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Posts filed under: 'Stand Your Ground Law'
GATED COMMUNITIES…and the ZIMMERMAN CASE…
The first time I actually saw a gated community it was a warm summery day, and I was driving around with Mother Rochelle looking for some beach front property to buy.
We were in Coney Island when we came upon it… a gated community. We were kind of in awe of it… because it was kind of off by itself. We did not recognize immediately what it was that we were looking at… as it is just not the kind of thing you see in New York City. And certainly not out in Coney Island ever… least ways I had not.
But by this time Coney Island had been converted into, I guess you could say, some type of urban oasis. Gone were all the tall brick story housing complexes that used to line the skies in this section of Brooklyn, known to the world as Coney Island. The place looked totally different and it was hard to believe what had once been. I didn't see the boardwalk or the amusement rides… none of it. It was as if somebody had taken a pencil and erased it… all.
Then that is when Mother and I spotted it, a group of houses surround by a brick wall. Up until this point… some time ago I had heard about gated communities but had never seen 1… or thought about it when I had seen them. Because who thinks of these kind of things… gated communities? I see such structures as just being more or less just a group of apartments or houses… or housing complexes… or new housing developments. But this place was fenced in with wires going all around… almost like a prison. The houses looked like that they had been shoved in and bunched up on top of each other… and that is what caught our attention.
The houses did not look like anything spectacular to me. None of them had any real land around them. Just a group of regular New York style non-distinct houses, of various kinds. Nothing big or fancy. Nothing that looked rizie… just plain common ordinary houses. Nothing to brag about. But they were fenced in by this brick wall that went all the way around it.
I remember saying to Mother, "Look Mother, a gated community."
I was surprised to see it… and especially in New York City… and Mother was too. And even more especially in Coney Island… a place where nothing but public housing complexes used to stand, for as far as the eyes could see… but they were now all gone.
I can't remember having seen 1 public housing complex that day in this section of Coney Island, that I used to visit often once upon a time.
Actually, they are not all certainly gone… at least ways not all of New York's public housing… otherwise known as projects. But many have now been transformed. The old tenants moved or were forced out by the city of the developers, who had come in to possess this waterfront section of Brooklyn, known as Coney Island. And the buildings that those people all once used to live in have become condos and co-ops, which are very popular in New York City among those who can afford it. Or they were torn down totally. And that was what Mother Rochelle and I were looking at… an area where all the old housing complexes were totally gone.
But while writing my blog, THE ZIMMERMAN CASE WHAT A FARCE, I had heard in 1 of the YouTube videos that I put into that blog… how Zimmerman's gated community had had a few recent robberies.
In 1 of those videos…. 1 of the homeowners, said to have been 1 of Zimmerman's neighbor in the gated community… he commented on how a couple of the houses had recently been broken into and robbed. How Zimmerman had stopped robbers from breaking into his house. And he also stated this was the reason for why Zimmerman should have been on his guard for any suspicious characters in their neighborhood… being that Zimmerman was Captain of the neighborhood watch.
Since having heard that I have been thinking… Gated community… neighborhood watch?
Didn't people move into gated communities for security?
Isn't that the purpose for gated communities coming about?
Then why did Zimmerman's complex… being that it was supposed to be a gated community need to have a neighborhood watch?
Something was not working here. Either the police in Sanford were not doing their job. Or the gate… usually some type of high brick wall… wasn't working either.
Or maybe these people were just lying. Maybe they hadn't had those break-ins.
I would love to see the records regarding break-ins in Zimmerman's neighborhood. And I would love to know exactly how long their neighborhood watch had been in effect?
Were these just a bunch of fearful people?
I mean who else would elect to live in a gated community… except for people who are fearful of the world around them.
The gate in gated communities is meant to keep out certain elements. These elements usually mean… the wrong kind of people… drugs and the woes that the rest of the world has to face simply by living among them.
Was Zimmerman's complex actually under attack by the outside world?
If outsider's were coming in… which as stated by the man in that video… some young black men robbing them… who was letting them in?
Most gated communities have security… mostly at the main entrance gate if nowhere else.
When I was in Altamonte Springs a small Florida town not far out from Sanford, where Zimmerman shot and killed Trayvon Martin… I recall visiting a friend whose parents lived in such a complex. While driving into the complex upon her directions to me… I drove through the front gate and up to her parent's house. At the time it had not dawn on me that they had lived in a gated community. I saw it only as an up-scale new housing complex.
When you consider it… isn't it kind of insane to believe you can lock yourself away from all the trouble of the world?
Evidently, Zimmerman's housing complex had some problems. Otherwise there would not have been a need for someone like George Zimmerman… operating in the capacity in which they had assigned him… Captain of their neighborhood watch.
What were they paying all that money for… if their gated complex was no safer than that of the people on the other side of their wall, which was suppose to be their gate of secured safety.
Had none of them considered that the elements which lived inside among them was just as dangerous… if not more so than many of the people on the opposite side of their wall?
Because George Zimmerman lived within their midst.
Well, God bless… Another beautiful day. I got to get going. Gotta edit some video footage for my television show. In case you didn't know you can check segments of it on youtube. Just type in my name as it appears on my book cover, THE BISHOP'S WIFE.
Hope you enjoy the rest of the day… and your weekend. Might be good beach weather. A couple of Sunday's ago that is where we were… aching foot and all. My mother said salt water is good for healing the body. So, we were out on the water front listening to the sound of the waves washing in… and getting our feet wet. Bye… and enjoy.
Thank you for reading this blog…and my others. Please be sure to continue to share this blog site with your family, co-workers and all your friends… "pass it on…" www.bsmith101.wordpress.com ©2013
Add a comment July 31, 2013
If it had been a Saturday Night Live skit from beginning to end then maybe it might have been funny. Except for the fact that someone's life was grievously taken this whole thing was anything but a joke.
I really do believe that the prosecution… the DA office… should first of all be investigated. Because this trial was one of the biggest disasters since Ojay Simpson. From the picking of the jurors to that supposed medical autopsy doctor something was seriously wrong.
Why in the first place were 6 women chosen for the jury, and primarily, if not all of them, white?
One could hardly call that a group of George Zimmerman's peers. None of them appeared to me to look in anyway like George Zimmerman's true peers… whom I would believe to be men about his age, of similar backgrounds etc.. etc.. And on what merits were those women chosen?
Based upon things said by Juror #37 once it was all over… if she can be believed… they all went into the jury pool already with their minds made up before they were even chosen to be jurors. And some like Juror #37 … I have no doubt also had hidden agendas like coming out with their own book deals and television interviews.
So, just how did such people make the cut and end up in that jury box?
Why would anybody question supposed jurors saying… 'Knock knock, whose there?'
What kind of jury selection did that of retarded examination of possible jurors bring about?
Maybe the prosecution was just trying to determine who was brain dead from who wasn't. And he chose the brain dead.
When you truly look at this case you have to ask yourself was the prosecution for Trayvon Martin's family… or was the DA office working against them?
When doctor KooKoo… don't know his name and I am not going to try to find out. But when that man took the stand… now the whole thing really went into the Twight Light Zone.
Was this man really a doctor?
Had he not ever been prepared by the prosecution office for this hearing before hand?
Did he really know anything about doing or handling an autopsy?
To all these questions the answers appears to be a resounding 'NO.'
From the moment that autopsy doctor opened his mouth the lawyers supposedly representing Trayvon Martin, the victim in this case, should have entered 'OBJECTION' after objection. Through this whole trial Perry Mason and Matlock were probably rolling over in their graves… and they weren't even real lawyers. But I sure could hear some 'objections' needed to be stated.
For 1 thing, the autopsy doctor referred to having conferred with another doctor regarding marijuana. Objection!
Since the other doctor was not there to substantiate that conversation… testimony of such should have been objected to.
Two, that autopsy doctor came to court with some notes which he stated he had prepared the night before. Objection!
Here was a guy who clearly stated that he could not remember the facts of his autopsy. Then why should notes written by him some… what 12 or so months later be allowed in as part of his testimony?
If he could not remember any facts on that autopsy, then clearly any notes written mostly recently would be moot and should have been of no apparent good in this case. Because they would be based upon his present memory or recollections as opposed to when he actually performed the autopsy.
Thirdly, the autopsy doctor was confrontational… and I don't know how long he had been in this country… but he kept acting like he didn't understand English. So, then how good was a testimony of anyone like that… who might not be really sure about what he was saying?
One has to wonder whether or not the autopsy doctor was paid off?
And if he worked in my department… after that performance on the witness stand… whether he was either performing to be highly incompetent or really is highly incompetent… I would have sent him packing. FIRED!
That guy was definitely highly unprofessional. And I cannot help but wonder if it was not just an act on his part.
Nextly, one really has to wonder….
'WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD THE PROSECUTION CALL this woman to testify?
Did they not go over her testimony with her?
Did they not know what questions to avoid… like 'what did he say about the man watching him?' Her response…. 'He called him a creepy ass cracker.'
Could that testimony not be any more damaging to this case?
She had to have say that to the prosecution before they even put her on the stand. So, they knew it would be damaging to Trayvon, for the jurors to hear that.
It appears that the prosecutors in this case purposely set about to sabotage it. Not once… not twice …but time and time again.
There are various other parts of this case which just do not add up. Such as why the prosecution did not push further with all those witnesses on Zimmerman's side which claimed it was 'Georggie's voice' that they recognized as the person screaming.
We live in a time of vast technological equipment. Equipment that is able to do voice recognition… voice separation… voice isolation… voice tracking… voice this and voice that… Including removal of any additional sounds outside of what you are focusing on. They have equipment that can do just about anything you want it to do… including voice distortion and correction.
So, then why was no technical equipment used in this case to determine who the possible screamer really was?
Equipment could have been rolled into that court and that recording played over and over for those witnesses… recordings mixed with fake voices screaming to see if they could determine the real recording or the fake. Experts in sound and voice could have been called in to testify… but they were not. Nor was any equipment used to decipher whose voice it really was that had been screaming.
I listened to the 911 calls with the screams in the background… and coming from years in radio I have a very good ear. And those screams did not come from a 27 or 28 year old man. Nor was the voice non-African American. And on top of all of that… just ask yourself who screams for help when they have a gun in their hand?
Remember, now… that there was no evidence that Trayvon's hand was ever on Zimmerman's gun. There was no evidence in fact that Trayvon ever even touched Zimmerman. The forensic people found no traces of Zimmerman's DNA under Trayvon's nails… nor any bruises on his hands or knuckles.
The other issue in this case was the fact that there was so much 911 evidence in this case was against George Zimmerman. On 1 recording of a 911 operator, she clearly asked Zimmerman 'are you following him?'
To which Zimmerman answered 'yes.'
That operator told Zimmerman to stop following Trayvon and to get back into his car. Which George Zimmerman certainly from the outcome in the death of Trayvon… totally ignored.
Also, based upon the merits of that 911 recording alone Zimmerman was clearly stalking Trayvon. Therefore, Zimmerman was the predator… a man with a gun who approached an unarmed young person, who later was found shot to death by him. One bullet straight into his heart.
I have no doubt that George Zimmerman perpetrated a hate crime against Trayvon Martin. And that his call to 911 was a systematic attempt on George Zimmerman's part to build a scenario for that 911 operator, for circumstances that he would later claim provoked him into the killing of Trayvon Martin. An act which I believe came across Zimmerman's sick mind probably from the moment his eyes fell upon the young black teenage, Trayvon Martin, walking in the darkness of night… in the rain on his way home from the corner store.
The statements that Zimmerman made in his 911 call clearly show a concise and calculated mind working, at setting up a painted picture of the young black teenage male, whom he was following claiming that he 'looked like' a criminal and 'was out to do' something illegal. While on the contrary, Trayvon Martin was just a kid who happened to be on his way home from a local corner store. And it was Zimmerman who was the 1 working with a criminal mind… and a blind intent to kill a young innocent boy.
There are many people who believe that George Zimmerman was protecting himself… standing his ground, if you will. As Florida has a law called 'Stand Your Ground.' Meaning you have a right to protect yourself if you feel that your life is threatened.
Zimmerman had taken self-defense classes, was carrying an armed weapon, and he had aspiration of being a cop and/or lawyer like his dad, who just so happened to be a judge. Trayvon Martin had not taken any martial arts classes, and was only carrying a small bag of candy and a can of ice tea. Based upon that… who do you really think was more lethal?
I sincerely hope the Federal Government steps into this case, because the 'Stand Your Ground' Law is a very dangerous piece of law. It reminds me of the ol' south when white men would purposely go out seeking to start trouble with a black man or woman. So, they would step in front of them or do something to elicit some type of response from the victim, via their coercion of them. Whereby many black men and women were either killed, endangered, terrorized, houses burnt down, lost their businesses, and/or chased out of town etc…
Such laws as Stand Your Ground were and are not meant to protect all people… just certain people. And this case involving the brutal murder of Trayvon Martin is a clear indication of that.
What right more or is necessary …or does this law of 'Stand Your Ground' give to anyone, that has or is not given already by the Declaration of Independence in this country?
The Declaration of Independence states 'all men'… not some have more rights than others. It states that all men are created equal… with certain unalienable rights. And it begins by saying… We hold these truths to be self-evident. It then goes on to say…. that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
Unalienable rights… what are those?
The right to defend ourselves is a right given to each and everyone of us. Whereas, such laws as 'Stand Your Ground' are intended and are only applied for certain people… and not for others.
Back in the days… lets go to the days after slavery when supposedly the slaves had been freed. Yet, they were not allowed to look white people directly in the eyes. And often were taunted into some type of reaction for which they may have been killed… whipped… spat upon… mocked etc…
One could hardly say that they… those black folk then did not have a right to respond to such actions to provoke them. But based upon certain imposed or otherwise implied or 'understood' laws, mostly in the old south… laws not written but understood based upon you… meaning black folk… knowing 'our so-called place.'
Did not Trayvon Martin have a right to go to the store, and a reasonable right then be able to return home safely without some mad man shooting him down killing him for no apparent reason… other than his skin color?
Where were the rights of Trayvon Martin ever addressed in this case of the City of Sanford vs. George Zimmerman?
If indeed, Trayvon had been straddling Zimmerman in a fist fight.
Did not Trayvon Martin have the God given right given to him by nature, if no other law could protect him… than the law of self-preservation?
Why should Travyon Martin then have been demonized for trying to protect himself against someone whom he perceived to be a perpetrator who was out to kill him… when Zimmerman walked upon him and shoved that gun up in his face?
There was not 1 point or place where you can truly say that the prosecution truly tried to win this case. They did a lousy job of picking jurists. They failed to object to various infractions and irregularities as they appeared in this case. And they never seemed committed to win at all.
If the truth be told this case never should have been held in Sanford, FL… but in some other county if not state. The authority and connections of Zimmerman's judge father made this case an impossible case to get a fair trial in such a small little town… with so much at stake, and so many hands easily washed.
This is 1 of those rare times that I must say I disagree with Bill… That is Bill Crosby. Bill says you can't prove that Zimmerman is a racist. Yes, that might well be somewhat true. But you can't prove that he isn't a racist either. Ooooh, wait a minute…
Wasn't it Zimmerman who did all that racial profiling of Trayvon Martin in his 911 call, before he actually shot him to death?
That alone gave you a keen insight as to what or how George Zimmerman felt about young black males. And his actions spoke the rest.
Anyone who would have racially profile someone as in-dept as George Zimmerman painted that picture in his 911 call, of what Trayvon Martin looked like, his demeanor… his supposed behavior… etc. cannot be considered anything less than a racist. And there is no way of getting around that.
Zimmerman said that the person he was 'following' was someone who looked like he was up to no good… that it appeared as though he's on drugs or something… he's black or Hispanic… he has his hands on his waistband (meaning like he was packing a gun). And then Zimmerman said… 'these @#!# they always get away.'
In the CNN story below the person being interviewed states that the Trayvon Martin case was not a case of racial profiling, because racial profiling can only take place when someone is involved in law enforcement. I am a dissenting voice to this theory and statement with regard to this case. Because that definition can be extended to include anyone 'believing' he is a law enforcement officer. There is no secret about George Zimmerman and history of fantasying becoming a cop.
A psychologist should have been brought into this case who could have clearly said that George Zimmerman portrayed certain traits, habits, and forms of behavior and language that indicated he felt he was operating as a cop. When taken into perspective even George's scio-background, family history, and his history of prepping himself and taking up martial arts etc. all unquestionably show Zimmerman to be a man possessed with a deep rooted desire to be cop, or someone involved in some matter in law enforcement. Hence, his position as 'CAPTAIN' of the neighborhood watch.
It is quite clear that George Zimmerman wanted to be a police officer. When that avenue did not open up to him… he then tried to study law. And that failed too.
So, the next step was to join the neighborhood watch. It is not hard to draw a correlation between that and George actually being a cop on the beat. George Zimmerman was clearly and unequivocally a wanna-be-cop, and all his actions and language on the night, in which he confronted Trayvon Martin, attest to it. And this is not a large leap or even a very short hop to get to.
The other thing about Zimmerman… he obviously suffers from a feeling of wanting to be a hero. He appears to be the kind of person you read about who goes to work in a hospital…and awaits an opportunity to unplug somebody's life support machine… then quickly plug it back in just in the brink of time, then claim that he saved that person's life. When in reality he was the person who had thrown the person's life into jeopardy in the first place.
It is not hard to see that Zimmerman was… or is… a loser. Perhaps even a black sheep in a family, of what seems to be full of people who are professionally involved in law enforcement in varying capacities. But everything and time that George tried to do in order to get in… it would appear that he just could not make the cut.
I had a dispute with a friend over George's weight. Because at 1 point there arose this question of Zimmerman's weight as opposed to the weight of Trayvon Martin. Which of course should have also been a key point in this case.
When Zimmerman finally turned himself in… some 45 days after the killing of Trayvon… it was apparent to me that Zimmerman had gone on some type of crash diet during those days. The issue was whether or not Zimmerman weighted considerably more than Trayvon Martin? Even in the picture of above of Zimmerman being lead into court … you can see that the suit he is wearing is a lot larger than he is. However, during the hearing walla… a much fuller fatter Zimmerman, and his clothes seem to fit him just fine. Meaning Zimmerman's body mass between the time Zimmerman shot Trayvon and the time Zimmerman finally went to trial… shows Zimmerman at his true weight and mass, when the young teenager was shot to death. But, of course, Zimmerman's side had good reason to want to dispel the fact that Zimmerman was much heavier in body weight to Trayvon. Hence, Zimmerman's miraculous weight lose before turning himself into the police department in Sanford. Otherwise, that story made up by the Defense Attorneys of a helpless and fearful George Zimmerman at the hands of a Trayvon Martin just would not have played out. Nobody would have believed that.
So, George had to lose that weight. Which, of course, as you see in his court pictures that he totally gained back.
Then there is the camera footage of Zimmerman that night following the supposed fight that lead to the untimely demise of a young Trayvon Martin. Zimmerman's head had no cuts or lacerations.
If the truth be told there were a lot of 'so-called' myths that the Zimmerman team wanted to dispel… and some they wanted to seriously promote.
Some myths about Zimmerman…
- 1. He always told the truth
- 2. His family was full of truth loving people
- 3. Zimmerman didn't stalk Trayvon
- 4. Zimmerman was really in fear of his life
- 5. Zimmerman feared Trayvon was going to kill him
- 6. Zimmerman was a good law abiding citizen
- 7. Zimmerman had great reasons to believe his life was in danger
Some myths the Zimmerman team wanted to promote about Trayvon…
- 1. Trayvon was a wayward kid
- 2. Trayvon was a trouble maker
- 3. Trayvon was an addict
- 4. Trayvon was out looking for trouble
- 5. Trayvon was out to kill Zimmerman
- 6. Trayvon beat Zimmerman
- 7. Trayvon had a right to be killed
Let me stop right here. Who has ever seen anybody who fell to the ground hitting their head?
When did they get up with a cut or cuts?
I have hit the ground and have seen people bang their heads and they always ended up with a knot in their head. Big bump. The harder they fell the bigger the bump on their head. But never did I see a straight cut appear in anybody's head, from someone falling to the ground and hitting their head.
Here again is a big problem that I had with the forensic evidence in this case. These are the kinds of things that real professions are called into Court to testify about. But this case had no real forensic people. No big wig specialist… like in the Ojay Simpson case.
Those cuts on the back of George Zimmerman's head could have clearly been blown up and recognized as having not been done by some type of fall to the ground. And lugging all the concrete sidewalks in the world into court could not prove otherwise.
This case had so many missed opportunities on the part of the DA office… you really have to wonder if they ever intended to try this case to win it?
And that answer here again would have to be a resounding 'NO.'
Clearly, Trayvon Martin's case biggest opposition or problem were the very people who were supposed to be seeking justice for his murder.
I really do hope that Mr. President, Barack Obama, sends in the Feds to take on this case. Because Trayvon Martin truly deserves justice. He had done nothing for which his young life should have been stolen from him. And by his cries for help… he dearly did not wish to die… or deserved to.
Bill Cosby, Charles Barkley, Shari… whatever her name on the View, President Jimmy Carter… and many others who felt that this case and its verdict was just… definitely missed something. This was no 'new thing.' It is something that we as black folk in America have long had to deal with. Trials like this one are not new. And we have come to recognize them when we see them… and know them when we hear their verdicts.
All of this… the trial and the circumstances which brought about the trial are all historic. Even to the having of some black folk who want to say 'Oh, it wasn't racist.' When it clearly was nothing but racist. Race had everything to do with Trayvon Martin being killed… and there is just no getting around it.
I was really hoping… as we always do… that the jury would do the right thing based upon the shear merits of this case… and also having full knowledge that Zimmerman was a liar. Also, being fully aware that it was Zimmerman not Trayvon who had been the provoker. But in looking back over the court pictures… where Zimmerman does an awful lot of smiling for a man, who should believe he might be found guilty, and have to spend the rest of his life inprison. Too much smiling in fact…
So, now looking over these pictures and seeing this smiling Zimmerman, it appears to me now that Zimmerman knew how this case was going to go to end up right from the very start. That is really very unfortunate… money and power play a big factor in the outcome of a lot court outcomes. But I guess having a father with connections… goes a long way to assuring a favorable outcome.
I just finished watching a video of Geraldo Rivera talking about the Trayvon Martin case. It is funny how much people change over time. I thought Geraldo used to be a lot smarter. Based upon Geraldo's take on this case, any one of us could have been shot dead and would have been alright. Based upon Geraldo's assumption, if we look just like some black guys who were supposedly vandalizing that neighborhood then it is okay to kill you.
Now, how stupid is that… and ignorant?
I don't know how long the myth that all black folks look alike has been going around in America… but it has. We know we don't look alike… but to some people we all look like criminals …murders… crack fiends… and welfare fraud people etc…
Shame on Geraldo. He must be trying to get a new tv show or renew his contract. Some people will do and say anything… for a little money. He must need it real bad… And he sure looks old.
Guilty by looking like a criminal. Trayvon was dressed just like most teens dress, black or white… Hispanic or Asian etc… You see them all day long with hoodies everywhere… going to school… coming from school… riding skateboards… on bikes. When did wearing a hoodie mean you were a criminal?
And though I do not like the style… it is a style for the kids… shagging pants. A hoodie and shagging pants does not make anyone a criminal. Much less worthy of dying. And because somebody's house or neighborhood is having problems does not mean you go out shooting anybody you think looks like the type who did it.
Where is the justice in that?
I pray justice and peace for the Martin family… and America.
I have to admit that on this topic Mike Tyson spoke saying something that I very much can agree upon… or with him on. When asked what he thought about this case… Mike said, "I don't know any more than what I have seen on television. But I do know that kid should not have ended up dead."
In happening to catch a segment of The View, they were discussing the trial and I have to say that I truly admire Elizabeth Hasselbeck's stance on this, and her outrage is truly worthy of my mentioning. As a mother ever woman should be highly upset regarding the circumstances of this case, and the cruel, brutal and cold blooded murder of Trayvon Martin.
I did… but I have mostly done so on Facebook.
The other reason is I sprang my right foot. It has been a few weeks now. I had pain in it before… but not realizing it after I stepped into a hole and twisted my foot that I had done damage to it. Which while at a convention in Baltimore I had plenty of time in between limping around, and trying to stay off of it… I spent a lot my down time watching the case on TV. Because there wasn't much else I could really as my foot was killing me.
My foot is still bothering me. I understand it takes about 16 weeks for a sprang foot to heal. So, I am trying to stay off of it as much as possible still.
And the other reason it took me so long to write this blog was, of course, the weather… ALL THIS HEAT.
It has been soooooooo hot and humid here. The humidity was almost unbearable. Every time I got up to do the slightest thing… sweat would be pouring down my face… my nose… my brows etc… I was showering up to 6 times per day. Because I cannot stand to be sweaty… even with an aching foot. Yeah, pain or no pain into the shower I went. But the weather has broken now. And I hope it stays this way.
I certainly hope you fared well… better than me in all this heat… and got done all you needed to do. Have a good rest of this week… and I will catch you again soon. I've got to go put my foot back up.
And again I thank those of you very much who have ventured out and purchased my book… which can be ordered on-line at any number of websites… just google THE BISHOP'S WIFE by Bernadine Smith… and see for yourself. And you can also read excerpts from my book on-line as well at Barnes&Nobles Nook, amazon.com etc…
Thank you for reading this blog…and my others. Please be sure to continue to share this blog site with your family, co-workers and all your friends… "pass it on…" www.bsmith101.wordpress.com ©2013
Add a comment July 25, 2013


text:
Tuesday, 5 August 2008
Low Tide
Low tide at the headland exposes the rocks with their attendant green weed. The rocks and pools between Alexandra Headlands Beach and Mooloolaba are a truly beautiful place to explore.
Alexandra Headland
Labels: alexandra headland, beach, sunshine coast daily, surf
2 comments
- Timothy said...
Great photo!
- 5 August 2008 at 12:23
- freefalling said...
Did you find any of those sea cucumbers that squirt water out when you poke them?
- 6 August 2008 at 16:34
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
OPINION: Mosito is made of steel she works with daily
JOHANNESBURG – Small businesses are the economic engines of any country. Yet no space is more mentally challenging, highly competitive and financially frustrating.
Countries that understand the true worth and contributing power of their small businesses can thrive immensely by building the necessary and relevant ecosystems to fully support and scale them to sustainability.
Although significant progress has been made since the establishment of the Small Business Department in South Africa, small businesses continue to face various obstacles.
These include unfair competition from big business, entry to markets and access to funding, which is undeniably the key make-or-break factor.
Having a sound and viable business proposition that shows healthy potential is not good enough without the seed money to materialise and scale it. Yet the tedious and bureaucratic fund-sourcing process sends many a great idea straight into oblivion.
Research published in the US Small Business Profile shows that small businesses added 1.9 million net new jobs during the latest year studied. There are 30.2 million small businesses in the US, which employ 47.5 percent of the state's private workforce. The top three ranked industries for small business employment in the US are healthcare and social assistance, accommodation and food services, and retail trade.
In this regard, acting chief counsel Major L Clark, says that small businesses are the US' economic engine and reiterates that they are the key to the state's ability to grow economic output, entrepreneurship and private sector employment.
Recently, I had a chat with one of the start-ups at 22 on Sloane – Tebogo Mosito, who is the founder of Ditsogo Projects, a steel company that specialises in engineering, metal fabrication, the manufacture of rolling stock, conveyor structures, hoppers, chutes and various other machineries.
She has invested more than R700 000 in her business, which currently generates an annual turnover of some R10 million and employs 12 permanent staff and more than 25 temporary workers.
Although her business is based in the North West province, she's a regular visitor to our 22 on Sloane start-up campus in Johannesburg.
Mosito describes her journey so far as a tough one, given that her industry is mostly male-dominated, both in reality and perception. Yet, she never gives up and is not afraid to get her hands dirty by doing any job necessary to ensure her manufacturing plant can survive, and more importantly, thrive. In order to expand her company, Mosito revised her business case and growth strategy and approached various funding institutions.
Confusingly to her, most funders declined to finance her, citing unfounded reasons, causing her immense financial frustration, which has become more and more apparent within many businesses looking to move to the next level in Africa.
Yet with sheer perseverance, Business Partners agreed to offer her a Series A funding package worth R2.1m. These funds have been invaluable to acquire a manufacturing site and expand operations.
Currently, she's in search for another round of funding to continue her expansion drive and use technology to drive better performance and optimisation including exports to the SADC countries. Today, her current clients include Impala Platinum, Bushveld Vametco Minerals, Anglo, Sibanye and a few others.
Mosito was one of the 20 finalists for the 2018 Fast Growing SMEs Standard Bank Business Women's award and also placed in the top three for the FairLady Women of the Future awards.
In addition, she was one of just 14 business owners selected by the Department of Trade and Industry to visit Peru in September this year. During the visit, they will engage with business owners from mining and engineering in Peru and seek business opportunities.
Mosito acknowledges that over the years, South Africa's policies are getting more progressive and that the government's policy on involving more women in the country's mainstream economy has opened doors for her and given her the confidence to compete on a par with her male counterparts.
As South Africa ends the celebration of Women's Month this August, we encourage more women to be motivated by Mosito's story, the 100-year anniversary of late Ma Albertina Sisulu, which we celebrate this year, and the hard work and sacrifice of late Ma Winnie Mandela, who together fought hard to liberate the country and advocated for the development of women.
Kizito Okechukwu is the co-chairperson of Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN) Africa: 22 on Sloane is Africa's largest start-up campus.
The views expressed here are not necessarily those of Independent Media.


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You have to love the Yes Men – the court jesters who first came on the scene by impersonating WTO officials making outrageous neo-liberal recommendations to an audience so enamored by their ideology that they actually took it seriously.
If you haven't read the double-spoof you must take the time to do so. Ridiculing a political regime as foul and obnoxious as the Harper government is not easy but this inspired group- mostly Americans and Africans but with Canadian collaborators – managed with stunning effectiveness and creativity. They should get an award.
The first phase of the spoof was, of course, a news release that announced Canada was going to radically change its position – a news release that picked up in media across the globe. The statement included this gem: "This agreement tackles the core drivers of social and ecological vulnerability," said Matthew Delane, Canada's Attaché for Environment and Planning in Copenhagen. "It's nothing less than a new vision of international responsibility." News organizations interviewed Ross Laver of the Canadian Council of Chief Executives. who was also sucked in: "We are still trying to learn more about the proposal, but it's clearly a major concern for our members. This is not the way to create jobs for Canadians."
The spoof included a fake news conference (posted on a fake conference site) by the "Ugandan delegation" thanking Canada for accepting the notion of "climate debt" and its willingness to pay reparations for its past carbon emissions.
But perhaps the funniest part of the spoof was part II which denounced the first spoof in over-the-top language:
"The Office of the Environment Minister and Environment Canada confirm that this release and all statements within it are unequivocally false. Worse, they risk heavily damaging the negotiating process. Canada wishes to fully expose these efforts for the irresponsible deceit they represent, and shall seek the full measure of legal recourse against these criminals under Danish and international law"
If you haven't read these priceless pieces take the time to do so. And we can only hope they will demonstrate than even a sociopathic government Stephen Harper's can be successfully ridiculed.
Filed under: politics |


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Week 10 Research Seminar: Dr. Jonathan Boff, 'Ego-Documents and Official History: Crown Prince Rupprecht of Bavaria's Diary and the Battle for the Memory of the First World War, 1914-1939'.
This is a short blog about an opportunity I had this summer (2017) to undertake three days of archival research in Switzerland, for my dissertation project in the MA in Contemporary History at the Centre for Modern & Contemporary History at the University of Birmingham. I travelled there to consult the records of the Monnet Action Committee, which are located in the Jean Monnet Foundation in Lausanne, and was fortunate enough to receive partial assistance towards the costs from a research travel grant from the Centre.
My MA dissertation looked into the wider context of European integration as it developed in the mid 1950s, through the specific case study of the Monnet Action Committee. This is a relatively little-known organisation today that was active at that time in promoting European integration.
Below is a description of and reflection on my trip, which may perhaps encourage other MA students to cast their archival net more widely. Crucially, both my topic and the archives chosen offered the possibility of looking beyond solely British based sources and English language historiography.
It was important to be organised prior to my departure for Switzerland, as it would only be possible to visit once. First, from my previous research I had already gathered together existing work that others had done on the Committee. This was not a large literature, but did include a collection of published official resolutions and declarations. I studied these carefully for the period I was interested in, which was roughly from 1955 to 1958.
Secondly, I checked the archive's website which provides additional information regarding the Committee, namely an inventory of the records held, together with contact details for the archivist. The next step was to get in touch with them, which I did by e-mail. This was essential as they are a small centre and need advance warning of any visit. I asked questions and provided them with an idea of which records I was particularly interested in. Once this was done I could determine how many days were needed onsite and could then arrange the practical details of booking transport and accommodation.
The archives are located within the grounds of the Lausanne University. I made sure to book accommodation somewhere within walking distance of it, in addition to allowing extra time for a little sightseeing. A note on language: I speak French, which made it easy, and some level of language skills is obviously needed for this type of trip. However, it is not an insurmountable barrier: in terms of the preparation described above for example, the website is in multiple languages and the archivists could speak some English. Being enthusiastic and interested in their archive also helped when communicating with them.
My impression on arrival was positive. The weather was warm and the foundation is housed in an old farmhouse set in woodland within the wider university campus and close to the shores of Lake Geneva. It is a lovely setting and each evening I went down to the lake to review the notes taken during the day and plan what to do for the following one. The archivist was helpful: I was shown where everything was and the procedure for ordering documents was explained. They have a small room reserved for visiting researchers, which I had to myself.
The majority of the Committee's records are available on microfiche. These were created some time ago and are of variable quality, in particular handwritten notes were often difficult to decipher. However this was easily resolved as on querying it, I was provided with the originals of the unreadable microfiches. Perhaps another advantage of visiting a small archive was that, up to a certain quantity, it was free to request copies of documents. These were collated and sent to me as a PDF file by e-mail, within a few days of my trip.
On language, most of the records were in French with a few in other languages. I would advise anyone working on their research language skills with a view to a future trip to the archives to firstly focus on the specific vocabulary that arises around your particular subject, and secondly to keep in mind that you can reach a level of passive understanding of a written text on a familiar topic much sooner than attaining a more general mastery, such as being able to speak or write.
The three days I had allowed for the research passed quickly. I was aiming to build a general picture of the Committee to set it within its wider context. To do so I consulted the records in a variety of ways, following the general plan I had previously prepared, but not sticking to it so rigidly as to be unable to react to what I was finding. For instance, I studied various draft resolutions and declarations, tracing aspects that had both changed and not changed before the final published versions. This is a good example of how an archival visit can reveal a completely different story to the one that might be interpreted from simply using digital access to the final published text. In the Committee's reports I was interested not only in what topics were being raised but in the language used to justify and explain specific courses of action, together with how they defined certain concepts.
Of particular use was a large file relating to the set-up of the Monnet Action Committee. In this I was lucky to find additional details of the background experience of several participants that I had struggled to trace previously. There was also some interesting correspondence which gave insights into individuals' thinking and opinions. Finally, I didn't ignore what could be termed administrative records, for example the legal statutes of the committee and details on its funding and spending, which all provided additional information on how it worked internally as an organisation.
In summary, I came away with a full notebook for my project. But it was also an interesting experience in itself to visit an archive in Switzerland and wouldn't have been something I would have had the opportunity of doing outside the context of a History MA course. Based on my experience I would encourage others to consider broadening their research agenda to include non-British sources where appropriate, and to take advantage of the support that is available for such projects.
Gillian, 2016/17 MA Contemporary History student, University of Birmingham.
Our first event of the term at the Centre for Modern & Contemporary History is upon us! All welcome and details are below.
The Confidence Game of the Chicago School
Prof Matt Houlbrook
It is easy to find the confidence trickster anywhere, if you are looking closely enough. The global networks of trade and empire along which people and goods moved from the sixteenth century, the expanding cities of the modern United States, and the turmoil of revolution and civil war in the new Soviet Union: in each of these contexts the trickster was identified as characteristic or archetypal. Mobility and anonymity provided opportunities for personal reinvention and social advancement. They also allowed fakes and frauds to flourish, created intense anxieties about the difficulties of trusting those one met, and ensured social interactions and commercial exchange were haunted by the possibility of deceit. Britain's bogus honorable and Weimar Germany's hochstapler; Herman Melville's Confidence-Man; Al-Hasan al-Wazzan and Martin Guerre; Felix Krull and Ostap Bender; Netley Lucas. The paradox of the trickster was that they seemed both universal and exemplary of their time and place. What, then, should we do with these elusive figures as historians?
Of Spongers, Sharpers, and Cannibal Eunuchs: Swindle Story Collections around the World
Prof. Christopher Rea
(University of British Columbia)
Why do collections of swindle stories appear at certain times and places? In China, for example, the swindle story has experienced bursts of popularity during the late Ming, the early Republican era, the early Mao era, and during the last 20 years. And comparable works exist around the world. What, for example, do Zhang Yingyu's Book of Swindles (Ming China, 1617), Richard King's The New Cheats of London Exposed (Georgian England, 1792), and P.T. Barnum's The Humbugs of the World (Reconstruction-era United States, 1867) have in common—and how do they differ? Swindle stories, clearly, serve a double purpose: they teach techniques for navigating perilous social environments, and they entertain. But their authors tend to frame these narratives within a questionable claim: that ours is an age of unprecedented peril. Focusing on the example of China, this talk will highlight one thread running through literary history: connoisseurship of the swindler's ingenuity.
'All That Is Solid Melts into Air': Modernity and the proliferation of liminality.
Dr. Lucie Ryzova
Tricksters are creatures of liminality. I will first broaden our discussion by looking at the nexus of modernity and liminality. Modernity is a historical condition in which transition becomes permanentized. The acceleration of time, shrinking of space, mass-mediated popular culture and unprecedented social mobility all worked to normalize fluidity and bring about new configurations of personhood. 'Becoming another' became a reality for many, and a fantasy for many more. Novel cultural practices and forms emerged that allowed for a ritualised consumption of this permanent flux and where liminality and enchantment could be safely indulged. I will use as example the photographer's studio, a place of modern magic where anyone could momentarily transform the self into another. Secondly, I will present some thoughts on whether late modernity, specifically the current crisis of capitalism, creates the conditions in which trickster figures proliferate. Here I will propose to understand late capitalism through another archetypal figure of liminality, notably that of a vampire.


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The Sunday Photo Fiction challenge for August 6th 2017— two hundred words based on this image–
Copyright 2017 Douglas A. Daniel
"It's temporary," the cop said, standing in front of the sign. "A technical difficulty in the lab. Please cross to the other side of the street."
"Damn it," Underwood said. "The office is just over there."
"Still, we'd better listen," Hancock said. "Situations like this, cops don't mess around…."
"It's just some construction hold up," Underwood said. "The lab's not even finished, and they have a technical problem?"
"Come on," Hancock said.
He started across the street. Underwood turned as if to follow, then dashed behind the cop and up the sidewalk.
"Jim!" Hancock said.
"Hey, you!" yelled the cop.
Underwood grinned over his shoulder, and walked on. He'd be in the office before slow-coach Hancock got to the door.
Midway up the block he reached the lab's delivery entrance. Without thinking he glanced to his left.
Over the building shimmered a silver disk of light. Underwood stared; it was as if he could glimpse a different sky through it.
The cop yelled again from behind him. The disk of light pulsed; brilliance surrounded him.
He had time to take in a shocked breath of warm, moist air before he caught sight of the Tyrannosaurus Rex bearing down on him.


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TANNER, Ala. - Authorities in Limestone County are searching for vandals who broke or overturned the headstones on nearly 70 graves at Hatchett Cemetery in Tanner.
Cemetery board member James Lucas told al.com that his parents' headstones were among those vandalized. The cemetery is maintained by members of Little Ezekiel Missionary Baptist Church. Lucas said some families don't have the money to replace headstones that were smashed.
Howard Mosley, who has several family members buried in the cemetery, called the vandalism "just sickening."
Church members suspect the vandalism occurred between Wednesday and Friday. Church members are planning a work day Nov. 17 to try to repair some of the damage.
The Limestone County Sheriff's Department is investigating.
Alabama man finally gets Bronze Star for WWII
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The strong ties between groups 2AM, 2PM and the Wonder Girls were once again revealed.
First, Wonder Girls' Ye Eun posted on her Twitter on March 12, "2AM's 'I Wonder If You Hurt Like Me' is daebak!" Then 2AM's Changmin responded to her with a, "Thank You."
Following that, 2PM's Junho posted, "2AM's new album is out now. Please give lots of love to 'I Wonder If You Hurt like Me.' Changmin hyung, Chamkwonee, Seullungee, Jinwoonie, (nicknames for Jo Kwon, Seulong and Jinwoon) fighting!"
2AM released their new mini-alum, "Fitzgerald's Way Of Love," on March 12. Moments after the release, their title track, "I Wonder If You Hurt Like Me," reached the number one spot in various music sites, achieving an "all-kill" status.
Netizens who saw these interactions commented, "What a strong friendship," "Brother groups 2AM and 2PM, I hope you guys will be forever," "'I Wonder If You Hurt Like Me' is so daebak," and many other positive words.
Meanwhile, 2AM will make their official comeback through a showcase that will be posted on YouTube on March 13.


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Everything about Yamama is unique and in Brighton. The materials, screens and appliqués all individually created. Yamama has always been about colour, individuality and experimentation. All inspired and realised on the tropical island of Bali. Predicting future seasonal trends, fabrics and colours, designing and printing new graphics and materials is an exciting challenge that continues to push the label forward.
Yamama! Not from the high street; from the rebels, from the beatniks, the hippies, the mods, the discos. From the punks, the funk, the rockers…the post modernists. Not from the high street, with the wink of an eye.
t shirt printing, screen printing, embroidery
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VRS Orteco pile driver rigs | Arbus
Why are we talking about Orteco pile driver rigs? Because they are hugely important to our work, in terms of quality, efficiency and health and safety, and to our reputation at Arbus.
Orteco rigs are cutting-edge tech in our industry and make a big difference to how we carry out our engineering projects. First and foremost, these multi-purpose machines enable us to pile drive with laser-point precision, whether we're doing so on a horizontal surface or on a slope.
Secondly, they allow us to work quicker and more efficiently. By using these rigs, our productivity is much higher, which helps us meet tight deadlines. In addition, it's straightforward to transport these machines to and from sites thanks to their easy-load design.
Finally, these Orteco rigs have major health and safety benefits. They are designed to offer operators maximum protection at all times. The control area is ergonomically designed and positioned to provide the highest level of operator safety, while the oil pressure pipes are positioned behind the main frame for safety purposes. Furthermore, these state-of-the-art pile drivers are equipped with high-quality, soundproof engines that comply with strict European standards.
We have two Orteco Pile Driver on Crawler Smart rigs and recently we've had them hard at work installing vehicle restraint systems as part of our work on the M1 Junction 19 Improvement Scheme. As you can imagine, the deadlines on this project are very tight and our rigs have helped us deliver on time and on budget.
Click this link to see the Orteco Rig at Work
So, as you can see, when it comes to providing a high-quality service on tight deadlines, what we can achieve with Orteco rigs fits in well with the Arbus ethos.
Want to know more about Arbus products and services? Contact us on 01243 606219 or email@example.com.


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Stay home – unpatriotic. You're a citizen and it's your right and if you don't exercise that right, why stay here and bitch? Leave.
Our way if life is being destroyed. Yes. DESTROYED by a bigot and his sycophant REPUBLICANS. They don't want us to have healthcare, Social Security, any "safety-net" we might need that other "good paying Americans" chip in for.
Here's a news flash. FICA is the Federal Insurance Contribution Act and it was passed by the Roosevelt Administration in 1935. It is part of the unified budget for the United States, and Johnson was the first to "borrow" from it to pay for the Vietnam War.
What have the Republicans done for us other than raise the National Debt, approve tariffs, befriend hostile regime's, attempt to/practice war crimes by shooting a rock throwing protestors, support Fascists, White Supremacy and Nazism? Nothing, except pat themselves on the back and give their rich donors a tax break they didn't need while telling us the middle class would benefit. Middle class? That nearly non-existent group that is being chocked to death? The Republicans want it gone, along with all non-white groups. Look at how they gerrymandered all those Congressional Districts nationwide?
And their leader, the King of Lies, is out there calling our Fourth Estate, our source of information and NEWS fake, lying, dishonest, etc., etc. Projecting much, Donnie? Don't like bad press? You create it. Live with it, you orange smear.
Voting is so important, even though it's Midterms. Every candidate, every measure, every proposition impacts our lives and by not voting you're telling our Country you don't care. If you bitch, the automatic comment should be "did you vote"? And when you say no, well you got what you asked for. Quit UR bitchin'


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What We're About
We exist to facilitate life change. We believe this occurs through encounters with God and His people, connecting with God's people around God's Word, and serving each other–our community–the world.
Before You Come
The very first thing we'll ask of you is simple: relax. No matter what your spiritual background or past, we want you to "come as you are" because that's how we believe God takes us — "as is." From there, we'll help each other grow to be all God intended us to be. As a community of Christ followers, we strive to live by faith, to be known by love, and to be a voice of hope.
What are services like?
Our Worship services, at 9 & 10:30am on Sundays, include a time of worship and a message that communicates biblical truth in a relevant and meaningful way. We want you to feel comfortable enough to connect with the personal hope and practical help that God offers us.
What about my Kids?
We know that as a parent you to need be sure that your children are in a SAFE, fun environment. During our Sunday services, we offer age appropriate care and programs for infants through fifth grade. All of our volunteers are screened, so you can be assured your children will receive the highest level of care. And trust us, they'll love it! For more information about our safety and security process take a look at our Check In page.


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Fun fact, if you ever have a NFS share detach from a single RHEV compute node then the easiest way to get it to link back in is to:
Open up RHEVM, navigate to the datacenter where the issue is occurring and place the storage domain into maintenance mode, when successful reactivate the storage domain and it should re-attach. This happened to us when we got the error:
2012-10-26 21:06:43,899 WARN [org.ovirt.engine.core.vdsbroker.irsbroker.IrsBrokerCommand] (QuartzScheduler_Worker-56) Storage domain nfs002 is not visible to one or more hosts. Since the domains type is ImportExport, hosts status will not be changed to non-operational
Once we did the above procedure the error went away and the node with the trouble cleared


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The need of respite for special needs parents is probably the most overlooked necessity we have. Yes, there are many blessings that come from having a special needs child. But to be honest, it is a lot of work. Hard, never-ending work that can suck you dry physically, mentally, and emotionally. I'm not going to lie or sugar coat it. In my opinion, this is the most difficult type of parenting a person can be faced with.
Why Respite is Important
As special needs parents, we are faced with many things: therapies, appointments, heavy lifting, IEP meetings, bathing, dressing, toileting, exercises just to name a few. Then there are the emotional stress factors like: is she making friends at school, is she being included, will she be able to participate in Sunday School. Day in and day out these are our realities. From the moment we get up in the morning until bedtime this is our life. The real kicker is that unlike all other children, our special needs kids don't grow out of their dependence on. This is our never-ending reality. And this my friends is why respite is so important.
Please don't get me wrong. I love Ladybug and wouldn't trade her for anything. My feelings, however, do not change the fact that this is hard and we need respite. Rest is good for the body and soul. Without taking moments for respite you will burn out. I'm not saying you might burn out someday in the future. I'm saying it WILL happen. Trust me, I've been there. In fact, I would say I'm on the verge of being there now.
Danger of Burnout
Burnout happens when you've reached your limit. The stress is high and you've been operating this way for an extended period of time. Eventually, you will meet the end of your rope. You'll have nothing more to give. You've finally met your breaking point. When you're falling apart emotionally from sheer exhaustion you are officially burned out.
When you reach the point of burnout it is easy to focus on yourself and what you're feeling. Those feelings are completely justified. However, let's take a moment to look outside of ourselves during times of burnout to see how it affects others.
Our family notices and feels the extra stress and frustrations coming from you. It's easy to become short-tempered toward our children and spouse. I get where you're coming from, I really do. We need to be careful not to allow our burnout to negatively affect them. You'll also probably see a decline in motivation to do regular day to day tasks.
Value of Self-Care
I know it is very difficult, especially for special needs parents but we must manage to practice self-care. If we don't take care of ourselves we will be much more likely to experience burn out, probably even frequently. Regular self-care can be pretty simple. Maybe it's a half an hour of quiet time. Other's might enjoy reading a book (not related to your child's diagnosis). I enjoy soaking in a hot bath or watching tv. Whatever you find to be relaxing to you make sure you get that self-care in each week. You can't take care of everyone else if you are burned out, so take some time for yourself.
Value of Respite
I also believe it's very important to find some time for respite when you can. Respite is different from self-care or getting a break in that you completely get away. Respite is not sending the kids to grandma's so you can run errands or clean the house. No, respite is taking a break from any and all responsibilities. As special needs parents, we need to take these moments to recharge. We need rest physically and mentally from the demands on our life. We need to take these breaks to be rejuvenated.
So why do I say we need to get away for respite? For me, if I send the kids somewhere for a day and just stay home all I see is everything that needs to be done. Even if I lounge around binge-watching Netflix all day I see what isn't done. I'll be bothered by what I should be doing (even though I should be resting) and then I'll start feeling guilty for not being productive. This is why I say true respite means getting away.
It doesn't need to be a big elaborate vacation, you could get a hotel room across town. The point is, you should cut yourself off from any of your day to day responsibilities to truly rest. You should do activities that you are doing just for you. To someone, respite means sleeping all day and ordering room service. Someone else might be rejuvenated by adventure and go hiking. The central point to respite is to get away and do something you enjoy. Do something for you.
Don't feel guilty
As special needs parents, we give of ourselves each and every day. Almost everything we do goes unnoticed. Not only do you need respite, you've earned it. Do not under any circumstances let others make you feel guilty for asking for respite. Don't feel guilty for sending your kids to spend the weekend with grandma and grandpa. This life cannot be understood unless you are living it.
My husband and I took a vacation together last year to celebrate our 10th anniversary. It was just the two of us. I cannot tell you how important it was to both of us. We got the respite we desperately needed. We also had an amazing time being able to focus on each other and our relationship.
Perhaps one of the biggest takeaways from getting some respite is that we are ready to jump back into life refreshed. Rest and stress relief will have amazing ramifications. Your motivation will increase and you will avoid burnout.
What activities do you enjoy to recharge yourself? I would love to hear them, comment below!


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With only five weeks left in the NFL season it's that time of year where we can start talking about the playoffs and who can do what in which weeks to lock up a playoff spot or a certain seed in the playoffs. As of right now, only the Colts have locked up a playoff spot by clinching the division title with a win over Houston this past weekend, and with a little help from the 49ers, who beat the Jaguars.
The Colts are currently atop the AFC and with a win against the Titans this week they will be 12-0, which obviously means the worst they could possibly finish is 12-4. At this point there are only four other teams in the conference that even have a chance at finishing 12-4 or better: the Bengals, Chargers, Broncos and patriots. As of right now (even if the Colts lose all five or the remaining games) the worst possible seed they could get in the AFC is fourth. Now, if they win this week, the worst possible seed they could get would be third, because we have the tie-breaker over the patriots and only one of the AFC West teams (Chargers and Broncos) would be allowed to be seeded higher than the Colts.
If the Colts win this week and the all four of the other teams lose (extremely unlikely: the Benglas get the Lions at home, the Chargers face the Browns in Cleveland, the Broncos are traveling to Kansas City to play the Chiefs and the patriots go to Miami for a matchup against the Dolphins… so in all reality it's much more likely that all of them will win rather then all of them lose but for the sake of being thorough…) then the worst seed the Colts would have is second, overtaking Chargers with the third tie-breaker.
Let's break this down another way. I'll show you how the Colts can surpass any of the teams that in theory are still mathematically capable of at least tying the Colts at the end of the season. So if the Colts lose all five of their remaining games they would be 11-5 and there would be only seven AFC teams that could even match that record. They are the four teams I mentioned before plus the three teams currently sitting at 6-5 (the Steelers, Ravens, and Jaguars). I will list each team and say the easiest way for the Colts to insure that the team isn't able to get a higher seed than them in the playoffs either by preventing a tie with them at all or in the case of a tie what would need to happen for them to win the tie breaker. Keep in mind that no matter what, even if any of these teams tie or have a better record than the Colts at the end of the year but don't win their division then they will not be able to have a higher seed. I will start with the easiest to explain:
The 6-5 teams (Pittsburgh, Baltimore and Jacksonville): As a blanket statement if the Colts win any game on the rest of their schedule or if these teams lose any one of theirs then they will be unable to tie them.
Jacksonville: The Colts have already won the AFC South, which the Jaguars are in so it is 100% impossible for the Jags to get a higher seed than the Colts, even if they win all of their remaining games and the Colts lose all of theirs.
Baltimore: The first tie-breaker used is the head-to-head matchup (if applicable) and the Colts beat the Ravens this year, so like the Jaguars it is 100% impossible for the Ravens to get a higher seed than the Colts, even if they do manage to come back and win the division over the Bengals.
Pittsburgh: The Colts and Steelers don't play eachother this year, and the second tie breaker is the win percentage in conference games. If the Colts lose the rest of their games and the Steelers win the rest of theirs then the Colts will be 7-5 in conference and the Steelers will be 8-4. Therefore the only way that the Colts could get a higher seed than the Steelers in the event of a tie is if despite winning their final five games the Steelers don't win the division, finishing behind either the Ravens or Bengals.
The 7-4 teams (Broncos and Patriots): If either of these teams fail to win their division they won't have a higher seed than the Colts.
patriots: If the Colts win any one of their remaining five games or the patriots lose any one of theirs then the best the patriots will be able to do is tie the Colts record but lose the first tie breaker because the Colts beat them in the head-to-head matchup this year.
Denver: If the Colts win their head-to-head matchup with the Broncos in a couple weeks then the best the Broncos can do is tie the Colts record and the Colts will win the first tie-breaker with that victory. Or even if the Colts lose to the Broncos but win any two other games or the Broncos lose any two of theirs, or if the Colts win one and the Broncos lose one then the Broncos will be unable to tie the Colts record.
The 8-3 teams (Bengals and Chargers): If the Colts win any three of their remaining games they will lock-up the top seed in the AFC.
Bengals: If the Colts beat the Broncos OR the Jets plus any one other team on their schedule then the Bengals will be unable to get a higher seed. However even if the Colts lose all five of their remaining games if the Bengals lose to the Jets and any one other team left on their schedule the Colts will still get a higher seed.
Chargers: If the Colts beat the Titans OR the Browns plus any one other team on their schedule then the Chargers will be unable to get a higher seed. Also if the Chargers lose to the Titans and any one other teams left on their schedule then the Colts will get a higher seed.
But really the most simple way to say all this is that if the Colts win their next two games against the Titans and Broncos (both home games for the Colts) then they will have the first overall seed no matter what any of the other teams do and no matter happens in the final three weeks of the season. It is possible that the Colts could lock up the top seed with just a win this week over the Titans but a whole lot of other things would have to play into that as well. It also is not completely out of the question for the Colts to lose all five of their remaining games and still get the number one seed, it's just not very likely. On the whole, however, I think we will all be rather surprised if the Colts don't get home field advantage all the way through the playoffs.
If you would like to know what has to happen for your team to make the playoffs this year, or obtain a certain seed feel free to email us or ask in a comment and I will figure it out and post it. And to go ahead and get it out of the way, it is 100% mathematically impossible for the Browns, Buccaneers, Rams and Lions to make the playoffs. There are a large number of other teams that it is highly unlikely for, but those are the four that are in no possible way going to make the playoffs.
And as a final note, the only two teams that are capable of clinching a playoff spot and/or division title this week are the Saints, and Vikings. The Saints simply need to win or have the Falcons lose to clinch the NFC South and the Vikings either have to win or have the Packers lose to clinch the NFC North.
Filed under: NFL |


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Congratulations to Sommaiyya Begum for graduating from Birmingham City University after achieving a 2:1 in BA Hons Business and Human Resources Management
Sommaiyya is a valued member of the HR Midlands Team and we are all proud of her hard work and dedication.
Congratulations for your fantastic achievement!
#TeamRMS #becausepeoplematter


text: The Indian bowlers looked a threat as they skittled down England's batsmen without breaking sweat [AFP] Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni led from the front as beleaguered India redeemed themselves with a 126-run win over England in the first one-dayer in Hyderabad on Friday.Dhoni smashed an unbeaten 87 off 70 balls to power the injury-ravaged world champions to 300-7 after he won the toss and chose to bat on a sluggish wicket at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.England, fresh from their overwhelming success over India at home, were shot out for 174 in 36.1 overs to hand India the early lead in the five-match series.Captain Alastair Cook top-scored with 60, but England lost their last eight wickets for 63 runs after being comfortably placed at 111-2 in the 23rd over.Left-arm spinner Ravinda Jadeja and off-break bowler Ravichandran Ashwin grabbed three wickets each and seamer Umesh Yadav claimed two in front of 25,000 delighted home fans.Cook said losing the toss was crucial as batting became difficult in the second session."It was important to win the toss because we saw at the end that the ball kept low," the England captain said. "But India out-performed us today."We're going to have to learn from this, and that's the beauty of a five-match series. We know playing spin is an issue, and that's a skill thing."We're going to work hard on that in the next couple of days."Due a good gameDhoni, who was named man of the match, admitted the absence of dew in the evening helped his side."There had been a fair amount of dew the previous few evenings and that's why we played three seamers," the Indian captain said. "It was good the dew did not come into play tonight."We were looking to make 250-260 because that would have been a good total on this wicket. Of course dew would have made it easier for the side batting second."I am happy Jadeja has improved a lot and it is good to have a bowler like Yadav in the side because he is one of the fastest we have in the country and hits the deck hard."We have to show the same intensity in the remaining matches," said Dhoni, whose team was been blanked 4-0 in the Tests and 3-0 in the one-dayers on their recent tour of England.India, playing their first international at home since the World Cup triumph in April, were without star batsman Sachin Tendulkar and at least six other regulars, due to injury or poor form.The hosts defended the total with a new-look bowling attack in which three specialists, Vinay Kumar, Yadav and Ashwin, had played only 25 one-dayers between them before Friday's match. Groundsmen congratulate man of the match Dhoni and teammates [AFP] England were reduced to 40-2 by the 10th over before Cook and Jonathan Trott (26) put on 71 for the third wicket.Jadeja turned the match around by removing both batsmen in successive overs, Cook holing out in the deep and Trott being bowled to make England 120-4.The tourists slipped further to 134-7 as Ashwin dismissed Ravi Bopara and Tim Bresnan and Jadeja took care of the highly-rated Jonathan Bairstow.Yadav bowled Graeme Swann and Samit Patel, before Ashwin signalled India's emphatic win by shattering the stumps of last man Jade Dernbach.Earlier, Suresh Raina made 61 off 55 balls and added 72 for the fifth wicket with Dhoni after India were reduced to 123-4 by the 29th over.Jadeja chipped in with 27 off 22 balls at the end as India hammered 91 runs in the last 10 overs.The second one-dayer will be played in New Delhi on Monday. SOURCE: AFP Sport Cricket India United Kingdom


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April 3, 2017
I'm so elated to be kicking off this year's wedding season with a waterfront engagement photo shoot of Jessie & Jason. I knew from the many emails and phone calls back and forth that I would love them…and I was right! These two were such a joy to be around, and a truly beautiful couple inside and out!
We chose the backdrop of the beautiful downtown Alexandria area, which I just love shooting in. Between the beautiful architectural elements of the row houses, colorful doors and the waterfront, it makes for such a lovely spot. I find myself coming here often because of the great diversity you can find with backdrops for pictures, and all of the amazing elements that make up Old Town Alexandria. The Carlyle House garden is definitely a must visit, and is such a stunning wedding spot! Spring is one of my favorite seasons, and I can't get enough of all the blooms and greenery that have emerged so quickly since winter (finally!!) ended. I can't wait until Jessie & Jason's wedding in August, when the summer blooms will be in their full glory, and to spend yet another special day with these two.
Enjoy a few of my favorites from this weekend's engagement session!


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Treating Piles Is A Pain In the Backside!
We shall look at various ways of treating piles.& nbsp; Firstly, however, I should describe for the reasons like clarity that the word piles is actually the uk terminology for Haemorrhoids.& nbsp; This is often spelt as Hemorrhoids in North America.
Being Affected by Painful and Irritation Piles is Certainly No Laughing Matter
The pain and itching associated with the condition can be embarrassing as well as unproductive. There are a variety of solutions to help you overcome the problem of piles which are outlined in this short article.
- What are piles?& nbsp;
- In a nutshell, piles are referred to a condition in which the problematic veins around the anus are swollen and inflamed.
- Piles can be found in house within the rectum as well as outside the body around the anus.
The condition is often highlighted when sufferers attempt to make a bowel movement.
Signs symptoms of piles tend to be observed through blood appearing on toilet tissue, as well as blood found in and around the toilet bowl. A lump or painful swelling around the anus can be a physical sign of external piles along with extreme itching in the same area.
- There are many strategies you can try to be able to actively reduce or eliminate the condition.& nbsp;
- One easy and simple activity is to sit in a few inches of warm water in a bath for about fifteen minutes, two or three times a day.& nbsp;
- Consider changing your diet, especially if you have problems with constipation.& nbsp;
- Eat lots of fresh fruit and vegetables and eat fibrous foods, avoiding processed foods to.& nbsp;
- Drink lots of water throughout the day.
- In severe cases you may require a consultation with your Doctor.
Treating piles for most patients is easily undertaken at home, making use of natural remedies.
For further information from Mike Matthews on treating piles the natural way go to http://www.treatingpiles.info.
Mike Matthews
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Article Tags: Managing Piles, Anus, Hemorrhoids, Treatment, Piles, Diet
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Mike Matthews http://www.treatingpiles.info.


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Al Murray is the pub landlord who holds forth on all manner of topics, waxing wide about the state of the world with all the skewed logic of a bar room philosopher. Anyone who has spent even the smallest amount of time in a pub will recognise these immaculate observations of British pub culture.
Publican. Politician. Other thing beginning with P. Philosopher, yeah, that. The nation's critically acclaimed bar-based-braveheart, Al Murray - The Pub Landlord embarks on a common sense crusade to re-Great Britain in his brand new show. We live in troubling times. Europe. The NHS. Whatever the hell is going on in the Middle East. The gathering storm of fortnightly bin collections? Who knows where it will all end? Watch the one man who will answer the call of destiny even though it's an unlisted number. Watch the one man who will call time on tyranny even though he isn't quite sure what it means. Watch the one man who isn't afraid to say no to women ordering anything other than a glass of white wine (or fruit based drink).


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Pieta Brevonnes
Sites à découvrir / à visiter > Sites culturels/musées/patrimoine bâti > 40 chefs d'œuvres
Eglise Saint-Clément
Rue de Champagne
10220 Brévonnes
Latitude: 48.360127
Longitude: 4.399381
Google Streetview
The monks of the abbey of Montier-le-Celle near Troyes probably once prayed before me. A devout soul has since had built the modest oratory of Marmoret, to stop travellers for a moment at the crossroads and to arouse their pity.
His path finished on the cross. They took down his wounded body and once again for a moment, before burying him, they put him on my knees, like when he was a child…
The artist, influenced in this second half of the C15th by the realistic art of Flanders, has hidden my pain in the ample folds of my cloak and nearly completely covered my eyes that have cried too much. He must have seen death, during the course of the Hundred Years War that was so terrifying in Champagne, with those stiffened corpses… but the elbows are awkward!
You that see my pain, sympathize with all the mothers who have known it, who will know it again, the pain of hugging to their breast the corpse of the child to which they gave birth.
Prices and schedules
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Depending on the season. You can contacting the intercommunal tourism office by email@example.com
Pieta Brevonnes
Rue de Champagne
10220 Brévonnes
Tel 03 25 43 38 88
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Ben Vracky, and the River Garry
After George Fennell Robson (1788 - 1833)
RA Collection: Art
Ben Vracky, and the River Garry
After George Fennell Robson (1788 - 1833)
Engraved by
Henry Morton (fl. 1807-1825)
G.F. Robson, Scenery of the Grampian Mountains, London 1819, pl.XXVI
Object type
Hand-coloured aquatint
202 mm x 384 mm
Royal Academy of Arts
Object number
This image is from a book
Scenery Of The Grampian Mountains; Illustrated By Forty-One Plates, Representing The Principal Hills From Such Points As Display Their Picturesque Features; Diversified By Lakes And Rivers: With An Explanatory Page Affixed To Each Plate, Giving An Account Of Those Objects Of Natural Curiosity And Historical Interest, With Which The District Abounds. By George Fennell Robson, Member Of The Society Of Painters In Oil And Watercolours, London. The Engravings Executed By Henry Morton, And Coloured From Original Drawings Made On The Spot By The Author. - - London:: 1819.
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Start exploring the RA Collection
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- Explore art works, paint-smeared palettes, scribbled letters and more...
- Artists and architects have run the RA for 250 years.
Our Collection is a record of them.


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Advances in Oncology and Gastroenterology
Advancements in Cancer Surveillance Provide Earlier Diagnoses of GI Malignancies
Early detection and diagnosis of cancer can be critical as it drives treatment decisions and affects survival rates. Advancements in cancer surveillance and treatment - such as probe-based confocal laser endomicroscopy (pCLE) and the use of molecular markers - are helping NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital physicians and surgeons to provide early and accurate diagnoses, comprehensive therapeutic interventions, and robust patient care.
The use of pCLE in advanced endoscopy is changing the way Michel Kahaleh, MD, Chief of Endoscopy, NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, diagnoses and treats malignancies of the digestive tract, specifically those located within the pancreatic and bile ducts. pCLE is an innovative tool for in vivo imaging of the gastrointestinal tract. pCLE uses light that is funneled through a confocal opening, which reduces scattered outside light. Because only one spot (ie, the confocal) can be imaged at a time, all other light spots located on either vertical or horizontal planes must be scanned in order to produce dynamic images. A contrast agent (eg, fluorescein) can be injected to create high-contrast images.
pCLE allows real-time evaluations of tissue at the cellular level, so cancerous or precancerous tissue can be quickly identified. After an injection of fluorescein, the area without adequate uptake will appear darker while the normal area will appear lighter, permitting mapping of the duct that is being investigated. Physicians are then able to remove or treat the diseased tissue. "Confocal imaging is basically a live biopsy - you look at the cell itself," said Dr. Kahaleh. The identification of diseased tissue provides the map required for the clinician to offer the appropriate intervention.
Currently, the Center for Advanced Digestive Care at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell is one of only a handful of US hospitals that actively uses pCLE technology. In fact, Dr. Kahaleh was one of the first physicians to use this technology and had a primary role in developing the inflammatory criteria by which pCLE images are interpreted. To address the limitations of the Miami classification, Dr. Kahaleh and colleagues developed descriptive criteria for benign inflammatory strictures: vascular congestion, dark granular patterns with scales, thickened reticular structures, and increased space between scales. The new criteria, called the Paris classification, improved the accuracy of pCLE for determining malignant versus benign strictures.
Dr. Kahaleh recently contributed to a key study that compared the feasibility and benefits of real-time pCLE of the pancreatic duct with cytologic and histologic results. In this study, 5 patients with pancreatic ductal disease who underwent endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography and pCLE were analyzed. Realtime confocal images were analyzed based on the Miami classification criteria. The criteria included thick white or dark bands, presence of epithelium or dark clumps, interstitial fluorescein leakage, and vascular congestion.1
The investigators found that in 3 of the cases, thick dark bands or epithelium were present, indicating malignancy, whereas the other 2 cases indicated benign strictures. One patient with thick dark bands subsequently underwent a Whipple procedure, which revealed a main duct intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm with severe dysplasia. The other 2 patients with thick dark bands were started on a chemotherapy regimen for pancreatic adenocarcinoma.
Overall, the study results showed that pCLE might be an effective tool for diagnosing indeterminate pancreatic duct strictures and for surveying abnormal pancreatic ducts while planning surgical interventions.
This technology expedites the patient's entire experience, combining the initial diagnostic visit with the possibility for immediate treatment or removal of the diseased tissue. pCLE can be used in the pancreatic duct as well as the bile duct, esophagus, rectum, colon, and stomach. It also can provide more incentives to the surgeon to resect a suspicious lesion and provides the oncologist with more data to start chemotherapy.
pCLE provides real-time histology and may be effective for detecting and classifying biliary and pancreatic strictures. The pCLE device is small enough to access the small biliary tree and durable enough to withstand precise placement or adjustments to the probe tip. In terms of biliary imaging, the probe is maneuvered through a side-viewing endoscope and into the biliary tree using a rotatable catheter or cholangioscope.
At the Center for Advanced Digestive Care, cutting-edge technology like the pCLE is combined with patient-centric care. The use of innovative tools and collaborations between the medical and surgical teams enables the Center to offer comprehensive, effective patient care.
Molecular Markers and Endoscopic Techniques
Tamas A. Gonda, MD, Assistant Attending Physician, NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center, also emphasizes the importance of early detection and treatment of gastrointestinal malignancies. He uses endoscopic techniques along with molecular markers to detect these abnormalities.
Within the scope of early detection and early diagnosis, Dr. Gonda's research focuses on cancers of the pancreas and esophagus, Barrett's esophagus, and pancreatic cyst surveillance. In several of these conditions, molecular markers may provide the opportunity to identify cancerous transformation before it is detectable by either imaging or histology.
"In the biliary tract, there are some diseases - notably, primary sclerosing cholangitis - which are high-risk conditions for progression to biliary malignancies. Molecular markers, especially fluorescent in situ hybridization or FISH, already play a significant role in identifying those patients who have developed cancer or precancerous lesions," Dr. Gonda explained.
Recently, Dr. Gonda investigated the additional benefit of detecting mutations in the cell-free component of bile duct biopsies and the potential advantage of adding this modality to FISH and brush cytology. The mutational analysis used 17 markers, including KRAS point mutation and loss of heterozygosity at multiple loci.
The results showed that residual supernatant fluid from cytology brushes can be used to secure adequate amounts of DNA for mutational analysis. The study also demonstrated that mutational analyses on cell-free DNA specimens might contribute to the diagnostic yield, especially in cases where brush specimens have low cellularity, which is a common problem encountered in biliary diagnostics.2
Pancreatic cystic neoplasms are another area where a combination of molecular markers and endoscopic imaging may play a significant role in identifying patients at the highest risk. At the Pancreas Center of NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia the goal of several screening programs and protocols is to detect patients who have not yet developed pancreatic cancer but who carry a high risk for developing it. This early detection may offer an opportunity for prevention of pancreatic cancer in this population of patients.
Endoscopic biopsies may also increasingly influence treatment decisions in pancreatic cancer. Dr. Gonda noted that research is moving toward targeted therapies and the use of molecular markers to identify the best possible treatment options. "One of our goals is to try to provide targeted or tailored therapy based on molecular profiles of the tumors. Identifying certain mutations, such as KRAS or BRCA-1 or -2, and others, will hopefully drive treatment decisions once the diagnosis of cancer has been established," Dr. Gonda said.
"NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia is unique in our very comprehensive approach, from expert diagnostic modalities - such as endoscopy, therapeutic endoscopy, and molecular diagnosis - to therapeutic expertise in both oncology and surgery. This approach can bring significant improvement in the diagnosis and treatment of esophageal, gastric, and biliary diseases," said Dr. Gonda.
1. Turner BG, Bezak KB, Sarkaria S, et al. Probe-based confocal laser endomicroscopy in the pancreatic duct provides direct visualization of ductal structures and aids in clinical management. Presented at: American College of Gastroenterology 2012 Annual Scientific Meeting; October 19-24, 2012; Las Vegas, NV. Poster P652.
2. Gonda TA, Sethi A, Poneros JM, et al. Mo1318 mutational analysis from cell free DNA in the diagnosis of biliary strictures. Gastrointest Endosc. 2012;75(suppl 4):AB387.


text: The campaigning season of 1914 was the shortest of any year of the war, but it built the framework for much that followed. Starting in the first days of August, armies mobilized according to prewar plans: reservists were called up; field armies were moved to national borders. War plans ceased to be documents on paper, previewed in peacetime maneuvers: they now became the guidelines for military operations. Each of the major warring nations had a war plan, although some were both more elaborate and more ambitious than others. During the first weeks—and perhaps the first months—of the war, while the conflict offered a host of surprises, much of the fighting took place along the lines of prewar expectations. Germany invaded France through Belgium; the British Expeditionary Force (BEF), the bulk of the British army, crossed the Channel to serve alongside the French army; Russian forces invaded both eastern Germany and the northern parts of the Austrian empire; Austrian forces marched into Serbia. The generals of the time operated on the basis of principles derived from the wars of Napoleon. They directed their efi'orts toward a quick and decisive defeat of the enemy's main forces. Their tool was the powerful and determined offensive. As one authority on warfare had put it in 1905, "The essence of successful leadership in the future will be ... a rapid and sustained advance which will overrun all opposition by its very momentum." 12 The vast changes in the size and composition of armies, the equally great alterations in the technology of weapons, in means of transportation, and in tools of communication had not altered such thinking—at least not at the top of the military ladder. In the American Civil War (1861-1865), the Boer War (1899-1902), and the Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905), bold and bloody offensives had not lived up to expectations derived from the time of Napoleon. But Europe's military leaders had not chosen to alter their plans. Instead, they used recent European experience, such as the decisive success of Prussian arms in the Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871), as the norm. As Jay Luvaas has pointed out in regard to the events in North America, "Most of those who studied the Civil War after 1 870 were in reality seeking to confirm accepted principles rather than to discover new infor mation that might lead to a change in doctrine." 1 3 Plans based on the old doctrine of the bold and decisive offensive now had their time of testing.