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Opening new markets and creating new business opportunities leads to jobs, growth and long-term prosperity for all Canadians," said Prime Minister Harper in a statement about the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).Then USTR made its formal announcement:
"A TPP agreement will enhance trade in the Asia-Pacific region and will provide greater economic opportunity for Canadians and Canadian businesses."
President Obama announced today that the United States and the eight other countries negotiating the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Agreement have extended an invitation to Canada to join the TPP negotiations, pending successful conclusion of domestic procedures. In addition to the United States, the current TPP countries are Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Chile, Malaysia, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam.As I said last night, the addition of the conservative, (mostly) free-market Harper government to the TPP negotiations is undoubtedly a good thing for proponents of of trade liberalization in both countries. Hopefully its participation will reinvigorate the flagging talks and encourage more countries to jump on the TPP bandwagon. And, as Heritage's Derek Scissors noted yesterday, Mexico's inclusion is also a very good thing - an important point that I unfortunately neglected to mention in my rush to get into the weeds of the NAFTA partners' negotiating status.
"Inviting Canada to join the TPP negotiations presents a unique opportunity for the United States to build upon this already dynamic trading relationship. Through TPP, we are bringing the relationship with our largest trading partner into the 21st century," said Ambassador Kirk. "We look forward to continuing consultations with the Congress and domestic stakeholders regarding Canada's entry into the TPP as we move closer to a broad-based, high-standard trade agreement in the Asia-Pacific region."
Next steps will parallel those for Mexico, which was also invited to join the TPP negotiations yesterday. The Administration will shortly notify Congress of our intent to include Canada in the TPP negotiations. The notification will trigger a 90-day consultation period with Congress on U.S. negotiating objectives with respect to Canada. We also will publish a notice in the Federal Register seeking public comments.
Speaking of that status, while the benefits of adding Mexico and Canada are clear, what isn't clear at this stage is precisely what Canada conceded to the United States in order to finally - finally - get Washington to sign off on its Northern neighbor's TPP participation. The Obama administration told Inside US Trade [$] that Mexico (and presumably Canada) would not be able to participate in any way - not even as an observer - until the full 90-day period for congressional consultations had expired, essentially meaning that neither party will join any TPP talks until mid-September or so.
But once they get the all-clear on that front, will there be any limitations on their participation?
As I noted yesterday, the Obama administration last Friday allegedly asked both Canada and Mexico to agree to some pretty onerous procedural conditions before it would agree to let them join the TPP - essentially demoting the Canadians and Mexicans to "second-class" participants. However, before today's big announcement, Harper surrogatesmade clear that they would in no way accept such a demotion:
Canada and Mexico were told they could join if they agreed to several conditions that ensured new entrants didn't slow down negotiations. Canada and Mexico could not reopen any agreements already reached among current TPP partner countries – unless these nations agreed to revisit them. And the two nations would not have "veto authority" over what was agreed upon by the original members.So what exactly did they agree to? I honestly have no idea, nor do others who are watching Canada's TPP participation very closely. And when asked about what Canada gave up to join the talks, PM Harper and other Canadian officials weren't entirely clear:
Both countries were also supposed to agree to this before they'd even seen the latest version of negotiating texts.
A Canadian official said Monday there was no way Canada would agree to be a junior, or second-class, member at the talks.
Harper said there were no conditions attached to Canada's entry to the TPP talks when asked if he would put supply management on the negotiating table.Sounds strong, right? Well, Harper and Ked appear to be talking mainly about substance (in particular Canada's controversial system of agricultural supply management), not about process (in particular whether Canada is a "full" TPP participant will the same procedural rights as all other countries). On that front, the Canadians' strong statements are, well, less strong, although Harper is most definitely correct that the agreement is far, far from finished, so Canada's agreement not to harm completed FTA chapters is a very minor concession.
"Canada has not agreed to any specific measures in terms of an eventual Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement," he said.
"Canada aims, whenever it gets into a trade negotiations, to promote and to protect all of its interests across all the range of industries ... and Canada's record in terms of dealing with those particular issues in trade negotiations under our government has been very strong and that will continue to be our position," he said.
He said Canada would not seek to undo any progress already made by existing TPP partners and that the negotiations were in very preliminary stages. "As in any negotiations, nothing is agreed to until everything is agreed to by all parties."
Canada's accession to the TPP will take a period of time, he said, without giving details....
Gerald Ked, parliamentary secretary to the minister of international trade, reaffirmed on Tuesday that Canada did not give anything away to be part of the talks.
I'm sure that we'll find out about these details in due time. In the meantime, let's celebrate Canada's and Mexico's entry into the TPP - it was a long and arduous path that required a lot of hard diplomatic work from both US allies (unfortunately).
Now if only we can get Japan on board.
(I know, I know, best to quit tonight while I'm still in a good mood.)


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Hey yall! I have been one crafy girl today :)
I was trying to figure out what to get my littles for their end of the year gifts. Last year, my teamies and I made these.
We stayed up really late and worked for hours on these flower cookies. The little tag says "You have really bloomed in first grade!" They turned out really cute, and I think the kiddos enjoyed them.
But I just wanted to do something more permanent this year.
I had seen these tile pictures floating around Pinterest, so I decided to take a stab at it.
First, I gathered my materials.
*6 x 6 tile: Lowes $ .88
*2 sheets of scrapbook paper: Hobby Lobby $1.10
*Mod Podge: Hobby Lobby $4.99
*Foam paintbrushes: Hobby Lobby $1.33 for 6
*4 x 6 picture: Walgreens $ .33
Be sure to cut all of your paper and the picture beforehand, because the Mod Podge dries pretty quick. It would be super easy and helpful to have a paper cutter, but I just used paper as a straightedge.
Lay out all of your pieces first, to make sure they are cut to the right size and you know how you want them.
Using the foam brush, cover the tile with Mod Podge. Don't be afraid to use it liberally!
Then put the scrapbook paper down, smooth out all the bubbles, and brush with Mod Podge again.
If you are using 2 different types of paper like I did, put the other sheet down, smooth out the bubbles, and cover with another layer of Mod Podge. Be sure to do this quickly, because the glue dries pretty fast!
Lastly, put the picture on top, smooth out any bubbles, and cover with another layer of Mod Podge.
Let it dry for about 10-15 minutes. I decided to run out to Michaels at the last minute, and purchase this stand. It was on clearance for $1.49.
The final product!
I am sooo happy with how it turned out!
My plan is to do one of these for each of my students. I am going to take a picture of each of them doing a fun pose. Since I am planning to print them out at Walmart, I will also add some text at the bottom of the picture, probably "First Grade 2011-2012." I won't do the stands for each picture, because that would get too pricey. But these actually look just as great leaned up against the wall as they do on a stand.
My BFF and I are planning on having a sleepover to get these done for our littles before the year is out :)
You like?
I also made this using the same steps, but instead of a picture, I just covered a wooden letter with burlap and glued it to the front.
Before I go, I just posted a new unit in both my shops.
This fun unit correlates with the book "There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Shell" by Lucille Colandro. It is perfect for those last few weeks of the year, and will get the littles excited for summer and the beach!
Click here to get it from my Teachers Notebook store, and here to get it from my Teachers Pay Teachers store.
And, just because you made it allll the way through this entirely too long post, here is a freebie from the unit. Click on the picture to download.
First 2 to comment gets the unit free :)

subset: commoncrawl


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Chauncey Flay, who recently spent a month working with Tavioni at his studio in Atupa ahead of a sculpture exhibition last week, said he wanted to help the renowned artist "get some non-institutional support – especially from Cook Islanders around the world who know what he has given to the arts and want to give something back".
The former Rarotonga resident – who lived on the island between 2011 and 2017 – set up the online fundraiser earlier this week.
Flay said Tavioni was "very reluctant" to apply for additional grants or ask for money.
"I've convinced him – after many talks – that there will be many people out there in communities around the world that would happily support him in developing his art centre if they knew how.
"There is no shame in reaching out, and Givealittle will be a great way to fast track his project with the support of people who he has helped in the past, or who want to support him back now."
While Tavioni's gallery is nearly complete – having just housed the aforementioned sculpture exhibition – the associated art centre and art school are still some ways off and work is progressing slowly due to limited cash flow.
Flay said that during his recent trip to Rarotonga he became "inspired" by what Tavioni was working towards.
"I've had the privilege of watching Mike work, listening to his stories and benefitting from his endless generosity, spirit and humour," he said.
"All the time while I was there people would come to visit, maybe ask him to carve something, to donate a sculpture for a charity fundraiser, teach them some carving skills, or just sit down for a long chat about common friends, relatives or experiences.
"Mike was always happy to share and give to others, but the dream he constantly talked of was his plans to build his art centre."
Flay said starting the Givealittle page was his way of helping Tavioni achieve that dream.
"At this point I believe his energy needs to be going into making art, teaching, and sharing his vast knowledge, not scraping together some money to buy a few more bags of cement or sheets of roofing iron."


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Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo (SS2) carrier aircraft White Knight II (WK2) is under construction at Scaled Composites in Mojave, California and Flightglobal has obtained the first image showing the wing attached.
The image below shows the port side forward fuselage, WK2 has two such booms. The port fuselage does not have the windows present on the starboard fuselage, which can be seen in the images in this Hyperbola blog entry.
To see the full size image go to Rob Coppinger's Hyperbola blog post. More Virgin Galactic images can be found here at airspace.aero.
The quality of the photo reflects that fact that it was taken at extreme distance from the hangar and from an elevated position.
Above: Scaled Composites' employees stand around the port fuselage with the wing above them
Above: White Knight II without its SpaceShipTwo payload
Source: FlightGlobal.com


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Man fatally struck by car on North Side road
Photo: Jacob Beltran / San Antonio Express-News
A man is dead after he was struck by a car Tuesday night on the North Side.
San Antonio Police Department Sgt. Marcial Luevano said the incident occurred around 9:13 p.m. in the 9100 block of Perrin Beitel Road.
The man had just left a nearby convenience store and was crossing Perrin Beitel when he was hit by a silver Mercedes traveling south, according to police.
RELATED: Deputies find 25+ bullet casings after Converse shooting that left 1 dead, 1 injured
The driver remained at the scene and was cooperative with investigators, police said.
EMS pronounced the man dead at the scene, Luevano confirmed.
Traffic investigation detectives have shut down the southbound lanes as they examine the scene.
email@example.com | Twitter: @JBfromSA


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On this page are many of the links teachers ask me for often. And some tidbits.
- INTRANET – You might have to log in depending upon your browser and location. You will find many Links to stuff for us including PLAN, Discounts, Help Docs.
- Microsoft Purchase
- School Blog Teachers
- Library Blog Teachers (I know right.)


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The new Hawaii.gov portal just might be the coolest government website you have ever seen.
The touch-first design, Hawaiian themes, dynamic data and enhanced search represent a huge evolutionary step forward in government web sites.
[vimeo 64930119 w=500 h=281]
The New Hawaii.gov Website from ehawaii.gov on Vimeo.
Hawaii.gov is designed for mobile with a touch-first Responsive web design. Built for touch, speech, and with accessibility for all users, the new design showcases the very best in Web design thinking. Highlighting Hawaii's diversity, native culture, and the uniqueness of each island, Hawaii.gov also provides a Web experience that truly reflects the Aloha State.
Filed under: aloha, Announcements, Hawaii, Something New?, State Affairs, Technology Tagged: | Aloha State, Hawaii, Hawaii Convention Center, Hawaii Government Website, Hawaiian Islands


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About Wild Europe
Originally established in 2005, the Wild Europe initiative promotes a coordinated strategy for protection and restoration of wilderness and large wild areas of natural process and habitat, addressing the threats and opportunities facing them.
Wild Europe was formally launched in 2009 at an EC Presidency conference in Prague which was opened by Vaclav Havel, former Czech President and author of the 'Velvet Revolution'.
We are a partnership providing joint representation, rather than a membership body. We aim to support existing bodies and initiatives but not to duplicate their activities.
The partnership is currently comprised of agencies, NGOs, other institutions and key individuals. Its links reach beyond conservation to seek consensus with farming, forestry, business and urban social interests.
Further information can be found in the Wild Area Action Agenda.
Objectives of Wild Europe
- To ensure implementation of policy recommendations for wild and wilderness areas from the 2009 Prague EC Presidency conference
- To devise and support initiatives for protection and restoration arising from these
- To promote exchange of best practice in protection, restoration, management and utilization of benefits
- To communicate the concept and value of wildness in Europe to key decision takers
Who we are
EU Parliamentary endorsement
The Wild Europe initiative was directly endorsed by a European Parliament Report in February 2009:
"European Parliament calls on the Commission to accept the Wild Europe Initiative, a partnership of several nature conservation organisations including IUCN, IUCN-WCPA, WWF, Birdlife International and PAN Parks, with a strong interest in wild lands or nearly wild areas" (Report 2210 Section 16)
The initiative was recommended, in its present form, by an EC Presidency conference held in Prague in May 2009, attended by 238 participants from 36 countries.
The partnership currently is run through an Executive Committee, which meets periodically in Brussels. This is chaired by Ladislav Miko, former director of Environment DG at the European Commission. Participants provide pro bono support and funding contributions.
The Wild Europe initiative currently includes representatives and individuals from the following organizations:
- Alterra Consultancy
- Birdlife International
- Conservation Capital
- Council of Europe
- European Commission
- European Nature Trust
- European Wilderness Society
- Europarc Federation
- Frankfurt Zoological Society
- Institute of European Environmental Policy (IEEP)
- IUCN Regional Office for Europe and Global
- Natuurmonumenten
- Rewilding Europe
- Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts
- Wilderness Foundation UK
- Wildland Research Institute
- World Wide Fund for Nature
- WWF Austria


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Have you noticed that in some periods your hair falls more than usually, it becomes weaker, brittle, and its ends split? If you have found yourself in this type of situation when your hair falls a lot and you do not know what to do, you do not have to worry about that anymore. Hair loss can be caused by numerous factors, from genetic factors to stress problems. However, you can now appropriately take care of it and make it stronger easily with the right treatment.
- ten drops of essential rosemary oil – it is very beneficial for reactivating the blood flow and strengthening your hair
- ten drops of essential lemon oil – it has excellent antiseptic properties and acts refreshing
- two capsules of vitamin E – the essential and perfect component for combating hair loss
- natural shampoo with neutral pH
This shampoo is being prepared very easily and simply. Just take ten drops of essential lemon oil and ten drops of essential rosemary oil and add them to your shampoo. In the end, add the capsules of vitamin E. shake the bottle with the shampoo well so that all ingredients mix well and that's it! Remember that you need to use this hair loss shampoo often, at least every other day. Also, apply this shampoo on wet hair, massaging your scalp for about ten minutes. Then, leave the shampoo on for ten more minutes so that it has enough time to act. In the end, rinse your hair using warm, not hot water. now that you know how easy it is, you can start using this treatment. It is very refreshing, and it has elements that will stimulate circulation and regenerate the strength of your hair. Your hair is going to start growing right away and you will get incredible results in very short time.
Source: sportonlinegroup
Please share this post! It might help someone you know.


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I eavsedrop
posted July 15th, 2019 at 10:57 AM
10 CommentsPost a Comment
Jul 15, 2019 at 1:37pm
... and?
what does this have to do with you?
So What
Jul 15, 2019 at 2:49pm
I heard a kid say "That dog has a fancy tail."
I Eavesdrop Too!
Jul 15, 2019 at 3:21pm
Commuter Cyclist: "I don't use bike lanes because there's too many stops to get my heart rate up."
Engrossing Story
Jul 15, 2019 at 3:24pm
I woke up. I did things all day. I went to bed.
Jul 15, 2019 at 6:29pm
That's funny.
Jul 15, 2019 at 9:46pm
Walking along the Seawall my boyfriend we heard a French (France) younger woman say to her older lady friend "And, he had no idea I was apart of the Sex Society!" We then felt so bad that WE KNEW and whoever he was... didn't.
Jul 16, 2019 at 1:37pm
What the hell is the sex society???
Jul 16, 2019 at 2:59pm
What's it got to do with me?
I'm confessing that I eavesdrop.
Besides, I'm a journalist and novelist. As they say; everything is grist for the mill.
Jul 16, 2019 at 4:49pm
that would be just nosy.
Jul 16, 2019 at 5:18pm
Pretty hard NOT to evesdrop. All you need is ears.
Come up with something better if you are such a writer.
26 votes say that this is NOT a confession.


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Source: thecm5.
Wednesday, September 12th, 2018
Timucua Arts Foundation and The Civic Minded 5 present
Iron Cow Cafe
2438A East Robinson St, Orlando, Fl 32803
6:00 pm doors, 8:00 pm concert
$10 admission, advanced tickets available
Aside from the musicians from the late 1990's Sam Rivers crew, we're not sure that anyone has appeared in three cm5 shows inside the interval of one year. Cortex bandleader Thomas Johansson and saxophonist Kristoffer Alberts are about to enter our record books under this category. Last October, Cortex captivated the attendees at Gallery At Avalon Island. Just two or so months back, Johansson and Alberts stood front and center of that thirteen-strong new music mob, Large Unit, submitting new language for, well, ostensibly a jazz orchestra.


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Since I've switched over to PETG & sainSmart's TPU I haven't had any use for my old rolls of ABS & Ninja Flex (both 1.75mm). If anyone wants them, just pay for shipping & I'll get them headed your way. I think I can get everything in a large Priority mail box, so shipping should be under $20 [EDIT] I just double checked a large Priority box & I'll probably be lucky to squeeze three rolls in one, so shipping is definitely TBD.
The "water" Ninja Flex is unused & the I only used about 25% of the "lava"
There are 4 rolls of Hatchbox ABS: Transparent green, black, transparent black, & silver.
I also have a number of ABS samples I'll throw in, as well.


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Naked 100
Lava Flow 60mL by Naked 100
Lava Flow e liquid provides an escape to that tropical island on your screens background within two puffs. This delicious tropical flavor combination of fresh strawberries, with coconut, and pineapple intoxicate the senses and seduce the taste buds.
E-Juice Disclaimer
NOT FOR SALE TO MINORS | E-Liquid ordered from the Southern Cloud Cartel is for Adult Use Only and may contain some or all of the following ingredients (Propylene Glycol and/or Vegetable Glycerin, Nicotine, Distilled Water, Alcohol, and Flavorings). If you are allergic to any of the E-Liquid ingredients listed above, are pregnant or breast feeding, have high blood pressure or a heart condition, diabetes or asthma please consult your Physician first before using any E-Liquid products. (CALIFORNIA PROPOSITION 65) Warning: Nicotine is a highly addictive substance and is known by the state of California to cause birth defects or other reproductive harm. E-Liquid is not intended for oral ingestion or prolonged contact with skin, eyes, or mucus membranes. Please keep all E-Liquids out of reach of children or pets for their safety. Flawless will not be held liable for injuries resulting from the use or misuse of any E-Liquid product sold on this website. USE ALL PRODUCTS ON THIS SITE AT YOUR OWN RISK!


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The irresistible houseboat vacation is a good choice for families, couples and for plain adventurers. Certainly, nothing can be pleasurable than navigating through streams, lakes and rough rivers.
These Rich River Houseboats are well suited for short weekend cruise ships, honeymoons or long vacations. Houseboats are usually more appropriate for streams, lagoons, streams, and extended rivers.
These boats come in several styles and dimensions. Most of these houseboats can be custom-made in line with the personal preferences of clients. If you are thinking for family vacation you can checkout Mildura Houseboats.
The first thing should be to check the license and permits of the houseboat. These documents and requirements must be updated and conform to the regulations of the nation or region for vessel events.
There are boats which also serve as fixed lodging options. Certain countries do not demand entitlements but compel houseboat rental companies to get carry of boater education certification.
Look for a rent firm which specializes in boat leasing so you are assured of getting a reliable and safe craft. There are highly regarded companies that own modern-day vessels and stick strictly to safety-at-sea guidelines.
Simply Irresistible Houseboats are perfect for family vacation and you can spend quality time with your family.


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The new CD from 3 Leg Torso features wonderful, delightful instrumental tunes designed to transform the listener's universe into a thing of beauty and joy.
A new album from 3 Leg Torso is a cause for celebration. These guys are outstanding musicians. And they're doing something that nobody else is doing these days. That in itself is something to cheer. But then the music is so good. Most of it is original, composed by Bela R. Balogh and Courtney Von Drehle.
All tracks on Animals & Cannibals are instrumentals. And most have different sections, changes in mood and tone. This band is able to tell complex stories without words, to grab the listener and take him or her on several intricate and wonderful journeys.
"Akiko Yano"
Animals & Cannibals opens with "Akiko Yano," a wonderful track with an intriguing structure. It's like classical music with pop music sensibilities. There is also some amazing work on violin.
"Csardas" was written in 1904 by Vittorio Monti, based on a Hungarian folk dance. This music will be familiar to most people, and 3 Leg Torso's rendition should delight and impress everyone with its manic pace, particularly T.J. on xylophone. And then it draws the listener in with its quiet section before bursting into another fun, vibrant area.
"The Life And Times And Good Deeds Of St. Penguin"
The first moments of "The Life And Times And Good Deeds Of St. Penguin" are sad and serious, like something from Schindler's List. And then it takes a delightful turn, becoming a fun and playful tune. This music makes one want to found his own country and hire this band as the official court musicians. (Of course, court choreographers will need to be hired to create official dances to this music.)
This track features Ja'Ttik on tuba and Jen Harrison on French horn.
"Toothless Cannibal"
"Toothless Cannibal" sounds like some whacked-out jazz sprites broke into a room of classical instruments and went to town (after ingesting Chick Corea and Herbie Hancock, that is). This is one of the best tracks on the CD. Just wonderful.
"Driving Along With My Cow In My Volga"
Let this song take over, and it will assuredly transform you into a cartoon character. Everything around you will become animated, and you'll become capable of feats astounding and absurd. It's true. Just give it a listen. Household objects will begin dancing and telling you fantastic tales.
"According To Chagall"
Halfway through this album, suddenly there is this beautiful song titled "According To Chagall." It's wonderful and nostalgic, and even contains a moment evocative of childhood dreaming. Courtney Von Drehle wrote this one.
"Bus Stop To Oblivion"
At first, "Bus Stop To Oblivion" feels like a folk song from the highlands. Then it kicks in with a drum roll leading to musical madness, particularly on the accordion. This song even has some rock elements. "Bus Stop To Oblivion" goes through several changes, but always feels like a cohesive piece - like a medley by a madcap genius.
"Frailach #1"
This song starts with a cool groove with drums and bass, and then adds some insane strings over that groove. The song is loose and exploratory at times, with some excellent work on bass and violin. In the liner notes, it's credited as a traditional song, arranged by 3 Leg Torso. It's a song in the klezmer tradition, and it's one of the best tracks on the album.
Tarik Banzi plays doumbek on this song. (A doumbek is a type of hand drum, shaped like a goblet.)
"Autumn" is soft and sad, like a puppet who's had several of his strings cut and can't hold his head up or move in anything but circles. And in a world that's getting colder. The violin comes in like a cold and indifferent wind.
Bela R. Balogh plays piano on this track, and it sounds excellent. This is another of the album's best songs.
"The Last Dream"
The album concludes with "The Last Dream," a sweet, reflective piece with some devilish hints.
CD Track List
- Akiko Yano
- Csardas
- The Life And Times And Good Deeds Of St. Penguin
- Toothless Cannibal
- Driving Along With My Cow In My Volga
- According To Chagall
- Bus Stop To Oblivion
- Frailach #1
- Autumn
- The Last Dream
The musicians of 3 Leg Torso are Bela R. Balogh on violin and trumpet; Courtney Von Drehle on accordion; Gary Irvine on drums, vibraphone, glockenspiel, xylophone, bowed vibraphone and bell chime; Michael Papillo on double bass; T.J. Arko on vibraphone, glockenspiel, xylophone and drums. Mike Murphy plays double bass on "The Life And Times And Good Deeds Of St. Penguin" and "Autumn."
Kyle MacLowry plays vibraphone on "The Life And Times And Good Deeds of St. Penguin," and xylophone on "Frailach #1." JaTtik Clark plays tuba on "The Life And Times And Good Deeds Of St. Penguin" and "Autumn." Jen Harrison plays French horn on "The Life And Times And Good Deeds Of St. Penguin" and "The Last Dream." Tarik Banzi plays doumbek on "Frailach #1."
Animals & Cannibals was released on August 10, 2010. This is the band's fifth release. Other albums include 3 Leg Torso (1997), Astor In Paris (2003), Legibly Speaking (2004) and Whispers, Grins, Bloodloss & Handshakes (2005).
By the way, 3 Leg Torso also puts on an excellent live performance. If an opportunity comes to attend one of their concerts, take it, seize it, go.
September 4, 2010 by Michael Doherty


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So excited to announce that my favorite NYC soho boutique, Court, just launched an online shop. Nicole and Lisa are my total go-to whenever i'm in need of a new article of clothing. they have impeccable taste in clothes and always carry things that you can't find anywhere else in NYC. they recently launched their own Court label jeans, and they are hott hott hott. i am very proud that Jené DeSpain jewelry has been a part of Court since the beginning and i am so excited that it's now available through their website. Check out this story that Styled On wrote about the new shop: http://www.styledon.com/fashion/features/articles/for-cool-girls-only-court-gets-digital
and revel in the wonder of their new online shop at: http://www.courtshop.com


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Charlotte Holmes
Charlotte Holmes's stories and essays have appeared in the New Yorker, the Antioch Review, and New Letters. The title story of her collection Gifts and Other Stories (Confluence Press) will appear in the anthology After O'Connor: Contemporary Georgia Stories, forthcoming this fall from the University of Georgia Press. She teaches at Pennsylvania State University.
— From August 2003


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PARIS (Reuters) - French Prime Minister Manuel Valls reiterated on Sunday calls for the European Central Bank to go "further" in tackling the problem of an overvalued euro.
Speaking at a Socialist party gathering in La Rochelle, Valls said the ECB's June decision to cut interest rates was a "strong signal" but more was needed.
"The ECB is finally acting to sustain growth, but it must go even further," Valls said.
On Thursday, Socialist President Francois Hollande cited the deflationary risk from the weakened euro and said the ECB needed to do more to fight it and boost growth.
ECB President Mario Draghi hinted last week that weak euro zone growth and inflation could push the body to implement a broad-based asset purchase program.
(Reporting By Alexandria Sage; Editing by Hugh Lawson)


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If you don't regularly pay attention to the news in San Diego, there's a few transportation related things you might have missed over the past year. Bikes The DiscoverBikes that have been a staple in San Diego are now gone! Some people who frequented the convention would use these to get around the Gaslamp and … Continue reading How do I get there – Update!
Comic-Con is over! What now?
The end of convention is always bittersweet. If you attended, you're probably sad to be going home (because conventions are a blast), but you're also pretty glad not to be walking so much anymore. There's a few things you can do to help fill that void that the end of the convention has left Unpack … Continue reading Comic-Con is over! What now?
Smartphones sometimes get a bad reputation, but they can be very useful, especially for conventions. There are a lot of great apps out there for both Android and Apple phones that you can use, and we'll even give you some links to help you out! Official Comic-Con App Your mobile convention guide, the Comic-Con app … Continue reading iCon
How to Do Comic-Con like a Professional
Comic-con is full of industry professionals. For some people, they're attending the con just for fun (or as a "fan") or others who are there for work, there's lots of opportunities around. Whether or not you're actively working in "the business", SDCC is a great location to network, and if you aren't, to learn how … Continue reading How to Do Comic-Con like a Professional
Con Casual
While a lot of people plan out every minute of the con, others take a more casual pace. Southern California offers a lot for people to do outside of the convention. San Diego Country There is always the easiest option of spending your free time doing things around town. My personal favorite is to spend … Continue reading Con Casual
So how about those Superfans?
Since SDCC brings a ton of big-name stars, you get a lot of what people call "superfans". These fans won't just be in line for (or inside) of Hall H, they will be all around the Gaslamp area. Some groups of fans can definitely cause some traffic jams and more than a little stress in … Continue reading So how about those Superfans?
Cosplay has been around for almost a hundred years, which is a really cool thing to think about. Tons of people love their fandoms enough to proudly show their love by wearing it (literally) on their sleeve. SDCC is widely regarded as a cosplay mecca and this is a fun place to join in on … Continue reading Cosplay and the Con


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Our collaborative and iterative approach means we work alongside clients as one integrated team.
We build software products that drive revenue. And we know that driving revenue requires aligning technology needs with business outcomes. We accomplish that by identifying the best ways to optimize the customer experience and monetize your data or content.


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The knives are out in the oilpatch as Canadian companies plan to cut production as the industry is forced to sell its oil at a third of global market prices.
Canadian Natural Resources Ltd., the country's largest oil producer, said it will "strategically shift capital, curtail volumes, shut in production and delay completion of recently drilled crude oil wells," due to lack of market access for its oil, regulatory uncertainty, lack of fiscal competitiveness and rivals that are exacerbating the country's stressed pipeline takeaway capacity.
Clearly some parties who capture windfall revenues at the expense of Alberta citizens and Alberta producers are determined to continue to capture windfall revenueCNRL's Tim KcKay
The company plans to reduce 10,000 to 15,000 bpd of heavy crude oil production in October and is targeting 45,000 to 55,000 bpd in November and December, in response to wide differentials. The company also reduced its 2018 production outlook in its North American segment as it announced its third-quarter earnings results Thursday.
"Market access for lack of takeaway capacity is a major driver of the current Canadian pricing," Tim KcKay, chief operating officer at Canadian Natural told analysts in a conference call. "Root cause for the lack of takeaway capacity is Canada's dysfunctional regulatory, legal and political systems that allow endless delays to be put forward by minor distractors."
The company also blamed the nomination process on pipelines "that's ineffective and creates further distortions in the market."
"Canadian Natural is working with producers in the crude oil logistics committee to optimize the nomination process," McKay said. "It is taking some time as clearly some parties who capture windfall revenues at the expense of Alberta citizens and Alberta producers are determined to continue to capture windfall revenue."
MEG Energy Inc. said it also plans to reduce its fourth quarter production by 4,000 to 6,000 bpd and is advancing a portion of its 2019 scheduled maintenance programme in November.
"MEG plans to mitigate exposure to the differential through increased use of rail and inventory management," the company said in its quarterly earnings statement Thursday.
MEG, which is fighting to stave off a bid from Husky Energy Inc., sold around 31 per cent of blend volumes in the U.S. Gulf Coast in the third quarter, capturing higher prices.
To get around the issue of choked pipelines, MEG recently secured a three-year agreement to ship 30,000 bpd at Cenovus Energy Inc.'s Bruderheim terminal.
MEG expects the Western Canada Select differentials to moderate into the high to low US$20s through 2019 as Canadian rail export volumes increase significantly and PADD II refineries come back online "after what has been the largest turnaround season in the last five years," a company executive said at a conference call.
Cenovus Energy Inc. said on Wednesday it was limiting output due to severe discounts and said it expected the price of domestic heavy crude to rise by mid-2019 as increased rail volumes ease transport bottlenecks.
The company did not specify how much production it was restricting but said it has slowed output at both its Foster Creek and Christina Lake sites.
While rivals take cover, Suncor Energy Inc., Canada's second-largest energy producer, does not need to reduce crude output as some of its peers are doing to cope with low prices.
Suncor, which has dedicated pipeline space for its crude as well as refineries in Canada, is mostly insulated from the impact of growing price discounts that U.S. refineries apply to Canadian oil, which have hurt rival producers, chief executive Steve Williams said on Thursday. Those discounts are largely attributed to pipeline constraints.
"The higher-cost producers are having to pull back because they're not making any margin on their last barrel. We're not in that circumstance," Williams said on a call with analysts in response to a question on whether Suncor would cut production. "If we were, we wouldn't hesitate to pull throughput back."
Discounts should abate this year, with more significant relief arriving when Enbridge Inc.'s expanded Line 3 pipeline comes online late next year, Williams said.
Canadian heavy crude for December delivery in Hardisty, Alberta, was at US$46.50 a barrel below North American crude futures on Thursday, according to Shorcan Energy brokers. That meant Canadian crude was trading at less than half the benchmark price.
Despite their troubles, Canadian oil companies managed to turn in a good performance.
Canadian Natural's quarterly profit more than doubled and beat analysts' estimates, helped by higher production and average realized prices. The company is looking to produce more light crude, which is easier to extract and refine, to take advantage of a more than 20 per cent year-over-year rise in global oil prices.
MEG posted net earnings of $118.2 million for the three months ending Sept. 30, compared to $83.9 million for the same period last year.
Suncor's operating profit, which excludes one-time items, was $1.6 billion, in the quarter, up from $867 million in the year-ago period.
Financial Post Staff with files from Thomson Reuters


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CGIAR staff frequently use online tools to communicate with colleagues and partners around the globe. Many of these tools have made a significant, positive impact on the way staff work by facilitating communication and information sharing.
Until recently, some CGIAR Centers used Microsoft's Live Communications Server (LCS) version 2005, an internal instant messaging (IM) system that integrates other IM applications (MSN, AOL and Yahoo) using a single client. LCS wasn't deployed widely in the CGIAR mainly because the Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) conversations between Centers didn't work properly. This was due to the different security levels and network environments across Centers, as well as some limitations with LCS itself. In addition, the implementation of LCS incurred monthly costs for server maintenance and per-user licensing charges.
Consequently, the decision has been made to remove LCS from the CGIAR's portfolio of services come September 2009 and explore alternatives.
As the Technical Coordinator of the ICT-KM program, I've been working with a group of CGIAR IT managers over the past few months to research possible cost-effective alternatives to replace LCS. The objective is to find a tool (or set of tools) that:
- doesn't incur high licensing and server maintenance costs
- has a user management that can be integrated with CGIAR Active Directory, which presently has over 8500 users
- allows users to make calls to landlines and mobile phones at low rates given the high cost of communications between Centers and with CGIAR partners and to a much lesser extent within Centers
With these requirements in mind, we started exploring GTalk and Skype, both of which are applications in the cloud.
While a system-wide decision is yet to be made, I would like to share the information I've collected so far about these tools and present a comparison table.
Google Talk (GTalk)
In mid 2008, the CGIAR tried out Google Apps as a suite of collaboration tools. The ICT-KM Program gathered the feedback from users and published it in the CGIAR Google Apps Case Study Report. Then, in January 2009, it was decided to implement Google Apps Education edition to replace the CGXchange BEA Aqualogics infrastructure and take advantage of the collaboration tools in the Google Apps package: Docs, Sites, Calendar, Google Talk, etc.
Google Talk is a free web-based application for instant messaging and voice over internet protocol (VOIP), offered by Google Inc.
Instant messaging between the Google Talk servers and its clients uses an open protocol, XMPP, allowing users of other XMPP clients to communicate with Google Talk users.
For more information about Google Talk, click here.
, another popular VoIP software with IM functionality, is already more widely used than Google Talk in the CGIAR. Skype, which has been owned by eBay since 2005, is free to download and has more than 443 million users around the world as of March 2009 (according to EBay).
One of the main differences between Google Talk and Skype is that the latter allows users to make free PC-to-PC calls as well as low-cost long-distance or international phone calls to landlines and mobile phones over the Internet.
Skype uses a peer-to-peer protocol and offers voicemail, chat, videoconferencing and an expanding array of additional services. Skype is not a replacement for ordinary telephones and cannot be used for emergency calling.
While Skype was originally intended for personal communications, the service also offers significant appeal as a low-cost, long-distance service for businesses, particularly for companies that need to communicate internationally.
There are some 3rd-party Skype solutions for business such as Skip2PBX and VoSky Exchange to name a few that offer the possibility of integrating Skype with their PBX systems. However, Skype has begun testing a connection to corporate VoIP systems (Skype For SIP for Business Users), something that enterprises have been asking for years and which is currently undergoing beta testing.
Although Skype is a great tool for making competitively priced calls to landlines and mobile phones, I feel it needs to improve its online presence indicator – sometimes, online users are shown as being offline when their status if set to online. I've also received some instant messages several days after they were sent. In short, the IM feature is not always so 'instant' after all.
For more information about Skype, click here
Comparison between Google Talk and Skype
See the Google Talk and Skype comparison table
In my opinion, Google Talk is more enterprise-oriented than Skype, has a good level of security, requires less bandwidth, collaborative features that work well with the implementation of Google Applications Education Edition (CGX 2.0), and integrates with our Active Directory through third-party tools, to name just a few advantages.
Skype, on the other hand, is an application with many interesting features that Google Talk doesn't have at the moment, such as the ability to establish a conference call with up to five people at a time and the ability to make phone calls to mobiles and landlines worldwide at low rates. However, this software requires more bandwidth than Google Talk and it is blocked in some CGIAR Centers as a result.
In summary, there is no single tool that does it all. At the moment I use Google Talk mostly for work-related purposes since it's directly linked with the Google Apps CGX 2.0 collaboration workspace and with external partners or friends that have Gmail accounts.
I mostly use Skype for personal communications or when I need to make international phone calls or send a text message. I hope Google introduces a feature that will allow users to make phone calls to landlines and mobile phones at low-rates with Google Talk. Google is working on Google Voice, the next version of Grand Central (presently in private beta), which will allow users to make international calls, conference calls and send text messages. However, it's not known if Google Voice will be integrated with Google Talk. If that were to happen, we would have a real killer application at our disposal.
Keep a look out for the full report on the 'Selection of a communication tool in the CGIAR' – to be published soon!
Until the next time, the question still begs: GTalk, Skype or both?


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Anne Frank, a Jewish girl living with her family in Amsterdam, was thirteen years old during the summer of 1942. At the time, German forces were occupying The Netherlands (also known as Holland).
Originally from Frankfurt (Germany), where she was born in 1929, Anne moved to Holland when she was a small girl. Her father - Otto Frank - believed that restrictions on Jewish people in Germany would not bode well for his family. The last picture of Anne in Frankfurt - with her mother (Edith) and older sister (Margot) - was taken on March 10, 1933. Anne was then four years old.
In Amsterdam, Anne lived at Merwedeplein 37 (on the second floor). The apartment building is still standing and is shown in this photograph. (Number 37 is on the left; number 39 is on the right.)
Restrictions on Jewish people, put in place by the Nazis, made life very difficult for Anne and all other Jewish people living in Holland.
During June of 1942, Anne began to keep a diary. Since she did not have a best friend, Anne planned to confide all her deep thoughts and innermost secrets to her new friend - the diary - whom she addressed as "Kitty."
On the 20th of June, 1942, Anne believed everything in her life was as good as could be expected given the circumstances of the occupation. Two weeks later, however, her whole world would be turned upside down.
Anne's diary entry - for the 20th of June, 1942 - is read by Carole Bos (creator of Awesome Stories). As you hear the story, the following points may help to guide your thinking.
ISSUES AND QUESTIONS TO PONDER: Anne Frank knows that life for Jewish people is difficult in The Netherlands - under the German occupation - but do you think this thirteen-year-old girl could have anticipated all the restrictions which she describes in her diary? How do you think she responded to them? Are those issues part of what she wanted to get off her chest (as she describes it) in writing her diary?
If those types of restrictions were suddenly made a part of your life, how would you respond?
What do you think happens, to a person, when he/she is expected to give-in to the dictates of a government forcing such restrictions upon one's life?
Anne doesn't have a best friend, so she tries to make-up for that by starting a diary she names "Kitty." How would a diary ever take the place of a best friend?
Have you ever had a time in your life when writing down your reactions, to bad events, helped to make you feel better about your situation? Describe how writing about it, in your journal, helped you to deal with the problems.
In addition, hear:
Excerpt from Anne's Diary for July 5, 1942
Excerpt from Anne's Diary for July 8, 1942
Saturday, June 20, 1942
Writing in a diary is a really strange experience for someone like me. Not only because I've never written anything before, but also because it seems to me that later on neither I nor anyone else will be interested in the musings of a thirteen-year-old schoolgirl. Oh well, it doesn't matter. I feel like writing, and I have an even greater need to get all kinds of things off my chest.
"Paper has more patience than people." I thought of this saying on one of those days when I was feeling a little depressed and was sitting at home with my chin in my hands, bored and listless, wondering whether to stay in or go out. I finally stayed where I was, brooding.
Yes, paper does have more patience, and since I'm not planning to let anyone else read this stiff-backed notebook grandly referred to as a "diary" unless I should ever find a real friend, it probably won't make a bit of difference.
Now I'm back to the point that prompted me to keep a diary in the first place: I don't have a friend.
Let me put it more clearly, since no one will believe that a thirteen-year-old girl is completely alone in the world. And I'm not. I have loving parents and a sixteen-year-old sister, and there are about thirty people I can call friends. I have a throng of admirers who can't keep their adoring eyes off me and who sometimes have to resort to using a broken pocket mirror to try and catch a glimpse of me in the classroom. I have a family, loving aunts and a good home.
No, on the surface I seem to have everything, except my one true friend. All I think about when I'm with friends is having a good time. I can't bring myself to talk about anything but ordinary everyday things. We don't seem to be able to get any closer, and that's the problem. Maybe it's my fault that we don't confide in each other. In any case, that's just how things are, and unfortunately they're not liable to change. This is why I've started the diary.
To enhance the image of this long-awaited friend in my imagination, I don't want to jot down the facts in this diary the way most people would do, but I want the diary to be my friend, and I'm going to call this friend Kitty.
Since no one would understand a word of my stories to Kitty if I were to plunge right in, I'd better provide a brief sketch of my life, much as I dislike doing so.
My father, the most adorable father I've ever seen, didn't marry my mother until he was thirty-six and she was twenty-five. My sister Margot was born in Frankfurt am Main in Germany in 1926. I was born on June 12, 1929. I lived in Frankfurt until I was four. Because we're Jewish, my father immigrated to Holland in 1933, when he became the Managing Director of the Dutch Opekta Company, which manufactures products used in making jam. My mother, Edith Holländer Frank, went with him to Holland in September, while Margot and I were sent to Aachen to stay with our grandmother. Margot went to Holland in December, and I followed in February, when I was plunked down on the table as a birthday present for Margot.
I started right away at the Montessori nursery school. I stayed there until I was six, at which time I started first grade. In sixth grade my teacher was Mrs. Kuperus, the principal. At the end of the year we were both in tears as we said a heartbreaking farewell, because I'd been accepted at the Jewish Lyceum, where Margot also went to school.
Our lives were not without anxiety, since our relatives in Germany were suffering under Hitler's anti-Jewish laws. After the pogroms in 1938 my two uncles (my mother's brothers) fled Germany, finding safe refuge in North America. My elderly grandmother came to live with us. She was seventy-three years old at the time.
After May 1940 the good times were few and far between: first there was the war, then the capitulation and then the arrival of the Germans, which is when the trouble started for the Jews. Our freedom was severely restricted by a series of anti-Jewish decrees: Jews were required to wear a yellow star; Jews were required to turn in their bicycles; Jews were forbidden to use streetcars; Jews were forbidden to ride in cars, even their own; Jews were required to do their shopping between 3 and 5 P.M.; Jews were required to frequent only Jewish-owned barbershops and beauty parlors; Jews were forbidden to be out on the streets between 8 P.M. and 6 A.M.; Jews were forbidden to go to theaters, movies or any other forms of entertainment; Jews were forbidden to go rowing; Jews were forbidden to take part in any athletic activity in public; Jews were forbidden to sit in their gardens or those of their friends after 8 P.M.; Jews were forbidden to visit Christians in their homes. Jews were required to attend Jewish schools, etc. You couldn't do this and you couldn't do that, but life went on. Jacque always said to me, "I don't dare do anything anymore, 'cause I'm afraid it's not allowed."
In the summer of 1941 Grandma got sick and had to have an operation, so my birthday passed with little celebration. In the summer of 1940 we didn't do much for my birthday either, since the fighting had just ended in Holland. Grandma died in January 1942. No one knows how often I think of her and still love her. This birthday celebration in 1942 was intended to make up for the others, and Grandma's candle was lit along with the rest.
The four of us are still doing well, and that brings me to the present date of June 20, 1942, and the solemn dedication of my diary.
On August 4, 1944, Anne and her family were betrayed by a Dutch informer who gave a tip to the Gestapo. When the Nazis searched Anne's hiding place, she and her family (and the others who were sharing the cramped living space) were found, arrested and then deported to a Nazi concentration camp.
For Classics at Awesome Stories
The Diary of a Young Girl, entry for the 20th of June, 1942, read by Carole Bos. Copyright for The Diary of a Young Girl, "The Anne Frank - Fonds," Basel, Switzerland, all rights reserved. Excerpt from the diary provided here as fair use for educational purposes and to acquaint new readers with the book.


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As children ditch their "offline" haunts (playgrounds and parks) for their "online" equivalents (social media and apps), parental care is seeing a paradigm shift. Families are seeking digital solutions to ensure their kids' safety on the internet. It is important for parents of teens to be aware of what teens in general are doing online these days, for peer pressure and influence will rule their kids' lives for the next few years. And with some kids spending close to 11 hours watching some screen or the other, the importance of a digital solution can't be more stressed.
But like with most options in life, there are numerous online safety solutions available in the market today. There are software solutions (like Mobicip) that install on all the devices at home with an administrator (parents) setting the levels of control for each individual user. And then there are hardware solutions (like Torch and Circle) in the form of routers and appliances that act as gateways of internet access and attempt to filter at its source.
Let's take a look at the following checklist of criteria to decide the winner of the Hardware vs Software bout:
1) Price & Net Spend per year
(Picture Credit: Flickr)
- Hardware: Internet filtering appliances retail anywhere between $100 to $250. Then there is the added risk of device failure that might lead to repeat purchases, maintenance or footing additional charges (say $100 in total throughout the product's life). According to a study conducted by Maya Kosoff and her team at Business Insider, average American teens get their first internet-enabled device at the age of 11. So parents see a timeline of 5 to 7 years before they let their children access the internet on their own terms. So that means an average expenditure of $275 for an average period of 6 years; which translates roughly to an effective $46 spend per year!
- Software: Most of the online filtering applications operate on a freemium model. For example, Mobicip has its free version which offers a basic level of protection with an optional 2 week Premium offer. This allows first time users to sample the application's core capabilities and make the jump to Premium based on performance. The Premium licenses cost on average $40 per year (adjusting for discounts).
Round 1 goes in favour of software by a thin margin.
2) Protection on the Go
(Picture Credit: Wikimedia)
- Hardware: While internet filtering routers are excellent home solutions, they can't cover/monitor out-of-home internet access. Mobile internet can easily be used to stay away from parental scrutiny. This is a huge drawback in the hardware solutions. Most are playing catch-up now by offering a software solution to go along with the original; so down goes a major differentiator!
- Software: As software secures the internet at the end-user-level, it offers constant protection on the go, 24x7x365! And as pornography searches increase 4700% when kids are not at home or school, it is vital to have an end-user-level solution for a round-the-clock holistic online protection.
Round 2 sees hardware saved by the bell!
3) Level of Control
(Picture Credit: GStatic)
- Harware: As the primary gateway to internet access, hardware has a more robust control over all devices linked to the internet. It even supports gaming systems and smart TVs; something that software solutions can't at present. Controls can be set online via a dashboard.
- Software: Most mobile devices fall under the scrutiny of software-powered online safety solutions. Most major device platforms are supported by software solutions, with more platforms being added constantly. Custom settings allow parents (admins) to tailor limits and modify them with time. A convenient admin app allows parents to access key metrics like usage data, browsing history and information about apps on each device.
Round 3 is a close call. Great comeback by Hardware.
4) Security
(Picture Credit: Flickr)
- Harware: Online safety solutions that rely on hardware are robust and hard to bypass. But there's no stopping an irate teenager from messing with the device or damaging it on purpose. Parents might never find out why the device went kaputt and would eventually revert to other filtering options.
- Software: Yes kids are smart these days. Some are even professional hackers. But that doesn't mean software solutions for home internet safety are easy to bypass. Software solutions are cutting edge and repeatedly updated; and there's constant improvement in both online safety standards and protection against meddling and by-passing.
Round 4 has Hardware nearly on the ropes. Software looks to the crowds.
5) Simplicity
(Picture Credit: Mobicip)
- Harware: Adding an additional link in the internet access network, increases the odds of something going wrong. Hardware solutions need to be installed and configured by technicians; not easy for the DIY folks. Even plug and play devices can be tricky to format. At the end of the day, hardware solutions depend on software interfaces to present all usage data as interesting visual information; so that parents can make informed decisions. The simplicity of the entire experience hinges on the user experience of the software interface linked to the hardware.
- Software: Software solutions require it to be individually downloaded on to each mobile device at home; and the parents get sole access to the admin console as a separate app. It's an added effort, but installing a software isn't rocket science; while formating network requirements for a router or configuring and internet controlling appliance can be tough. Once downloaded parents can view reports, tweak filter settings and sit back to relax.
Round 5 ends and Hardware throws in the towel!
One more point that should be highlighted for parents in the decision making process is that software solutions have little or no switching costs. At $40 per year, and functioning on a yearly renewal basis, parents can shift over to another service without much to lose; and service providers do offer partial refunds for premature cancellation. But harware options are sunk investments and the switching cost is prohibitively high at more than $250 (the average net cost of a new internet filtering applicance). Based on this comprehensive criteria-based comparison it's quite obvious that online filtering software applications are both economically and technologically superior to hardware alternatives. This inherent fact is reflected in the market too, where software solutions far outnumber hardware based solution providers!
Keep in touch with the latest on parenting, technology and education. Subscribe to the Mobicip newsletter.


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Can you remember when someone who was 35 years old was old? Or when the $18 per hour labor rate at the local boat yard seemed an outrageous sum? Well, if you can, I'd like to say you're a lot older than I am, but the truth is I can remember all too well.
I was once again reminded of how our perceptions change with time when I was researching this month's review and ran across a 1978 advertisement for the Sabre 34 that extolled her wide beam as one of the features setting her apart from her competition. By current standards, the 10' 6" beam of the Sabre 34 would be considered moderate by most and narrow by some.
The Sabre design team, headed by the company's founder Roger Hewson, was responsible for the Sabre 34. The model was introduced in 1977 at a time when it was common to blend in elements of IOR design though there was likely never any serious intention of creating a design that would seriously compete under the rule. The 34's hull shape clearly suggests an IOR influence, however, without the extremes of the flat out racers of the day.
The original Sabre 34 measured 33' 8" LOA, with a 10' 6" beam, 5' 6" draft and an approximate displacement of 11,300 pounds. A shoal draft centerboard version was also offered with a board up draft of 3' 11". The design remained in production until 1984. In 1985, Sabre introduced a considerably modified 34. In fact, every principal dimension was changed as well as significant interior modifications, and it isn't possible to compare post-1984 Sabre 34s to the earlier models.
From the first Sabre Yacht I ever saw in the early 1970s, I was impressed with the company's quality of construction and attention to detail. The hull of the Sabre 34 is constructed of hand-laid fiberglass cloth and resin with substantial fiberglass encapsulated longitudinal and athwartship structural support. The deck and hull are through bolted on, and inward flange and structural knees and bulkheads are securely attached. Cabinet and joiner work is among the best to be found on any production built boat. Access for inspection is generally good through the boat, and it is rare to find any significant structural concerns, although moderate osmotic blistering is not uncommon below the waterline.
The decks and cabin house are a fiberglass composite with a balsa wood core. A number of fittings, including the handrails on each side, were bolted through the balsa core without properly sealing the core at the penetrations. This has led to serious delamination and deterioration on several models I have inspected. While it may not be a serious structural concern, the repair can easily cost $4,000 to $5,000 to retain the boat's value.
The accommodations of the Sabre 34 are the epitome of the standard interior, one I have referred to in the past as right out of "Yacht Design-101" . The layout features a V-berth cabin forward followed by a port side head and starboard side lockers, port and starboard settees in the main saloon with a table that folds up against the forward bulkhead. Aft there is a U-shaped galley opposed by a navigation table and quarter berth. The navigation station and galley may be reversed depending on the year of production. This layout is traditional, utilizes available space well, is functional and is just plain tough to beat on a boat of this size.
The Sabre 34 performs well on all points of sail and under nearly all conditions. She has taken home her fair share of silver in club racing and is stout and comfortable enough to consider for offshore pasagemaking.
Two numbers that are commonly used to evaluate sailing performance are displacement to length ratio (D/L) and sail area to displacement ratio (SA/D). Again, by today's standard, the Sabre 34's numbers 279 and 16.1, respectively, are conservative. However, when compared against a relatively large sample of 50 boats between 33.5 and 34.5 feet LOA, these numbers are not far from the average, which, for my 50-boat sample, indicated a D/L of 257 and SA/D of 17.2.
Another performance number that's interesting to consider for cruising boats is what its creator, Ted Brewer, has dubbed the comfort ratio. This number results from a formula that compares the length overall, length at the waterline, the beam and the displacement and is intended to represent a boat's expected motion in a seaway. A larger number generally suggests a boat with a slower less violent motion and therefore more comfortable. The Sabre 34's comfort ratio is 27. Comparing this to my 50-boat sample shows the Sabre to be slightly above the average of 25.4. This is not high enough to suggest sluggish performance. For comparison, the highest comfort ratio in my sample was the Hans Christian 34 with a ratio of 38 and the lowest was the J-105 with a ratio of 15.
Some early model 34s were powered by Universal Atomic 4 gasoline engines. After the first year of production only Volvo or Westerbeke diesel engines were standard equipment. All provide adequate power and reliability when properly maintained, although the two-cylinder Volvo engines are louder with more vibration than the Universal and Westerbeke models.
I have not been able to determine just how many pre-1985 Sabre 34 models were built, but this was a popular model and there are enough that there are usually several on the market at any given time.
The Sabre 34 is a traditionally styled, solidly constructed, good performing boat that, although a bit pricey for her age and size, should retain her value well when properly maintained.
Reviewed in the October 1999 issue of SpinSheet by Jack Hornor


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Who Is Afraid Of Elizabeth Ann Warren?
By Benjamin Obiajulu Aduba
Donald John Trump for starters. And the Grand Old Party (GOP) otherwise known as the Republican Party. Plus Wall Street. Add the big banks. You might include the top 1%.
Hmmm! This sounds like the big guys! Yes, they are.
Why will anybody be afraid of Elizabeth Warren? Mrs. Warren at 5'8'' and lean is probably on the petite side and therefore not menacing. If she stands or sits down among 10 women and they crossed their legs, she will not be threatening. She will look just like an old mother. And no more. But once Ms. Warren opens her mouth, whoa! The vision, the brains, the courage, the emotion, the desire to make America and the world work for everybody come through. You find out why a woman of such humble beginnings became a Harvard professor. Towering personality, beauty, sex, etc. do not a Harvard professor make. Brains do. And she has plenty of it.
President Donald Trump has good enough reason to be afraid. Ms. Warren's guts are what makes Mr. Trump tremble on his knees and feet. As a Presbyterian Trump is aware of the battle between David and Goliath. Goliath Trump 6'3'' and about 240 lbs. knows what brains can do. It tells David where to use his sling shots to bring down the battle trained Goliath. She is like the other fearless woman, Nancy Pelosi, who wants The Donald in jail. She is coming after him with slings and arrows and this goliath needs to tumble down for his crimes against women, people of color, immigrants, and the poor. He earned it.
As for the Republicans, their fear of Warren is because they want the status quo to remain: male dominated work force, unequal pay for equal work; segregated schools, cities and hospitals; a world where women are just play things for men. They love a gerrymandered neighborhoods so that they would keep their powers and rule as was done in Apartheid South Africa, minority rule. They get 3 million votes less than democrats but become president, control State Houses with millions of votes less, unequal representation just like an unequal pay.
Big Banks know why they fear Mrs. Warren. She has taken them by the horns. Fearless Elizabeth has brought down the likes of the CEO of Wells Fargo Bank and did not even blink any eye while doing it. She helped craft the Consumer Protection Agency which would protect consumers from the cunning efforts to enrich the banks at the expense of the poor and illiterate. And at the expense of Main Street. No one can be more dangerous.
Well Wall Street! Wall Street is what it is. Wall Street does as Wall Street does. But they will do it if Mrs. Warren is on the sidelines, but if per chance she is the president, the Street will be cut down to the size of Main Street. That is why Wall Street is making sure that Mrs Warren remains on the sidelines. But they feel threatened by presidential candidate especially when she reports almost 20 million dollars from grass roots with just $28.00 average. This represents millions of donors. It is worth fearing.
The Top 1% feels pressure for they can see that they have been outnumbered. In America it is one person one vote, so every one vote they cast there are 99 others cast for liberals like Mrs. Warren and they hate that ratio and they hate Warren for trying to organize the 99%. They have a very good reason. What to do? Blackmail comes to mind. They contribute more to the likes of Trump. Buy advertising. Buy some weakened democrats. Support gerrymandering. Pack the Supreme Court. Fight for dear life.
And what should Warren do? She must continue the good fight for the poor, the immigrants, women, and the oppressed everywhere. Fight for students whose college loans are preventing from getting on with their lives. And teachers who must get a second job to stay afloat and for the down and out. Persisting in these fights might elect her the president of United States and the world will behold a new day.
It is in the interest of everybody, the world that works for everyone.
– Aduba sent in this peace from Boston, Massachusetts, United States.
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By Odunayo Oluwatimilehin
"It's not consent if you make me afraid to say no" — Anonymous
RAPE is a condemnable, despicable and unjustifiable act; No justification at all for rape, it is a sheer act of wickedness!
We Say No To:
R – Repression
A – Against
P – Poor girls by
E – Eccentrics
The harrowing experience of sexual assault and rape is not peculiar to the female sex, it can indeed be unleashed on any member of society; male or female, boy or girl. However, for the purpose of this write up, my main focus is on sexual violence and rape against women and young girls.
Sexual violence is defined as "any sexual act, unwanted sexual comments or advances, or act to traffic, or otherwise directed, against a person's sexuality using coercion, by any person regardless of their relationship to the victims, in any setting, including but not limited to home and work".
Rape is a form of sexual violence; it is defined as "physically forced or otherwise coerced penetration – no matter how slight – of the vulva or anus, using a penis, other body parts or an object", (World Report on Violence and Health).
Under the Criminal Code of Nigeria, "Rape is defined, as having unlawful and carnal knowledge of a woman or girl, without her consent, if the consent is obtained by force or means of threats or intimidation of any kind, or by fear of harm, or by means of false act, or, in case of a married woman, be personating her husband".
Harassment of girls by the opposite sex is in all likelihood a global problem. According to data from Justice Systems and Rape Crisis Centre's in Chile, Malaysia, Papua, New Guinea, Peru, and the United States, about one-third and two-thirds of all victims of sexual assaults are aged 15 years or less.
The Nigerian social media has been flooded with fierce calls for justice, from different corners of the country, following the news of a 22 years old 100 level Microbiology student, of the University of Benin, Vera Uwaila Omozuwa who was raped and gruesomely murdered after the dastardly act inside a church in Benin, Edo State.
Quite a handful of reactions has trailed this sad incident; nevertheless, we shall continue to mount pressure on the appropriate quarters until the culprit is brought to book. We just cannot take it any longer. We are really sick and tired of watching abnormalities become the order of the day in our society. How long shall we fold our hands and watch injustice triumph over our helpless girl-child?
A random case of Vera Uwaila Omozuwa which attracted the attention of the world might have been numbered among the countless unheard and wounded cases if not for her gruesome murder. Cases of rape that are reported cannot be compared to magnitude of such that had been swept under the carpet or allowed to die a natural death in different parts of the world. This few reported cases may be viewed as an iceberg floating in water.
Sexual violation is the greatest injustice anyone could experience, especially in a country whose law on such violations seems to be partially blind to the ills being done to her citizens. Not dishing out deserving punishment to rape culprits will be tantamount to denial of the inalienable rights of the victims.
Spaking of what could be the trigger for such evil acts from the male folks, some have attributed it to indecent and provocative dressing by the females folk which the male counterpart often misconstrue as a subtle and irresistible cue. Other noted triggers according to the male folks are; peer pressure, societal failure, drug abuse, early exposure to X rated movies such as pornography and social media promotion of nudity, as well as joblessness, amongst others.
While responding to Vera Uwaila's rape case, a Facebook user commented that, 'Eighty per cent of guys today are rapists; they might not be the serial rapist on the street, but most guys raped their partners on the first date.' (Emphasis mine)
For those who claimed that indecent and provocative dressing by the female folks is their turn on, please I have some questions for you;
- How about the innocent girl-child you defiled? Was she seductively dressed?
- How about the voiceless baby in nappy? Did she arouse the rape demon in you with her innocent nappy?
- How about the lady in flowing gown you violently raped? Was it her long dress that turned you on?
- How about fathers who sexually abuse and rape their girl-child with impunity? What is the moral justification for this?
- How about the married woman whose husband violates her body against her wish? Oh yes! Don't be surprised, rape happens even in marriage.
For crying out loud, Vera was raped and killed while studying inside the church, what justification has the rapist and murderer?
Let us face the fact head on; most times when a girl/lady/woman is raped, it has nothing to do with her dressing. Rape does not just happen; it takes a state of the mind. A rapist rapes because he has no self-control. So stop selling me the provocative/seductive dressing bullshits!
Listen up, all the above-listed supposed triggers do not provide a substantial justification for rape. If only the culprits were aware of the overwhelming damages and horrific life-long mental torture their victims would have to grapple with, I am persuaded they would have a re-think.
Sexual violence has a profound impact on physical and mental health of the victims. Rape victims are made to suffer immeasurable anguish, some become diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, dissociation from reality, depersonalization. They also sometimes get infected with sexually transmitted infections, have unwanted pregnancies, and it ultimately leads to untimely death.
Studies have consistently proved that gynecological complications are related to 'forced sex'. These complications includes: vaginal bleeding, fibroids, decreased sexual desire, genital irritation, chronic pelvic pain, and urinary tract infections.
The social approbrium that is attached to rape victims has promoted to a large scale the 'Silence Culture', among the victims who are often helpless. It is high time we freed rape victims of rape from our critical hooks; stop the blame game, and encourage them to speak up.
Many victims of rape and sexual assaults do not report these violations to their families or the police because they are ashamed or fear being blamed, not believed, or otherwise disparaged.
Societal reaction that blame rape victims and exonerate the culprits will always create a thriving environment for rapist to walk away with impunity; this ought not to be so.
"We need to listen to survivors when they gather the unspeakable amount of courage it takes to speak up and say "me too". We need to fight for the people who can't fight for themselves. Something has to be done to make a change". – Molly Given.
Charity they say begins at home; the onus is on parents to teach their boy- child to always relate with the female gender with respect and self-control; it should be instilled in them that the fact that a girl/lady/ women walks about naked is not a reason to harass, molest and abuse her.
On the flip-side, parents should teach their girl- child: dignity, self-respect, self-awareness, and decency in all areas, because freedom without caution is tantamount to suicide.
For both genders, the above-mentioned morals and values should be established early by parents for the sake of humanity.
It is high time we came together to fight this menace against our girls/ladies/women. No rapists should be allowed to walk freely in our society without facing the full wrath of the law; as this would curb the crime and signal a warning to intending rapists.
~ Odunayo Oluwatimilehin, OYEWOLE
A Post graduate Student, University of Ibadan.
Racism: Let's Condemn The "Act" And Not The "Skin"
By Raymond Oise-Oghaede
The recent unfortunate death of George Floyd in the hands of some men of the Minneapolis Police which has resulted in raging protests all over the United States and beyond could be said to be the hottest news across the globe today. The scenario of the incident could best be described as barbaric and inhuman. This article will choose not to give a graphic description of that scenario as captured by the clip trending on the social media in order not to further prick the emotions of millions of people whose hearts have been wounded by the cry of "I CAN`T BREATHE". This incident is so gruesome that it would provoke ferocious anger from the gentlest and meekest person in the world. Expectedly, people have wasted no time in condemning the act; and, many have concluded that it was purely an act of "racism". In as much as one cannot "blame" anybody for so labeling it as a racist action because of the parties involved ("white policemen" and a "black victim"); I am of the opinion that there is the need for us to tread cautiously so as not to throw the world into unimaginable chaos due to the sensitivity of the subject matter. Racism is a phenomenon that has attracted global condemnations over the years because of its dangerous tendencies to tearing humanity apart. As a result of the foregoing; and, in line with my style; this write-up will analyse the incident from a different and unique perspective with the aim of drawing inferences that will be beneficial to all.
Formostly, there is need to peruse the circumstances that led to the unfortunate incident to enable us understand the "intentions" of the perpetrators. Obviously, the policemen (perpetrators) were carrying out their "legitimate duty" to "arrest" the victim; but, they "overstepped their bounds" in their approach (especially the one that used his kneel on the victim) because the victim never conducted himself in a violent manner to evade arrest; harm the policemen; and, or cause insecurity to public lives and properties to warrant such a "hard" and "cruel" tactic. In this situation, there will be no justification(s) whatsoever to support the overbearing action regardless of whether their "intention" was never meant to "cause" the "death" of the victim or not. It is rather unfortunate that his distressed plea of "I can`t breathe" was taken for granted and this led to the irretrievable and regrettable outcome. I am almost certain that if the video of the incident is played to the culprits; they will be remorseful and wish it never happened that way. Be that as it may, it will be most appropriate to see the atrocity from a broader perspective as a "crime against humanity" (and not just narrow it down to "racism" per se) regardless of whether the perpetrators where "whites" or "blacks" or whether the victim was "black" or "white".
Therefore, the "focus" should be on the "act" and not the "colours of the skin". So, we will be doing ourselves and the world a lot of good by purging our minds of the dangerous insinuation of seeing it as a deliberate or premeditated act aimed at the extermination of "BLACKS" by "WHITES". It will also be an "incontrovertible act of racism" on the part of everyone who hinges the fight and calls for justice on the difference in the colours of the skin of the perpetrators and the victim. It means such persons would have pretended as nothing happened if the perpetrators and the victim were interchanged; and or, if the parties were all "whites" or "blacks"
As a result of the foregoing, it is very imperative to appeal to everyone of us to be calm and to try as much as possible to gradually purge our minds of the pains and resentments. I know it's going to be very difficult because of the irreversibility of the deed; but, we have to do it for the sake of the departed and us. Strong and crucial statements have been made by the "peaceful protests" and the outpouring of condemnations over this crime against humanity; it is now incumbent to wait for the authorities to do the needful. Allowing the protests to escalate into looting and other undesirable conducts is demeaning; and, it depicts a defeatist tendency to the justice we crave. Though getting justice for Floyd and other victims of crimes against humanity is incontrovertible; our demands become "unjustifiable" if our approaches and actions portend insecurity to others. The jettisoning of "social distancing" under the guise of protests at this period of raging coronavirus is extremely dangerous and inimical to the wellbeing of everyone. Several lives have been lost to Covid 19 in the recent past and still counting; and, it will be disastrous to compound the situation. Therefore, it is absolutely necessary to let bygones be bygones for the benefit of all.
As it is presently, the damage had been done and grievances have been expressed. This is a very difficult situation in the history of the US in particular; and, the world in general; but, I am of the conviction that the situation is still redeemable. It is time for us to have a rethink and do all things possible to discard any act of antagonism, prejudice, hatred, bigotry, ill feelings, and discrimination directed against our fellow humans. We should always see and treat ourselves as one. The US has always played vital roles in supporting countries across the world in their fights against criminality; and, one can only hope and pray that it will come out of this setback stronger. Thus, I am passionately appealing to our "protesting brothers" to sheath their sword and give peace a chance again. We should not sow seeds of discord in our minds that will pitch us against one another. Let us not be partakers of any act that can tear the world apart on racial lines.
Consequent upon the above, I want to also use this medium to implore the US government not to take any actions that are capable of aggravating the situation. Though, it is understandable that no responsible government will fold its hands and watch people constitutes threats to the lives and properties of the generality of its citizenry; the authorities should try as much as possible not to create any avenue that will degenerate to "bad blood" between the people based on the colours of their skin.
RAYMOND Oise-Oghaede WRITES FROM SURU-LERE, LAGOS STATE, NIGERIA.
He can be reached via email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Backslidden Pastors Patronizing Occult Breast In Port Harcourt
By Obinna Akukwe
There is disturbing news within pastoral circles in Abuja concerning some backslidden colleagues whose recent patronage of a certain Port Harcourt based occult woman is a source of concern. This woman fabled with the ability to make people see visions of people's names, phone numbers, bank details, colors of ladies underwear and sundry secrets. After reading my recent article 'New Style Prophets : Visions of Phone Numbers and ladies Underwear', a pastor who was about to be initiated into the Port Harcourt Cult of Prophets, out of little fear of God, sought a second opinion on the issue. This pastor who has a small church in Abuja believes that the numerical strength of his church is not commensurate with his efforts and is desperate to try other means of succeeding in ministry. Therefore, he intended joining the group loyal to the mystery woman before my meeting with him.
Some pastors have confirmed to me that actually there is a woman in Port Harcourt who gives power to see visions and they mentioned the names of some colleagues that patronized her. This woman whom they claimed is so powerful that she can appear and disappear, will firstly demand some indecent sexual gratification from the prospective pastor as signs of loyalty, including sucking of certain organs. After the sexual affairs, she will make some animal cry and administer some other materials and the eyes of the patrons will open to see the spirit world and discuss with some strange beings. She indoctrinates them that there is nothing like heaven, hell or sin and that God kept lots of treasures in the water kingdom to help humanity in fashion, music, movies, politics, finance, health and pastoral work and only those bound by oath of loyalty and secrecy are eligible to access the treasures of the spirit world. They described pastors who are yet to join as slaves who will soon bow to the children of the illuminated.
Many pastors, both young and old ones are being lured into this Port Harcourt cult and within weeks what appears like miracles, prophesy and prosperity becomes regular feature in their congregation. Some notable pastors in Abuja have shamelessly joined the bandwagon while a others stuck to their other sources of powers. One of the recently initiated pastors mentioned the names of a bishop and a prophet patronized by top government officials within the presidency among those who convinced him to visit the woman. Rather than see the entire operation as demonic, he sees it as business and advised others to connect before the window closes.
Another pastor who renounced membership of the cult earlier in the year had to ran away from his base to Abuja when he received constant death threat from the group. He was advised to subject himself to days of fasting at one of the deliverance churches in town which he promptly did.
The situation has become alarming that the aforementioned pastor who was approached for membership, out of indecision and fear of hell fire, sought my opinion, and subsequently paid a visit to a recent initiate. According to the recently initiated pastor, the consultation and oil fee was initially N100, 000 naira but due to the surging crowd, they have increased the consultation fee to N200, 000 naira. Then there are prices for different types of oil. The most popular is called "seeing oil" which empowers people to see into other peoples secret. The next most popular oil is called 'do as I say' which makes it possible for the congregation to do whatsoever the pastor says without any compulsion including surrendering all live savings. There is also oil called 'touch and follow' which they use to hypnotize any beautiful lady who comes their way into sleeping with them. There is oil for falling under anointing called 'slaying oil'. There is 'crowd pulling oil' used to increase membership strength. The payment for the oil is different from the consultation fee.
This oil must be serviced and refreshed by constant homosexual, fornication and adulterous activities especially shortly before preaching. The second condition is that the pastor must emphasize on prosperity and motivational messages above the message of righteousness. The pastors will also return to give back a part of the proceeds as thanksgiving.
I had weeks earlier confronted a pastor of a church who recently patronized the woman and was excited that he now sees into people's future. This man whose attempt to draw crowd to his church and enter the league of super rich failed repeatedly despite numerous efforts, got tired of the situation and decided to help God. His submission and affinity to some senior colleagues for transference of anointing through seed sowing and impartation equally failed until a bishop introduced him to this powerful woman in Port Harcourt. This once firebrand pastor now indulges in homosexuality and adultery and does not feel any compunction about it.
This issue of pastors getting powers from occultist kingdom was first experienced by me as a young pastor in a church seventeen years ago and we observed strange things which we didn't understand but rejected because it didn't look spiritually clean. Years later during a retreat at Scripture Union Camp of Faith Okigwe, I came back to the hostel around 2am after prayers and overhead a very senior pastor of a church in Owerri at one corner behind the hostel sobbing and telling God that "if you do not give me power now to do the miraculous, I will go to where others go to get theirs…" This pastor, oblivious of my presence, went ahead to mention in his prayers ,the names of pastors colleagues who have gone to get powers from different places and threatened God to either show up or risk losing him to the other side".
One of them who recently joined this Port Harcourt cult , in response to my disapproval said "man of God, if hunger have wired you, you wouldn't be talking like this " while the other one said that he cannot continue to tolerate the sight of little pastors making waves while he continues to be a spectator.
The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) and Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) have not effectively monitored pastoral activities while some pastors have rejected membership of the body; therefore everybody is his own master. This overemphasis on prosperity is killing the churches that now some pastor flock to strange places for spiritual empowerment in order to belong to the class of super rich pastors, accompanied by lots of homosexual bodyguards. The generation that started the Pentecostal revival in Nigeria immediately after the Biafra war, gave birth to pastors like Uma Ukpai, Paul Nwachukwu, Austin Nwodika, Nicholas Ezeh, Williams Kumuyi, Enoch Adeboye, David Oyedepo, Mike Okonkwo and the late Archbishop Benson Idahosa , Prophet Gabriel Oduyemi, among others. The current generation is birthing pastors who flock to bar beach Lagos, Calabar, Kumasi, Ashanti, Tamale and some parts of Cameroun to receive powers.
If these Pentecostal fathers do not hasten to address this evil trend and arrest the influx of strange powers into the church, within the next five years, the Nigerian Church will become a branch of the Marine kingdom and the little fire of the Holy Spirit still remaining will be extinguished. The history of strange powers infiltrating the church started from Simon the Magnus (Acts 8 vs 9-24) who repented at the preaching of Philip but later according to church history as illustrated by Iraneaus and Justin Martyr became the author of strange signs in the church. However, the early church rose against it and temporarily checkmated it.
It is worthy to note that majority of pastors in Abuja who have been approached for membership rejected it outright and it is only few misled ones that appear excited about this Port Harcourt Occult woman. God still performs miracles in churches and pastors in need of such grace should wait upon The Lord in prayers instead of seeking the assistance of unclean spirits. Genuine pastors should shut down spiritually all these manifestations of strange powers before the anger of God falls on both the guilty and the innocent with disastrous consequences.
Obinna Akukwe , columnist via firstname.lastname@example.com, @obinnaakukwe
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- 9 star anise pods, divided
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 6 ounces Calvados (apple brandy)
- 3 ounces Provençal rosé (preferably Bandol)
- Club soda
- 4 orange wheels
Recipe Preparation
Bring 5 star anise pods and ½ cup water to a simmer in a small saucepan over low heat, shaking pan often, and cook until fragrant and water is reduced by a little more than half, about 5 minutes. Pluck out and discard pods and pour 2 Tbsp. water into a heatproof jar or airtight container. Add honey, seal jar, and shake vigorously until honey is dissolved; chill until cold, 15–20 minutes.
Place a large ice cube into each of 4 rocks glasses. Stir Calvados, rosé, and 2 Tbsp. honey syrup in a cocktail shaker filled with ice until very cold, about 30 seconds. Strain into prepared glasses and top each with a splash of club soda. Garnish with orange slices and remaining star anise pods.