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By Rebecca Hagelin
Culture Challenge of the Week: Duck Dynasty and Christmas Under Attack
Duck Dynasty, the most-watched cable television show of all time, is a cultural phenomenon. The reality show follows the lives of the Robertson clan, a Louisiana family that made a fortune developing and selling duck calls and hunting products. The members of the 'Duck Dynasty' are not only unlikely millionaires but also unlikely TV stars—from their shaggy beards to hippy-style clothing to sincere Christian faith. But their plainspoken ways and outspoken beliefs have generated a tremendous following.
And tremendous controversy. Sort of like celebrating Christmas.
Last week, Phil Robertson, the patriarch of the 'Duck' dynasty, was suspended from his own reality show by its sponsoring network, A & E. Why? Because Robertson gave an interview in which he spoke plainly of his Biblical beliefs, particularly that homosexuality is wrong. The homosexual activist camp went ballistic and engaged in bullying tactics, accusing Robertson of hate, homophobia, and intolerance and demanding that the network fire Robertson for his beliefs. A & E folded and sent Robertson into exile.
Which brings me back to Christmas. In a society where many businesses have forbidden their staff to wish customers a "Merry Christmas"; where public schools only celebrate a "holiday" break and put on "holiday" plays; where Christmas trees are now called "holiday trees", is it any wonder that Robertson was fired for declaring his faith?
As this column goes to press, the 'Duck' clan is standing by their leader and mulling over their future with the network. And, thankfully, millions of Americans—Christians, Jews, Muslims, and non-believers alike—have rallied around Phil and against the bullying tactics of the intolerant Left. While we have this national "teaching moment" it would be wonderful if we also raised our voices in a joint cry to boldly proclaim the truth about this "holiday" season and reclaim Christmas.
How to Save Your Family: Rejoice, for Christ is born!
First, live in the truth. Christians know that Jesus is real. After pursuing years of 'freedom,' liberal-style, Phil Robertson was unhappy, lost, and struggling. He credits the saving power of Jesus for turning him away from a life of sexual debauchery and hedonism. "I centered my life around sex, drugs and rock and roll until I hit rock bottom and accepted Jesus as my Savior," he says. Phil preaches the truth now out of personal experience: Jesus is real and Phil's not afraid to say so. And he's not afraid to preach the truth that we receive through the Word of God—the Bible.
Let the same be true for us. Don't be afraid to speak the truth this Christmas! Jesus was truly born into this world and died for our sins. His Resurrection offers hope, new life, and deep happiness to all who will follow Him. Everyone needs to know this truth! It's up to us to live it and communicate it, no matter how strong the pressure or how ugly the rhetoric that comes from the liberal left.
Second, go to the Word of God and rejoice in the love of Jesus. Even as the left's anger erupted, Phil Robertson stayed in focus, on message (Jesus' message), and motivated by love. His pastor reports that the TV star, as an elder in the Church, was praying with a cancer-stricken member of the congregation even as homosexual activists attacked his beliefs.
Yes, our Christian beliefs are increasingly under attack. But God's love and saving power are stronger than all of that. The world needs its Savior now, more than ever!
From the Gospel of Luke:
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while[a] Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register. 4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. 8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.
So, Merry Christmas…and spread the Word.
Being the Parent Then and Now
The Challenge When Life Gets Hard
The End of Courtship
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Connect With Rebecca Hagelin
Rebecca Hagelin has championed faith and family values in Washington, DC and around the nation for some 30 years. She speaks and writes to encourage and educate parents on how to combat the negative affects of the pop media culture on their children. Her weekly column, co-authored with her daughter Kristin Carey, "Faith and Family: Hope for Every Generation" appears in The Washington Times, Townhall and other national news sites and publications. Rebecca also owns a boutique marketing company that specializes in creating and directing national talk radio marketing campaigns. She previously served as The Heritage Foundation's Vice President of Communications and Marketing, and as Vice President of Communications for WorldNetDaily.com. In 2006, Concerned Women for America named her as one of the nation's "Top Ten Evangelical Women", and in 2007, The Claire Boothe Luce Policy Institute named her one of 12 "Great Conservative Women". She is the author of the acclaimed books, Home Invasion: Protecting Your Family in a Culture That's Gone Stark Raving Mad, and 30 Ways in 30 Days to Save Your Family. The latter book will be re-released in late April. The newly updated version is entitled, "30 Ways in 30 Days to Protect Your Family" and will include reflections from her daughter, Kristin, as well as a bonus new chapter on marriage. Rebecca serves on several boards including FamilyTalk. She and her husband (of 30 years!) Andy, have three grown children, and live on Little Gasparilla Island in Florida.
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Pepsi pays a bomb to get the rights of the title sponsor of IPL. BCCI has been quite the negotiator. It got Pepsi to pay twice as what DLF had paid in the previous edition. And this comes at a time when the popularity of IPL is possibly at its lowest according to many surveys. Amidst all the talks of recession, in October, Porsche sold a record number of vehicles in India. Also, according to a recent World Bank report, India receives more money through repatriation than any other. And typewriters are called off the shelves in UK.
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oday, classes officially started… As is my custom, I wear a dress shirt and neck tie. It is, afterall, the day I have to impress my students, many of which I will meet for the first time. Today's class was J-Lit in Translation. Students interested in Japan take it, but there are a good number of students who take it just to fulfill their foreign culture requirement.
So I do as I always do–speak Japanese for the first five minutes. Since this is a J-lit in translation class, many students in previous courses have looked at me or started whispering to the person next to them trying to confirm if they had to know Japanese to take this class. It is such a mean trick. But this year, not a single student batted an eye. They all looked at me ready for class to begin.
Hmph! No fun… I wonder if the word is out and they knew it was coming? Did someone from a previous year warn them? That would really suck. What fun is teaching if you can't tease the students from time to time? I better come up with something different for next year.
Totally bummed…


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macrumors 6502a
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I would like to buy a 17" iMac, within a few weeks, but i was wondering if i should wait until MWSF for possibly a 1ghz model, or even a 19". Athlough the 17 would do just fine, i dont wanna feel jacked spendin $2000 and then having apple release either of these. Any help on when they might bring it up to 1ghz, or what anyone thinks i should do would be great


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The Young Mentor Training Camp 09-10 November 2018
Submitted by ada on Thu, 13/12/2018 - 13:46
The Young Mentor Training Camp 9-10 November 2018
The Young Mentor training camp was held on 9th November to 10th November at the Don Bosco Youth Centre at Cheung Chau. 38 students participated in the team-building and adventure-based activities and they gained a lot of valuable experience. They were able to learn how to face challenges and solve problems collaboratively.


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Tales to Astonish #83 Sep 1966 Comic Book
vintage comic book
Less than Man, More than Monster
Era: Silver Age Tales to Astonish #83 Sep 1966
Condition as per photograph.
Tales to Astonish began as a science-fiction anthology that served as a showcase for such artists as Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko, then featured superheroes during the period fans and historians call the Silver Age of Comic Books. It became The Incredible Hulk with issue No. 102 (April 1968). Its sister title was Tales of Suspense.
Supplied in pro plastic bag and will be posted in a hard envelope to ensure it arrives with you the way it let us.
We have priced our comic books based upon a fair estimation of its condition and the market price as detailed through Comic Book Realm. We are not professional comic book graders.
Tales to Astonish #83 Sep 1966 Comic Book
Regular price $54.00
vintage comic book


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Tag Archives: nuclear waste
Atomic Energy, the unloved child of the living dead
Radioactive Waste Is Leaking From Washington's Hanford Nuclear Reservation Zero Hedge – TYLER DURDEN – Feb 22, 2013 And now for a quick lesson in government spending: in the 1940s the federal government created the now mostly decommissioned Washington's Hanford … more
Posted in Environment, History Tagged atomic bombs, atomic energy, Hanford, karma, nuclear waste, radioactive waste Comments Off on Atomic Energy, the unloved child of the living dead
Solutions beget problems beget solutions beget problems…
Abyss of Uncertainty: Germany's Homemade Nuclear Waste Disaster Spiegel – MICHAEL FROEHLINGSDORF, UDO LUDWIG and ALFRED WEINZIERL – Feb 21, 2013 Some 126,000 barrels of nuclear waste have been dumped in the Asse II salt mine over the last 50 … more
Posted in Science & Technology Tagged nuclear waste Comments Off on Solutions beget problems beget solutions beget problems…


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Legit telemarketer calling for donations: BPS
BROCKVILLE – If you get a call from someone representing the Police Retirees of Ontario (PRO) this month, don't worry, it's a legit call.
The Brockville Police Service has been notified the PRO will be doing a telemarketing campaign throughout the month of October.
The organization helps police retirees and any extra money is then donated to Victim and Children's Charities across Ontario.
This year they are distributing PRO Teddy Bears to emergency services, who give them out to children at trauma scenes.
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I must say, though, that a man who has staked his whole life on the card of a woman's love and who, when that card is trumped, falls to pieces and lets himself go to the dogs -- a fellow like that is not a man, not a male. You say he's unhappy -- you know best. But all the nonsense hasn't been taken out of him yet. I'm sure he really believes he's a smart fellow just because he reads that rag Galignani and saves a muzhik from a flogging once a month.
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I loved this post about showing Hamilton to prisoners. Representation matters.
Daveed Diggs (Lafayette!/Jefferson) did an 8-part live action series a few years ago playing Hobbes from a few Calvin & Hobbes comics. Love it.
Do you love fan art? Do you love Hamilton? If so, you've probably already seen Ham4Pamphlet. If not, you definitely need to go look at the gorgeous artwork that was submitted! Each illustration represents a different song.
Chris Jackson (George Washington) takes a Hamilton lyrics quiz and does an excellent job!
Finally, check out this fan video showing Daredevil set to Hamilton songs:


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The allegations by the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) that the suspended CBN Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi gave opposition APC N1billion to open offices across the country, came as a surprise, but it has now put things in proper perspective. What has however, come as a bigger surprise is that the usually vociferous party has kept a deafening silence on the grave allegation leveled against it, pretending not to have seen or read about it in the papers. Its usually active and outspoken spokesman has not deemed it necessary to oblige Nigerians a reaction from his party to such a grave allegation. It brings to good reasoning then that the allegation may have some truth to it. Otherwise, how can the opposition, usually quick to issue press statements on any issue, not react to such a grave accusation that damages its reputation and exposes it to ridicule and public odium?
Going by PDP's allegations, APC is a principal beneficiary of a reckless public official who turned public funds in its custody, to his personal property to be used as he pleases without being accountable to anyone because CBN Act gave him autonomy or better still a 'sovereignty' to operate in any island and therefore to do as he wishes.
Instructively, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi the banker turned ''activist'' and ''crusader'' for remittances of oil revenue has not deemed it fit to respond to the damaging allegations against him by the PDP.
The spirited defence the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), gave the now suspended governor of the Central Bank, CBN, left many people wondering if the beleaguered CBN governor's office had not become an extension of the APC party secretariat. The party had accused the President of witch-hunting the holy Mallam who is openly eyeing the Emirship seat. APC had claimed that Sanusi was being punished because of his allegations that $20billion was not remitted to the Federation Account. Yet Sanusi himself had flipped-flopped over the actual amount that was missing. He had earlier claimed $49.8billion and then reverted to $12billon, settled for $10.8billion before arriving at the 'final' $20billion.
The APC did not mind those inconsistencies. All that mattered was seeing Sanusi's claim as its fight to rescue Nigeria. However, latest developments have shown that perhaps APC's concern was less altruistic after all. It was a position taken by a party on the brink of losing a trusted friend and a source of free funds they have possibly been using to mobilise their ''phantom 28 million members.''
For those who don't know, the ruling Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP), had alleged that from the N680billion allegedly frittered away by Sanusi when he was in charge at the CBN, the opposition party benefitted not less than N53billion. The PDP said that notable stalwarts of the party got contracts from Sanusi when he was in the CBN.
Olisa Metuh, the spokesman of the PDP, had said that investigations revealed that the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its stalwarts were beneficiaries of siphoned CBN money through surreptitious diversion by the suspended CBN governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi.
Metuh asserted that a questionable N48 billion contract was awarded to one of the leaders of the APC just as another N5 billion was equally paid to another stalwart of the opposition party as consultancy fee.
If one may ask; Where in the world is N5 billion paid for such nebulous service as consultancy fee to an individual? Where is that done except in Nigeria? And the beneficiary is one of those pretenders strutting around on a mission to rescue Nigeria. How tragic for Nigeria that those who milk the country to its bones are the ones parading themselves as people on a rescue mission to save the country.
Metuh further alleged that: "in addition to the N1 billion diverted by the bank to the party, the bank donated N100 million each to some chieftains of APC to fund their activities last year. The bank also diverted over N1billion to the APC to open offices across the nation.â€
In total, these come to N53billion. And then suddenly, the CBN governor became an "activist†and a "politician†probably fighting and funding the APC battle from within. And the party too cheered on like a pampered baby being cuddled by a doting mother. APC was on a roll and it was enjoying the darts and insults being dished out by Sanusi. Perhaps, who knows, the party may have goaded Sanusi on to become confrontational in the belief that the President can only sack him with two third of senate members. And audaciously he dared the President to go to the Senate, knowing full well that APC senators will block any such move.
Until the cookies came tumbling down, many thought that all the energy and vigour behind the party's frequent statements were borne out of genuine desire to protect our national institutions.
Alas, it has come to light that the Party was one of the big beneficiaries of fraudulent diversion of taxpayers money to fund its activities. It has come to light that the same party that prides itself as progressive also benefitted from the looting of Nigeria by the holy Mallam who carried on as if he was clean. It has now come to light that all those strong-worded press releases by APC in defence of Sansui were based on the pecuniary gains it got from the holy Mallam. Indeed, it has come to light that the abuses and recklessness of Sanusi Lamido Sanusi as Governor of the CBN can only be rivaled by the direct looting of the bank by Abacha. If one may ask; since when has it become the brief of the CBN to fund political parties? Is this what the cry for autonomy means? And why was it APC that Sanusi chose to give money and not any of the other political parties in the country? If Sanusi and APC can't explain this, perhaps, their defenders will oblige Nigerian some reactions.
In saner climes, the outrage this kind of revelation would have generated would have ended the careers of so many people. But this is Nigeria where if you catch a thief, he ask you, ''Am I the only one''? or he will ask, ''what about you''? The next thing, he will run to court to get ex parte restraining security agencies from arrest him or better still order of perpetual injunction from arresting. And there are ever so willing judges who despite knowing how illegal such orders are, grant them without hesitation. Pronto! The thief is free to wreak more havoc on the system.
However, how one may choose to look at it, Metuh's allegations have raised new questions. But the greater question is why APC, characteristic of its style, has not deemed it fit to respond to the allegations made by the ruling party which the Party has always vilified as corruption personified. APC as a party has always carried on with an air of puritanism. The party and its leaders have always given the impression that they don't dip their hands into the public till. In other words, corruption is an anathema to the party. But in stark contradiction, the lifestyles of the party's leaders do not give any credence to this pretentious Spartan disposition of the party.
In pursuance of its duty of keeping the ruling party on its toes, APC has always taken the PDP to the cleaners in the way it has been handling the affairs of the country. But the allegations that APC and some of its leading figures were beneficiaries of the Father Christmas disposition of holy Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi has put a blight on the change campaign the opposition party launched as its battle cry to wrestle power from the ruling party.
What is strange to many political watchers is that APC has not officially responded to the allegations of Metuh. This is unlike APC. Its spokesman, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has suddenly been silent. Yet this is a man who is always unsparing when attacking the ruling party or when responding to any issue.
A newspaper (not THISDAY) which claimed to have spoken with Mohammed on the telephone reported that the APC chief did not seem to deny that its top members had 'worked' for the CBN. He said the issue was whether the said job was done or not.
"The question to ask is whether whoever got the job did it. If he did not, then the EFCC and the Police should go after such a person.â€
On whether the party collected money from the suspended CBN governor to open offices, Mohammed said this was untrue.
"It is absolutely untrue. If Sanusi has given APC money, what are they waiting for? Why can't they go to court or complain to EFCC and come and arrest us. What the PDP is doing is to divert attention from the $20 billion missing money that Nigerians are asking for explanation. $20 billion is enough to give 20,000 mega watts of electricity and tar 20,000 kilometres of road.â€
Mohammed's response (if this can be called one) does not seem to hold water. Reading between the lines, it is obvious that he did not deny the fact that APC leaders worked for the CBN as a 'consultants.' It was more of a question of whether those who got those 'consultancy' jobs executed the briefs they were given. Secondly, it is debatable if APC would not have gone to the streets crying blue murder if it was a PDP stalwart that was paid N5billion for 'consultancy' job.
Not surprisingly too, APC has been shouting that the CBN is autonomous. Good argument. Only that the party has not deemed it fit to ask what kind of autonomy would make a CBN Governor pay N20billion in one year as consultancy fee to lawyers; spend about N4billion on newspapers and periodicals, spend another N1.4billion for lunch on policemen and other security guards? And of course, the autonomy that made a CBN governor to donate N1billion to the opposition party to open party offices across the country. These are pertinent questions, which border on strict patriotism, that an opposition party should have asked and perhaps forced the hand of the ruling party to take a second look at the Act establishing the CBN in the first place.
However, the APC does not even have to do that again. It is even debatable if it could do that as the party has become an interested party in the whole saga. But the saga could only have worked against the said autonomy of the CBN. Now the Senate is poised to amend the Act of the CBN as questions are still being asked why an autonomy would make a CBN governor spend hundreds of billions of tax payers' money, on any cause that catches his fancy, including funding a particular political party with taxpayers money.
While the nation is still awaiting an official response from APC, over the allegations made by the PDP, it has shown that to the party (APC) corruption seems to have different colours. When it is committed by an opposition figure, it is pardonable but when it involves the PDP or any of its members, it is corruption in its strict terms. And that is why many political watchers have been asking where the APC would get campaign funds from since the party does not 'touch' public funds. Perhaps, another donation from Sanusi would help out.
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Welcome to Nall Hills Animal Hospital
Your Veterinarian in Overland Park, KS
Call us at (913) 341-8836
Since 1974, Nall Hills Animal Hospital has been serving the community of Overland Park, Kansas. We proudly serve the pets in our community by providing quality health care for both treatment and prevention. Our Overland Park veterinarians also stress the importance of proper home care for pets in order to ensure pet owners can provide their pets with long and happy lives in a positive environment. We welcome you to explore our site and learn more about why we have served the community for generations!
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Every staff member at Nall Hills Animal Hospital is involved in the care of our patients. We create a collaborative environment in which we strive to keep all pets that come through our doors safe, happy, and healthy. Upon your pet's first visit, we'll begin creating your pet's file and start by making recommendations for care. Together, we can build the best care plan to suit your pet's needs.
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We believe preventative care is the key to keeping pets healthy. Our preventative services can help your pet get off to the right start. From the first day with your new friend we want you to feel as if you are a part of our family. Our preventative care includes:
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If you're looking for an Overland Park Veterinarian, do not hesitate to contact us. As your veterinarian in Overland Park, we strive to offer you and your pet the best possible service and to welcome you into our family. Our caring and friendly staff is proud to have served generations of clients in Overland Park. Call us today at (913) 341-8836 today to schedule your first visit!
At Nall Hills Animal Hospital, we treat your pets like the valued family members they are.
Overland Park Veterinarian | Nall Hills Animal Hospital
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I have a bit of a romantic attachment to the sixties. That may be because I was too young to really participate in them.
I took in that era as a kid, watching it unfold with Walter Cronkite safely sandwiched in between Batman and Flintstone reruns.
Nonetheless, turning 13 as I did in 1972, my new-found appreciation for hippie music alligned me politically, possibly for life, with the icons of the anti-war movement of the time - Dylan, CSNY, Joni et al.
I knew the songs. I knew what they meant.
I wasn't at Woodstock. But I sure remember Yasgur's farm.
At that age, I also listened to a lot of AM radio, late at night in bed.
I had this little, battery-run transistor radio that I silenced as-required under my pillow, while I listened to the old Jerry Williams call-in show on Boston's fabled WBZ Radio. I heard the war debate that way, every night in real time.
At 13, I came down squarely on Jerry's side - the war was wrong and needed to end.
(WBZ, as an aside, used to carry the Boston Bruin games. Jerry came on at 11, after hockey. I could only get reception from far-away Beantown later in the night, never during the day - I never really did understand the physics behind that...)
So, anyway, as I read Thursday that Canada's Supreme Court has refused to hear an appeal by two contemporary American war resisters from a decision that they do not qualify for Canadian refugee protection, I must say on a purely visceral, sorta Dylanesque level, I was at first disappointed.
Alongside those templated sounds of Bob and Neil and Joni and Jerry within, I suppose I also came to project a bit of a political halo onto the people that used to be called "draft dodgers."
I thought they were right about Viet Nam. I liked their music.
And in the recesses of the archetypal mind, I think I pictured them all carrying acoustic guitars and singing protest songs, or something...
Back to the Supreme Court of Canada's decision.
CTV reports on it as follows:
Canada's top court said Thursday it will not hear the appeals of two American military deserters who fled north of the border seeking refugee status.
Jeremy Hinzman and Brandon Hughey appealed to the Supreme Court of Canada to overthrow a 2005 Immigration and Refugee Board ruling that stated there was no well-founded fear of persecution should the they return to the United States.
Both deserters came to Canada in 2004 after learning they were to be deployed to Iraq.
The Supreme Court panel, composed of three judges, gave no reason for the refusal, which is common practice for the high court.
If returned to the U.S., both men will face a court marshal and will be sent to prison for up to five years if convicted.
Hinzman, 28, fled to Canada with his wife and son after learning his Airborne Division unit was deployed to fight in a war he considered "illegal and immoral."
Notwithstanding my Woodstockian predispositions on this issue, after reflection I am in full agreement with the Court's ruling.
That tells me a few things.
The sixties are over.
And even without the benefit of written reasons, I have no doubt as to the wisdom of the Supreme Court of Canada on this one. In the very difficult job of balancing competing interests, our Judges consistently get it right.
(Unlike its American cousin, our Supreme Court of Canada has never been deeply politicized by our politicians or by its own actions. The U.S. Supreme Court was reasonably similar in this respect... before Bush v. Gore, a decision that exposed the partisan fault-lines of the Court and blemished that institution's reputation, perhaps for generations to come.)
Thursday's Supreme Court of Canada's decision does illustrate one fault-line that does not exist between Canada and our American neighbours.
Had our Supreme Court gone in a different direction, their decision would effectively have created a northern haven for U.S. war resisters, representing a virtual disavowal by our judiciary of America's rule of law in a circumstance that is simply not, by definition, about imminent life and death concerns.
(In such cases, we reserve all rights).
Canadians overwhelmingly oppose the American mission in Iraq.
We have from day one.
But as a nation, our opposition to the war simply does not go so far as to create a willingness to vest political and legal legitimacy in those who desert the American military - on conscientious or other grounds.
Canada has profound respect for America's legal system, warts and all. We respect America's legal autonomy and have deference for its judicial processes.
I understand that for many war resisters, a ticket to Iraq (or Iran, or wherever the U.S. may go next) may well represent a potential death sentence. There are good, ethical, defensible grounds for any individual to object to serving in this war, most of which I am sympathetic to.
I also understand that deportation to America may well predict severe legal consequences ahead, and that there are indeed reasons to seek safe harbour elsewhere.
Those severe legal consequences, however, do not as I understand it, include waterboarding. If they did, my view would be completely different. As, I am sure, would the Supreme Court of Canada's.
So therefore, as much as my romantic notions about the sixties inspired a momentary temptation to roll out the welcome mat and say, "stay here, friend," I must confess, on balance, that I have reached a different conclusion.
I see it like this:
You must go home
and fix your country.
(And don't worry, one day you, too, may grow up to be President)
- Garry J. Wise, Toronto
Visit our Toronto Law Firm website: www.wiselaw.net


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Today the world's attention is focused on the FIFA World Cup draw. While this has many fans riveted, much of the rest of the world is focused on the riots and unrest in Thailand and Ukraine. Then there is always the civil war that is raging in Syria. And this just in … Nelson Mandela has passed away.
But probably by the time that you read this article these events will largely be forgotten. What the world takes great interest in now will quickly be forgotten as we move on to other amusements, sporting championships or political crises. The focus one day becomes forgotten history the next.
We saw previously that this was also true in the ancient time of Abraham. The important and spectacular contests, achievements and gossip that was the talk of the people living 4000 years ago are now totally forgotten, but a solemn promise spoken quietly to an individual, though totally overlooked by the world back then, is growing and unfolding before our eyes. The obvious, but often overlooked, fact is that the promise given to Abraham about 4000 years ago has literally, historically and verifiably come true. This indicates that God is just as revealed in the Bible (Veda Pusthakan) and is working to see that His Promises will be accomplished. This is not simply legend or some abstract metaphor.
Abraham's story continues with two more key encounters before this Promise-Making God. Abraham (and we who follow his journey) learn much – even moving from the realm of history to that of achieving Moksha, but in a very different way – a simpler way – than we might expect. The story of Abraham is not quickly forgotten like today's sports events; it is one of an unnoticed man setting a foundation to understand the gaining of eternity, so we'd be wise to learn from it.
Abraham's Complaint
Several years have passed in Abraham's life since the Promise recorded in Genesis 12 was spoken. Abraham had moved to the Promised Land in what is today Israel in obedience to that promise. Then other events occurred in his life except the very one that he hoped for – the birth of the son through whom this promise would be fulfilled. So we continue the account with Abraham's complaint:
After this, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision:
"Do not be afraid, Abram.
I am your shield,
your very great reward."
But Abram said, "O Sovereign LORD, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?" And Abram said, "You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir." (Genesis 15:1-3)
God's Promise
Abraham had been camping out in the Land awaiting the start of the 'Great Nation' that had been promised him. But no son was born and by this time he was around 85 years old, which focused his accusation.
Then the word of the LORD came to him: "This man will not be your heir, but a son coming from your own body will be your heir." He took him outside and said, "Look up at the heavens and count the stars—if indeed you can count them." Then he said to him, "So shall your offspring be." (Genesis 15:4-5)
In their exchange God renewed His Promise by declaring that Abraham would get a son that would become a people as uncountable as the stars in the sky – many for sure, but hard to number.
Abraham's Response: Like a Puja with Permanent affect
The ball was now back in Abraham's court. How would he respond to this renewed Promise? What follows is treated by the Bible as one of its most important sentences. It lays the foundation to understand an eternal truth. It says:
Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness. (Genesis 15:6)
It is easier to understand this sentence if we replace the pronouns with names, to read:
Abram believed the LORD, and the LORD credited it to Abram as righteousness. (Genesis 15:6)
It is such a small and inconspicuous sentence. It comes and goes with no news headline and so we might miss it. But it is truly significant. Why? Because in this little sentence Abraham gets 'righteousness'. This is like a getting the merits of a puja that will never degrade or be lost. Righteousness is the one – and the only one – quality that we need to get right standing before God.
Reviewing our Problem: Corruption
From God's point-of-view, though we were made in the image of God something happened that corrupted that image. Now the verdict is that
The LORD looks down from heaven on the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. All have turned aside, they have together become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one. (Psalm 14:2-3)
Instinctively we sense this corruption. This is why festivals, such as the Kumbh Mela festival, are so well attended because we sense our sin and our need for cleansing. The Prartha Snana (or Pratasana) mantram also expresses this view that we have about ourselves:
I am a sinner. I am the result of sin. I am born in sin. My soul is under sin. I am the worst of sinners. O Lord who has the beautiful eyes, Save me, O Lord of the Sacrifice.
The result of our corruption is that we find ourselves separated from a Righteous God because we have no righteousness ourselves. Our corruption has seen our negative karma grow – reaping futility and death in its wake. If you doubt that just scan some news headlines and see what people have been up to the last 24 hours. We are separated from the Maker of Life and so the words of Rsi Isaiah of the Veda Pusthakan (Bible) come true
All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away. (Isaiah 64:6)
Abraham and Righteousness
But here between Abraham and God we find, slipped in so quietly that we can almost miss it, the declaration that Abraham had gained 'righteousness' – the kind that God accepts. So what did Abraham 'do' to get this righteousness? Once again, so discreet that we are in danger of missing the point, it simply says of Abraham that he 'believed'. That's it?! We have this insurmountable problem of sin and corruption and so our natural tendency down the ages is to look for sophisticated and difficult religions, efforts, pujas, ethics, ascetic disciplines, teachings etc. – to gain righteousness. But this man, Abraham, gained that prized righteousness simply by 'believing'. It was so simple we can almost miss it.
Abraham did not 'earn' righteousness; it was 'credited' to him. So what is the difference? Well, if something is 'earned' you worked for it – you deserve it. It is like receiving wages for the work you do. But when something is credited to you, it is given to you. Like any gift freely given it is not earned or merited, but simply received.
This account of Abraham overturns the common understanding that we have about righteousness either by thinking that it comes from a belief in God's existence, or that righteousness is obtained by doing sufficiently good or religious activities. This is not the way Abraham took. He simply chose to believe the promise extended to him, and then he was credited, or given, righteousness.
The rest of the Bible treats this encounter as a Sign for us. Abraham's belief in the promise from God, and the resulting credit of righteousness, is a pattern for us to follow. The whole of the Gospel is founded on promises that God gives to each and every one of us.
But then who pays for or earns righteousness? We take it up next.


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Start Here Videos
As one of the largest cities by landmass in the U.S., Jacksonville has a lot of ground to cover. Throw in neighboring Amelia Island, St. Augustine, Green Cove Springs, and other areas, and you have a continually growing mix of communities on the First Coast.
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Jacksonville Beach
Ponte Vedra
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St. Augustine
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- Gospel Reading: Luke 2:1-20 - Birth of Jesus + Shepherds
- Second Reading: John 1:1-14 - Prologue to John
- Psalm Nugget: Psalm 98 Richard Bruxvoort Colligan (psalmimmersion.com, @pomopsalmist, Patreon)
Featured Musician - "Glory In The Highest" by Jonathan Rundman from his album A Heartland Liturgy.
Hello and welcome to the Pulpit Fiction Podcast, the lectionary podcast for preachers, seekers and Bible geeks. This is episode 199 Sunday December 25, 2016, Christmas, Year A.
- Gospel Reading: Luke 2:1-20 - Birth of Jesus + Shepherds
- Second Reading: John 1:1-14 - Prologue to John
- Psalm Nugget: Psalm 98 Richard Bruxvoort Colligan (psalmimmersion.com, @pomopsalmist, Patreon)
- Christmas stuff
Least favorite Christmas song twitter poll. Winner is: Christmas Shoes
- This week's Twitter poll: For clergy - When are you celebrating New Year's Eve? Fri, Sat, Sun?
Featured Musician - "Glory In The Highest" by Jonathan Rundman from his album A Heartland Liturgy.
DONATE: www.pulpitfiction.us/donate
Gospel Reading: Luke 2:1-20 - Birth of Jesus + Shepherds
Initial Thoughts
Parallel to John the baptist
- Joyful birth - naming – circumcision
Luke is a terrible historian
There was no empire wide census by Augustus, but there was by Quirinius
- The revolt of Judas the Galilean (see Acts 5:37)
- Quirinius was not governor until 6CE (and Herod the great died in 4 BCE)...awkward..
- There was no empire wide census by Augustus, but there was by Quirinius
- World Changing- what is happening in Bethlehem will affect everyone from shepherds to angels to emperors
Census – no historical record of this census – reason to get the Holy Family to Bethlehem
- Different from Matthew – they settle in Bethlehem after returning from Egypt
Juxtaposition of Jesus and Augustus
- Bringer of peace for ending civil wars – Pax Romana (altar of the peace of Augustus in 10 BCE)
- Savior of the World – How Augustus was known in Asia Minor, declared a god in 42 BCE and his birthday was celebrated as New Year's Day
- Currency depicting Augustus' image hails him as the "Son of God"
- Luke – Jesus the true "Savior of the World" is born amidst the demonstration of Roman "power" and domination
- Zooming in to the most unlikely place from the most likely Augustus in Rome to Joseph in Bethlehem
- Places the birth of Jesus in the midst of political unrest - people are ready for a different Kingdom (even as they obey the laws of the current oppressor)
Who are they?
- Representatives of the hoi poloi - "the people", not kings or priests, but ordinary people
- Outsiders, the marginalized, living away from settled community - who Jesus would reach out to (Luke 4)
Perhaps a reference to one or both:
- the bad kings in Ezekiel 34
- the good King David in 1 Samuel 16:11
- God meets people- not in the temple, but in the fields and farms
- Continues the juxtaposition of Jesus and Augustus
- Who are they?
Angel's message
Good news for all the people
- inclusive message (not only inclusive through culture and socio-economic status, but chronologically inclusive too- for us)
- All the people surely includes the marginalized - central to Jesus' message, but also includes the powerful and rich )i.e. Pharisees, Zaccheus, etc)
Peace and Goodwill
- Peace and goodwill to men (KJV)
- Peace to men of goodwill (Vulgate/ Douay-Rheims Bible)
- On earth peace among those whom he favors (NRSV)
- Unclear but eudokia is used throughout Luke to mean "always denote the divine will to save"..."The angels are not announcing that peace is at hand for those who have pleased God, but rather that the peace to be realized—the earthly counterpart of God's own heavenly glory—is God's gracious gift, bestowed at God's good pleasure." Charles Wood Feasting on the Word: Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary - Feasting on the Word – Year A, Volume 1: Advent through Transfiguration.
- Good news for all the people
The angels bring good news to you! What is the good news that the Angels are telling you as the preacher? Be an angel: Share it!
- "What good would it do me, if he were born a thousand times and if this were sung to me every day with the loveliest airs, if I should not hear that there was something in it for me and that it should be my own?" Martin Luther, Luther's Works, vol. 52, Sermons, II, ed. Hans J. Hillerbrand (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1974), 21.
- The message of Christmas is often viewed to be very Christian-centric, but the message in this passage is actually very inclusive - this is good news for all people. How will you share this good news with others without discounting their different beliefs or disbelief?
- Scandalous love! Out of town unmarried couple has child! Filthy migrant nomads see hallucinations in the sky and come to see baby!
- Many times we dream of the perfect Christmas (think National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation), but the original Christmas was anything but perfect- it was messy. God chose to enter into the messiness of the world to show us how to love and forgive in the midst of the mess.
Psalm Nugget: Psalm 98 Richard Bruxvoort Colligan
Second Reading: John 1:1-14 - Prologue to John
Initial Thoughts
"The Gospel of John opens with one of the most challenging texts in the New Testament." (Gail O'Day,New Interpreter's Bible, v. IX, p. 516)
- Just look at a few different versions of the Bible, and note the footnotes. There are a lot of "Or this could mean…" footnotes.
Poetry - not easy to interpret. Open to many different ways to understand
- Poetry is the language of Creation.
Many themes that are important in the rest of the gospel are found in the prologue
- Interplay of God and Light
- Rejection of Jesus by the people (Jews vs Judeans)
- Incarnation - close relationship between Jesus and God (Father)
Overall movement of "The Prologue"
- v. 1-5 God, the Word, and Light.
- v. 6-8 God, John, and Light.
- v. 9-13 Light, the World, God's people, God's new people.
- v. 14-18 The Word, the flesh, God's new people.
God, the Word, Light enjoy a close intimacy
- The relationship between God, The Word, and The Light is a poetic relationship that is difficult to sort out.
- "In the beginning" is direct parallel to Genesis and the creation, which occurs by God speaking, and first bringing light.
- V. 3 and 4 has very subtle translation issue "from ancient times readers have been unsure how to divide these two verses."
- "All people, whether they believe it or not, live in a world illuminated by the light just as they live in a world created by the Word. What they are called to do is to trust the light, to walk in it, and thereby become children of light" (Texts for Preaching, Year A, p. 80)
John is not the Light
- Knowledge of John's ministry and life is a given to the author.
- John's only role is to point to Jesus.
- John is further subordinated by this gospel.
- John does not baptize Jesus, but merely sees "The Holy Spirit coming down from heaven like a dove, and it rested on him" (John 1:31).
Something new, and yet eternal, is happening
- Johannine community is claiming Jewish roots, but clearly the separation from the Synagogue is complete.
- Much of the polemic in the rest of the Gospel of John is rooted in v. 11. "God's own people didn't welcome him"
The rejection of Jesus by "The Jews" is seen as the primary tragedy of human creation.
- Historically, this has become the source of much evil.
- Rejection by "God's people" forces a redefining of who God's people are.
- No longer birthright, or by Covenant with the Law, but by belief in The Word.
- Following "The Word," or seeing "The Light" is prerequisite to seeing God.
- Adoption as God's people only happens by seeing God through Jesus.
The Word is made flesh - The Incarnation
v. 14 "The Word became flesh and made his home among us."
- 'made his home' = 'pitched his tent'
- Reminiscent of God in Exodus, residing in the Tabernacle.
- Implies deep intimacy, not just a passerby or temporary guest.
- At the same time, something different, and not fully native.
v. 18 "God the only Son, who is at the Father's side."
- Reminiscent of the seating at the Passover (13:23) "One of his disciples, the one who Jesus loved, was at Jesus' side."
- Jesus is flesh - not a gnostic rejection of flesh and the material world.
- v. 14 "The Word became flesh and made his home among us."
- We are invited into God's eternal activity. Becoming adopted by God is not initiation into a club. It is joining in God's eternal work to redeem Creation.
- On this, the day we commemorate the day that the Word was made flesh, what can be made new? How can we participate in the ongoing work of creation? How are we being created, even now?
- What does it mean to welcome God (v. 12)?
- How has the Word made its home among us? Where is the Incarnation today? It is in a manger in a stable, among shepherds. It is in a small village, with strange foreigners bearing gifts, amidst the tyranny of a jealous king. What other strange yet ordinary place is the Word made flesh?
Tasty Wafer of the Week:
Dollar Store Children's Sermons (https://dskidsermons.com/)
- Hi Robb and Eric! I'm Barb Miller – a minister with the United Church of Canada, living in Northwestern Ontario. I'm new to your podcast and am enjoying it very much! Thank you for your great work! Thought-provoking and inspiring. At the end of this podcast you were sharing a comment by a listener looking for help with Children's Sermons and I simply had to share with you a resource that I have found immensely helpful this last year: Dollar Store Children Sermons with Pastor John Stevens, Zion Lutheran Church ELCA, Oregon City, Oregon. John brings an energy and enthusiasm to his work that demonstrates his deep commitment to kids and his ideas are often very easy to adapt for the age and numbers of my own congregation and easy to adapt with my own theological take. I use his material often – in whole or in part. He also presents a lesson for those who follow the Narrative Lectionary. Hope this helps!
- Bethlehemian Rhapsody puppet show. Just for fun. A few theological tweaks I'd want to make, but overall, very clever.
Thank you listeners
- Pulpitfiction.us
- facebook.com/pulpitfiction
- Twitter: @pulpitfpodcast
- Find us on iTunes, subscribe and please leave us a review!!
- Find us on Stitcher
- Or you can always e-mail us: email@example.com.
- Support us at pulpitfiction.us/donate
Thanks to our Psalms correspondent, Richard Bruxvoort Colligan (psalmimmersion.com, @pomopsalmist). Thank you to Scott Fletcher for our voice bumpers, Dick Dale and the Del Tones for our Theme music ("Misirlou"), Nicolai Heidlas ("Sunday Morning", "Real Ride" and "Summertime") and The Steel Wheels for our transition music("Nola's First Dance" from their album Lay Down, Lay Low) and Paul and Storm for our closing music ("Oh No").


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The Organizing Committee is excited to announce our 2020 Forum! We look forward to seeing many of you there. Over the coming months, the Organizing Committee will release additional details on this website as they develop.
The Forum's purpose is to bring together leading researchers from around the world for dialogue and collaboration around biophysical and economic modeling and empirical analysis of greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation, carbon sequestration, resilience, and bioenergy potential in the agriculture and forestry sectors.
The Forum provides an important and unique venue for bringing together agriculture and forestry modelers from U.S., Canadian, and Mexican government agencies, universities, and research institutions to share ideas and foster collaboration. There is a high level of market integration between these countries, making it important to accurately reflect trade and other linkages. In addition, modeling techniques developed in applications for one country are often readily transferable to the other.
The ultimate objective is to provide information useful for public and private strategic analysis and planning of domestic and international policy options for carbon sequestration and GHG mitigation options in the two sectors, as well as looking at the potential role of biomass for bioenergy production and at issues related to climate change impacts and adaptation.
The National Conservation Training Center (NCTC) in Shepherdstown, WV will host the 2018 Forestry and Agriculture GHG Modeling Forum. NCTC provides on-site meals and lodging, plus a beautiful countryside to explore along the Potomac River during downtime.
The Modeling Forum is sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Organizing Committee is made up of individuals from the U.S., Canadian, and Mexican governments, as well as universities and research institutes.
Shaun Ragnauth, C0-Chair
Sara Ohrel, Co-Chair
Jan Lewandrowski
Ron Sands
Robert Beach
Kyle Clark-Sutton
Tony Lemprière
Carolyn Smith
Mohammed Shakeri
Greg Latta
Christopher Galik
Claudia Octaviano


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Fields in Microsoft Word 2013 allow you to insert different types of data into your documents, some of which can dynamically update. For example, you can insert a field code with the date so that it always displays the current date instead of the date that was originally entered. But if a field is displaying incorrectly, or if you want to change something about the data that the field is displaying, then you may wish to view the field code instead of the value that it generates.
Our guide below will walk you through the process of enabling this setting in the Word Options menu. Once finished, any field that you have entered in a document will display the code for that field instead of its value.
Display Field Codes Instead of Their Values in Word 2013
The steps below will change the default settings for Microsoft Word 2013 so that any fields that are present in documents you open will display the field codes instead of the values of the field. If you only want to change this setting for your current document, then you will need to follow the steps below again when you are finished to disable the option that we will be enabling.
Step 1: Open your document in Word 2013.
Step 2: Click the File tab at the top-left corner of the window.
Step 3: Click Options at the bottom of the column on the left side of the window. This opens a new window titled Word Options.
Step 4: Click the Advanced tab at the left side of the Word Options window.
Step 5: Scroll down to the Document Content section of the menu, then check the box to the left of Show field codes instead of their values. You can then click the OK button at the bottom of the window to save your changes.
If you are seeing a bunch of other strange symbols throughout your document, then formatting marks may be enabled. Click here and learn how to hide these marks so that they are not visible when editing documents.
Disclaimer: Most of the pages on the internet include affiliate links, including some on this site.


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Watch Dominic Monaghan Prank Elijah Wood in This Hilarious 'Return of the King' Easter Egg
Sometimes on Fridays we like to dig into the vaults for some cool movie tidbits from the not-too-distant past to help ease you into the weekend. Today we've got something funny and cool from The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King.
This clip, featuring Dominic Monaghan punking Elijah Wood, was hidden as an Easter egg on the DVD. To unlock it, you had to put in Disc One and then go to select a scene, then push down until a ring appears. Clicking it revealed the following video.
In it, Monaghan channels his inner Sascha Baron Cohen, pretending to be a daffy German interviewer talking to Elijah Wood (who is in NYC and can't see Monaghan). The interview starts out sort of normal, but then gets really personal and bizarre, with Monaghan asking if Sean Astin is gay, why Wood isn't involved with actress Franka Potente anymore, and finally revealing the gag when he asks if Wood knows his dolphin costar in the Flipper movie died… in an auto accident.
Monaghan does a great job of selling it, but what's really interesting about the funny bits is watching Wood react to the questions. When he doesn't realize he's being put on, the actor tries to take the bizarre Q&A seriously, which highlights how difficult it probably is to do an all-day junket where you talk to hundreds of people asking the same questions with the occasional curveball thrown in.
Anyway, check out the clip below and have a few laughs before you head off into the weekend.
Follow @Horrorgeek Follow @MoviesDotCom
Movies.com, the ultimate source for everything movies, is your destination for new movie trailers, reviews, photos, times, tickets + more! Stay in the know with the latest movie news and cast interviews at Movies.com.
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Those who smoke and sell marijuana may soon be protected against federal prosecution.
An Orange County legislator introduced a new bill in congress today that would modify the federal controlled substances act. The bill was introduced by Republican congressman Dana Rohrabacher and it's called the "Respect State Marijuana Laws Act."
It would amend that federal law to defer to individual states when it comes to marijuana regulations.
Across the country, state laws vary when it comes to use of marijuana. California is one of 18 states where marijuana is legal for medical purposes and in November Colorado and Washington passed laws making the drug legal for anyone over the age of 21.
A Pew research study released last week found that 60 percent of Americans believe the federal government shouldn't enforce federal laws prohibiting its use in states where it is legal.
The Respect State Marijuana Laws Act would protect individual marijuana consumers, as well as businesses operating in states where they are legal from federal prosecution.
Those who oppose bill say it's not really about providing medicine, but rather it's about protecting drug dealers.
"We're very concerned about the likelihood of drugs going from states that have legalized marijuana …to other states and so it's very important that uh drugs be controlled federally," said Scott Chipman from Citizens Against Legalizing Marijuana.
But those who support it say it will help medical marijuana users have safe places to buy it.
"In the state of California, cannabis is legal only for medical purposes and there are thousands of patients who use it every single day and they need a safer, reliable place to get that medicine." said Eugene Davidovich from San Diego Americans for Safe Access.
Bill Introduced to Help Marijuana Users
It would amend that federal law to defer to individual states when it comes to marijuana regulations
Those who smoke and sell marijuana may soon be protected against federal prosecution.


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Rewarded video ads have a lot to offer to app developers and publishers. These incentivized video ads are increasing user engagement and boosting in-app profits. It is no surprise that mobile ad services with rewarded video ad formats are skyrocketing in terms of implementation numbers.
In fact, 75 percent of app publishers and developers agree that rewarded video ads offer the best monetization.
What About User Experience?
According research by AdColony, 87 percent of app developers and publishers found that among all monetization ad formats, rewarded video ads serve up the best user experience by a landslide.
If you want to provide the best possible user experience with the most monetization benefits, rewarded video ads are a number-one pick.
What About App Users?
Unity, a third party in-app monetization and analytics service found that 46 percent of mobile gamers prefer rewarded videos over any other ad format.
Convinced to make rewarded video ads part of your monetization strategy? The following are the top mobile ad services that offer rewarded video ad formats.
AdColony is one of the biggest mobile ad services available to app developers and publishers. They boast a worldwide user reach of more than 1.4 billion, and have partnerships with Fortune 500 companies and brands.
In fact, AdColony is one of the top-earning mobile ad networks in the world. Compatible with iOS and Android, AdColony runs HD videos that can be targeted to your app's demographic, mainly in the US marketplace.
AdMob is a mobile app monetization service brought to you by Google since the 2009 acquisition. This monetization service is possibly the largest and most profitable worldwide for advertisers, app publishers and developers.
Available for multiple mobile platforms such as Android, iOS, Unity, and Cocos, AdMob provides mobile ad formats like rewarded video ads that are tailored to your target audience based on likelihood of clickthrough.
Vungle is another top-rated mobile ad service offering rewarded video ads to help app publishers and developers maximize their monetization efforts. Available for mobile platforms like iOS and Android, this mobile ad service has custom target marketing features with a marketplace in the US and UK.
One of Vungle's partners, Zimad, a mobile gaming company saw a 29-times increase in rewarded video ad revenue on iOS. Other partners include SEGA, Ubisoft, and EA Sports.
Unity is a mobile ad service for gaming app publishers and developers, and they offer other mobile solutions, too. Since mobile gamers look forward to rewarded videos, it only makes sense that Unity would be a top choice for your gaming app.
The integrated IAP from Unity allows you to optimize all your rewarded video ads via user interaction analytics. Their ads boast one of the highest eCPMs for mobile games, and a high global fill rate as well, increasing in-app profits.
Test Drive These Mobile Ad Services Today
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By using Enhance mobile SDK solutions, you can easily implement any number of third-party services in minutes. The easy drag and drop ZeroCode solution is perfect for test driving monetization, analytics, and crash reporting services.
Enhance mobile SDK solutions also makes updating your third-party app services easy as well. In fact, Enhance can complete updates as fast as initial service implementation.
Don't settle for just one mobile ad service when you can reach multiple markets at once. You may be missing out on increased revenue and a user experience that drives even more engagement. What mobile ad services do you use for your app?


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Charl Schwartzel beat Bill Haas on the first playoff hole on Sunday to win the Valspar Championship, his first victory on the PGA Tour since the 2011 Masters.
Schwartzel's final-round 67 was the best of the day and allowed him to catch Haas, who had a five-stroke lead early in the round.
The hottest club on the course was Schwartzel's Nike Method Origin putter, with which he made a 64-foot bomb for birdie on the 13th hole and then another 23-footer on the 17th. In total the South African made 145 feet of putts on Sunday, by far the best in the field.
Here's a complete list of the Nike gear he used to capture his second career PGA Tour victory:
Driver: Nike Vapor Fly Pro (11.5° with Aldila Rogue Silver 70X shaft)
Fairway Woods: Nike Vapor Fly (13° with Aldila Rogue Silver 80X shaft)
Irons: Nike MM Prototype (2), Nike Vapor Pro Combo (3, 5-PW) with True Temper Dynamic Gold SL X100 shafts
Wedges: Nike Vapor Pro Combo (50°), Nike VR Forged (54° and 60°) with True Temper Dynamic Gold S400 shafts
Putter: Nike Method Origin prototype
Ball: Nike RZN Tour Platinum
Shoes: Nike Lunar Control 4


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Welcome back to our Windows 7 / Windows Server 2008 Launch Series. Day Six and we're going strong. Today we're going to switch our focus today from the Core OS to Printing, beginning with a brief overview of What's New in Printing and some Printing Performance Enhancements. We'll be covering some of the major features in dedicated posts, so let's get started …
The first thing that Windows Sever 2008 administrators will notice is that the "Print Services" role has been renamed to "Print and Document Services" to reflect the addition of the Distributed Scan Server role service.
New features and Improvements have been introduced in the areas of:
In terms of Reliability, the main new feature is Print Driver Isolation (also referred to as "sandboxing"). This feature allows you to isolate print drivers from one another to prevent a faulty driver from bringing down the entire printing subsystem. For administrators, there are new enhancements in the Print Management Console – not just the ability to manage Print Driver Isolation, but also the ability to create more robust custom printer and driver filtering, and some new security settings features. PrintBRM has also been improved to offer better error handling and reporting as well as other enhancements. Additionally, with the addition of the Distributed Scan Management feature, administrators will have the ability to manage WSD-enabled network scanners from a centralized location. Most of the changes in the User Experience area are transparent to the user, but the main areas where users will be able to detect changes are in the areas of default printer handling as well as the addition of the Location-Aware Printing feature. We introduced XPS printing to the Windows printing architecture in Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008. With Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2, we introduce some enhancements that provide more options for software and print driver developers and provide a better experience for end-users.
As I mentioned before many of the features listed above will be covered in upcoming posts – for today, let's focus on the Printing Performance Enhancements. In Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 there are three main areas in which improvements in printing performance have been achieved:
Spooler boot-time performance enhancements: Improved spooler boot-time enhances the user experience by reducing the time it takes a user to get to their desktop during logon.
Don't wait for spooler initialization before logon: Third-party components can initiate print requests during spooler startup, which can significantly delay getting to the desktop. In Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 these requests are allowed to fail during startup instead of waiting for the spooler to become operational, minimizing the amount of service activity during startup and logon.
Notify port monitors of ports in use: The spooler service now has a means to notify port monitors which ports are actually in use by printers, allowing them to perform some tasks only required when ports are active. This reduces overhead during spooler startup and during normal operation.
Less overhead from fewer print notifications: In previous versions of Windows, a lot of cycles in the spooler were spent on print notifications. Some print notifications have been reduced in frequency, reducing the overhead on the spooler.
Improved caching for Client-Side Rendering: With the introduction of client-side rendering, users in environments with remote printer connections often experienced delays in applications that made calls to printer APIs for remote printers. Caching for some key APIs has been improved; resulting in reduced delays or hangs in major applications for end users.
Default Printer Enhancements: Mobile users and network-connected devices are a rapidly increasing component in the enterprise environment. Mobile users are not only sales and customer facing users that travel, but also remote users that work outside the office, or users that work from home outside of typical business hours. In addition, consumers are expected to increase the number of shared and network printers in the home due to products such as Windows Home Server, the HomeGroup feature in Windows 7, and the numerous print server appliances that are available today. In these situations, the default printer must work properly regardless of changes to the network configuration. Additionally, enterprise users must be able to seamlessly move mobile PCs through different networks (home, work, public) with an actively updating printer connection state. Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 introduce some valuable enhancements to the consistency with which the default printer is determined, and provide a new tool which allows users to configure per-network default printers.
Default printer consistency enhancements: A collection of changes to improve the reliability and predictability of the default printer functionality for users was implemented in the spooler in both Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2. The primary focus of these updates is a set of functionality corrections to the existing print spooler handling of the default printer for both local printers and printer connections.
Today's post is a short one, but it should be enough to whet your appetite. I know some of you are probably wondering where CC has been for this Launch Series. Never fear – he'll be here tomorrow to go over PMC Enhancements.
- Dane Smart
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Bujumbura, Burundi…zzz
Burundi…yawn. I wasn't really a fan. First, I'd had so many issues with trying to get the paperwork organized for my visa while dealing with a disorganized travel agency (who I paid $25 to 'invite' me) and a disorganized embassy. Anyway, I got my visa, went out of the tiny little airport, and found…no van….View More


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Episode Description:
This episode of Emily's Garden centers around the soap making process from beginning till end.You've all heard of "soap on rope".Well, felted soap is quite literally"soap in a coat!" Fun-filled and informative…"must see" reality TV at its best.
Episode Short Description: N/A
Downloads of This Episode: [SD File Downloads]: 46 [HD File Downloads]: 0 [Total File Downloads]: 46
[SD File Downloads]: 46
[HD File Downloads]: 0
[Total File Downloads]: 46
File Name of SD Episode: Emily0313.mpg
Total SD Episode Video Runtime (hh:mm:ss): 00:29:58
File Size of SD Episode Video: 1,428,400,015 Bytes
Resolution of SD Episode Video: 720x480
Date SD Episode Video Uploaded: Tuesday, September 10, 2013 - 07:33
This episode has not been uploaded by the producer in HD format and is not available for download.
If you wish to have HD format, you can private message a request to the show's producer at Emily Johnson.


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Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) has established the Outstanding Support Staff Awards to recognize support staff who exemplify excellence in their positions. Our school system's classified personnel are essential to the effective and efficient operation of our schools.
Seven (7) awards will be presented, one in each of the following categories:
- Building service
- Food service
- Instructional support
- Secretary
- Maintenance
- Information technology
- Central office support staff
- Full time classified or technical employees of CCPS who have been employed a minimum of three (3) completed years in the area of nomination
- Not been previously selected as an outstanding honoree, within the past five (5) years
Nomination Criteria
- Resourceful in seeking and completing job duties
- Seeks new knowledge and skills; knows and understands all aspects of the assigned job
- Utilizes technology where appropriate
- Fosters cooperative relationships with students, colleagues, and the community
- Demonstrates outstanding leadership
Nomination Process
- Nomination cover page must provide the name of the contact person and the committee members
- Nomination materials must be in a presentation binder no larger than 2 inches with page protectors
- Nomination binders are not to exceed fifteen (15) pages
- Nominations may be submitted by CCPS staff, students, and parents (Employees may not nominate themselves)
- Nomination binder must include the following in this order:
- Cover, completed with the names of the contact person and committee members
- Career list to include dates, location and positions worked only
- Description of contributions in each of the nomination criteria areas
- Building Service, Food Service, Instructional Support, and Secretary nominations are to include a minimum of ten (10) statements of support which must include one (1) from the school principal/supervisor, three (3) from co-workers, and six (6) from students, parents, and/or the community
- Maintenance, Information Technology and Central office support staff (including Annex I and II) nominations are to include a minimum of eight (8) statements of support; which must include one (1) from division supervisor, one (1) from immediate supervisor, three (3) from other department supervisors/principals, and three (3) from co-workers/other staff
Incomplete nomination binders will not be considered and will be returned to the contact person.
All nominee binders should be forwarded to the Office of Human Resources no later than 3 p.m. on Monday, March 2, 2020. For further information, please contact the Office of Human Resources at 301-934-7255.
Memo Outstanding Support Personnel
Criteria for Outstanding Support Personnel
Nomination Cover Page for Outstanding Support Personnel


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A pair of radio-fanatics are readying their vocal chords for a 30-hour broadcast marathon.
Cirencester College students Harry Jerome and Cameron MacGregor will be taking Corinium Radio's listeners on a 'radiothon' to bolster the station's profile while raising funds for charity.
The two 17-year-olds have assembled a star-studded line-up and they will kick off the epic exploit at 6am on Saturday and power though until midday on Sunday.
Guests include talented musicians, well-known businessmen and even a fitness coach.
Although not aiming for a world record they are adhering to strict rules, which mean one of them always being at the mixing desk and speaking at least every 10 minutes.
"We've got loads of guests coming in, including a fitness trainer who's going to do some exercises with us to keep us going."
The pair are hoping to raise £750 for Cirencester Opportunity Group with money being raised by sponsors, who will get regular shout-outs to promote their business. Listeners can also donate.
"Being part of Corinium Radio has given us so many opportunities to get involved in other things like the Phoenix Festival. It's a good opportunity to give something back."
Donations can be made online or by texting COZY79 to 70070, followed by either £1, £2, £3, £4 or £5*. The number is how much money the texter will be billed.
Check out the full programme schedule here.
NB You must include the pound sign otherwise your donation won't count but you will still be charged.


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I am a certified life and career coach. I work with busy high achievers – both men and women – who want their work and be driven by purpose and inspiration. The one thing they know is they are tired by the daily grind and drained by their day-to-day work. They know its time for a change and they are ready to take the next step and design and pursue their next career chapter.
I help my clients identify action steps and a realistic plan to create a clear and confident path forward that excites them about their future.
I am deeply familiar with running on the hamster wheel and feeling adrift in my career. For most of my 20s and 30s, I threw myself into my job, working long hours. I put lots of pressure on myself to show everyone I was smart and successful at my job. I became a nonprofit leader at a fairly young age and was driven by proving myself. Most people would have described me as a workaholic.
About five years ago, and after about 20 years in the nonprofit sector, I realized I was driven and ambitious but less fulfilled by work. A part of me felt empty.
Around that time, I decided to focus on having a family and welcomed my daughter Eleanor into my life. I thought that having a child would fill what was missing in my life. She did fill a wonderful space in my heart and I found I love being a mom. But something was still missing. That something I eventually learned was connected to my life purpose.
I will never forget the day I knew I need to make a major change. I was on vacation with my family in a beautiful place, but I felt miserable. I couldn't relax and BE on vacation. My head was at work. My daughter and my husband were enjoying the beach, but I couldn't. I was ruminating about how things just weren't right, and I couldn't let these thoughts go. I was so angry with myself that I couldn't just be happy.
That is when I decided something had to change. I had to face the fact that I needed to take responsibility for my own happiness. I needed to stop blaming my circumstances and take charge of my life.
Being the Type A personality I am, I threw myself into figuring ME out. I explored what made me tick. I volunteered. I talked with people. I also decided to make a commitment to mindfulness (which is not just meditation!) so I could learn how to be present in the life I was in. I learned about how to feel more energized and excited about work. I read tons of books and blogs. I explored spirituality. I experimented with different types of self-care. Eventually, I decided to take a course in coaching. And over time, I learned about getting focused on designing my life and getting productive where it mattered.
I also cut out a lot of things that were draining me or wasting my time. I focused less on relationships that didn't serve me. I stopped investing time in trying to prove myself to others. I worked less.
I'll be honest. I had no idea where this path would take me. I knew I had to learn a lot about me. But because I invested my time and energy, I learned a LOT about designing my life to meet success as I defined it. I learned about making hard decisions. I learned tools to move from stuck to unstuck. Above all, I learned about how to take responsibility for my career and my happiness. It was a sea of positive change I never thought could happen.
And now I want to share what I have learned with others.
My passion today is helping people take steps to create, design, and pursue their ideal career. Whether its reinvesting in your existing career or planning your career over the long term, I can help you tackle some of their biggest challenges whether in work or in life. I am trained lawyer and a certified life coach trained with the Martha Beck Institute.
My coaching practice builds on 25+ years of work with professionals and small organizations as well as my experience as a leader and an executive in the not-for-profit sector. I am a trained Martha Beck coach as well as a Gallup trained coach focusing on helping people unearth and use their strengths. I have worked with small organizations with less than 10 staff to large international organizations. Along the way I founded two small organizations myself.
Curious whether you can make a commitment to yourself? Not sure where to start?


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'Allotting power to Niger Republic caused drop in supply to Kano'
Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO) has attributed the drop in electricity supply to the wheeling of 15 megawatts of the 50MW allocated to it to Gazoua in Niger Republic as part of Nigeria's bilateral agreement with the country.
The company's Chief Technical Officer, David Omoloye, also explained that the strike action embarked by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has further worsened the situation.
He noted that the industrial action had caused all the six gas thermal stations, which generate at least 80 per cent of daily electricity in Nigeria to be out of supply, leaving the country with power generation from hydro power plants.
A statement by the spokesperson of KEDCO, Mohammed Kandy, said that the company was given 50 MW from the national grid to supply its electricity consumers in the franchise area of Kano, Katsina and Jigawa states.
However, because of Nigeria's bilateral trade with Niger Republic 30 per cent of the mega watt allotted to KEDCO was wheeled to Niger Republic and this has caused drop in power supply.
The statement said: "As a highly customer-centric electricity distributor, it is our responsibility to keep all our esteemed customers well informed about latest developments in the Nigeria Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) so as to bridge the knowledge gap and achieve customer intimacy at all times."
The statement further assured its customers that normal power supply would be restored soon, as the Federal Government intensifies efforts to address the situation.


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After chilling on this beautiful planet for just about two decades, interacting with beings that look like me, opposable thumbs and all , one would think that I would know the social norms and adhere to them. Turns out that isn't the case. Actually, it isn't the case with several other humans as well. I decided to call the term "normalcy" into question when I was reproached, albeit non-verbally, for speaking aloud while alone… you know, because somebody you've never met decided it was weird.
Speaking aloud when alone makes you crazy
I decided to do some research on the signs of craziness, more politely known as mental illness. According to webmd.com (I don't know how reputable they are but their website was at the top of the results of a quick Google search) the signs for mental illness include:
- Confused thinking
- Long-lasting sadness or irritability
- Extremely high and low moods
- Excessive fear, worry, or anxiety
- Social withdrawal
- Dramatic changes in eating or sleeping habits
- Strong feelings of anger
- Delusions or hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that are not really there)
- Increasing inability to cope with daily problems and activities
- Thoughts of suicide
- Denial of obvious problems
- Many unexplained physical problems
- Abuse of drugs and/or alcohol
I don't know how I feel about this list. I've read it over a couple of times and I wish I could say that it's totally bonkers. Unfortunately that would mean I'm proving the third last statement correct. I'm going to go through each of the points and briefly mention what I think.
Ok, look… Maybe it's just me but I always assumed that people, especially those transitioning through uncertain periods of their lives, like I am at the moment, experience all of these rarely, often or on a daily basis (depending on the person) and it's absolutely normal. Isn't it? I am confused at certain periods. Who doesn't ever get confused? Next up, sadness and irritability… some dude probably thought of a misogynistic joke right now (shame on you) but don't we all experience those? Aren't they a part of our emotional spectrum? Excessive fear… "excessive" compared to what exactly? Normal people? Social withdrawal… no comment. Dramatic changes in eating and sleeping habits – two words – college student. Strong feelings of anger – one word – tuition. Delusions and hallucinations? Others argue that life itself is some kind of a hallucination, that hopes and dreams are delusions because face it, how many people get to achieve what they dream? Does that make it a delusion? Dreaming or imagining something that doesn't/probably won't ever happen? Daily problems aren't easy to solve. Hence the term "problem". I think it makes sense to not be able to cope… unless it's math… then again it still makes sense because math can be hard. Thoughts of suicide – again, no comment… actually I will comment. If you never think of committing suicide, hat off to you mate! Denial of obvious problems – watch any movie ever and tell me that that isn't a part of human nature. Unexplained physical problems? Answer: Puberty. Last but not least, abuse of drugs. That makes most of the UK crazy by definition. Also, sleep is not a drug but if it was (were?) I certainly abuse it alright.
Let's face it, if this was a test then I would have failed miserably. Looking at this checklist I'm definitely "crazy". Perhaps I'm reading the bullet points out of context. Maybe I'm confused/deluded. To be honest I don't know what I feel about this anymore. At least I can say that talking to oneself aloud isn't on the list in spite of the assumption that many "crazy" people share that trait.
One thing that I would like to get across: crazy/weird is whatever strays from the mean. If you aren't like everybody else then there has to be something wrong with you – that's the general consensus. But who is the standard? Who sets the standard for what is normal? What did they do to earn that right?
In my honest opinion, as long as you hurt nobody, including yourself – it really doesn't matter… just do you.


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Learning to identify wild plants can add to your Eco experience of Ireland. It is like learning a new language. As you walk along woodland trails, through open fields and along the coastline you will see numerous wild flowers, particularly during the spring and summer months. An excellent guide has been developed by Zoe Devlin who has been studying wild Irish flowers for over 50 years. Her easy to use website allows you to search for the name of the flower you have seen / photographed by using different flower colour categories to narrow the search and help with identification. Also photograph the shape of the leaves with each flower. Remember, leave the flowers for the bees to do their magic. You can also buy a signed copy of Zoe's field guide book on her website as a unique momento or gift.
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College of Engineering, Trivandrum in association with Cinema Paradiso Club
Rules and Regulations.
Rangam is an open-event. Irrespective of the language, cultural, geographical borders, entries are invited from all.
The entries have to be original. Content copied from any external source shall lead to direct disqualification. Albeit music or BGM can be taken from other sources provided they are accredited properly.
Only films completed on or after 1st January 2017 are eligible for entry into the competitions.
There is no subject/theme for the competition in particular.
The Film cannot exceed a total of 30 minutes running time, not including the title card and credits.
Entries maybe in any language, but suitable on-screen English subtitles must be furnished for languages other than Malayalam.
The jury would pick the best 8 from the list of submissions at the end of the first round of screening.
Only the above selected 8 entries would be screened during the festival and the screening will be solely on the discretion of the jury.
The final round of the competition screening would be judged and awarded in the following categories:
Best Director – 10K
Second Best Short Film – 15K
Best Short Film – 25K
Physical presence of the Applicant is not mandatory during the festival.
All Films must be submitted to us by sending link(YouTube) to the mail ID
email@example.com or sending us in a single DVD to the following address :
The Co-Ordinator,
Rangam Short Film Contest,
College of Engineering Trivandrum,
Sreekaryam P O,
Trivandrum 695017
Registration form and Payment receipt should be either mailed or send through DVD.
The registration fee is Rs. 300+transaction charges.
The quality of the video should be suitable for screening of the Film using a standard projector.( minimum 720p)
The entries should be submitted on or before Thursday, 1st March 2018.
The Decision of the Jury regarding the results of the Competition shall be final and binding.
In case of any disputes, the decision of the coordinators of the event shall be final and binding.
In case of any queries or clarifications, please do get in touch with the organizers using this number : Athulkrishna K – 8606057586, Nevish B - 9446448599 (Coordinator, CET)


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For many of us, the charm of convertible laptops has died down thanks to the low performance specifications and the skimpy plastic bundles that most manufacturers could afford. The Acer Spin 7 is an omission of everything wrong with convertibles, but is it worth shedding ₹ 124900 ?
First impressions
We all must admit, it's a gorgeous convertible. The lid comes off smoothly to reveal the full HD display. The chassis is solid aluminium, there's no creaking or bending. The 14'' display is almost borderless but we did expect more than a 1920×1080 resolution for this price, even the iPad air has a 1530 x 2048 display !
The screen goes 360 degrees all the way to make this a, sort of, tablet, a 14'' tablet ! The weight of a mere 1.2 Kg makes it a fairly comfortable Tab.
The keyboard is great, it seems magical to have such a great travel in such a slim device, it's a proper full size keyboard with a reasonable spacing between the keys.
We really loved the minimalistic design of this convertible, it truly means business there's absolutely nothing that you don't need. As a laptop, there's a great keyboard and a fairly large trackpad, as a tab, there's just the touch screen. All that feels very good in that full metallic casing.
Best Buy at Flipkart
Performance & Specifications
Now, this is where you'll probably think this laptop is a bit overpriced. The convertible is powered by the intel core i7, 7th gen clocked at 1.3GHz which can go upto 3.6GHz with turbo boost. Considering the small heat-sink in this device, we don't expect the processor to be at its full bandwidth most of the time.
Graphics are a standard integrated intel HD 615 graphics, now before we tell you that the laptop could render only 7 frames per second for battlefield, bear in mind that this is a fanless laptop, it will be silent running but it just ain't for gaming !
250GB is not much, even though it's an SSD, 256GB of storage is laughable for this price point. We must admit though, the boot up time is very quick, rapid actually and the overall performance is also very snappy thanks to the solid state drive coupled with 8GB RAM.
The convertible comes pre-installed with windows 10, 64bit which has a great touch screen UI. Its 4 cell battery can deliver UPTO 8 hours of power backup.
Connectivity Options
There'll be only 2 ports on the entire machine INCLUDING the charging port. Designers today have to get very creative in order to save space. The USB type C slot can give USB 3.1 speeds for data transfer and one of the slots double up as the charging port for the laptop. Acer has included an HDMI adaptor to connect to external display. Acer has also included a USB type C to type A adaptor to enable you to connect to your existing devices.
Wireless connectivity is pretty robust, 2×2 MU-MIMO (Multiple User-Multi Input Multi Output) wireless with bluetooth 4.1. Should give you very fast wireless speeds with the optical fibre networks which are the inevitable future.
Should you buy it ?
It may be a little bit of disappointment when it comes to specifications but if you leave that aside for a moment, you have a great entertainment rig with its full HD display and dolby sound, a quick and snappy machine thanks to its SSD and a great touch screen. All of that runs absolutely silent in the 0.43'' thick full metal casing.
Best Buy at Flipkart.
You can also check Acer spin 5 and Acer Spin 3 at Amazon.


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In a week I'll be hopping a plane to New Mexico where I have a busy and fun week planned. I'll be spending time at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces (thanks to Lon Chaffin's invitation) where I'll be talking to the students about how to build a studio and the ins and outs of music entrepreneurship.
I am also looking forward to a concert at the Branigan Cultural Center in Las Cruces and a house concert in Santa Fe.
And of course I'll be driving the green dots…stay tuned for pictures!
Here's the poster that is being used to advertise my visit to NM Sate…