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In some countries many young people choose to work or travel for a year between finishing high school and starting university studies. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages.【18.12.15 我的APP 写作题库近似命中亚太区大作文】
Some people think the qualities a person needs to become successful in today's world can't be learned at a university or similar academic institution. To what extent do you agree or disagree? 【18.11.17 国内大作文原题命中 我的大作文重点预测第18题】
Team/group activities can teach more important skills for life than those activities which are played alone. To what extent do you agree or disagree? 【18.9.29 APP 写作题库近似命中国内大作文】
Many museums and historical sites are mainly visited by tourists, not local people. Why? What can be done to attract local people? 【我的APP 写作题库原题命中18.10.13亚太区大作文】
Some people who have been in prison become good citizens later. Some people think that they are the best people to talk to school students the danger of committing a crime. Do you agree or disagree? 【我的APP 写作题库原题命中 18.7.28 国内大作文】
Nowadays a large amount of advertising aiming at children should be banned because of the negative effects. To what extent do you agree or disagree? 【我的APP 写作题库原题命中 18.8.11 国内大作文】
The young people in the workforce are changing their jobs or careers every few years. What do you think are the reasons? 【18.6.7 国内大作文原题命中,我的大作文重点预测第10题】
Some people claim that newspaper is the best way to get the latest information because it has more influence than other forms of media. To what extent do you agree or disagree? 【18.3.24 APP 写作题库近似命中国内大作文】
Some people believe that people who read books can develop more imagination and language skills than those who prefer to watch TV. 【18.2.10 国内大作文原题命中,我的大作文重点预测第1题】
The restoration of old buildings in major cities in the world costs numerous governments' expenditures. This money should be used in new housing and road development.【18.2.3 国内大作文原题命中,我的大作文重点预测第7题】
1 Developments in science and technology have caused environmental problems. Some people think that a simpler way of life will protect the environment, while others believe that science and technology can solve environmental problems. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
2 The international community must act immediately to ensure that all countries reduce their consumption of fossil fuels, such as gas and oil. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
3 Some people think job satisfaction is more important than job security, while others believe that having a permanent job is better than enjoying the job. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
4 Some people think "vertical "city is the best, where people live and work in tall buildings. Others think "horizontal" city is better, where there are few tall buildings. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
5 Some people think that success in life comes from hard work and determination, while others think that there are more important factors such as money and appearance. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
6 Universities and colleges are now offering qualifications through distance learning from the Internet rather than teachers in the classroom. Do you think the advantages of this development outweigh the disadvantages?
7 Nowadays, more and more jobs and task are done by machines which involve hard physical work. Do these effects of this trend outweigh the negative effects?
8 Some people think that with the increasing use of mobile phones and computers, people lose the ability to communicate face to face. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
9 People can live and work anywhere they want to choose because of improved communication technology and transport. Do the advantages of this development outweigh disadvantages?
10 In some countries many young people choose to work or travel for a year between finishing high school and starting university studies. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages.
11 Most of the urgent problems can only be solved with international cooperation. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
12 Developing countries require help offered by international organizations to ensure healthy and sustainable development. Some people think that financial aid is important. Others believe that practical aid and advice is more important. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
13 Advertising discourages people from being different individuals by making us all want to do the same and look the same. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
14 The government should spend money in promoting sport and art in school, rather than sponsoring professional sports and art events in communities. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
15 Some people say government should give the health care the first priorities, some others believe there are more important priorities to spend the tax payers' money. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
16 The government has the duty to ensure that its citizens have a healthy diet, while others believe this is individuals' responsibility. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
17 The increase in food production owes much to fertilizers and better machinery, but some people think that it has a negative impact on human health and community. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
18 Some people believe that computers and internet carry more weight than traditional education in children's study. Some others believe that traditional schooling and teachers are still essential and more effective. Discuss the both viewpoints and give your own opinion.
19 Some people say that arts subject such as painting or drawing should not be made compulsory for high school students. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
20 In some countries, secondary schools aim to provide a general education across a range of subjects. In others, children focus on a narrow range of subjects related to a particular career. Which do you think is appropriate in today's world?
21 Because of traffic and housing problems in the cities,the government encourages businesses to move to the rural area. Do you think the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?
22 Interviews form the basic selecting procedure for most large companies. However, some people think an interview is not a reliable means of choosing who to employ and there are some other better methods of selection. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
23 Nowadays, most people learn academic study in university, but others think we should encourage to learn vocational skills more, do you agree or disagree?
24 In some countries, the role of a mother differs in some ways from the role of a father. Why do you think these differences exist? How might parental roles develop in the future?
25 Some people say that playing computer games is bad for children in every aspect. Others say that playing computer games can have positive effects on the way children develop. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
1 In some countries there is not enough recycling of waste materials (e.g. paper, glass and cans). What are the reasons and solutions?
2 It has been suggested that all young adults should be required to undertake a period of unpaid work helping people in the community. Would the drawbacks be greater than benefits to the community and the young adults themselves?
3 More and more people want to study at university, so competition of university places is increasing. Why more and more people want to study at university? Is it positive or negative?
4 Many countries believe that international tourism has harmful effects. Wh...
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Doug Mattingly
Doug Mattingly is an actor, a musician, and a film maker.
As an actor, Doug has performed in feature films and shorts, theatre pieces, both contemporary and classical, television, video, commercials, and promos.
As a musician, he's written hundreds of songs including three singer/songwriter rock albums under his name, composed scores and songs for film, written pieces for jazz and classical ensembles, and performed as a guitarist on countless live gigs and studio sessions.
Doug also teaches songwriting, guitar, and sightsinging at The American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA) in Los Angeles.
Doug received his Masters and Bachelor degrees in music (guitar performance) from The University of Southern California. He studied acting at USC and at The Shakespeare Theatre in Washington, DC.
Ian Mattingly
Ian is a fine artist, having studied painting and drawing, who not only creates films as part of The Mattingly Boys, but also does music video work and is always developing new projects.
Born and raised in Baltimore, MD, Ian Mattingly has been a fan of comic books, graffiti, kung fu movies, and ice cream for as long as he can remember.
With a life long love for drawing he attended highschool at Carver Center for Arts & Technology where he studied photography as well as film and video production. After high school he moved out west to Los Angeles to study film and hope to make a go at it in the movie business.
Going back and forth from Los Angeles to Baltimore, Ian spent much of his 20's pursuing music as a Hip Hop artist. As technology made it more and more economical to create great looking, filmic video, Ian started to create his own music videos and in the process fell back in love with filmmaking.

subset: commoncrawl


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5 Methods of Small Business Expansion
Posted on Wednesday 14th of May 2014 by
Manish Khanna
In such a competitive business world businesses are constantly expanding and improving their business. Businesses today are either expanding or failing, yet some business owners do not want the hassle of expanding their business. Or they sell their expanding business to avoid such a hassle. But expansion is not something someone should run from, expansion can be very beneficial and with current available resources it can be very easy and achievable. But it is still something a business should not just jump into without heavy consideration of the options. Not all may be right for your business at its current level. It is also recommended to ask yourself a few questions about your business before giving the thumbs up to expansion.
When entering a new market it is recommended that it doesn't force more than a 10% change in the company's current business model and product/service. This statistic usually means there is a good alignment of existing resources. If it does require more than a 10% change, it is going to require a pretty heavy cost-benefit analysis.
2. Diversification of Products/Service or Horizontal Marketing
It was found that 74 per cent of small businesses surveyed stated that their new website was effective at generating new business. Therefore a website is one of the biggest tools in creating an online presence, and there are many companies online that provide services in website production. Some offer easy templates and step-by-step design processes to build your site.
The domain name is your address on the internet, this allows you to customize your email and therefore every time you communicate your domain it reinforces your brand. What you also need to consider is including specific terms and words that will help potential customers or clients search for your business. You will also need to think about buying both the .com and the .com.au domains so that if your branding is a success someone else won't have the opportunity to buy the domain and start a business off your branding.
Using social media tools like Facebook and Twitter allows you to converse with your customers and reach out to further potential customers. Creating relationships and involving your customers, it is also beneficial resource for customer feedback.
5. Global expansion
Direct exporting is a more hands on approach than indirect. This process also can demand a lot of time, but may also be the more profitable option in the long run. If you choose this option you will be responsible for finding buyers to purchase your product. You will also have to organise shipping. One method of making it easier is to hire a representative in the targeted foreign country who will be able to liaise with the buyers and sell your product as language and cultural barriers can be a possible issue.
This method uses 3rd parties and intermediaries to handle the entire export arrangement, including; market research, promotion, setting up distribution channels and finding buyers for the product. This approach is generally the more appealing option for smaller businesses as it is more realistic, particularly if they are unfamiliar with the country. The companies that do indirect exporting also take care of the product testing and the product approval process that some products have to go through. This can be quite a complicated task on your own, especially if you don't have experience, it is calming to know that it is being taken care of by a third party.


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Every Sunday afternoon I go through my coupons, plan my meals, and make my grocery list for the entire week. Sometimes I even plan for two weeks at a time. It helps save time and money. I try to pick meals that can use some of the same ingredients. This way I can buy the larger package and save my pennies. Shopping for two weeks in a row also helps eliminate extra snack buying. If you aren't at the grocery store, you can't make those impulse purchases. And if you aren't stuck at the grocery store, you open more time in your busy schedule for other things. On Monday, I head straight to the grocery store after dropping my daughter off at school. Going early in the morning means no lines and getting to park near the cart drop-off area. I know those of you with little children completely understand how important this is.
I also have made myself a chores schedule. This makes cleaning faster and more manageable. It is much easier to deal with one load of laundry each day than four in a single day. When you put too much on your plate at one time, the job can get tedious or even seem overwhelming. And we all know that when cleaning gets overwhelming, it usually doesn't get done. With my chore schedule, I have my bathroom cleaning day, dusting and vacuuming day, mopping day, and so forth. Yes, I know. It seems very silly. I completely agree. But I usually don't get stressed out or overwhelmed with housecleaning (usually). So I will stick with it!
With these, and other schedules, I am able to have more time with my kids, with my husband (when he's home), and I definitely have more time for myself and my newly discovered blogging habit. How do you keep your life under control? Grab a latte, put up your feet, and join the discussion!
Don't Forget to Link up for the Friday Follow! I hope everyone has a Blessed Easter!


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Bingara Fun Run
Saturday, 2 July 2016
Bingara Council Chambers, Bingara, NSW
The Bingara Fun Run in Bingara, NSW has 2km, 5km & 1km fun runs and a 4 x 1km team relay.
In honour of Bingara's Greek history the 2016 Fun Run will go Greek! A toga fancy dress competition has been included for the "Not so Serious" competitors and prizes will be awarded to the Best Dressed Male and Female Greek Athlete.
The race starts at 8.30am and the presentation of prizes and the official start of the Bingara Orange Festival is at 10am.
4x1km relay


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Tune your SAN for streaming media
How to tune your SAN for streaming media.
While streaming media such as Internet video is a small portion of today's storage workload, it can be a major headache for storage managers. For one thing, streaming media pushes the performance of the average system hard and it requires different tuning for maximum performance.
This includes storage. In many ways the storage requirements for streaming media are the exact opposite of those for transaction processing. Both kinds of applications put heavy loads on storage but transaction processing involves a large number of fairly small storage operations in more-or-less random order, streaming media uses relatively few very large reads and writes in sequential order.
Among other things, this means larger block sizes are more efficient. Instead of, say, 2K blocks, which are common in transaction processing, the bigger the streaming media blocks the better -- within broad limits, of course. Similarly, storage media configured for striping and RAID level 0 or RAID level 5 is likely to give the best performance.
A Sun white paper "Tuning The Solaris Operating Environment for Streaming Applications" discusses tuning from the aspect of Solaris. However much of the advice is broadly applicable. It is available at soldc.sun.com/articles/tuning_for_streaming.html.
Rick Cook has been writing about mass storage since the days when the term meant an 80K floppy disk. The computers he learned on used ferrite cores and magnetic drums. For the last twenty years he has been a freelance writer specializing in storage and other computer issues.


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Latest news
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK.
There are more than 40,000 new cases every year, mostly in the over 50s. In Brighton and Hove more than 130 people are diagnosed with the condition each year.
If detected early, over 90% of prostate cancers can be successfully treated, as Bill found out.
Back in 2005 his wife Tina read an article about Afro-Caribbean men being susceptible to getting prostate cancer. He didn't have any symptoms but agreed to go for a PSA...


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Gibson has over 25 years of management experience in product, field, and channel marketing, as well as advertising, digital strategy, and corporate communications.
He was earlier associated with Veritas as CMO and had the same role at Aruba Networks prior to Veritas.
"I'm a big believer in the role of marketing to anticipate new market trends and buyer behaviors. This role is particularly critical as IT organizations are going through a significant demographic shift with decreasing technology specialization and increasing focus on services and development," Gibson said on his new role.
He has also previously worked with Cisco systems, Meru Networks and Proxim Corporation.


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O'Schraves and Dan Gorno on the Road in February: Bruce Station, Quebec, Toronto, Gravenhurst!
Here are a number of gigs by the O'Schraves this month, some of them with Dan Gorno!
Sat. Feb. 11, 2012 – The O'Schraves – Bruce Station Hall at 8:00 p.m. – Ages 6 – 13 $5.00; Adults $10.00 + refreshments – sponsored by Royal Canadian Legion Ladies Auxillary, Br. 211 – Fundraiser for Legion Building Fund & Community Program. You can view or download a concert poster here: legion concert poster
Sat. Feb. 18, 2012 – The O'Schraves – at CRAPO, 187, rue Sainte-Louise, Saint-Jean-de-Matha, PQ, 8:30 PM. www.crapo.qc.ca . Tickets are $15, or $13 for CRAPO members. We are visiting Dentdelion at their home in St. Beatrix, PQ, and Dana has so kindly organized a local gig for us again this year at a wonderful performance space and art centre that is housed in an old parish manse. We had a blast last year, if you know anyone in the Joliette area, please let them know!
Thursday, February 23, 7PM – The O'Schraves and Dan Gorno – yes, it's true, an AlgomaTrad dance in TORONTO at Christ the Saviour Russian Orthodox Cathedral Church Hall, 823 Manning Ave, Toronto, ON M6G 2W7. The ROC Church Hall is a wood-floored hall in the Annex, three blocks north of Bloor, four blocks west of Bathurst. A 10-minute walk from the Bathurst subway station. Admission: suggested donation $10.
Friday and Saturday, February 24th and 25th, The O'Schraves with Shane Cook and Brian Pickell – Gravenhurst Opera House, as part of the Gravenhurst Winter Carnival. www.gravenhurstwintercarnival.com. Shows are at 8PM both nights, and we will also be performing for a children's show at 5Pm on the Friday. Admission to all events is by purchasing a $5 Festival Button….amazing! Check out the poster here: WinterCarnival 2012 PRESS READY


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|Marcus Hernandez's Vitals
|Name: Marcus Hernandez
|Race: Were-Rat
|Shortdesc: Short, Mexican man with shoulder length hair and ruddy eyes.
|Position: n/a
|Fame: n/a
|Temperament: n/a
|Themesong: n/a
|Unknown as Marcus Hernandez
WARNING: This information should be considered OOC Knowledge unless one has the IC means to access it.
Former instructor and manager of the Guan-Ki Kwoon in Bridgeport, graduate of Chef's school, visitor of clubs and galleries, and returned from an extended vacation to Mexico in July of 2005.
page revision: 5, last edited: 13 Apr 2009 21:28


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Chausse's Stats: Career | 2019 | 2018
2018 Season
All-Southland Conference honorable mention … all-tournament team at Sawyer Camillo Memorial Classic in Lafayette, La. … played in all 30 matches, and 106 sets as a true freshman … averaged 2.51 kills while hitting .212 … also averaged 0.53 blocks per set … averaged 2.75 kills per set in conference play … reached double-figure kills in 13 matches … also had multiple blocks in 14 matches … turned in a season-high 16 kills on 34 swings in victory over New Orleans (10/13) … had 15 kills and hit .306 with five blocks at Central Arkansas (11/3) … had 14 kills and hit .250 in win at Abilene Christian (11/10) to close out the regular season … had a season-high six blocks in win over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (10/9) … had a dozen kills and five blocks at Nicholls (10/11) … reached double figures in consecutive matches with 12 vs Houston (8/31) and 10 at Louisiana (9/1) at Sawyer Camillo Memorial Classic … put home 14 kills and hit .321 in victory over McNeese (9/20) to open up Southland Conference play … also had 13 kills and a pair of blocks in win over Abilene Christian (10/6).
Coppell High School
Suited up for the No. 2 team in the state in Texas Class 6A, helping lead the Cowgirls to a 38-4 record this season and a berth in the Class 6A, Region 2 quarterfinals in 2017 … was both a first-team all-district and academic all-district choice as both a sophomore and a junior … was named offensive MVP of the district in 2016 and most recently in 2017 as she led Coppell claim an undefeated district title … also named MVP of the Mansfield ISD Sunrise Rotary Tournament in 2017 in addition to being named to the all-tournament team at multiple other events throughout prep career.


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Britain's newest theme park, "Dismaland," opens on Friday and is tagged as "UK's most disappointing new visitor attraction!" courtesy of British street artist Banksy.
The park is equipped with a decrepit castle, a merry-go-round horse set to be cooked and model boats on a pool full of refugees.
The secretive Banksy, famed for his ironic murals in unexpected places, said the show was something different, as his street art had become "just as reassuringly white, middle class and lacking in women as any other art movement."


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When summer leaves...
I re-uploaded the elements and papers files, so I hope, the links are working now :O)
Please let me know, if you have some problems with downloading, I´ll try to solve them.
I re-uploaded the elements and papers files, so I hope, the links are working now :O)
Please let me know, if you have some problems with downloading, I´ll try to solve them.
Thank you! Your blog post will be advertised on the DigiFree Digital Scrapbooking Freebie search engine today (look for timestamp: 17 Nov [LA 09:00pm] - 18 Nov [NY 12:00am, UK 05:00am, OZ 04:00pm] ).ReplyDelete
Oh shucks, I so wanted this kit. The elements are so gorgeous and now the link isn't working.
Thank you for sharing your papers though.
Hi Barbwire,
I tried the links (When summer leaves - elements and Yellow autumn - papers) and these work. Please try to download one more time.
PS: Thanks for nice comments!
Have a great day!
ohhh this one is also so lovely...but cry for me, the link is not working anymore
love and greetz from Holland
Barbwire, Carla - it´s most probably because, that the files are RAR, not ZIP.
Try to install some program, which can open these files.
I hope, you understand. I don´t speak English very well :O(
The link for the elements is not valid according to 4shared. We get the following error message:
"The file link that you requested is not valid."
I have a program that unzips both .rar and .zip.
We don't get the chance to even download the file.
But thank you for trying. You may have to reupload the files to get them to work again.
I keep checking back to see if the elements file has been fixed yet. I love these elements and would like to use them on a layout. Please fix the 4shared file or re-upload it to another file sharing site. Pretty please.ReplyDelete
What a Beautiful Kit....Thank You soooo much for sharing it..ReplyDelete


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Learn about the Air District's California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines, which help agencies evaluate air quality and greenhouse gas impacts from proposed projects and plans.
The Air District is initiating an update to its current CEQA Guidelines(5 Mb PDF, 224 pgs, posted 05/09/17) and thresholds of significance. There have been substantive changes to the data and assumptions underlying the analytical methodologies, thresholds, and mitigation strategies since the last update of the CEQA Guidelines in June 2010 (revised May 2017).
In addition, the risks to public health and air quality posed by global climate change have been brought into significantly increased focus and prominence, and the State of California has taken strong legislative and programmatic action to achieve greenhouse gas reductions beyond 2020. Furthermore, substantial court decisions related to CEQA litigation have occurred since 2010.
Accordingly, the Air District is initiating an update to reflect new or revised requirements in the State CEQA Guidelines, recent court decisions, improved analytical methodologies, and new mitigation strategies. This update is needed to ensure new land-use projects do not interfere with the Bay Area's ability to attain or maintain health-based federal and State ambient air quality standards, and to meet greenhouse gas reduction goals pursuant to 2050 climate stabilization science. The Air District intends to review current thresholds of significance criteria and establish new significance criteria where needed.
The Air District hosted a public workshop/webcast(381 Kb PDF, 1 pg, posted 08/03/17) on September 7, 2017, to "kick off" the update to the CEQA Guidelines and thresholds of significance, and to give participants an opportunity to provide early input on potential concepts for CEQA air quality and greenhouse gas thresholds for the Bay Area. An archived version of the webcast is available.
On June 2, 2010, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District's Board of Directors unanimously adopted thresholds of significance to assist in the review of projects under the California Environmental Quality Act. These Thresholds are designed to establish the level at which the District believed air pollution emissions would cause significant environmental impacts under CEQA and were posted on the Air District's website and included in the Air District's updated CEQA Guidelines (updated May 2012). The Thresholds are advisory and may be followed by local agencies at their own discretion.
The Thresholds were challenged in court. Following litigation in the trial court, the court of appeal, and the California Supreme Court, all of the Thresholds were upheld. However, in an opinion issued on December 17, 2015, the California Supreme Court held that CEQA does not generally require an analysis of the impacts of locating development in areas subject to environmental hazards unless the project would exacerbate existing environmental hazards. The Supreme Court also found that CEQA requires the analysis of exposing people to environmental hazards in specific circumstances, including the location of development near airports, schools near sources of toxic contamination, and certain exemptions for infill and workforce housing. The Supreme Court also held that public agencies remain free to conduct this analysis regardless of whether it is required by CEQA.
In view of the Supreme Court's opinion, local agencies may rely on Thresholds designed to reflect the impact of locating development near areas of toxic air contamination where such an analysis is required by CEQA or where the agency has determined that such an analysis would assist in making a decision about the project. However, the Thresholds are not mandatory and agencies should apply them only after determining that they reflect an appropriate measure of a project's impacts.
The Guidelines for implementation of the Thresholds are for information purposes only to assist local agencies. Recommendations in the Guidelines are advisory and should be followed by local governments at their own discretion. These Guidelines may inform environmental review for development projects in the Bay Area, but do not commit local governments or the Air District to any specific course of regulatory action.
The Air District published a new version of the Guidelines dated May 2017, which includes revisions made to address the Supreme Court's opinion. The May 2017 Guidelines(5 Mb PDF, 224 pgs, posted 05/09/17) update does not address outdated references, links, analytical methodologies or other technical information that may be in the Guidelines or Thresholds Justification Report. The Air District is currently working to revise any outdated information in the Guidelines as part of its update to the CEQA Guidelines and thresholds of significance.
Ada Marquez
Principal Environmental Planner, Planning and Climate Protection
Contact Us
No Spare the Air Alert in Effect
Air Quality Widgets
Last Updated: 11/5/2019


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Presbyterian Church to Recognize and Perform Same-Sex Marriages
In a historic decision, the largest
Protestant group Presbyterian denomination in the U.S., the Presbyterian Church (USA), decided on Tuesday night to formally recognized gay marriage and allow same-sex couple to marry in its congregations.
The church voted to change its definition of marriage from being between "a man and a woman" to "two people, traditionally a man and a woman."
The denomination has about 1.8 million members and around 10,000 congregations.
This is amazing news and all I can think about is: Catholics, it's your turn.
Via TIME
Correction: The original version of this story incorrectly described the Presbyterian Church (USA). It is the largest Presbyterian denomination in the U.S
Photo Credit: Getty Images Entertainment


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Tag Archives: Sweet Potato
Moroccan Chicken Gourmand Style
This dish was created after a spice cupboard clear out, spices are fabulous but 9 times out of 10 after opening a jar it goes unused until expired and I realise I need it for a dish. Don't you wish that dried herbs and spices came in smaller jars?
I noticed that some of my herbs and spices were getting close to their best before date so figured I would throw them together and thus Moroccan Chicken Gourmand Style was born!
While I appreciate this was not cooked in the traditional Moroccan way and it was not served with any real Moroccan ingredients other than the spices, it tasted good and surely that's all that counts!
This recipe will serve two people, just double the quantities if feeding more.
2 chicken breasts (make 3 slits so the spices can infuse into the meat)
1/2 tsp Paprika
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Ground Ginger
1/4 tsp Tumeric
2 Cardamon pods crushed
grating of Nutmeg
2 tablespoons fresh Parsley
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 peppers (Any colour)
Place the spices in a bowl with the oil and rub all over the chicken breasts, squeeze the lemon juice over and leave in the fridge for 4 hours for the flavours to infuse into the chicken.
placed the chicken breasts on a bed of chopped peppers in a Pyrex dish or suitable baking dish and cook for 25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
I served the Chicken and Peppers with a Lebanese style salad of chopped parsley, onion, tomato and cucumber and Sweet potato chips
The dish took 30 minutes including preparation time.
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POSTED IN: Chicken, Lebanese, Moroccan, Peppers, Sweet Potato
POSTED IN: Chicken, Lebanese, Moroccan, Peppers, Sweet Potato


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Snippets from 2011
In order to deal with a backlog of finished but unreviewed books, as well as some I didn't finish (DNF), I'm going to do a first ever "snippet review" on Hardkover. Get ready, here they come!
The Betrayal: A Novel on John Calvin
by Douglas Bond. 383 p. Published by P&R Publishing in June 2009. Received through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
Verdict: ★★☆☆☆
This is one of my DNFs – I got half way through and was uninterested and unimpressed. This historical fiction about John Calvin is told through the eyes of his frenemy, Jean-Louis Mourin. I don't know if it was the forced feeling of the "old English" style of speaking (which doesn't make much sense, given that the story is set in France), the slow plot, or the heavy-handed characterization of the narrator (I felt constantly bludgeoned with foreshadowing) – this book was not for me. I liked the concept, as my favorite way to read about historical people is through historical fiction (I find them much more engaging than biographies). I saw many good reviews for it on Amazon, so give it a try if you find it interesting. Just wasn't my cup of tea.
by David Graeber. 544 p. Published by Melville House Publishing in July 2011. Received through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
Verdict: ★★★★☆
This is my other DNF. I got about one-third through this monster – it was actually a very interesting and fascinating read. It's only downfall was that it felt like one of those books where you get the gist after the first couple chapters and the rest are just repeats with different examples (I could be wrong . . . but I guess I'll never know!). Graeber's discussion on our concept of debt is definitely worth reading – and if you're really into anthropology, sociology, or economics, you might make it to the end! (And if you want someone to blame for the "Occupy Wall Street" Movement, Graeber just might be your man.)
Long Trail Home (#3 in the Texas Trail Series)
by Vickie McDonough. 304 p. Published by Moody Publishers November 2011. Received through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
Verdict: ★★★★☆
Picked this one off NetGalley because I liked the first two in the series, Lone Star Trail and Captive Trail. It was as good as the first two and I'm looking forward to the remaining three. This book featured the story of a young man who went off to fight in the Civil War and came home to find his parents dead and his fiancée married to someone else; the female protagonist is an abandoned child who managed to survive by pretending to be blind (so she could stay at an orphanage for the blind). As was true with the first two books, the interesting historical setting was my favorite part about the story. The romance was a little predictable, but its hard to escape that in this genre.
by Lisa Tucker. 288 p. Published by Atria Books September 2011. Received through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
Verdict: ★★★☆☆
Half mystery, half drama – this reminded me in ways of Diane Chamberlain's The Midwife's Confession in genre and style. A couple's only child goes missing and each one thinks that it is someone in his/her past that is to blame. The story flashbacks to previous relationships and how the couple met to explain their fears and eventually introduce the kidnapper. This book has decent character development (although I didn't think the characters were quite as realistic as in The Midwife's Confession) and a good plot – I found myself fairly hooked all the way through. However, I thought it petered out at the end; the denouement was very anti-climatic and you don't get the satisfaction of participating in the inevitable reunion.
The Promised One: Seeing Jesus in Genesis
by Nancy Guthrie. 288 p. Published by Crossway Books July 2011. Received through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
Verdict: ★★★★★
This was a FANTASTIC bible study! I love the format – each chapter begins with a list of questions and scriptures to read and contemplate before Guthrie "lectures" in the teaching section. The chapter concludes with a pointed description of how that chapter's topic points to Jesus and discussion questions for facilitating a group study. The chapters highlighted primarily Creation, Fall of Man, Noah, Babel, Abraham, Jacob, and Joseph. I used this book for my own personal devotion time and found it very enriching. I liked it so much that I've talked my small group into using it for our next study! Highly recommended.
by Amor Towles. 352 p. Published by Viking Adult Books July 2011. Checked out from my local library using my Kindle!
Verdict: ★★★★☆
I vacillated on whether to give this book 3 or 4 stars – when I think about the writing, I want to give it 4 and when I think about the plot I give it 3. Overall, the characters are pretty decent, so I think it deserves the higher rating. I wasn't blown away by the plot of this book; however, when Amor Towles puts together words, he doesn't just make a sentence — he makes magic! I found myself stopping to re-read parts aloud, just to see if they sounded as beautiful out loud as they did in my head. He manages to find that perfect balance of writing vivid prose without it being flowery or ridiculously over-the-top. The book itself is very Great Gatsby-ish – not only because it is set in Manhattan in the 1930s as people are struggling to recover from the Great Depression, but the writing has that older Fitzgerald style. I liked the female protagonist and thought she had an interesting narrative voice for this time period. If the plot had been more poignant, it would have ranked 5 stars. Definitely recommended.
by Merrie Haskell. 336 p. Published by HarperCollins September 2011. Checked out from my local library in old-fashioned hardback binding. Recommended by the BookSmugglers.
Verdict: ★★★☆☆
I loved the idea of this book – the tale of the Twelve Dancing Princess, with the heroine being an apothecary's apprentice who tries to lift the curse. The book just never quite lived up to its potential, however. The imaginary world Haskell created didn't seem to materialize and charm me the way other fairy tale worlds have (I'm thinking of Ella Enchanted and The Princess Academy in particular). Perhaps that is why the plot felt a little choppy and the characters just a little too far from reach to join my cast of literary friends – it was hard to truly fall under the magic of living in another world and allowing them to be real. Although I don't think this one will join Ella and The Princess Academy on my classics shelf, I would still give it to middle graders or young adults who like a good fairy tale.
Mine is the Night (sequel to Here Burns My Candle)
by Liz Curtis Higgs. 464 p. Published by WaterBrook Press March 2011. Checked out from my local library on my Kindle!
Verdict: ★★★★☆
This was the first book I've picked up in months that I simply could NOT put down! I've long owned and loved Higgs first Scottish trilogy beginning with A Thorn in My Heart, which is based on the biblical story of Jacob, Rachel, and Leah. Mine is the Night is the sequel to her second Scottish series, this time adapting the story of Ruth, Naomi, and Boaz in the setting of the Scottish Jacobite rebellion. Each one is well written, engrossing, and always pointing to underlying story of faith and redemption from the original biblical version. Not only is this a great time period to read about (Scotland! Rebels! Bonnie Prince Charlie!), but Higgs' amazing depth and breadth of research combines with her clever writing to bring the heather hills and thick Scottish brogue alive. Highly recommended!
Has God Spoken?
Reviewed by Brittney
Just the Facts: by Hank Hanegraaff. 380 p. (Actually, 290 without the appendix, endnotes, and index). Published 2011 by Thomas Nelson. Advanced review copy provided by Thomas Nelson's "Booksneeze" program in return for my honest opinion.
Verdict: ★★★★☆
Who Cares? Adult Christian Non-Fiction / Religious Apologetics
Short Bio: Once of the most frequently voiced criticisms of Christians is that they believe a book written some 3500-2000 years ago is not only divine revelation given to man at that time, but that it has remained virtually unchanged since then.
The "Bible Answer Man" responds to these criticisms with four main categories of evidence: the reliability of the manuscripts we have, archeological finds that corroborate biblical accounts, the fulfillment of prophecy, and finally the "art and science of scriptural interpretation". He presents his evidence in the form of pneumonic devices that help the reader remember the main points of each (i.e., for "Manuscript C-O-P-I-E-S", one has a device to remember that Copyist practices, Oral tradition, Papyrus & parchment, Internal evidence, External evidence, and the Science of textual criticism are the supporting facts for how we know we can rely on the biblical manuscripts we have today).
Eyewitness Account:
Overall, I thought this was an extremely interesting book and a good read. This is the second book I've read this year that appears to be written mainly as a response to some vociferous opponents of the authors and both are about the Bible (See "The Book That Made Your World", responding to criticism that Christianity was an imperialistic and oppressive force in India, for the other). Hanegraaff's book contains numerous rejoinders to several Biblical critics (most often to Bart Ehrman, who is a religious studies professor at UNC Chapel Hill). It contains a wealth of information about the science of manuscripts, archeology, history, and whether the skeptical arguments against the veracity and authenticity of the Bible hold any weight. It's organized fairly well, and the pneumonic devices he gives are actually very useful (I found myself trying to recall them at the end of each section to cement the points in my memory).
A few weaknesses are that the book could have used some better editing (I repeatedly had a feeling of "deja vu" as I read sentences that had been used almost word for word in an earlier section – you really can't use phrases like "the story is interesting as well as instructive" or "the land vomited out the children of the promise just as it had the Canaanites before them" more than once without someone catching it) and that Hanegraaff gave too much text to his opponents. Its one thing to briefly mention an opposing viewpoint that you want to counter, but to give whole paragraphs or pages to their writing makes it seem like the author is obsessively aggravated. Overall, you get the feeling that Hanegraaff was writing more of a reference resource than a book designed to be read straight through, as there were not only exact phrasings that were repeated, but also examples and evidence used in multiple sections that are introduced as if for the first time.
However, I found that I could dismiss my irritation at those points for the meat of the book. The manuscripts and archeology sections were really fascinating (and gave me a HUGE appreciation for how God has preserved the Bible over time). The prophecy section dragged a bit for me, but did have some gems; my favorite part of the book was Hanegraaff's discussion of types in the bible, particularly "typological prophecy" in which the event that you are connecting to the prophecy is not the "predictive fulfillment" but the successive and more complete antitype to the first fulfillment (as in the case of Isaiah's virgin birth prediction). Having heard of types and antitypes before, it was new information to me that this idea applied to prophecy as well as people and events.
Well worth reading.
Notable Quotes:
Amazing but true, today in the city of David you can step into the very Pool of Siloam in which the blind man "washed, and came back seeing." (John 9:7 NKJV). You can traverse the Siloam tunnel that almost three thousand years ago provided the precious commodity of water to the inhabitants of Jerusalem during the siege of Sennacherib. You can see the Siloam inscription in the Istanbul Archaelogical Museum commemorating one of the greatest engineering feats of ancient history. You can rest your arms on the guard rail overlooking the excavated ruins of the Pool of Bethesda, where Jesus cared for the physical and spiritual needs of a man who had suffered the ravages of sin for thirty-eight years. And you can be amazed at the grace that what was once secreted in soil accurately reflects what which is sealed in Scripture.
Other Books Read by This Author: none
What are other people saying? Shades of Intrigue, Finding Jesus, God-lovin' Mama
★★★☆☆ Writing Style
★★★★★ Organization
★★★★☆ Original Idea
★★★★☆ Page Turner
Overall ★★★★☆
Speaking of Jesus
Just the Facts: by Carl Medearis. 187 p. Published 2011 by David C. Cook. Advanced review copy provided by Speakeasy in return for my honest opinion. (Book excerpt read by Carl here).
Verdict: ★★★★★
Who Cares? Anyone who loves Jesus but finds Christianity frustrating.
Short Bio: Carl does his best to offend just about anyone who is attached to all the trappings of Christianity – but he does it with a sense of humor, a touch of reality, and with the obvious filter of being one of Jesus's number one fans. He challenges the traditional ideas of evangelism and salvation by pointing out not only their lack of scriptural foundation (especially when looking at Christ's example) but also by laying out what most of us know to be true – they are terribly ineffective and often get the opposite result!
Carl makes the case that our current idea of "evangelism" is the result of believing we "win" people to Team Christian by convincing them logically that all the elements of Christian doctrine are true, but in the process end up having to defend a whole history of sinful and misguided actions committed in the name of Christianity. He advocates that we have moved away from the heart of the gospel – that Jesus said he himself was the only way to come to God (relationship, not logical belief). If you simply and joyfully point to Jesus rather than try to defend man's religious version of Jesus's message, you'll witness some amazing things.
Eyewitness Account: I LOVED this book. I'm ashamed to admit that I could relate all to well with Carl's many examples of how we can we get so distracted with Christianity (ooh, shiny!) that we sometimes miss Jesus. In fact, although I would call myself a Christian, I found that Carl was definitely "evangelizing" to me – because I needed the reminder that it always boils down to how you respond to Jesus's call to "Follow me".
I loved how accessible and readable this book was – I could give it to a 5th grader, to my grandpa, or to my pastor. Carl's humor and humility are sugar that helps the medicine go down (I'm sure I annoyed my fellow bus passengers at several points by laughing out loud). Ultimately, I finished the book excited and energized to know Jesus more and follow him more closely – which I think Carl would appreciate! (Apparently Carl and I are BFFs and on a first name basis – try reading his book and see if you don't feel the same way).
Highly recommended, and I think that people of other faiths would also like this book!
Notable Quotes:
"When we preach Christianity, we have to own it. When we preach Jesus, we don't have to own anything. Jesus owns us. We don't have to defend Him. We don't even have to explain Him. All we have to do is point with our fingers, like the blind man in the book of John, and say, "There is Jesus. All I know is that He touched me, and where I was once blind, now I see."
"We have an unfair advantage. We know the Creator. We're friends with the King. We know where truth is found and its name. We know what brings life and what gives life and where eternal life resides. It's not fair. While others are explaining and defending various "isms" and "ologies," we're simply pointing people to our friend. The One who uncovers and disarms. The beginning and the end of the story."
"There is a place for doctrines and dogma and science and history and apologetics, but these things are not Jesus—they are humanly manufactured attempts to make people think that having the right ideas is the same thing as loving and following Jesus."
" . . . Jesus can go toe-to-toe with anything. There is no person in human history who holds a candle to Jesus. When we make sharing our faith a war of ideals, we create casualties on both sides of the boundary. We fight an "us versus them" campaign trying to show that our religion, our logic, our reason, our theology is better than everyone else's."
Other Books Read by This Author: None, but Tea with Hezbollah is on my list.
What are other people saying? CNN Article on Carl's Book (and its 73 pages of comments), Will's Blog, Sister Chat, Rick Love
★★★★★ Writing Style
★★★★★ Organization
★★★★★ Original Idea
★★★★★ Page Turner
Overall ★★★★★
The Week-By-Week Vegetable Gardener's Handbook
Just the Facts: by Ron and Jennifer Kujawski. 200 pages. Published in 2010 by Storey Publishing. Received as a gift on my birthday this year.
Verdict: ★★★★★
Who Cares? Adult Nonfiction – Home & Garden
Short Bio:
"Timing is everything," they say, and vegetable gardening is no exception. Knowing exactly when to start seeds indoors, what day to transplant them into the ground, when to pinch off the blossoms, and when to pick for peak flavor is the secret to enjoying bountiful harvests all through the gardening season.
In Week-by-Week Vegetable Gardener's Handbook, authors Ron and Jennifer Kujawski take the guesswork out of gardening with weekly to-do lists that break gardening down into easily manageable tasks. Suitable for all gardening zones, the book offers easy instructions for setting up a personalized schedule based on your last frost date. The Kujawskis are an inspiring father– daughter team who share their own triumphs, mistakes, and misadventures over many years spent together in the vegetable patch. Readers will enjoy the friendly direction and advice these veterans offer. Easy-to-read boxes, bulleted lists, charts, and detailed how-to illustrations make each week's activities clear and doable. Spots for record-keeping encourage readers to track their own successes and fine-tune their weekly schedules from year to year. Inch by inch, row by row, week by week, gardeners will move confidently through the gardening season. Whether it's planting the strawberries, pinching off the pumpkin blossoms, checking for tomato hornworm, or harvesting the carrots, they will know exactly when and how to do it for the most bountiful harvests and the most enjoyable vegetable-growing experiences ever.
Eyewitness Account:
My husband and I ventured out into the great world of gardening this year, planting squash, tomatoes, peppers, cantaloupe, beets, radishes, artichokes, and herbs. We stumbled through the internet looking for advice on when to plant, which seeds to start inside and which to plant in the ground, what kind of soil they need, how often to water . . . OVERWHELMED! If you can relate, then GRAB THIS BOOK!
The book is organized into small, bite-sized clips of information and steps to take each week of the year. You start in the winter by planning your garden, researching and ordering seeds, and sharpening/repairing gardening tools. The book tells you when to start indoor seedlings, when to harden and plant, what diseases to watch for, when to fertilize . . . all in digestible chunks! I actually didn't mean to just sit down and read it (it's supposed to be weekly, right?) but I got sucked in (and finally discovered what the leathery brown stuff was on the bottom of my tomatoes and how to prevent them!). This book is invaluable, and I plan to re-read it at least twice more as well as use it as a reference. I can't wait until winter to start planning next year's garden!
Other Books Read by This Author: None
What are other people saying? The Retro Housewife, Publisher's Weekly
★★★★☆ Writing Style
★★★★★ Organization
★★★★★ Original Idea
★★★★★☆ Page Turner
Overall ★★★★★
Lit! A Christian Guide to Reading Books
Just the Facts: by Tony Reinke. 208 p. To be published Sept 30, 2011 by Crossway Books. Advanced review copy provided in electronic format by the publisher in return for my honest opinion, courtesy of NetGalley.
Verdict: ★★★★★
Who Cares? Adult Nonfiction – Christian Growth
Short Bio:
A call for Christians to reclaim the priority, privilege, and practice of reading.
Christians are identified as people of the Word—submitted to the authority of God's written Word, called to center our lives on it and not on the image-driven world that vies for our gaze. But how do we build such lives, and what do they look like?
Tony Reinke's answer is that we are to be readers of the Word of God and of the many other books that reflect God's truth, goodness, and beauty in the world. In Lit!: A Christian Guide to Reading Books, Reinke lays out a theology of reading built around the gospel, developed from Scripture, and corroborated by church history. He offers guidance for exercising discernment in what we read, and practical advice on how to read regularly and well. Reinke also explains how to foster a culture of reading in our churches and homes. The book stresses that we may find truth, help, insight, or beauty in many different forms of literature, from theology to fiction to fantasy to business. Reinke reminds us that God is the author of all knowledge, and we read every book under his illumination.
Eyewitness Account:
The book blurb on NetGalley immediately intrigued me – someone wrote a whole book on why Christians should read (and written by an admitted "non-reader")? I snatched it up quick and wasn't disappointed. Reinke has a great writing style that is engaging, yet succinct (I didn't do a whole lot of skimming because he moved from point to point fairly quickly himself). The content was great; the first half of the book is Reinke's "theology of reading", his own thesis on why any Christian (or any person, really) who wants to grow and mature should read. I was most struck in this section by Reinke's discussion of how when we rely more and more on visual media to communicate, we lose out on the precision of meaning found in words.
The second half is pure nuts and bolts – how to find time to read, how to highlight and annotate so that you get a lot out of your reading, how to make personal priorities for choosing what to read, and how to pass on a love and discipline of reading to your kids (to name just a few). His chapter on priorities was so timely for me – I have been feeling overwhelmed these last few months with the sheer volume of what I want to read and how little time I have to read it in (as my backlog of NetGalley manuscripts can attest to!). I took his advice and made a list of the goals I have for reading and it was so helpful to approach my TBR list with actual priorities and criteria for picking the next book!
The only thing that seemed odd about this book is the fact that he is really writing to people who don't read – and it made me wonder how on earth he would get his message out to such people using a book? (Christmas present from those who do read? My spouse just might get this one in his stocking . . .!) However, they aren't the only people who can find some juicy nuggets in this book – I loved it, and would highly recommend it to anyone.
Notable Quotes:
My priorities help me determine the value of a book. My priorities set the highest value on the rarest books (like theologically sound books on the person and work of Christ) and place the lowest priority on the most abundant literature (like best-selling secular fiction). This prevents me from allowing the abundance of literature in a category to dictate my reading diet. The categories prove valuable when I walk into a bookstore.
Literature is life. If you want to know what, deep down, people feel and experience, you can do no better than read the stories and poems of the human race. Writers of literature have the gift of observing and then expressing in words the essential experiences of people . . . The rewards of reading literature are significant. Literature helps to humanize us. It expands our range of experiences. It fosters awareness of ourselves and the world. It enlarges our compassion for people. It awakens our imaginations. It expresses our feelings and insights about God, nature, and life. It enlivens our sense of beauty.
This is a matter of conscience for each believer. And while there are no rigid rules for what Christians should or should not read, we must each be sensitive to our own conscience and the consciences of those around us. As we establish our own understanding of what books we will and will not read ourselves, we must respect the parameters that other Christians have chosen to set for themselves and for their children.
"Literature and art are God's gifts to the human race," writes literature scholar Leland Ryken. "One of the liberating effects of letting ourselves 'go' as we enjoy literature is to realize that we can partly affirm the value of literature whose content or worldview we dislike. If God is the ultimate source of all beauty and artistry, then the artistic dimension of literature is the point at which Christians can be unreserved in their enthusiasm for the works of non-Christian writers."14 This point is critical for book readers. Our freedom to enjoy the aesthetic beauty of non-Christian literature does not require us to first endorse the author's worldview or personal ethical choices.
Other Books Read by This Author: None.
What are other people saying? The Biblical Bookshelf, Tom Farr's Blog, Thoughts on Theology
★★★★☆ Writing Style
★★★★☆ Organization
★★★★★ Original Idea
★★★★★ Page Turner
Overall ★★★★★
The Greener Grass Conspiracy
Just the Facts: by Stephen Altrogge. 144 p. Published April 2011 by Crossway Books. Advanced review copy received in electronic format courtesy of the publisher, through NetGalley.
Verdict: ★★★★★
Who Cares? Adult Christian Non-Fiction (Spiritual Growth)
Short Bio: Stephen Altrogge delves into our society's most commonly found malady: discontentment. How could residents of the richest nation in the world, of whom most are in the world's top 1% wealthiest, be so discontent? Altrogge examines what this discontentment looks like in our lives, what's at the root of it, and how we combat it.
Eyewitness Account: Moment of truth: I expected this book to bore me. It had "yeah, yeah, I know all that" written all over the blurb. If you looked at the five-star rating above, you can imagine just how surprised I was to find these short 144 pages a down-and-dirty, "in the trenches" look at the battle for contentment. Altrogge examines the nature of discontentment (which is ultimately a form of idolatry – finding or believing that true satisfaction is in something God created rather than in God himself), the lies we believe when we're not content ("God owes me", "God is holding out on me", "If I could just get this one thing then I'd be truly happy", and finally, "I know what's best for me"), what we truly deserve from God (punishment for being the rebellious idolaters that we are), what we actually get from God (not only forgiveness for our death-causing sins, but also a place in God's family as his children and inheritors of his kingdom), and the root of what we are truly longing for – the Heaven we were created to enjoy.
When I read books on my Kindle, I like highlighting good quotes so that I can peruse them later when I write my book reviews or when I want to share good parts with my friends. I went back into my highlighted quotes for this review and found FIFTY-THREE PASSAGES that I had marked (my average for a really good book is about 20)! With just the right mix of personal anecdotes, too-true illustrations, and scriptural backing for each of his chapters, I found this book enjoyable, humorous, well-paced, deeply thought-provoking, and extremely practical to apply. Two thumbs up and a big gold star sticker for Stephen Altrogge!
Notable Quotes: (remember, I had FIFTY-THREE quotes to pick from!)
"He displays his glory in some people by allowing them to suffer and then gives them incredible amounts of grace in the midst of that suffering. He shows his glory in others by abundantly blessing them and then giving them a heart that overflows with generosity. To some he gives a large family, so that they might raise their children to the glory of God. To others he gives the gift of singleness, so that they might pour all their energies into serving Jesus. God is God, and he will display his glory in us as he chooses."
"Discontentment is the result of misplaced worship. It's the result of giving our heart to someone or something that should never have it. When we stake our happiness on anything other than God, we're going to be miserable. Why? Because we were made to worship God and find all our joy in him."
"The world is full of good things, wonderful things, all made by a generous and good God. Deep friendships are wonderful. A day to ourselves is refreshing. Good health is a blessing. But God has designed these gifts to be windows through which we see him. The gifts are meant to point us to the Giver, not to be an end in and of themselves. And so God has made us in such a way that we can't be satisfied in anything other than himself."
"Marriage isn't the ultimate. Deep friendships aren't the source of eternal joy. Being in heaven in the presence of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is the ultimate. Being face-to-face with and talking with, feasting with, and serving Jesus is the end-all. Throw away your ideas of a boring heaven with nothing to do. We're going to be with our Creator, the one who invented gladness and created fun. Heaven is going to be ringing with joy and laughter and excitement."
Other Books Read by This Author: None.
What are other people saying? Blogging Theologically, The Unwasted Life, Sharper Irons,
★★★★☆ Writing Style
★★★★☆ Organization
★★★★★ Original Idea
★★★★★ Page Turner
Overall ★★★★★
Just the Facts: by David Platt. 240 p. Published May 2010 by Multnomah Books. Book received as a gift.
Verdict: ★★★★★
Who Cares? Adult Christian Non-Fiction
Short Bio: Platt challenges Christians in the United States to examine one of the fundamental components of their culture: The American Dream. He builds a convincing case that the elements of the American Dream (with hard work, achieve all your potential and enjoy the resulting reward of your labor) inherently conflict with the biblical gospel (God calls the weak and powerless to rely on His strength to fulfill the mission to see His name glorified by all people on earth). Platt evaluates the way the Christian church and our individual Christianity look in America and compares them to the examples of the church and Christians in the Bible. He compares our common strategies with those of Christ's example. He lists Christ's instructions to his disciples alongside our expectations of what Christian commitment entails. Finally, Platt calls readers to join him in an "experiment" to test out the theory that we might be missing out in our American Christianity – he charges readers to (consistently, for one year):
1. Pray for the whole world (using Operation World),
2. Read the whole Bible,
3. Give sacrificially to a specific purpose in a specific context,
4. Go serve someplace out of your normal context (for one week of the year), and
5. Participate in a faith community.
Eyewitness Account: This book is certainly one of the most challenging and engaging reads I've had in a while – and I read almost all of it in one day because I was so interested in it! I'm not usually big into marking up books, but my copy has underlines and notes and exclamation marks all through it (hopefully those will amuse whoever borrows it from me) because I wanted so much to engage in the author's discussion. I completely resonated with the struggle of fleshing out what it means to be a disciple of Christ in an American context – what exactly is our purpose in life? Is it to climb up our career ladder and work for the comfort and security of our family's future? Is it even to regularly attend church and ensure that you give to good charities? Or is it to radically hunger and thirst for God's word and presence in your life in a way that causes you take ridiculous risks?
I enjoyed Platt's honesty about his own spiritual journey and the times when he himself has fallen victim to the American Dream. I was left challenged with the idea that even having been a Christian for many years, I still think with my American brain. When I am excited or touched with a need that I sense God asking me to step up to fill, I immediately start thinking "How can I fulfil it? How can I accomplish that task? What resources do I have?" I've slipped into my American mindset already – and if I were to succeed, who would get the credit? Would anyone look at what I'd done and praise God? No – they'd praise me. God chooses to use the weak and the powerless and asks them to do ridiculous, impossible things because He knows that's how He gets the credit!
I LOVED the examples of hard-core disciples that Platt gave – people like George Muller, Jim Elliot, and John Paton who did seemingly crazy things that ended with God getting praise from people who were definitely against God before. I also found this book to be exceptionally well organized for something of this content – I really appreciated how Platt walked the reader through Matthew 10 to discuss how Christ sent out the disciples, what he told them to expect, and how he equipped them. I also found his walk-through of the Romans Road a very provocative and logical exposition on our status before God and the need to share the message of Christ with others.
Although I already have portions of his "experiment" imbedded in my daily life, I was challenged to be more consistent and intentional about them. I found this book though-provoking and and look forward to re-reading it again soon (hopefully I can talk my book club into it)! If this book really intrigues you, I'd urge you to check out the insightful review done on the Gospel Coalition's page (linked below) – it has some thought-provoking questions about the content of this book and Platt's response.
Notable Quotes:
"The dangerous assumption we unknowingly accept in the American dream is that our greatest asset is our own ability. The American dream prizes what people can accomplish when they believe in themselves and trust in themselves, and we are drawn toward such thinking. But the gospel has different priorities. The gospel beckons us to die to ourselves and to believe God and to trust in his power. In the gospel, God confronts us with our utter inability to accomplish anything of value apart from him."
"In direct contradiction to the American dream, God actually delights in exalting our inability. He intentionally puts his people in situations where they come face to face with their need for him. In the process he powerfully demonstrates his ability to provide everything his people need in ways they could never have mustered up our imagined. And in the end, he makes much of his own name."
Other Books Read by This Author: None.
What are other people saying? Another book review from Lets Eat Grandpa, a book review and dialogue with the author at The Gospel Coalition, and a reader who evaluates her progress on the "experiment" on year later at The Coffee Shop.
★★★★★ Writing Style
★★★★★ Organization
★★★★★ Original Idea
★★★★★ Page Turner
Overall ★★★★★
Counterfeit Gospels
Just the Facts: by Trevin Wax. 240 p. Published April 2011 by Moody Publishers. Advance review copy provided in electronic format courtesy of the publisher, through NetGalley.
Verdict: ★★★★☆
Who Cares? Adult Christian Theology
Not-so-Short Bio (from NetGalley): What if the biggest danger to the church of Jesus Christ is not blatant heresy, the moral failures of church leaders, persecution, the rise of Islam or the loss of our rights? What if the biggest threat is counterfeit gospels within the church, ways of thinking and speaking about the good news that lead to a gradual drift from the truth of Scripture?
The gospel is like a three-legged stool. There's the Gospel Story – the grand narrative of Scripture (Creation, Fall, Redemption, Restoration). Within that overarching framework, we make the Gospel Announcement about Jesus Christ (His perfect life, substitutionary death, resurrection, exaltation). The gospel announcement then births the Gospel Community: God's church – the embodiment of the gospel, the manifestation of God's kingdom. A counterfeit gospel is like a colony of termites, eating away at one of the legs of this stool until the whole thing topples over. This book exposes six common counterfeits (Therapeutic, Judgmentless, Moralist, Quietist, Activist, and Churchless) that would get us off track.
The goal of Counterfeit Gospels is to so deepen our love for the unchanging gospel of Jesus Christ that we would easily see through the many counterfeits that leave us impoverished. So come, love the gospel, recognize and overcome the counterfeits, and be empowered for ministry!
Eyewitness Account: The title of this book intrigued me – and I was not disappointed! Wax and Chandler break out their definition of "the gospel" (mainly the three pieces mentioned above, Story – Announcement – Community) and how many of the "gospels" being taught/preached in churches today change one of those pieces. I was impressed not only with the content of this book, but also with how the authors organized it; after each "counterfeit" is defined and explained with examples, the authors describe why we fall for it (what elements of truth are still in it) and what dangers result from holding to that counterfeit. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in what the core beliefs of Christianity are and how Christians and the Church can most accurately reflect those beliefs. Counterfeit Gospels is a very thoughtful and well-written response to the increasing number of Christian churches who have succumbed to off-target or incorrect doctrine.
Notable Quotes:
"But in most cases, counterfeit gospels represent either a dilution of the truth or a truth that is out of proportion. There may still be enough of a saving message to reconcile us to God, but the watered-down version never satisfies our longings. Nor will it empower us for service, or embolden our witness before a watching world."
". . . true happiness does not line up with the world's definition. True joy is much deeper and richer than that offered by the various versions of the therapeutic gospel, because true joy is found in God Himself, not just in His gifts. The god of the therapeutic gospel is too small. We think that because God is love, we will be delivered from trials and discomfort. But God loves us too much to only give us comfort and prosperity. God is not interested in our self-actualization; he's interested in our Spirit-actualization. He is forming us into the image of Hs Son. And if we are to look more like Jesus, the Suffering Servant, surely we will pass through times of suffering."
Other Books Read by This Author: None.
What are other people saying? Mere Orthodoxy, Covenant of Love, Blogging Theologically
★★★★☆ Writing Style
★★★★★ Organization
★★★★☆ Original Idea
★★★★☆ Page Turner
Overall ★★★★☆
The Fear
Just the Facts: by Peter Godwin. 384 p. Published March 2011 by Hachette Books. Advanced review copy received in electronic format courtesy of the publisher, through NetGalley.
Verdict: ★★★★★
Who Cares? Adult Political Non-Fiction
Short Bio: Peter Godwin relays the stories he gleans from several trips through Zimbabwe in the aftermath of the 2008 election, chronicling the unbelievable stories of assault, torture, intimidation, and murder of President Robert Mugabe's regime against their opposition. Mugabe, who helped lead Zimbabwe's fight to independence 30 years ago, ruthlessly held his power in a "democratic" society by employing brutal intimidation tactics against all opposing political parties and supporters. Although the main opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), claims they won the presidential vote in 2008, Mugabe refused to abdicate his power to their candidate, Morgan Tsvangirai, and stepped up the incredible violence perpetrated against MDC supporters. He is currently still the President of Zimbabwe.
Eyewitness Account: I don't think I've read such a shocking narrative since I read about the Rwanda genocide in We Wish To Inform You That Tomorrow We Shall All Be Killed With Our Families. Godwin isn't chronicling a genocide so much as he is detailing a politicide – the systematic wiping out of all who did not support Robert Mugabe's regime. I have never before been so utterly grateful to live in a country where the worst a presidential election degrades to is a smear campaign; I can vote for whomever I please without wondering at the polling booth, "Should I return home to the thugs waiting to torture and kill me, or simply flee for my life now?" I had no idea what the state of welfare for the average person was in Zimbabwe – the fact that almost their entire population relies on food from foreign aid agencies because all the farmers have been run off their land, that torture victims would die from sepsis because they wait two weeks to seek medical help from their wounds out of fear of further attacks if they are seen at a clinic, and that their currency was so hyperflated that you had to bundle the bills in bricks of millions to buy bread.
Although I give this book a full 5 stars for its incredibly compelling narrative, I hesitate to recommend it unilaterally – because story after story contains descriptions of some of the most inhumane torture I have ever heard described. The book is aptly named, as Mugabe's regime truly imploys every possible way to instill immobilizing fear in the heart of all voting Zimbabweans. If you can get past the descriptions of horrendously brutal torture and truly heartrending situations faced by thousands of ordinary citizens, I highly recommend this book as a snapshot of how one man has catalyzed the utter collapse and ruination of a country and of the many brave people who have stood proudly in defiance of him.
Notable Quotes:
"And now the murders here are accompanied by torture and rape on an industrial scale, committed on a catch-and-release basis. When those who survive, terribly injured, limp home, or are carried or pushed in wheelbarrows, or on the backs of pickup trucks, they act like human billboards, advertising the appalling consequences of opposition to the tyranny, bearing their gruesome political stigmata. And in their home communities, their return causes ripples of anxiety to spread. The people have given this time of violence and suffering its own name, which I hear for the first time tonight. They are calling it chidudu. It means, simply, "The Fear."
"I wish there were a better word than "victims" to describe what these people are. It seems so inert, so passive, and weak. And that is not what they are at all. There is dignity to their suffering. Even as they tell me how they have fled, how they have hidden, how they have been humiliated and mocked, there is little self-pity here. Survivors, I suppose, defines them better. Again, and again, as I play stenographer to their suffering, I offer to conceal their names or geographical districts to prevent them being identified. But again, and again, they volunteer their names, and make sure I spell them correctly. They are proud of their roles in all of this, at the significance of their sacrifice. And they want it recorded."
Other Books Read by This Author: None.
What are other people saying? The Guardian, Evan Lieberman, A Lit Up Life,
★★★★★ Writing Style
★★★★★ Organization
★★★★★ Original Idea
★★★★★ Page Turner
Overall ★★★★★
How to really love your adult children
Reviewed by Cathy Peterson
Just the Facts: by Gary Chapman 3-2011 Moody Publishing
Verdict: ★★★☆☆
Who Cares? parents of dysfunctional children
Short Bio: More than 10 years after Parenting Your Adult Child was published, much has changed – including young adults themselves, as well as their parents. Economic upheavals, challenges to traditional values and beliefs, the phenomenon of over-involved "helicopter parenting" – all make relating to grown children more difficult than ever. Yet at the same time, being a parent of an adult child can bring great rewards. This revised and updated version of Dr. Gary Chapman's and Dr. Ross Campbell's message will help today's parents explore how to really love their adult child in today's changing world. The book includes brief sidebars from parents of adult children and adult children themselves with their own stories. An online study guide will also be available.
Eyewitness Account: I really respect the knowledge that these authors brought to the table for the average parent trying to figure out the relationship with their now adult children. And I'm sure that this book is a great resource for parents of drug addicts and and those with failure to thrive as adult issues. However, my children just got married and one moved overseas. They aren't crowding my home. I don't want them to change or be more of anything. I just wanted to know how I could have a more enriched relationship. I felt like if my children weren't dysfunctional in some way, that nothing could be lacking and the relationships were fine. I would never deny someone with severe issues a chance at help. But I felt really strange that not one of my questions about relationships the first year of marriage and if your child settles far away were even addressed.
Notable Quotes:
Other Books Read by This Author:
What are other people saying?
★★★☆☆ Plot Development
★★☆☆☆ Characterization
★★★☆☆ Writing Style
★★★☆☆ Original Idea
★★★☆☆ Page Turner
Overall ★★★☆☆


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- Level 2 Electrician
- Switchboard upgrades
- Safety Switches
- Surge protection
- Renovations
- New wiring of homes
- Stoves, Ovens, Cook-tops & Rangehood installations
- Power Points
- Lighting
- Dimmer Switches
- 2 way switches
- Audio, Video & Data Cabling
- Television Points
- Ceiling Fans
- Phone Points
- Bathroom exhaust & 3 in 1 fans
- Sunset Switches
- New sub-mains cabling 1 & 3 phase
- Outdoor lighting
- Smoke Alarm testing & installation
- Fault finding and solutions
- Test & Tag
- Hot water System install & repair
- Shopfitting
- Timers
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art & culture
No matter what the season, festivals and other exciting events are always taking place somewhere in the Laurentians. Lovers of music, dance and theatre can vibrate to the rhythm of numerous different festivals and discover the creative universe of artists from here and abroad. On the sporting side, a number of major events take place each year against the beautiful background of the Laurentians, and feature an impressive variety of sporting disciplines. Lovers of fine food are also well provided for, there being many an invitation to come and participate in the pleasures of the table. Families can have fun together all year round at one of the many events designed for the amusement of young and old. Up North, fun times are always on the menu!
From December 6 to 22, an outdoor mini-village will be located in the heart of the village of Val-Morin, where the animated Christmas market will be held. Artisans' kiosks, entertainment, musical p
We want Christmas magic everywhere on the mountain! Come disguised as Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus or as an elf and obtain your lift ticket for free! From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.


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An array of names through the years
The institutional landscape of Belgian, its history...
The Federation Wallonia-Brussels
Core competencies:
Audiovisual matters
Childhood and youth
Use of languages
The French-speaking Community / Federation Wallonia-Brussels exercises its competencies in the French language region and in regard to the institutions that fall under its purview in the bilingual Brussels-Capital Region.
Brussels is its capital and home to its political bodies: the Parliament and the Government of the French-speaking Community / Federation Wallonia-Brussels.
Transfer of the exercise of competencies between French-speakers (1993)
The exercise of certain social and health competencies of the French-speaking Community / Federation Wallonia-Brussels was transferred to the Walloon Region and to the COCOF, the French-speaking Community Commission. The Walloon Region exercises competencies in the French language region; the COCOF in Brussels.
The Parliament
94 members of parliament (MPs): 75 are members of the Walloon Parliament and 19 stem from the French language grouping of the Parliament of the Brussels-Capital Region. Parliament appoints 10 Community senators from within its ranks to represent the Community in the heart of the federal legislative power.
These 94 members belong to one of the 5 political groups or parties :
Legislative role:
The Parliament is the place where legislative texts (bills or proposals for decrees) are debated. Examined in depth and voted on in committees, the bills are then debated and voted by the Parliament sitting in a plenary session.
Political control:
The MPs exercise their political control through questions (verbal and written) and appeals to ministers or by voting on motions of confidence or no confidence. The annual vote on the budget enables them to exercise control across the board on all policies pursued by the government.
The Government
From left to right: Mrs Fadila Laanan, Mr Jean-Claude Marcourt, Mr Rudy Demotte, Mr Jean-Marc Nollet, Mrs Marie-Dominique Simonet, Mrs Evelyne Huytebroeck and Mr André Antoine.
The Government sends bills to Parliament, promulgates the decrees passed, and issues the implementing orders for them. It conducts and implements a policy for which it is accountable to Parliament.
The government is composed of (at most 8) ministers elected by Parliament. Some of them are also members of the Walloon government or the government of the Brussels-Capital Region.
Each minister heads one or more departments of the administration.
The French-speaking Community / Federation Wallonia-Brussels is administered by the Ministry for the French-speaking Community / Federation Wallonia-Brussels. The administrative authority comprises a general secretariat and five general departments:
Education and scientific research;
Education personnel;
Infrastructure and facilities;
Aid to young people, health and sports.
Procedure for a decree


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Quick Feedback on the 71-448 (70-448) Beta Exam
Posted by denglishbi on July 20, 2008
I took the beta exam 71-448 for the MCTS Microsoft SQL Server 2008 – Business Intelligence Development and Maintenance (70-448). I would definitely check out the prep guide prior to going into the test to prepare yourself for what will be on the test and that is available on Microsoft's site here. In an earlier posting I posted the link stating that you can take this test for free until July 31st if you can get a spot.
I was a little surprised that there was 70 questions. I didn't think there were that many on the SQL Server 2005 exam (70-445), but I could be mistaken. I thought there were only around 54 or so, but it was over a year ago that I took it. You definitely need to know SSRS inside and out. As you can see in the prep guide at least 30% is focused just on this topic. The rest is pretty much a split between SSIS and SSAS with a handful of Data Mining questions.
The other thing was that even though it states it is SQL Server 2008 you wouldn't have known it. A little surprised that none of the new features were brought up and a little disappointed. Seems like they did a search and replace on 2005 with 2008. If you took the 2005 exam (70-445) or have the Transcender prep tests you are all set.
If you have the time before the end of the month I would definitely recommend taking it now for free In eight weeks I will find out if I passed or not, so until then I just have to wait patiently.


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2012-2014 Presidential Dollar Folder #2
- Brand: H.E. Harris & Co./Whitman Publishing
Whitman brand blue folder opens flat for all-at-once viewing. Includes data pertaining to the
dollar coins, as well as presidential facts for each
president honored.
48 openings for your Philadelphia and Denver Mint dollar coins.
Item not available in Hobby Lobby Stores.
Check your local store for availability.
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You Might Not Be a Redneck
But you also specifically dumb down your speech while making hundreds of purposefully grammatical errors. How do I know this? It's on page 17 of your book wherein you describe how you would "Larry" up your commentaries for radio. What does it mean to "Larry" something up? Take a wild guess. The reason you feel the need to "Larry" something up? Because you are not that dumb. I mean you, Dan Whitney, the guy who's name the bank account is under. You were born and raised in Nebraska (hardly The South), went to private school and moved to Florida when you were 16.That bugs me. I don't know why. I guess if Larry the Cable Guy's audience doesn't feel like he's making fun of them, if they think he's laughing with them, not at them, I guess it's not my business. But it still bugs.