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What do Lions Represent? From "Whispers from the Wild" by Amelia Kinkade
A sense of belonging. They belong to this earth and they know it. They came to reign supreme, and they do so with an uncompromising sense of clarity. What if you could be the king or queen of your own life and rule with absolute authority? Wouldn't you, as the alpha lion or lioness, bring a sense of being alpha — calm, confident, and in charge — not only to yourself but to the world around you?
Lionesses cooperate. They know there's strength in numbers. They agree on a plan of attack. They work together. They hunt together, they eat together, they share, they sleep together, loving each other in a state of perfect cooperation and bliss. They do not compete for food or rank in the pride, and they do not fight among themselves. Male lions rule diligently and protect the females in their pride. They do not fight with the females, pick on them, harm them, or make them feel outcast. They are the shepherds of their own pride, overseeing the group and making important choices for the good of all, when to take risks and when to wait for the next opportunity to come along. The lions and lionesses, no matter their rank in the pride, can each hunt and be self-sufficient, but they all know that they work better as a group because they belong together. What do lionesses embody? Cooperation and teamwork.
In the cosmic sense, the lions are the militia of the archangels and the Lion of Judah. They are invincible and at the top of the food chain wherever they go, but they rely on each other. They are raw power, pure sunshine, but they travel in groups, unlike tigers. They are a social group of protectors, a particular kind of angelic warrior that is sent into a foul system to clean energy. Here on earth they have been sent to terminate corruption, clear pollution, and bring a world spinning out of control back into order. They are on this earth to anchor us back to our own Christ consciousness, our own God selves, so that we can realign with our own inner confidence and power.
Until we see this beauty within us, we will not see it in our world and feel we have the power to protect it. When we find our inner lions, we will know that this is our earth to cherish and nurture and protect. Only then will we as a species have a sense of place within nature's world. When we evolve to this level, we will "belong" here, because only then will we be worthy of this world and its animals. The lions will walk through the Garden once again. And when there are enough of us, we will form a pride, a royal family that answers to God and is ruled by the proper King, one who rules with compassion and love.
Amelia Kinkade is the author of several books on animal communication, including Whispers from the Wild, as well as Straight from the Horse's Mouth and The Language of Miracles. The founder of Ark Angel TV and The Language of Miracles Institute online, she has devoted her life to using her gifts to communicate with animals. Visit her online at www.ameliakinkade.com.
Excerpted from the book Whispers from the Wild: Listening to Voices from the Animal Kingdom. Copyright © 2016 by Amelia Kinkade. Printed with permission from New World Library — www.newworldlibrary.com.


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Winifred Rider
Winnie was born on June 8, 1924 in Londonderry Township and was the daughter of the late Wesley L. and Mary K. Shaeffer Shultz.
She worked in food service as a cook for the Lower Dauphin School District; was a member and former choir director at Geyers United Methodist Church, Londonderry Township; was an associate member and organist at Seville Brethren in Christ Church; she served as Past Noble Grand at the Red Rose Rebekah Lodge #547, Middletown; and she enjoyed music, reading, gardening, bird watching and crocheting. But her greatest joy was the love of her family, especially her grandchildren.
In addition to her parents Winnie was preceded in death by her husband John W. Rider, who passed away on March 2, 2008, and her brother Leroy Shultz.
She is survived by her daughter Joanne R., wife of the Rev. Gerald L. Espenshade of Putnam Station, N.Y.; sons J. Keith Rider of Londonderry Township and Kevin W. Rider of Elizabethtown; five grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
A Memorial Tribute to her life will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, October 4, at Geyers United Methodist Church, 1605 S. Geyers Church Rd., Middletown, with her son-in-law the Rev. Gerald L. Espenshade, and her pastor, the Rev. Donald C. Walters officiating respectively.
Visitation will be from 10 a.m. until time of service on Friday at the church.
Inurnment will be at the convenience of the family in Hillsdale Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be sent to Tonya Starner (serving her Lord in Mongolia) c/o Julianna Henry, 247 Acorn Rd., Millerstown, PA 17062.
Arrangements by Frank E. Matinchek and Daughter Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Inc., Middletown.
Condolences may be sent to www.matinchekanddaughterfuneralhome.com.

subset: commoncrawl


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HOLT — Five teenage males who fled from law-enforcement officers after the stolen car they were in broke down on Interstate 10 now face charges of grand theft and resisting arrest without violence.
The suspects range in age from 13 to 16.
Shortly after 3 a.m. this morning, an Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office deputy spotted a 1997 Nissan sedan that turned out to be stolen out of Santa Rosa County parked near Mile Marker 47 in Holt with five individuals standing next to it.
When the deputy activated his lights, all of the suspects ran into nearby woods. Sheriff's Office K9 units and other deputies ultimately helped track down the individuals.
The suspects are a 16-year-old from Milton, a 14-year-old from Bagdad and three boys from Pensacola, ages 13, 14 and 15, respectively.
The 14-year-old from Bagdad also was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia and providing a false name.


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FOUR TIMES Bigger than the Bakken...
They Found the Source for All the Oil
On October 15, 1542, Spanish explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo entered the Santa Barbara channel off the coast of California.
According to his captain's log, he noticed "long, colorful slicks of rainbows" and "black balls" floating in the ocean for miles...
He didn't know it at the time, but these were oil slicks that were coming from natural seeps in the seabed and from surface seeps onshore.
Cabrillo recorded that the Native Americans along the Santa Barbara Channel used the tar-like substance (known as asphaltum) to caulk their canoes. Cabrillo followed the Native Americans' example, using the substance to waterproof two of his own ships.
In 1792, Captain Cook's crew reported the ocean near Goleta in the Santa Barbara Channel was covered with an oily surface in all directions. According to Vancouver, Cook's navigator, the oil was so thick that the entire sea took on an iridescent hue.
Many other explorers reported similar sightings.
Fast-forward 215 years to 2007...
In February 2007, a large number of tar balls washed up on the beaches in Central California —from Monterey Bay north to Half Moon Bay and San Francisco.
Concerned California residents called state officials asking where these balls of tar might have come from, and whether they posed a threat to wildlife or affected the beaches. Overwhelmingly, people assumed the oil on the beaches was the result of an oil spill.
However, after taking several samples and analyzing the tar balls back in the lab, the U.S. Geological Survey concluded the oil came from fissures in the seabed off the coast of California.
You may recall in my recent article, "A Brief History of Oil," I wrote:
And ever since, oil and gas companies have used the observation of naturally occurring seeps to find massive oilfields.
That's because typically where you see a seep, you find a highly-pressurized reservoir below. The high quality oil is literally being pushed out of the ground.
And you can see by this image from the USGS how seeps and oil fields are closely related:
A couple of weeks ago, CNN Money reported that "California could be the next oil boom state."
Our analysts have traveled the world over, dedicated to finding the best and most profitable investments in the global energy markets. All you have to do to join our Energy and Capital investment community is sign up for the daily newsletter below.
Of course, we've been way ahead of the mainstream financial media covering this very issue. In fact, I talked about California's oil potential back on February 10, 2012, in an article published in Energy and Capital's sister publication, Wealth Daily — nearly a year ahead of the mainstream crowd:
You may remember when, late last year, California Gov. Jerry Brown pushed for a top state regulator to ease regulations for energy companies seeking to drill for California's oil. The official refused.
A week later, Brown fired the regulator — along with a deputy, Elena Miller.
The governor appointed replacements who agreed to stop subjecting every fracking project to a top-to-bottom review before issuing a permit.
Jerry Brown knows what's at stake... California could have more than four times the recoverable shale oil than the Bakken in North Dakota. It has more than 4.5 times the reserves of the Eagle Ford Formation in Texas. And it has nearly ten times the shale oil reserves in the Avalon and Bone Springs Formation in New Mexico and Texas.
According to the same EIA report:
The largest shale oil formation is the Monterey/Santos play in southern California, which is estimated to hold 15.4 billion barrels or 64 percent of the total shale oil resources shown in Table 1. The Monterey shale play is the primary source rock for the conventional oil reservoirs found in the Santa Maria and San Joaquin Basins in southern California.
The next largest shale oil plays are the Bakken and Eagle Ford, which are assessed to hold approximately 3.6 billion barrels and 3.4 billion barrels of oil, respectively.
This is important — because geologists have concluded that the Monterey Shale is the "source rock" for Southern California's oil production.
In other words, the oil was cooked and created in the Monterey Shale.
Over time, the oil migrated into surrounding oil reservoirs, where it's been drilled for a century.
Take a look:
For the past 100 years, California has been a major oil producer, and most of that oil was produced by the Monterey Shale.
Now oil companies are going to the source...
The results could be an absolute bonanza.
I say "could" because California doesn't have the same friendly business environment as Texas and North Dakota... but we'll see.
Forever wealth,
Brian Hicks
Brian is a founding member and President of Angel Publishing and investment director for the income and dividend newsletter The Wealth Advisory. He writes about general investment strategies for Wealth Daily and Energy and Capital. Known as the "original bull on America," Brian is also the author of Profit from the Peak: The End of Oil and the Greatest Investment Event of the Century, published in 2008. In addition to writing about the economy, investments and politics, Brian is also a frequent guest on CNBC, Bloomberg, Fox, and countless radio shows. For more on Brian, take a look at his editor's page.
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Westbourne Grove_ Notting Hill
This project was a complete refurbishment of the basement of a Notting Hill townhouse, converting a 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom property into a 2 bedroom 2 bathroom home. Every internal wall was removed to ensure the properties potential was fully maximised.
The living space was swapped from the front of the property to the rear, to allow a direct connection and access to the garden. This is enhanced with the use of floor to ceiling glass sliding doors and a floating glass box window seat.
The use of exposed brickwork, oak ribs, exposed steel, concrete floors, skylights and bespoke concrete paving give this property warmth and character.


text: The label 'Made in Italy' is showcased in stores throughout Tuscany. We will happily arrange a transfer service that will allow you to spend a day shopping at many prestigious stores such as; Space by Prada and The Mall, near Firenze. You will be able to browse and purchase products from luxury brands such as; Giorgio Armani, Tod's, Valentino, Salvatore Ferragamo, Roberto Cavalli, Gucci, Fendi, Hogan and Yves Saint Laurent.


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How I can help you
Attorney licensed in several jurisdictions. Management in paper conversion and printing followed by career change to Insurance underwriting, claims (multi-state) and management, culminating as President of a Title Insurance Underwriter. Adjunct Ass't Prof. Real Estate, Temple U., School of Continuing Education, Adjunct Assoc. Prof., Real Estate Institute, N.Y.U. Co-Author: Guide to New York Real Estate Licensing Editor: Handbook of New Jersey Title Practice. Also, member of National Guard; no active duty except for training.
Areas of Expertise
- Business Strategy & Planning
- Government & Regulations
- Legal Services
- Manufacturing & Product Development
- Business Operations
- Sales, Marketing & Public Relations
Industry Experience
- Banking, Finance & Insurance
- Real Estate, Rental & Leasing
- Manufacturing & Industrial
- Professional & Business Services
- Nonprofit, Public and Professional Organizations
B.A. Roosevelt University (Political Science with Economics minor) J.D. Chicago-Kent College of Law of IIT non-degree courses in industrial engineering at IIT


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Some people make art because they enjoy it, some do it to unburden their soul, some people create because its the only thing that completes them, and some people are artists for all of those reasons and are consumed by it. Life begins and ends with art.
I first met Reina 76 a few years back when Angela Messina was running a gallery called "The Meat Locker." Reina was wild and outrageous and her art was the manifestation of her entire existence. Her pieces were bold and when she talked to me, she was passionate about her art, being surrounded by other artists, and their art as well. She is still that way.
This is Reina 76 Artist on a rainy afternoon:
Reina Ercilia Aguilar Wooden, known as "Reina 76 Artist" was born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania to Sherman Wooden and Reina Aguilar. Reina 76 lived a life of both rural and metropolitan existences.
As a Graduate of Howard University, Washington DC, with a B.B.A in Business Management, it was presumed the path of business would be Reina 76's future. It was not. For 10 years, Reina 76 labored to find her identity in her artistic goals as an artist.
Reina 76 was introduced to the paintings of Jean-Michael Basquiat in 2005. It was at this time, her artwork began to take form. Reina 76 left the business world to explore the eccentricities of life. This exposed her to domestic violence, substance abuse, incarceration and individuals viewed as subterranean in a perfect world.
Reina 76 paints for minds that bend in ways society cannot see; for the perceived insane.
Her artwork contains layers of acrylic color outlined with acrylic pen lines that are scribbled and imperfect. Reina 76's work is shown in progressive art galleries.


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Account Login
Im going under
In the middle of the class during a test. i burst out singing i'm going under then i snapped back in to reality, and asked my teacher if i could go to the bathroom.
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LOL. Sorry to laugh but that really is funny! I know you were embarrassed, but still it's just so hilarious... Thanks for sharing that experience with all of us out here!


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Evidence of water ice and organic materials has, for the first time, been discovered on an asteroid. Josh Emery, from the University of Tennessee Knoxville using NASA's Infrared Telescope Facility on Hawaii's Mauna Kea, found that the spectrum of infrared sunlight reflected by the object was consistent with frozen water. The discovery was confirmed by a team lead by Humberto Campins at the University of Central Florida. Organic materials in the form of complex, long-chained molecules were also discovered. The asteroid 24 Themis is approximately 200 kilometers wide and orbits half-way between Mars and Jupiter in the asteroid belt. As this short distance from the Sun (only about 479 million kilometres) is generally too warm for ice to exist for long, it is theorized that the asteroid may contain an abundance of ice in its interior which is outgassed to replenish the surface supply. This discovery suggests that asteroids may be responsible for bringing some of the water and organic molecules to the barren, developing Earth.
Why the water is there, or how it got there in the first place, is still unclear. Think about an asteroid for a second. Picturing a dry, rocky object in space? You aren't alone. Asteroids are widely viewed as being very dry, especially compared to, let's say, comets. Long-range comets (those coming in from the Kuiper Belt in extremely long and often elliptical orbits around the Sun) contain a lot of water but with a different isotropic signature than water found on Earth, and so they are an unlikely source of Earth's water. In 2006, small comet-like objects with tails were discovered in the asteroid belt and dubbed "main-belt comets," and its this set of objects to which 24 Themis belongs. This asteroid, or main-belt comet, belongs to a set of asteroids that is thought to have formed as a result of a large impact from a larger body, suggesting that the original object contained ice. This has implications for our theories on solar system evolution and planet formation. If this ice-on-asteroid phenomenon is relatively widespread then it is likely that ice was more prevalent in the Main Belt region of the early solar system than previously thought. If you expand this idea to other solar systems and extrasolar planets then water/ice may be more abundant than we thought. And, although that might be a stretch based on a sample size of one, it is an interesting direction to look in. Also, we can't ignore the idea that the asteroid may be from Kuiper belt and was knocked into the inner solar system or arrived there when the gas and ice giants migrated their orbits. Future observations and research will work to determine whether the composition of 24 Themis is typical of the asteroids in this region and if the water on these rocky objects is the same as that found on Earth.
Read more on this discovery at:
and http://www.nature.com/news/2010/100428/full/news.2010.207.html
(image from www.dlr.de -- credit NASA/JPL -Caltech)


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287 members
36 members
Started this discussion. Last reply by Todd Allen Mar 7, 2018. 14 Replies 2 Likes
Greetings: I am using a 3DR X8, Pixhawk with a NEX5 for standard mapping/photogrammetry. I want to map a cliff face. Is it possible to create an autonomous flight in Mission Planner that will…Continue
Tags: Surveying, Vertical Faces, Oblique Images, Photogrammetry, Mapping


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What can be more tasteful than domestic hot croissants!!!!
I have this recipe from my mom and I have been watching her preparing them since I can remember. They are easy to be prepared and do not require much. These are the softest croissants ever that you will be able to prepare.
- 250 ml milk
- yeast
- 1 spoon of sugar
- 1 spoon of salt
- 1 kg flour
- 3 eggs
- 1 butter
You put the yeast in one bowl with a sugar and a bit of flour to increase.
In another bowl you mix the flour, the eggs, sugar and the salt and when the yeast is ready, you add it to the whole ingredients. You prepare the dough and you divide it in 4.
Every quarter is divided in 8 parts. You roll every piece and you place it on top meanwhile you coat every piece with butter. After all pieces have been in a row, you make one big bark. After the bark is prepared you slice 16 pieces which you roll them.
You place the croissants in a baking pan which is previously covered with butter or oil.
Let the croissants rest for 2 hours (if possible in a cold room) and you bake them on a temperature of 220 ddegrees Celsius for 20 minutes.
If you want to prepare sweet croissants you lessen the salt in the preparation and before rolling the 16 piesec you can put a chocolate cream in the middle.
With the croissant you can use a nice rose wine.
Bon appetite!!!


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In light of recent price increases in several commodities, in particular food items, commodity future markets seem to have been highlighted as major culprits, to the point that some governments are closing these markets (example: India). This is a very bad idea, as these markets serve a useful purpose: hedging against market fluctuations. This means that prices would have been even higher if it were not for future markets.
Indeed, these markets allow anyone to buy commodities to be delivered in the future in order to guarantee some supply. Without such a market, supplies become more volatile, and so become prices as well. Also, one can read into the futures prices what the supply situation is expected to be. The current increase in commodity price increases were fully predicted, and if policy makers had followed them, they could have prevented some of the current adverse consequences.
It is wrong to think that speculators somehow remove commodities from the markets. They only deal with promises of delivery. The actual goods are untouched (and may even not exist yet) until delivered. It is not like there are huge piles of corn and rice accumulating in Chicago.
But after shutting these markets down, we face even more uncertain times.
Monday, May 5, 2008
Commodity futures serve a purpose
Posted by Economic Logician at 7:05 PM
Labels: agriculture, credit markets
1 comment:
As Thomas Sowell has pointed out, speculation is inherent in economic activity. Someone will have to do it.
It's merely division of labor and specialization when a professional class of speculator relieves the (say) farmer of the burden.
- May 6, 2008 at 2:47 PM
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1967 Ford
- Stock
- Engine Size
- Transmission
- Automatic
- Miles
- 95,333 (Unknown)
- Location
- Atlanta
or give us a call at (678) 279-1609
Now THIS is how you build a trick resto-mod. Keep everything that's great about a 1967 Mustang fastback, and subtly upgrade it in ways that improve performance and comfort without diluting its essential "Mustang-ness." A slam-dunk in every possible way, this pony is ready to play!
From the GTA grille to the bright white rocker panel stripes, this fastback screams performance. And if you're going to drive a big flashing advertisement for speed like this, you'd better be sure it's right because all eyes will be on you. As a result, the bodywork is nicely done and the vivid electric blue paint jumps out at you right away. Just sight down one of those quarter panels and you'll see crisp reflections staring back at you. The doors line up just so, and the hood fits right. The only possible demerits are the use of some original trim and maybe a few chips that only prove this Mustang was built to drive. The paint is called Super Sonic Blue, and it glows like it's radioactive or something, especially when the sun's going down and the light's hitting it just right. There are proper GTA badges on the rockers, but even without them, there's no question what this car is, which probably speaks loudly of its status as an icon.
The interior is pretty stock, and when the design is right, is there any reason to add a bunch of upgrades? The bucket seats wear correct pleated seat covers that are in good condition and the center console with the automatic transmission's T-handle shifter is a critical part of the GTA's street cred. A handsome wood-rimmed Grant steering wheel looks a lot like a Shelby piece, and it frames the original gauges, which are joined by a pair of Auto Meter dials for oil pressure and temperature. An updated stereo head unit lives in the original AM radio's slot in the dash, just above the cool "garage door" storage compartment that was a cool feature on the '67s. The back seat shows a little ear and some fading, which is probably inevitable given the fastback's big rear window, but you can't beat the practicality of a fold-down rear seat. In addition, the trunk is ready for your gear and offers what appears to be a recent gas tank.
The engine is a torquey 390 cubic inch V8 that was the top engine in 1967. Upgrades include an Edelbrock intake and 4-barrel carburetor, trick open-element air cleaner, and a set of beautiful ceramic-coated long-tube headers. The engine is covered in Ford Blue paint and works rather well with the blue bodywork. Custom finned aluminum valve covers are a retro touch that looks right at home in this vintage Mustang and a heavy-duty cooling system with dual electric fans manages the BTUs. It's backed by a stout C6 3-speed automatic and a 9-inch rear, so the powertrain's virtually bulletproof. Disc brakes were added up front, along with a new front suspension that includes tubular A-arms and power rack-and-pinion steering. Big block mufflers sound downright wicked with the snarky big block, and it sits on classic Halibrand-style alloys and staggered 245/40/17 front and 275/40/17 rear performance radials.
With a cool look, big block power, and great build quality, this is a resto-mod that hits all the right notes. Call today!
- Defrost
- AM/FM Radio
- Heat
- Vinyl Interior
- Front Disc Brakes
- Power Steering
- Seatbelts
- Restoration Photos
- Front Brakes
- Disc
- Rear Brakes
- Drum
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Why Consign with Streetside?
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Big Road Blues has an essay about Blind Boy Fuller and his contemporaries: "Unlike blues artists like Big Bill or Memphis Minnie who recorded extensively over three or four decades, Blind Boy Fuller recorded his substantial body of work over a short, six-year span. Nevertheless, he was one of the most recorded artists of his time and by far the most popular and influential Piedmont blues player of all time. Fuller could play in multiple styles: slide, ragtime, pop, and blues were all enhanced by his National steel guitar."
Destination Out has an MP3 excerpt from a rare John Surman and Stu Martin collaboration: "The throbbing electronic pulse is surprisingly brutal and menacing, very proto-industrial. Martin's drumming splits the difference between funk and clatter, while Surman's fleet sax expertly surfs the various sine waves. Clocking in under five minutes, it's also pretty fetching in its fashion, perhaps the very theme song to the mysterious radio serial these tunes were created to accompany."
Send comments to: Tim


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Pirates Press Records has announced a split 7 inch release between RAMOMS and DAD BRAINS due out December 14th.
From the label...
If you are a punk parent, this is a 'must have' this holiday season.
Pairing these two exciting bands was an absolute no brainer. This incredible X-Mas present offers up four tracks of awesome! Three originals and a perfectly fitting RAMONES cover.
Buy one for yourself. Buy one for your partner. Buy one for anyone else you know who has done the Lego 'walk of fire' or pulled their hair out over the madness that ensues around little punk munchkins.
All cool parents deserve one of these in their stocking!!
1. It's Christmas Time (Dad Brains)
2. Grinch (Dad Brains)
3. Lego Blocks (Ramoms)
4. Merry Christmas (I Don't Want To Fight Tonight) [Ramoms]


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Martin Kinnear
Let's imagine you are one of my students and have asked me for advice about your painting. How can you make it stronger? Should you be trying to emulate the Old Masters by glazing? Which rules could you use when choosing and using colours? Is it OK to use your iPad or camera as part of your process? How do I make bits of my paintings seem to recede? I'll answer all these questions in this series of five articles, starting with the most important one.
The truth about value
Most art schools place a huge emphasis on working in monochrome, and of course historically all art students were taught to use black and white before colour; but is that a tradition that you should emulate?
In fact over two thirds of the brain's visual processing is devoted to seeing in black and white. For this reason it's quite possible to create strong images without colour, and equally possible that colourful images will be weak if they are deficient in value.


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Residents should be aware the Okaloosa County Tax Collector's Office is not an agent of the IRS.
The Okaloosa County Tax Collector's Office is issuing public notice of a mail and phone scam circulating in the county.
"We take these actions seriously and are working with local law enforcement agencies to bring these criminals to justice," Tax Collector Ben Anderson said. "Protecting the residents of Okaloosa County from this kind of illegal activity is of utmost importance."
Anderson noted that fraudulent letters are being presented on letterhead that resembles that of the Okaloosa County Tax Collector's Office and identifies the office as an agent of the Internal Revenue Service. Attached to the letter are multiple IRS forms to be completed and returned with certified funds.
Residents should be aware the Okaloosa County Tax Collector's Office is not an agent of the IRS and will never send letters in conjunction with IRS forms.
If residents have questions concerning correspondence received from the Okaloosa County Tax Collector's Office, they can stop by one of six locations (Crestview, Destin, Shalimar, Niceville, Hurlburt Field, Eglin AFB) to verify its authenticity or call the Tax Tip Hotline at 1-855-489-8477 (1-855-4TX-TIPS). All calls will be returned within 24 hours.


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Gad, we Water Rats are a multi talented lot! When we're not writing Timeless Verse
we're off making our mark in other fields of creativity.
Or at least such is the case with esteemed Kurilpa Poets Elder, Mr Paul Dobbyn.
For when he's not writing poems or battling Super-Villains, Paul is a mild-mannered reporter for "The Catholic Leader".
His journalistic skills were recognised recently at the 2014 Australian Catholic Press Association awards in Canberra, when he won the prize for Best News-Story of the Year.
Capping this success, another of his reports won the Australian Religious Press Association award for Best News Story of 2014!
We at the Kurilpa Poets Desk salute Paul's achievement! Well earned, Mate, we're all proud of you.
To read Pauls' award winning stories yourself, just click on the links below.
Link to #1 story is – http://catholicleader.com.au/news/icon-for-angus.
#2 story is –http://catholicleader.com.au/news/mother-and-son-reunited-on-the-eve-of-ordination_85512.


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In addition to our work around the world, we partner with schools and various educational groups through our Nobelity In Schools program. Empowering students with knowledge about pressing global concerns, the program provides inspiration and opportunity for student-centered social action. Our Nobelity In Schools website offers films, lesson plans, service project ideas and educational resources for teachers and students, including the Nobelity WebQuest – a fun and informative way to explore key issues and ways to effect positive change. We look forward to a great year working together to inspire your students to get smart, get involved, have fun, and change the world.
Free film and lesson resources for Social Studies teachers
Visit www.nobelityinschools to access free videos and lesson plans including a new 45-minute classroom edition of the award-winning documentary, Building Hope: The Story of Mahiga Hope High School. The film tells the engaging story of how a determined community in rural Kenya and the Central Texas-based Nobelity Project come together, overcome obstacles, and build the first high school in the region.
Lessons are standards-aligned, teacher-created, classroom-tested and incorporate a variety of teaching strategies and learning styles – with much more to come for next school year. All activities have real world application, with both local and global connections. Appropriate for grades 6-12, and most relevant to middle school Contemporary World Cultures, and World Geography courses.
Request the DVD or stream the student friendly version of Building Hope, and download new standards-aligned lesson plans and teacher resource materials at www.nobelityinschools.
Bastrop Replant the Park
"It's the little things citizens do. That's what will make the difference. My little thing is planting trees."
– Wangari Maathai, Nobel Peace Prize, 2004
In response to the devastating fires in Bastrop, Texas over Labor Day 2011, The Nobelity Project put our tree-planting resources to work. In 2012-2013 we connected the needs of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, the educational opportunity for 10 local high schools, and the environmental support of the Applied Material Foundation and Silicon Labs, the Texas Conservation Corps, Keep Austin Beautiful. The Nobelity Project and these student groups helped plant almost 200,000 loblolly pine trees in Bastrop State Park. With other volunteers groups and overall park efforts, a total of 223,000 trees were planted this year!
In February of 2o14, we brought more schools, corporate sponsors and other partners together to plant over 8,000 seedlings. The park successfully planted 400,000 tress, which brings their total to date 625,000.
For more information on your school participating in this effort please contact: email@example.com
1000 Books for Hope Campaign
Thanks to all of you for making our 1000 Books for Hope drive a huge success!
With book donations far exceeding our original goal we are delighted to announce the collection of 14,000 books to be sent to 14 Nobelity Project school libraries in Kenya! Most of these schools are in remote communities, miles from any town, and the impact of your books will be felt for years to come. The books have traveled from Austin, Texas all the way to the coast of Kenya and are in the process of being distributed to the different communities. For more information, read our latest blog post.


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How do they really look? Once after the first abduction incident, I was at home. It was about 2 a.m. A young man approached my door. I had left it open, only the screen door was shut. I realized that he was one of "them." He smiled and said someone wanted to talk to me. We then went outside to a car (a Chevy Impala). There was a man on the driver side, he was dressed in a suit. We then drove to Pelican Island which is a small island located off Galveston. I asked him why we were there. He then replied that they had a landing site there and to look up. A ship appeared out of nowhere. It had the same ghostly white glow as the thing I saw before. The ship landed and the occupants started to depart. They all looked quite human. For some unknown reason I felt a hostility (if that is the correct word to use, for I really don't know what I felt) toward them. I jumped out at one and started to call them deceivers. The one I jumped at, I scratched on the face. The spot on his face I scratched was torn and then I realized that skin of his human face was just a facade. I could see that what was now visible was not human skin but something different. It appeared to be dark in complexion, and also wrinkled in nature.. The one I scratched was about to attack me, but the man in the suit stopped him. The departing occupants were new arrivals.
On another abduction experience I saw their true appearance. They have human features such as arms, legs, etc. but their skin is dark and wrinkly, no hair and their eyes are not big but not human either. Some of them are tall.
A few years after bing exposed to the "field"* I started to feel a sort of strange electrical sensation first orginating in my abdomen. I thought nothing of it at the time for it was weak and very seldom came on. Later I learned that something occurred during my exposure to their "field," it activated something that lay dormant in the energy of what my spirit is composed of. Over time this surge of energy (for it is the only way I can describe it) has reached a very strong level. Most of the time I can feel it surging throughout my very being. At times it seems so powerful. This is what they are afraid of. They have tried to destroy it.
They have leached it from my body in a sort of energy vamprism. They have also forced me to transfer my energy composition which was incorporated into their own energy bodies. I say energy bodies because I do not believe they have what we have, which is a true spirit.
They have used me to make them even more powerful by using and abusing the energy that is now part of me. They have even tried to seperate only what I can describe as my consciousness from my spirit in order to use what remains for what they described as an "energy source." This is what I mean when I told you that they are trying to destroy my spirit.
If there was only some way I could retain consciousness and avoid being paralyzed. Then I know I could fight back, but as it is now, that is their greatest weapon, being able to control my energy through controlling me.
Last night they came and told me that they are my masters. Also I can state with great certainty that their plans and intentions for this world and its inhabitants are not good. I feel that what they plan for this world (its ultimate destruction) they have done to many other worlds both in our dimension and other dimensions, for once they are through with this world they will move on to another.
There is much more to his story but this will suffice to know what is going on that not many persons are aware of. It is a huge story and going on right at this very moment. There has been no solution to his troubles. I have found others that are having the same type of encounters.
* The first time he was taken it was to a warehouse in Galveston. In the warehouse was a huge ship. Some mechanics were working on it and then they moved away. He moved toward it and someone reached out to stop him but it was too late. They said "now he has been exposed to the field", whatever that means!


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New Year's Re-Resolutions
In preparing for our company's annual goals meeting, I noticed that my goals for 2010 bear a striking resemblance to my goals for 2009. On the one hand, it's a little disappointing to note that I'd made absolutely zero progress on a few initiatives that we started last year (such as Sweaty Thoughts, our just-for-kicks, fitness-focused blog...go ahead, click the link and you'll see for yourself how little progress we have really made). On the other, there was another item that seems to wind up on the list every year. And I'm starting to think that maybe it should:
Complete the Think Creative Brand Discovery
In a nutshell, Brand Discovery is a process that we complete for every single one of our clients. It involves:
- Taking a long, close look at who they are, what they do and what makes them different from everyone else
- Developing a distinct brand promise and positioning statement
- Creating the tools needed to communicate that identity precisely and authentically.
Problem is, we've never really completed it for ourselves. A fact that we're constantly beating ourselves up over, but I'm starting to think that maybe it's really not such a bad thing. After all, with the advertising and marketing world changing as quickly as it is, can any agency really afford to set themselves in stone? Sure, we provide all the services you'd expect of us. But we also sell T-shirts. Write books. Launch websites asking people to share their deepest worries and their most special memories. Where would all that stuff fit in? Had we actually completed the process last year, we'd still be starting from scratch this time around. And should we finish it this year, we may still be starting all over again next year.
Maybe our own Brand Discovery keeps winding up in the recycling bin of big plans because it is, truly, an ongoing process. Because what it means to advertise, to market your company, and to serve clients who need that type of help changes every second. And because who we are as creative people is constantly in flux.
So here we are yet again, poised to launch into the new year without a clear and concrete definition of our brand. And guess what? That's okay. Then again, we wouldn't let our clients get away with that crap for a second.


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A La Carte Services
A One-Time Project Or Ongoing Help, You Choose What You Need.
If you do not see what you're looking for, please contact us directly.
Equipment and Product Selection
JMPankey Partners knows how important the right equipment and products are for your business. Our proven network has saved our clients tens of thousands of dollars and hours of headache. We have done the research, negotiated pricing, and formed partnerships so it's easy for you to gain access to the very best our industry has to offer. We can detail out the best brand partnerships that align to your spa's vision.
Competitive Market Analysis
Would you buy a house without a home inspection? No, neither should you operate your business and not know your competition! A competitive market analysis provides actionable data that helps you develop business strategies, identify opportunities and weakness in your own business and competitors, and re-position your business as needed. Since the market changes year over year, this data is essential for helping you learn how your business compares. Be ahead of your competition, be better.
Menu/ Service Analysis and Update
Your spa services are your business, but are they aligned to your retail program and branding message? When is the last time you took a hard look at what services you are selling? JMPankey Partners will review your menu, services and reports giving recommendations for an updated menu and service platform.
Compensation Assessment
If you feel your spa compensation and payroll are not aligning to your business goals, JMPankey Partners can help. We look at your compensation program and last two months of payroll in order to analyze and make recommendations. There are many factors that contribute to your payroll being high and we can give you strategies to get back on track.
Secret Shoppers for Success
Secret shopping is the best quality control method to make sure your business vision is being met. JMPankey Partners will mystery shop and issue a report on findings. Secret shopping is a great tool to objectively measure quality and consistency of service and treatment.
Treatment Menu Design
Are you looking to write a treatment/service menu that is true to your business vision and will attract customers? JMPankey Partners has created menus for hundreds of spas and salons, including internationally rated five star resorts.
Strategic Marketing Plan
Not sure how to create an effective annual marketing plan? We will help you determine measurable, realistic goals and then develop actionable strategies to help you reach them. Our plans are practical and easy-to-use with metrics built in for measuring success.
Standard Operating Procedures Manual with Employee Handbook
A sports team would not operate without a playbook, nor should your business. With our customizable SOP Manual and Employee Handbook, your business policies are detailed out for all staff and management. Some of the areas addressed are company policies and procedures, workplace commitments, work performance, discipline, termination and health and safety. Create consistency in all aspects of your business for long term stability and success.
Employee Satisfaction & Engagement
Happy employees make a happy and successful business. JMPankey Partners will survey your employees about their job satisfaction. All results are sent to you with recommendations and strategies to keep your employees happily engaged.


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Bags O' Love
A while back, we did a fun event in my branch on a Wednesday night. We put together snack packs for the homeless. These handy snacks-in-a-sack are great to keep in your car, backpack, or purse to give to those in need on the street.
Before we made the snack packs, we had a discussion about what it means to have charity. Sometimes it's hard to know what to do for the poor. Scripture is clear that we shouldn't allow the beggar to petition us in vain (Mosiah 4:16-26), but scripture also says to do things wisely and in order (Mosiah 4:27).
We discussed how when we give food, it sustains people for a little while, but when we give people the love of God, it's a lasting gift. Alma 32:42 says that when we taste the fruit from the tree of life, which is the love of God, "ye shall feast upon this fruit even until ye are filled, that ye hunger not, neither shall ye thirst." It's one thing to give someone a little snack, but it's even better when the snack comes with the love of God. So, in addition to including food in our snack packs, we included little notes of love and encouragement — the real "meat."
We made around 100 complete packs and another 30 to 40 partial packs, and everyone went home with around six bags. We spent around $150, so each bag cost just over $1.
Here's a little photo journal of how we did it.
First, we got the stuff at Costco. We bought mini bags of chips, granola bars, fruit snacks, Rice Krispies Treats, big tubs of almonds and peanuts, and mini water bottles.
We also got shipping labels, which we used to close the bags, and some colorful 4-by-6-inch cardstock to make the little notes.
We also needed brown paper bags, which were roomy enough to hold everything, and snack size resealable plastic bags for the peanuts and almonds.
We arranged all the stuff on various tables, and people went to the table with the activity they wanted to do.
Some wrote little notes.
Some decorated the labels.
Some wrote messages on the Rice Krispies Treats, which have a blank space on the packaging especially for notes.
Some bagged the nuts. We called them the "nutty ones."
Some actually filled the bags with food.
Some did quality control to make sure the bags weren't missing anything.
Here's one bag all filled up.
Then, we rolled them closed and stuck labels on them.
Here are some of the nice messages people wrote.
All done! What a great activity not only for ourselves but to show more of the love of God to those in need in our neighborhoods.
What went well
- We copied out a few scriptures ahead of time for the card writers to reference.
- We put the bulk of our people on card-writing duty because making up the bags went really quick.
- Bagging the nuts ourselves was a lot less expensive than buying them already packaged.
What we'll do different next time
- Make some kind of assembly line for the partially completed bags so they don't get mixed up with full ones.
- Buy labels that actually stick. Ours were wimpy and started to peel off.
- Maybe we'll do water bottles and warm socks next time.


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Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum set his presidential campaign aside briefly Thursday morning to pay tribute to GOP super-volunteer Wendy Ellen Jensen.
Jensen, 55, died suddenly, apparently of natural causes, on Saturday. A Decorah native who lived in Ames, she made thousands of calls for Santorum and for Gov. Terry Branstad and Congressmen Tom Latham, both of whom joined Santorum at Jensen's funeral at Bethesda Lutheran Church. Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds and other rmembers of Branstad's administration also were among the more than 100 in the sanctuary.
Santorum spoke briefly at the beginning of the funeral service. He noted Jensen's selfless service and her energy, drive and positive spirit. Santorum had only met Jensen recently, but knew her long enough to pick up her dedication. "She had made a profound impact on me," Santorum said.
Jensen stood 4 feet 9 inches tall, but still commanded attention. Like the time she pushed Santorum to extend the hours of his local office so Jensen and others could make even more calls on the edges of the day.
"Here is this little vessel. So much greatness and goodness, sweetness and light emitted from her. What a blessing for all of us," Santorum said in a reserved voice.
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Lionsbridge Contractor Group is a CCA Global Partners cooperative of general contractors dedicated to serving the property insurance industry by offering services and warranties that are truly unique to the industry.
Each contractor member is also a shareholder of the cooperative as we believe that ownership equates to pride in our work. All of our contractor members are highly experienced in all disciplines of insurance restoration work that could result from accidents in the home.
CCA Global Partners is one of the largest privately held companies in the United States with 12 distinct businesses and over 2,700 locations worldwide, producing annual sales in excess of $10 billion dollars. CCA Global Partners has served the property insurance industry with floorcovering replacement products and expert services for more than 15 years through its Carpet One and Flooring America member locations. CCA Global Partners has developed one of the largest and most successful direct repair programs in the property insurance industry.
CCA Global Partners' goal is to create a mutually rewarding bond between the company and community, whereby our growth generates social development and enhances the lives of customers and entrepreneurs around the world.
For more information on CCA Global Partners, please click here.


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Aug. 29, 2016 - Sept. 1, 2016
Location Belfast, Ireland
Website http://www.eaap2016.org/
Oral presentations:
S.A. Edwards, S. Matheson, F. Pandolfi, R. Thompson, T. Ploetz, I. Kyriazakis; PROHEALTH, production diseases and piglet mortality.
H. Quesnel, H. Pastorelli, E. Merlot, I. Louveau, L. Lefaucheur, F. Robert, M.P. Père, F. Gondret; Effects of gestation housing system on maternal stress, piglet maturity at birth and early survival.
S.M. Matheson, G. Walling, S.A. Edwards; Relationships between sow conformation and crushing events in commercial piglet production.
R.J. Thompson, S.M. Matheson, T. Plötz, S.A. Edwards, I. Kyriazakis; A framework for automatic quantification of posture state and transitions in farrowing sows.
H. Gilbert, J. Ruesche, N. Muller, Y. Billon, F. Robert, L. Roger, L. Montagne; Responses to weaning in two pig lines divergently selected on residual feed intake depending on diet.
P. Sakkas, I. Oikeh, D.P. Blake, I. Kyriazakis; Are the consequences of coccidiosis affected by selection improved performance?
M. Karhapää, H. Siljander-Rasi, T. Kortelainen and M.-L. Sevón-Aimonen; Effect of breeding selection and sex on performance and incidence of osteochondrosis in fattening pigs.
N. Muller, H. Gilbert, F. Robert, L. Roger, L. Montagne; Dynamic response to the weaning of two lines of pigs divergently selected on residual feed intake.
Poster presentation:
P. Sakkas, R. Gous, T. Hill, I. Kyriazakis; Effect of feed level and source of vitamin D on bone mineralization and performance of broilers.


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Tuesday, October 02, 2007
Carniecopia or Attack of the Carnies Part Two
Surprise, surprise, surprise. The bulk of the carnies are already here. Traditionally, business at the bar doesn't pick up until late this week. The fair doesn't start until Sunday, after all, and how long does it really take to set up a caramel corn trailer? So usually, it's only a trickle of carnies until Thursday or so--but not this year. Nope, this year we are blessed with a plethora of un-tardy carnies and they're already taking over the bar.
I didn't have to work yesterday, but a friend of ours was just hired as the new bartender so we decided to go keep him company on a slow Monday night . We figured we could watch football (wow the Bengals suck), have a few beers, and I could give him pointers over the bar as questions came up.
Imagine my surprise to find carnies three deep at the bar.
Not only were they drinking, but they were eating. A lot. Poor Josh was running his ass off cooking for a group of the unwashed masses from the RV camp across the street. I recognized a few of them from previous years. Some of them even remembered my name--or some form of it--and I guess I distracted them from their primary goal for the evening which was (in a nutshell) to get blasted.
There was a carnie lovers' spat at the end of the bar and an intervention in the middle of it. (You haven't seen funny until you see three drunk carnies trying to convince a more sober carnie that he has an alcohol problem.) Budweiser and Crown Royal flowed freely and through it all I sat back in a booth with a bottle of Rolling Rock and laughed. Every once in a while, Josh would glare at me (like when I started chantiong FOOTBALL! FOOTBALL! when he had the tvs on the tiebreaker MLB game) and I would just laugh harder.
But, karma always finds a way to kick you in the teeth. Tonight is my night to work at the bar...and there will be MORE of them. So, I've decided to take a collection of carnie videos over the next week so that I can share them with you.
Carnies - 1
Celina - 1
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HP Adds Next-Generation, Xeon-Processor-Based ProLiant Servers to Mix
Download the authoritative guide: Data Center Guide: Optimizing Your Data Center Strategy
Download the authoritative guide: Cloud Computing: Using the Cloud for Competitive Advantage
Hewlett-Packard this week introduced two industry-standard ProLiant servers that the vendor is gunning toward the adaptive infrastructure. HP this week introduced two industry-standard ProLiant servers designed for the adaptive infrastructure. If HP has its way, the ML570 and DL380 servers will be the first to hit the market with Intel's next-generation Xeon processor, code-named 'Gallatin.'
The ProLiant ML570 G2 and the ProLiant DL380 G3 enable enterprises to achieve virtual presence and control, increased levels of memory protection through new "hot-add" memory, and offer a balanced, scalable architecture for optimal performance.
If HP has its way, these servers will be the first to market with Intel's next-generation Xeon processor, code-named "Gallatin."
"The market leadership of HP ProLiant servers -- the industry's most complete portfolio of standards-based servers -- is based on a history of innovation and support of industry standards," said James Mouton, vice president, Platform Division, HP Industry Standard Servers. "With our 'hot-add' memory technology and enhanced management software announced today, combined with our unrivaled partnership with Intel, we are delivering valuable, industry-first servers that provide increased management capabilities and reliability for customers."
The ProLiant ML570 G2 is a four-processor server with hot-add memory capability, and the ProLiant DL380 G3 is a density-optimized dual-processor server. The two will be targeted at different markets.
The ProLiant ML570 G2 is being positioned as ideal for supporting remote sites or data center computing needs. According to HP, the 4-way expansion server offers increased reliability with hot-plug mirrored memory, powerful management capabilities, and unmatched internal expansion and flexibility. It offers business continuity and responsiveness by delivering fault resilience with hot-add memory, a key element of the vendor's much talked about Advanced Memory Protection technology, which enables enterprises to add memory on-the-fly and support additional users without bringing servers down.
HP also notes that the larger cache contained in the Xeon MP processors enables the ProLiant ML570 G2 server to provide customers with performance levels up to 80 percent faster than the current generation for database and back-end applications.
The ProLiant DL380 G3, on the other hand, will be positioned for application usage. Key features that HP believes render it optimal for such use include lights-out management, enterprise-class uptime, a 2U design that allows customer to maximize floor space, and redundant hot-plug features.
The ProLiant DL380 is available immediately at a list price of $3,399.
More information about the ProLiant ML570 G2 can be obtained by calling +1 800 888 9909.
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Scared of disappointment
I have rounded shoulders and curved ribs. Nobody can see it when I have my clothes on, but when I take them off it looks terrible. I'm scared. I'm scared that one day someone may fall in love with me, and when he'll see my ribs and shoulders he'll be disappointed. I'm so scared, that I push people away, because I don't want anybody to be dissapointed. I'm lonely and sad and the worst is that it's my fault- i'm beating myself down. But I'm just so scared. Scared of that dissapointed look in his eyes.
I know that love isn't only about apparance, plus I'm quite pretty anyway, but my mind is so obssesed with this defects that it's making me sick.
I don't want to be lonely anymore, but I guess I don't have other option.


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In India, supporters of Hindu nationalist Narendra Modi are celebrating a historic landslide electoral victory. In neighboring Pakistan, the atmosphere is far more subdued.
To many here, Mr. Modi's role in the 2002 Gujarat riots in India – which killed nearly 1,000 Muslims under his watch as chief minister – confirms the need for Pakistan, carved out of Hindu-majority India in 1947 as a home for its Muslim minority.
His right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) – which won an outright victory, the first party to do so in more than 30 years – has not calmed Pakistan's fears. The party has vowed to revise a "no first strike" nuclear weapons policy and threatened to make Indian-controlled Jammu and Kashmir a full-fledged Indian state. The dispute over the territory, whose western half is controlled by Pakistan, has already sparked three wars, and any move by India to fully incorporate it could lead to a fourth.
But for all the BJP's bellicose comments, India is unlikely to court a war with Pakistan under Modi. Voters are counting on Modi to deliver economic development, and that is what he is expected to focus on.
"[Modi] wants trade and economic ties, so he is not going to create conflict, because with conflict your economy suffers," says Raza Rumi of the Jinnah Institute, an Islamabad-based think tank.
Potential for increased trade
India enjoyed a growth rate of nearly 10 percent of GDP for much of the past decade, but that has been cut in half in the last two years. Inflation hovers at 10 percent.
Modi has vowed to boost the economy, and closer ties to the Pakistani market would be an important step.
In 1947, 70 percent of Pakistan's and India's foreign trade was with each other. A series of wars over disputed border regions – Jammu and Kashmir, as well as Sir Creek in the south – reduced that to nearly zero. Today's trade totals $2.7 billion, a fraction of a potential $40 billion, according to a report by the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington.
An ebb and flow
In 1999, then-Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee made history by taking the first trip of a new public bus service across the border into Lahore to meet his counterpart in Pakistan. Like Modi, Mr. Vajpayee was from the BJP. Pakistan's leader was Nawaz Sharif, who was reelected this year as prime minister.
The two leaders signed an agreement to reduce the risk of nuclear exchange between their countries, which had become nuclear powers just a year earlier. That 1999 accord has held, even through times of strain, such as in 2002, when another border war in Kashmir seemed imminent. The US, worried a conflict with India would distract Pakistan from its border with Afghanistan, helped broker a cease-fire that still holds.
Soon after, Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf lifted an oft-flouted ban on India's Bollywood movies, and inked agreements to open up trade across the Line of Control (LoC) that divides Kashmir.
Non-state actors have occasionally caused tensions to spike. In 2008, for example, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), a militant group based in Pakistan, killed 164 people in a devastating attack over three days on several locales in Mumbai. The incident derailed Musharraf-era agreements for three years.
Today, small incidents grate. Thousands of fishermen are detained every year in India and Pakistan for accidentally crossing an unmarked, disputed maritime boundary at Sir Creek on the Indian Ocean.
"I have not seen any improvement in ties," says Muhammad Ali Shah, a Pakistani who works with the fishermen. Often detained for years, they are freed in what both governments call "confidence building measures," only for more to be arrested soon thereafter.
"They pick up the same number of fishermen as soon as they release some.... There hasn't been a single day where a poor fishermen hasn't sat in prison," says Mr. Shah, adding that his counterparts in India have asked Modi to end the practice.
Small steps
Modi's victory ushers in a government confident enough in its right-wing credentials that it might finally be ready to move past Mumbai.
One potential step could be to fulfill agreements to ease visa restrictions and travel. Pakistan and India issue no tourist visas between the two countries, offering only those for academic visits, business trips, and religious pilgrimages. The application process typically takes more than three months. Only six flights operate between India and Pakistan, linking Karachi and Lahore with New Delhi and Mumbai.
Each year, more than 4,000 pilgrims – Sikhs coming to Pakistan, and Muslims going to India – cross the border, but in times of political tension, they are often left in the lurch. This May, India canceled visas for 500 Pakistani Muslim pilgrims, citing security concerns.
Still, the Internet and satellite television ensure a constant exchange of information across the border. Pakistanis watch the latest Indian movies and television shows with gusto. A handful of actors and musicians have found success on both sides of the border, and paparazzi have covered celebrity marriages across the Line of Control, like royal weddings.
"Pakistan and India are products of what was once an intimate union, and no amount of revisions on the nuclear policy can change the fact that disaster for one country would equally (and eventually, also) spell doom for the other," says Heba Al-Adawy, of the Institute of Regional Studies in Islamabad.


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Our History
Amorepacific Group
opens new headquarters
Amorepacific Group opened its new headquarters in 2017 with the concept of white porcelain moon jar that represents Korea's beauty in the same site where its business was first established in 1956. The new headquarters will be a new hall of beauty that plays a central role in achieving the group's vision to become a 'Great Company' that changes the world with beauty.
Amorepacific Group ranks 7th on WWD's beauty top 100
Amorepacific Group became the first Korean company that ranked 7th on the world's top 100 beauty companies selected by Women's Wear Daily (WWD), a fashion and beauty journal.
Ranked by Forbes.
US financial magazine Forbes ranks Amorepacific as one of the World's Most Innovative Companies, recognizing its constant game-changing products and deep investment in R&D.
Amorepacific further invests in Shanghai.
Buoyed by the success of the first, Amorepacific opens its Beauty Campus in Shanghai for integrated production, research, and advanced distribution center.
Amorepacific announces its 2020 vision.
The company sets its sights on the future and commits to continued progress in innovation and research with its "Great Global Brand Company" mission.
Amorepacific declares a ban on unnecessary animal testing for cosmetics.
Amorepacific further ensures that partners also voluntarily discontinue unnecessary animal testing.
Osan Beauty Campus opens.
To further grow its reach and scope, Amorepacific's Beauty Campus, an integrated global production and logistics center, opens in Osan, Korea.
MIZIUM, the second complex of R&D center, is established.
Amorepacific establishes the second Research Center, MIZIUM, challenging for an uncharted dream to create new beauty in Yongin, Korea.
Cherishing sustainability, Amorepacific joins hands with DJSI.
Further elevating its environmental and social commitment, Amorepacific becomes the first Korean beauty company to join the Dow Jones Sustainability Index.
Initiated Beautiful Fair Trade, a unique raw materials procurement program.
The fundamental objective is to source agricultural raw materials for our beauty products from local communities that fairly share in the profits.
Amorepacific announces Sustainable Management Commitment.
Continuing its emphasis on the sustainability, the company advances its commitment to the environment.
Creation of revolutionary the Cushion Compact.
Amorepacific introduces its Air Cushion® compact through brand IOPE as an entirely new category which later takes the global beauty market by storm.
Amorepacific announces "AP Way."
The company establishes its vocation, value, and credo, and underscores its deep-rooted commitment to openness, integrity, innovation, proximity, and the desire for challenge.
Launch of the "Makeup Your Life" campaign.
Supporting female cancer patients, Makeup Your Life uses make-up, skincare, and hair styling advice to enhance inner confidence and outer beauty.
Amorepacific joins the UN Global Compact.
Support its global-minded heart, Amorepacific's CEO implements universal sustainability practices through the UN's voluntary initiative.
Initiation of holding company Amorepacific Group.
The "Asian Beauty Creator" mission is named.
To underscore its pivotal role as innovator and creator within Korea and in countries beyond, Amorepacific announces its signature mission.
Beautiful World Fund for Heemang Store is established.
In order to honor the will of the founder, a microcredit support program was set up to help low-income single mothers to start their own business and realize their dreams.
The company's name changes to Amorepacific.
With massive growth locally and abroad, including rapid releases of innovative cosmetics, the name changes to Amorepacific to highlight the company's major rate of success.
Opening of Osulloc Tea Museum.
To foster appreciation for the pristine cultivation of the green tea on Jeju Island, Amorepacific opens the first tea museum dedicated to its tea culture brand, Osulloc.
Korea Breast Cancer Foundation is established.
Launching the "Pink Ribbon Campaign", Amorepacific raises awareness of breast health with a new not-for-profit foundation.
Innisfree, one of the company's Global Champion Brands, launches.
Sulwhasoo, one of the company's Global Champion Brands, the brand launches.
With more than 30 years of heritage developing Korean herbal medicinal cosmetics, Amorepacific formally introduces Sulwhasoo.
Etude House, one of the company's Global Champion Brands, launches.
Laneige, one of the company's Global Champion Brands, launches.
The company name changes to Taepyeongyang(Pacific) Co., Ltd.
The company's customer-focused "Unlimited Liability" campaign introduced.
Amorepacific announces its campaign of unlimited liability, putting its commitment to the customer, product quality, and consideration of the environment first.
Amorepacific's Management Philosophy is issued.
To enhance its commitment to its employees and its vision forward, Amorepacific announced the Management Philosophy: Service to Mankind, Respect for Humanity, and Future Creation.
Amorepacific expands into China.
To satisfy a growing demand for Korean beauty expertise in China, the company opens its first branch in the country.
Opening of Research Institute.
Amorepacific establishes Pacific Central Research Institute to achieve further technological advancements in research and innovation in Yongin, Korea.
Mamonde, one of the company's Global Champion Brands, launches.
Amorepacific's first European factory opens.
In the heart of classic European art and culture, Amorepacific establishes an overseas factory in Chartres, France to collaborate and expand its message of beauty from within.
Miro brand launches.
Extracting the essence of green tea's proven benefits, the world's first green tea-based cosmetics products hit the market.
Pacific Welfare Foundation is established.
A new service arm of the company is devoted to improving the quality of life of neglected groups such as women, children, youth, the disabled and senior citizens.
Green tea farms in Jeju Island are cultivated as key beauty ingredient source.
Suh Sungwhan plants organic green tea farms in restored soil on Jeju Island, then a wasteland, to create the cosmetics industry's first tea farm. This transformation completely upgraded the island's ecosystem.
Museum of Cosmetics History opens for the first time in Asia.
Today it is called the Amorepacific Museum of Art. It is an institution dedicated to the antiques and artifacts of cosmetics culture in Korea, as well as making a meaningful contribution to local community and education.
Pacific Scholarship and Cultural Foundation is established.
Now known as the Amorepacific Foundation, the department offers scholarship work and cultural enterprise to encourage new pioneering researchers and institutions researching the fields of Asian Beauty, women and culture.
Amorepacific develops Korea's first makeup campaign.
To shakeup Korea's conservative and reluctant views of makeup, the company created the "Oh My Love" campaign.
Creation of ABC Ginseng Cream, the secret ingredient to propel the company into fame.
As the world's first Korean herbal medicinal cosmetic, this ginseng-based cream, which was inspired by the ginseng fields surrounding the founder's childhood home in Gaeseong, was the origin of today's Sulwhasoo.
Oscar cosmetics created and exported.
As the first exportation of Korean cosmetics, the company developed about 20 Oscar brand products and exported to the overseas market.
Launch of Amore brand and establishes women entrepreneurship program.
The company develops the brand Amore (named after the Italian word for love). After the Korean War, it advances and supports female entrepreneurship with the Amore Ladies door-to-door sales program; expanding the company's distribution channel while offering Korean women a means of income.
Yeondeungpo automated factory is opened to support and spearhead mass manufacturing.
Continuing in pioneering the manufacturing process, Amorepacific launches mass production cosmetics in Korea when it opens the country's largest automated cosmetics manufacturing facility in Yeondeungpo, Seoul, Korea.
Helps define and create beauty through opening Beauty Counseling Center.
Furthering in Mission to be the one who changes the world through beauty – becoming counselors and influencers- Amorepacific opens the country's first full-staff center, offering beauty classes and advice.
Suh Sungwhan expands horizons after visit to European cosmetic markets.
On a 40-day trip to research advanced cosmetic markets and companies in Europe, Suh Sungwhan, discovers the dream to extend his business abroad.
Hwajanggye, the first beauty magazine, is published by the company.
From making cosmetic products to offering expert beauty counsel, the company launches Korea's first monthly beauty magazine with advice for a mass audience.
Installation of new advanced equipment developed with Germany.
Director of the research lab, Goo Yongseop, brings Airspun technology to Asia for the first time after returning from research in Germany.
Amorepacific builds first cosmetic research laboratory for in-house R&D.
As an investment to produce innovative ideas through advanced research and development, Suh Sungwhan builds the first cosmetic research lab in Korea, about seven square meters in size.
ABC Pomade is developed specifically for men.
Korea's first pure botanically-derived pomade became an instant best-seller; ideal for the era's ultra fashionable slicked, middle-part men's hairstyle.
Launch of the company's first brand product Melody Cream.
The face cream became quickly coveted for its high quality formula and sophisticated packaging.
From the camellia hair oil's success, a new company emerges.
Taepyeongyang(Pacific) Chemical Industries is established. Later to become Amorepacific, Suh Sungwhan held a grand ambition to make better products and meet the world beyond the Pacific.
Amorepacific's humble beginnings start with itsartisanal camellia hair oil.
From day one, Amorepacific's mission was inspired by nature and commitment to quality. Yoon Dokjeong, the mother of company founder Suh Sungwhan, begins selling her own finely-crafted and meticulously-developed camellia hair oil in Gaeseong, currently a city in North Korea.


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ASU Electronic Theses and Dissertations
This collection includes most of the ASU Theses and Dissertations from 2011 to present. ASU Theses and Dissertations are available in downloadable PDF format; however, a small percentage of items are under embargo. Information about the dissertations/theses includes degree information, committee members, an abstract, supporting data or media.
In addition to the electronic theses found in the ASU Digital Repository, ASU Theses and Dissertations can be found in the ASU Library Catalog.
Dissertations and Theses granted by Arizona State University are archived and made available through a joint effort of the ASU Graduate College and the ASU Libraries. For more information or questions about this collection contact or visit the Digital Repository ETD Library Guide or contact the ASU Graduate College at email@example.com.
- 1 Public
- Educational psychology
- impression management
- early adolescence
- 1 Developmental psychology
- Mobile Crowd Sensing in Edge Computing Environment
- The Effect of Disability on Subjective Well-Being across the Adult Lifespan: The Moderating Roles of Age at Disability Onset and Disability Type
- Mechanically Active Heterogeneous Polymer Matrix Composites
- Attribute-Based Encryption for Fine-Grained Access Control over Sensitive Data
- 并购背景下教育行业品牌价值研究
The current study expands prior work on early adolescents' impression management in the classroom by developing a self-report measure that was used to explore students' endorsement of four academic self-presentation strategies (i.e., exaggerate, downplay, honest, and avoid) depending on peer type (i.e., best friend and most popular classmate), academic performance condition (i.e., strong and poor performance), and whether gender differences emerged, when discussing one's level of effort on a class project. Specifically, data were collected from 475 eighth-grade students (253 boys, 222 girls) within a high-performing educational context. Preliminary psychometric evidence is provided indicating that the measurement tool developed for …
- Contributors
- Sechler, Casey M., Ladd, Gary W., Updegraff, Kimberly, et al.
- Created Date
- 2017


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Here we are again, at the end of another letter week. Click on the link below for my full curriculum and check out the pictures for a glimpse into our week.
Handwriting practice.
Finding the letter R.
R is for Rainbows!
I think Addi is to young to start teaching the ROY G BIV method of learning the colors, especially trying to teach the different between blue, indigo, and violet might be more confusing than it is actually helpful. So, we just stuck to red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple as our rainbow colors for the week. One thing I wanted to point out is that many of these activities are simple enough that they could be replicated for St.Patrick's Day.
We started by making a rainbow lowercase r by cutting the shape out of the center of black construction paper and gluing strips of colored construction paper onto the back.
We started by making a rainbow lowercase r by cutting the shape out of the center of black construction paper and gluing strips of colored construction paper onto the back.
We had a large group of people coming over to our house one night and I knew I had wanted to provide a dessert. I was short on time so instead of trying to make something AND help Addi with lessons, I thought I would combine the two. So, I got her to help me make dessert! To fit our theme for the week I was trying to decide between rainbow colored rice crispy treats or a homemade fruit pizza. We choose the fruit pizza, which was a little more work, but definitely worth it! Cute isn't it. For the full description and recipe click here.
Addi made a rainbow from construction paper squares and half a paper plate.
My kids rarely get super sugary cereals but this week they had the treat of eating fruit loops for the first time. I found this printable at Mama Clucks and it was great to have Addi glue on the correct colors during her snack time. She did eat one with a little glue on it and I am fairly confident she wasn't too pleased.
This rainbow was so simple to make and I think I am going to add it to our busy bag collection. I just took little pieces of foam and cut out the appropriate size arches and then had Addilyn stack them in the correct order to make a rainbow.
Finger painting with all the colors of the rainbow = way too much fun!
At one point Addilyn let me pant each of her fingers and then I had her swipe her had across the paper in an arch. I think it turned out so pretty. It's so simple but it's one of those paintings you want to keep forever.
It had been months and months since I had pulled out our rainbow rice, but I figured letter R week was the time to do it (and Daddy was home to help) which made it much more manageable. To be honest, I'm okay with some messes, but tiny pieces of rice all over my floor just is not something I really care for. All that to say, I was thankful my husband was home to help.
I had printed out two copies of that worksheet and we used the second one for Do-A-Dot markers. I couldn't find our orange marker so we just used an orange marker. I was trying to teach Addilyn what the word improvise means. It was super cute.
Despite how common rainbows are. It was very difficult to find rainbow themed books. The Rainbow Fish series we didn't actually read, but we used them to look at and identify all the colors.
On the other hand, we found plenty of rabbit themed books which was perfect since letter R is also for Rabbits!
We made a capital R Rabbit. I got the idea from Animal Alphabet which like it''s name suggest they have lots of animal ideas for each letter of the alphabet.


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Today I received a postcard! I was really excited…
… until I saw that it was from the vet telling me it's nearly time for my annual vaccinations.
I tried to talk my way out of it. I've seen the humans say 'ahhhh' when they are getting checked over by a vet so I showed them there's nothing wrong under my tongue.
But they insist I have to go so that I can stay fit and healthy and keep my passport up to date. Now usually I'm quite proud that I know exactly how to
manipulate talk sense into the humans, but this time I'm ashamed to say they knew exactly how to do it to me. The mention of my passport was enough to make me agree to go!
When I read all the details, I realised it has my birthday (the 9th of July) as the deadline to keep me up to date. We will celebrating my birthday in style sailing around in Nocturne, so we've decided I'll have to go sometime this week. Even though I'm not enthused about going to the vet, getting another year on my passport and being as free as a fish on Nocturne will be worth it!
Bisous Bailey


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Friday, July 26, 2013
Friday, July 19, 2013
As far as vacations go, this one didn't feel like much of a vacation. This was hard work for an out of shape slug like me. I wouldn't recommend a trip to Peru to many people; maybe world class athletes, adventure seekers and masochists. The Inca trail was awesome though. 26 miles of stairs... 14000 feet in the air; stairs up, and stairs down. Amazing that people could build that trail out of huge stones in that terrain using no animals or iron tools. The reward of Machu Picchu at the end made it worthwhile.
|in case you didn't know where it was on a map.
|some girl and her llama
|a band rolled through cusco
|the last 400 feet of a 6000 ft ascent
|our crew. john, brittany,will,dan, sarah, me
Posted by Mike Izzo at 10:54 AM No comments:
Labels: camping, machu picchu, peru, vacation
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Located southwest of Puri, Chilka Lake is Asia's largest lagoon dotted with islands and noted for the many migratory birds like osprey, grey-legged geese, herons, cranes and flamingoes, which flock to the nestling sanctuary in winter. The shallow lake, about 70km long and averaging 15km wide, is separated from the sea by a long low sand bar. These shallow waters enclose an immense area of marshes, lowlands and islands. Wildlife abounds on some of the larger islands and surrounding hills and sandy stretches. Fauna to be seen include the chital, black buck, monkey, fishing cat, mongoose and porcupines. At the channel meeting the sea, dolphins can be seen cavorting playfully. Snakes, turtles and lizards inhabit the surrounding beach area and wooded undergrowth.
Kalijai Island, Honeymoon Island, Breakfast Island, Birds Island, Nalabana (Island of Reeds) and Parikud Island are some of the important and interesting spots inside the lake. The Island of Kalijai is popular for its temple dedicated to Goddess Kalijai who is venerated by the local fisher folk. This island plays host to a huge fair on 'Makar Sankranti' held annually in the month of January. The large fishing community adds flavour to the lake with their traditional colourful sailboats bobbing expertly across the water, reminiscent of the ancient maritime heritage of Orissa. The Island of Nalabana, which has a varied flora and fauna, forms the core of the Chilka sanctuary and happens to be the central point for the migratory birds.
Chilka is worth visiting the year round, however, the winter months, when the air reverberates with the din of the birds, are the nicest times. The atmosphere is just serene and undisturbed amidst the blue expanse of water on one side and an evergreen range of hills on the other.


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The West Virginia Division of Public Transit announced the addition of I-RIDE79 to the state's public transit system.
It will offer service between Charleston and Morgantown beginning Tuesday July 1, 2014.
The I-RIDE79 bus service will make daily stops in Charleston, Clendenin, Flatwoods, Weston, Clarksburg, Fairmont and Morgantown. Fares start at $3 and go up to $15, each direction.
Passengers can board at any stop along the route.
Buses are ADA accessible and equipped with WiFi power, outlets, reclining seats, seat belts and restrooms.
"Our mission is to make travel in West Virginia safe and efficient for all, and this service will help us achieve that goal," Transportation Secretary Paul Mattox said. "It doesn't matter where you live, everyone will now have access to different parts of the state and surrounding region along with a variety of services in their communities."
The West Virginia Division of Public Transit has partnered with Barons Bus Lines, of Cleveland, as part of a nationwide effort to connect rural areas and urban centers.
The service will provide links with Greyhound in Charleston and Morgantown, from where passengers can travel on to Pittsburgh and Washington DC.
"It's a service which is going to be heavily used and is needed. We're excited to be able to help make travel accessible and affordable for all West Virginians," said John Goebel, vice president of Barons Bus Lines.
The service will be funded with federal money appropriated to develop and support intercity bus transportation.
Rides will be free July 1-7, 2014. The inaugural trip will depart at 10:15 a.m. Tuesday from the Greyhound Terminal at 300 Reynolds Street in Charleston.
To view the bus schedule and reserve your seat, call 1-888-378-3823 or visit barons http://www.bus.com/.


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Google unveiled its new self-driving car Tuesday. It's a tiny two-seater with no steering wheel or pedals, lots of extra sensors, and a foam front to protect pedestrians if there's a crash. Its top speed is 25 miles per hour, its range about 100 miles and it's a sign driverless cars are a step closer to transforming transportation, even if we're not sure how.
While Google has been modifying existing cars to work on self-driving technology for years, this is the first to be designed around the concept. Google will be rolling out 100 of the cars to start, and they will be summoned and directed with a smartphone app.
Could this friendly-looking piece of technology spell the end of the close relationship between sustainable urbanism and fighting climate change?
For climate change and urbanism concerns, self-driving vehicles have been a source of some anxiety. The current trend is away from private vehicle ownership, toward more dense communities where public transportation, biking, and walking can serve most transportation needs. And that's important, when automobiles are among the leading emitters of greenhouse gases. But the self-driving car could halt this progress.
Marchetti's constant, the idea that an hour-long round-trip commute has been about the average that people are willing to make, is something that's partially restrained sprawling suburbs from growing too far and helped push Americans back into cities in recent decades as traffic made commute times longer. But in a vehicle that could transport you from door to door while you take a nap, watch a movie, or drink a beer in relative privacy, the distinction between commute and life could blur, encouraging people to live farther from their places of work than ever before.
If the cars are deployed as many have discussed, as a sort of robot fleet of taxis, replacing personal car ownership with on-demand car use, they could even cut the costs of living in suburbia. As Lloyd Alter, who has written extensively on transportation for TreeHugger.com told ThinkProgress in an email, "the suburban lifestyle of the cul-de-sac and big lot becomes very attractive when you discount the cost of the car."
Urbanists have been encouraged in recent years by the fact that millennials "are more interested in their phones than driving," Alter said. A study by the American Public Transportation Association found that indeed, millennials value public transportation for "digital socializing" and so they can work while traveling.
What's interesting is that self-driving cars could address some climate problems of transportation even as they wipe out recent gains in sustainable cities. If future models, like Google's car, are electric, switching overall power generation to renewable sources would go hand-in-hand with reducing the emissions that come from cars. Lowering the total number of cars would save energy and materials on production. And self-driving cars are currently programmed to be very deferential to pedestrians and people on bikes, making those modes of transportation safer and likely more popular.
Cars could also drive themselves more efficiently than humans can, again, a potential mixed bag for energy use. Robot cars could coordinate steady speeds, much less stopping, and even aerodynamic caravans, for vastly improved mileage making car transportation cheaper and more efficient per mile traveled. Yet cheaper car rides likely mean more car rides, and more miles traveled by car, potentially canceling out any efficiency benefits or resulting in more energy used than would have been the case otherwise. Add that to the fact that regular car use could be opened up to people who can't take solo car trips right now like children, elderly or disabled people, and people who don't know how to drive.
One thing that could hold back self-driving cars' public transport-killing potential could be the inefficiency of driving people out into the middle of nowhere, Tim De Chant, senior digital editor at NOVA pointed out. "Maybe it'd be like rental cars, where they encourage you to return it to the same place," he told ThinkProgress. Perhaps companies would see such a cost in doing one-way trips to far-flung suburbs that rates would be prohibitively high to make such a trip. And that would be especially likely if transportation infrastructure funding was dedicated less to building and doing upkeep on the roads that would make those trips possible.
But back to the low speed limit and maximum range of the Google car. Could those features be a clue to maximizing the climate benefits and minimizing negative impacts on public transportation? The 25 mph speed limit is likely a cautious move by Google to keep the car non-threatening and avoid the negative fallout of a well-publicized crash. But if it was sustained in future models, it could effectively shrink the radius of likely car commutes, emphasizing that these vehicles are for short-range trips in a city.
Even if driverless cars become popular as expected, they will likely share the roads with human drivers for quite some time. A 20 mph speed limit in cities like London and Tokyo has been shown to have cut fatal crashes in residential areas in half. Many other cities in the U.K. and Europe have lowered their speed limits to 20 (or around there), and New York appears to be considering the same.
In the short term, these efforts could save driver and pedestrian lives. And in the long term they could keep driverless cars from totally reversing urban development trends towards public transportation, density, and sustainable cities.


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Having just landed in St. Louis, a quintessential Middle American city, and before a quick team meal at McDonald's, the quintessential American fast-food restuarant, Saint Mary's coach Randy Bennett was asked about freshman Patty Mills.
Bennett paused for a good while before finally finding the right way to describe Mills, a quintessential up-tempo point guard but definitively not American. In just a month, Mills has reshaped national opinion of the Gaels and, perhaps, expectations for this season's West Coast Conference race.
"I don't worry about the moment being too big for him," Bennett said. "He's been in some big situations. He's had success, and he's had to handle success. So those things you have to worry about with a first-year guy, or even a guy who hasn't had as much success at this level -- I don't have to worry about those kinds of things with him."
That's because it would be almost impossible to find a moment in a college game that would be too big for Mills. A dynamic playmaker, the 19-year-old Australian already is the youngest-ever member of his country's senior national team. This past summer, he helped the "Boomers" qualify for the 2008 Olympics. Also, as the product of a marriage of indigenous Australians, he represents a minority population that continues to struggle to find a foothold in its own land.
Add all of that up and, according to current teammate and countryman Carlin Hughes, Mills is "probably the biggest deal going on in youth sport [in Australia] at the moment." Saint Mary's games have been shown live on Australian national TV. Nightly newscasts, typically bereft of any basketball highlights, now regularly show Mills' work. The magnitude of the attention Mills is getting won't take away the sting of Tuesday night's disappointing 71-56 loss at Southern Illinois -- Saint Mary's first defeat of the season -- but it does provide some sense of perspective.
For his part, Mills, who is averaging 15.5 points and 4.1 assists per game this season, welcomes all of the expectations. He understands why his exploits have become a big deal back home, but he tries not to let that pressure consume him.
"You just go out on the court and play for your school, your country and where you come from," he said. "It's something I don't really look deeply into. I just try to go out and have fun."
The Gaels certainly have enjoyed the season thus far, the Saluki shutdown aside. Their 7-0 start propelled them into the top 25 for the first time in 18 years, and Mills' 37-point explosion in their 99-87 upset win over then-No. 13 Oregon provided one of the season's signature moments. Games at McKeon Pavilion have become raucous, international-style events, with Australian flags waving and the singing of a traditional chant (which Hughes taught the crowd at Midnight Madness) whenever Mills or one of the team's other Aussies scores.
If it sounds like Mills and his mates are fitting right in at the small Moraga, Calif., school, you're right. Bennett started cultivating a pipeline from Down Under in 2001, when, after he took over a 2-27 team and was desperate to add a point guard, he lured Australian Institute of Sport product Adam Caporn to the United States. Caporn's presence then helped the Gaels land talented forward Daniel Kickert, one of Caporn's former teammates at the elite development academy. Kickert helped lead the Gaels to the 2005 NCAA Tournament. And now, along with Mills, there are two other Australians playing for the Gaels.
Mills' own recruitment started when he was 16 years old and the Kickert-led Gaels played AIS during a tour of Australia. Saint Mary's handily won the exhibition, but according to fifth-year senior Todd Golden, who was the point guard that day, he had his hands full with the precocious Mills, who scored 17 points and caused Golden to catch some grief from his coaches.
"I didn't feel as bad [about that game] when he put 37 on Oregon," Golden said with a laugh.
[Mills] really realizes that he has a great opportunity. He's one of very few people over there that has this opportunity to help that group of people.
--Randy Bennett
Mills said Saint Mary's was able to close the deal when Bennett personally made a trip to Canberra to meet with Mills' family. The presence of assistant coach David Patrick, a native Bahamian who had a long career in Australia's professional league and is a friend of the Mills family, also helped.
"For my mom and dad, I think the trust and the friendship that they have created with [Bennett] and coach Patrick was the key," Mills said. "My dad, especially, believed and trusted [Bennett] that I would get the development I needed to meet my goals in the future."
For Mills, the near future appears to hold a good chance of trips to the NCAA Tournament next spring and Beijing next summer. It also includes ever-growing acceptance that his background and his playing ability make him a role model.
The son of an Aborigine mom (a native of the mainland and adjacent islands) and a Torres Strait Islander dad (a native of a string of islands between the mainland and New Guinea), Mills is one of the country's approximately 500,000 indigenous people, a group that once was hindered by historical segregation practices. Today, indigenous Australians often still live in rural areas, and they have a life expectancy that is 20 years fewer than that of non-indigenous residents, according to a 2001 study by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Historically, indigenous Australians have made their athletic mark in Australian Rules Football and rugby, the country's two favorite sports, so few play basketball. As such, Mills' success stands out that much more.
"That's one of the things that motivates me to do well in basketball, knowing that not many indigenous people have gone through and succeeded," Mills said.
Indigenous Australian track star Cathy Freeman excelled at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, and her success in the international spotlight did wonders in lifting overall acceptance.
"[Mills] understands what's at stake here," Bennett said. "He embraces that. He has such poise and a confidence about it. It's not, 'Gosh, I can't let everyone down.' He really realizes that he has a great opportunity. He's one of very few people over there that has this opportunity to help that group of people."
Mills said his dad -- a former basketball player who, with his wife, runs a hoops program for indigenous children -- was a big reason he eschewed the more typical athletic paths in Australia. Mills' uncle, Danny Morseu, also had an influence. Morseu was the second indigenous player on Australia's national team when he played in the 1980 and 1984 Olympics. This past summer, Mills became the third.
Mills followed Morseu's pro career in Australia when he was a kid, and he grew closer to his uncle over the past four years as he himself developed as a prospect.
"He's someone who's been through that path and put a lot of hard work in to get there, so it goes without saying that he's taught me a lot," Mills said.
Now, Mills is the one doing the teaching. He shares the wisdom gleaned from international play with his more callow American teammates, and his teammates admire the way he carries himself with a maturity and poise well beyond his years.
"I think all the other players appreciate how he handles things and how unselfish he is in every other aspect of life, whether it be on the court or off the court," Bennett said.
Bennett understands the value of that kind of leadership and believes all of the Australians -- a group that also includes Hughes, Lucas Walker and Ben Allen, who is sitting out this season -- have given his program an added level of toughness.
"This team has a better work ethic than a lot of our other teams," he said. "I think it does have to do with these guys. They've been away from home. There's a reason they're here: That's to get an education and play basketball. They left all their friends, left all their family, so there's a commitment as soon as they get on that plane to come over here."
Of course, skill helps, too. This Saint Mary's squad is much more than just Mills. Forward Diamon Simpson is an all-league performer, and he teams with much-improved center Omar Samhan to provide a combined 25.8 points and 16.3 rebounds a game. That said, when you have a great point guard, it usually makes everyone better.
Golden noted that Mills' arrival meant "more open looks this season than I had in my first three seasons [combined]," and the Gaels' improvement across the board supports that. Saint Mary's is way up in shooting percentage and way down in turnovers while playing at a much faster pace. Add that up, and it means a much better offense -- and to this point, a much better record. If that continues, it also will mean even more focus on Mills, but Bennett expects his freshman to continue to handle himself with aplomb.
"Some guys who get this much attention as a freshman, people sometimes don't root for them," Bennett said. "They don't handle it well, and people become envious. This kid, everyone roots for him."
Andy Glockner is a regular contributor to ESPN.com's college basketball coverage and is the host of the ESPNU College Basketball Insider podcast. He can be reached at email@example.com.