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Try the United Shades Virtual Mirror. This United Shades review of a popular online eyeglasses store takes out the guess work about which of over 7000 eyeglasses and sunglasses will look great on you. Enjoy a online shopping experience like never before!
United Shades has over 30 of the most famous sunglasses designer brands in the world.
With duty free online shopping and worldwide shipping, the website that makes choosing a pair of eyeglasses easy is the trendiest eyeglasses shop on the net.
United Shades Virtual Mirror
When you go to an eyeglasses store, you may try on a pair of shades that you like. Yet, after trying on more than a few, the salesperson who is attending to your needs may not be that civil anymore. Sometimes you won't buy any of the shades that you tried at all. So, the next time you go to that store the same salesperson will give you a look like you're wasting their time.
Why pressure yourself and deal with these small issues when you can try on as many shades and eyeglasses as you want using the United Shades Virtual Mirror?
Simply by uploading a photo, taking one with a webcam, or using the demo, you can fit as many as your heart desires. The Virtual Mirror enables you to make a studied decision based on the way it fits your face.
United Shades Designer Brands
The most famous and well known brands are in this online store. From Prada's to Ralph Laurens Purple Label, the "in-style" Ray-Ban to a classic Alexander McQueen, Mui Mui by Prada, Hugo Boss, Gucci, DKNY, Dolce & Gabbana, and Yves Saint Laurent, and more, the names that have dominated the industry for years and the newest popular ones are here!
Other websites might have designer brands but as we all very well know that there are a lot of fake ones flooding the market. Those look authentic but are low quality imitations.
United Shades has 100% authentic brands so you can shop with confidence that you're getting the real thing. United Shades sunglasses and eyeglasses come in the latest styles and classic looks. The ideal site for someone that wants to collect as many shades as Elton John or Ozzie Ozborne without being outlandish.
United Shades
Celebrity Style
Change your look instantly with a pair of new United Shades. More than just looking great, give your eyes the protection that it needs against glare, and provide clearer visibility while driving. Get a quality pair of sunglasses or eyeglasses from United Shades by using the Virtual Mirror to try it before you buy it right now.


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Leader of the Lord's Resistance Army Joseph Kony speaks to journalists after a meeting with U.N. humanitarian chief Jan Egeland at Ri-Kwamba in southern Sudan in 2006.
WASHINGTON — The State Department announced a new war crimes rewards initiative on Wednesday that will put a $5 million bounty on Lord's Resistance Army leader Joseph Kony as well as other African strongmen, including other LRA leaders Dominic Ongwen and Okot Odhiambo. The move highlights the unrest currently tearing apart swathes of Africa, as well as the Obama administration's failure so far to address international human rights issues in meaningful ways.
Ambassador-at-Large for War Crimes Issues Stephen J. Rapp spoke to reporters alongside Assistant Secretary for African Affairs Don Yamamoto and International Criminal Court prosecutor Fatou Bensouda, in a rare visit.
The war crimes rewards program came into effect as a result of legislation headed by Secretary of State (then Senator) John Kerry along with House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce, that expands existing systems for bringing in war criminals and those suspected of genocide. The people sought "must be foreign nationals accused by any international tribunal of crimes against humanity, genocide or war crimes," Rapp said.
The State Department will offer up to $5 million for information leading to the individuals' arrest, depending on the quality of the tip and the risk taken by the informant.
The other subjects sought by the State Department include FDLR commander Sylvestre Mudacumura as well as a group of other fugitives from the Rwandan international criminal tribunal.
Rapp said the program was "strongly supported by the Pentagon and the White House" and that it is "something that could provide key intelligence" for the intelligence community. Regular civilians as well as U.S. government officials can receive the rewards.
Kony, the subject of a viral "Stop Kony" internet campaign last year, is back in the news recently because of the coup in the Central African Republic, where the LRA has waged a violent guerrilla campaign for years. The group is also active in the eastern Congo.
Read more: http://buzzfeed.com/rosiegray/state-department-announces-5-million-reward-for-information

subset: commoncrawl


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Covered Entities are required to report breaches of unsecured Protected Health Information ("PHI") involving fewer than 500 individuals to the Office of Civil Rights ("OCR") of the federal Department of Human Services within 60 days of the end of the calendar year in which the breach occurred. Accordingly, a breach occurring in 2015 must be reported to OCR no later than February 29, 2016.
These reports can be made online via the OCR's website. The Report/Notification page can be accessed here:
If your organization identified a reportable breach in 2015, and has yet to submit a notice of the breach to OCR, you will need to do so by the February 29, 2016 deadline. If you have any questions regarding this reporting requirement, or would like guidance on preparing your report, please do not hesitate to contact David Marshall via email, or call (717) 620-2424.


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- Products
- Our Promise
- Clo's Corner
- Clover Cares
Meg van der Kruik is the writer, mother, photographer, designer, cook and creative spirit behind Beard & Bonnet. After her infant son was diagnosed with a gluten allergy, she dedicated herself to learning to make meals the whole family would love.
I am so excited to be partnering with Clover Organic Farms to bring you these decadent cinnamon rolls! Clover Organic Farms has a rich history here in California that spans back over 100 years! Clover also has a rich history in my fridge as my go-to brand for organic dairy products! I trust them, I trust their products and their passion for doing what's right for their farms, their cows and their consumers.
There is nothing better than waking up to the smell of cinnamon rolls baking in the oven! I am a big fan of the fact that most of the actual work that goes into creating this recipe can be done the night before with our kids, so no one has to wake up at the crack of dawn to get breakfast on the table! The whole process to make these luscious cinnamon rolls takes a few hours.
Just a friendly FYI: The recipe time reflected here does not take into account the 1 hour 25 minute time this dough needs to rest and rise. Also, I have found that using Press & Seal Wrap for the cling wrap really makes working with the dough easier, because the Press & Seal Wrap sticks to itself making working the dough easier and cleaner!
Vanilla Bean Scented Icing


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All of the politicians in Washington on both sides hate Cruz plus he is a chronic liar.
Cruz will get a small majority win in Texas and Rubio may have some success in the smaller delegate areas and both will remain a distant second place.
Trump will win big overall, especially in places like Georgia and Texas with large amount of delegates.
Cruz is just about finished but will hang in there for another couple of weeks.
The GOP is desperate because Trump is threatening their inside deals with lobbyists and they are losing control plus they hate Trump.


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Get Malaika's golden glow with our bronzer secrets
Nothing beats sporting a fabulous golden glow that makes you look like you've spent a long, leisurely day at the beach. And the right bronzer can give you this effect. But, apply it wrong and you end up looking too muddy or just too orange. Here are three ways to get your bronzing game on.
• All shades aren't made equal so pick the right one carefully. You want to avoid a hue that's too dark or too strong for your face. As a rule, a bronzer with golden-yellow undertones suits almost everyone. If you are very fair, pick one with pink undertones. Have duskier skin? Pick deeper pigments to give your face added dimension. Basically, don't pick a bronzer more than two shades darker than your own skin tone. Avoid ones with too much sparkle or shimmer as they can look greasy or too artificial. A little sparkle goes a long way.
• Apart from colour, make sure you use the right formula. For instance, if you have oily skin, go with an oil-free powder formula, while those with dry skin should opt for a cream bronzer.
• A kabuki brush gives you the most control on account of its shorter handle. You need to apply the bronzer on areas where the sun's rays would hit your face. Dip your brush into the bronzer and tap away any excess. Sweep it across your forehead and temples, cheekbones, down the bridge of your nose and on your chin. There's one more area where you need to apply the bronzer, which most people miss—the décolleté or neck. If you skip this area, there will be a difference in colour between your face and neck, which is a big no-no. And yes, if you're going to tie your hair in a stylish updo, the back of your neck needs a sweep of bronzer too.
Photograph courtesy: Rohan Shrestha


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I know christmas has been and gone but I made a few christmassy things this year and thought you might like to have a look at them.
I got into Ravelry this autumn and its opened up a whole range of patterns to me. I was especially attracted to some of the christmas patterns and ended up knitting a christmas wreath and a partridge ornament for my mother.
The partridge is slightly less demented looking in real life but I didn't get round to taking any decent pictures. The wreath was a very fun quick make – one day it may get baubles but they can wait.
Another set of ornaments I made was these ribbon christmas trees. This one was gifted to my sister and I kept a purple one. I really enjoyed making them and they are very quick to make so I'm sure I'll make some more one day.
I also made christmas cards, using an embroidery to make christmas trees and stars. However I was very rubbish at taking pictures of them so here are the few I captured.
For my sisters fundraising for guides I made her some beaded snowflakes. These were very fun to make and a good chance to play with design and colour even in a winter white palette.
She sold most of them, which is good to hear. I've also got a couple of unfinished beaded ornaments which I'm hoping to finish before I pack my ornaments away. I'm building up a pretty collection.


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Case Study
Client: Envita for Large Noodle Manufacture, who's name is confidential
Location: South Korea
Background: Emissions from eight noodle ovens were causing visible emissions and also oil/grease coating on the roof around the exhaust stacks. Air Clear looked at comparison of two technologies. Regenerative Thermal Oxidizer (RTO) and Fiberbed Mist Collector. The cost advantage was clearly in favor of the Mist Collector, however the end user wanted to see performance as this was the first application of the Mist Collector on a noodle manufacture. The three month Pilot Test demonstrated that the Mist Collector removed greater than 99% of all oil aerosol particulate greater than 0.1 micron and larger.
Waste Description: Oil and grease aerosol mist from hot peanut, coconut and vegetable oils.
Solution: Air Clear installed 530 3欧美色图库/minute (18,500 ACFM) Fiberbed Filter Mist Collector System to remove the submicron particulate that was causing the opacity 'smoke' problem. To protect against solid particulate and to protect the unit from duct fires a cyclonic water scrubber was used to remove the solids and to provide a water seal which would serve as a fire block in case of a duct fire. In addition to greatly reducing odors, the Air Clear Fiberbed Filter Mist Collector provided zero visible emissions.
A steam pipe was connected to the shell of the unit to heat the coalescing filters and restore the pressure drop. This allowed the filters to last for several years.
Process Equipment: Eight oven stacks were duct together creating one inlet duct to the Mist Collector. Any number of units, one to eight, can exhaust to
欧美色图库the Mist Collector by using isolation dampers on each line. A VFD was also used to control the flow from the ovens to the Mist Collector.


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Understanding PTSD: A look at the condition, how to treat it
Published Thursday, December 5, 2013 3:28PM EST Last Updated Friday, December 6, 2013 6:27AM EST
Soldiers patrol the outskirts of Spin Boldak, near the Afghanistan border with Pakistan, in 2009. (AP / Emilio Morenatti)
What is PTSD?
PTSD, or post-traumatic stress disorder, is an anxiety disorder that develops as a reaction to either an actual or imagined threat of death, injury or sexual violence.
Dr. David Clark, a professor of psychology at the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton, says PTSD can develop after someone experiences a trauma directly, or from witnessing the trauma happening to someone else.
"Even learning about something traumatic happening to someone close to you can lead to PTSD," Clark says.
Dr. Katy Kamkar, a clinical psychologist at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Torontosays the symptoms can be broken into three categories:
Re-experiencing symptoms: This involves memories of the trauma returning in flashbacks and nightmares; intense physical reactions to reminders of the event, such as heart-pounding, shortness of breath, nausea, etc. Feelings of anger and guilt are also common.
Avoidance symptoms: Those with PTSD often try to avoid thoughts or conversations related to the trauma. They might also avoid places and people that are reminders. This often leads to a loss of interest in activities; feeling detached from other people or feeling emotionally numb.
- Increased arousal: Hyper-vigilance, or feeling constantly "on guard" or jumpy is typical in those with PTSD. Others might have difficulty falling or staying asleep, irritability or outbursts of anger and difficulty concentrating.
Aren't such reactions normal after a trauma?
Most people experience the symptoms of PTSD in the hours and first days after a trauma, says Clark. "So we think it's a normal reaction; it's the brain's way of dealing with trauma," he says.
"For most people, though, the symptoms start to disappear within a few weeks or months after the trauma. But it's in those in whom the symptoms persist that we're most worried about, because then it starts to interfere in their ability to work and relate to others and so on."
Some people can experience delayed-onset PTSD, in which they think they're fine, but then become overwhelmed by symptoms six months or more after the trauma.
Why do some develop PTSD and others don't?
A lot of research has gone into this question, says Clark. He says there seem to be two key factors: one is the nature of the trauma; very traumatic events are particularly toxic, he says. As well, the number of traumatic events a person experiences is important. So the more traumas one experiences, the higher the risk of developing PTSD. That is why police, military members and paramedics are at higher risk.
Is there a cure?
Clark says there isn't really a cure for PTSD. There are good ways for patients to manage the condition and improve their mental health so they can get back to their lives. But he says it often remains a struggle for some time.
"It's hard for people to understand PTSD until you've gone through a trauma or seen a loved one with PTSD," says Clark. "They truly suffer, and they want to get better."
How is it treated?
Cognitive-behavioural therapy and group therapy led by therapists experienced in a particular type of trauma have shown to be the most promising treatments for PTSD.
Exposure therapy, in which the patient is asked to gradually relive the trauma under controlled conditions, is another way to confront the trauma and can also be beneficial.
As well, there are medications that can help with the depression and anxiety that often accompany PTSD.
Kamkar says in trauma-focused cognitive behavioural therapy, patients are taught to recognize and understand their reactions to the trauma. They are also taught anxiety management techniques.
And they are taught how to approach their own thoughts and beliefs associated with distress.


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By now we've all been accosted by the news that Fox -- the brilliant organization behind such gems as Bones! and The Swan! (note my sarcasm) -- has canceled The Mindy Project.
Let's all take a moment to sob. And sob some more. Now hiccup cry. Now breathe deeply. One more sob.
I guess in some ways the cancellation makes sense. I mean, it was a witty, well-written, often insightful look into the lives of women. There were episodes that made me fist pump alone in my living room. Scenes that made me cry. And moments that made me feel less alone. It was groundbreaking in a way I've been begging female-driven vehicles to be for years. Rather than securing show's future, all these things made the too-soon cancellation of the series practically certain from the first episode. Network TV is an aging behemoth that is sustained by soap operas and reality TV. Are there exceptions to this rule? A few. But they fill an ever-diminishing need. For the most part, anything that challenges or engages or lifts has no place on network TV. Because, like, that's not the point.
Am I pretty fried that I no longer have a fall date with Mindy's parents and Danny? Yeah, pretty much. Pretty fried. But I am also a little relieved on the behalf of the best show I've seen in the past 10 years. Mindy deserves to hang her Wreath Witherspoon in a home that feels lucky to have her.
I've got good hope that if a situation that is good for cast and crew presents itself, they'll take it. Maybe Hulu, where the show already has a fierce viewership. Or Netflix, the home of #femalesarestrongashell. Or maybe we can all just kickstart and get Mindy Kaling her own damn network already.
In the meantime, as a way to distract myself from the grief cloud hovering over this house (MORGAN!!!! MORRRRRGANNNNNNNNN!!!!), here are three things I learned from The Mindy Project.
God rest her soul till we meet again.
1. I don't have to wear sleeves. This one may not seem like much. Really, Meg? Sleeves? This is worth noting? Hell yes, it is. When I was 15, someone told me to avoid sleeveless clothes because, "although you look great, your arms are a bit heavy." I guess I shouldn't have been surprised. I mean, I knew I wasn't waving around Madonna stick pins... I wasn't delusional. But the wording really worked me over.
My arms were heavy? That description took my upper limbs a step beyond chubby and into the world of practically deformed. My heavy arms that hung heavily by my side while trying to lift light things that were too much weight to add to the heaviness of my already heavy arms. Holy hell, forget sleeveless. It was obvious to me that the best thing I could do for myself, and the pitiable people who had to look upon me, was to cover those weighted monstrosities the hell up. So I did. With ¾ length sleeves on hot days and thin sweaters on cold days. (Cable knit would have amplified the heaviness.) When I did venture out in anything less than full arm coverage, I did so as an act of defiance, "I know I don't deserve to have the sun hit the skin above my elbow, but look me in the eyes and see if I give a damn."
I was nearly 30 years old before Madcap Mindy showed me how ridiculous I'd been. Mindy isn't my sister in "heavy" arms. I didn't find solidarity in her lack of pin thin appendages. Rather I found inspiration in the easy grace with which she handled her body -- arms, legs and all. There was no point being made by her choice of sleeveless blouses or short skirts or va-va-voom dresses. Her clothes were not an act of defiance. (Which was revolutionary in itself.) She wore what the hell she wanted because she was being who the hell she wanted.
In Mindy's world, a woman who weighs more than a package of stevia could wear something something more fashionable than a sack of flour. That fact wasn't revolutionary... it was simply a matter of course. And that, for me, was freeing as hell. I'll never be able to thank my "best friend I've never met" enough for that fact. She's changed my outlook and consequently, changed the dialogue I have with my own daughters.
2. Women don't have to be ashamed of what they want. And they don't have to be angered by what other women want. I'm not delusional. I know that Mindy Kaling is different from Mindy Lahiri. I know that Dr. L's life goals diverge greatly from Grand Dame Kaling's life goals. That being said, Kaling wrote Lahiri, and she did so with a great degree of grace and tolerance. As I watched the show, I didn't feel Kaling judging Lahiri for having different aspirations than her creator. I felt her honoring her, rooting for her, pushing her forward. Oh my goodness, what if we could extend that same respect to the real women in our lives not just the ones we meet on TV? Could you imagine the dialogue that would ensue? The steps we'd take forward? The wounds we'd heal?
What does Mindy Lahiri want? We know early on in the series that Mindy L. is a professional woman who is also "looking for someone to go apple picking with." She wants marriage and babies and she defines those things as integral to her happy ending. And she isn't ashamed of it. Do you know how refreshing that storyline has been for me? A writer who also has two babies and a husband? A girl who wants her name on the front of a book and wants bubbles and baby laughter in her backyard? The Mindy Project doesn't preach the false hope of "having it all." Mindy has given up plenty of almost dreams for her better parts. (Dammit, San Francisco) But she is unwavering when it comes to her core happiness. To the things she feels she deserves. To the dreams she isn't afraid of dreaming... no matter how outdated they might seem to the people around her.
Whether your dream includes babies or not, a career or not, a partner or not, compromise or not, Mindy Lahiri's quest for her personal happiness should speak to you. You get to seek what you want without shame.
3. And finally, there is communion in the ridiculous. Listen, Mindy Lahiri is a little ridiculous. She spouts off half-baked political assessments, once said recycling makes America seem poor and went seven years without paying her taxes. But as the series went on, I didn't find myself laughing at her, I found myself laughing with her. No one of us is free from elements of the ridiculous. We are all filled with half-baked opinions...the fact that we might keep them to ourselves doesn't mean they don't exist. We are all ignorant until we are not. (And then ignorant some more until we are not again.) We all have literal or figurative un-opened envelopes with contents that are past due.
Maybe we would all be better off if we stopped assuming ridiculousness was the burden of others and accepted it as the ever-evolving state of all of us. And maybe, just maybe, Mindy Lahiri style, we should just start being honest about it. Who knows? Maybe, like the great Project Herself, we'll learn something about each other and ourselves along the way. (And laugh a little more, too.)
You know, when I heard about the cancellation, I wasn't upset for the people in the show. They've proven they can create and sustain a small world and its misfit inhabitants. The actors will go on to movies. The writers will be asked to be a part of the next big thing. Mindy will continue her trajectory to a place in the stars next to Nora Ephron. (And maybe beyond?) They're doing just fine.
Me? I'm queuing up the first season and counting my lucky stars. For a half hour every week, in a little show with little pretension, I found a brand of feminism that spoke to me, rather above or below me. I found men that loved strong women and strong women that loved men. And I found a world in which my arms were released from the constraints of décor and became beautiful and free simply because they were attached to me.
Whoa, Nelly.


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The Google 4.0 Penguin release in September 2016 made a significant impact on the way SEO marketers worldwide approached content – shifting focus to a more organic strategy without having to stress about search algorithm penalties from before.
As a speedy reminder, Google designed the Penguin updates to identify spammy sites that place unnatural links on other sites, which are unacceptable to the search engine.
The update was first introduced in 2012, while the last 4.0 update went live on September 23, 2016 and began filtering results in real time.
Ever Evolving Algorithms At Google: A Historical Outlook
The history of Google updates is constantly changing. Panda and Penguin have both dramatically changed the way the search engine evaluates quality of content and links, penalising websites with spammy profiles. Questionable links and content were devalued, while high-quality links were rewarded.
Google uses over 200 unique signals for its algorithms, which includes everything from specific keywords appearing on websites and frequency of content refreshing to location of website and PageRank.
Penguin is one of these signals with a focus on link building, working in tandem with others to rank websites based on SEO efforts.
The point to clarify here is that the source site where the link comes from is significantly important for Penguin, which means that the target site is not important as the source site.
Websites looking to get rewarded with higher search engine rankings will want links to come from high-quality sources in comparison to lower quality ones.
The first Penguin update was shadowed by several other updates over the years, with the latest one coming out as the 4.0 update. While other algorithms updated constantly, Penguin was subject to intermittent refreshes. This put several websites on the back foot, even after they made efforts to improve their link profiles.
How The Google 4.0 Penguin Changes Can Affect You
The apprehension over the new Penguin update has now been put to rest. So what can marketers and SEO experts expect to happen:
- The granular practice of the latest Penguin algorithm is designed to utilise spam signals for correcting rankings on specific pages, which in turn will not diminish the value of websites on the whole.
- Changes to website ranking occur faster thanks to real-time data refreshment, which is excellent news for websites that have been penalised in the past for misdirected SEO strategies and have witnessed slow times for recovery.
The good news for previously penalised websites is more than welcome because past algorithms took excruciatingly wrong to undo the penalties imposed even after changes have been implemented.
With the new Penguin update, real time penalties are inevitable, but faster recovery times ensure that websites can right their wrongs quicker and more efficiently.
Reflecting The Changes Triggered By Google Penguin 4.0
Spammy link profiles are now in danger of getting picked up faster by Google, so websites with low-quality content are unlikely to rank higher when following unnatural SEO strategies for quick rank upgrades.
Of course, with the introduction of Penguin and Panda integrated in the algorithm of the search engine, previous factors used for ranking websites may have also changed. The Penguin update raises some potential benefits to help websites better understand link development:
- The Penguin 4.0 update will enable more open and free website linking and will enhance the concept of using links as ranking signals for websites.
- Links are devalued, instead of full websites, but manual penalties may still apply to habitual SEO offenders.
- Real time updates ensure faster recovery times for previously penalised websites, proving beneficial for those who have inadvertently slipped up.
- Negative SEO strategy potential is reduced with the new update.
- SEO strategies are now becoming more representative of real marketing strategies.
Websites looking to use the disavow tool from Google can continue to do so, though not necessary in the same capacity as before because devaluing and disavowing links are almost the same thing.
For Penguin updates, there's less need to use the disavow tool, but websites that use it will continue to help the search engine. Since manual actions are still present and can take harsh action against systematic spamming, the disavow tool still remains valid.
The Real Time Benefit Brought About By Penguin 4.0
The previous penalties were tedious to remove, even though Google acknowledged the efforts made to improve link building efforts. Websites often had to wait months before penalties got lifted during refreshes.
Before the new update, affected sites were intermittently refreshed together. Once webmasters undertook strategies to correct any SEO mistakes, algorithms like Penguin required to be refreshed. This put webmasters at a significant disadvantage as they waited for Google to remove imposed penalties on their websites.
The new change ensures that data for Penguin gets refreshed in real time. This means that changes to website ranking will be seen faster and goes into effect soon after pages are indexed and crawled through.
Websites that were hit by Penguin updates between 2012 and 2014 should see their rankings positively impacted by the new update if they made efforts to clean up their links. The new page-specific instead of site-wide approach has made it possible to devalue spam through ranking changes, so that the whole website isn't affected. This shift from site-wide penalties is good news for websites that inadvertently have poor links to specific web pages only.
Don't Disregard The Continued Value Of Link Building For SEO
Links will play a role in SEO despite the changes brought about by Google's Penguin 4.0 update, so websites should continue to include them in SEO ranking efforts. But as any search ranking effort, link building cannot be the only strategy because numerous links without any online noise is likely to raise doubts with Google crawlers.
If you have made efforts to build online buzz about your website and have earned links organically through different strategies, you're likely to get rewarded by the search engine with a higher rank.
Links continue to remain a strong part of SEO, but it cannot be followed in a sequestered manner, which is separate from other strategies. Under the new update, devalued websites can actually rebuild their ranking by simply building high-quality links.
The whole point of the new update is to incentivise good quality because Google recognises that a website provides value to readers through content. With so many changes constantly taking place through Google, following white-hat SEO strategies will ensure that websites remain in the good books of the search engine always.
Changes To Make For Websites Affected By The New Penguin Update
Websites affected by the Penguin update can make changes to recover quickly:
- Avoid over optimising anchor texts and websites in general, so they look more natural for Google bots.
- Remove low-quality links to your website to ensure Penguin updates don't penalise you.
- Add high-quality links from reputed source sites.
- Create a mobile-friendly interface without popups to avoid penalties from Google.
- Build organic links through different online marketing strategies.
- Build high-value content to ensure better inbound links to your website.
The Penguin 4.0 update is designed to eliminate poor link building efforts by focussing on organic strategies. Websites will want to consider making these changes quickly in order to stay relevant and high up in search rankings.
Note: The opinions expressed in this article are the views of the author, and not necessarily the views of Caphyon, its staff, or its partners.


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Learning in the Classroom
Creative Curriculum
The philosophy behind our curriculum is that young children learn best by doing. Learning isn't just repeating what someone else says; it requires active thinking and experimenting to find out how things work and to learn firsthand about the world we live in.
In their early years, children explore the world around them by using all their senses (touching, tasting, listening, smelling, and looking).
In using real materials such as blocks and trying out their ideas, children learn about sizes, shapes, and colors, and they notice relationships between things.
In time, they learn to use one object to stand for another. This is the beginning of symbolic thinking. For example, they might pretend a stick is an airplane or a block is a hamburger. These early symbols – the stick and the block – are similar in shape to the objects they represent. Gradually children become more and more able to use abstract symbols like words to describe their thoughts and feelings. They learn to "read" pictures which are symbols of real people, places and things. This exciting development in symbolic thinking takes place during the pre-school years as children play.
Play provides the foundation for academic or "school" learning. It is the preparation children need before they learn highly abstract symbols such as letters (which are symbols for sounds) and numbers (which are symbols for number concepts). Play enables us to achieve the key goals of our early childhood curriculum. Play is the work of young children.
The most important goal of our early childhood curriculum is to help children become enthusiastic learners. This means encouraging children to be active and creative explorers who are not afraid to try out their ideas and to think their own thoughts. Our goal is to help children become independent, self-confident, inquisitive learners. We're teaching them how to learn, not just in preschool, but all through their lives. We're allowing them to learn at their own pace and in the ways that are best for them. We're giving them good habits and attitudes, particularly a positive sense of themselves, which will make a difference throughout their lives.
Our curriculum identifies goals in all areas of development,
- Social: To help children feel comfortable in school, trust their new environment, make friends, and feel they are a part of the group.
- Emotional: To help children experience pride and self- confidence, develop independence and self-control, and have a positive attitude toward life.
- Cognitive: To help children become confident learners by letting them try out their own ideas and experience success, and by helping them acquire learning skills such as the ability to solve problems, ask questions, and use words to describe their ideas, observations, and feelings.
- Physical: To help children increase their large and small muscle skills and feel confident about what their bodies can do.
The activities we plan for children, the way we organize the environment, select toys and materials, plan the daily schedule, and talk with children, are all designed to accomplish the goals of our curriculum and give your child a successful start in school.
A Letter to Parents on Blocks
What We Do and Why
Blocks, the hard wood units that come in proportional sizes and shapes, are one of the most valuable learning materials in our classroom. When they build with blocks, children learn about sizes and shapes, spatial relationships, math concepts, and problem solving. When children lift, shove, stack, and move blocks, they learn about weight and size. Each time they use blocks, they are making decisions about how to build a structure or solve a construction problem.
When children build with blocks in the classroom, we encourage them to talk about what they are doing. For example, we might say:
- "Tell me about your building."
- "How did you decide to put those blocks together?"
- We also ask questions that help children extend their thinking about their block play. For example, we might say:
- "You built a tall apartment house. How do the people get to their floor?"
- "How many blocks do you think it will take to fill up that space?"
- "Where do people park their cars when they come to visit the shopping center?"
These questions and comments are designed to help the children become aware of what they are doing and think of ways to extend their work.
What You Can Do at Home
Hardwood unit blocks are expensive, but there are several other types of blocks you might want to have at home to support your child's learning. For example, you might wish to purchase table blocks, colored wooden cube blocks, or cardboard brick blocks.
Small blocks can be stored in shoe boxes or plastic tubs and containers. You can put a picture label on the container so your child knows where the materials belong. Identify a place where you child can build and play with the blocks, either on the floor or a table. As your child builds with that blocks, you can talk about the structure and ask questions. Props such as clothespins, small plastic animals, and cars and trucks will extend your child's play and inspire new ideas. Playing with large or small blocks, you child can learn to:
- judge distances, space, and size,
- create scenes for dramatic play,
- stack blocks carefully (using eye-hand coordination and small muscle control),
- compare and sort by size and shape, and
- use words to describe a construction.
Perhaps the most important contribution you can make to your child's learning through blocks is to take an interest in what you child does, both at home and at school. We welcome you to visit the classroom at any time so you can see for yourself how much you child is learning.
A Letter to Parents on Table Toys
What We Do and Why
Table toys include puzzles, various table blocks, and other small construction materials such as Legos, Ring-a-Majigs, and collections of objects (including shells, bottle caps, and buttons). When children use table toys, they learn many new skills and concepts, including:
- sorting and classifying things according to their own categories;
- judging distance, direction, right and left, up and down; and
- describing what they are thinking and doing
When children use table toys in the classroom, we encourage them to talk about what they are doing. For example, we might say:
- "Tell me about those blocks you are using."
- "How did you get those rings to fit together?"
We also ask questions that help children extend their thinking as they play with table toys. For example:
- "You grouped all the bottle tops by color. Can you put them together any other way?"
- "You've picked out all the pegs that are the same. Can you tell me how they are the same?"&
These questions and comments are designed to help children become aware of what they are doing and develop their thinking skills.
What You Can Do at Home
Small colored cubes, those about one inch square, offer many opportunities for your child to build patterns and designs. These cubes can be made into a tower, a corral, or other formations, depending on the child's interest. Colored cubes such as beads can be used to make patterns of colors and sizes: red, blue, yellow, and then repeat; large, small, medium, and then repeat.&n
You might collect various small objects such as buttons, seashells, rocks, and plastic bottle tops. You can give your child a tray to use on the floor if the surface isn't level, or let your child sit at a table to play. Make suggestions such as sorting all the buttons that are the same color or all the beads that are the same size. Encourage your child to tell you about the design he or she is making or why things belong together.
Playing with table toys at home promotes a child's development in many important ways. However, the most important contribution you can make to your child's learning with table toys is to take an interest in what your child does, both at home and at school. We welcome you to the classroom at any time. In this way you can see for yourself how much your child is learning.
A Letter to Parents on Art
What We Do and Why
Art is an important part of our curriculum. Every day, children find a variety of art materials available on our shelves. Drawing, painting, cutting, pasting, and playing with play dough are not only enjoyable but also provide important opportunities for learning. Children express original ideas and feelings, improve their coordination, develop small muscle skills, learn to recognize colors and textures, and develop creativity and pride in their accomplishments by exploring and using art materials.
When children are engaged in art activities, we talk with them about what they are doing and ask questions that encourage them to think about their ideas and express feelings. For example, we might say:
- "I can see you like the new colors we put on the easels today."
- "You made a lot of pictures. Which one do you want to hang up?"
- "You worked a long time with the clay today. What did you like doing best?"
As you can tell, we like to focus on what children are doing – not on what their finished art work looks like. We say such things as these:
- "Tell me about your picture" instead of "What did you make?"
- "It looks like the play dough is sticking to your fingers. What could we do to make it less sticky?" instead of "You're not having much success with the play dough."
What You Can Do at Home
Art is a very easy way to bring your child's school life into your home. Here are some things you might wish to try:
- Designate a drawer in the kitchen or living room as an art drawer, or use a bookshelf or sturdy cardboard box. In this space include crayons, marking pens, paper, a pair of scissors, and a separate box for collage materials.
- Let your child know where art materials can be used – at the kitchen table, at a small child-sized table, on the kitchen floor, or outside. Some of the most enjoyable art materials are a bit messy and you want to be sure that the space you choose is one that can be cleaned easily.
- Encourage your child to take out the art materials and use them independently at any time.
- Find places to display your child's art – on the refrigerator, on a wall in the child's room, or in a hallway. Displaying children's art lets them know you think it's important and attractive.
Children's natural love for art is something we can support together!
A Letter to Parents on Sand and Water Play
What We Do and Why
Although you're probably used to your children splashing in the bathtub and digging in a sandbox at the playground, you may be surprised to know that the sand and water area is an important part of our classroom. This is because sand and water aren't just fun – they're also a natural setting for learning.
When children pour water into measuring cups, they gain a foundation for mathematical thinking. when they drop corks, stones, feathers, and marbles into a tub of water, they observe scientifically which objects float and which sink. When they comb sand into patterns, they learn about both math and art.
We encourage children to experiment with these materials and as they do, we ask questions that encourage them to think about what they are discovering:
- "Why do you think the wet sand won't turn the wheel?"
- "How did the water change when we added the soap flakes?"
- "How many of these measuring cups of water will it take to fill this quart pitcher?"
What You Can Do at Home
In addition to your child's everyday experiences with sand and water at home, you may want to find some places in your home where your child can play regularly with sand and water in the same ways we do at school. If you choose to do this, be prepared for some messes. Spills and stray sand are natural byproducts of children's enthusiastic play!
Here are some thoughts on setting up for sand and water play at home:
- Water play can be set up at the bathroom or kitchen sink. A large towel should be laid on the floor. If the sink is high for the child, a stool or stand can be provided. Outdoors, a small pool, tub, or old baby bath can be used.
- A dishpan can be used as a miniature sand box. You child could use this sandbox on a table, on the floor, or even resting on the lap. Collect small items for the miniature sand box such as shells, plastic animals, coffee scoops, et cetera.
- If a sandbox is not available outdoors, a dirt hole can be dug for sand play. Indoors, a plastic tub can be filled with sawdust or aluminum pie crust beads.
Giving children an opportunity to play with sand and water on a regular basis helps them develop their minds and bodies in a relaxing and enjoyable way.
A Letter to Parents on reading:
What We Do and Why
The reading area is an essential part of our program and of your child's life. It's where children gain the foundations for reading and writing. It's also a place where children can relax and enjoy the wonderful world of children's literature.
We encourage children to use the reading area on their own. We invite them to look at books, to listen to taped stories, and to scribble and "write" throughout the day. We also work with children one- on-one and in small groups. Sometimes children dictate stories to us, which we record in "books."
Every day we read stories to the children. We read books to introduce new ideas, to develop pre- reading skills, to help children deal with problems, and mostly to develop a love of books. Here are some of the things we do with children as we read:
We look at pictures together and ask children questions: "What is that silly cat doing?" We encourage children to predict what will happen next: "What do you suppose will happen now?"
We encourage children to repeat words, rhymes, and phrases they've memorized.
What You Can Do at Home
If you're interested in setting up a home library for your child, here are some suggestions:
- Designate a place in the house where your child can independently read, write, look at magazines, and listen to tapes.
- Decorate the chosen area with pictures (preferably homemade by your child) and plants.
- Add pillows and soft furniture to this area so your child feels relaxed and happy here.
- If bookshelves are not available, cover sturdy diaper boxes (large size) with contact paper and use as bookcases, or use wooden or plastic crates as bookshelves.
If you'd like some guidance on choosing books or tapes for your home library, please come see us. We have an excellent bibliography of recommended children's books that we'd be delighted to share. You can draw on the resources of your local public library to keep your child's home library well-stocked.
Books, tapes, and writing materials are wonderful ways to help children learn. When you take time to read to your child every day, you are doing the very best thing to help your child grow up to be a successful reader.
A Letter to Parents on Music and Movement
What We Do and Why
We do a lot of singing and creative movement in our program. Singing and moving to music give the children a chance to move freely, practice new skills, and feel good about what their bodies can do. The children love our daily time for singing together, and it helps them develop the ability to cooperate in a group. Here are some of the things we do to encourage a love for music and movement:
- Sometimes we take a tape recorder outside and play jazz or folk music, and the children dance and act out the songs.
- We give the children colored scarves and paper streamers to use as they move to the music.
- We play musical instruments, some of which are homemade.
- We use chants to help us get through the daily routines, such as clean-up time.
- We have a comfortable listening center with a wide variety of tapes for children to listen to on their own.
What You Can Do at Home
You don't have to be musical to enjoy music with your child. Taking a few minutes to sit together and listen to music can provide a welcome break for both of you. Also, the music you share with your child doesn't have to be only "kid's music." It can be rap, reggae, country, jazz, classical, or any music you like. Here are some ideas for enjoying music and movement with you child:
- Children love a song or chant about what they are doing at the moment, especially when it uses their name. While pushing your child on a swing, you might chant, "Swing high, swing low, this is the way that Julie goes." The child likes this because it is about her and what she is doing, and the rhythm matches her movements.
- Songs and finger plays help keep children involved at tough times, such as during car or bus trips, while waiting in line, or while grocery shopping.
- Chanting or singing also helps at times when your child needs to switch gears and start picking up toys, getting ready to go outside, undressing for a bath, and so on. You might try a chant such as, "water is filling up the tub…" or "pickin' up a toy and put it on the shelf…" (to the tune of "This Is The Way We Wash Our Clothes").
Musical instruments can easily be made or improvised at home. You (or your child) may already have discovered cooking pots and lids make wonderful instruments. We have directions for making a variety of musical instruments from household objects such as empty oatmeal containers, paper plates, and buttons. We'd be delighted to share these ideas with you – just ask us!
A Letter to Parents on Cooking
What You Can Do at Home
It takes a little more time on your part to involve children in home meal preparations. But if you think about all the things that your child will gain from the experience, it becomes well worth the effort. Here are some things you might point out and discuss with your child as you cook together:
- where different utensils are found in the kitchen (and should be returned);
- the names of various foods;
- how various foods look, smell, feel, and taste;
- how many teaspoons or cups of particular ingredients are used;
- why some foods need to be kept in the refrigerator or freezer;
- how heat changes food;
- why a variety of foods are served at each meal; and
- how foods are arranged on plates to make them look appealing.
We welcome any family recipes you would like to share with us. And, we would be delighted for you to come in at any time to participate in a cooking activity.
A Letter to Parents on Computers
What You Can Do at Home
You may or may not have a computer in your home. It is certainly not necessary that you do have one in order to benefit from the computer area. If you do have a home computer and would like to know some things that you can do with your child at home, please contact us. We will be glad to help to provide you with assistance, including how to judge which programs are appropriate for use with young children. We have some good information on this topic that we'd like to share with you.
You may be interested in visiting our program to observe how children use computers. If you'd like to volunteer to work with children in the computer area, we'd be delighted to have your help. Also, our program offers introductory instruction on using the computer for parents and children together. This can be an exciting opportunity for you to learn about computers side-by-side with your child.
A Letter to Parents on Outdoor Play
What We Do and Why
Outdoor play is an important part of our curriculum. When the children are outdoors, they like to run, jump, climb, and use all the large muscles in their bodies. They need space to work out and let off steam. They can race around, breath the fresh air, look at the clouds, or catch a ball or a bug. They not only satisfy their physical need for large muscle activity but also develop a sense of wonder about the miracles that take place in nature.
When we take the children outdoors at school, we talk about the things we can see, hear, touch, and feel so that the children become aware of changes in the weather and the seasons, the growth of plants, and animals. We help the children notice changes by asking them what is different about the trees, the caterpillars, or the sky. They lie on the ground and look up, or they climb the jungle gym and look down. We point out the many kinds of birds that fly overhead, butterflies, mosquitoes, milkweed seeds, falling leaves, and rain as it begins. We wonder aloud where all these things come from.
By playing outdoors, your child can learn the following:
- to notice changes in nature;
- to discover what happens to people, animals, and plants when it is cold, hot, dark, or light, outside;
- to use his or her body in increasingly skillful ways; and
- to be a good observer.
When the children play outdoors, we encourage them to talk about what they are doing. For example, we might say:
- "What happened to the sun just now? I don't see it any more."
- "What is making the trees bend the way they are today?"
We also ask questions that help children extend their thinking as they play outdoors. For examples, we might say:
- "What happens to the water in the pan? It's hard now. What do we need to do to make it pour?"
- "If you keep digging your hole, how far down can you go?"
What You Can Do at Home
- You can provide wooden boxes and boards for playhouses or an obstacle course;
- gardening tools to dig, plant, and cultivate a little garden;
- a big paintbrush and a pail of water to "paint" walls or fences;
- large balls to kick or throw or old blankets or sheets to make a tent.
- You can take a walk around the block with your child and talk about all the different colors of cars that pass by.
- Your child will take great pleasure in collecting rocks, finding bugs, watching birds and airplanes in the sky, or pretending to go camping.
You can try some of these ideas with your children outdoors at home or on a trip to the park, the beach, the woods, or wherever you can find a place to run. Playing outdoors is fun for parents and children and enhances children's learning in many important ways.
For more information on The Creative Curriculum for Early Childhood, please contact,
Teaching Strategies, Inc.
Post Office Box 42243
Washington, DC 20015
(800) 637-3652


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My days off usually consist of waking up, and then making my way outside for about 6 – 8 hours, then coming home exhausted and not relaxed at all. I usually have one weekend-day off, and one weekday. Having split days off can be annoying; I really wish that I could have two, any two, really, in a row, because I actually get to relax.
Maybe this may not seem like much to you, but here is how my day off went:
Woke up, made coffee and breakfast, and started to look up flights for my sister to fly out for my birthday next month. Of course the internet always hypnotizes me, so I end up on it for much longer than I plan. Then I remember that I need to treat my orchids, because there is some sort of annoying bug on them and I manage to get one sprayed. Then I take a much needed shower, throw on some clothes, and then we head out to take care of a bunch of stuff. I stop at my TJ Maxx so that we can return some bedsheets. Then I stop at my bank to deposit some money. Then we stop at CVS because I need night cream and hair conditioner. Then we go to Ulta, where for some nutty reason I decide to let these Urban Decay chicks put full on makeup on me.
Actually, this was somewhat relaxing, but DAMN. Honestly, I would never wear this much makeup. I liked the eye makeup alot, that was it. The blush is way too much for me, the lip gloss is annoying because I can't kiss my boyfriend if I want to, and the concealer and powder she put on my face highlighted even the tiniest wrinkle. It was funny how she said how nice my skin was, and then she proceeds to cover it up. And she mentioned that she was ONLY putting concealer and powder on me! I might go back for the eyeshadow though. It was all Urban Decay products, which don't test on animals and I am more than cool with that. After I took a moment, we headed off to Costco, bought what we needed, and then went to the mall to return another set of bedsheets. We bought two, ended up liking neither. Hah. Then we went to the Thunder Valley casino and stuffed ourselves at the buffet. That was relaxing, but we ate too much, and all I wanted to do was nap! We went home, I tried to get a hold of my sister, looked at some more flights, and then left after about an hour (with Maggie in tow) to pick up the dog food that we TOTALY forgot to get, and that we HAD to get because we were out. Oi! Then we went to Panera, where I had a cup of hazelnut coffee that was NOT a good idea, since I was still super stuffed from the buffet. We met up with a friend who works at a shop where she gets a fat discount. We gave her money to buy us this killer espresso machine that we were getting for a song. Then we went to the Fountains so that Frank could get his oj, and I walked Maggie. Unfortunately, it was getting dark and cold, and I was getting tired, so finally we headed home and now I am here.
Back to work tomorrow in the am.


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Nouvelle bande annonce, new trailer
B.A.- TOMORROW – TRAILER 2014 from Martine Doyen on Vimeo.
Keep calm and enjoy TOMORROW
It's free
We are not in a hurry
We are not stressed
Tomorrow will still be there tomorrow
Perhaps Forever…
TOMORROW (Belgium 2014), 70′ HDV color from Martine Doyen on Vimeo.
In order to cure their respective procrastination, a film director, an actor and a musician, go on a pilgrimage to Tunisia to see the cave settings in Matmata where George Lucas shot several scenes of « Star Wars ». As they arrive, they look for an anti-procrastination ritual which would help them to finally get back into action…
This is alternative cinema: poor but free. TOMORROW has been shot with a very small camera, a computer and very limited resources. This means no technical crew, just me and the actors… TOMORROW could not have been made differently; its creation process, very open and based on improvisation in every level, was incompatible with the ways of film industry.
Vous êtes programmateur? Propriétaire ou gérant d'un lieu original public ou privé ou le film pourrait être projeté?
Ecrivez à cette adresse : firstname.lastname@example.com
Les projections peuvent s'accompagner d'un concert de QUIET STARS si le coeur vous en dit.


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|Yashica Lynx 5000 image by Adriano Aquino (Image rights)
Lynx 5000 is 35mm film rangefinder camera made by Yashica and introduced in 1964.
It belongs to the Yashica Lynx series of cameras which are fixed lens, leaf shutter cameras made in the 1960s. It has built-in CDS cell light meter, full manual settings and Yashinon 5 elements 45mm f/1.8 lens, Yashica Copal-SV shutter with all speeds 1-1/1000, self-timer, and metal body. The viewing is very clear. It has coupled viewfinder / parallax corrected rangefinder. There is a bright frame which moves when the focus ring turned. Light meter readout is on top of the body and in the viewfinder.
Lynx seriesEdit
- Yashica Lynx 1000
- Yashica Lynx 5000
- Yashica Lynx 5000E
- Yashica Lynx 14
- Yashica Lynx 14E
Links Edit
Community content is available under GFDL unless otherwise noted.


text:
Posts Tagged 'Essenes'
Was Jesus an Essene?
The evidence is too scrambled and distorted with age and intention to sort out the certain truth, so we have to find the best hypothesis. It is that, if Jesus was historical, he was a senior Essene. The scrolls say that when the End approaches (the apocalypse) the Essenes must try to bring into their fold as many righteous Jews as they can. Essenes considered themselves as the righteous Jews, so it meant finding Jews willing to join them in view of the impending day of God's Vengeance. To do so, the Jews willing to had to repent with sincerity and not sin until the kingdom came (the apocalyse again). So Essenes had to go out as evangelists proselytizing ordinary Jews.
Leading Jews were highly conscious of the uncleanliness of the unrighteous mass, but they were required to be humble, so the duty of proselytizing fell upon the senior Essenes above all. The gospels are versions of the attempt of the leaders, John the Baptist, Jesus and then James the Righteous, with Jesus central for Christians, to convert Jews to their cause. Jesus plainly expected the End when he and his apostles were in the Garden of Gethsemane. The End did not come, and Jesus was crucified as a usurper of the emperor's right to rule. Essenes removed his body for a decent burial according to Essenic tradition, but the followers, converts, not lifelong Essenes, thought he had arisen. Thus began Christianity. This reconstruction has the advantage of accounting for the data without requiring God's intervention.
Quack "Scholars" play to the Christian Gallery over Talpiot Tombs and Ossuaries
Professor James D Tabor, professor and chair of religious studies at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, has inspected by robotic camera an apparently undisturbed first century tomb in Jerusalem. It contains limestone Jewish ossuaries, boxes into which the bones of the dead were placed after their flesh had decayed from them. Greek inscriptions and in some cases images suggested to Tabor that the tombs were Christian. Thus a four line Greek inscription on one ossuary speaks of God "raising up" someone, and a carved image on another ossuary could be a fish with a human stick figure in its mouth, an image evoking the biblical story of Jonah.
Sign of Jonah
The sign of Jonah, as mentioned by Jesus—according to Matthew and Luke but not Mark, the earliest gospel—is interpreted as his resurrection. Jonah images in later Christian art, such as images found in the Roman catacombs, are the most common motif found on tombs pesumed to be symbolizing the Christian resurrection hope. Jonah is not depicted in any first century Jewish art, and iconographic images on ossuaries are extremely rare, given the prohibition within Judaism of making images of people or animals.
This ossuary with the speculative Jonah image has other puzzling engravings, believed to be linked with resurrection. On one side is the tail of a fish disappearing off the edge of the box, as if it is diving into the water, although the lower half is not obscured by any symbolic water but merely because it is obscured by some other object in the tomb! There are more small similar "fish" images around its border on the front facing, and on the other side is the image of a cross like gate or entrance, which Tabor interprets as the notion of entering the "bars" of death, which are mentioned in the Jonah story in the Bible. Tabor remarked:
This Jonah ossuary is most fascinating. It seems to represent a pictorial story with the fish diving under the water on one end, the bars or gates of death, the bones inside, and the image of the great fish spitting out a man representing, based on the words of Jesus, the sign of Jonah—the sign that he would escape the bonds of death.
Among the approximately 2000 ossuaries that have been recovered by the Israel Antiquities Authority, only 650 have any inscriptions on them, and none have inscriptions comparable to those on ossuaries 5 and 6. Less than a dozen ossuaries from the period have epitaphs but, according to Tabor, these inscribed messages usually have to do with warnings not to disturb the bones of the dead. In contrast, though the epitaph's full translation is uncertain, he concludes:
This inscription has something to do with resurrection of the dead, either of the deceased in the ossuary, or perhaps, given the Jonah image nearby, an expression of faith in Jesus' resurrection.
The first three lines are clear, but the last line, consisting of three Greek letters, is not clear. It could be:
- O Divine Jehovah, raise up, raise up
- The Divine Jehovah raises up to the Holy Place
- The Divine Jehovah raises up from [the dead]
Beyond the possible Christian connection, Tabor noted that the tomb's assemblage of ossuaries stands out as clearly extraordinary in the context of other previously explored tombs in Jerusalem:
Everything in this tomb seems unusual when contrasted with what one normally finds inscribed on ossuaries in Jewish tombs of this period. Of the seven ossuaries remaining in the tomb, four of them have unusual features.
There are engravings on five of the seven ossuaries inspected:
- an enigmatic symbol on ossuary 2, possibly stylized Greek or Hebrew letters reading Yod Heh Vav Heh or YHWH, though interpretation is speculative
- an inscription reading MARA in Greek letters on ossuary 3, which Tabor translates as the Aramaic feminine form of "Lord" or "Master", in other words Lady or Mistress
- an indecipherable word in Greek letters on ossuary 4, possibly a name beginning with JO…
- a four line Greek inscription on ossuary 5
- a series of images on ossuary 6, including the large image of a fish with the stickman supposedly emerging from its mouth.
Talpiot Tombs
The tomb itself is dated before 70 AD, on the assumption that ossuary use in Jerusalem ceased then when Romans destroyed the city. Accordingly, if the markings are Christian, they are the earliest archaeological record of Christians ever found by several centuries. They must have been made by some of Jesus's earliest followers, within decades of his death and predate the writing of the gospels. Tabor said:
If anyone had claimed to find either a statement about resurrection or a Jonah image in a Jewish tomb of this period, I would have said impossible, until now. Our team was in a kind of ecstatic disbelief, but the evidence was clearly before our eyes, causing us to revise our prior assumptions.
The discovery is published in The Jesus Discovery: The New Archaeological Find That Reveals the Birth of Christianity, which Tabor has co-authored with the sensationalist film maker for The Discovery Channel, and now somehow, professor of religion, Simcha Jacobovici, as Tabor's gushing enthusiasm shows. Simcha Jacobovici has made several pseudo-historical pot-boiling books and films before, including the Jesus Family Tomb, but none of them pass muster. He has been compared with Dan Brown, author of the novel, The Da Vinci Code, the significant difference being that Brown claims only to be a novelist. That Jacobovici approves of the comparison must mean something, but Jacobovoci seems to have fooled people who should know better He is the "Naked Archaeologist", a self publicist and opportunist, not a scholar.
Most proper scholars are skeptical of any Christian archaeological remains from so early a period. Moreover, this tomb is close to the tomb that Jacobovici sold to those willing to buy it as "The Jesus Family Tomb". It too had in it inscribed ossuaries that had some of the names of Jesus's associates or family, including one that reads "Jesus, son of Joseph". These were common names at the time.
The tomb containing the new discoveries is a modest sized, carefully carved rock cut cave tomb typical of Jerusalem in the period from 20 BC until 70 AD. It was revealed in 1981 by builders, and is now several meters under the basement level of a modern condominium building in East Talpiot, a neighborhood of Jerusalem less than two miles south of the Old City. Archaeologists at the time were able to examine it and its ossuaries only briefly, to take preliminary photographs, and to remove one pot and an ossuary, before they were forced to leave by Orthodox religious groups who oppose excavation of Jewish tombs. Tabor points out:
Context is everything in archaeology. These two tombs, less than 200 feet apart, were part of an ancient estate, likely related to a rich family of the time. We chose to investigate this tomb because of its proximity to the so-called Jesus tomb, not knowing if it would yield anything unusual.
The ossuary taken, that of a child, is now in the Israel State Collection. It is decorated but has no inscriptions. The archaeologists mention two Greek names but did not notice either the newly discovered Greek inscription or the Jonah image before they had to leave. The tomb was re-sealed and buried beneath the condominium complex on what is now Don Gruner Street in East Talpiot.
The adjacent "Jesus tomb", was uncovered by the same construction company in 1980, just one year earlier. It was thoroughly excavated and its contents removed by the Israel Antiquities Authority. This tomb's controversial ossuaries with their cluster of names, seemingly gospel, are now part of the Israel State Collection and have been on display in various venues, including the Israel Museum.
In 2009 and 2010, Tabor and Rami Arav, professor of archaeology at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, working together with Jacobovici, obtained a license to excavate the current tomb from the Israel Antiquities Authority under the academic sponsorship of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Because of its physical location under a modern building, making direct access nearly impossible, along with the threat of Orthodox Jewish groups that would protest any such excavation, Tabor's team determined to employ a minimally invasive procedure in examining the tomb.
Jacobovici's team at the Toronto based Associated Producers used a robotic arm with high definition cameras, donated by General Electric. The robotic arm and a second "snake" camera were inserted through two drill holes in the basement floor of the building above the tomb. The team reached the ossuaries and photographed them on all sides, revealing the inscriptions. The Discovery Channel/Vision Television/Associated Producers provided funding.
More Likely Interpretations
Needless to say, the speculation that these objects and their interpretation, even if it is correct, pertains to Christianity just a few decades after the supposed crucifixion is rejected by most rational scholars. Mark Goodacre blogs critically about these Discovery Channel sideshows. Another critical website is Tom Verenna's. The possibility of such a connexion is more likely if the crucifixion was earlier, say around 21 AD, and it is even more likely if the allusions reflect the beliefs extant among Essenes. All this is discussed at the Askwhy! website.
Was Jesus Asexual, Heterosexual or Homosexual?
Jesus's sexuality is utterly ignored by Christians. Why are Christians—like those represented by the Christian Coalition International Canada Inc—so upset to think that their incarnated God, Jesus, might have been homosexual? Though the gospel image of Jesus is that of a tolerant pacifist, a large proportion of Christians do not recognize this as Jesus, certainly in the way they think and behave themselves. Of course, the gospel image of Jesus is most likely concocted by the early Christians, but literal biblicists are supposed to believe in the bible literally read, and the bible literally read is ambiguous about the sexuality of Jesus. Indeed, the impression given of Jesus is that he had no interest in sex at all, and if that were so then he must have been a god, because no normal man could possibly not be sexually inclined.
Of course, one can eschew sexual activity in practice, but one cannot suppress it completely, mentally. The obvious explanation of Jesus not being sexually active is that he was a member of the order of Essenes, one branch of which did not indulge in sexual activity because it was considered to be symptomatic of humanity and not the angels, who were not sexual creatures, being immortal. The Essenes aspired to be angels, and so gave up sex. Thus they believed they were purer, more perfect and more adjusted to the heavenly life.
Now, it is possible that even this concept of sexual purity did not prevent the Essene monks from indulging in homosexuality. The reason is that they could have justified homosexuality as being non-procreative, and the angels were asexual because they had no need of procreation. Humans needed sex to procreate the human race because immortality had been denied them by God as a consequence of primeval sin, probably seen as sexual activity anyway. Let the punishment fit the crime, was God's principle in this reasoning. The human race were condemned to being sexual so that they could propagate themselves. A forbidden pleasure, stolen contrary to God's wishes, had led to sex being a necessity with all the anguish it produced. Homosexuality was not a necessity however. It was not part of the punishment because it was not for procreation.
Sir Colin Humphreys—The Mystery of the Last Supper
Professor Sir Colin Humphreys, the Goldsmiths' Professor of Materials Science at the University of Cambridge, is a metallurgist and materials scientist who claims in a book, The Mystery of the Last Supper, to have solved what F F Bruce once hyped as "the thorniest problem in the New Testament". The gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke say that the Last Supper coincided with Jewish Passover, a Thursday, while John claims it was the day before, a Wednesday. Astronomical data, textual research and the emergence of a miraculously ancient Jewish calendar handed down by none other than Moses have convinced this Cambridge academic that Christ was actually crucified on 1 April, 33 AD—the greatest April Fool's day of all time.
Humphreys says we can use "science and the gospels hand in hand" to prove that there is no contradiction in the two Last Supper days. His answer is a different calendar, but that is far from a new idea. Since the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls various scholars have realized that the Essenes of Qumran, assuming that the scrolls are theirs, used a solar calendar different from the lunar-solar one used by the Jewish temple authorities. Since there is a mass of evidence that suggests that Christ was an Essene by culture, it seems quite likely that the apparent difference in the day when the Last Supper was held in the Synoptic Gospels and John offered a likely solution to F F Bruce's thorny problem. Arguments were put forward in The Hidden Jesus, and on the AW! website, addressing questions like these, and the date of the crucifixion—which was actually in 21 AD! Even the pope in 2007, was ready to believe Jesus may have followed the solar calendar of the Qumran community. Humphreys says:
The problem with this is that under that system Passover would have fallen a week later, after both the Last Supper and Christ's death
It seems that Humphreys knows details of the Essene solar calendar unknown to mortals. But then he is a Christian, and Christians have the gift of sudden certainty! Whatever suits their interpretation of their Christian belief system suddenly becomes certain! The Essene calendar turns out to be no use, so can certainly be discarded, the great scientist has decided. Instead, he suggests for the first time that another calendar was also in use, making three in use simultaneously!
The official Jewish calendar at the time of Jesus' death seems to have been the one still used by Jews today, a lunar system in which days run from sunset to sunset. This was the calendar brought in by the Persians who colonized Yehud from Babylon in the fifth century BC. Working out quite how the Essenes and the Temple worshipping Jews managed to co-ordinate their lives when they had a calendar each is hard enough, but now a third one has emerged, it is getting rather silly.
Sillier still, Humphreys thinks it was "adapted from Egyptian usage at the time of Moses". The Book of Exodus in the Old Testament says God instructed Moses and Aaron to start their year at the time of the Exodus from Egypt. Humphreys argues that this system would have been an adaptation of a lunar calendar used by the Egyptians, in which the start of the year was changed to be in the spring, and conveniently it dates Passover in 33 AD to the Wednesday of Holy Week, already decided upon by Humphreys and his chum, Oxford astrophysicist, Graeme Waddington, in 1983. This then identified the date of Jesus's crucifixion as the morning of Friday, 3 April 33 AD, which has since been widely accepted by Christians. If Jesus died on 3 April, the standard Jewish calendar of 33 AD would have placed his crucifixion on the 14th day of the Jewish month of Nisan. The Passover meal, however, falls on the 15th, supporting John's account, but not those of the other gospels.
Plainly, this is God at work. It is a miracle. A calendar was handed down in a mythical story by a mythical being around 1300 BC, and suddenly pops up being used by the reincarnated God and his chums in the very week of his death just as he was about to cross into the promised land of God's kingdom. Who could fail to be a Christian now?
It seems that by choosing the Wednesday of the Passover, Jesus was identifying himself with Moses. He then died on Nisan 14th, just as the Passover lambs were being slain according to the official Jewish calendar as well. Humphreys says with Christian assurance:
These are deep, powerful symbolisms and through the use of this calendar they can be based on objective, historical evidence.
So this is objective historical evidence of a mythical man, the preservation of a calendar over the astonishingly long time of a thousand years by illiterate slaves, who gave rise to a mythical empire, mythical kings, and then disappeared with scarcely a trace for hundreds of years before turning up in Persia! Professor Humphreys is a scientist and ought indeed to be capable of objective work, but he is first and foremost a Christian, a man brought up as a young earth creationist who confessed he was shocked to learn, only at university, that the earth was not young! He was chairman of Christians in Science from 1994-2001, and is associated with the Templeton Foundation.
Of course, all his best chums and coreligionists support him in his skulduggery. Alan Millard of Liverpool University gurgles:
By linking scientific knowledge with biblical study, Colin Humphreys gives a welcome demonstration of a way apparent contradictions in the gospel texts may be reconciled.
That is obviously so, were it true. Another chum and coreligionist, Hugh G M Williamson of Oxford University says these…
…suggestions are likely to have a significant impact both on scholarly appraisal and on the regular Christian appreciation of these climactic events of the faith.
Ah! This is more like it. Nothing here to do with scientific knowledge, objective or historical evidence, just an appreciation of these climactic events of faith.
No doubt professor Humphreys will get a Templeton prize for this, but many things remain puzzling, not least how a mythical being, Moses, was able to devise a calendar that was still in use 1500 years after his nominal lifetime—a double miracle to begin with. What is it about religions that saps people's brains and sucks away any principles they ought to have had? Didn't Humphreys think any lessons were worth taking from his discovery that the earth was not 6000 years young, and the author of Genesis was wrong. Christians think it is God, don't they? Suddenly, they have to help the poor old chap out. He is a bit old, after all!
Science, as yet, has no way of turning myth into objective truth and history, so Humphreys' theory can only be bunkum. The book, in short, cannot be worth reading. Even so, to help you make up your own mind, here are the chapter headings:
- Three mysteries of the last week of Jesus
- Dating the crucifixion – the first clues
- The problem of the last supper
- Can we reconstruct the Jewish calendar at the time of Christ?
- The date of the crucifixion
- The moon will be turned to blood
- The Passover puzzle and the calendar of Moses
- Did Jesus use the solar Passover calendar of Qumran?
- The date of the last supper: the hidden clue in the synoptic gospels
- Was the Moses calendar used in Israel at the time of Jesus?
- The Galilean Passover and the date of the last supper
- From the last supper to the crucifixion
- The last days of Jesus: an overview


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Here it is, the third episode of the Around The Scouting Campfire podcast. There is a lot happening in this show. It begins with Scoutmaster Steve and Buttons discussing a new (fictional) video game based on the adventure of Scouting. Then Steve reads an email he received six years ago about how things have changed being a kid, and how we as parents have changed raising our children. The Boy Scouts of Troop 68 try to teach us the Dirty Sock Song, and expect you to sing along. Buttons talks about how you know when you are a real Boy Scout. And Steve wraps up the show with a Scout leader's minute about what really make a troop a good troop. All of this in a show that is less than 18 minutes long!
Steve and Buttons would like to thank everyone who have sent emails about how they enjoyed the shows. Don't forget to leave a comment at the iTunes store or at PTC Media.
You can contact Buttons at firstname.lastname@example.com. You may contact Scoutmaster Steve at firstname.lastname@example.com. We appreciate your emails and letters.
The podcast is found on iTunes at
and has joined the family of Scouting themed podcast at PTC Media at
Show notes:
The Dirty Socks Song – http://www.melrosetroop68.org/2008/12/mspp-57-dirty-sock-song.html
You Know You Are A Boy Scout When… – http://www.melrosetroop68.org/2007/09/mmspp-21-you-know-you-are-boy-scout.html
RSS Feed – http://feeds2.feedburner.com/MelroseScoutingAudioPodcast
Download episode – http://www.melrosetroop68.org/podcastaudio/MSAPE3.mp3


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Core team:
Mark Ibrahim
Capital One's Center for Machine Learning
Capital One's Center for Machine Learning, Senior Machine Learning Engineer
Most recent papers:
Connecting every bit of knowledge: The structure of Wikipedia's First Link Network.Mark Ibrahim, Peter Sheridan Dodds, Chris Danforth. Journal of Computational Science, 21-30, 19, 2017.
[pdf] [journal page] [arXiv] [online appendices]


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New Jersey man allegedly shot another with hunting bow after fistfight
A New Jersey man reportedly faces murder charges after he allegedly shot another man with a hunting bow in an apparent dispute over a woman.
Camden County authorities told the Philadelphia Daily News that the arrow pierced Kereti Paulsen's stomach and perforated the iliac vein in his pelvis late Monday. The 25-year-old man was pronounced dead at Virtua Hospital in Berlin shortly after.
"He wasn't always the best person in the world, and he did a lot of stupid stuff, but he wasn't malicious in any way, and me and my daughter loved him," said Lauren Palmer, the mother of Paulsen's 5-year-old daughter, Aurora.
Authorities said Paulsen, of Cape May Court House, scuffled with another man outside a residence at Brill Avenue and Egg Harbor Road. Palmer said Paulsen had a rocky, on-and-off relationship with a woman who lived at the house.
Everyone except Paulsen went inside following the fistfight and a resident who was not involved, Timothy Canfield, allegedly emerged from the house with a compound bow and several arrows. Authorities said Canfield, 25, shot Paulsen once, striking his target.
Prosecutors said Canfield later tried to hide the bow — commonly used for deer-hunting — in a wooded area of Winslow Township.
Click for more from Philly.com.


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Jane Solomon is a lexicographer based in Oakland, California. She spends her days writing definitions and working on various projects for Dictionary.com. She's a member of the Unicode Emoji Subcommittee, the group that decides what new emoji pop up on our devices. Jane has a twin sister who is also a lexicographer.
Louise Lockhart is an illustrator living in an old mill in a small town in England. She spends her days creating designs from little paper cut outs and line drawings, dreaming up worlds where men still wear suits and hats. As well as working as a freelance illustrator, Louise also applies her illustrations to products for the home, which she sells in her online shop The Printed Peanut. Her clients include: Heal's, Mini Boden, Flow Magazine, Anthropologie, Chronicle Books, The Independent, Anorak Magazine, Mollie Makes Magazine, Macmillan Publishers, Pavillion Books, Donna Wilson, Graniph, Design For Today, Cicada Books, Compendium Inc., Little Otsu, Hallmark Cards, M&S and Liberty.


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Recent reports have emerged citing that Warner Bros. have plans for a live-action adaptation of Mark Millar's Superman : Red Son. In a twitter exchange between Kong : Skull Island director Jordan Vogt-Roberts and Mark Millar, it seemed Warner Bros. have invested a lot of thoughts into this live-action adaptation.
This thread is giving me tangential pangs of what-could-have-been for the version of Red Son I pitched that will sadly never get made. Oy.
— Jordan Vogt-Roberts (@VogtRoberts) June 27, 2017
Did you hear WB pitching directors Red Son? Two diff pals in last 2 months. This truly is Putin's America.
— Mark Millar (@mrmarkmillar) June 27, 2017
Early rumours of a Superman: Red Son movie. I'd be wary of seeing this adapted, but @VogtRoberts is a genius & would make me less nervous. https://t.co/WSnVkW1j36
— Mark Millar (@mrmarkmillar) June 27, 2017
Superman : Red Son
Millar's Red Son is a three-issue comic book mini-series published by DC Comics under their 'Elseworlds' imprint in 2003. In an alternate reality, Kal-El's pod lands in Ukraine, then under Soviet Union, rather than in Kansas. The Red Son mini-series deals with a very different Superman, who instead of fighting for truth, justice and the American way fights for socialism, Stalin and the Warsaw Pact. Millar's Red Son run raised a very abstract question; does the presence of a hero changes the environment or does the environment affects the hero? The comic book also has a diverse array of popular characters from DC Comics. From Wonder Woman to a Russian Batman, the story explores the impact of an alien upbringing on our beloved heroes. Most of the story line exists in the Cold War era, apart from the epilogue, which exists in the distant future. Upon its release, Superman : Red Son was met with critical acclaim and record-breaking sales. Millar was nominated for the Eisner Award in 2004 in the best limited series category.
The release of Wonder Woman, which was met with universal acclaim finally brought some much needed stability to the current DC Extended Universe. Induction of Red Son Superman into the extended universe might sound intriguing, but is it necessary at this stage? Establishing the popular characters must be given paramount importance before indulging in alternate stories. Though DC Comics has produced some breathtaking alternate universes, a live-action adaptation at such a nascent stage seems unnecessary.
The success of DC Animated Universe should be able to sway the decision from live-action to animation. Owing to the success of Justice League : Gods and Monsters of the animated universe, an animated adaptation of Millar's iconic Superman : Red Son can rank among the best movies DCAU has produced.


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Cities – A Prepper's Nightmare & Solutions
Jessica Hooley
April 10th, 2012
Is it a coincidence that all of my nightmares occur in big cities? While it may be a personality glitch, I find that considering the dangers you face in the event of an emergency while living in a city, my nightmares may be justified. If you live in a city – buckle up. As a prepper you will have to work extra hard to make your emergency plan viable. And while I make no judgments on city dwellers, I must say – MOVE! For your own safety – MOVE! Move, move, move, move, move. Okay. I think I got it all out.
Now I understand that not everyone can just pick up and move because some lady on the internet says so. So if you are in the situation where you must stay in the city here are a few things you MUST have in your emergency preparedness plan.
Define Your Strategy
One of the biggest problems with cities are the fact that they aren't self-sustaining. They rely on outer communities to supply them with food, water and often times electricity. The second biggest issue with cities is the space. Most homes/apartments/condos don't have the space needed to store supplies for 6 months to a year. And even if they did there is a severely high probability of civil unrest, leading to looting and robbery. In short – you need a plan. The three questions to ask yourself:
1.How long will we stay
2.How will we get out
3.Where will we go
The Rest…HERE


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Warmer weather – nuttier incidents
10:40am, there was a 911 call about shots fired near 3rd and Jackson. Allegedly a red 2007 Toyota Yaris, three girls involved, fighting amongst themselves, one girl fled on foot. Unknown direction of flight. However, it was later found out as police investigated the area and spoke with nearby individuals surrounding the location in question, that it was a false 911 call. They are now gathering more information and will attempt to charge the girl calling it in, as it is considered a crime to knowingly report a fault incident. The woman involved was apparently a "DDP" (drunk/disorderly person).
11:10am, another report of "DDP's" involved in a violent street fight at 1600 Willow Ave. One patient is being transported to HUMC for "psych evaluation".
Warm weather, cold beer, drunken anger.
I can only imagine what this summer will be like if we experience many heat waves and power outages.


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With that being said, the hugs challenge stands to bring awareness to mental health and compassion for others in this world.
Here is the Science:
Right about now, you are probably sitting there wondering why and how giving someone a hug, as small as it seems, can help mental health or bring compassion back to this world… well, we are glad you asked. Allow us to explain both…
Hugging has been proven to help people deal with their emotions more effectively and with more understanding of their feelings. With 1 simple hug, the persons body will instantly do many things… it will release oxytocin to relieve stress and anxiety, stimulate and heighten the dopamine levels in the brain easing any feelings of depression or low self-esteem and also giving a feeling of being more energetic after the hug. Aside from the numerous reports and articles that scream "GO OUT AND HUG SOMEONE" a hug is also a personal way to let another human being know that you see them, that they matter in your world (whatever way that may be) It is the ability to change someone's whole response system in a matter of 10 seconds and allow them to walk away feeling important, or at the very least… acknowledged. Mental health issues have been on the rise for decades with still very little understanding of how, what, and why. We all too quickly forget to think about the most important … who. The fact is that those suffering from any sort of mental health crisis feel alone, they feel unimportant and invisible to the rest of the world. A genuine hug can change the course of their whole day, and for some, it will change their whole life.
The point is, we don't know what a hug may mean to the one we are giving it to and we don't need to. We only need to be willing to give our compassion to someone else and let them define that act for themselves.
Here is our challenge:
We ask you to hug 3 people, friend or family or complete stranger and capture that moment in a photo. Share that photo on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter with the hashtag #therighttobearhugs and even leave a sentiment with it on how it made you feel. When posting your hug with the hashtags also tag up to 10 people to then challenge them to do the same. When you add the hashtag above to your post it will add the photo to this site so you can then watch as your hug and others around the world come together for a single cause.
Our goal is to have 10 million documented hugs from those being challenged and using the hashtag in their post. At that time we will have a bigger and brighter goal waiting to be started so stay tuned and come with us on this journey of love, acceptance, and compassion.


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Gambia – There was drama at the TANGO secretariat today when the director of the civil society organisations umbrella body in Gambia, Ousman Yabo, attempted to withdraw permit granted to the Inter-Party Committee on Opposition Coalition unification to hold a press conference at their secretariat.
The drama started when Mr Yabo informed the organisers of the media conference that they could not hold their meeting on their premises as he was not informed.
"I could go to jail if I allow you to hold your press briefing here," Yabo told one of the organisers, Kebba Singhateh, surrounded by angry colleagues and journalists. "We will hold the press conference here because we have paid for the hall two weeks ago and if there was a breakdown of communication between you and your staff, then that is your business," Singhateh replied.
The TANGO boss later asked his staff to all leave the TANGO premises at once as they do not want to be associated with the press conference.
Yabo, his deputy, Madi Jobarteh, and the rest of the TANOG staff all left the premises at once, as the conference organisers waited for their guests to arrive.
During the conference, which started late in the afternoon, the Inter-Party Committee on Opposition Unification said in a joint statement that they were throwing their weight behind a united force to challenge the ruling APRC party.
The statement read by the committee's secretary Musa Sonko, states in part, "A united force to challenge the ruling APRC party in the December 1 presidential elections is the best option for defeating President Jammeh at the polls. Gambians living in and outside the Gambia are all yearning for a unity among all opposition parties.
"The deteriorating economic situation causing immense suffering to all Gambians is unsustainable and unbearable and therefore needs urgent and concerted efforts to restore the ailing economy.
"The uneven political playing field in favour of the APRC since its transformation from a military junta to civilian rule and the recently enacted draconian Electoral Amendment Act 2015, are all designed to stifle the prospects and chances of the opposition to effect the most needed change of government and system.
"It is therefore imperative for the opposition parties to revisit their stance and demonstrate their beliefs in the ideals of social justice and individual liberty. If we do not do it, and we can, we should not expect anyone to do it for us."
In his remarks, Mr Kebba Singhateh, the chairman of the committee, said "Gambia is sinking politically and economically and the cream of the country, the young people continuous to desert the country in their numbers in search of greener pasture whilst the APRC regime is using all mechanisms to cling to power."
"The current economic and political situation is unbearable and the suffering is enough," he said. "The tactics by the regime to suppress and oppress genuine democracy through draconian electoral laws are unacceptable."
He said the quest for genuine democracy is on the lips of every truth loving Gambian and that this cannot come by in the absence of genuine electoral laws to level the political playing field.
Meanwhile, the committee comprises six opposition parties among them the UDP, NRP, NCP, GPDP, GMC, NDAM AND PPP. The committee is supported by independent contestants and their supporters. Halifa Sallah's PDOIS party has since not expressed desire to join the committee despite initial attempts by the committee for the party to do so. The meeting was graced by opposition political party leaders including Ousainou Darboe, Hamat Bah and others.
Written By Our Correspondent


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Tag Archives: Robert Rodriguez
ALL IN! – By Robert Rodriguez
This is one of the best market commentaries I've read in a while. It comes from one of the few investors I admire and who I would trust my money if I had no idea about investing or was not … Continue reading
Posted in General Tagged Austrian economic school, Ben Bernanke, Euro, Philip Carret, Robert Rodriguez, US dollar, Warren Buffett 6 Comments