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Serenade by David Fiveash
Serenade, An Interview with Artist David Fiveash
Published Jul 2014
In celebration of Pride Month, we at Asterisk would like to invite you to immerse yourself in the Queer Art Scene of the Bay Area starting with our Q & A with local artist David Fiveash. Asterisk Gallery is proud to present his never before seen series 'Serenade' this month, opening June 20th. Over 50 portraits will be shown; seductive, detailed, and beyond suggestive, these portraits often depict beauty in the most unlikely action showing vulnerability and emotion often overlooked and unseen for it's more sexual appeal. (EVENT INVITE & RSVP HERE) David's meticulous drawing style and color use highlights the softer, ephemeral beauty that lies behind the act of giving and receiving pleasure. At first looking at these portraits your mind wanders about how the artist managed to get all these gents to agree to such a portrait. Secondly, where they all came from and third... who are they looking at? All those thoughts, though exhillirating to think about get overshadowed easily by the feeling that washes over you once you really look in to each and every portrait; seeing the delicate nature in the way the artist portrayed the men with his color use. The expressive eyes longing for something it already has and this deep sense in you thinking - this is so deep, there is so much more happening here than what meets the eye - and you're right. It is much more than doing a "job". Artist David Fiveash captures that intimate envelopment like nothing on watercolor pencil and paper done before him, celebrating pleasures taboo to many and celebrated by a some. Tell us how the series Serenade started? Serenade started as a curiosity. I wondered what it would look like and so I made a few drawings based on images found online. I have this compulsive need to draw and when i get a subject that will hold my interest and has plenty of availability I grab it and get easily hooked. The desire to keep making heavily outweighs the nagging question of "why?" That will always come later. If I feel it works, I will continue; if not, I move on. What inspired you to draw these delicate faces in the heat of such a sexual act? As the series continued, personality became more important than the sex act. It became portraiture very quickly. The pleasant colors give it a visual ease and draw one in to a very intimate moment. One sees the eyes, the expression of the face, the mental and emotional state of the person performing this act, intentionally submitting to this physical appendage of another person. It very literally silences them, makes them a receptacle with a mind but no means to express personal identity. I am very interested in exploring that self-less state of existence. What would you say to those people who think it is lewd? Lewd is so unmusical a word. That which is lewd is not in the image at all, but only in the imagination. I think, in art, it is very easy to confuse sexuality with pornography. To me these works are about looking into the mind of a person who is choosing to be documented in a way in which he believes provides him with identity and desire, and the conflictions that arise in that moment. How do you think this series represents you as an artist who traditionally works with nature still lives and portraits? For the last few years my work has concentrated on Still Life, but also Portraiture. In my Still Life works, I'm often thinking about the fragility of the subject matter, its closeness to death, and its need to serve its purpose. A flower has only one purpose, to entice, to create an experience we call beauty, and then it dies. Procreation links the task from one flower to the next. Human beings are the same. We fill our time with all these other needs but then we die just like the flowers do. I think that's why I'm so interested in flowers, they are selfless. They have no need for any explanation. The grow, create beauty, and then they die. Judging by the series - you celebrate vulnerabilities, even showcase them… Tell us more about the meaning behind the series - Serenade? Vulnerability is nothing but the deconstruction of the self. We are vulnerable when the self is exposed as an artificial construction, designed to help us cope with our physical insignificance. In this way, intimacy is the ultimate vulnerability. When this mental construction meets physical reality it can have traumatic consequences. Perhaps that is what makes sexuality so difficult a subject for some people. There is definitely a sexual theme here, but more so, an urge for intimacy. Their elements of scale, color scheme, and specificity hopefully bring that together. I have had a lot of fun making this series and i hope others enjoy them as well.


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Joan has Retired! Congratulations Joan!
Don't be sad...she will be "subbing" in for us as needed!
September 2018
The Weisenfels Team attended the CDA Conference in San Francisco, CA
(we had lots of fun and we learned some things from our classes too!)
The Weisenfels Team on their way to Napa Valley!
The Weisenfels Team at Stags Leap Vinyards
Stags Leap Vinyards, Napa Valley, CA
Far Niente Vinyard
The caves of Far Niente Vinyard
The Weisenfels Team doing a wine tasting at Nickel & Nickel Vinyard
Ashley, Katie and Jen in Chinatown
Katie, Julie, Samantha, Ashley and Jen on a Ferry ride back to San Francisco from Napa Valley
Great Team and wonderful memories...
Fun times for the Dental Team!
Not your typical Holiday Party (December 2017)...we celebrated our office holiday party by going to an escape room! Loads of fun and team building experience (even though we did not find all the clues to find Grandma's treasure)! No Way Out was a great experience...we highly recommend you try them!
To all of Dr. Weisenfels wonderful Patients...after 24 years , I am announcing my retirement. It's been a privilege and pleasure to know and serve every one of you. Happy flossing!
Your RDH, Debbie
One of our favorite Patients saw this at The Science Center Gift Shop and thought we should order some;-)
Thanks Scott!
The Weisenfels Team as the Pink Ladies and Dr. W. as a T - Bird (from the movie Grease). This is from our Las Vegas Dental Convention Nov. 2015.
Team dinner in Las Vegas!
Nov. 2015
Sheila, Jennifer and Kelly (L to R) at the top of the Las Vegas Eiffel Tower...beautiful view of Las Vegas!
Lucy, Donna and Sheila (L to R) Las Vegas Dental Convention.
Our own Dr. Weisenfels created these Donkey teeth for Actor Michael James Reed. Mr. Reed played Nick Bottom in "A Midsummer's Night Dream" at the Reperatory of St. Louis in Nov. 2014. We hope to create more "fun teeth" in the future!
Dr. Weisenfels and Team showing their Cardinal spirit! "Go Cardinals!"
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In an era when banks are shuttering locations, one local bank is expanding.
5 Star Bank — one of the healthiest of the locally chartered banks — will open a branch on the north end of town the first week in October.
Not only is the bank growing, but it's building the branch from the ground up — unusual in a day and age during which growth, when it does occur, often involves acquiring existing branches from faltering banks.
For example, Ent Federal Credit Union this spring moved its 1,600-square-foot Falcon branch from a shopping center into a 5,200-square-foot stand-alone building.
First Commercial Bank, which is headquartered in Lone Tree and has a branch in downtown Colorado Springs, added two branches to its bank earlier this year by acquiring them from Liberty Bank Group in Denver.
New-construction bank branches, however, have been few and far between in the past couple of years.
The contractor for 5 Star's project, GE Johnson, is ahead of schedule, said 5 Star's president, Mike League. The bank's new digs are in the Corporate Offices Property Trust Business Park, at the corner of Interquest Parkway and New Allegiance Drive, off Interstate 25.
"We're betting on the future of the Springs and betting on the growth of the north corridor," League said.
The 5,000-square-foot branch, with a $2 million price tag, will be staffed with about eight employees, a teller line, six offices, a conference room and a drive-through window.
It will also house a new mortgage department. At the end of this month, the bank also will begin offering mortgage services through PHH Mortgage, a private-label outsourcing operation, at its three other branches: downtown on Sahwatch Street, Lake Plaza Drive and on Peterson Air Force Base.
Like any good banker, he attributes the bank's strength to conservative strategies.
"My approach is to look at the long-term interests of the bank … and have prudent growth, with acceptable margins and spreads," he said. "In today's environment, you have to manage interest-rate risk, credit risk and reputation risk.
"It's a competitive environment, but you can't get caught in the current pricing environment," League said, referring to the interest-rate game that many banks play in a bid to attract deposits.
It also helps that after selling its $67-million credit-card loan portfolio in April, the bank has additional liquidity to work with.
And so, while other local banks are struggling to stay afloat, League is in the uncommon position of choosing when, where and how to grow. In the next year or so, he plans to open another branch in the south end of the metro area.
Past due loans on the rise
Although the economy has started a slow recovery, in Colorado, loans 30 days or more past due as a percentage of total loans increased year-over-year in the second quarter, from 2.85 to 3.11 percent. That's a decrease from the first quarter of this year, when that figure was 3.6 percent.
However, loans 90 days or more past due not only increased nearly 1 percent year-over-year for the second quarter, from 1.35 to 2.33 percent, but also increased from 2.04 percent in the first quarter.
Loan concentrations — loans as a percentage of a bank's total risk-based capital — showed some improvement.
Although commercial and industrial loan concentrations edged up slightly from the first quarter, from 46.9 to 48.4 percent, commercial real estate loans — the bane of the state's banking industry — dropped from 265.4 percent in the first quarter to 251.1 percent.
Tier 1 capital remained flat from the first quarter, at 8.91 percent, as did net loans to assets at 62.6 percent.
With 43 of the state's 143 institutions, Colorado Springs captured $5.7 billion of the state's nearly $68 billion in deposits, according to the latest Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. statistics.
Rebecca Tonn can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com or 719-329-5229. Friend her on Facebook.


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The Darkness (comics)
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|The Darkness
The Darkness issue #1. Art by Marc Silvestri
|Publication information
|Top Cow Productions
|First appearance
|Witchblade #10 (Nov. 1996)
|Created by
|David Wohl
Marc Silvestri
Garth Ennis
|In-story information
|Alter ego
|Jackie Estacado
|Team affiliations
|Franchetti Mafia
Sierra Mu├▒oz
|Access to an otherworldly dimension and control over the demons that dwell there.
Can teleport through the shadows and manifest armor to increase his strength and enable shapeshifting.
His body heals supernaturally.
A skilled marksman and physical combatant.
Trained in chemistry.
The Darkness is an American comic series published by Top Cow Productions. The concept was created by Marc Silvestri, Garth Ennis, and David Wohl in 1996. The main storyline followed Jackie Estacado, a New York Mafioso who - after turning 21 - inherited the curse of the Darkness. The character first appeared in Witchblade #10 (Nov. 1996).
Top Cow announced in September 2018 that it would be relaunching The Darkness in 2019 with Matt Hawkins as writer and Tom Grindberg as artist, featuring Jackie Estacado and Sara Pezzini in supporting roles.[1]
Fictional biography[edit]
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The Darkness is a cosmic entity predating recorded history. It is the embodiment of the empty void of chaos which existed prior to the coming of God's light - embodied as the Angelus. As the cosmos formed in its place, the now-usurped Darkness grew to resent God and His creation. Growing powerful enough to manifest itself and conjure a legion of demons, the Darkness declared war upon the Angelus and her host. This lasted for eons until a truce was found to prevent mutual destruction. To seal the covenant, the two powers mated and conceived the Witchblade.
Some time after this, the Darkness began inhabiting human vessels - inherited through the sons of its chosen bloodline; the father passing the curse to his child at the moment of conception, expiring as the force leaves his body. The power then awakens on the son's 21st birthday. A wielder of the Darkness has been present in every major time period and continental power in history. These hosts have usually been of a violent predisposition, such as dictators and warlords. Many have also been of a criminal background; namely murderers, thieves, and molesters.
Jackie Estacado[edit]
Jackie Estacado was the vessel of the Darkness for the first run of the series. Raised as a hit-man for the Franchetti Family Mob, Jackie's defining quality was his penchant for murder as well as womanizing. Despite his criminal lifestyle, Jackie followed a strict code of morals. Chief among his beliefs was a trust in those who earned it and a fierce loyalty to family and allies. Early in the series, his main love interest was his childhood friend Jenny Romano. He later developed a romance with Sara Pezzini after the birth of their daughter, Hope Pezzini.
The son of notorious Mob associate Danny Estacado and an unnamed prostitute, Jackie was taken in by Saint Gerald's Orphanage where he was frequently abused by the orderlies. Despite his antisocial nature even as a boy, Jackie protected his friend Jenny from their cruel treatment. At the age of six, Jackie was adopted by upcoming Mob boss Frankie "Kill-The-Children-Too" Franchetti, claiming to be his uncle. He only did so after being persuaded by Sonatine of the Brotherhood of Darkness that bringing Jackie into his inner circle would make Frankie powerful.
Life in the Mob provided Jackie both with a home as well as a sense of safety and family, but also made him more violent and prone to illegal activity. Losing his virginity at age fourteen to a female officer during interrogation, he disregarded the law and developed a sex habit. Making his first hit at age sixteen, Jackie soon became Frankie's chief enforcer; skyrocketing the Franchettis into one of the top Mob families in New York City and fulfilling Sonatine's prophecy. Living a playboy lifestyle, Jackie would often visit Jenny's club to keep in touch.
Both the Angelus and Sonatine kept vigil over the course of Jackie's life; both of them waiting for him to manifest the Darkness - the Brotherhood wishing to exploit his power for their own ends while the Angelus wished only to annihilate the wielder while at his most vulnerable. Jackie was also being watched by followers of the Church of the Angelus which had infiltrated various criminal operations in opposition to Franchetti's. Among them was Regis Tyne, a Mob accountant who would associate with Jackie and attempt to assassinate him over a decade later.
When he turned 21, his dark powers awakened and he learned of his evil heritage. Jackie spent much of his time escaping from or fighting the Angelus, Sonatine, and the Brotherhood of the Darkness. Jackie tried to quit the mob, but Frankie kidnapped and killed Jenny, a childhood friend of Jackie's. Jackie, in a warehouse showdown with Franchetti's crew, blew up the warehouse, killing Frankie and burning Jackie alive.
Jackie spent two days afterward wandering around Hell while searching for Jenny until Tom Judge came and gave him hope, a gift that allows men to exit Hell. Jackie's body was then reconstructed by the Darkness.[2][full citation needed][3][full citation needed]
Jackie returned to find the Franchetti mob taken over by Frankie's cousin, Paulie. Paulie was able to discover Jackie's secret, and Paulie blackmailed Jackie into doing hits for him. Along the way, Jackie learned how to construct a gun out of the Darkness. Later, Jackie turns on Paulie and takes control of the Franchetti family, eventually taking on the Triads, and fighting the Russian Mafia in Atlantic City.
After a confrontation with the Angelus, Jackie abandoned the Mafia life and fled to a place called Sierra Mu├▒oz in hope of establishing a new empire there.[4][full citation needed] Jackie established a drug cartel in Sierra Mu├▒oz with a Darkness-based narcotic made from his own bodily fluids, built an impenetrable fortress, and formed an army. The residents of Sierra Mu├▒oz resisted Jackie's takeover with the help of the U.S. Department of Defense, which wanted to capture Jackie for experimentation and to learn about his armor. Jackie lost his battle with the army and was captured.
Jackie learned that during a battle with the Darkness, his soul was cast into Hell, leaving his body on Earth. He made a deal with a devil who calls himself the Sovereign, who promises, in return for a number of assassinations, to reunite Jackie's body and soul.[5] Jackie fulfills the Sovereign's demands, including killing a demonically possessed nun, an immortal drug dealer, and surviving an encounter with a dream-stealing witch in Mexico. Eventually, while performing an assassination in Egypt, Jackie comes across a mysterious woman wearing a red ribbon who seems to lure him. He also meets a past Darkness wielder named Aram, also known as the Foreigner, who explains that the Sovereign has been manipulating Jackie from the start and that both his soul and the Darkness are still within him, merely repressed by his will and desire to be free of the Darkness's influence.
Ignoring the Foreigner, Jackie follows the woman and finds himself facing against a resurrected Djinn created by a shaman specifically to kill Darkness wielders. Finding the Djinn to be virtually invincible, Jackie is guided to strangle the woman to death with her own ribbon, breaking the curse of the Djinn and freeing the woman from her eternal servitude. Jackie is confronted by Aram, who further intimidates him into finally summoning the full power of the Darkness once again. Aram disappears, leaving Jackie with the realization of the Sovereign's manipulations and fully intent on revenge with full control of his powers.
Powers and abilities[edit]
Jackie held the powers of the Darkness, an elemental force of chaos and creation. The core of a Darkness wielder's abilities is their accessing of an otherworldly dimension through the shadows around them and exerting control over the countless demonic creatures that dwell there. These creatures - called Darklings - usually appear as serpentine or goblinoid fiends which cause mischief and murder on behalf of their host and can communicate with their master through telepathy. They possess supernatural strength and stamina as well as deadly claws and fangs.
In terms of individual prowess, Darklings are quite versatile in terms of their physique and purpose; emerging in different forms depending on the intentions or needs of their host. While they share the aforementioned traits, some Darklings have wings and others can breathe fire. Darklings have also exhibited the ability to easily adhere to sheer surfaces as well as teleporting through shadows with their bearer and even producing corrosive chemicals through their saliva or excrement. While beholden to their vessel, Darklings do exhibit their own autonomy.
When in a battle, Darkness wielders envelop their whole bodies in a mystical armor of shadowy metal. This gives them strength and durability beyond that of their creatures as well as razored fingers and bladed tendrils emerging from their shoulders which can transform into wings. With time and practice, the wielder can completely alter the visage of their armor in order to shapeshift their own appearance into someone else for a time. They can also instinctively fashion weapons and shields from their armor in a similar fashion as bearers of the Witchblade.
Wielders of the Darkness exhibit a potent healing factor when injured - the shadows surrounding them absorbed into their body to regenerate cells at unnatural rates, even to the extent of regrowing lost limbs and reconstructing whole portions of the body that have been destroyed. This renders the vessels effectively impervious to disease and poisons as well as resistance to supernatural afflictions such as the powers of the Horsemen of the Apocalypse. This also allows them a degree of pseudo-immortality as the Darkness keeps them preserved over millennia.
Any other uses of the Darkness are limited only by the imagination of the wielder.
In addition to the curse, Darkness bearers are typically hardened individuals whose lives have endowed them with considerable fighting prowess and survival skills. Wielders from older time periods were usually skilled swordsmen while modern hosts like Jackie are skilled marksmen. Individual wielders might also have personal skills. Jackie was trained in chemistry by Kirchner - enabling him to convert Darkness-borne material into water, corrosives, or a narcotic. Ambitious hosts usually climb to positions of rank; overseeing armies, domains, or businesses.
Significant characters[edit]
This section describes a work or element of fiction in a primarily in-universe style. (March 2016) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)
- The Angelus The antithesis of the Darkness and a common enemy in the series. Jackie's first confrontation with the entity ended with him as the victor. Sonatine would later conjure the spirit in hopes of it possessing Appolonia Franchetti in their mutual desire to take vengeance on Estacado. Instead, it inhabited the body of the latter's catatonic mother, Lauren. Jackie managed to escape this encounter by creating a doppelganger of himself from the Darkness. This new Angelus would seek sanctuary in the Amazon where she would encounter then-Magdalena, Sister Mariella.
- Returning some time after Frankie's death, the Angelus would again seek out Jackie - now Don of the Franchetti Mafia. At the same time, the newest Magdalena - Patience - was assigned to assassinate Jackie. During her hunt, she encountered the Angelus and followed her to Estacado. As Patience subdued Jackie, the Angelus took advantage and attacked. He was able to lure her into a tunnel to weaken her enough for Appolonia to kill her with the Spear of Destiny. The power then possessed Patience for only a few moments before being exorcised through sheer will.
Appolonia Franchetti
- The daughter of Frankie and Lauren Franchetti and Jackie's adoptive cousin. When she was a child, she witness her father brutally torture and murder her mother's lover. The trauma of this experience led to Appolonia's resentment of Frankie as well as her own antisocial behaviors. Growing up with Jackie, they both grew to hate each other; him for Franchetti's attention and her for her petty cruelty. Estacado was Frankie's golden boy while he more or less ignored Appolonia and her now-catatonic mother. She eventually left New York to study abroad in Europe.
- Appolonia returned to the States shortly after Jackie inherited the Darkness. Bent on revenge and determined to take over the Franchetti Family without Estacado, she had Wenders kidnapped and tortured until he revealed everything he knew about Jackie, his powers, and the Angelus. Collaborating with Sonatine, she planned to become the next Angelus host. This plan misfired when the spirit inhabited her mother instead. She was left in a coma following this encounter and was only resuscitated back to consciousness by the severed blade of the Spear of Destiny.
- The oldest recorded host of the Darkness, Aram the Witch-King was a sovereign and warlock of Ancient Africa some ten thousand years prior to the Common Era. Willingly letting the curse into his body, he used its power to take entire regions of land to sate his lust for conquest. At some point after becoming disgusted with his cruelty, he used his mastery of sorcery to exorcise the Darkness from his body. Although effectively free from the curse, the Darkness condemned him with immortality; promising that he would wander the Earth until he let it back in.
- Over the centuries, Aram - known by then only as the Foreigner - would travel the globe watching over Darkness hosts from a distance. At some point in the course of his trek, he would encounter and slay a djinn created to kill Darkness bearers and would also outwit the Sovereign.
Capris Castiglione
- Jackie's twin sister and a minor ally in the first volume of the series and later a primary antagonist in or around the last volume. Separated from her sibling at birth, Capris inherited only a small portion of the Darkness's power - being one of the only women to bear the curse. Raised by Father Brendan, Capris lived an idyllic life. This all ended after her 18th birthday when she found her longtime friend and college roommate - Blaire Dray - dead from an apparent suicide. It's soon found out that Blaire was murdered as cover for an illegal porn racket.
- Capris made her last appearance in the Outer Darkness storyline, where it was revealed that she had become fully seduced by the euphoric power of the Darkness and had been training and perfecting her powers. The Darkness chose her to be his new host and used her to try to kill Jackie. She attacked and overpowered him with her superior powers and would have killed him if not for Aram using his last bit of magic to shut down the Darkness. Jackie killed Capris using a magical crystal glove given to him by Aram. She is last seen as a damned soul in a strange afterlife for Darkness-wielders.
- While she did manifest Darkness powers upon turning 21, Capris's abilities were significantly less than those of her brother when she first appeared in the series. She seemed to function as a repository of power which Jackie drew on during their encounter with the Cherub Hostile. She initially only showcased increased strength and resilience as well as the ability to conjure tendrils from the surrounding shadows. Over a decade later, her powers expanded exponentially to the point of manifesting her own armor and creating zombies by feeding them her blood.
- The leader of the Brotherhood of Darkness and a recurring antagonist early in the series. Having followed Jackie's bloodline since the days of their founder - Miguel Estacado - Sonatine was obsessed with remaking the world in the image he desired using the powers of the Darkness. Sonatine first met Jackie after he manifested the curse. While initially presenting himself as a mentor, Jackie's refusal led to the Brotherhood kidnapping Jenny to force his cooperation. However, this plan backfired when the Angelus arrived and they were forced to work together.
- Sonatine's knowledge of the occult allowed him a degree of arcane ability and a prolonged lifespan. He carried a star talisman that compelled people to believe anything he said or to answer any question truthfully. It could also create light powerful enough to frighten Darklings. He was also schooled in ceremonial magic and possession. These were showcased when he ritualistically conjured the presence of the Angelus in an attempt to enslave its power, and later after being gravely wounded he transferred his consciousness into one of his servants, Wenders.
- The Sovereign was the Emperor of Rome roughly three thousand years prior to the Common Era. His reign was short-lived as he and his family were murdered by a bearer of the Darkness. Sentenced to Hell for his cruelties in life, he managed to deceive an angel into freeing his soul. Bargaining with the Fates to be spared an eternity of torture, he became a custodian of souls sent to Hell. Able to enter the living world only by possessing statues made in his image, the Sovereign became obsessed with taking revenge of any vessel of the Darkness he encountered.
Frankie Franchetti
- Frankie is one of the main antagonists of the series and a vicious mobster.
Capris Castiglione
- Jackie's twin sister.
The Magdalena
- Descended from Mary Magdalene and Jesus Christ, The Magdalena is an assassin born and bred to serve the Vatican in times of duress.
Nino Wenders
- A homosexual manservant of the Darkness working for Sontaine, who Jackie forces to help him battle the Angelus. He later becomes romantically obsessed with Jackie, who regards Wenders as cowardly and untrustworthy.
Angelus Warriors
- Servants of the Angeleous.
- An artificial human who becomes Jackie's companion.
The Foreigner/Aman The Witch-King
- An ancient wielder of the Darkness that was able to get rid of it through meditation and years of internal struggle.
Paulie Franchetti
- The cousin of Frankie Franchetti and the Don of the Franchetti crime family after Jackie kills his cousin. Paulie is a vicious psychopath who has no morals, empathy, or regard for the lives of others. He has an extremely short temper, engaging in brutal retaliation against even the slightest offense.
The Brotherhood
- A cult who worships the Darkness.
Captain Eddie Shrote
- A deeply corrupt police captain in the NYPD and a business partner of Paulie Franchetti. Shrote is a ruthless sociopath who, in Jackie's words, lives to exploit others. He commands a large precinct with hundreds of patrol officers and a platoon of New York ESU officers, many of whom are corrupt or psychotic, using them to do his dirty work.
Collected editions[edit]
The series has been collected into a series of trade paperbacks:
- Volume 1 (1996ŌĆō2001):
- Coming of Age (176 pages, collects The Darkness preview and The Darkness #1ŌĆō6, 1998, ISBN 1-58240-032-6)
- Ultimate Collection (352 pages, collects The Darkness #1ŌĆō6 and #40, Volume 2 #1ŌĆō6, 2007, ISBN 1-58240-780-0)
- Heart of Darkness (144 pages, collects The Darkness #7ŌĆō8, 11ŌĆō14, 2001, ISBN 1-58240-205-1)
- Spear of Destiny (106 pages, collects The Darkness #15ŌĆō18, 2000, ISBN 1-58240-147-0)
- Original Sin (166 pages, collects The Darkness #15ŌĆō25, 2005, ISBN 1-58240-459-3)
- Flesh and Blood (464 pages, collects The Darkness #26ŌĆō39, October 2005, ISBN 1-58240-538-7)
- Compendium (1280 pages, collects The Darkness #1ŌĆō40, Tales of the Darkness #1ŌĆō4 and Darkness: Wanted Dead, December 2006, ISBN 1-58240-643-X, November 2007, ISBN 1-58240-801-7)
- Origins Volume 1 (176 pages, collects #┬Į-6, ISBN 978-1-60706-097-0)
- Origins Volume 2 (176 pages, collects #7-10, Witchblade issues #18ŌĆō19, ISBN 978-1-60706-103-8)
- Origins Volume 3 (208 pages, collects #11ŌĆō18, ISBN 978-1-60706-208-0)
- Origins Volume 4 (176 pages, collects #19ŌĆō25, ISBN 978-1-60706-549-4)
- Volume 2 (2002ŌĆō2005):
- Resurrection (176 pages, collects The Darkness Volume 1 #40, Volume 2 #1ŌĆō6, 2004, ISBN 1-58240-349-X)
- Demon Inside (272 pages, collects The Darkness #7ŌĆō16 and Darkness: Wanted Dead, January 2007, ISBN 1-58240-646-4)
- Depths Of Hell (224 pages, collects The Darkness #17ŌĆō24, September 2007, ISBN 1-58240-795-9)
- The Darkness Vs. Eva ŌĆō Daughter of Dracula (104 pages, collects The Darkness Vs. Eva #1ŌĆō4, 2008, ISBN 1-933305-85-1)
- Top Cow/Marvel: The Crossover Collection Vol. 1 (304 pages, collects Devil's Reign #1ŌĆō8, Wolverine/Witchblade, The Hulk/The Darkness, ISBN 978-1-58240-533-9)
- DC/Top Cow Crossovers (200 pages, collects The Darkness/Batman, The Darkness/Superman, JLA/Cyberforce & JLA/Witchblade, ISBN 978-1-4012-1338-1)
- Unholy Union (Marvel Comics crossover: featuring the Hulk, the Darkness, Ghost Rider, Witchblade, & Dr. Strange).
- First Born (160 pages, First Born #0ŌĆō3, ISBN 978-1-58240-854-5)
- Broken Trinity (208 pages, Broken Trinity #1ŌĆō3, The Darkness one-shot, Angelus one-shot, Witchblade one-shot, ISBN 978-1-60706-051-2)
- Compendium 2 (collects The Darkness #41ŌĆō89, The Darkness: Lodbrok's Hand one-shot, The Darkness: Shadows And Flame one-shot, The Darkness: Butcher one-shot, ISBN 1-60706-403-0)
- Volume 3 (2008ŌĆō2012):
- Accursed: Volume 1 (160 pages, collects The Darkness #1ŌĆō6, September 2008, ISBN 1-58240-958-7)
- Accursed: Volume 2 (140 pages, collects The Darkness #7ŌĆō10, 75 October 2009, ISBN 1-60706-044-2)
- Accursed: Volume 3 (160 pages, collects The Darkness #76ŌĆō79 and Tales of the Darkness: Lodbrok's Hand one-shot, June 2010, ISBN 1-60706-100-7)
- Accursed: Volume 4 (172 pages, collects The Darkness #80ŌĆō84 and The Darkness: Shadows and Flame one-shot, December 2010, ISBN 1-60706-194-5)
- Accursed: Volume 5 (160 pages, collects The Darkness #85ŌĆō89, November 2011, ISBN 1-60706-216-X)
- Accursed: Volume 6 (160 pages, collects The Darkness #90ŌĆō95, March 2012, ISBN 1-60706-495-2)
- Accursed: Volume 7 (160 pages, collects The Darkness #96ŌĆō100, April 2012, ISBN 1-60706-517-7)
- Rebirth (2012ŌĆō2013)
- Rebirth: Volume 1 (160 pages, collects The Darkness #101ŌĆō105, September 2012, ISBN 1-60706-585-1)
- Rebirth: Volume 2 (160 pages, collects The Darkness #106ŌĆō111, April 2013, ISBN 1-60706-672-6)
- Progeny (160 pages, collects Artifacts #25ŌĆō26, Witchblade #164ŌĆō165, and The Darkness #111, August 2013, ISBN 1-60706-748-X)
- Rebirth: Volume 3 (160 pages, collects The Darkness #112ŌĆō116, February 2014, ISBN 1-60706-806-0)
In other media[edit]
In December 2004, Dimension Films paid an undisclosed six-figure sum to develop a movie based on the comic, with a planned release for 2008.[6] The film rights were later sold to the Pang brothers in December 2005.[7]
At Comic-Con 2009, Top Cow president Matt Hawkins revealed that a live-action The Darkness film was in development, with Scott Stuber Productions attached as the producer for the project.[8] In 2012, Len Wiseman signed on to produce the movie.[9]
Video games[edit]
A game based on The Darkness was released for the PlayStation 3 on June 20th, 2007, and for the Xbox 360 eight days later. Developed by Starbreeze Studios and published by 2K Games, the game follows a differing version of the story and gives more characterization to the Darkness.[10][11]
A sequel, titled The Darkness II, was released for the PC, the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3 on February 7, 2012, developed by Digital Extremes and published by 2K Games.[12]
- ^ Bartsch, Eric (September 12, 2018). "Top Cow Developing The Darkness Relaunch". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved December 9, 2018.
- ^ The Darkness vol. 2, #1
- ^ Universe #3
- ^ Darkness vol. 3, #1
- ^ The Darkness: Accursed Vol. 2
- ^ SuperHeroHype (2004-12-06). "Dimension Films Enters The Darkness". SuperHeroHype. Retrieved 2015-02-06.
- ^ IGN FilmForce (2005-12-01). "Pang Brothers Eyeing Darkness". IGN. Retrieved 2015-02-06.
- ^ "The Darkness sequel uncloaked ŌĆō Report". GameSpot. 2009-07-27. Retrieved 2015-03-14.
- ^ Chitwood, Adam (2012-07-09). "Exclusive: Regency in Talks to Develop THE DARKNESS Comic Adaptation with Producers David Hoberman and Todd Lieberman; Len Wiseman Would Also Produce". Collider. Retrieved 2016-02-24.
- ^ "The Darkness (PlayStation 3)". IGN. 2007-06-28. Retrieved 2015-04-13.
- ^ "The Darkness (Xbox 360)". IGN. 2007-06-28. Retrieved 2015-04-13.
- ^ Gallegos, Anthony (2012-02-07). "The Darkness II Review". IGN. Retrieved 2015-04-13.
External links[edit]
- The Darkness (1996ŌĆō2001) at the Grand Comics Database
- The Darkness (1996ŌĆō2001) at the Comic Book DB (archived from the original)
- The Darkness (2002ŌĆō2005) at the Grand Comics Database
- The Darkness (2002ŌĆō2005) at the Comic Book DB (archived from the original)
- Duben, Alex (26 September 2007). "WIZ LA '07: THE TOP COW PANEL". COMICON.com. Archived from the original on 26 September 2007. Retrieved 10 August 2016.CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (link)
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The Art of Survival: Enduring the Turmoil of Tule Lake is a traveling exhibition by fine art photographer Hiroshi Watanabe that probes the complexity of the Japanese American confinement site in Newell, California.
Tule Lake became the only officially designated segregation center during WWII. Ruled under martial law, it was the most controversial of all the Camps.
Through haunting images of artifacts by Watanabe, visitors get to glimpse into the lives of those who were held at Tule Lake and are encouraged to consider both the orchestration of daily life behind barbed wire and what it might have been like to live with constant turmoil and uncertainty.
"Watanabe has succeeded in bearing witness to a chapter in U.S. history that Americans must not forget," said JoAnne Northrup, director of contemporary art initiatives at the Nevada Museum of Art.
Oral histories allow visitors to hear varying views on some of the complex issues of Tule Lake in the voices of those held captive. And the art created both then and now, made from seemingly insignificant objects, beckons humility and connection.
Promoting education and increased awareness of what can happen when a nation loses reason to fear, this exhibition is designed to inspire critical thinking and action in regards to injustice. It also highlights the power of creativity to maintain dignity and wellbeing in times of harsh circumstance.
As well as looking at daily life, the exhibition explores the following topics: the power of propaganda; up-to-date terminology relating to the confinement experience; the history behind the incarceration; the difference between a Segregation Center and a Confinement Site; who were the people deemed "disloyal", were they disloyal?; what happened when the Camp closed?
The Art of Survival: Enduring the Turmoil of Tule Lake will be on display till October 19th at the San Joaquin County Historical Museum, 11793 N Micke Grove Rd, in Lodi.
Watanabe's powerful black and white images are featured in fine art galleries world wide, including Zurich, Munich, New York, Santa


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For nearly a decade, Pueblo City Schools students have overcome a variety of reading roadblocks thanks to a system introduced after the district was shocked by seriously low scores on the Colorado Student Assessment Program.
It was Mary Lou Jackson, a school board member in the late 1990s, who suggested that the Lindamood-Bell program be considered as a way to bring up reading scores.
Bessemer Elementary School was the first in the district to use the system, and the next year the South Side school had the highest gains in the state. After the success at Bessemer, the school district began phasing in the system, focusing at first on schools in high-poverty areas.
While district officials were happy to see reading scores improve among the general student population, one of the more significant results noticed was that many students who had been diagnosed as needing special education were not challenged in the traditional sense. What appeared to be a learning disability was really a reading problem, which, when treated, moved them into the mainstream program.
Keith Owen, who oversees elementary education in the district, was principal of Beulah Heights Elementary School in 2001 when the program was introduced there. "We had just began to dramatically improve the scores there and began to be recognized, and we were invited by President Bush to the White House to celebrate the one-year anniversary of No Child Left Behind. This was the time that I began to see dramatic drops in our special education numbers at Beulah Heights. By the time I left, we had effectively reduced the number of general special education students in half, from an average of 25 students to around 10 to 12."
The program was not cheap and, when first implemented, involved a large number of consultants from the company, who worked in Pueblo schools. Gradually, however, the district had its own teachers trained in the process and now only one Lindamood-Bell staffer works here full-time.
"When I began in the central office as the director of reading in 2004, " Owen said, "we went about trying to certify as many of our D60 teachers as possible in Lindamood-Bell and went from about eight to 10 teachers in 2004 to over 50 teachers at the end of the 2006-2007 school year. By doing this we have been able to reduce the number of Lindamood-Bell employees in the district and have been able to reduce the cost.
"The contract with Lindamood-Bell for 2007-2008 is $150,000, and paid out of federal grants specifically for teacher and principal professional development." Owen said that is less than last year because Lindamood-Bell trained teachers have been placed at Central and East high schools.
Lindamood-Bell, based in San Luis Obispo, Calif., was founded in 1986 (but the program was developed several years earlier) by Nanci Bell, Patricia Lindamood and Phyllis Lindamood. The program started out as a clinic-based system where parents could bring children who were struggling with reading.
Lindamood-Bell breaks down sounds and uses the formation of words in a struggling reader's mouth, tongue and lips. It is billed as a learning system and not just a reading program.
Seeing a potential to serve more children beyond just a few families, it developed a program that could be used in public schools.
In the 2004-2005 school year, 1,536 students received intensive Lindamood-Bell training in Pueblo City Schools. That number grew to 1,839 the following year and 1,950 during the last school year.


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Discovery may make chemotherapy more effective against pancreatic cancer.
20 March 2012Two research groups have simultaneously discovered why chemotherapy has little effect against pancreatic cancer and have developed a novel treatment to increase its effectiveness.
Researchers at Cancer Research UK's Cambridge Research Institute and the Hutchinson Cancer Research Centre in Seattle have found that blood vessels around pancreatic cancer tumours are compressed, forming a barrier which prevents effective drug delivery to the cancer cells. The researchers found that an enzyme called PEGPH20 expanded the blood vessels supplying the tumour by breaking down the fortified barrier compressing the blood vessels.
The surfaces of the blood vessels in pancreatic cancer contain an unusually large amount of a protective protein called hyaluronic acid, which acts as a barrier between the blood vessels and the cells they supply beneath. PEGPH20 breaks down the hyaluronic acid, reducing the surrounding pressure and expanding the diameter of the blood cells, which allows larger molecules, such as drugs, to pass through them.
When the UK researchers gave PEGPH20 to mice with the most common form of pancreatic cancer, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, significantly more of the chemotherapeutic drug doxorubicin was taken up by the tumour. When PEGPH20 was used in combination with the chemotherapy drug gemcitabine, the average tumour size was reduced by approximately 50 per cent after 5 days, compared to a reduction of around 15 per cent when gemcitabine was used alone.
In similar studies in mice, the US research group showed that 83 per cent of tumours decreased in size after one cycle of treatment with the combination of PEGPH20 and gemcitabine - and 100 per cent of tumours decreased in size after three cycles. The group also reported a reduction in the amount of cancerous cells that spread to the lungs and liver. Both groups found the treatment with PEGPH20 and gemcitabine significantly prolonged the lifetime of the animals compared to just treatment with gemcitabine alone.
The UK's study leader, Professor David Tuveson, said: "Adding this enzyme to treatments could be a game-changer for treatment of pancreatic cancer if clinical trials show it can be used to treat patients safely.
A trial to test the effect of PEGPH20-gemcitabine combination in pancreatic cancer patients is being carried out by Halozyme Therapeutics.


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- Three-time Olympian (2008, 2012, 2016); Two-time Olympic medalist (2 golds)
- Rio 2016, 15th
- London 2012, gold
- Beijing 2008,, gold
- Most recent: 2018 - gold
- Years of participation: 2005, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2018
- Medals: 5 (4 golds, 1 bronze)
- Gold – 2005, 2009, 2015, 2018
- Bronze – 2007
- In 2015, became the first American shotgun shooter to win three world championship titles, and the third athlete to ever win three men's skeet world championship gold medals.
Team USA Athletes Hold Training Sessions Day Before Start Of Rio 2016 Olympics
Aug. 05, 2016
Sailors, shooters, swimmers and more all tested out the Rio facilities Thursday.
Known By Some As 'Vinny The Great,' Vincent Hancock Has High Expectations For Himself In Rio
Nicole Chrzanowski Aug. 05, 2016
The skeet shooter is looking to become the sixth American to win three consecutive golds in an individual event.
U.S. Olympic Committee Announces 558-Member 2016 U.S. Olympic Team
United States Olympic Committee July 23, 2016
Team USA features 190 returning Olympians, 66 Olympic champions.
Celebrate Flag Day With These 80 Patriotic Team USA Athletes
June 14, 2016
Team USA athletes are proud to represent the red, white and blue.
Vincent Hancock Wins 16th World Cup Medal With Bronze In San Marino
Craig Bohnert June 10, 2016
Team USA leaves the world cup event with a medal of each hue.
Meet The 2016 U.S. Olympic Shooting Team
Scott McDonald June 07, 2016
From first-time Olympians to a six timer, the U.S. shooting team runs the gamut.
This Week's Shotgun Trials Determine The Next Four U.S. Olympic Shooters
Scott McDonald May 16, 2016
The competition in Arkansas finishes a trials process that began last October.
"I Was Stalked For My Olympic Medals," And Other Crazy Medal Stories
Lisa Costantini May 05, 2016
Eight tales from Team USA athletes on their most prized possessions that are almost hard to believe.
100 Storylines To Follow For The Rio 2016 Olympic Games
Karen Rosen April 27, 2016
Find out just about everything you need to know for the final countdown to the Rio Games.
Meet The First 100 Members Of The 2016 U.S. Olympic Team
April 24, 2016
From boxers to wrestlers, these athletes were the first to punch their tickets to Rio.


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Pyramids at Giza
Though they cannot be seen distinctly from space with the naked eye, the pyramids of Egypt are a popular subject for satellites and space station astronauts. The pyramid shape is clearly visible from above with a zoom lens or a high-resolution camera. While the desert landscapes are also evident, satellite images show that the pyramids are now partially surrounded by the modern city of Cairo (and abutted by a large golf course).


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South Florida's beaches aren't just for humans.
Dog owners can bring their canine counterparts to Haulover Beach Park to frolic in the ocean and sunbathe on the dunes. But only on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The site they are allowed at is on the south end of the park between lifeguard towers number 2 and 3, which is directly across from the park's 3.3 acre dog park.
There is a doggie wash-down area and doggie bags.
Haulover Beach Park is located at 10800 Collins Ave.,
Dog recreation area parking is $2 per car (with a dog in the car.).
Click here for more information.


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Early life, carrier and full Profile and biography of B.C. Khanduri
B.C. Khanduri is a popular politian in Uttarakhand and was the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand. In this article you will find complete information about B.C. Khanduri. You will find all details like- early life, carrier and political carrier of B.C. Khanduri. For more information kindly read the article following.
Profile biography and complete information about Maj. Gen. Bhuwan Chandra Khanduri
Maj. Gen. Bhuwan Chandra Khanduri also known as Bhuvan Chandra was the former Chief minister of Uttarakhand and is a very strong politician in Uttarakhand. In this article you will find complete detail about him. B.C. Khanduri was born 1
October 1934 and is a very experienced politician. He also handles charge of Uttarakhand from March 8, 2007 to June 24, 2009. He has a very good political carriere and was a member of the 14th Lok Sabha of India.
Early life of B.C. Khanduri
In this paragraph you will find all the information about early life of B.C. Khanduri. So lets start. As said above B.C. Khanduri was born in year 1934. His birth place is Dehradun which is the capital city of Uttarakhand. He did his education from Allahabad University and College of Military Engineering Pune. Then he studied in Institute of Engineers New Delhi and then he went to Institute of Defence Management, Secunderabad. So you can just imagine how strong B.C. Khanduri is in his education carrier.
Army career of B.C. Khanduri
After completing his education he serves his services in Indian Military. First of all he works in Corps of Engineers Indian Army for a long period of time from 1954 to 1990. During his service he also recieved many awards like- Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 1982 and he recieved this award from President of India.
B.C. Khanduri in Politics
After giving his faithful service to Indian army, B.C. Khanduri enters into Indian Politics. In very starting B.C. Khanduri gets a chance and he was elected for Lok Sabha from Garhwal in Uttarakhand. This happens in 1991. He was also selected as minister of state of following departments- Road, Transport and Highways. After this B.C. Khanduri was promoted to cabinet rank in year 2003.
B.C. Khanduri as Chief Minister of Uttarakhand- after B.C. Khanduri gains faith of peoples, he was selected as Chief Minister of Uttarakhand in February 2007. This is all about B.C. Khanduri political carrier.
If you can write such articles then feel free to join Uttarakhand which is one of the most genuine online earning tool. Registration with Uttarakhand Spider is totally free and you can earn a lot of money from Uttarakhand Spider.


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Read more »">
Hi Nexans,
Just wanted to drop some PayPal knowledge on you to hopefully answer any questions that you may have.
TL;DR Version: We use PayPal email addresses to pay commissions; click here if you don't already have one.
Our site allows great students such as yourselves to turn your hard work into a passive income stream – this means that your notes are going to earn commissions which we need to pay to you. In our infancy, we looked at multiple payment options:
Paul the payment sloth
So that's why we chose PayPal. Ease, speed, security. If you haven't got one already, you can sign up for an account here. There is also endless information on their site about how all their processes works.
Some other questions you may have.
How do we send you the monies?
What/who is PayPal?
PayPal is an American, international digital wallet based e-commerce business allowing payments and money transfers to be made through the Internet. PayPal is one of the world's largest internet payment companies and was bought by eBay in 2002.
Is it secure?
Safe as houses my friends. PayPal uses industry-leading technology to keep your information secure.
When we send you a payment, we don't see your financial information, like your credit card or bank account numbers. You're also 100% protected against any unauthorised payments that might be sent from your PayPal account. You can read more about it if you want.
Seriously, how do I physically create an account? Walk me through it, I don't do the interwebz:
If you've managed to make it as far as this post you should be fine, but just in case, here's how to sign up for a PayPal account:
Now that the hard part is over, all you need to do is decide the best way to waste your hard earned cash!
As always, if you have any questions on the above, don't hesitate to contact us. Or better still, contact PayPal directly.
Hi Nick,
Thanks for your comment. I'm not sure what you mean by asking why we chose Paypal, the benefits have been explained in detail in the post above.
Paypal allows us to do Mass Payments, meaning that we can pay hundreds of authors in one simple click so that you all get paid faster.
Richard from Nexus Notes
Is there anyway to avoid the PayPal fees that are associated with getting paid through here? You are already taking a % of the commission and then another % cut is going to PayPal? It sounds like that's the real reasoning behind why you choose PayPal.


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Waiting for an important call or a message but have no time to monitor your device? Let Flash Alerts for Me handle this for you! This smart, yet easy-to-use application will send a blinking flash to your device every time somebody's trying to reach you.
Caught up in a meeting or your baby is asleep? You've put your phone in a silent mode, but don't want to miss something important? With Flash Alerts for Me, you will always see the call or message without disturbing anyone!
Here's how it works: once you receive an incoming call, SMS or other notification from any app, the flash on your phone starts blinking, even when the device is muted.
The app comes with default notification settings, but you can always customize them to your needs:
– Enable flash notifications for incoming calls and get a flash on call every time somebody's trying to reach you.
– Activate flash alerts for incoming SMS and read all the meeting or party details as they come to your device.
– Select the apps you want to receive flash notifications from: Messengers, weather apps, social networks and much more, flash alerts can be used with each of the categories!
– Flash Alerts for Me is equipped with a battery-saving mode to save the battery from draining at the end of the day.
Finally, with this app, your Android is only a swipe away from being a perfect flashlight, with SOS and strobe mode, bright and powerful enough even for signaling aliens at night!
Take control of your phone notifications with Flash Alerts for Me!
AdChoices: http://www.apalon.com/privacy_policy.html#4


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Where excellence is the expectation.
Dr. Theresa Kauffman, Superintendent/CEO and Founder of Kauffman Leadership Academy has designed a purposeful salary schedule. In an effort to operate in line with our philosophy that "We are all in this together," every employee of the Academy earns the same salary, $35,000. Building a community that has different responsibilities but all are equally valued and important for the success of our students.
Kauffman Leadership Academy
Kauffman Leadership Academy offers FREE tutoring this summer!
We have the funding to support FREE tutoring for Math, English, Science or any subject or class you need support. Mr. Read is also offering Art classes by arrangement. All grade levels are welcome!
Email Dr. Theresa Kauffman at firstname.lastname@example.com or call 817-966-7795 to sign up.
We are working to open as a private school in the fall. Check back to this website for the latest updates during this Corona-virus time.
To thank Texas Representative DeWayne Burns for his support, we gave his office this classic map of Texas.
Kauffman Leadership Academy is located in Cleburne, Texas. The Academy features small class size, a cultural lunch hour each day with guest speakers from the community, a technology-infused curriculum and giving back to our community through service and a safe, bully-free environment to learn.
Kauffman Leadership Academy admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.


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"For I know…" Jeremiah 29:11 (a)
This is not a movie. This is real life.
I just finished watching a TV episode about this couple. They had an argument. His feelings were hurt and he performed the man-hurt-emotional-shutdown. She packed her bags and was ready to move out. He came home at the perfect time to tell her that he loved her and he wanted her to stay. She stayed. They kissed and made up. How Sweet….
But this is not a TV show. It's not a sit-com. It's not a movie. Things don't always happen this way. Sometimes, she doesn't beg you to stay. Sometimes, he doesn't love you back. Sometimes, you don't make it home in the perfect amount of time. Sometimes, they don't come back for a second chance. It happens.
This is real life.
But God is the director. He has the script for your life. He is the Casting Director. He determines who makes a cameo appearance and who will be the leading men and leading ladies. He determines supporting actors and actresses.
Either way. It's His script and we're all just actors on the stage. Follow His Direction.


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Thursday July 26th 2018
Today on Flashpoints: Hundreds of Central American families still separated and suffering from Trump's racist family destruction program. We'll feature a special report on the situation at the border and around the country in the face of a court order to reunite the families. Also, we feature excerpts of a powerful documentary on the devastation impact Chiquita Banana, with the support of the CIA had on democracy and human rights in Guatemala.
Click on the link below to listen to today's show


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M WAQAR..... "A man's ethical behavior should be based effectually on sympathy, education, and social ties; no religious basis is necessary.Man would indeed be in a poor way if he had to be restrained by fear of punishment and hope of reward after death." --Albert Einstein !!! NEWS,ARTICLES,EDITORIALS,MUSIC... Ze chi pe mayeen yum da agha pukhtunistan de.....(Liberal,Progressive,Secular World.)''Secularism is not against religion; it is the message of humanity.'' تل ده وی پثتونستآن
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Quaid-e-Jamhooriat: Shaheed Benazir Bhutto
bY:FARZANA RAJAEvery moment of incessant struggle of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto, her speeches as a source of strength for the people, her expression of sheer courage on the face of every threat and depiction of the inspiration of people have always remained a source of strength for me. Her great struggle and services for her beloved country could inspire any an individual in the world and her sacrifice and laying down her life is being termed a guarantee for the sustainability of the democracy in Pakistan. This great leader of us who had persuaded the golden principles of Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah and Quaid-e-Awam Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto ought to be remembered as Quaid-e-Jamooriat (Leader of Democracy) as its merely a result of her great struggle that the democracy in Pakistan is fully vibrant and functional and striving to improve the lot of the nation with full zest and vigor. All the spectacular moments I was privileged are a precious asset for me to spend with my Quaid-e-Jamooriat and it's not enough to whatever extent I may talk and mention about it. While writing this article, all these moments begin flashing before my eyes and it's truly provide the very basis of my life as all these moments provided me a great opportunity to enhance my learning and this could be ascribed to a remarkable asset. The unprecedented leadership and epic struggle of Shaheed Mohtarma would always remain imprinted on my kind. It is a matter of immense honour to me to be able to observe her endeavours. The level of her commitment and perseverance always provide me a source of continued guidance. The conversations with Shaheed BB during the struggle for democracy and her persistent guidance have become part of my personality. The overall welfare of people of Pakistan, empowerment of women folks of the society and creation of new economic opportunities for the youth of the country remained her major concerns. Her reason behind the decision of coming back to Pakistan was out of deep affection for the people. She was aware of the fact that the rights of the people are not being provided in the absence of genuine democracy and hence, the integrity of federation had become under dire jeopardy. The sheer courage and bravery of my Shaheed BB could be ascertained from the fact that she had spent many of precious years of her life either under house arrest, in the various prisons of the country or in the exile but still kept voicing her truthful stance firmly. The last return of Shaheed Mahtarma to homeland infused a great spirit in the struggle for establishing a genuine democracy in the country. While working with our great leader, we were enthused with great deal of passion and enthusiasm for the people by taking great deal of inspiration from her courage and commitment. The cruelty and barbarian had snatched this great gift to nation from us in the tragic incident of 27th December but she would also remain a beacon of the light of democracy. The enemies of the country targeted Shaheed BB to thwart the rule of people of Pakistan while she laid her life to save the Federation of Pakistan and to safeguard the rights of the people of the country. There is no denying the fact that today the sun of truthfulness has pushed the darkness of the lies forever. During her last and historic and heroic speech, Quaid-e-Jamooriat expressed her uncompromised stance about the democratic future of Pakistan where there was no room for the forces representing obscurantist mindset and having anti-people agenda. This was indeed a commitment to the restoration of true democracy in the country and thus creation of a social welfare state where the socio-economic rights of every citizen are provided and protected through the high values of democracy. Being leader of the masses, Shaheed BB was most effective and forceful advocate of the democratic and human rights of all the citizens of Pakistan including vulnerable and marginalized segments of society. Her murderers in fact attempted to exterminate the hopes and aspirations of the people but they are bound to fail as Quaid-e-Jamhooriat has become a symbol of hope and resistance and thus an invigorating factor for them to pursue their dreams of getting rid of poverty. Thanks God, today, by virtue of the visionary leadership of President Asif Ali Zardari, we are on the road to achieve a preposterous and stronger Pakistan as per the aspirations of Shaheed BB. Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) can be termed the practical manifestation of our great leader's vision highlighted in slogan of "Roti, Kapra aor Makan - Elm, Roshni, Sab ko kaam". We can rightly claim that BISP is playing a vital role in improving the socio-economic conditions of underprivileged segment of the country. The trust of the people and unprecedented service is a reality that has received the acknowledgement and endorsement from entire word. It would worth mention here on her Yaum-e-Shahadat of Shaheed BB that the democracy in Pakistan today is truly a gift of Quaid-e-Jamooriat to us and it's a success of the people who have secured democracy out of dictatorship through the vision of our great leader.
Benazir Bhutto: An epitome of courage and charisma
BY: Sharmila FaruquiToday Pakistanis pay tribute to the inimitable combination of courage, charisma and defiance. The December 27 is a tragic day not only for Pakistan and its people but for all those across the world who truly believe in the ideals of democracy.
The Bhutto legacy lives on!
By: Munir Ahmed Khan
My father always would say: "My daughter will go into politics? My daughter will become Prime Minister", but it's not what I wanted to do. I would say: "No, Papa, I will never go into politics." As I've said before, this is not the life I chose; it chose me…….But I accepted the responsibility and I've never wavered in my commitment. – Benazir Bhuttoit is the fifth death anniversary of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto. She spent 30 years of her life in prison or exile, in the opposition when in Parliament and as the first woman Prime Minister of Pakistan. Despite the fact that she had no plans to join politics, Benazir bravely laid down her life for the sake of her country. Being a woman, she had many other responsibilities like marriage, children and their career, but, more than anything else, she preferred to serve the people of Pakistan. That she had learnt from her father Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. Her charismatic leadership was a reflection of the powerful image of her father, who was loved by people because he understood their sufferings and made endless efforts to alleviate them. Nevertheless, Bhutto paid a heavy price for standing up to his principles, not bowing down in front of manipulative forces and keeping his head high during times of adversity. Benazir was also gifted with these qualities; and it seems that Bhutto had noticed it long before anyone else. Indeed, she was blessed with an extraordinary intellect and leadership qualities. Ever since she became the PPP's Chairperson at the age of 29, Benazir ventured the path her father had taken - brittle and rough, yet compassionate and humane. With the passage of time, she earned the titled of the "Iron Lady" from her Indian counterparts mainly when against all odds, she decided to return to Pakistan putting her trust in people whom she cared for most. Benazir was a visionary leader. She compromised for the sake of the country. She forgave her opponents and raised slogans of reconciliation in its interest. For instance, her struggle against General (retd) Pervez Musharraf was difficult because Mian Sharif and his party, the PML-N, had opposed Benazir and the PPP from 1985 to 1999. Yet, she did not accept the dictator and instead opted to engage with her political rivals. She surprised the world by making a political alliance with the PML-N, which was named as the Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy (ARD) that led to the signing of the Charter of Democracy. She was a courageous lady and believed that Pakistanis should face the threats posed to their country without fear. Indeed, Shaheed BB was an optimistic leader, who firmly believed in people's power. When she came to Pakistan just before her sad demise, she maintained: "I've been having a party meeting and, believe me, the spirit amongst the party is one that I'm so proud of because they say we can't let the militants dictate to us what's going to happen, and that we have to try and save Pakistan by saving democracy. So my supporters are ready." Her cavalcade upon her arrival in Pakistan was not even a day old when it was hit by a bomb that killed hundreds of people. But those who wanted to see Benazir's death failed to see one thing - and that was the consistent, persistent and stoic belief of the party followers whose trust in their leader did not go through as much as an inch away. Benazir once said: "We are prepared to risk our lives. But we're not prepared to surrender this great nation to militants. The attack was on what I represent. The attack was on democracy and very unity and integrity of Pakistan." She firmly believed in democracy, openness and freedom. She made incomparable efforts to strengthen democracy in Pakistan. She took several initiatives for the revival of democratic institutions in order to preserve the unity and solidarity of the country. She said: "You can imprison a man, but not an idea. You can exile a man, but not an idea. You can kill a man, but not an idea." Having said that, the PPP is not merely the name of a political party. It is a never-ending struggle for truth and justice; a gallant tale of the forfeitures of blood - young blood; a vision that bestowed people with the strength they were deprived of – the strength to stand on their own feet against all odds; and the biggest democratic power to fight all evil mindsets that have been destroying the system. Founded by the son of the soil, Bhutto, the PPP gave the concept of "One Man One Vote" and taught the people to unite under this platform. Be it any dictatorial regime, the PPP and the Bhuttos have remained loyal and determined to the cause of empowering the masses and getting the country out of the bog of dictatorship. The PPP has made numerous sacrifices to make Pakistan a civilised and legitimate country. But for those who think that the PPP, under the leadership of President Asif Zardari, has changed; I would like to remind them that it is the same PPP that restored democracy and sent Musharraf home. It is the same party that despite several conspiracies has kept democracy alive under the slogan of "Pakistan khappey". It is the same PPP that has initiated several programmes for the welfare of the poor such as the Benazir Income Support Programme. On Benazir's 5th death anniversary, her son Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is beginning his political career to advance the vision of his grandfather Shaheed Bhutto and mother Shaheed Benazir. We whole-heartedly welcome him in the best interest of Pakistan and its people. The writer is PPP leader and former secretary information of ARD.
Egypt: A minority constitution for a minority of extremists
Egyptian president, Muslim Brotherhood conduct illegal campaign that sets the stage for new confrontations.Without bothering to wait for official results, the Muslim Brotherhood hastened to declare itself the victor in the referendum on a constitution solidly grounded in Shari'a and Islamic values. The Brothers can now boast of having conquered the allegedly "democratic" elections – the last bastion in their steady takeover of all power points in Egypt. The problem, of course, is that there was nothing democratic about the process. The constitution was drafted in a matter of days by order of President Mohamed Morsi, after six months of endless bickering in the constitutional assembly composed mainly of the Brotherhood and Salafists – in blatant violation of the transitional constitution. Most non-Islamist members and delegates of the Coptic minority had resigned in protest. Furthermore, according to the new constitutional declaration issued on December 9, there could be no recourse against the text of the constitution until after the referendum, a somewhat bizarre decision since there is no point in appealing to the courts once the constitution is approved. According to unofficial results, a mere 32 percent of the electorate took part in the referendum, with 64% approving the constitution and 36% opposing it. Even if these highly dubious returns turn out to be true, it would mean that only 20% of all eligible voters said yes to the new constitution: in absolute numbers, 10.5 million out of the 51 million Egyptians eligible to vote. This is a far cry from the wide consensus needed to launch the country on its post-revolutionary path. This is a minority constitution for a minority of Islamist extremists, with the overwhelming majority voting against it or staying home. The National Salvation Front, the main opposition group, refuses to accept these results. Set up to fight the draft constitution, it is led by Mohamed ElBaradei, Amr Moussa and Hamdeen Sabahi, as well as other political figures. They all claim that fraud was rampant, with minor and major violations in all voting districts, and that judicial supervision was partial at best since most judges went on strike to protest Morsi's measures. These violations included bulletins saying "no" to the constitution were allegedly found thrown in public toilets or in ditches; others were marked "yes" before the vote. A number of polling stations opened late as officials deliberately worked slowly, in order to discourage voters in districts where the opposition was strong. Roadblocks prevented Coptic villagers – who were obviously going to vote against the Islamic constitution – from reaching polling stations. ElBaradei himself stayed home, having been warned that his voting station was surrounded by young toughs from the Brotherhood. Needless to say, the Brotherhood conducted a perfectly illegal campaign by using religion as the persuading factor: Religious leaders issued fatwas saying that voting "no" was a grievous sin and an insult to Islam; preachers in mosques warned that Allah would punish those who dared oppose the constitution. Israel, it was also said, was subverting naïve people and bribing them to vote against the constitution. And as if this was not enough, the Brotherhood and their supporters were overwhelmingly present inside the polling stations, exerting pressure until the last minute. They, and they only, had enough people to cover every single station. They could be seen everywhere taking advantage of the fact that many poor Egyptians are illiterate or barely educated and place their trust blindly in Islam. So far, hundreds of complaints have been lodged with the courts for these and other violations. Though the constitution was adopted, this was not a victory for democracy or for Egypt, and there was little rejoicing at the victory of political Islam. The country is deeply divided. The National Salvation Front has issued a call to continue the fight against the imposition of Shari'a and for the adoption of a constitution that takes all citizens into consideration. Protesters were told to remain in Cairo's Tahrir Square and around the presidential palace to maintain pressure. Morsi had gambled – and lost. He had thought that once the constitution was accepted he would regain the legitimacy he had lost because of widespread opposition, ongoing demonstrations and the growing number of resignations among his close aides. At times the sheer number of protesters in the streets was reminiscent of the popular groundswell that toppled Hosni Mubarak. Slogans called for the president's resignation and spoke out against the domination of the Brotherhood. Vice President Mahmoud Mekki, a respected member of the judiciary, resigned even before the results of the referendum were announced, saying that "politics were incompatible with the values he defended as a judge." Rumor had it that the governor of the central bank had tendered his resignation. The new attorney-general appointed by Morsi resigned, but was "persuaded" to change his mind. The regime is trying to stay the course throughout the country, and is in for another lengthy period of confrontations. The Brotherhood will not budge in spite of the opposition; they will not deviate from their avowed aim: imposing Shari'a in Egypt, then in Islamic countries and finally in the whole world. Their claim of victory at the polls is hotly disputed by a powerful opposition representing a significant number of Egyptians and nearly all the educated elite. Can that opposition remain united? Will it be able to coordinate the fight against the Muslim Brotherhood? Because that fight is far from over. Elections to parliament have to be held two months after the constitution has been approved. Can opposition forces win these elections and demonstrate that the Brotherhood has lost its popular support? Or will the Brotherhood, controlling the country, muster all their supporters to once again frighten and cheat their way to a majority in parliament? It might not be so easy, with the ever deepening economic crisis and overall lack of security. Poverty and hunger may drive millions of people to the streets. Furthermore, it seems that at long last the West is beginning to understand that there is nothing "pragmatic" about Morsi's policies and nothing "moderate" about the Brotherhood. The first to speak openly on the subject was the German foreign minister, who voiced his doubts about the the referendum. And the long awaited loan from the International Monetary Fund, which Egypt desperately needs, is apparently on hold.
The writer, a fellow of The Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, is a former ambassador to Romania, Egypt and Sweden.
Salvation Front will continue its fight against Egypt's new constitution
Egypt's churches object to new constitution
U.S. administration urges Republicans not to block "fiscal cliff" deal
India wakes up to child malnutrition 'shame
http://www.washingtonpost.com/India – Stung by the realization that it faced a child malnutrition crisis worse than in most African countries, India is finally waking to the scale of the problem.
Pakistan in 2012: Between hope and despair
ANP announces campaign for coalition against militancy
FATA, FR regions abundant in oil, gas, says report
The Express Tribune
Pakistan: Crime, culture and forensics
By: Rafia Zakaria
Bhutto family has always sacrificed for Pakistan
Bilawal Bhutto to make formal entry into Pak politics tomorrow
http://www.indianexpress.comPakistan People's Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari
PPP ready to go to 'court of people', says Zardari
Daily TimesPresident Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday said the PPP was ready to go to the court of the people, saying they were the real judge of the performance of the government. Addressing briefly the notables from the area at the Makhdoom House, the president said that the vision of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and the legacy of Benazir Bhutto were being followed by the present leadership. He said Benazir Bhutto was a symbol of democracy and had left behind a legacy which is a source of inspiration for the present leadership to improve the socio-economic condition of the people of the country. "We have gathered here to pay tribute to an indomitable fighter for the rights of poor and marginalised," the president said, adding that ZAB and Benazir Bhutto gave voice to the downtrodden people of the country and even laid down their lives while fighting for the cause of the people of the country. "We will continue to follow their footsteps and will never hesitate in offering any sacrifice in pursuing the noble mission of our great leaders," the president said in his remarks. The president said the leadership will not be deterred by the negative propaganda by its detractors and would continue serving the masses. "We believe in making our enemies our friends," he said. Zardari said that the next elections would be held in a free, fair and transparent manner and the people of the country would give their verdict. He said that the leadership was ready to go to the court of the people who were the real judge for measuring the performance of the government "We will never leave the poor, marginalised and vulnerable people alone in their fight for their rights," the president said while reiterating the resolve of the PPP leadership. He said the leadership fully believes in addressing the issues of the masses who, he said, are the real source of power. President Zardari also visited the mausoleum of Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah on his birthday to pay tribute to him. He laid a floral wreath on the Mazar-e-Quaid and offered Fateha.
Bilawal Bhutto will deliver first address to nation tomorrow
Radio PakistanInformation and Broadcasting Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira has said the process of sacrifices by the PPP leaders and workers would continue till the realization of the dream of a stable Pakistan. Addressing the People's Workers Convention in Rahim Yar Khan today he said that Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari will deliver his first address to the nation tomorrow on the eve of anniversary of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto. He said that Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Shaheed Benazir Bhutto are ever alive in the hearts and minds of the people following their sacrifices for the cause of democracy and public rights. He asked the workers to listen carefully the address of PPP Chairman. The Minister added tomorrow all the convoys will proceed to Garhi Khuda Bux to pay homage to their Shaheed leaders. He said our leaders had chosen which path we have to adopt that which was for the glory and stability of Pakistan. He said our leaders did not work for any personnel gains' this is why they are living in our hearts and minds. Mr. Kaira said that the elections are coming nearer and are at a distance of few months' while our opponents and media has raised a barrage of opposition. He said the main accusation being levelled on PPP led government that what they have delivered to the people in the last five years. He said they also blame the coalition government for price hike' joblessness and massive scale corruption. He said the painting of events by media and opposition is not a new one for PPP workers. He reminded the audience that it was Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto who revived the feelings of a living nation among the demoralized nation at that time. They also blamed him and martyr him on fake facts which have now proved to be only allegations. Information Minister said when NAB said that there is corruption from 7 to 8 Billion rupees daily' then the media and opposition made hue and cry that all the resources were plundered by the government. But he questioned that on such a scale the corruption volume goes to 3000 billion rupees annually which is equal to our budget. Thus we are paying pay and pensions' serving foreign debts and are meeting defense expenses' than how it would be possible to make such huge plundering of resources. He said when NAB Chairman clarified that 65 per cent of corruption is being grabbed in Punjab province only' than these opposition leaders said that Chairman has gone out of his mind. Earlier Special prayers were offered for the departed soul of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto at the Peoples Workers Convention.
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In an interview with the Italian newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore, Mr al-Hasidi admitted that he had recruited "around 25" men from the Derna area in eastern Libya to fight against coalition troops in Iraq. Some of them, he said, are "today are on the front lines in Adjabiya".Neither is this (News.com.au)
Mr al-Hasidi insisted his fighters "are patriots and good Muslims, not terrorists," but added that the "members of al-Qaeda are also good Muslims and are fighting against the invader".
His revelations came even as Idriss Deby Itno, Chad's president, said al-Qaeda had managed to pillage military arsenals in the Libyan rebel zone and acquired arms, "including surface-to-air missiles, which were then smuggled into their sanctuaries".
Mr al-Hasidi admitted he had earlier fought against "the foreign invasion" in Afghanistan, before being "captured in 2002 in Peshwar, in Pakistan". He was later handed over to the US, and then held in Libya before being released in 2008.
AL-QAEDA'S offshoot in North Africa has snatched surface-to-air missiles from an arsenal in Libya during the civil strife there, Chad's President says. Idriss Deby Itno did not say how many surface-to-air missiles were stolen, but told the African weekly Jeune Afrique that he was "100 per cent sure" of his assertion.And to top it off, it looks like Barack Hussein Obama's action in Libya is helping, as he did in Egypt....the Muslim Brotherhood (CNN).
"The Islamists of al-Qaeda took advantage of the pillaging of arsenals in the rebel zone to acquire arms, including surface-to-air missiles, which were then smuggled into their sanctuaries in Tenere," a desert region of the Sahara that stretches from northeast Niger to western Chad, Deby said in the interview.
Dr. Abdulmonem Hresha knows first hand how Moammar Gadhafi's regime works. He says the seeds of his opposition were sown when he was age 10.Now I haven't often agreed with Sen. Rand Paul on a few items (cutting off aid to all nations including allies like Israel, military cuts), but I'm in total agreement with him when he told National Review:
...The prominent member of the Muslim Brotherhood now lives in London, and anticipates the group could become an important player in a post-Gadhafi environment.
As in Egypt and Tunisia, the Brotherhood in Libya has been energized by the sudden upheaval sweeping the Arab world.
It says it has no organizational links with the Brotherhood elsewhere, but shares the philosophy of the pan-Arab Islamist movement founded in Egypt in the 1920s.
"The question is, who are these people?" he asks. "We know how bad the guy in power is, but do we know that these people are not in favor of radical sharia law? Do we know that they do not think that Israel should be wiped off the map? I am always concerned when we are in favor of people who we know nothing about."As was in Egypt, this has been my concern.
Is Obama about to help give birth to an Islamist monster in northern Africa aligned with al-Queda, and create an even bigger base of operations for terrorism?


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Howdy, boys. I've been shooting cast bullets for forty years but mostly in muzzle loaders, lever guns, BPCR, and revolvers. Recently I bought a pre-model 70 Winchester--1939 target model with a with non-factory heavy barrel. With a unertl 15x scope off a solid bench it shoots 1-2" five shot groups at 100 yards using Harris 2400 and Red Dot loads with a 200gr bore rider gc bullet. About 50% larger with a 150-170 fn bullet.
I can shoot the rifle pretty well at 50 yards with Lyman iron sights, and I figured I'd have some fun in the ground hog postal match. I tried shooting a number of pb bullets with loads I got from Harris writings and off this site, but with terrible results. 4-6' groups, or worse.
I need any help I can get finding a respectable load to shoot in this match, and I don't have much range time to work something up.
Any help will be appreciated.
Steve K


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Passports must be valid for at least six months from the date of arrival. Visas are required by most Commonwealth nationals. If you are travelling on from Zambia, some countries will require you to have a yellow fever vaccination certificate (see Travel Health below).
Traffic drives on the left. Visitors wishing to drive will need an international driving permit. It is illegal to drink and drive or to use a mobile phone while driving. Chauffeur-driven cars are also available for hire.
Scheduled flights fly between the main centres. There are three main railway lines affording services between Lusaka and Livingstone, Lusaka and the Copperbelt, and Kapiri Mposhi and the northern border with United Republic of Tanzania. Taxis are widely available in urban areas but are not metered and fares should be agreed in advance.
Prevalent diseases where appropriate precautionary measures are recommended include cholera, diphtheria, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, malaria, rabies, schistosomiasis (bilharzia) and typhoid. Vaccination against yellow fever is not generally recommended by the World Health Organization.
There were 859,000 tourist arrivals in 2012.


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I am so glad that Dale Price is once again regularly blogging at his blog Dyspeptic Mutterings, since my motto has always been to
steal borrow from the best!
A useful short history of the king's water can be found here.
Since 1965, Catholicism has had its own version of aqua regia, and the Church has been guzzling it. It's called ecumenism, but it has gone well beyond rational discussion to a positive hysteria–ecumania, if you will. And it appears to have made ecumaniacs of the USCCB, what with their recommendation for expanded intercommunion.
Sounds positively ecumaniacal, in fact. A better dissolver of Catholic teaching you will not find.
Look, those close to me and my handful of devoted readers know I'm a convert from mainline Protestantism. I wasn't practicing much before I converted. Honestly, if a Religion Detector Monitor had existed and I'd been hooked up to it, it probably would have read "Deist with a healthy measure of appreciation for Christendom and the Bible."
I like to think that I've spent the last sixteen years becoming a somewhat useful disciple of Christ in His Catholic Church. Lord knows, I've had my spiritual bumps on the way, and my worldview has shifted from 1999–in some ways, radically.
And my beloved wife and I have had some less than smooth sailing. We dropped her income when we had our second. And then our third came along–three kids in three calendar years plus 10 days. We've been crammed seven of us into 880 square feet with no basement or garage–that back in 2010. My car is older than all our kids. We've had other financial turbulence I'd rather not discuss.
Still, discipleship costs. I can accept that.
And then I read that we really need to share the Eucharist with the titular Evangelical Lutherans (as opposed to, say, the evangelical Lutherans in the Missouri Synod–from whom the late Fr. Neuhaus sprang). Despite the fact that, you know, they don't believe in all that Catholic crap.
Huh. But, apparently, that's not enough to deny the source and summit of the Christian life, the sacrament of Catholic unity, to members of an ecclesial community which is drifting further away from us in oh-so-many-ways.
The ELCA says that abortion is often a "morally responsible choice." And while it claims to frown on abortions after "fetal viability," baby-killing Doctor George Tiller was a member in good standing of the ELCA, as the church website solemnly notes. [And don't even try to jump into my face suggesting I'm happy with Tiller's murder. WRONG.] Yeah–can't wait to gather around the alt–er, table and sing Kumbaya.
But, we must march ahead. Forward, forward–-always forward, eh, yes? No.
I mean, really–communion with the ELCA immerses Catholic witness in a vat of aqua regia, turning her gold into powder. On what basis do we require anyone to hold to the Catholic faith–much less to be properly disposed–before approaching the altar?
If you have a daughter undergoing first communion prep, why does she have to go to confession before receiving when the Lutherans do not?
Or, more topically: Lutherans remarried after divorce: come on down for this moving ecumenical moment!
Catholics–not so fast!
Go here to read the rest. Faiths which require much from their adherents usually flourish and those which require little usually disappear over time. Catholicism has been around for 2000 years as a very demanding Faith in many ways. Now we have men at the helm, willfully ignorant of the history of the Church, who seem to wish in this generation to undue the work one hundred generations of Catholics. We are led by fools and worse than fools. May God forgive them, and may He, through us, stop them!


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sarah's so boring ever since she stopped drinking
music. musings. mumblings. mine.
a personal blog that used to be about my sobriety.
Thursday, July 1, 2004
Thanks everyone for their adorable pet photos! My God, you people have cute animals! One person even sent me a photo of a baby dear, which is also known as a fawn. I was fawning over it. badumpbump.
Anyway, because i love the killers so much... and i swear, this isn't a killers fansite, but i'm posting this since people get upset when i dont update on all things killers, i just got this email:
Hey Everyone,
The Killers are performing on Pepsi Smash tonight, July 1st on the WB at 8:00pm (EST & PST)... During the show, VOTE for the killers when they "Smash Off" against Los Lonely Boys... The winner gets to play another song, so make sure you vote between 8 and 9pm at www.thewb.com/vote. Also featured on the show this evening: Kanye West and 311, so check it out.
11 comments:
- missmisery2 said...
JUST AN FYI....Rugby (the 4th of July dog) is available for adoption in the Kansas City area. You can see his handsome face on Petfinder.com. You can also go there to find lots of other awesome dogs & cats at shelters in your area that need loving homes.
- July 1, 2004 at 7:06 PM
to the above post. that's how i got my dog...on petfinder.com! great website
- July 1, 2004 at 7:23 PM
Hey Ultra, do you have the new Interpol yet?
- July 1, 2004 at 11:57 PM
Hi Sarah,
I'm so glad you're back. I saw the Killers last night on Pepsi Smash, they were so good, and the singer is soooo hot! Keane played too, there cd is great, I highly recommend it! Anyway the show will be on again on Sunday at 5:00 pm if anyone missed it.
- July 2, 2004 at 10:40 AM
- jeddeth said...
I am so sad that they lost the smash up (or whatever it was). I voted as many times as my little modem would let me.
By the way... Jenny is about a girl that is dead? I never thought of it that way. I guess it makes sense but it is so grim.
- July 2, 2004 at 2:44 PM
Is anybody else OBSESSED with #5 on Hot Fuss...I become spastic everytime I hear it. I can't help it...I swear.
- July 3, 2004 at 2:53 PM
Is anybody else OBSESSED with #5 on Hot Fuss...I become spastic everytime I hear it. I can't help it...I swear.
- July 3, 2004 at 2:53 PM
- Stella Atkinson said...
Yea track #5 is awesome. I repeat it like 3 times before I move on.
- July 4, 2004 at 11:48 AM
Greeting from Vegas- Just to let you know, the Killers "won" out here in the West and played "Jenny..." It was awesome.
I'm gonna rip the video and post it sometime, so check the Killers message board if you want to watch
- July 4, 2004 at 5:01 PM
They just showed The Killers as the winners on the rerun. Thanks for posting the time Jaclyn....I would have missed it.
- July 4, 2004 at 6:00 PM
- Raised By Bees said...
I finally heard The Killers at work today and I really don't hear the overwhelming comparisons to Duran Duran. Look, I went through puberty to Duran Duran, I should know. They are very '80s and British, but their influences are not that obvious.
As for the comments section, people tend to write dickhead anonymous comments because you are a high-profile person (as a SPIN staffer and gal about town in NYC), and therefore more "deserving" of scrutiny.
Your blog fascinates me because the world it represents is about as foreign to me as your buddy's dispatch from Israel. I'm not saying that to be a dick. I really am just curious.
Sara in Philadelphia
- July 5, 2004 at 9:26 PM


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All authority in Christ
. . . I've been trying to stress that the risen Jesus does not say to the disciples, "All authority on heaven and earth is given to the books you chaps are going to go off and write." He says, "All authority on heaven and earth is given to Me." So that if we say that Scripture is authoritative, what we must actually mean is that the authority which is vested in Christ alone is mediated through Scripture.Amen.
That's a more complicated thing than simply having a book on the shelf, full of right answers that you can go and look up. It's more a way of saying that when we read Scripture and determine to live under it, we are actually saying we want to live under the sovereign lordship of Jesus mediated through this book.
When you say it like that, then all sorts of other things happen as a result, like what is the sovereign lordship of Jesus all about? Is it simply to fill our heads with right answers to difficult questions? Well, right answers to difficult questions are better than wrong answers to difficult questions. But no, the authority of Jesus Christ is there to transform and heal and save the world, to make the kingdoms of the world become the kingdom of our God and of his Christ. So the question then is, how does the authority of Scripture serve that purpose?. And that's actually much more interesting than simply using Scripture to settle or raise indeed doctrinal disputes within the church.