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Archive for the 'CODE' Category
Thinkpad X230 & Ubuntu 12.10
- No easy tool to control touchpad.
Using xinput
jony@Icarus:~/bin$ xinput
⎡ Virtual core pointer id=2 [master pointer (3)]
⎜ ↳ Virtual core XTEST pointer id=4 [slave pointer (2)]
⎜ ↳ TPPS/2 IBM TrackPoint id=13 [slave pointer (2)]
⎜ ↳ SynPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad id=11 [slave pointer (2)]
⎣ Virtual core keyboard id=3 [master keyboard (2)]
↳ Virtual core XTEST keyboard id=5 [slave keyboard (3)]
↳ Power Button id=6 [slave keyboard (3)]
↳ Video Bus id=7 [slave keyboard (3)]
↳ Sleep Button id=8 [slave keyboard (3)]
↳ Integrated Camera id=9 [slave keyboard (3)]
↳ AT Translated Set 2 keyboard id=10 [slave keyboard (3)]
↳ ThinkPad Extra Buttons id=12 [slave keyboard (3)]
To switch off trackpad : xinput set-prop 11 "Device Enabled" 0
To switch on trackpad : xinput set-prop 11 "Device Enabled" 1
- How to control the sensitivity of trackpoint?
Audio Issues:
Internal speakers doesn't work.Fixed with the new kernel (3.5.0-18-generic) update.
- Mute button light is inconsistent. Sometime it comes up sometimes it doesn't
Laptop Mode
- Install laptop mode – http://blog.agdunn.net/?p=62
Sublime Text syntax definition for Google Protocol Buffers
Sublime Text Syntax definition for Google Protocol Buffers.
Not robust – But its a start.
{ "name": "ProtoBuf",
"scopeName": "source.proto",
"fileTypes": ["proto"],
"foldingStartMarker": "{",
"foldingStopMarker": "}",
"patterns": [
{ "match": "\\s+[0-9]*",
"name": "constant.numeric.proto",
"comment": "Field numbers"
{ "match": "double|float|int32|int64|uint32|uint64|sint32|sint64|long|fixed32|fixed64|sfixed|sfixed64|bool|string|bytes",
"name": "storage.type.source.proto",
"comment": "Scalar Value types."
{ "match": "optional|required|repeated|default",
"name": "storage.modifier.source.proto",
"comment": "Field Rules"
{ "match": "^message|^package|^option|^import|^extend|^service",
"name": "entity.name.function.proto",
"comment": "Message section"
{ "match": "\/\/.*",
"name": "comment.line.double-slash.proto",
"comment": "Comments"
"uuid": "f6a112ba-072a-47b3-b3e3-7714156b3614"
Update : Moved to emacs. But still still two-timing …
Update : Moved to emacs.
End of a book : Johnny in Novell
Last day in Novell.
Started out as an intern in the GNOME team about 5 years back. Jumped between Evolution and iFolder a few times for different (voluntary/involuntary) reasons. Met a lot of good engineers. Had both good / bad times. Learned a lot work / non-work.
I loved working on Evolution, Evolution MAPI (may not be perfect, but had a awesome time with it And i'm yet to cash in on the few beers i've been offered), Attachment Reminder (Trivial, but looks like you guys liked/hated/loved it), Redesign of Evolution search bar and so on. Best bug that I've worked on so far was changing a '1' to '-1' in EText (Oh those early days! Had no clue what GDB can do.. Used hundreds of 'printf's, lots of coffee and tested the patience of office night guards and that adrenalin rush!). Thanks to Novell for the opportunity to contribute full-time and getting paid for that.
Special thanks to my mentor Srini. I'm looking forward for more new awesome fun things in GNOME.
I'll miss the 1-1 coffee breaks talking games/gadgets/music, discussions on research papers that I don't have a clue about, conversations during 'tea breaks' outside office (you would see me very inspired/productive after those sessions), thursday nights 😉 & nice friends that I found beyond 'work'.
The End.
Push Email for GNOME Evolution's Exchange MAPI provider (exchange 2007)
GDB Scripting : A short article for a internal magazine
I wrote a small article for a internal magazine and few of my friends wanted me to post it to this blog.
This is for people who are new to GDB and still exploring itz features. So if you've used GDB for more than few weeks please ignore and skip 🙂
GDB – Scripting
A good majority of novice programmers tend to use printf functions to trace function calls and to printout the debug data. This forces you to change the code and compile again and again. To eliminate these superfluous tasks from your day-to-day work, use GDB. The GDB has facilities for scripting and helps in saving plenty of your time.
Tracing Function Calls
If you want to know whether a function is called or not, create a break point and write a simple script.
#Set the breakpoint
(gdb) b mapi_sync
Breakpoint 1 at 0x7fffd75f36e2: file camel-mapi-folder.c, line 741
#Tell GDB what to do when the breakpoint is reached
(gdb) commands
Type commands for when breakpoint 1 is hit, one per line.
End with a line saying just "end".
> continue
> end
continue – Come out of break and continue
end – terminate command list
Run the program now. The GDB prints the function name when the breakpoint is hit and automatically continues running the program.
Breakpoint 1, mapi_sync (folder=0xc9c1a0, expunge=0, ex=0xf3a0c0) at camel-mapi-folder.c:741
741 CamelMapiStore *mapi_store = CAMEL_MAPI_STORE (folder->parent_store);
Using the GDB Scripts for Analyzing the Data
Suppose that you have a singly-linked list that has strings in it. At some point, you might want to know the contents of the list. To do this, use the GDB scripting instead of adding the debug statements in your code.
#Example for gslist traversal.
define p_gslist_str
set $list = ($arg0)
while ((GSList *)$list->next != 0)
p (char *)(GSList *)$list->data
set $list = (GSList *)$list->next
document p_gslist_str
p_gslist_str <list>: Dumps the strings in a GSList
Add the above snippet into a file and load it into the GDB as follows:
(gdb) source /home/jjohnny/scripts/gdb/gslist.gdb
Now, anywhere you want to take a look in the GSList, simply break and
(gdb) p_gslist_str server_uid_list
$17 = 0x7fffd81101b0 "7666BC1E000000015870BD1E00000001"
$18 = 0x7fffd810e330 "7666BC1E000000015970BD1E00000001"
$19 = 0x7fffd810cbe0 "7666BC1E000000015C70BD1E00000001"
Simple scripts thus can save you a lot of time from adding or removing the debugging statements from your code. Now go ahead and create a suite of scripts to aid the library you are writing.
More cool developer tricks later. Have fun !
— End —
Thanks to Radhika for editing the article.
Btw when is Archer branch (Python scripting) getting into GDB ? I've been using it a bit .
– Scripting
openSUSE 11.1 on PS3
Woohoo ! After a long delays and issues (in the last few days) I've managed to install openSUSE 11.1 in my PS3. Running a full blown desktop is very sluggish. Reminds me of my first computer (amdk6 500mhz). Some screenies :
Now onto get the Cell SDK running … Synergetic Processing Elements (SPE) here i come !


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Cardio Tennis is one of the fastest growing fitness activities in the UK. You don't need tennis skills, you don't even need a racket (we'll let you borrow one).
If you want to improve your fitness, have fun and the chance to meet people, then Cardio Tennis is for you.
Click here for details of our Cardio Tennis schedule and how to apply.

subset: commoncrawl


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Product Details
|David Macfie
|Publication date:
|Angus Logie - Rest in Peace
|Sold by:
|NOOK Book
|File size:
About the Author
Dave Macfie is an author and the General Manager and Lead Consultant of Unique Advantage South Africa, a consulting company specializing in creating unique business advantage from purpose, analysis, insight, alignment and action.
To sample some of Dave's work get one of his books FREE at http://davemacfiestories.com/dave-free-books/ or check out his Flash Fiction via his Blog Posts.
Dave has been an avid reader since his early twenties, but only started taking writing seriously in mid 2015. He started self-publishing in February 2016.
Find out more about Dave at his author website - http://davemacfiestories.com/about-dave/
Dave has published three series - the two book non-fiction "BIG DATA FOR EXECUTIVES", the mystery/thriller, trilogy "ANGUS LOGIE - REST IN PEACE" and the six book epic fantasy "THE CREATOR'S EGG".
The final book of the fantasy series was published at the end of May, 2017. Now, for the next month or two, Dave is going to concentrate on improving his marketing. But, at the same time he is planning two more Mystery/Thrillers with working titles "Gunpowder, Treason and Plot", and "Pilgrim's Rest".


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"A very scary proposal was reavealed too by (Tim "Tax Cheat") Geithner, essentially saying 'let the president have free reign on raising the debt ceiling to whatever level he wants it.' That's a very scary thought because Barack Obama is a socialist. He believes in socialism and redistributing wealth, in confiscating hard-earned dollars of our small business men and women, so that they cannot reinvest their dollars, hire more people and grow and expand. Instead he believes in these failed socialist policies. I say it not to personally condemn our president. I say it because I face reality, I see what's going on and the path we're on."
Thank you Sarah Palin! It's way past time someone wasn't afraid to tell the truth about this guy Obama and what we're facing.
Richard Milhous Obama is not "in over his head," he's not "a nice guy" and he's not a "European style liberal." He's belonged to socialist/communist organizations and been mentored by a Communist. Or, as they say, "if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck..."
This is what the GOP needs, a leader who isn't afraid to "fight like a girl."


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First came the cops. Then came the drug-and-alcohol counselors. Next up was the moms. And finally, the kids.
All of them told a state Senate committee Tuesday they oppose a plan to privatize wine and spirits sales and make beer more readily available under a House-approved bill supported by Gov. Tom Corbett.
Law enforcement officers, represented by union officials, said they oppose House Bill 790 because it lacks extra financial support for police facing a potential rise in emergency calls at liquor establishments, on roads and in homes. And the counselors, Mothers Against Drunk Driving and high school students warned that the bill could trigger more alcoholism, violence and death without providing extra money to ward off those social ills.
"I'm not against privatization if you can limit access [to alcohol]," said Deb Beck, president of Drug and Alcohol Services Providers of Pennsylvania. "But I have never seen a proposal that does not increase access."
Corbett's state police commissioner and acting health secretary attended the hearing and offered written testimony in favor of the House bill, but they were not asked to speak.
Indeed, the one-sided panel signaled in stark terms that the House-passed bill is on life support in the Senate. That means Corbett's vision of privatization is unlikely to become law. What, if anything, will pass to replace Pennsylvania's dated booze-distribution system remains unknown.
This much is clear: A key Senate committee chairman effectively pulled the plug on the House's version of privatization just two months before a June 30 deadline for a new state budget.
"I am on record saying I will not support the House bill," Sen. Chuck McIlhinney, R-Bucks, chairman of the Law and Justice Committee, said after the hearing.
Corbett issued a statement thanking McIlhinney for holding the hearing and for focusing on societal issues. Corbett said H.B. 790 does call for increased enforcement and penalties that better protect citizens than exist under current liquor laws.
"We know that consumer choice and convenience and social responsibility are not mutually exclusive," Corbett said.
But time is ticking to get a liquor deal done. The Senate leadership is letting McIlhinney take the lead in crafting a possible compromise.
With strong support from Corbett and House Majority leader Mike Turzai, R-Allegheny, the House passed the liquor bill 105-90 on March 21. It would eliminate the state's wholesale liquor purchases, close the 600 retail state stores, and issue up to 1,800 liquor licenses to privately owned outlets while also allowing restaurants, taverns and grocery stores to sell more alcohol for consumers to take home.
The House vote moved the bill to the Senate committee, chaired by McIlhinney and Jim Ferlo, D-Allegheny. Only a rarely invoked parliamentary maneuver could move it to the full Senate without their say-so.
On Monday, Senate President Joe Scarnati, R-Jefferson, bemoaned the time being taken up by the liquor debate. Other matters, such as transportation funding and the budget, need attention, he said.
The next day, McIlhinney and Ferlo held their hearing. They have scheduled more hearings through June.
Tuesday's panel was set up to discuss potential policing and societal problems tied to H.B. 790, McIlhinney said. By nature, those topics would generate some form of opposition to expanded liquor and beer sales, McIlhinney said, and that is why the testimony seemed so one-sided.
The next hearing, May 14, will tackle business issues related to privatization, and Corbett will be invited to testify at the third and final hearing in early June, McIlhinney said. After those hearings, McIlhinney said, he will float his own legislation on privatization because his committee will not vote on the House bill.
McIlhinney declined to offer specifics of what his bill may look like when he introduces it in mid-June. But he said based on Tuesday's testimony it will be different from what he has previously proposed:
•Keep the state's wholesale liquor purchasing business.
•Expand the retail sale of wine and spirits.
•Give beer distributors the ability to hold additional licenses.
Senate Democrats, who unanimously oppose the House plan, have their own version of liquor reform. It is based on Ferlo's bill, which would retain every aspect of the state store system while also giving it more freedom to expand hours and pricing.
On Tuesday, Ferlo criticized the House bill. He said it would violate current law against open alcoholic containers in cars because it would allow taverns to sell customers a bottle they can unseal in the tavern and reseal before getting back in their car.
Sen. Richard L. Alloway II, R-Adams, said the bill does not increase the risk of having alcohol in cars as Ferlo claimed. How else do consumers get it home from state stores? he asked.
But McIlhinney sided with Ferlo, saying the House bill does appear to violate the open container law and would have to be changed.
Source: The Morning Call


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Chinese carriers benefit from reduced fuel prices and further cash injections
Asian airline shares were generally higher on Tuesday (28-Jun-09), reflecting stronger conditions on Asian equity markets and lower fuel prices. The Chinese carriers were, again, the strongest gainers yesterday, with China Southern and China Eastern soaring 11.2% and 10.0%, respectively, following gains of 8.0% and 7.3% on Monday, as the Shanghai Stock Market increased its winning streak to five sessions, gaining 6.3% to a new 14-month closing high. Air China and Cathay Pacific gained 5.0% and 3.0%, respectively.
Further stocking Chinese airline stocks, reports have emerged that China's Assets Supervision and Administration Commission has convened a meeting to discuss a possible further cash injection of CNY3.1 billion (USD454 million) into China's three largest carriers. China's National Development and Reform Commission, meanwhile, will reduce the price of jet fuel by 5.5% to CNY4.770/ton, effective today.
Elsewhere, Thai Airways' shares climbed 4.6%, and hit the highest level since 10-Jul-09 during the day's trading, amid expectations that the airline would report a net profit for 2009, after a net loss in 2008, due to lower jet fuel costs and cost cuts.
Leading the decliners on Tuesday was Jazeera Airways, down 3.6%, Japan Airlines (-1.8%) and Singapore Airlines (-0.6%). Malaysia Airlines shares remained stable on Tuesday, despite news that the carrier's passenger traffic has returned to pre-global financial downturn levels. Load factors increased to 67% in Jun-2009 and 76% in Jul-2009, after dropping to 56% in 1Q2009. The carrier attributed the increase in traffic to its various initiatives, including its "Everyday Low Fares" programme.
Asia Pacific selected airlines daily share price movements (% change): 28-Jul-09


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You've Never Been to Portland Until You've Been to One of its Strip Clubs. Here's Why. (Matador Network)
Online lifestyle magazine The Matador Network just wrote up a piece about how unique the Portland strip club experience is. Here's a quote from the article:
In a recent article that Stanger submitted to the United Nations Population Fund for World Sexual Health Day, tellingly titled I'm A Sex Worker And I Experience More Harassment As A Civilian, she wrote about the ways she is treated as a stripper inside a club versus as a woman on the street:
"When I compare civilian life to the interactions with hundreds of intoxicated strangers in a highly stigmatized industry, my amount of negative experiences in the strip club pale in comparison..."
"The fact is: women are treated as objects throughout the world. The other fact is: people are surprised when they learn that a stripper is often treated better by her patrons than by some strangers at a bus stop.
The article was the winning entry for the 2015 Sexual Health Writing Competition.
You can read the whole article at Matador Network.
Return to StripperWriter.com Homepage


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On Monday, in a 7-1 decision (with Justice Clarence Thomas dissenting), the US Supreme Court moved to limit prosecutors' exclusion of potential jurors based on race.
The Supremes ruled that Georgia prosecutors improperly struck black jurors from the jury pool in the death penalty case of Timothy Tyrone Foster.
The justices' decision clears a path for a new trial for Foster, an intellectually disabled black man, who, at the age of 18, was charged with the murder of a 79-year-old retired elementary schoolteacher named Queen Madge White, a white woman. Foster was tried by an all-white jury, who sentenced Foster to death. Prosecutors highlighted the names of each potential black juror, and wrote the letter B next to their names.
In his majority opinion, Chief Justice John Roberts said the prosecutors acted in violation of a 1986 SCOTUS ruling that found racial discrimination during jury selection to be unconstitutional. The ruling required lawyers to give race-neutral reasons for striking jury members when accused of such discrimination.
But because the opinion is such a narrow one, it's not going to stop prosecutors from misusing peremptory challenges, which allow attorneys to get rid of jurors they believe are harboring prejudice. Peremptory challenges can, and sometimes are, abused by attorneys who dismiss jurors because of race, gender, or sexual orientation without explanation. (Here's a interesting history lesson and some more information on the issue of peremptory challenges from the Public Law Research Institute at UC Hastings.)
Georgia attorneys are allowed 20 peremptory challenges—more than in most states. (California lawyers also get 20 peremptory strikes in life imprisonment and death penalty cases.)
The Daily Beast's Jay Michaelson has more on the issue. Here's a clip:
[Stephen] Bright says that "every prosecutor has a handy-dandy list of race-neutral reasons that they give" when it comes to exercising peremptory challenges. "They even distribute reasons in advance. Some state training programs even distribute a list called 'Articulating Juror Negatives.'"
That is the real problem: that across the country, prosecutors are given enormous discretion—in Georgia, they have 20 peremptory challenges—and know how to weasel around the rules.
That certainly happened in Foster's case. As the Court's opinion relates, the prosecutor objected to one juror "because she: (1) worked with disadvantaged youth in her job as a teacher's aide; (2) kept looking at the ground during voir dire; (3) gave short and curt answers during voir dire; (4) appeared nervous; (5) was too young; (6) misrepresented her familiarity with the location of the crime; (7) failed to disclose that her cousin had been arrested on a drug charge; (8) was divorced; (9) had two children and two jobs; (10) was asked few questions by the defense; and (11) did not ask to be excused from jury service."
That's typical of the "laundry list" approach that prosecutors use in order to avoid being accused of discrimination: just throw everything at the wall and see what sticks. It doesn't matter if it's incorrect—for example, this "too young" juror was actually 13 years older than a white juror who had been admitted. Just say everything and sort it out later if you have to.
Nothing in today's case changes that.
SCOTUSblog's Lyle Denniston has a helpful breakdown of the ruling and its implications.
For further Foster v. Chatman-related reading, Atlanta Magazine's Max Blau has an excellent profile on Stephen Bright, the head of Atlanta's Southern Center for Human Rights, who found the prosecutor's racially biased juror notes and successfully argued Foster's case before the High Court. Bright and his SCHR team have won four of the last five SCOTUS capital punishment cases they've argued. Here's a small clip:
"It's a brutal, enormously difficult, emotionally draining practice," Bright told the New York Times in 1993. "There are no resources to do the job well, there's a tremendous amount of public hostility, and it's financially devastating to most lawyers. You have to be out of your head to take one of these cases."
Now boasting a staff of 26, the 40-year-old SCHR has won four of its last five U.S. Supreme Court death penalty cases, exonerated an Alabama man convicted of murder by showing he had an alibi, and helped overturn dozens of death sentences. It was a series of SCHR lawsuits that spurred lawmakers in the early 2000s to create the Georgia Public Defender Council, a statewide system considered to be a major upgrade over the existing patchwork of local public defender offices.
Two MacArthur Foundation "genius" grant winners have been Bright protégés. After graduating from Harvard Law School in 1985, Bryan Stevenson joined the SCHR, sleeping on Bright's lumpy couch for a year. In 1989 Stevenson started the Equal Justice Initiative in Montgomery, Alabama, which has since saved more than 100 men from execution. And when Rapping founded Gideon's Promise in 2007 to train public defenders across the country, Bright gave the fledging program space in the SCHR's offices.
"We wouldn't have existed without Steve," Rapping says. "We're carrying out Steve's vision."
State lawmakers have rejected a "trailer bill" attached to the California's May budget revision, which would have closed off public access to records regarding the deaths of children involved in the child welfare system.
The bill, introduced by the California Department of Social Services Director Will Lightbourne, would ease deadlines for releasing the child death records and keep social workers' identities secret in such cases. Information on the family's history within the child welfare system would be limited, and info provided by witnesses would be removed from the record. The legislation would have replaced those pieces of information with a short summary of the government's attempt to protect the kids.
Lawmakers rejected the bill following a recommendation from the staff of Senate Subcommittee 3 on Budget and Fiscal Review to toss the bill
The LA Times' Garrett Therolf has more on the issue. Here's a clip:
Since the state implemented the original law, reporters have had access to social worker case notes and other files. These sometimes revealed glaring inadequacies in the state's child welfare system, including instances of social workers disregarding policies and allowing children to remain in conditions that proved fatal.
One provision of the proposed revision of the law would have denied the public access to original case notes with social workers' names, instead providing abbreviated summaries of how the government attempted to protect vulnerable children. Critics also criticized what would have been relaxed deadlines for the release of certain records.
The Senate lawmakers recommended that the department return to the drawing board and vet the measure through the usual committee process "to ensure that lengthier time of discussion is provided and that the proposed language does not represent a retreat from, or complicates, existing practice."
Pete Cervinka, the social services deputy director who led efforts to craft the bill, said much of the criticism was overblown and that he had hoped the bill, in practice, would increase the amount of information released in child fatalities.
Cervinka noted that the bill would have for the first time provided information about cases in which someone injures or neglects a child to the point that they are "near death." The federal government has been prodding the state to do this—and holding back some federal money until it happens.
He said the starting point for future attempts to address that issue would be the existing law, not the recent drafts of the new bill, adding that the department would work harder to build consensus among various groups, including nonprofit child welfare groups, lawyers for parents of children in foster care and unions representing social workers.
Trailer bills that are tacked onto the budget, like the one mentioned above, are able to skip review in committees and take a short cut to voting. These bills are meant to implement the budget, but often carry major non-budgetary policy changes.
Another way lawmakers circumvent the usual legislative procedure is by placing bills—ones that would cost the state money if passed—into "suspense files." This technically happens so that the measure's potential fiscal impact can be assessed. But there are quite a few bills that would place very little fiscal burden on the state that have been placed on suspense.
In an op-ed, the Sacramento Bee's Dan Walters explains that using the suspense file has become a way for lawmakers to meet and decide behind closed doors which bills will move forward, and which will be dumped.
Interestingly, a bill to shine light on police personnel files in misconduct cases has been placed in a suspense file.
Walters says that, like police records, there should be more transparency within the legislative process. Here's a clip:
The suspense file process has morphed into a way for the Legislature's leaders to decide in secret which bills will be allowed to proceed and which will not, for reasons known only to themselves.
At some point later in the session, the committees will meet and in mere minutes declare which bills will be allowed to reach the floors of both houses. Pro forma votes will be entered into the official record, but that's just window dressing.
The arbitrary nature of the process is aimed not only at winnowing the volume of measures reaching the floors, and their costs, but at protecting legislators from having to cast votes that could be politically difficult.
One could say, in fact, that legislators are protecting themselves in the same way that police secrecy laws protect cops and their departments from having to answer to the public for their actions.
Nor is it the only way that the Legislature makes it more difficult for its activities to receive public scrutiny.
When they take up the budget in June – a budget whose important details will be drafted in secret by the governor and legislative leaders – lawmakers will also vote on a couple of dozen "trailer bills" that supposedly implement the budget but always contain major policy changes that are never aired publicly in advance.
Not only should the secrecy surrounding internal police investigations be breached, but also the secrecy that envelops the budget.
In 2012, Jackie Lacey made history in Los Angeles, becoming the county's first female and black district attorney.
In an interview with KCRW's Warren Olney, Lacey—who is running unopposed for another four years as DA—talks about key issues that have cropped up during her first four years, including Prop 47's effect on crime, jail-building, and prosecuting law enforcement officers. Here's a clip from the interview, but do go over and listen to the whole thing:
Warren Olney: You have often said that your office is supposed to be race neutral, but history shows that our society and the rest of the criminal justice system is not race neutral. It's a lot harder on blacks and other minorities than it is on white people. What are you doing about that?
Jackie Lacey: Our office does its very best to make sure that the policy makers reflect the diversity of the community. So if you look, our office is probably the most diverse population of prosecutors if not in California and maybe throughout the United States. I think that helps because you want the perspective of a lot of different people at the table. I think in diversity there's strength and people take their jobs seriously, there's the least likelihood of bias. I also think that it helps the community's confidence to see that our office is as diverse as it is, in terms of making decisions about everything from what's filed to what's not filed, and certainly to what type of sentences are incurred. I, as an African American woman of course, grew up in Los Angeles, in South LA and am very much aware of biases and while we don't have a perfect office, or a perfect system we're doing everything we can to make sure that it is as bias free as it can humanely, possibly be.
Proposition 47 reduced some non-violent felonies to misdemeanors in order to help ease prison overcrowding, lead to alternative kinds of treatment and also to save money. Other district attorneys and some of your own prosecutors claim that it has led to an increase in crime. Do you agree with that?
I haven't seen the data supporting that. There is an increase in crime, particularly property crime. I think the Public Policy Institute has noted that. I'm not sure if they attribute it to Prop 47 or AB-109 which is prison realignment. But we're definitely seeing an increase in crime and we ought to pay attention to it. But I think we also owe it to the public to examine each case and look to see where the person was and what they were doing in terms of the criminal justice system before they committed the crime in order to draw that conclusion, that Prop 47 is responsible. It may be responsible and it may not. But I would love to see the data but I think more importantly, I think it's my job to continue to look for ways to discourage people from committing crimes. Obviously there's a deterrent effect asking for custody time, but also addressing any issues such as addiction that may be causing someone to get out there and commit property crimes.


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Summer Groups
Spend A Day On The Farm
Enjoy our fun activities, fresh air and outdoor play all summer long. We offer group packages that are perfect for summer recreation programs, scout groups, daycare centers and more. Group pricing rates begin at 25 people. Our typical summer group package consists of:
Summer Groups Pricing - $8.75 Per Person
Our typical summer groups visit lasts for 1.5 hours and includes:
- Jumping Pillow Included
Enjoy the sun while bouncing on our Jumping Pillow. A great activity for children of all ages.
- Minature Golf Included
Play all 18 holes of our farm themed miniature golf course. Package includes unlimited play during your visit.
- Kiddie Soft Serve Ice Cream Included
Enjoy a cone or dish of our delicious soft serve ice cream. Vanilla, Chocolate or twist flavors are available.
Additonal Fun Add Ons
- Batting Tokens $2 Per Token, 6 For $10
Four different speeds of baseball from 35 MPH to 70 MPH as well as slow and fast pitch soft ball options.
- Kid's Train Ride $2 Per Child
Hop on the Wickham Farms Express and ride on our train! Perfect for younger groups.
- Farm Animal Food $.25 Per Child
Feed all of the Wickham Farms animals while on your visit to the farm.
We also are happy to offer additional food and drink options such as pizza, cookies, chicken fingers, soda juice and more. Please email email@example.com or call us to work out your package.


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Living the High Life
Living the High Life
As a newcomer to the city, it sometimes feels unreal that I'm here. I'm actually in the city that so many movies, TV shows and books inspired me to join. Going to the Top of the Strand rooftop bar, however, a space styled by Lydia Marks (the designer on films like The Devil Wears Prada and Sex and the City), drops me front and center in the New York I've been dreaming about.
The space is modern yet intimate, offering guests choices from plush couch seating under canopies, to chairs at the bar with a stunning view of the surrounding architecture, like the Empire State Building. There really isn't a bad seat in this rooftop lounge. While the view brings many people into the bar, it can't be enjoyed to its fullest potential without a indulgent cocktail. Sip and stare with specialty drinks like the "strandhattan" (woodford reserve, carpano antica, cherry herring and brandied cherry) or the strawberry gimlet (fresh strawberries, vodka and lime). Guests need not go hungry, either, with bites like the wild mushroom flatbread pizza (ricotta, mozzarella and foraged mushrooms) and the yellow fin tuna tacos (aji Amarillo, cilantro and yellow peppers).
With the promise of quenched thirsts and full bellies, the only other worry might be the weather but the retractable glass roof allows you to enjoy the venue indoors or out. Whether it was Sex and the City, The Devil Wears Prada, When Harry Met Sally, Breakfast at Tiffany's or the other hundreds of films that inspired my wanderlust, I found my movie moment while staring at the Empire State Building at Top of the Strand.
» Top of the Strand, 33 West 37th Street, 646.368.6385


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Real Estate Law
The Law Office of Jose G. Oliveira, P.A. is a civil litigation law firm which limits its practice to real estate litigation and foreclosure defense in Orlando and surrounding towns and counties.
Civil litigation is a legal dispute between two or more parties that seek money, damages, or specific actions. Our office focuses its practice in representing clients in all aspects of Real Estate Litigation. When a case is in the litigation stage, this means that a party has already filed a lawsuit and the defendant must act fast in order to protect their rights. Foreclosure cases are the most common cases in our area of practice.
Our office also represents clients in matters such as reviewing contracts for the sale or purchase of a property, commercial or residential foreclosure, or any matter dealing with real estate which would require the attention of an experienced attorney.


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Tablets are transforming technology. These Relatively small devices are big sellers worldwide with the original tablet, the iPad, having sold well over 50 million units to date. Having multiplied into many competing versions over the last few years, the tablet computer is changing the way people lead their lives and pushing entertainment experiences in an entirely new direction.
The impact of the iPad and subsequent tablet models has taken many forms. The sizeable tablet screen offers users a platform for watching television and movies in a mobile or stationary capacity. The touch screen functionality and large memory mean that consumers can watch things on the iPad itself, or even better, connect wirelessly to other televisions and stereo systems throughout the home making it a very powerful universal remote.
The tablet itself isn't expected to completely change the desire to watch things on big screens, but with specialized apps like ABC Player, BBC iPlayer and Comcast Xfinity TV, it has quickly become the preferred second screen in many homes. The ease of use and range of programming available on the iPad, especially without commercial interruptions means that many consumers are happy to sit in bed or on the couch with an iPad in their lap instead of cable on the big screen.
The development of the universal remote functionality is perhaps the most impressive feature of the tablet. Remote control apps offer a range of customization simply not available in a handheld remote. Many apps feature multiple screens and can even respond to gesture based commands. This means that a user can change the channel with the flick of a wrist.
As more and more tablets begin to enter family homes, children are becoming incredibly adept at maneuvering the various interfaces. The touch screen functionality is intuitive for many children who can learn to navigate through games and programs with incredible dexterity.
The result is a generation of children whose motor skills and intuitive response rates are impressively developed at a relatively young age. With a range of apps that offer kids the chance to read, play, learn and move, the tablet can deliver innovative educational elements through world-class entertainment.
Unlike a television, the tablet offers every family member the opportunity to engage in some form or another. This small device can challenge, support and entertain an entire household with ease.
Tablets are shaping the future of home entertainment the same way the personal computer did in the 1980's. While there are a variety of tablets on the market today to suit a range of budgets and personal tastes, the iPad remains the market leader for its impressive functionality and world-renowned design and craftsmanship.
Image Credits: IntelfreePress


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Philosophy and game theory are passions of mine, because they unite different parts of our lives in illuminating ways. I want to bring this joy of discovery and connection to others, and I do so in my public work.
The game theorist's guide to parenting
What can game theory tell you about how to be a better parent? Check out my new book with Paul Raeburn to find out.
Learn more
Writing for popular audiences
I have written several articles about the application of game theory to politics, parenting, and many everyday activities
Learn more
Press coverage


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In the time of COVID-19, our farmers' markets have adapted to social distancing safety requirements.
Elegance Defined: The Cobble Beach Concours d'Elegance showcases amazingly rare and historic automobiles
There are currently no upcoming signature events.
In the time of COVID-19, our farmers' markets have adapted to social distancing safety requirements.
Elegance Defined: The Cobble Beach Concours d'Elegance showcases amazingly rare and historic automobiles
The Holstein Non-Motorized Santa Claus Parade is a small town holiday tradition.
Winter, spring, summer or fall, there's always something happening at Blue
Looking for a family-friendly event? Grey County has plenty of four-season family fun to choose from.
Watch Canada's top snowboard racers compete for the national title, as they race head-to-head down a giant slalom course on Blue Mountain's Smart Alec ski run!
A Star is Born, Mar 7 On the Screen $10 in advance $12 day of movie
2019 marks the 100th Anniversary of the Canadian Institute of Planners and 25 years of the Registered Professional Planner designation in Ontario. To celebrate these historic milestones, please join Grey County and Lakeland District Planners for a free interactive event on planning in Grey County and Canada. The evening will include discussions on:
Tickets: $35.00
Back by popular demand, The Mudmen return for another foot-stomping, crowd-pleasing Celtic rock show! This band sells out every time. Don't miss your chance to feel the energy!
As the Gallery's hometown of Owen Sound is named one of North America's 'Must Visit Hockey Towns', the Tom Thomson Art Gallery is thrilled to announce our latest original exhibition Saving Face: Art in Front of the Hockey Net.
Dec 28, 29, 31, 2018
Jan 2, 5, 12, 19, 26, 2019
Feb 2, 9, 16, 17, 23, 2019
Mar 2, 9, 13, 15, 16, 23, 30, 2019
Blue Mountain Foundation for the Art's 39th Annual Juried Art Show
New Location-New Method of Intake: ONLINE at the BMFA website,
February 9th to March 9th, 2019 Results will be emailed April 2nd & 3rd.
Finalists' work will be hung April 13th in the new BMFA location…
65 Simcoe Street, Unit 4, Collingwood, L9Y 1H7.
New in the Galleries! "Impressions" by Dean Raeburn-Bell from February 25 to April 7.


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Just because something is simple, does not mean its going to be easy.
Change, for example, is never easy for me.
But sometimes you have to. You have to just put your foot down, and say "enough!"
October is going to bring some big changes for me, making them is what's best for me.
It started with removing the 2 people I had put on my phone plan that were not paying their share $50 a month, over 2 and 3 years! Well yes it added up ($100 times 24 and/or more months) and yes I'm friggin stupid for putting them on in the first place, but I thought that's what you did helped friends out with whatever you could. I was used. Neither one of these people texted me, or did anything for that matter to keep up their end of the friendship. I was a door mat. Both could go ahead and buy their smokes, weed and booze, yet could not cough up the money to cover the cell bill.
And I suffered sometimes giving up food to cover the bill.
I put up with it never saying one word, so it is no ones fault but my own that I allowed this to carry on for so longer.
And neither, now with their new numbers, texted to give me that number.
Friends? No definitely not!
Now of course I didn't even just shut them off I gave them both 2 weeks notice that I would do it, and not a word on it.
I bet good money all they could think was "Damn that sucks free rides are great!"
But still not a word from them, and I'm done reaching out. I'm done being a doormat, a free ride, a rainy day friend.
I am better than that. I deserve better than that.
I'm going to carry this over to everyone in my life. if you want me in your life, reach out to me 1st for once.
Otherwise, you are never going to hear from me again.


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BP, Shell lead plan for blockchain-based platform for energy trading
(Reuters) – A consortium including energy companies BP and Royal Dutch Shell will develop a blockchain-based digital platform for energy commodities trading expected to start by end-2018, the group said on Monday.
Other members of the consortium include Norwegian oil firm Statoil, trading houses Gunvor, Koch Supply & Trading, and Mercuria, and banks ABN Amro, ING and Societe Generale.
Blockchain technology, which first emerged as the architecture underpinning cryptocurrency bitcoin, uses a shared database that updates itself in real-time and can process and settle transactions in minutes using computer algorithms, with no need for third-party verification.
Mercuria has been a vocal advocate of implementing blockchain technology to significantly cut costs in oil trading.


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Conservation group suggests several measures to mitigate impacts.
Rocky Mountain Ecology
Warming climate alters alpine, subalpine zones at Colorado mountain research site
Measurements at Niwot Ridge research station west of Boulder indicate changes to Colorado mountain zones are underway.
CBD, WWP Seek endangered species protection for plains bison
Two groups let the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service know they intend to sue because of the agency's decision to not offer the plains bison endangered species protection.
Large-scale forest biomass production unsustainable, bioenergy researchers determine
A move toward industrial-scale bioenergy using forest biomass could negatively impact ecosystem diversity.
Expanded range, increased breeding may explain scope of massive Mountain West pine beetle infestation, CU study finds
Research suggest that mountain pine beetles are maturing faster than previously thought with two generations of young bugs attacking vulnerable pine forests throughout Colorado and the Rocky Mountain West.


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Hunter's Hosted One Hell of a Party with Black Coffee!
500 lucky winners were treated to a lush island style party with Black Coffee and a hot line up of the country's finest DJs. From this list, 14 will be jetting off to to catch our biggest music export doing the most in Ibiza, Spain
Over 500 lucky winners were jetted off from different parts of the country to party it up island style at a Black Coffee shindig this past weekend! Also heating things up on the decks was a hot line up of the country's leading DJs; including Bhashkar, Sun El Musician, Da Capo and DJ Cndo.
Hangar 17 at Rand Airport was transformed into an island destination on the outside, complete with lounges, daybeds and palm trees.
The massive hangar doors opened to reveal the kind of club Black Coffee frequents during his performances around the world with LED screens, lasers and smoke machines.
The main attraction of the night, besides Black Coffee's two-hour set, was the live draw where 14 lucky guests won an unforgettable experience to the party-island Ibiza, in Spain, at the end of September to watch Black Coffee perform at his residency at the famous HÏ Ibiza club.
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5 Biggest Mzansi Celebrity Beefs in 2020
They can't stand each other.
South African celebrities often preach unity and the mission to elevate the local creative industry. But it doesn't look like as all of them get along as we'd collectively wish they did.
Black Coffee and Prince Kaybee are both fire on the decks and have each produced some of the biggest street anthems we've ever known, but that doesn't necessarily mean we should be expecting a collaborative summer hit from both of them.
Far from it, in actual fact. The house music maestros recently publicly shaded each other in what has become the latest public feud involving famous persons from the top rank of local pop culture.
Though, it isn't as if their bitter exchange functioned outside the norm. AKA and Cassper Nyovest have sustained a beef that might or might not have overstayed it's welcome. Both Riky Rick and Ms Cosmo have lamented the feud's detrimental presence in the culture, slamming it as "draining" and "exhausting to the game."
The two have been beefing on and off for the better chunk of the previous decade. Although both insanely successful in their lanes, it's starting to seem like neither AKA or Cassper Nyovest can go several weeks without tossing random shade at each other. Their beef has been touted as Africa's most profitable though, so it might not serve either well to plead for a truce.
After all, records need to be sold and relevance must be maintained. And with the two of them outdoing each other with splashy press announcements of fresh projects every other month, a little bit of publicity revolving around their nasty spat is essential to drive the bottom line.
Though, their feuding ways aren't just reserved for each other. We know Cassper isn't on good terms with Riky Rick and Prince Kaybee. For a good few years, Cassper and Riky weren't inseparable. But, a few collaborative projects later, the two raised eyebrows when some subtle mudslinging surfaced.
To the shock of the multitudes, Cassper's absence on the performer line-up of Riky's Cotton On Festival was pretty loud. Up until that point, he'd been a constant feature at Cassper Fill Up movement. How the hell had AKA, instead of AKA, on the line-up?
We also know that AKA isn't sending lovely texts to Sizwe Dhlomo, Prince Kaybee and DJ Maphorisa aren't in a group chat and the young rappers are contributing their bit to the dissing culture.
While the two are often compared, they've seldom acquiesced to the commercial seductions of capitalizing on their rivalry to sell records. Both aged 23 with the lyrical currency to rap cats twice their age under the table, it's not hard to see why Nasty C and A-Reece are often pitted against each other.
But in April this year, A-Reece sparked fresh beef chatter when Sotho Man With Some Power surfaced on streaming platforms. The project, which assembled some of Reece's finest works, dropped out of the blue on Apple Music on Friday, April 17th.
Where things got spicy is over the fact that Nasty's looming third studio album is titled Zulu Man With Some Power. The drop was taken by fans to be a subliminal message to Nasty C.
And after Nasty C remarked on Twitter that the situation was "sad sad sad sad sad", A-Reece's legal team issued a statement denying any involvement with the drop, and explained that it has been the work of a dusty third party. In simpler terms, A-Reece's team knew nothing about the Apple music publishing of Sotho Man With Some Power.
To this date, the whole thing remains a sketchy mystery.
When the two engaged each other in some mudslinging in April this year, their beef generated enough buzz to spark a conversation about the future of new school Hip Hop in South Africa. After all, not many beefs had managed to move the streets outside of the default AKA vs. Cassper.
The Big Hash vs. J Molley beef is believed to have started when the Big Hash dished the first shot on a song called 'I'm Sorry'.
The song, which surfaced on the rapper's Soundcloud "Carried a coffin big enough to carry Mooz' and Molley. That's no disrespect to anyone if you are offended, sorry!" . The track is taken from Hash's EP, Life + Times.
J Molley hit back with a lethal retort. Pallbearer (The Big Hash Diss) charged towards The Big Hash, taking him from several angles. Their back and forth went on for a while, and they've yet to reconcile their differences.
The genesis of their strife remains a mystery, but the end of it proved a few points. What started out as the usual back and forth chatter on Twitter ended with multiple apologies that sparked a frenzy on Twitter. Is Sizwe Dhlomo really this powerful?
Last month, two of the most outspoken South African celebrities took each other on over Twitter.
It all started when AKA publicized the fallout between him and sportswear brand PUMA, claiming that he hadn't been paid as hoped for his ambassadorship of the SNEAKA sneaker line.
Right on brand, Sizwe wasted no time in keeping it real about his assessment of the situation. AKA, he opined, had not made the best business decisions.
AKA hit back, targeting the culture commentator's bootleg wearing ways.
Where things escalated, however, is when AKA questioned the history of the Dhlomo family, alluding that Dhlomo's grandfather could have been an apartheid spy.
It ended it tears.
Both AKA and Riky Rick, who'd criticized Dhlomo over his comments, shared heartfelt apologies and looked like they meant it. Yikes!
Black Coffee and Prince Kaybee have a lot in common. They are some of the country's most respected House music producers and DJs. They both boast sprawling catalogs and know what it's like to have summer anthems back to back for a few years.
What's more, however, is their shared experience with feuding publicly. Black Coffee has beefed with AKA, and at one point slapped the rapper's road manager onstage during a heated confrontation. Prince Kaybee has fought with a long list, including Cassper Nyovest, DJ Maphorisa, TNS and Msaki.
The latest in their list of public daggers came last week when they exchanged jabs on the Twitter. Prince Kaybee had tweeted, "The problem is that celebrities fall for the same trap all the time, 'the urge to sound wise'. You watch a few youtube videos you (sic) wanna sound intelligent. Carry on, you will meet your maker. (sic)".
Black Coffee came through, and asked "Here's a question without the "urge of sounding intelligent "…..are you a celebrity?"
Things devolved further from there. It was just oh so nasty and oh so rude.
Apart from being hit machines, these two sure know how to throw shade when least expected. DJ Maphorisa has beefed with Black Coffee, Lady Zamar, Cassper Nyovest (now happily re-friended), and all of you who joked that he was keeping Kabza De Small up beyond his sleep times.
Prince Kaybee appears twice in this list because he's no stranger to beefs.
So it was only a matter of time before these two bumped heads. In February, the house music DJ's took each other on over who has the most hits, streams, chart success, money… and so on and so forth.
It started when DJ Maphorisa shaded local artists for not owning masters to their music, blasting the likes of Prince Kaybee, Lady Zamar, and Mafikizolo for sleeping on the real bag. Prince Kaybee hit back and the two spent days publishing receipts of their commercial success.
The list wouldn't be complete without the biggest celebrity beef in Africa. The rappers have been feuding for so long that one can hardly be mentioned without the other.
And it's not just beef tracks, which came and went. Their beef reached new levels in 2018 when their beef drove sales for the vodka international brands they represent. Fans bought in and took side, claiming allegiance to a vodka brand aligned with their fave.
This year though, AKA and Cassper's beef reached new lows when AKA brandished threats and started insulting Cassper's parents. He drew criticism from both fans and his peers.
Riky Rick has slammed the beef. "It might exciting for twitter but behind the scenes its something most rappers keep quiet on because its draining the life out of the culture", he tweeted.
Get The Freshest Celebrity Scoops, Discover New Music and Browse TV Content on QuenchSA.com!
Africa Now Radio With Cuppy Premieres On Apple Music
The freshly launched show celebrates sounds from Africa.
Music lovers are in for a treat. Apple Music has launched a new show called Africa Now Radio With Cuppy, host of the show and Nigerian-born DJ and curator.
Africa Now Radio with Cuppy, based on the recently launched Africa Now playlist will showcase the latest African sounds, be it amapiano, afrobeats, highlife, alte, house, hip-hop, afrobongo, or kuduro.
Listeners will hear the latest and greatest African artists and new forms of African popular music which fuse traditional and contemporary sensibilities, morphing into hybridized sonic fragments connecting all corners of Africa.
Apple Music today announced its new show Africa Now Radio with Cuppy, host of the show and Nigerian-born DJ and curator. Africa Now Radio with Cuppy, based on the recently launched Africa Now playlist will showcase the latest African sounds, be it amapiano, afrobeats, highlife, alte, house, hip-hop, afrobongo, or kuduro. Listeners will hear the latest and greatest African artists and new forms of African popular music which fuse traditional and contemporary sensibilities, morphing into hybridized sonic fragments connecting all corners of Africa.
"With a DJ background, I'm excited not only to play music but showcase the vast array of talented artists cultivating the music scene on the continent!" said Apple Music host Cuppy. "There are so many rich textures and sounds in Africa and the time is now for the world to embrace our diversity. Each and every week I'll be bringing a dynamic guide to discovering and celebrating the biggest and best sounds from across Africa, the Motherland. It will be entertainment at its best, Cuppy style!"
On the debut episode, Nigerian Producer Kiddominant – known for producing African hits such as Davido's "Fall" and AKA's "Fela In Versace" – joins Cuppy via FaceTime.
He tells Apple Music about his new single 'eWallet' featuring South African superstar rapper Cassper Nyovest and taken from his forthcoming debut album due for release in the second half of 2020. South African actress and 'Queen Sono' lead character Pearl Thusi calls in to share her favorite African proverb and current favorite African song.
Cuppy plays the best and hottest African music throughout the show and finishes off with a personalized 10-minute DJ mix of tracks from the Africa Now playlist.
Discover New Music, Exclusive Interviews and Album Reviews on QuenchSA.com!
Inside Channel O Looming New Show, 'Remix.Studio'
New era, new twist from the music channel.
After years of giving us next to nothing for what feels like ever, Channel O appears to be leveling up to a fresh era packed with exciting new shows.
With the Lockdown House Party gearing to its end in the looming weekend, the music channel has added a new music show to their schedule.
The show, which aims to deliver on its promise to cross-pollinate music, fashion, and African excellence with "a keen sense of curiosity", is called Remix. Studio. It will debut on Channel O on Friday, June 5th, filling the gap likely to be left behind as Shimza's lockdown virtual groove bows out from screens.
Remix.Studio is "a refreshing new concept that celebrates multi-dimensional creativity by providing a fluid space for beloved African musicians – established and emerging", it says here. The show looks "to expand on fan-favourite anthems by reinterpreting them in a live setting, both sonically and visually."
Taking the idea of the conventional remix and pushing its limits, the concept is unique in that, in addition to the never-before-heard live rendition of the song that each episode will focus on, the artist is also styled in 3 different outfits that add a vibrant visual dimension to the remix experience.
Coupled with whimsically colourful graphics and sing-along lyrics that will appear on screen; bonus verses, melodic interpolations, acappella cadences, stripped-down ballads and masterful auto-tuned vocals are among the diversely inspired deliveries you can expect to experience from some of the continent's most exceptional artists.
These will include, AKA (South Africa), Sauti Sol (Kenya), Tresor (DRC), Tsh
Each episode will also feature an exclusive interview with each performer that will allow viewers insight into the artistic process of crafting their song, as well as the deeper meanings behind the lyrics.
Remix Studio is set to premiere on Channel O on Friday the 5th June 2020 at 17:00 and repeats on Saturday at 15:00.
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Changchun Travel Guide
|Click to enlarge,
or go for more Changchun maps.
Changchun Facts
Chinese Name: 长春市 (cháng chūn shì)
Location: Changchun is located in the central part of Songliao Plain in Northeast China.
As the capital of Jilin Province, it is the second largest city in Northeast China and the political, economic and cultural center of the province. If the territory of China is in a shape of rooster, therefore this city is one eye of this huge rooster.
Population: 7,793,000
Area: 20,571 square kilometers (8,012 square miles)
Nationalities: Han
City Flower: Kaffir Lily
City Tree: Lodgepole Pine
Administrative Division: 7 Districts (Nanguan, Chaoyang, Kuancheng, Erdao, Lvyuan, Shuangyang, Jiutai); 3 Counties (Nong'an, Yushu, Dehui)
It is undeniable that the place is also a good travel destination. The natural sceneries lie in lakes and forests. Changbai Mountain, Nanhu Park (South Lake Park), Jingyuetan National Forest Park are good places for you to enjoy the pleasure given by nature. Especially in winter the whole city will give you a real enjoyment of genuine winter. Besides, there are colonial vestiges, such as Museum of the Imperial Palace of Manchukuo, Badabu. Still Changchun Film Studio, Jilin Provincial Museum, Capital Cities and Tombs of Ancient Koguryo Kingdom, and Movie Wonderland provide you another different kind of enjoyment comparing with simply watching movies in cinemas.
51 trains begin or pass by Changchun Railway Station everyday; more than thirty domestic airlines and four international lines of Changchun Longjia International Airport provide you much convenience of transportation. Four main speedways have connected the city with many parts of the country. At present there are four special tourist trains having been in use, Changchun to Xianghai, to Changbai Mountain, to Jilin and to Hunchun.
Changchun, known as 'Spring City of Northland', is of monsoon climate, locating in the transitional belt from wet area to sub-dry area. The four seasons varies a lot and the Changchun weather is rather pleasant, therefore it is honored Spring City of Northland. Spring is dry and windy; summer is wet and rainy; autumn is sunny and cool; winter is cold. Generally speaking rain and heat come in the same season. Besides, favorable climate and enough sunshine provide very good condition for the growth of crops. The area teems with corn and soybean; therefore it is praised as barn.
History: It has suffered a lot of hardships, especially in modern times. In 1931 Japan entered and occupied entire northeast part of China, which can be considered the prelude of Sino-Japan War. Obviously the city became a colony of Japan. On March 1, 1932, Puyi, the last emperor of China, set up Manchukuo here supported by Japan, taking it as the capital. From then on brutal rule of Japanese upon Chinese people had begun. After a long time of struggle and resistance, the city finally broke off the ruthless rule, stepping into a normal development.
Local Highlights: Compared with other historical cities in the country like Beijing and Xi'an, this city is a young one with only 200 years' history; however the present city is charming with several fine names which can give you a general impression of this big city.
Forest City: Woods, forest, people, city interweave together to show you a distinctive characteristic of the city. 39% of the city's ground has been clothed with greenage, which makes it one of top cities in this aspect. Green plants in and around make the city become a big oxygen bar, providing people to enjoy real fresh air.
City of Automobiles: The city is the cradle of Chinese automobile industry, a famous auto city in the country. On July 13, 1956, a truck branded with Jiefang was produced, which opened a new age for the country's auto industry. This truck was the first automobile entirely made by Chinese. Famous International Automobile Fair makes it a real City of Automobiles.
City of Films: Changchun Film Studio was the first one after the found of PRC. It is praised as the cradle of the country's film industry. For dozens of years, a great many excellent domestic films and dubbed films were produced here which gained a good fame for the film studio both at home and abroad. As a calling card, ceremonious Changchun Film Festival has enhanced its honor City of Film. Film is an intermedium. The outsiders have known more about this city through film; while the city has presented more of itself by films.
Nightlife: The nightlife here is not as colorful and romantic as that of other big cities in China, such as Shanghai, Beijing, however, it has its own distinctive flavor which can be only known after you taste it in person. Various kinds of pubs, coffee bars, teahouses and other amusement centers will make you feel at ease. As the fast development of tourist industry, those related tourist facilities are also in a quick growth. Nowadays there are more than 30 star-rated hotels in the city, among which three hotels are five-star rated.
Recommended Tour Information:
Hiking Adventures
Further Reading:
Dining Shopping Festivals


text:
Over the course of two weeks students wrote, filmed, and directed this short film after reading Paul Fleischman's novel Seedfolks. These stories are the students' stories created on location in Mr. Hughes' English class at Virgil Middle School in Los Angeles, California.
Put this book on your summer reading list, you'll thank me in the fall.
Amazon.com Review
Sometimes, even in the middle of ugliness and neglect, a little bit of beauty will bloom. Award-winning writer Paul Fleischman dazzles us with this truth in Seedfolks–a slim novel that bursts with hope. Wasting not a single word, Fleischman unfolds a story of a blighted neighborhood transformed when a young girl plants a few lima beans in an abandoned lot. Slowly, one by one, neighbors are touched and stirred to action as they see tendrils poke through the dirt. Hispanics, Haitians, Koreans, young, and old begin to turn the littered lot into a garden for the whole community. A gift for hearts of all ages, this gentle, timeless story will delight anyone in need of a sprig of inspiration.


text:
Written by: Joyce Lucas,
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Blossoms & Blooms
Written by: Joyce Lucas,
Monday, April 26, 2010
And The Winner Is...
We've been busy pricing all or our Road Trip spoils! It was a great trip and very successful! Thanks for making the trip with us! We'll be listing the best of our finds in the up coming weeks, so stay tuned! But if you want the big stuff...all the great rustic pieces you can see here, you'll just have to come to Farm Chicks!
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Unique And Beautiful Gifts For Mothers Day
Monday, April 19, 2010
As Promised...A Road Trip Giveaway!
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Oh What A Day! Road Trip Day Two!
A quick stop at one of our coastal favorites, The Pirate Pastry Shop! They make the best cookies! My favorite one is her Pie Crust cookies. They remind me of being a kids and watching my Mom make pies!
The Oregon Coast is so gorgeous. We had a fun time stopping to take photos and enjoy the beautiful scenery. Karen is a wonderful photographer and it was fun to see her in element!
One last favorite pic of the day...a wild patch of Forget Me Nots! We are enjoying relaxing in the hotel room tonight and looking forward to an early morning at the Flea Market! We will be picking up a few special items that will be included in our Road Trip Blog Giveaway! Be sure and check in tomorrow for details! Have a great day everyone!
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Too Much Fun!
Friday, April 16, 2010
Yet Another Road Trip...Woo Hoo!
Thursday, April 15, 2010
A Few Of Our Favorite Things
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Make Mine Pink's Friday Shopping Event
Whenever I come across one of my favorite things, I feel a sudden flutter. Do you know the the feeling? It's a little thrill that tells me this is something special. Maybe it's a memory that the item brings to mind or perhaps it's just the way it catches the sunlight. Maybe you're not really sure what it is about this particular item, you just recognize the pleasure it gives you when you see it.Whimsical treasures always stir that feeling in me. Faux pastries iced with lace and trimmed with vintage laces, pink polkadots on cupcakes and tiaras on clocks, things I only imagined in places I never expected. Vintage china pieces hand painted with roses, just like the ones my grandmother used to set, create that same inexplicable feeling of delight. Table linens in particular, remind me of the special teas I shared with her so many years ago. Almost anything with a pretty scent is on my list of favorite things.
Beautifully wrapped scented soaps, displayed in a ceramic bathtub, covered in roses. Sometimes I'll tuck and extra fragrant bar into a drawer to add a bit of fragrance to my clothing.In the bedroom, armfuls of flower-covered pillows are piled on the bed - the more the better. Dainty hankies draped over the shade of a favorite bedroom lamp, create just the right lighting for a summer night. A crystal vase placed on a table in the center of the room sparkles in the sunlight and makes me smile when it catches my eye.Favorite things come in all shapes and sizes, colors and scents. Whatever stirs that little flutter in you, you're sure to discover it at Make Mine Pink.
Written By: Joyce Lucas, Founder Make Mine Pink
Photo Contribution 1: The Pink Rose Cottage Photo Contribution 2: Gail Friend Designs Photo Contribution 3: Angel Heart Designs


text:
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May 26, 2020, 07:16:17 PM
The Forum dedicated to Arunachala and Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi
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Rough Notebook-Open Forum
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Topic: Rough Notebook-Open Forum (Read 530628 times)
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Re: Rough Notebook-Open Forum
Reply #1395 on:
April 30, 2015, 01:24:02 PM »
Dear Atmavichar
Very nice posting
Om Namo Bagavathe Sri Ramanaya
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Posts: 48312
Re: Rough Notebook-Open Forum
Reply #1396 on:
April 30, 2015, 01:42:20 PM »
Dear ATMAVICHAR,
Nice list. Very nice indeed.
One can surely add this:
Teach them your mother tongue, in case they study in English medium school.
Arunachala Siva.
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Posts: 2572
Re: Rough Notebook-Open Forum
Reply #1397 on:
April 30, 2015, 10:08:44 PM »
Questioner: As a child fairly often I experienced states of complete happiness, verging on ecstasy: later, they ceased, but since I came to India they reappeared, particularly after I met you. Yet these states, however wonderful, are not lasting. They come and go and there is no knowing when they will come back.
Maharaj: How can anything be steady in a mind which itself is not steady?
Q: How can I make my mind steady?
M: How can an unsteady mind make itself steady? Of course it cannot. It is the nature of the mind to roam about. All you can do is to shift the focus of consciousness beyond the mind.
Q: How is it done?
M: Refuse all thoughts except one: the thought 'I am'. The mind will rebel in the beginning, but with patience and perseverance it will yield and keep quiet. Once you are quiet, things will begin to happen spontaneously and quite naturally without any interference on your part.
However many holy words you read, however many you speak, what good will they do you if you do not act on upon them? - Buddha
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Re: Rough Notebook-Open Forum
Reply #1398 on:
April 30, 2015, 10:10:25 PM »
Sure Subramaniam Sir , learning one's own mother tongue is very important .
Last Edit: April 30, 2015, 10:12:26 PM by atmavichar100
However many holy words you read, however many you speak, what good will they do you if you do not act on upon them? - Buddha
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Posts: 2572
Re: Rough Notebook-Open Forum
Reply #1399 on:
May 01, 2015, 10:29:37 PM »
Generally you perform your daily worship in the accustomed manner. If you feel the desire to practice some extra japa or meditation, it shows that you have caught a glimpse, however faint, and there is then hope that gradually the rhythm of your true nature may emerge. In this condition, the sense of ?I? (aham) still persists, but this I is turned towards the Eternal, intent on union with Him.
Whereas, actions done with a view to fame or distinction are of the ego (ahamkara), and therefore obstacles, impediments.
Whether you practice hathayoga or rajayoga, or any other yoga, it can be harmful only if pure spiritual aspiration is lacking.
When doing asanas and the like, if you have found access to nature?s own rhythm, you will see that everything proceeds smoothly and spontaneously.
Ma Anandmayee
However many holy words you read, however many you speak, what good will they do you if you do not act on upon them? - Buddha
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Re: Rough Notebook-Open Forum
Reply #1400 on:
May 02, 2015, 08:50:03 AM »
An excerpt from The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna:
BANKIM (to the Master): "Sir, how can one develop divine love?"
MASTER: "Through restlessness-the restlessness a child feels for his mother. The child feels bewildered when he is separated from his mother, and weeps longingly for her. If a man can weep like that for God he can even see Him.
"At the approach of dawn the eastern horizon becomes red. Then one knows it will soon be sunrise. Likewise, if you see a person restless for God, you can be pretty certain that he hasn't long to wait for His vision.
"A disciple asked his teacher, 'Sir, please tell me how I can see God.' 'Come with me,' said the guru, 'and I shall show you.' He took the disciple to a lake, and both of them got into the water. Suddenly the teacher pressed the disciple's head under the water. After a few moments he released him and the disciple raised his head and stood up. The guru asked him, 'How did you feel?' The disciple said, 'Oh! I thought I should die; I was panting for breath.' The teacher said, 'When you feel like that for God, then you will know you haven't long to wait for His vision.'
(To Bankim) "Let me tell you something. What will you gain by floating on the surface? Dive a little under the water. The gems lie deep under the water; so what is the good of throwing your arms and legs about on the surface? A real gem is heavy. It doesn't float; it sinks to the bottom. To get the real gem you must dive deep."
BANKIM: "Sir, what can we do? We are tied to a cork. It prevents us from diving." (All laugh.)
MASTER: "All sins vanish if one only remembers God. His name breaks the fetters of death. You must dive; otherwise you can't get the gem. Listen to a song."
The Master sang in his sweet voice:
Dive deep, O mind, dive deep in the Ocean of God's Beauty;
If you descend to the uttermost depths,
There you will find the gem of Love.
Go seek, O mind, go seek Vrindavan in your heart,
Where with His loving devotees
Sri Krishna sports eternally.
Light up, O mind, light up true wisdom's shining lamp,
And let it burn with steady flame
Unceasingly within your heart.
Who is it that steers your boat across the solid earth?
It is your guru, says Kabir;
Meditate on his holy feet.
All listened spellbound. Again Sri Ramakrishna began to talk.
MASTER (to Bankim): "There are some who do not want to dive. They say, 'Won't we become deranged if we go to excess about God?' Referring to those who are intoxicated with divine love, they say, 'These people have lost their heads.' But they don't understand this simple thing: God is the Ocean of Amrita, Immortality. Once I said to Narendra:'Suppose there were a cup of syrup and you were a fly. Where would you sit to drink the syrup?' Narendra said, 'I would sit on the edge of the cup and stretch out my neck to drink it.' 'Why?' I asked. 'What's the harm of plunging into the middle of the cup and drinking the syrup?' Narendra answered, 'Then I should stick in the syrup and die.' 'My child,' I said to him, 'that isn't the nature of the Nectar of Satchidananda. It is the Nectar of Immortality. Man does not die from diving into It. On the contrary he becomes immortal.'
"Therefore I say, dive deep. Don't be afraid. By diving deep in God one becomes immortal."
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Re: Rough Notebook-Open Forum
Reply #1401 on:
May 02, 2015, 09:58:57 AM »
In the May issue of Saranagati (e magazine of the Asramam), there is a letter
from Smt. Gayatri Devi Vasudev, a world-famous astrologer, to Asramam.
This is actually a reply by Smt. Vasudev, to the request made by the Asramam
authorities, who had asked her to analyze the time of Sri Bhagavan's Maha Nirvana
i.e 14th April 1950, Friday, 8.47 P.M. She says that she had not seen a most
auspicious time in her 43 years of service in astrological profession. All the planets
in RASI Chart and NAVAMSA chart of the time (8.47 pm.) are in significant houses/
in exaltation, that indicate a realized soul leaving the shackles of body. (Bhagavan
had checked the almanac, without any reasons, specifically noted by devotees,
about a few days before Maha Nirvana!).
Inidentally Smt. GAYATRI Devi Vasudev, had written an article - which
had appeared in Mountain Path issue a few years back - about the
most probable date of Sri Bhagavan's Death Experience and Realization of
the Self. According to her the date was 17th July 1896.
Arunachala Siva.
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Posts: 48312
Re: Rough Notebook-Open Forum
Reply #1402 on:
May 02, 2015, 02:56:00 PM »
Indian Land Mass - 55 million years ago.
India was an island floating off the coast of Australia. Around 55 million years
ago, the Indian land mass northwards. - (Perhaps the ancient Tamizh literature
called it Lemuria.)
More than 25 million years ago, the Indian land mass collided with Asia as it
moved northwards.
Since the initial encounter, the sub continent has moved 2,000 km. farther north
at a rate of 5 cm. a year(!), sliding beneath Asia as it moves.
As the two land masses collide, the forces have pushed up the highest mountains
in the world in the Himalayas, and set off devastating earthquakes, regularly.
The earthquake that had occurred to the northwest of Kathmandu and the
surrounding valley, sit on an ancient dried up lake bed, which contributed
to the devastation.
As the gault shifted 3 m. along the rupture zone - between Indian Plate
and Eurasian Plate, it passed by Kathmandu at a relatively shallow depth
of about 145 km. causing massive shaking at the aurface. The earthquake
moved the city by 3 m. south, according to experts.
Records dating to 1255 A.D. indicate the region experiences a magnitude 8,
earthquake approximately every 75 years. The region's last earthquake of
such a magnitude was 81 years ago in 1934.
(Source: The New York Times.)
Arunachala Siva.
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Posts: 2572
Re: Rough Notebook-Open Forum
Reply #1403 on:
May 02, 2015, 04:05:24 PM »
ஒருமுறை சென்னையில் காஞ்சி ஸ்ரீ பரமாச்சார்யார் சிவானந்தலஹரியை விளக்கி பல நாட்கள் உபன்யாசம் செய்து கொண்டிருந்தார் (1930-களில் நடந்தது). அப்போது ஒருநாள், பக்தர்களில் ஒருவர் மகா பெரியவாளை அணுகி, தனக்கு சிவானந்தலஹரியின் நூறு ஸ்லோகங்களையும் தினம் பாராயணம் செய்வது கடினமாக இருப்பதாக ரமண மகரிஷிகளிடம் சொன்னதாகவும் அதற்கு ரமணர் அதில் வெவ்வேறு வரிசையில் வரும் பத்து ஸ்லோகங்களைப் பொறுக்கிக் கொடுத்தார் என்றும் சொன்னார் (ஸ்லோகம் - 6,9,10,11,12,61,65,76,83 & 91). அப்படிச் சொல்லிவிட்டு, அந்த மாதிரி முழுதும் சொல்லாமல் குறுக்கிய சாரத்தை மட்டும் பாராயணம் செய்வது பற்றி பெரியவரின் அபிப்ராயத்தை அறிய விரும்பினார். அப்படி அவர் கேட்டவுடனேயே ?பேஷாகப் பாராயணம் செய்யலாம்; ரமணர் சொன்ன பின் ஏன் இந்தக் கேள்வி?? என்று பதில் கேள்வி கேட்பதன் மூலம், தன் சார்பாகவும் அதை ஆமோதித்தார்.
However many holy words you read, however many you speak, what good will they do you if you do not act on upon them? - Buddha
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Re: Rough Notebook-Open Forum
Reply #1404 on:
May 05, 2015, 07:14:55 AM »
When will one be ready to surrender totally to God or Guru? I am of the view that
unless one experiences indescribable suffering, finding that his own effort to
overcome the suffering, will be of no avail, he will not be ready himself to surrender.
One cannot do self inquiry at that juncture.
Surrender is a point at which one's last thread of ego also gets snapped and
he begins to realize that only His Will would prevail. Like Sri Bhagavan says
in Arunachala Aksharamanamalai - verse 105: 'I am a weakling. (I can put no
more efforts on my own to overcome this predicament). Please save me so
that I can experience some happiness and you live long.' Sri Bhagavan also
says succinctly NIN ISHTAM, EN ISHTAM. - Your will is my will. Sri Bhagavan
also says in Padigam verse 2: You are the bliss that sprouts from love. This
love only becomes surrender in course of time, when a person is in the midst
of acute suffering.
ABHIRAMI Bhattar who is punished by the king for calling a new moon day as
full moon day, had the greatest bhakti towards Abhirami, the goddess. When
he had to experience suffering due to a possibilty of impending death, this
bhakti blossomed into surrender, and his 100 verses are only outpourings of
total surrender.
So also the case of Tiruavukkarasar, one of the great four saiva saints.
He embraced Jainism to find solace for his grief. But when he had colic pain
which could not be cured by Jaina medicines and mantra chantings, he
came back to Tiruvadigai to see his sister. She gave vibhuti and he immediately
went to Tiruvadigai temple and sang in front of Siva which is only a loud cry of
surreneder. Later, when the Jaina king punished him, as per the recommendations
of Jaina priests, again he sang -- this time not out of fear of suffering or death, but
by sure hope of the Lord to help him out from the royal punishments -.
Arunachala Siva.
Last Edit: May 05, 2015, 07:18:38 AM by Subramanian.R
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Re: Rough Notebook-Open Forum
Reply #1405 on:
May 05, 2015, 07:27:08 AM »
Sri Bhagavan says Total surrender and Self inquiry are the two sides of the same
coin. It is in the sense that both have something to do with the ego. In
total surrender, this happens at the last and in Self inquiry ego should be
killed first.
I think in case of atheists and agnostics, it is not at all possible because
for them, the ego not the Almighty is the central fulcrum around which
their lives revolve.
Arunachala Siva.
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Posts: 4076
Re: Rough Notebook-Open Forum
Reply #1406 on:
May 05, 2015, 07:45:06 AM »
Bhaktas or devotees of God are of four types. Arta, Jijnasu, Artharthi and Jnani. Arta is the distressed devotee who is suffering very much and who craves for the grace of God, in order to get himself relieved from pain and sorrow, Jijnasu is the seeker after knowledge, who feels that he is ignorant, and who wants the grace of God in order to have Wisdom. Artharthi is the seeker of wealth, who longs for earthly possessions, money, land, etc., in order to enjoy a happy life, and who propitiates God to get His grace to amass wealth. Jnani is the wise, the sage who is satisfied with the Self, who is contented in the Self, who has no desires, who is freed from desires, who has fulfilled all desires, whose only desire is the Self; who considers his own Self as the All-inclusive God.
The distressed is he who is suffering from a chronic incurable disease, whose life is in jeopardy on account of earthquake, volcanic eruption, thunder, attack by a dacoit or enemy, tiger etc. Draupadi and Gajendra are examples of Arta-Bhaktas. When Dussasana dragged her before the court of the Kauravas and pulled her sari, Draupadi cried for Krishna in order to guard her respect. Gajendra called on Narayana when a crocodile was dragging him in water.
Jijnasu is the enquirer. He is dissatisfied with the world. There is a void in his life. He always feels that sensual pleasure is not the highest form of happiness and there is yet pure eternal bliss unmixed with grief and pain, which is to be found within. Uddhava was a Jijnasu. He was dissatisfied with the world and got wisdom from Sri Krishna. This is recorded in the Bhagavata.
The seeker after wealth craves for money, wife, children, position, name and fame. Sugriva and Dhruva were Artharthi-Bhaktas. Sugriva wanted to drive away Vali and get his kingdom. Vibhishana wanted to put an end to Ravana and get Lanka. Dhruva wanted a kingdom where his step mother would not trouble and ill-treat him.
The Jnani is a man of knowledge who has attained Self-illumination. Suka-Maharshi was a Jnani-Bhakta. He was a Brahma-Jnani of the highest type. He realised that everything was his own Self. He taught the Srimad-Bhagavata to Parikshit.
There is another type of Bhaktas, called Vaira Bhaktas. These Bhaktas are negative Bhaktas. They do not have positive devotion for God. They hate God and thus remember Him always. Hatred also requires a constant remembrance of the enemy. So these also are a kind of Bhaktas only. They attain salvation through Vaira-Bhakti. Kamsa, Sisupala and others thought of the Lord constantly on account of their deep hatred for Him. Thus they attained Salvation.
Four Kinds of Bhaktas-by Swami Sivananda
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Re: Rough Notebook-Open Forum
Reply #1407 on:
May 07, 2015, 07:33:55 AM »
Dear subramaniyan
Regarding bhagavan's nirvana time.... As He was a Brahma gnani He does not any sankalpa to leave this world in auspious time but all devas, navagrahas welcomed Him in aauspious time.
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Re: Rough Notebook-Open Forum
Reply #1408 on:
May 07, 2015, 08:29:08 AM »
Dear ramanaduli,
Yes. In a way you are correct. A Brahma Jnani is never born, and he is eternal,
with no death or birth. But for us, the devotees / onlookers, there is birth
and death also for a Brahma Jnani. Swami Suddhananda Bharati (the author
of Sri Ramana Vijayam, Tamizh biography), during his stay in the Asramam,
cast the horoscope of Sri Bhagavan and said the horoscope cearly indicated
that He would be a Sannyasi at the age of seventeen. Sri Bhagavan listened
to this and simply smiled. What else He could do?
All Sciences are only towards a third person/object and are therefore only
appearances; so also is astrology. It is like scientists finding out God in
God's Particle in a laboratory with Large Hadron Collider!
Arunachala Siva.
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Posts: 2572
Re: Rough Notebook-Open Forum
Reply #1409 on:
May 07, 2015, 08:51:44 PM »
?Repeat God?s name and sing His glories, and keep holy company; and now and then visit God?s devotees and holy men. The mind cannot dwell on God if it is immersed day and night in worldliness, in worldly duties and responsibilities; it is most necessary to go into solitude now and then and think of God. To fix the mind on God is very difficult in the beginning, unless one practises meditation in solitude. When the tree is young, it should be fenced all around; otherwise it may be destroyed by cattle.?
Sri Ramakrishna
However many holy words you read, however many you speak, what good will they do you if you do not act on upon them? - Buddha
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Joan Suval
A founding member of Ananda Ashram, Joan Suval is a senior disciple of Shri Brahmananda Sarasvati, who called her "Mother of the Ashram." Since 1964, authorized by Shri Brahmananda, Joan has offered meditation and Yoga-Vedanta programs for the Yoga Society of New York, both at Ananda Ashram and in NYC. Shri Brahmananda also directed Joan Suval in the recording of his "Blue Sky Meditations." Over the years, she has accepted invitations to present her program, "Readings from the Masters," in San Diego, Los Angeles, Nashville, Ireland and Switzerland. Joan was also on the staff of the Post Graduate Center for Mental Health in NYC, where she developed the Center's first meditation and stress reduction program.
Also see Programs with Joan Suval.
Visit her website for more information.