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application/x-httpd-php executiveresumesdetails.php
HTML document text
My father was an Earthwork/General Contractor and I started working with him operating a D-8 Caterpillar at age eleven. I learned our profession, literally from the ground up. Having been a principal architect/owner for 12 years and project manager/architect for more than 24 years, I understand our business, its practice and various construction methods. With a broad experience background on most project types, including highly technical, Health Care, Laboratory, Manufacturing, Military, Civic, Industrial, Multi-family, Hospitality, Fast Food, Restaurant & Fine Dining, Transportation (ground, air & rail), Recreational, Parking, Residential, Religious and Institutional projects, I can manage just about any type of project and any size team. Although I have never submitted my work for awards, two of my projects: the Mary Kay Ash Cancer Research Institute w/ Laboratories at St. Paul Medical Center, Dallas and the Vista Ridge Athletic Complex, Lewisville, Texas were both recognized with awards. Many of my projects also included Interior Design and Interior Architecture. Innovation in design by finding ways to adapt readily available materials to new design solutions has been a hallmark of my work. Based upon my track record, I can provide the leadership to bring in successful projects on time and in budget with pleased clients.
Past employers, associates and contractors have found me to be the person to turn to for solutions when there are problems on the "drawing board" or in the field. My past three years of work have been dedicated to construction administration on large multifamily and mixed use projects with parking garages; most in the Austin area. When field problems were found, I was the guy sent to help the contractor even if it was not one of my projects. The partners saw me as the "Go to Guy" when there were problems. Still today, I qualify for the minimum premium for liability insurance as even a file has never been opened on any of my work, much less a claim. My approach is "Teaming" with the Contractor, Subs and Owner as we are all involved with getting the best project possible. Approaching the designers and contractor as a team is a much better approach to a proper solution. Having worked the full range of the practice from finding the work to turning over the keys to a happy client, I could be the person you need. My broad health-care experience includes research facilities with laboratories and clean-rooms, nursing units, diagnostic facilities, treatment areas, and the coordination and inspection procedures for state requirements. Religious experience includes Baptist, Lutheran, Catholic, Methodist and Judaism. My industrial experience includes manufacturing, micro chip clean-rooms and food processing. I have even done site facilities master planning and one such project was the Comanche Peak Nuclear Power Station at Glen Rose, Texas. From managing many Federal and State projects, I also understand the complicated state, federal and Corps of Engineers processes required to keep a job profitable within those systems.
I have worked with both AutoCAD and MicroStation, buying my own seat of MicroStation in 1991 and taking AutoCAD Training in 1995. Marketing and making presentations are skills at which I am also accomplished. PowerPoint, PhotoShop, Publisher and other tools are very familiar to me! My presentation skills are used regularly in professional situations and, as I have been responsible for the training of Boy Scout Commissioners (Adults) for our 23 county Boy Scout council, I get lots of extra practice. I am adept at bringing along young architects by mentoring; this is actually a strong suit. I also have provided in-house continuing education presentations to educate and engender loyalty to the firm and even written syllabi for AIA Continuing Education courses, produced the PowerPoint presentation and then taught the courses. I have been responsible for continuing education programs for several firms where I have been employed.
I am active in my community as a volunteer active in Boy and Girl Scouting for nearly fifty years and providing pro bono work for needy charities. I also served on my local city council after a history of volunteering on boards and commissions for years. I have served on the Board of Greater Dallas United Way and Chairman of Greater Lewisville United Way after serving as a board member or volunteer for every United Way charity in the county. Currently, I am on the newly created Neighborhood Preservation Committee for the City of Lewisville. I also serve as architectural advisor for two state representatives and one senator based upon relationships built when I was a city councilman.
The bottom line on me is I am a problem solver, leader and team builder who pleases clients. I may be that someone you need in your organization. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Sincerely,Jack H. Ablon, AIA, CSI, CDT
A/E/C executives access six figure construction jobs (construction management jobs), architect jobs, civil engineering job and facility manager jobs. CE lists a variety of construction management positions, construction company jobs and construction vacancies, including civil engineering vacancies, construction engineering jobs, architecture jobs, facility management jobs, construction sales jobs, construction manager jobs, construction engineer jobs, environmental engineering jobs, chief estimator jobs, construction director jobs, president jobs, business development manager jobs, marketing director jobs, senior mechanical engineer jobs, senior electrical engineer jobs,
chief engineer jobs, senior interior designer jobs, chief financial officer jobs, safety director jobs, senior structural engineer jobs, facilities director jobs,
senior property manager jobs, diversity jobs and facilities management jobs.
Employers view interactive construction resumes,
mechanical engineer resume or
architect resumes, and
research construction job descriptions,
construction salaries or
civil engineer salaries.
Job seekers advance their construction management careers and secure construction manager employment, facilities management employment, and civil engineering employment.


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>  www.python.mirror2.org/">Python Powered This is not well formed XML and lexically invalid SGML. Accounting for that, what you have here seems to me to be a single compound resource locator, not three separate ones. As its a resource locator, it is not a W3C issue, but rather an IETF one. To be honest, I find it difficult to think of many cases were this sort of mechanism wouldn't be an abuse of the internet (if the site is popular, caching three copies at your ISP is a waste of their resources; if it isn't popular, it is likely that the bottleneck will be the client in almost all cases). However, the right way of doing this is probably to use rel attributes. Typically, where there are mirrors, the initial link is to the mirrors page, so that needs one type of relationship, and the mirrors pages links to the individual mirrors, which would use a different relationship type, to indicate that all URLs with that relationship on the page represented the same resource.Received on Friday, 10 March 2006 23:39:53 UTC
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.4.0 : Thursday, 30 April 2020 16:20:59 UTC

subset: commoncrawl


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#podcast today is a discussion on turning #30 and what it means in todays society. #overthehill or still going up it? We share our opinions on what it means to be #grownup and what we think we have to look forward to for #40. Let us know your thoughts.
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Relax during your next trip to Mallorca Island and avoid the hassle of dealing with expensive cab rides and stuffy buses. Instead, book your Interrent EU car rentals in Mallorca Island today, right here on Expedia.com and experience the comfort and convenience of traveling with your own set of rental wheels. This way, you can explore all the major sites and attractions of Mallorca Island at your leisure instead of trying to navigate public transportation routes.
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WASHINGTON — Not all of Robert Mueller's findings will be news to President Donald Trump when they are released Thursday morning.
Justice Department officials have had numerous conversations with White House lawyers about the conclusions made by Mueller, the special counsel, in recent days, according to people with knowledge of the discussions. The talks have aided the president's legal team as it prepares a rebuttal to the report and strategizes for the coming public war over its findings.
A sense of paranoia is taking hold among some of Trump's aides, some of whom fear Trump's backlash more than the findings themselves, the people said. The report might make clear which of Trump's current and former advisers spoke to the special counsel, how much they said and how much damage they did to the president — providing a kind of road map for retaliation.
The discussions between Justice Department officials and White House lawyers have also added to questions about the propriety of the decisions by Attorney General William Barr since he received Mueller's findings late last month.
Barr and his deputy, Rod Rosenstein, determined that Trump did not illegally obstruct justice and said the special counsel found no conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia's 2016 election interference. Barr told lawmakers that officials were "spying" on the Trump campaign, raised ominous historical parallels with the illegal surveillance of Vietnam War protesters and pointedly declined to rebut charges that Mueller's investigators were engaged in a "witch hunt."
Spokespeople for the White House and the Justice Department declined to comment. Barr, who plans to hold a news conference at 9:30 a.m. Thursday to discuss the special counsel's report, refused to answer questions from lawmakers last week about whether the department had given the White House a preview of Mueller's findings.
Much is at stake for Barr in Thursday's expected release, especially if the report presents a far more damning portrayal of the president's behavior — and of his campaign's dealings with Russians — than the attorney general indicated in the four-page letter he wrote in March. That letter generated anger among some members of Mueller's team, who believed it failed to adequately portray the findings of their inquiry and have told associates that the report was more troubling for Trump than Barr indicated.
Justice Department rules do not require Barr to make the special counsel's report public, and the attorney general's defenders say he will fulfill pledges of transparency he made during his confirmation hearings to make as much of the document public as possible. Even a redacted report is likely to answer some of the outstanding questions about Russia's attempts to sabotage the election, contacts between Kremlin intermediaries and the Trump campaign and the president's efforts to derail the investigation.
The information that Justice Department officials have provided to the White House could potentially be valuable for Trump's legal team as it finalizes a rebuttal to the Mueller report — expected to be released not long after the department makes the special counsel's findings public. Trump's advisers insist that they still do know many details about Mueller's conclusions.
The president's aides have devised a strategy whereby numerous lawyers and political aides will quickly read different parts of the document to develop a rebuttal strategy, according to multiple people briefed on the plan.
The recent conversations between the Justice Department and the White House were first reported by ABC News.
Democrats on Capitol Hill, armed with subpoena power and deeply mistrustful of Barr's motivations since he was first nominated, have pressed for more and believe they could soon have the upper hand.
They have already demanded the full text of the report and access to the underlying evidence they say is necessary for continuing congressional inquiries into foreign influence and obstruction of justice.
The House Judiciary Committee has already authorized a subpoena for its chairman, Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., to try to force Barr to hand that material over to Congress. Democrats involved in the planning say the subpoena could be sent to the Justice Department within a day of the redacted report's delivery if Barr has withheld material the committee deems necessary for its work.
Promising more transparency, the government said it would let a select group of lawmakers see some of the material related to the case against Roger Stone that had been redacted from the initial public version of the report, according to a filing Wednesday in the Stone case. Stone was indicted in January for lying to federal prosecutors, witness tampering and trying to obstruct the special counsel's investigation.
Rep. David Cicilline, D-R.I., a member of the Judiciary Committee, said on Wednesday he had little doubt that Barr was trying to "insulate" Trump.
"He has demonstrated that he understands loyalty to the president, rather than an oath to the Constitution," Cicilline said, before comparing Barr to Roy Cohn, one of Trump's former personal lawyers known for his fierce efforts to protect his boss. "The president said, 'I want to have my own Roy Cohn,' and he may have found him."
Democrats in recent weeks have accelerated investigations of the president, his campaign, businesses and administration, issuing a flurry of subpoenas and voluntary requests that could aid their work. They intend to incorporate whatever they glean from Thursday's report into those investigations, which they argue Congress has its own constitutional duty to conduct regardless of Barr's conclusion.
Doing so could also allow party leaders to cool any potential heat within the party to initiate impeachment proceedings against the president — a possibility House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California has repeatedly said would be politically unwise absent startling new evidence of wrongdoing.
Democrats concede that the real challenge will be to persuade Republicans and the broader public to keep focused on a case that the attorney general weeks ago essentially declared was closed.
The special counsel's examination of whether Trump obstructed justice focused on whether the president used his position atop the executive branch to impede the Russia investigation. Mueller's team examined Trump's effort to end an investigation into his first national security adviser, Michael Flynn, and oust law enforcement officials — like the former FBI Director James Comey — who Trump believed were disloyal. Mueller also closely scrutinized Trump's attempt in June 2017 to have Mueller removed.
A key witness in the obstruction investigation was former White House counsel Donald McGahn, who spent more than 30 hours with Mueller's team. McGahn explained in detail how Trump tried to gain control over the investigation.
Trump's legal team never thoroughly debriefed McGahn's lawyer about what his client told investigators, leaving the president's lawyers in the dark about what McGahn said. In recent weeks, White House officials have grown increasingly concerned about what McGahn told the Mueller team and believe his statements could be used in the report to paint a damning portrait of the president, two people close to the White House said.
Republicans have seized on Barr's decision to clear the president of criminal obstruction of justice and plan to try to reinvigorate their own inquiries into decision-making inside the Justice Department and FBI in 2016 that prompted law enforcement officials to open the Russia investigation.
Barr gave ammunition to those efforts last week, when he described law enforcement surveillance of the Trump campaign as "spying." The remark reinforced a narrative long pushed by Trump and his allies in Congress — that a "deep state" tried to prevent a Trump from becoming president and has tried to undo his presidency.
Barr's comments sent shudders through law enforcement ranks and surprised many who saw him as a stabilizing force whose instincts would be to protect the Justice Department from political attacks — unlike former Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Matthew Whitaker, who held the job in an acting capacity after the president forced out Sessions.


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The Palmetto Pipeline doesn't stretch like a long, shiny scar along our landscape. Credit local outrage about how the failed pipeline's builder, Kinder Morgan, planned to acquire land for the absence.
Tempers have cooled in the three years since the energy giant scrapped its plans for the petroleum line. The state heeded the public outcry, the courts backed the play and the Georgia General Assembly passed new legislation, which the governor signed, to prohibit future pipeline strong-arming.
The people spoke, and the government listened.
The pipeline listening period, however, is nearing its terminus.
The public has until Friday to comment on the proposed rules spurred by the Palmetto Pipeline flap, with an approval hearing scheduled for May. Air any lingering pipeline concerns now, or forever hold your peace.
Crafted by the Georgia Environmental Protection Division, the proposed rules tighten permitting requirements and make it more difficult for pipeline builders, such as Kinder Morgan, to claim private property via eminent domain, or the forced taking of private land for public use.
The proposal stops short of an explicit ban on oil and gasoline pipelines along the coast. Such a measure was discussed during the 2017 legislative session amid concerns about the environmental impact of leaks. Kinder Morgan was, at the time, cleaning up a pipeline spill in South Carolina that involved anywhere from 370,000 to 500,000 gallons of petroleum and contaminated streams and creeks that fed into the Savannah River.
But the Palmetto Pipeline issue was more about property seizure than clean waterways, and pipeline projects elsewhere in the country, such as Keystone XL and Dakota Access, had attracted vocal advocates. With thousands of miles of pipelines already in Georgia – Kinder Morgan alone operates more than 2,000 miles of pipe – the energy lobby exerted its influence as well.
Hence, a compromise was struck – albeit one applauded by energy industry leaders and environmentalists alike.
The law passed in March 2017 laid out a specific policy, and the proposed rules now under review mirror those points. They include:
• A permit is required without regard to whether the petroleum pipeline company intends to exercise any power of eminent domain. Previously, a pipeline permit was required only when a pipeline project required the use of condemned property.
• The applicant will provide an objective evaluation of the environmental effects of all reasonable alternatives.
• Permit applications shall be made available for a 30-day public comment period prior to submitting to EPD and the submitted application shall include a summary of all public comments received and a discussion of how those comments have been addressed.
• Applicants will provide evidence of financial responsibility.
• Once a permit application is determined to be complete and filed, the division has 150 days to approve or deny it. If no decision is rendered in that time, the application is automatically approved. Previously the decision-making period was 120 days.
These rules remove much of the vagueness that plagued the Palmetto Pipeline process. And language regarding environmental impact evaluation poses a steep barrier to entry along the coast.
Yet many coastal Georgians remain wary of the potential for a new pipeline. The Palmetto Pipeline was to cross into Georgia just south of Augusta, parallel the Savannah River into Effingham County, loop west of Savannah and then trace an Interstate 95-like path south to Jacksonville.
The pipeline would have run 39 miles through Effingham County, 12 miles through Chatham, seven miles through Bryan and 18 miles through Liberty.
Pipelines remain a popular transportation option for petroleum refiners and distributors. Even as automobiles become more and more energy efficient, demand for gasoline remains strong.
The public can make a difference, though. Just as happened here in Georgia, citizens in British Columbia have thwarted a Kinder Morgan pipeline project in Canada. The backlash there involved mass demonstrations and more than 170 arrests.
So take advantage of this last chance to weigh in on pipeline rules. Written comments can be emailed to firstname.lastname@example.com and should include "Proposed Petroleum Pipeline Permit Rule Amendments" in the subject line. The written comment period on the proposed rules closes at 4:30 p.m. Friday.
The Palmetto Pipeline is out of sight, but the pipeline issue should still be top of mind.


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Global Dialogue Series: The Future of Cities
Event cancelled
The RMIT Global Development Portfolio is launching its first Global Dialogue Series in Europe with a dynamic presentation and discussion on the future of cities.
Are cities the problem or the solution when it comes to climate change? RMIT University and Arup invite you to 'RMIT Global Dialogue Series: Cities of the Future'.
Cities are now contributing to over 70 per cent of global energy-related carbon dioxide emissions. But at the same time, they are also at the forefront of innovation in urban technology and climate-ready solutions. Cities are not only leading the way in adapting to a changing climate, they are also living urban laboratories, where experiments with green buildings, smart urban transport and new forms of civic engagement are pioneered.
At this event for RMIT alumni in Berlin, Germany, Associate Professor Hartmut Fünfgeld, researcher for RMIT's Centre for Urban Research, and Dr Gereon Uerz, Foresight and Innovation Specialist at Arup, will discuss the future of cities by sharing examples of innovative and transformative actions taken by cities around the world to address climate change.
This event will provide RMIT alumni with the opportunity to exchange ideas on current trends and solutions as well as contribute to the global agenda for the future of cities.
Hartmut Fuenfgeld - RMIT University
Dr Hartmut Fünfgeld is an Associate Professor in sustainability and urban planning at RMIT University. Hartmut has ten years of experience in academic research, consulting and practice on climate change and sustainability with international governmental and non-governmental organisations. He has a PhD in human geography from the University of Heidelberg, Germany. Through applied research and teaching, Hartmut is keen to collaboratively develop new knowledge and practical solutions for the world's most pressing social and environmental problems.
Gereon Uerz - ARUP
Dr. Gereon Uerz is a sociologist and foresight professional who joined Arup in 2014. He left the University of Freiburg in Germany where he was senior researcher and lecturer at the Institute of Sociology in 2005 to join Z punkt The Foresight Company as a consultant. Starting 2009 he was Project Director at Volkswagen Group Research in Wolfsburg, delivering foresight services to the whole Volkswagen group. Over the past decade Gereon has been guest lecturing at various European universities and has authored a number of articles and one book.


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An Ethical Theology of Housework
Dietrich Bonhoeffer characterized Jesus as the "man for others." It is, of course, the maleness of Jesus that makes the sobriquet striking. "Woman for others" would be redundant and trite. But, as any theater buff will tell you, "casting against type" is a sure-fire attention-getter. So we have, for instance, the prophet Hosea describing the Holy One as "those who lift infants to their cheeks. I bent down to them and fed them," (11:3-4) and even, heaven help us, as a mama grizzly: "Like a bear robbed of her cubs, I will attack them and tear them asunder…"(13:9) Isaiah says, "Can a woman forget her nursing child, or show no compassion for the child of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you."(49:15) Moses sees himself as called by the Holy One "to carry the nation in his bosom as a nursing mother carries a nursing child."(Num. 11:12) Much later on, the apostle Paul compares his concern for the Thessalonians to the care of a nursing mother (1 Thess 2:7-8). Other maternal imagery found in Paul's letters includes gentleness, tenderness, labor, and breast milk (Gal 4:19-20; 1 Cor 3:1-3) You get the idea. The images work because they are counter-intuitive. Nobody expects men, or, a fortiori, the Holy One Himself [sic], to put themselves at the service of others.
And, on the other hand, the apostle Paul talks at great length, in his second letter to the Corinthians, about trying hard not to be a "burden" to the people. But chances are that he never picked up his own socks (or the 1st century CE equivalent in the Middle East), or washed his own dishes or underwear. We know for a fact that he did not write his own letters, but dictated them to various secretaries (Timothy, Tertius, and a host of others, named and unnamed.) The fact that any of them were named was probably not unrelated to the fact that, like just about all the numerous secretarial personnel at the time, they were male.
I do not mean to imply that "Paul was a sexist pig"—that would be a cheap shot and not worth the trouble of writing. Rather, Paul, like millions of other decent men before and since, lived surrounded by a system of mostly female helpers invisible to them and their society in general, and, usually, to the men they helped. What would it be like— I sometimes wonder—to be able to take for granted, to the point of not thinking about it, the perpetual presence of someone to cook my meals, run my errands, make my phone calls, write my letters, wash my clothes, keep my house clean, and remind me of my importance? (Not to mention, of course—and Paul would never have considered this—a whole class of human beings, mostly female, available for hire on demand for my sexual pleasure?)
Yes, like most professional women, I have had access to secretarial services and cleaning ladies, on occasion. Before that, I was a secretary. Partly for that reason, but mostly because, like most professional women, I can't afford to hire a full-time permanent secretary or housekeeper, I have always regarded "my" helpers as purveyors of temporary and very precious gifts, to be treated with maximum courtesy and friendliness and never never taken for granted. For we were waitresses in Egypt. And most of the time, like most professional women I know, I am my own secretary (and a damn good one too) and my own cleaning lady (not so good.)
The point is that, at various times, I have been part of that invisible army of helpers. I have never been a member of the class for whom they mostly toiled. Like most professional women, I figure I'm doing pretty well if the only person I have to take care of is myself. I have trouble imagining anybody taking care of me, and I absolutely cannot conceive of being able to take such care for granted.
There is nothing individually immoral in not seeing the invisible army of homemakers, secretaries, maids, "girls", and "working girls" one has been brought up not seeing, beginning of course with one's own mother. One can accept their services without imagining that he [sic] could possibly be a "burden" to anyone. The choreography is too smooth to notice. You drop a sock and it disappears from the floor. You come home hungry and dinner appears on the table. You have letters to write and your secretary appears with her steno pad at the ready. You beget children and they somehow get cared for. Call it magic, call it choreography, but surely no one could call it a burden! After all, in exchange for this care, its purveyors receive room, board, and sometimes money.
There are feminists who believe strongly that the state of a world run by men who have such hordes of servitors at their disposal is proof positive of male inferiority or at least of having too much time on their hands. "If I had a wife and a secretary," one friend of mine declaimed on a particularly hectic day, "I could end hunger, cure cancer, bring down the deficit, and make peace in the Middle East by Christmas, and have time left over to learn how to play tennis. What do these guys do with all that spare time?"
Here follows the Ritual Disclaimer/Concession to the Other Side's Argument that today's writers consider mandatory even though no reader is likely to notice it. See http://aleksandreia.wordpress.com/2010/07/26/politics-and-the-english-language-ii/. That is, obviously, hyperbole, erupting from overwork, sleep deprivation, and the myopia these can often engender. It ignores the fact that most men today do a lot more housework than their fathers, and probably infinitely more than their grandfathers (who likely did none at all), and that, in today's computerized offices, most men also do for themselves much of the work that secretaries did for their fathers and grandfathers. Many of today's (equally computerized) women who would have been secretaries a generation ago are now the lawyers, bureaucrats, and middle managers they would have worked for. So okay, I'm open to the possibility that sometimes some men are burdened with tasks that are invisible to the rest of the world, even its female component. The theological issue remains the same: what do human beings owe each other, and what recognition do we owe those who supply those needs to us?
Getting back to Paul, he says in Galatians 6:2 "Bear one another's burdens." Not a bad idea. My former congregation once experimented by undertaking to translate from Hebrew, and back again, a version of a sabbath prayer including such descriptions of the Holy One as (Heb.) "ozer"–the one who helps us. Feminine: (Heb.)"ozeret." Which happens to be the modern Israeli Hebrew word for "cleaning lady." It drew a couple of giggles from a congregant who had formerly lived in Israel. I found it mildly amusing. But then I was also jarred into thinking about it. These days, I reflected, it would take an act of divine intervention to get somebody else to help me clean my house–possibly rising to the level of a miracle. Or, looking at it another way, when we make ourselves available to help each other with the drudgework of everyday life, are we not doing the work of the Holy One? And isn't this precisely the kind of reflection a good religious communication should evoke, at least occasionally?
Jane Grey


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This is the stuff that was so...insignificant...that I don't happen to have any pictures of..... ^^*
Akane Tendo (Ranma 1/2)
Worn at: Metro North Anime Fest
Future appearances: No
The outfit worn in the OVA 'One Grew Over the Kuno's Nest', I just happened to find a shirt exactly like she wore (sleeveless, yellow turtleneck) and already owned the perfect shorts and shoes. ^^ I don't know if you could really call it a cosplay, since it was just a normal outfit (as many of my cosplays tend to be..), but it was so perfect!
Rebecca Chambers (Resident Evil, video game series)
Worn at: Motor City Comic Con (Novi, MI)
Future appearances: Possibly
This one was pretty easy to put together. I bought Army pants from a local Army/Navy supply store, a plain green short-sleeved V-necked shirt, and white V-necked tank-top. There's a red cross on the back, which I made by cutting out on red fabric and pinning onto the tank-top; used the remaining red fabric for the bandana. My partner in crime, AAron, made all the accessories (he went as Chris from the same series), including guns and a grenade launcher (^_^ that was fun carrying around) and ID cards, which we put in our wallets and flashed around. Unfortunately, we weren't able to get any pictures taken.... (though I can swear someone took our picture...I just can't remember who or what happened to it....)
Yaten Kou (Sailor Stars, musical version)
Worn at: AX2K (Anaheim, CA)
Future appearances: Not likely
This I just paid someone to make for me (I'm lazy). It cost a lot, but turned out looking pretty ok. Unfortunately I didn't get any pictures taken in it. And, super unfortunately, it got an un-repairable rip in it at some point, so I don't know if I'll ever wear it again....


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This article is part of a series, the previous article was: Keep staff skilled up – it can save you money in the long run
With UK's productivity figures 26 percentages points behind their US and European counterparts we have been looking at the skill base of the current workforce to meet the demands of the current economic swing.
At the moment even though the hours worked per employee is increasing, 30% of people surveyed would like to work more. Even with that 41% of employees felt they worked under constant pressure in their jobs and 30% believe they are over qualified for the position they currently held. If that is the case then how come Employers are complaining they are not able to find quality candidates with the right skills and experience to fulfil positions?
Increasingly companies are sourcing employees from the EU, 30% of companies approached indicated they will be sourcing vacancies from overseas markets. With the soaring cost of education discouraging many young people from continuing education it leaves a disparity between business requirements and the local skills available. The raising of tuition fees to £9000.00, which was supposed to fill education coffers will actually have the reverse affect as many graduates get stuck in mid skilled jobs and will have insufficient income to pay the loan off by 50 when the debt is written off.
All of this makes the recovery precarious as people with specialised skills will be able to demand increased salaries while mid skilled position will be left floundering. If the recovery produces unequal results then that will limit the spending power of a significant number within the population which in turn hamper the economy recovery.
What is known as the "working poor", people whose take home pay no longer is able to make ends meet, now costs the UK government 21bn in tax credits. Around 5m workers earn two thirds of the median hourly rate. If this section of the workforce could be given access to more training opportunities and receive relevant qualifications that would alleviate their dependence on the state. As they earn more they increase their purchases from their local communities and contribute to nation's taxation pot benefiting the nation as a whole.
There are a number of initiatives being proposed. Employers are looking for ways to have input into the education system so that graduates have more idea of what is expected when they reach the workplace. Joint apprenticeship schemes are being devised to give more on the job training experience and recognised nationwide qualifications. The SMF is a government backed scheme to encourage employers to train staff internally with cash incentives. Even so staff training is a double edged sword. Certainly in my field of software implementation, even when taking on experienced staff, the work is so complicated that it takes six months to train them up before they can be let out on their own. Yet if I don't start training people to take these roles it will limit the business's capacity to grow with demand. Most staff do appreciate the opportunity to improve their skill set but it is always a risk investing in people if they end up leaving anyway.
As our economy grows it will rely on our level of technical expertise to remain competitive. It is in the business community's interest to make sure there is a steady supply of local talent in order to meet that demand.
Malcolm Ford has had 25 years' experience in different industries and currently implements enterprise level software to increase efficiency in small to medium sized businesses.


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Wednesday, November 8, 2017
Nekflix - Manaiakalani Film Festival #10
You sit down to watch telly, maybe Netflix and you can't decide what to watch. You end having an hour skipping around channels, a smorgasboard of some tasty and maybe not so morsels of film. Room 3 were similar in not being able to settle on just one film, instead created a film that combined 3 ideas. We've called our film - NeKflix! See if you can piece together the three different storylines. This is one of two movies Room 3 have planned and produced to celebrate 10 years of the Manaiakalani Film Festival.
We hope that you enjoyed your time at the cinemas celebrating and now are ready to watch again - or maybe for the first time our movie 'Ask your Aunty'. Be sure to leave us some feedback and your footprint so we can share the love right back with you!
Manuia le 10 tausaga o le Manaiakalani Film Festival!
30 comments:
- Junior said...
Nice work point england
- November 8, 2017 at 9:41 AM
- Jessica said...
Kia Ora Room 3!
Your film was very interesting. I thought it was a nice way to introduce traditional islanders into a T.V. show. What inspired this film idea and are you happy with the outcome? Thanks for making me smile this morning!
Room 10,
Ruapotaka School.
- November 8, 2017 at 10:04 AM
- Matt Goodwin said...
Kia ora Room 3, what a hilarious movie. We loved the Aunties, how funny were they. From Room 7
- November 8, 2017 at 12:03 PM
- Deavay said...
Kia Ora Room 3, I Liked your movie because it was funny mostly the ask you aunty one. what gave you the idea of making this movie? cheese can make you gassy for some people though. I didn't get what the second nekflix episode (or movie).
- November 8, 2017 at 12:46 PM
- Calvin said...
Kia Ora room 3, I really enjoyed watching your movie it looks very interesting. Christian I love how you are wearing lip stick I think it looks funny and the dress your wearing. I think all of you guys did a great job... Keep up the great work !!
- November 8, 2017 at 1:58 PM
Malo Room 3, I really enjoyed your movie because not only entertaining but it had little snip-its from various movies, and you should always ask your aunties. So keep up the good work and good things will come just like today.
- November 8, 2017 at 2:09 PM
- Mikihiro said...
Hi Room 3, I really like how you did like a quiz show and ask to Aunty it very funny. Great work.
The part which I found funny in the Ask your Aunty was the part where all of the students / Aunties were acting like they were actual aunties and also acting like they were girls when some were boys. Keep it up!
Miki from Panmure Bridge School.
- November 8, 2017 at 2:09 PM
- Trinity said...
Hi room 3
While I was watching your movie I found it amusing. It was very humerus.I really enjoyed watching it. So far from the movies that I have watched your movie is the best. While Making Your movie did it take a few shots to get it right?
- November 8, 2017 at 2:18 PM
- Anahere @ Pt England School said...
I Loved it 100% i loved the Personal nekflix idea so funny and Cool to watch
Have Fun Nec Year
- November 8, 2017 at 2:23 PM
- Evangeline said...
hi its Eva I loved your movie it was so funny but you shouldn't really judge someone for there look but for there personality and who they really are but yeah your movie was great hop you make something like that Nek year.
- November 8, 2017 at 2:39 PM
- Hilary said...
Kia ora Room3,
I Really loved your movie and i Think It's Amazing.
Keep up the good work Room 3.
- November 8, 2017 at 2:42 PM
- Sione said...
Malo lelei my name is sione.k nice aunty movie,
guys cool acting.
- November 8, 2017 at 2:51 PM
- Bethan @ PES said...
Hi Room 3
Your movie was Hilarious. I really liked the acting. Keep up the great work
From Bethan.
- November 8, 2017 at 2:52 PM
- Karen Belt said...
Hi Room 3
We enjoyed watching your Family Feud. It was funny having the aunties played by boys, it made us laugh. We really enjoyed your movie,
From Room 30 @ Lynmore School, Rotorua
- November 8, 2017 at 2:55 PM
- Losehina said...
Wow, you have been so thoughtful to think of your movie. I can tell that you have worked so hard. Keep it up and well done.
- November 9, 2017 at 9:17 AM
My name is jimmy I'm from room 26 I thought your movie was funny and cool. Thank you
- November 9, 2017 at 9:59 AM
- Nadia said...
Hello Pt England, My name is Nadia and I am from Glen Taylor School. I love this film!!!! Especially the fact that you added lots of different skits from each film so you could get a sneak peek of what you guys have really been working on!!
- November 9, 2017 at 10:12 AM
- Adam said...
hi point england school i liked your acting skills it was amazing. it was interesting.keep up the good acting skills
- November 9, 2017 at 12:38 PM
- Unknown said...
Kia Ora Room 3,
Room 5 really enjoyed your movie. We thought the acting in Family Feud and Ask your Aunty was funny and had a lot of skill and expression.
It was very clever how you switched between the 3 shows to show someone channel surfing. I (Mrs Middleton) also waste a lot of time at home doing that.
We look forward to seeing more of your movies.
Kind Regards
Room 5 and Mrs Middleton
- November 9, 2017 at 2:42 PM
- Unknown said...
Kia Ora Room 3!
Your film was very interesting. I thought it was a nice way to introduce traditional islanders into a T.V. show. What inspired this film idea and are you happy with the outcome? Thanks for making me smile this morning!.By the way was it fun making this movie also what was your Favorited part
- November 10, 2017 at 11:16 AM
- Isla said...
Hi my name is islaw from stonefields school I thought the anites were veary funny because they were bing silly k
- November 10, 2017 at 12:30 PM
- Talia'uli fosita said...
hahaha hi room 3
good acting jonson family good movie
- November 10, 2017 at 1:52 PM
- Priscilla Lavakula said...
Hi Room 3,
Wow! What a funny movie especially all you pretty aunties wearing dresses and make up.
It's a great idea. We thought we were watching Netflix.
Good job everyone and Mrs Tele'a.
Love from Miss Lavakula and LH1 @ Ormiston Primary School
- November 13, 2017 at 1:50 PM
- David said...
Hi Pt England I really loved the way you've edited the ask your Aunty one it was to funny.Keep up the good work!.
- November 15, 2017 at 9:40 AM
- sarah Glen Innes School said...
Malo lelei Pt england, you guys are phenomenal actors and you guys are so funny. I think this is the best movie I have seen so far. What inspired you to film this kind of movie.
- November 15, 2017 at 12:12 PM
- Danielle said...
Hi Point England School,
I really enjoyed watching your film and it was really funny! My favourite part of your short film was Ask Your Aunty. NekFlix is one of my favourite short films from Point England. I love how you used Netflix as a guide for your film, this is an amazing film.
Danielle from GTS =)
- November 22, 2017 at 12:03 PM
- Alanna said...
Malo Room 3, Your film was very interesting and it made me laugh a lot. My favourite part from your film was ask your aunty! Ask your aunty was very funny and I loved every single part of it,
- November 22, 2017 at 12:18 PM
- Sesilia said...
Hello Room 3,I like the way your movie does different movies at time to time. From Sesilia in the block
- September 26, 2018 at 12:15 PM
- Santana said...
Kia Ora Room 3, I really liked the way you guys put 3 movies together and did bit by bit.
Kind Regards Santana.
- November 7, 2018 at 9:30 AM
- Latiya T said...
Kia ora Point england school. I love your movie
- August 15, 2019 at 1:48 PM


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I saw recently on BritMums, they were doing a blogging prompt called #Blogging4Madeleine!
The aim of this prompt is to re-raise awareness that there is a little girl who is celebrating her 9th birthday (12th May) and probably doesn't know it because she was taken from her parents nearly 5 years ago and as not yet been found.
I am sure you have heard the story before but in case you haven't……
Madeleine McCann disappeared on the evening of Thursday, 3 May 2007. She was on holiday with her parents and twin siblings in the Algarve region of Portugal. She went missing from an apartment, in the central area of the resort of Praia da Luz, a few days before her fourth birthday, and has still not been found. Madeleine's parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, have said that they left the children unsupervised in a ground floor bedroom while they ate at a restaurant about 120 metres (130 yards) away.
Many theories exists from her simply wandering away, being kidnapped by a paedophile ring to even being murdered by her parents. My honest opinion is that she was taken, by whom we may never know. If she had been hurt either by accident or on purpose by one or both of her parents, I think more evidence of this would have been found by now. This of course is just my opinion and I suppose I would prefer the thought that this little girl is still alive and well, somewhere.
Hopefully one day, a girl will hear this story and realise that she is in fact little Madeleine and will come forward.
I originally wasn't going to take part in this prompt, but when I thought about it, I figured what harm could it do. If one of the many blogs taking part means somebody comes forward with new information, it's been worthwhile. So here goes….
This is a picture of Madeleine when she was taken and also what it is believed she would look like at 9 Years old.
0207 321 9251 (in the UK)
+44 207 321 9251 (non-UK)


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Entry level excellence
There is no shortage of drum kits available for beginners – from the full size, full noise 'shells and skins' of an acoustic drum kit to the space saving, low noise convenience of electronic drum kits. Choosing the right kit is usually a compromise between quality and price, particularly when you're starting out. You're perhaps nervous at spending out hugely on a new hobby, but know that if you buy something and it falls apart you'll likely give up.
So when Roland introduces two kits for the entry-level drummer, you know they're coming with the same quality, history and technical excellence as everything else which bears that famous name.
Roland are calling the TD-1 series a "V-Drums Quality kit for Practice, Learning, and Fun." Essentially, they have taken the technologies, playability, durability and strong sound quality from their flagship V-Drums brand of electronic drums and made them available in an entry-level price kit.
Although the kit is designed with the beginner in mind, the filtered-down technologies make it a great practice kit for accomplished drummers who perhaps need a second kit for home or the studio. The TD-1K has been meticulously designed to be compact, which minimises the amount of floorspace required and lends it a degree of portability. Interestingly, Roland has also demonstrated its commitment to supporting young learners by producing the only electronic kit in this price bracket that can be height adjusted. This means children as young as three can learn to play the drums, without the associated noise and space required by an acoustic or larger electronic kit.
Noise Reduction
One of the biggest problems for drummers (and their parents or loved ones!) is the noise issue. Even electronic drums make noise; depending on the brand and the price, some are almost as noisy as acoustic drums. The 'thud, thud, thud' of the pedals through the floorboards is one of the main issues. To combat this, the TD-1 uses a beater-less kick pedal while the pads and cymbals (especially the ultra-quiet mesh-pad of the TD-1KV) are noticeably quieter than the pads of lower-priced kits. The other key benefit of the TD-1 series is that it is fully upgradable; it's designed for expansion and growth through additional cymbals and pads as the player's technical ability progresses.
The TD-1 series consists of two models; the TD-1K, which uses a rubber pad for a snare drum, and the TD-1KV, which uses Roland's acclaimed mesh-pad snare drum for the snare. Other than the snare drum pad, both kits are identical.
Compact and simple to use
Roland have designed the TD-1 module to be specifically easy to use. Those new to drumming can rest easy in the knowledge that these are simple to set up and straightforward to use without need for a computer degree, or even the product manual. It's compact so it's ideal for use in the home, but still faithfully captures the playing feel of a full drum set.
15 expressive drum kits
Roland's sound quality is well known. All of the electronic drum sounds in the TD-1 start out as real audio samples of acoustic drums and cymbals but, using clever layering technology, each drum or cymbal reacts and changes dynamically as it's played. This means the TD-1 kits sound almost identical to the real thing. Every drummer needs to learn to use accurate drumming techniques; from hi-hat splashes, to cymbal chokes and dynamic snare drum rolls. All 15 kits within the TD-1K and TD-1KV models allow the player to learn, practice and ultimately perfect these techniques.
Songs to play along with
Usually a feature found in Roland's higher priced V-Drums kits, the TD-1 has 15 play-along songs, meaning the drummer can practice with real music, from rock, pop, metal and even jazz (if you're brave.) Of course, timing is the key to a good drumming, so the in-built metronome (sometimes called a click) can be added to the song to help the drummer stay in time, or can be turned off if you are feeling up for the challenge.
In-built drum coach
Learning and improving outside of drum lessons is key to becoming a strong drummer. The TD-1 has 10 'coach' functions built into the TD-1, offering a variety of challenges and exercises to help hone your skills. These include 'time check' and 'quiet count' – exercises which test a drummer's timing skill. Scores are counted each time for accuracy, so it's easy to track improvement.
Sturdy, newly-designed drum stand
It can be extremely off-putting when the drum kit moves around whilst being played. The TD-1 stand uses a different design to the traditional 'rack' of other electronic drum kits, giving it a smaller footprint but also increased sturdiness at the same time. Roland's usual attention to details shows in the clamps and adjustability, meaning it stays put when being played, but can be adjusted so the playing position is comfortable and realistic.
Upgradable and expandable
Instruments cost good money, there's no getting away from that, but we all want to spend once and spend wisely. Roland know this and know that as a drummer's ability increases, so too does the number of pads they want to hit. Many drummers will also eventually want to use an acoustic bass drum pedal for accurate playing technique and feel. The TD-1 kick pad can be upgraded to Roland's KD-9 model, meaning the drummer can use their own bass drum pedal of choice with the kit. If noise is still a concern, the KT-10 kick trigger pad offers real acoustic pedal feel and technique but is 75% quieter. Meanwhile the optional OP-TD1C cymbal can be added to the kit to give a second crash cymbal.
The TD-1 has an in-built USB MIDI connection which means it can be connected to a computer or iPad/iPhone (using Apple's camera connection kit). This allows it to be used with Roland's free app V-Drums Friend Jam, an app containing even more play-along songs that allows drummers around the world to compete against one another for bragging rights over the highest score. This also allows connection to recording software like Garageband, or VST plugins like EZ Drummer, meaning you can incorporate it into your computer-based studio in no time at all.
The inexpensive just got a whole lot better. The D-1K and TD-1KV are available to pre-order now from Dawsons online and in store.
Journalist, PR and multimedia specialist. Write professionally on subjects ranging from musical instruments to industrial technology.


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Welcome To The cake gallery
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Tues to Fri 10am-4.30pm.
Sat 9-12pm
WA's premier wedding cake specialists and cake decorating equipment stockist.
We will help you to design the cake of YOUR dreams and make your wedding day the most special and memorable day of your life. We cater for all budgets and styles from the traditional to the querky.
Our cake designers from England have over 30 years experience with numerous qualifications in Cake Decorating, Confectionery, Baking and have had extensive food hygiene training. We have the passion and the vision to turn your ideas into reality. Ring or email to book a consultation in our showroom.
All cakes are made onsite in our class 1 approved kitchen.
Unfortunately we can not cater for gluten free.
We make cakes for all occasions and stock an extensive range of cake decorating supplies to cater for both the experienced and beginner cake decorators


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Palm Pre App Sales Slated for September 24th, 1.2 Next week
Wondering when the new app catalog is coming? An anonymous tipster sends word: September 24th is definitely the date to watch, just as we suspected when we first published the images.
On that day, we should be able to purchase apps from the Catalog directly, after submitting credit card info to Palm. We're all sorts of pleased about this: assuming Palm is able to meet their deadline, they will be coming through on the "September" launch date we'd heard earlier. We're also all sorts of pleased that we can give our Credit Card info to Palm directly, which pretty much means that they kept the carriers out of the App Catalog process, as it should be.
We also reported last night during the Live PalmCast (after a tip from Kense in the chatroom) that we're currently expecting webOS 1.2 to hit sometime next week.
Our fingers are crossed for both rumors to be true. They're crossed again that DocsToGo with full document editing will be a go on the 24th. All these crossed fingers are making it hard to do gestures on the Pre.


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Please fill out the form.
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The Review/ Short Read/
All About Almodóvar
The Spanish master teaches us the laws of desire
"You can make a thousand different movies about the same subject."— Pedro Almodóvar
Given that his shelf is now groaning under the weight of assorted international awards collected over the course of a three-decade career (including two Oscars and four Cannes prizes), it's amazing to think that Pedro Almodóvar was once hailed as a Spanish John Waters. Where Baltimore's favourite son has cheekily and defiantly held on to his slapdash, outsider-art aesthetic, Almodóvar has now become recognized as one of contemporary's cinemas most refined stylists. But if his films' surfaces have gone from scruffy to immaculate, he has held true to the dark, messy subterranean world that has always fascinated him: the world of human desire, jealousy, envy, lust and, sometimes, love.
Almodóvar rose to prominence in the late '70s and early '80s as part of La Movida Madrileña, Spain's explosion of artistic and personal freedom after the repression of the Franco regime. Channelling the movement's hybridic punk-hippie energy and spirit of outrage and excess, Almodóvar's films presented a world wherein gender was fluid, transgression normalized, criminals pure of heart and the innocent often anything but. With each subsequent film the director displayed an astonishingly increased sophistication of technique, culminating in the one-two punch of his international breakthrough Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown and the controversial Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! While North American critics waxed rapturous about Almodóvar's wild-man energy, the sometimes uneven balance between farce and tragedy that was already evident in his '80s work proved to be a sign of the filmmaker's more serious inclinations, which crystallized in a rather jarring shift towards the dramatic in the mid-'90s. In retrospect, however, this was less a "new" Almodóvar than the first flowering of his latent artistry, which reached full bloom with the remarkable run of films beginning with All About My Mother in 1999.
This voluminous Almodóvar retrospective (TIFF Cinematheque's first in almost a decade) offers the chance to revisit one of contemporary cinema's most accomplished and surprisingly cohesive oeuvres, and to trace the themes, motifs and images that recur with striking regularity: identity reinvention, struggles for and abuses of power, movies-within-movies, hospitals, shoes and, yes, the colour red.
All About Almodóvar runs from February 24 to April 4.


text: Preeclampsia (PE) is a hypertensive disorder specific to pregnancy and is a major cause of maternal and neonatal death and morbidity worldwide. The methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR), endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and tissue plasminogen activator (TPA) genes may also play a role in the pathogenesis of PE. These loci are located on different chromosomes and encode products involved into various metabolic pathways leading to PE. The specific genes involved may depend, at least in part, on the characteristics of the population being studied (ethnicity, severity of the disease, maternal age, or gestational age at onset). We studied the eNOS VNTR polymorphism in 4 intron, TPA Alu repeat I/D polymorphism in 8 intron and MTHFR C677T polymorphism in women with PE from Bashkortostan (Russia). DNA from 132 preeclamptic pregnant women and 172 healthy control pregnant women were genotyped for polymorphisms using PCR tech nique and subsequent enzyme digestion. The frequency distributions of the genotypes of these three polymorphic marker loci of genes were similar in the case and control groups. We found no differences in the prevalence of genetic risk factors with PE compared with controls. These polymorphisms are unlikely to be risk factors for PE in our sample.


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Marina Orlova, known to millions of fans around the world as a sexy master of language, HotForWords, is a 29 year old Internet "sensation". Hailing from Moscow, Marina has two degrees in philology which is the study of linguistics and origins of words. Back in Russia Marina taught English and World Literature to high-schoolers. She came to the United States six years ago to improve her English skills and prepare for her Ph.D., but she ended up staying in the U.S. simply because of the warmer weather.
3 years ago, Marina burst onto the YouTube scene. Her initial goal was to reach more people with her language knowledge. Instead of a classroom of 20 back in Russia, she now has a virtual class in the thousands. In each video she takes word requests from YouTube users and discusses their meanings and origins. Something that might, at first, seem boring, but when a buxom blonde with a Russian accent teaches you anything, it can be quite educational, thus proving, as her tag-line states, that "Intelligence is Sexy."
Called the "Sexiest philologist in the world" by New Yorker Magazine, Marina was voted the World's #1 Sexiest Geek by Wired.com, she's a regular on Fox Network's O'Reilly Factor Show, she was voted the 5th hottest woman on the net by G4 TV, she's been recommended by the New York Times Magazine, she was mentioned in Cosmopolitan as one of the top 3 channels on YouTube, and she was part of the Best Online Campaign of 2009! In addition, Marina just completed her book, published by HarperCollins, entitled "Hot for Words", and she stars in a killer iPhone game called Attack of the Bikini Zombie Babes from Outer Space!
Marina can be found on her website www.hotforwords.com or on YouTube at www.youtube.com/hotforwords.
Contact information can be found here.
The above bio was taken from G4 TV's Who's Who of YouTube segment about Marina, with the numbers updated, which can be seen below:


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Serves 4.
All you need:
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
- ½ tsp paprika
- ¾ tsp salt
- 4 red snapper fillets, thawed
- 1 avocado, peeled, pitted and diced
- 1 tomato, diced
- ½ cup fresh or frozen sweet corn
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 tbsp finely chopped red onion
- 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
- dash of hot sauce or cayenne pepper
- salt and pepper, to taste
All you do:
- Prepare grill for medium-high heat grilling.
- Combine cumin, cayenne, paprika and salt. Season fish with spice mixture and place flesh side down on a well-oiled grill. Grill 4 to 5 minutes per side or until fish flakes easily.
- Meanwhile in a bowl, combine avocado, tomato, corn, cilantro, red onion, lime juice and hot sauce; season with salt and pepper.
- Serve warm fish with chilled salsa on top.


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United in Indecision
For ausländers, German elections are a dull affair. For years, elections in the fourth largest economy in the world, the keystone state of the eurozone and the world's shrine to triumph over tyranny have been covered by global journalists with glazed eyes and few paragraphs. For just as long journalists have mused about why German elections are such a non-event. German federal elections are, after all, just that; they carry little bearing on the regional governments that carry clout in the German economy, leaving the Chancellor as something of a trumped up Foreign Secretary to bring German views to the G20 and the United Nations Security Council.
It may also be because politics is so cohesive and non-combative in the eurozone's engine room. Much like Scandinavia, there seems to be an overarching strive towards consensus and agreement that just isn't present in Britain or the US. Journalists who have a more historical bent revive Germany's last interaction with aggressive, extreme politics as the reason why present day debate is so docile. The most controversial comment Merkel can say about her opponent Peer Steinbrück is that he isn't "reliable" in a European crisis; it just seems so tame in comparison to Anglosphere politics. However, the far reaching implications of this election in particular mean that it certainly merits a more diligent response from the world's press corps.
On the face of it, the platitudes of this election are just like any other: one side claiming economic success or progress, the other side adding notes of caution and concern across the board. Debates are about pensions for mothers, rent controls and the railways. Given the crisis still rocking the currency area it is perplexing that domestic debate is so conventional, so much so that the Frankfurt-based elephant in the room becomes all the more obvious. CDU supporters wear shirts that print "Keep Calm and Vote for Angie," they might as well state "Keep Calm and Don't Mention the Eurozone". Others have picked up on this as well, the German philosopher Jürgen Habermas has commented with scorn on how pathetically banal and cowardly the dialogue of the election has been thus far, with either side's vision for the future of the eurozone being put to one side in favour of comments about road tolls for foreigners. Whilst the Christian Democratic Union and Social Democrats have taken their positions for and against eurozone austerity, respectively, they are not making clear what sort of eurozone they would like to see emerge from the crisis.
Defenders of the campaign state that it is impossible to have a discussion on eurozone integration and cross-border reform within the confines of a national election. It is responsible of Germany, they say, to have taken a laid back approach to international disputes and debates when others wouldn't have the motivation to tackle the issue responsibly, and this has fed through to national politics. Certainly, approval ratings for politicians in Germany are the envy Anglicised countries, the German public seem happy to not talk about the eurozone as well. This is despite the fact that Germans, more than ever if the polls are to be believed, feel that their country is a star of success compared to the rest of the eurozone. They know they have all the power, but don't want to take the lead in much other than football and the Winter Olympics.
Germany presents itself as the nation which has all the cards but is too polite to use them. This is a touch disingenuous. The way Germany has orchestrated the common market to benefit German industry is masterful realpolitik and whilst Germans may moan about shelling out for bailouts (the latest tranche of which are just around the corner) the way the eurozone is designed it is impossible for Germany not to get an economic windfall further down the line. It is telling that this time of EU and eurozone paralysis has come at the precise time when Angela Merkel is distracted with domestic politics.
In terms of Britain's involvement, Cameron has developed a good relationship with Angela Merkel who, it is whispered, might offer him repatriation of EU powers in exchange for support on EU integration and austerity against Francois Hollande, the French President. As a result, he would be undermined if Angela Merkel's soft lead evaporates over the next two weeks to leave the Social Democrat Steinbrück the keys to the Chancellery. That would be a boost for Ed Miliband, who could add the German Chancellor to his growing list of friends across the Channel. The left could muse about a grand alliance between the UK France and Germany if Miliband were to win in 2015, but it is still too early to say if it will work out personally between the three. Thatcher and Kohl were ideologically similar but their relationship marked a low point in Anglo-German relations.
As regards Germany however, recent history has shown time and again that Germans can act as a force for good on the world stage, if only they can bring themselves to. For the most part, there has been a "nothing ventured, nothing lost" attitude in the German parliament, but that certainly isn't true this time. If it doesn't get its act together, the eurozone will wish it had spent these months more productively in the years ahead; Germany's toothless attitude on Syria, regardless of the stance it takes, is not healthy for international discussion on military intervention and the need for some kind of moderator on international discussions between Russia and the US is apparent. In all of these cases a Germany united in its desire to do nothing is hardly the best message to send to an economic community and a region in need of leadership.
So the question arises, how can Germany get to a place where it can lead whilst keeping in step with the electorate? Perhaps Angela Merkel could take a leaf out of David Cameron's book on this front. Whether you agree with the UK government's decision to engage in a deficit reduction strategy or not, you cannot deny that the ground was prepared very effectively beforehand. The 2009 Conservative party conference, regardless of its economic repercussions is exemplary in how to present to the electorate a need to do something about a certain issue. The world is hoping that someone in Germany is willing to do something similar and demand a more strident Germany on the world stage. Someone who invokes a Germany that is less about its past and more about its future.


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Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Stan Lee Media Fails to Reclaim 'Conan the Barbarian' Rights
A decade ago, Stan Lee Media Inc. declared bankruptcy. Since then, the company has been furiously fighting to reclaim rights to valuable intellectual property that the company's board of directors believes was fraudulently taken during the bankruptcy process. Next month, the company is set to appear before the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals to make the argument that a lower court should let continue a case questioning whether comic book genius Stan Lee validly terminated his contract with the company that bears his name.
In the meantime, SLMI has experienced another defeat. Last week, a federal judge in California tossed SLMI's attempt to reclaim ownership over rights to "Conan the Barbarian."
SLMI was founded by Lee in the late-1990s, before the company hit a rocky period and Lee returned to the House of Marvel.
STORY: 'Conan the Barbarian' Lawsuit Seeks Character Rights (Exclusive)
Since filing for bankuptcy, SLMI has struggled to reformulate itself. Finally, in 2010, the company was able to get court approval on a new board of directors. Since then, against its founder's wishes, the company has been attempting to revive claims that it experienced a conspiracy to rob it of its assets.
This includes an ongoing lawsuit over characters such as Spider-Man, the Incredible Hulk and the Fantastic Four. On March 8, the 2nd Circuit is scheduled to hear SLMI's arguments that it now has standing to pursue efforts to reclaim these multi-billion dollar properties.
As SLMI waits for the showdown, the company has experienced another stinging defeat.
On Wednesday, U.S. District Court Judge Stephen Wilson dismissed SLMI's lawsuit against Conan Sales Co., Paradox Entertainment, and Lee's long-time attorney Arthur Lieberman, among others, in an action that sought to restore SLMI's rights to the "Conan the Barbarian" character and gain proceeds from exploitation of the character, including last year's film release of Conan the Barbarian 3D.
SLMI made the claim based on arguments that in early 2002, when Conan Sales Co. bought back rights to the "Conan" character, 1,800 SLMI shareholders weren't given proper notice. The company also alleged that Lieberman had made misrepresenations during the ordeal and failed to disclose conflicts. Finally, the company asserted that its interests were not properly represented during the proceedings that led to "Conan" being taken from them.
Judge Wilson has rejected these claims on various grounds, including that notice wasn't required during the bankruptcy process, and even if it was, SLMI couldn't show standing and harm. Additionally, the judge determined that SLMI hadn't shown that Lieberman provided services to the company's officers and shareholders to support allegations he misled them, and that SLMI did in fact have proper representation at the bankrputcy proceedings.
The long-running, complicated, and bi-coastal litigation over SLMI's break-up closes a chapter, but perhaps doesn't finish the book.
For instance, we hear that when Wilson ruled last week that "SLMI has not demonstrated why SLMI would have standing to sue on behalf of any such shareholders," it has been received as a possible invitation to some of the larger hedge funds who owned SLMI stock to make their own claims and pleas to reconsider.
And, of course, there's the coming 2nd Circuit appeal, which might determine whether SLMI's day in court is coming to an end once and for all or instead spark many more years of litigation concerning some of the biggest superhero characters in entertainment.
4 comments:
- Daniel Andrews said...
I wish REH was still alive to break in to the court rooms, holding a broad sword in and say CONAN IS MINE BITCHES.
Its takes so much of the fun out of some of these great characters knowing about all the Legal bullshit in the background.
Im one to say who should hold the proper rights to which characters. I don't keep up with Legal battles. As long as Conan keeps slaying, and Hulk smashing, ill let others argue about who gets what.
- February 15, 2012 at 8:07 AM
- Mike D. said...
I Remember reading somewhere or seeing a clip someplace of Joe Quesada when he was CHIEF over at Marvel saying he wishes Marvel never drop the publishing rights to CONAN...there is so much that could have been done with the character. I also remember a time at a con when I had a table right next to an industry big wig who was very popular and I asked him if he ever thought of taking on CONAN...and he said "Bah , there's only so much you can do with CONAN , all he does is runa round with a sword and save naked slave girls!"
I'm glad that DH has the rights to publish CONAN and related REH heroes..because they want to keep him close to REH's vision....CONAN as a member of the Avengers? I dunno....
- February 15, 2012 at 9:22 AM
- Ralph said...
I got into Conan back in the 80's, because I was a big Marvel fan. To me Conan was just another Marvel character back then. But Marvel really screwed things up in the late 90's as far as Conan is concerned. I'm still a big Marvel fan, but I'm also happy that Dark Horse is now publishing Conan. They've taken him back to his roots and I love the stuff they've been putting the last few years.
- February 16, 2012 at 12:32 AM
- Malcadon said...
The whole thing is a joke, as by all rights the intellectual properties of Conan the Barbarian should be in the public domain. Naturally, that would mean someone in this damn country follows the laws and makes a logical decision - god forbids if both should ever happen! 9_9
- February 18, 2012 at 8:33 PM


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The cure of the AIDS by mystic plant YEGE AFAWritten by mastercoffi in Welcome of the Site COFFI on 23 May 2013 à 00:18
The cure of the AIDS by mystic plant YEGE AFA
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Miles grins from ear to ear throughout his wish experience
Miles poses in front of the White House
Miles is an Easter Egg Roll champion!
Miles had the special honor of placing a wreath on George Washington's tomb© Photo courtesy of the wish family
Miles is ready for his big presidential speech!© Photo courtesy of the wish family
We feel blessed to see Miles so happy and in his realm.
Karyl, Miles' mom
Nine-year-old Miles can tell you the order of every U.S. president, forward and backward, and by year. Miles' love of the presidents developed at just three years old during feeding therapy he underwent as a complication from surgeries for his life-threatening heart disease.
During that time, he had several placemats that he would use, but one in particular was his favorite. It had every president on it, and Miles would spend hours looking at it. What seemed like a tool for therapy at the time was the fuel that ignited a passion for presidential history.
When Miles heard that Make-A-Wish® Alaska and Washington would grant his wish, he immediately knew that he wanted to travel to Washington D.C. to participate in the Easter Egg Roll at the White House.
Each year, the White House hosts an Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn. This year, more than 35,000 people were in attendance, including Miles and his family. In the spirit of the theme, "Let's Go, Let's Play, Let's Move," Miles and his family enjoyed the day of games, food and education on healthy living.
Before leaving for the trip, his mom, Karyl said, "Now that Miles is medically stable and eating better, this will be the first real vacation he will have and he is really looking forward to sharing his trip with the whole family."
Together, they were able to explore the Capitol and visit major attractions, including the National Zoo, the National Museum of American History, Madame Tussads Wax Museum, the Newseum and Mt. Vernon. While on his tour of Mt. Vernon, Miles got the surprise of a lifetime! He was taken on a special V.I.P. guided tour, which led him and his dad to the tomb of George Washington. Miles was given a special honor, not normally available to the public, of placing a wreath on the tomb! This was more than he could have ever imagined, and is a memory he will hold with him forever.
"As parents of a medically fragile child, so much energy and focus is spent on medically related issues and ... it's too easy to forget to enjoy the present and the things and experiences that delight your child or make your child special," said Karyl. "Miles' trip to D.C. was truly a gift to the whole family that Make-A-Wish made possible and one that we couldn't have done ourselves. It was an incredible opportunity for us to step outside our daily regime and we feel blessed to see Miles so happy and in his realm.
Special thanks: Wish granting volunteers Lisa Schnall and Molly Whitlock and Alaska Airlines
Miles' trip to D.C. was truly a gift to the whole family that Make-A-Wish made possible and one that we couldn't have done ourselves.
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Karyl, Miles' mom
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I wish to be a superhero
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I wish to be a WWII fighter pilot.
Work directly with wish children to grant their wishes. We are especially in need of volunteers in Anchorage, Longview, Olympia, Spokane, Tacoma, Tri-Cities, Wenatchee and Yakima.
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Linking up to those fun parties.
Tuesday, July 14, 2015
Belle Chrysanthemum Washi Dress for Me!
Linking up to those fun parties.
9 comments:
So glad you made another washi! It's adorable! I find myself buying 3+ yards of everything since I sew a little more often for me...I ran into lack of fabric once too often. I really love the cut of that dress on you. Id love to see you make your next one in voile or lawn!ReplyDelete
Oh what a fabric and color, love them both! The neckline of this pattern is really beautiful and I think the shirring in the back gives a nice shape to the dress. By the way, I agree with you about the hand-winding and the lighter fabric the better result, I think :).ReplyDelete
The yellow dress on the previous blog post is really beautiful! I tried to comment it a couple of days ago but for some reason Blogger didn't want to collaborate with me that time. ;).
Looking good, Annie. Love everything about this tunic - fabric, colour, style. It's perfect for leggings or skinny jeans.ReplyDelete
This is so pretty and flattering! And who doesn't love pockets?!ReplyDelete
I'm coming over from the Dedicated House Make It Pretty party. I love your tunic! The fabric is gorgeous! But what is a Washi dress? I've never heard of them. Where do you find them? Thanks.ReplyDelete
I am brand new to your blog. I love how you made this more like a tunic! I want to make one. Where did you get the pattern? I don't see it mentioned.ReplyDelete
I had clicked on that link...and saw the one with the cutout, and didn't realize that the pattern included ALL the different styles of the washy dress. Duh me. LOL I like the version without the cutout. Thank you!ReplyDelete
Annie! The Weekly Feature Series is live, where you are one of the features. Here's the link so you can check it out. http://www.thededicatedhouse.com/2015/08/weekly-feature-series.html Have a wonderful Sunday! Toodles, Kathryn @TheDedicatedHouseReplyDelete


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If you are someone who enjoys gardening or has extensive landscaping in their yard, a great outdoor gadget to consider purchasing is a rain barrel. Rain barrels or rainwater tanks are containers which capture rainwater (usually from your gutter system coming down from your roof) which can be stored for use around your home and […]
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Agriculture contributes 30% of greenhouse-gas emissions worldwide and is responsible for 50% of South Africa's water use. Therefore, it is critical that South Africa develop a water-efficient economy with a social ethic of water conservation for sustainable water resource reuse, said Lindros Whole Earth Consultants owner Alan Rosenberg at the recent Sustainability Week event.
Eskom to reduce its water consumption by 260 billion litres
Eskom aims to reduce its water consumption by 260 billion litres a year by 2030. The utility said the alternative technologies used at its new power stations would reduce the water requirement to 270 billion litres by next year. The company would have needed 530 billion litres to operate its coal-fired stations had the new […]
Why Harvest Rain Water? Calculate How Much You Can Harvest
There is nothing new about collecting rainwater. Storage jars used for water collection some 2000 years ago have been found as far away as Thailand . In more recent times, we need to look closer to home to Spain and their Cisternas. All that has changed is an ever pressing need to help save our […]
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The growing floral designers
Local blooms make perfect scents
How do you like your blooms? Wispy tendrils or bold and proud? It's not quite as high profile as London Fashion Week, yet British Flowers Week – until Sun 25 June – is a date that is now fixed in the social and horticultural calendar. And just as we listen to the pearls of wisdom that fall from the lips of the top fashion designers, the same is true when it comes to floral designers. This week, some of the big names have been making their preferences and predictions known. Peach foxgloves are hot right now, according to Fiona Haser Bizony of Electric Daisy Flower Farm. And Shane Connolly, a name synonymous with designing the flowers for the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, is talking about a look this season that is 'looser and lighter'.
And in Herts, you'll be pleased to know, we have our very own talented bunch who create floral designs with the flowers they grow on their own micro farms. They're all members of the wonderful Flowers From the Farm. And where can you find them? Barnet, Berkhamsted and Baldock. First up, is Urban Flower Farmer, who took root in our Little Black Book this week. Meet Emma Sousa in East Barnet:
Emma started her professional life as a fashion buyer and has actually been a florist for almost a decade now. But she started to ask herself questions about ethical harvesting and the flowers she was using. If you're happy chomping on Peruvian asparagus in December, you might wonder why it should be any different for flowers. If, however, you think that it's actually more exciting to wait until strawberries are in season, then you'll probably appreciate why seasonal, locally grown flowers make perfect sense. They also create perfect scents. Can you imagine a tulip that is naturally perfumed? They really do exist. And in Herts! Emma discovered the book The 50-Mile Bouquet and it set her on a different path, one that has led to her very own field and productive cutting patch. Emma now grows her own flowers and in my humble opinion, her design and flair gives Shane Connolly a run for his money. You can order direct from her, and she will also design flowers for any occasion, and yes, does lots of weddings. And she runs wonderful workshops that get booked up quickly.
Bettina and Trevor Davies live in Berkhamsted and founded Gillyflower two years ago. They are full of the joys of spring, summer or whatever the season, and their energy and commitment to growing an organic and sustainable business is awe inspiring. These flower farmers rock! You can order flowers from them to be delivered to your home, and they also create the most stunning designs for weddings and all other occasions. Bettina is another grower who has transferred her skills – in this case from dance and choreography – to growing. Trevor is an Alexander Technique teacher (yes, it shows in his posture) and an actor, but these days he is more flower farmer than anything else. Their growing business is based in Berkhamsted, with flower fields close to Tring. They're in the Little Black Book. They can deliver bouquets to you, and they also design flowers for weddings, and you can also buy buckets of flowers from them for DIY events. Bettina does fantastic workshops at Frithsden Vineyard, which is a wonderful place. Gillyflower are doing the complete opposite of manipulating nature. As Trevor puts it: 'We're engaging with life as it is.'
In the north of the county, we're lucky to have Johanna Brown, founder of Baldock Flower Farm, who was inspired by Rachel de Thame to dig up her whole garden, extend it, and create the most amazing field of seasonal flowers. You can turn up at her house on a Saturday to buy just cut flowers, and she also sells flowers by the bucket for events, and designs flowers for weddings, parties and all other celebrations, including funerals. You can learn more about cutting and designing with Johanna – she does workshops in her garden studio.
Gillyflower Urban Flower Farmer Baldock Flower Farmer
1 comment on "The growing floral designers"
A lovely written piece @muddystilettos …..thank you


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Beginning the first of October for 12 months, the 1st Brigade Combat Team (BCT) will be under the day-to-day control of U.S. Army North, the Army service component of Northern Command. According to the Army Times, "Helping 'people at home' may become a permanent part of the active Army." Although units were called up during Hurricane Katrina, this will be the first time an active-duty army unit will serve full-time in the United States.
Based out of Fort Stewart, Georgia, the brigade is training for a variety of Homeland Security tasks. "They may be called upon to help with civil unrest and crowd control or to deal with potentially horrific scenarios such as massive poisoning and chaos in response to a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear or high-yield explosive, or CBRNE," states the Army Times. The John W. Warner Defense Authorization Act of 2006 has been interpreted to establish this full-time active-duty unit. The act allowed the president to use the military in major public emergencies.
The Defense Authorization Act contravened the Posse Comitatus Act, Title 18 of the U.S. Code (USC), Section 1385, which prohibits the "willful" use of any part of the Army or Air Force as "a posse comitatus or otherwise to execute the laws" except "in cases and under circumstances expressly authorized by the Constitution or Act of Congress." The intent of the Posse Comitatus Act was to prevent the use of the military to enforce police-state powers.
One of the few legislators to complain about the act at the time of its passage was Senator Patrick J. Leahy (D-Vt.), who warned that the measure virtually invites the White House to declare federal martial law. It "subverts solid, longstanding posse comitatus statutes that limit the military's involvement in law enforcement, thereby making it easier for the President to declare martial law," he said in remarks appearing in the Congressional Record on September 29, 2006.
On December 1 of that year, Jeff Stein, Congressional Quarterly national security editor, described the potential abuses of the Defense Authorization Act, which made the permanent posting of active-duty soldiers possible. The act "has a provocative provision called 'Use of the Armed Forces in Major Public Emergencies,'" which "seems to be about giving the federal government a far stronger hand in coordinating responses to [Hurricane] Katrina-like disasters," wrote Stein. "But on closer inspection, its language also alters the two-centuries-old Insurrection Act, which Congress passed in 1807 to limit the president's power to deploy troops within the United States ... 'to suppress, in a State, any insurrection, domestic violence, unlawful combination, or conspiracy.'" "But the amended law takes the cuffs off" and "critics say it's a formula for executive branch mischief," Stein wrote, as "the new language adds 'natural disaster, epidemic, or other serious public health emergency, terrorist attack or incident' to the list of conditions permitting the President to take over local authority - particularly 'if domestic violence has occurred to such an extent that the constituted authorities of the State or possession are incapable of maintaining public order.'"
A standing army contravenes the original meaning of the Second Amendment, which instead guaranteed "a well regulated Militia" which it deemed is "necessary to the security of a free State." During the floor debate over the Second Amendment, Rep. Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, and later vice president of the United States from 1813-1814, spoke out: "What, Sir, is the use of a militia? It is to prevent the establishment of a standing army, the bane of liberty.... Whenever Governments mean to invade the rights and liberties of the people, they always attempt to destroy the militia, in order to raise an army upon their ruins."
The John W. Warner Defense Authorization Act of 2006, named for the longtime chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, was signed by President Bush on October 17, 2006. The part undermining the Posse Comitatus Act was subsequently repealed in the Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008, but President Bush attached a signing statement to the latter act saying that he did not feel bound by the change. "Provisions of the Act ... purport to impose requirements that could inhibit the President's ability to carry out his constitutional obligations to take care that the laws be faithfully executed, to protect national security, to supervise the executive branch, and to execute his authority as Commander in Chief. The executive branch shall construe such provisions in a manner consistent with the constitutional authority of the President," he said in his January 28, 2008 signing statement.
Saturday, 11 October 2008
U.S. Army Brigade On Call for Domestic EmergenciesWritten by John Fisher
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The president now has an active-duty Army unit here in the United States to use at his beck and call. The unit will serve as an on-call federal response force for natural or manmade emergencies and disasters, including terrorist attacks. But some people warn that this action establishes a standing army that could be used for executive abuse of power — and even to enforce martial law.
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Every Life Matters
Posted by Ros Clarke, 13 Mar 2018
In today's Lent blogpost, Ros Clarke looks at the scope of the sixth commandment and finds that we are all culpable. Catch up with the whole series of posts on the Apostles' Creed, the Ten Commandments and the Lord's Prayer here.
The sixth commandment
"You shall not murder." Exodus 20:13.
Is that a little sigh of relief I can hear? Finally we get to a commandment most of us feel pretty sure we can keep. Maybe you know that you haven't always honoured your parents, and that you sometimes misuse God's name. But at least you've never murdered anyone.
Except, of course, some people have. And if that's you, it's very important that you know God can forgive you, through Christ, no matter what you have done. Christians aren't just the 'good guys', the people who keep up appearances and never have a run in with the law. Christians are the bad guys, the sinners, of all kinds and in all ways, who have recognised their sin and turned to Christ in repentance and faith.
This commandment, together with the ones that follow it, doesn't have any explanation, promise or warning. It should be obvious why it's wrong and it should be clear to us why God commands us not to do it. Life is precious. Life is given by God. Only God has the right, therefore, to take a life away. There is a moral imperative here. It's not just a law given to keep Israelite society functioning well. Life matters to God and therefore life should matter to us.
In English law, we distinguish between several different kinds of killing: murder, manslaughter, killing in self-defence, killing as a soldier in war and so on. The Hebrew word used in the sixth commandment means more than just what we would call murder. It's about taking the law into your own hands, killing someone without the authority of the state behind you. Accidental killing was recognised as something different and provision was made to protect accidental killers in the cities of refuge (Numbers 35: 6-32).
Murder polluted the whole community, even the land on which they lived: "Do not pollute the land where you are. Bloodshed pollutes the land, and atonement cannot be made for the land on which blood has been shed, except by the blood of the one who shed it. Do not defile the land where you live and where I dwell, for I, the Lord, dwell among the Israelites." Numbers 35:33-34
How is the sixth commandment a mirror?
God is the lifegiver. He breathed life into Adam and he breathes life into each one of us: 'he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else' (Acts 17:25).
God is the sustainer of all life: 'For in him we live and move and have our being' (Acts 17:28).
And so, to take a life is to set ourselves up directly against God. Killing someone takes away the life that God has given and God has sustained. He is the lifegiver and we must not be lifetakers.
More than that, since life is a gift from God and life is precious to God, we should do whatever we can to preserve life.
How does the sixth commandment act as a deterrent?
Did the Israelites really need to be told that murder was wrong? Do we really need God to point that out to us? Surely we all have enough of an inherent sense of morality to have worked that out for ourselves?
Well, yes and no.
It's true that in pretty much every human society the act of deliberately taking someone else's life is reckoned as wrong. Or at least in some contexts it is, even if in some circumstances it is permitted. But as we saw earlier, the sixth commandment isn't only speaking about the kinds of killing that our courts would reckon as murder. Killing in revenge, killing by negligence, killing under the guise of medical intervention are all prohibited.
We don't just have a responsibility not to take life; we also have a duty to prevent lives being taken in any and all of these ways, insofar as we are able.
That means speaking out against euthanasia and abortion. But it also means being careful in the way that we drive and ensuring that health and safety guidelines are kept in our workplaces. It means giving generously to people who don't have access to food or medical care. It means teaching our children that every person's life matters to God.
How does the sixth commandment set a standard for our behaviour?
"You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, 'Raca,' is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell." (Matthew 5:21-22)
Jesus shows us that the standard set by the sixth commandment is far higher than we might have first thought. It's not just those who pull the trigger or drive the knife in who will be judged under this command. It's "anyone who is angry with a brother or sister". It's anyone who calls names and mocks with insults. It's anyone who hates in their hearts whether or not they take action with their hands.
It's you and me.
Questions for reflection:
1. Why is human life so precious?
2. What actions could you take to help protect lives?
3. How have you broken the sixth commandment?
Prayer: Almighty God, the giver of life, who sustains us through every breath, may we never take the gift of life for granted. Lord God, we are sorry for all the times we have committed murder in our hearts by our anger and mockery. Please show us how we can do more to protect and preserve the lives of others, for your glory. Amen.
Ros Clarke is the Associate Director of Church Society
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