reducers
- Fireplace Tiles
- Marble Antique Fireplaces
- Original Tiled Grates
- Register Arched Grates and Fascias
- Original Hob Grates
- Original Combination Grates
- Original Fire Surrounds
- Original Fire Baskets
- Hearths
- Tiled Combination Grates
- Single Tiles
- Fireplace Spacer Tiles
Come and visit our showroom
Monday - Saturday
9am - 6pm
opening times
Call us on 0161 431 8075 to book an appointment
We can renovate your fireplace
Fireplaces always wanted
Call 0161 431 8075
Here in our archive we keep track of every antique fireplace that we have sold in the past. Everything from antique wood surrounds to antique marble surrounds to small antique cast iron combinations. By keeping track of this we can give our customers a much better idea of the antique fireplaces available on the market even if we don't have them anymore. This is also useful for anybody interested in antique fireplaces for research and information purposes. Although antique fireplace are usually rare and unique in design most of the period fireplaces listed are not singles or one offs and we may have a sister fireplace awaiting restoration, or something very similar. If you are interested in anything from this range, please don't hesitate to contact us and we will be happy to see if there is anything similar that we can source for you.


text: So I had been doing an exclusive serial story in my author newsletter. But now I'm shuttering that newsletter because I just don't have the time to keep up with it, and of all the social media I do, it really had the lowest ROI. But I don't want to leave readers hanging! So I will be posting The Adventures of Sel & Am on Wattpad. The first part is up nowhttps://www.wattpad.com/story/119342727-the-adventures-of-sel-am (if you are/were a newsletter recipient, you've already read it). More to come.


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Early yesterday, we came across a mystery LG smartphone called the LG G3 Stylus. The handset was inadvertently leaked in a promotional video meant for the LG G3 Beat. Although there wasn't enough mentioned about the smartphone in the video, it was plenty to get the internet buzzing with speculations. And now, media reports from Korea suggest that this is indeed a new device destined to arrive in September.
And as we speculated yesterday, it could sport a slightly downgraded hardware compared to the G3. From the promo video, it was noticed that it doesn't have the Laser Auto Focus on the back and features a solitary LED flash instead of a dual LED arrangement as on the LG G3. The report also suggests that the battery capacity and the screen resolution could be toned down, although the display size is still said to be 5.5 inches. Perhaps LG will go with a 1080p panel this time and use a slightly smaller battery to make it a tad lighter as well.
However we won't be surprised if LG slots in a 720p panel inside, which would make it a budget offering. There are still plenty of questions to be answered, but we hope to learn more about the LG G3 Stylus possibly at the IFA event early next month in Berlin.
Source: Korea Times
Via: G For Games


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Babolat: tireless innovation with Michelin
The new Babolat JET shoes designed for players looking for lightness and excellent performance boast an exclusive Michelin sole.
To rise to the challenge of an ever-faster game, tennis players want lighter shoes that still provide maximum support. Babolat now has a new ultra-high performance model with a Michelin sole.
Inventor of the first strings, creator of the first e-racket, Babolat has always worked hard to place innovation at the service of the game. The French brand is now focusing on players' feet with Babolat JET, one of the lightest tennis shoes on the market. Its exclusive sole has been developed with Michelin. It has an S-structure ideal for tennis' quick changes in direction providing total grip and durability for minimum weight. Perfect for players looking for total performance without compromise.