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What immunisations should you get?
We all need to make sure we're up to date with routine vaccinations, and you can also opt to be immunised against the flu.
"It's most important to follow the vaccination schedule, and most children are very well protected by 12 months for the most common childhood illnesses," says Dr Eydis Konradsdottir, a Sydney GP and mum to three boys. "If someone has missed their vaccinations, then they need to develop a catch-up plan." Making sure you're up to date protects both you and your children, as well as any newborn babies and vulnerable people you come into contact with.
Even if you think you're up to date, there may be some illnesses you're no longer protected from, such as whooping cough. Immunity from the whooping cough vaccine lasts only up to 10 years[1]. The good news is, a free whooping-cough vaccination is available to pregnant women in many states and territories of Australia, which helps – from birth – to protect their babies.
More good news: the flu vaccine[2] is safe for both children and adults, including pregnant women. If only there was a vaccine against the common cold, right? Especially because children can catch as many as 10 colds a year[3] (compared with only two to four for adults). "There are too many different viruses that cause the common cold – 250 – and it's too hard to make a vaccine that covers them all," says Konradsdottir.
Why do you need them?
Immunisation is a simple, safe and effective way to avoid the flu and other diseases that can make you seriously ill and sometimes cause death. For example, in addition to whooping cough, some of the other common diseases routinely immunised against, such as rubella (German measles), measles and mumps, can all have a serious impact on health. And nobody wants that!
Some people think of the flu as a bad cold, but it's much more serious – it causes thousands of hospitalisations[4] every year. "It's important for kids to avoid getting the flu because it can make children (especially immunocompromised children) extremely sick," says Konradsdottir.
When enough of us are immunised, we stop the disease from spreading and can eventually wipe it out for good in Australia (like we did with the smallpox vaccination[5]).
When do you need to get them?
The immunisation schedule tells us when children should have their routine immunisations, and they can have the flu vaccine after six months of age.
To get the most protection from the flu vaccine, get it as soon as it's available[6] each year or in autumn, before the flu season (which starts in winter and continues in spring). After you get the vaccine, it takes up to two weeks to protect you, so the sooner, the better.
How often do they need to be updated?
Although many of the routine vaccinations protect us for decades, Konradsdottir says we need the flu vaccine every year, as each flu season brings different strains of the virus. "A lot of studies have shown that you do get some accumulated protection from the flu vaccine, and the more regularly you get it, the better protected you are."
What if immunisation leads to fever?
After an immunisation, about 10 to 15 per cent of children develop a mild fever. It doesn't mean they're sick, but it shows that their immune system is learning how to recognise and destroy the virus or bacteria they were immunised against.
However, the fever can make children uncomfortable. "[In this case], giving simple analgesia is appropriate," says Konradsdottir. A product containing ibuprofen, a common analgesic, may be just what the doctor ordered. Nurofen for Children* contains ibuprofen and helps reduce your child's temperature. It also helps relieve any pain they might experience at the immunisation injection site. If they're very unwell, check with your doctor.
Although immunisation can't help protect us from colds, this modern miracle does help protect our children from many distressing and serious diseases. Keeping up to date with immunisations helps our families stay healthy during the cooler months – and all year round.
*Always read the label. Use only as directed. Incorrect use could be harmful. Consult your healthcare professional if symptoms persist. Do not give to babies under 3 months. Seek medical advice for children less than 1 year.
[1] http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/immunisation/Pages/adult_vaccination.aspx
[2] http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/flu_immunisation?open
[3] http://www.nps.org.au/conditions/respiratory-problems/respiratory-tract-infections/for-individuals/conditions/common-cold
[4] http://www.immunise.health.gov.au/internet/immunise/publishing.nsf/Content/immunise-influenza
[5] http://www.immunise.health.gov.au/internet/immunise/publishing.nsf/Content/why-immunise
[6] http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/flu_immunisation?open
This article is for general information only and not intended as a substitute for medical advice. All information presented on these web pages is not meant to diagnose or prescribe. In all health related matters, always consult your healthcare professional.
Always read the label. Use only as directed. Incorrect use could be harmful. If symptoms persist consult your healthcare professional.


text:
Portable Lid-Storage Divided Organizer - LargeItem No: 032903615197 Discontinued
The Large Plastic Lid-Storage Organizer Case is a durable and practical divided storage case that is perfect for organizing beads and other art supplies in the classroom, scrapbook accessories in the craft room, or washers, wire nuts, screws and other essential home improvement hardware in the garage.
Product Dimensions Additional Product Info
- Large Portable Lid-Storage Divided Organizer Features
- Constructed with durable, high grade plastic in the USA.
- Main storage compartment has 15 removable dividers for creating custom storage and organization in up 20 sections.
- Clear plastic lid keeps items visible, and doubles as an additional smaller divided storage case.
- Removable dividers can create up to 42 separate storage compartments in the lid.
- Overall the portable organizer case provides 12 to 62 storage compartments.
- Sure-lock latches keep contents and prevents them from spilling into neighboring sections.
- Sturdy integrated carrying handle allows for safe and simple transport.
- Easily stands vertical on molded feet, or lays flat for easy storage.
- Important Product Information:
- Ground shipping only.
- Gift wrapping not available for this item.
Product Dimensions Additional Product Info

subset: commoncrawl


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Jul 19, 2010
Gen James Mattis @ Centcom
Petraeus's Successor Is Known for Impolitic Words
By THOM SHANKER
WASHINGTON — To those who have served under him, Gen. James N. Mattis is the consummate Marine commander, a warrior who chooses to lead from the front lines and speaks bluntly rather than concerning himself with political correctness.
But General Mattis, President Obama's choice to command American forces across the strategic crescent that encompasses Iraq and Afghanistan, has also been occasionally seen by his civilian superiors as too rough-edged at a time when military strategy is as much about winning the allegiance of local populations as it is about firepower.
If his predecessor as the commander of Central Command, Gen. David H. Petraeus, is known for his skill at winning over constituencies outside the military, General Mattis has a reputation for candid, Patton-esque statements that are not always appreciated inside or outside the Pentagon.
"You go into Afghanistan, you got guys who slap around women for five years because they didn't wear a veil," General Mattis said during a forum in San Diego in 2005. "You know guys like that ain't got no manhood left anyway, so it's a hell of a lot of fun to shoot them."
For those comments, he received an official rebuke. His career path, however, was not seriously altered, and he now finds himself awaiting Senate confirmation to take over one of the most important jobs in the military. His new assignment would nominally put him atop General Petraeus — now the commander in Afghanistan — in the chain of command and leave him overseeing the reduction of American troops in Iraq, the escalation in Afghanistan and an array of potential threats from across the Middle East and South Asia, including Iran.
Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, described General Mattis's significant professional growth as he rose through the senior ranks, in particular at his current post atop the military's Joint Forces Command. "I watched him interact in NATO at the highest levels, diplomatically, politically, and on very sensitive subjects," Admiral Mullen said.
Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates described General Mattis as "one of our military's outstanding combat leaders and strategic thinkers."
But the general angered one of Mr. Gates's predecessors, Donald H. Rumsfeld, in 2001 with another remark that played well with his Marines, but not with civilian leaders in Washington. After Marines under his command seized an airstrip outside Kandahar, establishing the first forward operating base for conventional forces in the country, General Mattis declared, "The Marines have landed, and we now own a piece of Afghanistan."
Mr. Rumsfeld and other senior officials believed that these words violated the official message of the invasion, that the United States had no desire to occupy a Muslim nation, but was fighting to free Afghanistan from the Taliban tyranny.
General Mattis is viewed differently by those who have been with him on the front lines.
It was the first winter of the war in Afghanistan, when the wind stabbed like an ice pick and fingertips froze to triggers, but a young lieutenant's blood simmered as he approached a Marine fighting hole and spotted three heads silhouetted in the moonlight. He had ordered only two Marines to stand watch while the rest of the platoon was ordered to rest before an expected Taliban attack at first light.
"I dropped down into the hole, and there were two junior Marines," the lieutenant, Nathaniel C. Fick, recalled of that overnight operation outside Kandahar. "But the third was General Mattis. He has a star on his collar and could have been sleeping on a cot with a major waiting to make him coffee. But he's out there in the cold in the middle of the night, doing the same thing I'm doing as a first lieutenant — checking on his men."
The military career of the previous top commander in Afghanistan, Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, ended over comments he made to Rolling Stone magazine that were read as disparagements of civilian leadership. Yet even in that context, General Mattis's past provocative comments do not appear to have caused any serious second thoughts about him at the Pentagon or the White House.
"General Mattis is a warrior's warrior," said Mr. Fick, who served twice under his command —in Afghanistan in 2001 and 2002, and in Iraq in 2003 — and is now chief executive of the Center for a New American Security, a nonpartisan policy institute. "That's a virtue not always appreciated in American society."
Associates of General Mattis offer an explanation for the contradiction of a general who uses "ain't" in public but devotes his government moving allowance to hauling a library of 6,000 books from station to station, forgoing most personal effects.
He is a reader of philosophy who has patterned his speeches and writings on Aristotle's famous dictum on effective communications: Know your audience. When he is speaking to Marines, he speaks like a Marine. When he is speaking to defense chiefs or senior government leaders, he uses their language.
And he is a reader of history. He was once asked which American Indian warrior he most respected. His answer was a tribe-by-tribe, chief-by-chief exposition spanning the first Seminole war to the surrender of the Lakota.
Just hours before the invasion of Iraq in 2003, in which General Mattis ordered his force on a race from Kuwait to Baghdad, sowing chaos among Iraqi units along the way, he wrote a message to Marines under his command that encapsulates the general's thinking.
"While we will move swiftly and aggressively against those who resist, we will treat all others with decency, demonstrating chivalry and soldierly compassion for people who have endured a lifetime under Saddam's oppression," he wrote.
"Engage your brain before you engage your weapon," the general added.
He is sure to be tested at Central Command, where his tasks include maintaining relations with allies, some dear and some difficult; building the capabilities of unstable nations to defend themselves against terrorists or other threats; and always, always, keeping an eye on Iran.
The Central Command post in some ways is diminished, since there is an officer of equal rank in charge of the war in Iraq and another for Afghanistan, both falling within the Central Command's area of responsibility.
Senior officers predict there will be little friction as General Mattis moves into command over General Petraeus, who now has been cast, for a second time, in the role of savior for a faltering war effort. In fact, some officers suggested that General Mattis should have been considered for the Afghan command, but senior officials wanted the more polished Petraeus, given the circumstances of General McChrystal's removal, and the fact that General Petraeus already was involved in developing the Afghan strategy.
Generals Mattis and Petraeus have worked together before, in writing the military's manual on counterinsurgency, which has become the guiding concept for both wars — and for which General Mattis rarely gets credit.
Posted by Andrew Lubin at 10:27 PM
Labels: Afghanistan, Army homosexuality, COIN, counterinsurgency ops, Fallujah, honor-courage-committment, Marine Artillery, Marine Corps, Taking Chance, Taliban, tradition
2 comments:
- William A Manning said...
You now have a new blog follower.
Semper Fi
- August 3, 2010 at 6:20 PM
- Unknown said...
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- October 15, 2010 at 8:38 PM
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Wheelhouse and Its Access
"Captain Nemo led me towards the central staircase; half way down he opened a door, traversed the upper deck, and arrived in the pilot's cage …"
I made the "halfway down" reference to mean stopping at the upper deck, since this stairway continued into the lower deck. At the forward end of the short corridor, past the Chart Room, I placed the access to the Wheelhouse with a short set of steps for entry when the Wheelhouse is in its lowered position. I also placed that Chart Room in this 'short corridor' for convenience to the Captain, First Officer, Helmsman or whoever might need these resources.
"Fore and aft rose two cages of medium height, partly enclose in thick, lenticular panes of glass."
Although stated this way, I did not apply the lenticular panels to the Wheelhouse windows. They work very nicely magnifying lighthouse lamps, and I did use them myself in the aft "reflector", but the pilot or helmsman needs clear glass to see through.
A major discrepancy, for me, between reality and the narration is with the withdrawal into the superstructure, the Wheelhouse and Searchlight, for combat. Aronnax describes members of the crew withdrawing the deck structures; Wheelhouse, Reflector and Railing, "pushing them down" into the hull to make it clean and smooth for ramming attacks. I attempted to apply a "periscope" principal to the Wheel House retraction, allowing space for gathering cables between the unit and the upper deck surface. This could imply the retraction is manually effected by hand cranking. (The text refers to "pushing" the Wheelhouse down. I believe both objects to be too massive for that.) But pushing may be a standard assist to the mechanical method. Setting the Wheelhouse on a spring and hauling it down with block & tackle would be simple, add little weight, and be helped by a little 'pushing' from above. A very '1869' and simplistic Nemo method.
Also, the text and original art depict the Wheelhouse being raised while traveling below the surface.
If the Wheelhouse was a true cylinder, sealing the hull from the sea water would be much simpler. Water would also slip around the circular shape easier than any other, for both the Wheelhouse and the Reflector/Searchlight.
"The helmsman is stationed in a cage raised above the hull and equipped with glass window(s)." Note that simple glass is mentioned, not the lenticular glass I believe was used for the Searchlight itself.
(Not just one window looking forward as depicted in some of the original artwork.)
A curtain or panel could easily be applied to the rear window in the Wheelhouse to block that very powerful, and extremely bright, Searchlight when traveling at night on the surface, or when the Wheelhouse is extended while submerged.
Ch 29: The Wheelhouse was described in the text to have, on at least one occasion, three people in it. The original text measurement of 6′ square would not be sufficient. I made mine large enough for Nemo, Aronnax and the helmsman, along with the large wheel and other mechanics.
Nemo was able to control the boat from the Wheelhouse. "He pressed a metal button and at once the propeller slowed down," To me, this implies the possibility for many other functions being controlled here. (Nemo could have pressed another button from here to control the direction of the air circulation fans.)
Again, my final decision on lowering and raising the Wheelhouse & Searchlight is; this must be done to render the hull completely smooth for ramming or escaping from ice.
The two directional fins (Diving Planes in modern sub terms) on the sides of the boat were "worked by powerful levers." and were "turned up to a vertical position" in the Sargasso Sea. For me, this allows for a possible recess in the hull to accept the fins, when raised. Again, for insuring the hull is completely smooth for ramming, a Nemo Passion.


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Ok, these Hugo Boss boots make me excited for Fall. I am one who wears a lot of black, but amp it up with stellar accessories. These boots fill the bill on all notes of style, color, and texture. I do have an affinity to shades of orange, and the orange accent ups the wattage on these killer boots.
You know my mantra, "Strut and Slay"!
A view from the penthouse ~ Avery


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Wisconsin Wedding at About Thyme Farm :: Samantha & Robb
It's really hard to go wrong with a barn wedding. They are full of so much charm and can be blended with so many different styles. Samantha and Robb's wedding held at About Thyme Farm is the perfect mix of modern and rustic. And anytime the night ends with a spectacular fireworks show, you know it was one heck of a party!
Photographed by The McCartneys.
What was the best advice you received as a bride? Not to stress about the little things the day of the wedding. Enjoy every minute- it goes way too fast.
What advice do you have for other couples in the midst of planning a wedding? I wish I could do it all over again! It's the absolute best time of your life—it's the only time in your life that both sides of both families will be together. It's so special.
The Ceremony
"We wanted to get married in a church because we are both Catholic and our faith is a big part of who we are and part of our families. Baileys Harbor was one of the few churches in Door County that fit our number of guests but still had a quaint feel to it! It overlooks the water which is beautiful."
Who officiated your ceremony? How did you choose him/her? Fr. Ruby—he officiated all the weddings in Door County.
How did you go about planning your ceremony? We met with Fr. Ruby a couple of times before the wedding and he helped us with the flow of the ceremony. Robb and I picked out our own readings and had our close friends and family members involved throughout the ceremony. Our readings and vows were the most important to us.
Your ceremony in three words. Religious, sentimental, fun
What was your ceremony music? we had a string quartet play throughout our ceremony and Robb's uncle mike sang a beautiful solo.
What were your vows like? We both felt very strongly that we wanted to write our own—it made the ceremony very special!
Did you include any traditions in your ceremony? It was a Catholic mass so all the traditional Catholic wedding things were included.
What was your favorite thing about your wedding ceremony? Definitely reading our wedding vows to each other. Also, the minute the back doors opened up and I got to see Robb and all the wedding guests was surreal. From the groom // seeing Samantha walk down the aisle was my favorite moment of the entire day.
If you had it to do over again, is there anything you would do differently? No—we truly loved every minute and every detail of the entire day!
The Reception
"Door county is truly such a special place for both of us. It was unreal to have all our friends and families from all over the counrty to come to little Door County for our wedding. We were worried having a reception in a barn would be too rustic, but Carrie at Door County Event Planners and Helene at Flora Flowers transformed the space to such an elegant space that it was exactly what we wanted!"
Why did you choose this location for your reception? Since we were both from Chicago, we went back and forth for a couple of months whether or not we wanted to get married in Chicago or up in Door County. The minute we saw About Thyme Farm we knew that was where we wanted our wedding—it is such a unique place and very different from anything we had seen.
How would you describe your reception? Rustic Chic is what we were going for! We had it in a barn so it was rustic but the tent added a touch of elegance—it was the perfect mix of the two.
Did you have a signature cocktail? Peared Sake (inspired by one of our favorite Chicago restaurants Sunda) and Cherry Bourbon Sweet Tea—a nod to Door County cherries!
Are there any DIY details you'd like to tell us about? We made cherry jam jars with our initials and date as the wedding favor and escort card. Door county is famous for cherries. Credit goes to my Mom because she was up until 3am Thursday night prepping these to be dropped off on Friday!
What inspired you when you were planning your wedding? We wanted an entire weekend celebration—a lot of our family members live all over the county and we couldn't imagine just having one night to celebrate with everyone. Door county was the perfect "getaway" for people to come celebrate our wedding and have a mini vacation as well. The memories I had from my family up in Door County and the memories Robb and I had from going up there many times throughout our relationship also provided much inspiration. There were a lot of unique Door County touches throughout the weekend festivities. As for the decor, I love pinterest and got a lot of inspiration from there.
What was your wedding menu? Filet Mignon, Salmon and Cherry Chicken from Mission Grille.
What type of cake or dessert did you serve? Carrot Cake—both our favorite! We also had a dessert bar with a variety of desserts: chocolate covered Oreos, cupcakes, cannoli shooters, pie pops.
Please tell us about any other special details or moments from your reception. One of our favorite details at our reception was our family tree hanging up in the barn. My mom put it together—it included every wedding photo from both our families. It was also both of our grandparents 60th anniversaries. We planned a special song for them to dance to in front of everyone. We also had a photo booth which provided great entertainment for everyone! Our band was incredible which what we loved most—people were dancing all night long!
What was your first dance song? Father/daughter or Mother/son dance? "Into the Mystic" by Van Morrisson. Our Father/daughter dance was to "Child of Mine" by Carole King. The mother/song was to "I'll be in your heart" by Phil Collins.
What was your favorite moment or part of the reception? Halfway through the night Robb snuck me out of the reception area when everyone was dancing to go view the barn lit up at night. It was so fun to see the reception from afar with everyone dancing, the moon was shining—it was a beautiful Door County summer night! The firework show near the end of the night is something we will never forget. I think everyone was shocked!


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Hi everyone! My name is Vaidik Trivedi, and I am an international student at Stony Brook University. This being my first semester at Stony Brook and away from my home, I discovered a lot of things in this new land, America. I explored a lot about myself, like I enjoy going on long walks, looking at nature from a different perspective, and watching the stars at night endlessly. I started to connect to myself and got to know myself better like I have never known myself for 18 years. I connected to my inner consciousness and it felt amazing. I knew that connecting to one's consciousness was like a gift and not everyone gets it. Moreover, even lesser of them master it. I wanted to further connect to this consciousness within and uplift it to a higher level and so I started to research about how to have a better and an unwavering connection to this universal source of energy so that I can enjoy my life to the fullest.
I came across the Trivedi Effect, which is an exhilarating discovery that has made groundbreaking science research in over the past couple of decades. This phenomenon acts as a catalyst, connecting the individual or recipient to the ultimate source of universal energy so that the recipient can achieve and thrive in an optimal state of existence. By supplying humanity with an immeasurable amount of energy, we are thus able to connect ourselves to our own divine nature and optimize our potential to achieve greater success, prosperity and happiness.
Guruji Mahendra Trivedi, who discovered the Trivedi Effect, has an incredible ability to harness this tremendous energy and connect other people to it as well. When you are connected to such a power, you experience a difference in your day to day activities and achieve greater strength, better health and happiness. The transmission of this divine energy allows us to expand our consciousness so we can discover the purpose of our lives, identify our hidden gifts and achieve what was destined for us.
It has scientifically been proven that the Trivedi Effect not only impacts humans, but also beneficially impacts and is able to optimize the potential of different non-living materials and living things in the world. Being rigorously tested and experimented upon, the Trivedi Effect consistently yields unbelievably positive results. Scientists have conducted over 4000 scientific experiments on Guruji Mahendra Trivedi's ability to transmit this energy and create the Trivedi Effect. The results of these experiments were so extraordinary that the scientists were dumbstruck. This amazing research has been converted into nearly 200 scientific peer-reviewed publications which prove that the effect of this energy has the potential to bring a beneficial change in different fields of science, like human health, biotechnology, microbiology, agriculture, materials science, genetics and cancer. This science research is now being adopted by the National Institutes of Health and top-tier Universities including Columbia, Cornell, Brown, Princeton, Harvard, Yale, MIT, Cambridge, Oxford and Dartmouth. The results are consistently astonishing and incomparable to any scientific experiments ever conducted on earth. It has the power to change the cellular structure of all living organisms and alter the atomic structure of non-living things.
The Trivedi Effect represents a milestone in human existence. It has helped us in understanding human lives and is changing our views towards science, ushering humanity into a new paradigm of understanding. This energy has impacted the lives of more than 250,000 people all over the world, with many more being swept into this global movement. This fascinates me to no end, and I highly encourage all of you to learn more about it.
Here is the link for endless possibilities: http://www.trivedieffect.com. Although it may seem difficult to believe, it is impossible to deny.


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Who made Steve Guttenberg a Star?
Who would have thought that the Guttenberg shirt would be the best seller?
I went to a Motley Crue show last week and it was awesome. I'll put a post up about it later. Until then, I've pasted together some of my favorite frames from Rex Morgan MD to create my very own storyline. I think the picture's too small to read, so I'll explain it to you.
If I was in charge of Rex Morgan MD, it'd be the best comic ever.
So Frank (he's the one in the hat that says "FRANK") says,"Hey, No fence, no cents... That's my motto!" Now you can tell that Frank is a little retarded because he's missing a tooth and wears a trucker hat that has his name on it, so you can understand why the blond guy in the hoodie is trying to hold his laughter in. It's hard to keep a straight face, when a guy like Frank is giving you life mottos.
Now Frank is smart enough to know that the blond guy is snickering at him so he says, "No, I'm as serious as a tax collector!" Frank is quite pleased with this comment and is sure that he got the point of his motto across. This would be easier to tell if he wasn't off-frame in this picture. But the blond guy, having put up with Frank's nonsense long enough, snaps back with a sarcastic, "And I'm going to be famous!" But since he threw off his hoodie while saying this, Frank believes that blond guy will be famous since he has long blond hair like a young Brad Pitt. But we all know he'll never be famous since his index finger has been cut off at the knuckle, leaving a very unattractive knub. It's because he only has a knub of a finger that blondie wants to see Frank's hand. He's going to have his very mean dog bite off Frank's finger in hopes that he can attach it to his knub and be whole again. Frank's already lost a tooth so he agreed to do it for a couple cans of food. Blondie says, "No food until I see the hand...that's the deal!" and the dog says, "grr" to show that he's mean and will bite people's fingers off.
What will happen? If Frank lets the dog bite off his finger will the blond guy give him the food like he promised? Or will he run off, leaving Frank fingerless and hungry? Will Frank's severed finger be able to be attached to blond guy's deformed hand?
I'd say keep reading and find out, but since Frank was only in one day's comic I won't be able to continue this storyline unless Rex Morgan MD hires me to write for them.


text:
what we do
Lamar Slay and Billy Goff formed the PCC Network in 2004 to be a resource for growing churches. Lamar had been in full-time ministry for over 40 years, serving in some of the largest churches in America. He saw churches searching for assistance in areas that were unfamiliar to them and often having to settle for less than excellent results. Billy Goff was a seasoned construction professional, having built construction projects throughout North America and the world. He felt God moving him to make a difference in the Kingdom by assisting Pastors and churches in building their facilities with excellence, creativity, and above all, an understanding that this was being financed with God's resources.
All Network companies are led by committed believers, involved in a local church, and committed to growing the Kingdom.
We all would be honored to serve you and your church!
how we serve
I count the PCC Network as trusted advisors. Through the years our church has used various Network partners and have been well served. What an asset to have such a team of experts that I can call on.


text:
Lets take a look at some graphical step by step procedure to generate java annotated entities from the already available database tables. This can be achieved using Hibernate Tools from JBoss.
Here are some pre-requisites to be taken care of
1. JBOSS Tools eclipse update site
2. Search & Select hibernate tools from the listing
3. Install Hibernate tools
4. Download the hibernate dependencies
Install the Hibernate Tools from the eclipse Install New Software option and go on selecting and accepting the next options:
Lets start by creating a basic JPA project and set it up for magic.
1. Create a new JPA project and add JPA facet configuration
Create e new JPA project
Select the JPA Facet as Hibernate JPA. Disable JPA configuration
Add a MySQL connection profile and test it for connectivity to your database
Add the MySQL driver and also Select annotated discovery of beans. The final facet page will look like this:
2. Add hibernate dependencies to the build path
Go to the java build path configuration from project properties. Make sure you have downloaded the relevant dependencies and configured it as below.
The final project structure shall look as per the below snapshot
3. I did get a classpath error and I found that I should not be using JPA but core as a Hibernate setting console configuration
Error: [Classpath]: Could not create JPA based Configuration
Solution: Go to the Hibernate Settings from project properties and select details on your console configurations and set it as per the snapshot here.
4. Generate the entities from the table in your configured database
This is the final step where you generate the java entities by selecting the JPA tools option
Here you have to select the package the generated entities should target along with the console configuration that we already setup before.
As soon as you click Finish here the processing starts and the package should get populated with entities mapped to the tables in the configured database.
We get the generated User.java entity bean here
This is a great help to kickstart your development you wont want to really start writing each annotation and associations manually.
GitHub Link: https://github.com/vishwakarmarhl/HibernateTests.git


text:
In 1 word, this week was: SOAKED. I swear my clothes were soaking wet after almost every run, and not from sweat. It has been pouring rain. I don't mind necessarily, I will run no matter what, but when your shoes are wet for days on end, you kind of notice the rain. I had 2 quality workouts this week and that was great!
Monday: OFF. I did absolutely nothing. Nothing active that is, I watched Molly's Game.
Tuesday: 50′ easy, met up with my running buddy, Binder, we did an out and back on our regular route. I also did a core and arm workout.
Wednesday: Group WO, back to the track after some time away! 20′ easy, 4×2'@tempo, 200m, 600m, 400m, 1000m, 800m, 200m, 30′ easy. The track was fun, but we got booted to lane 4 just before our 1000m, aside from that it was great, though it rained and we were all soaked.
Thursday: 45′ easy, I ran home from work in the rain. I felt extra tired for some reason, so I rested for a bit and then did strength training. My plan was to shower and then relax for the rest of the evening, but when I got out of the shower, my running buddy Joanne texted me and convince (read: coerced) me to come to yoga with her. I thought okay, a nice, chill class, that will be good. It was fast-paced and challenging on account of being tired, but, still I was happy to have gone.
Friday: 30′ easy, ran to work and got completely soaked, happy Friday!
Saturday: Group WO, 15′ easy, 20'@HMP (4:33), 3×3'@10km (4:20, 4:21, 4:32), 15'@HMP (4:37), 3×90"@10km (4:10), 20′ easy. This was a relatively large workout. It went well though, some parts were slightly fast, some were a teenie bit slow, so it all evens out. I also did an arm and core workout.
Sunday: 50-60′ easy, I ran 10 and then decided to quit. I missed the rain by about 1 minute, I call that a win. I also did a core workout.
Total Weekly Mileage: 63.7km
Next up…First Half next Sunday in Vancouver! Can't wait for a fun weekend in Vancouver. Oh and racing a half, it's been a while. Should be interesting.


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I was lucky and was able to score a free flight to the east coast this weekend {with my credit card points} so I took it , and boy was I pleasantly surprised when I checked the progress of my east coast garden I planted in last August.
Garlic! It's up and about 6 inches tall. Wahoooo! How about that.
I also planted 2 packets of chives seeds as well. I don't expect to harvest any chives until next summer but it was still pretty exciting to see a full row of them.
A 12 foot row of lettuce. Pretty nifty if you ask me. There was just enough for a dinner salad.
Okay, does anyone know what this plant is? The roots resemble parsnips and the stem of the plant has a nice velvety feel to it. Even though I didn't plant this, I'm enjoying the pretty white flowers everywhere.
The carrot seeds I planted about 60 days ago are growing like mad as well.
Right now we just have a bunch of baby carrots, but I suspect in about another month I'll be able to start harvesting some nice fat ones for roasting.
Turnips! I plan on roasting these too.
Check out the size of this beet. 60 days seed to harvest. Not too shabby.
I couldn't resist harvesting a few of the root crops to bring home on the plane with me. If all goes as planned, we should have our oven back by the end of the week and I'll be able to start cooking real food again. Won't that be nice. 😉
How is YOUR garden doing? What have you been harvesting lately?
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If golden beaches, rising waves, misty mountains, mighty elephants, stealthy leopards, giant whales, a majestic past. With lovely tea and warm smiles could sum up a country, that would be Sri Lanka.
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I'm preparing for our overseas holiday. Purchased a nice little camera that can send pics to my tablet. That's because we're traveling light – no laptops. So this morning I decided to walk into town and play tourist. It's about 3.5 kilometres from home to town with lovely coffee shops at the end and I can always get a lift home.
So this is my post done without any wires or computer.
This is pretty much what it looks like from home to town.
And here is the little town.
Here's John my ride home


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Uttar Phulbari is a village placed in Mal Block of Jalpaiguri district in West Bengal. Located in rural area of Jalpaiguri district of West Bengal, it is one among the 103 villages of Mal Block of Jalpaiguri district. As per the government records, the village code of Uttar Phulbari is 306896. The village has 92 houses.
According to Census 2011, Uttar Phulbari's population is 442. Out of this, 231 are males while the females count 211 here. This village has 68 kids in the age bracket of 0-6 years. Out of this 41 are boys and 27 are girls.
Literacy rate in Uttar Phulbari village is 32%. 144 out of total 442 population is literate here. Among males the literacy rate is 32% as 76 males out of total 231 are educated while female literacy rate is 32% as 68 out of total 211 females are educated in this Village.
The dark part is that illiteracy rate of Uttar Phulbari village is shockingly high -- 67%. Here 298 out of total 442 people are illiterate. Male illiteracy rate here is 67% as 155 males out of total 231 are uneducated. In females the illiteracy rate is 67% and 143 out of total 211 females are illiterate in this village.
The number of occupied individual of Uttar Phulbari village is 213 still 229 are non-working. And out of 213 occupied individual 2 peoples are totally dependent on cultivation.


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The HCG diet plan requires you to follow a strict calorie intake while taking several doses of liquid drops. Proponents of the diet plan advise against going over the recommended dosage, since adverse effects may occur. Before you begin a new diet regimen, talk with your physician to ensure it is a good fit for you.
HCG, short for human chorionic gonadotropin, is a hormone women produce in the placenta during pregnancy. Manufacturers of HCG drops claim they rapidly burn fat and melt away fat deposits in your stomach, buttocks and thighs. They claim the HCG has a similar structure as thyroid stimulating hormones, thus boosting your metabolism.
Diet Plan
The HCG diet plan is split up into three separate phases. During the initial loading phase, which lasts for two days, you can follow your normal diet, focusing on fats and fried foods. This phase allows you to build up your fat stores. The main phase of the diet, known as the maintenance phase, minimizes your caloric intake to 500 calories per day. Maintenance is difficult for many people to follow, since it lasts from 21 to 40 days, depending on how much weight you need to lose. You can only eat a few different types of foods during maintenance, including small cuts of meat, non-starchy vegetables and a limited variety of fruits. The final phase, called stabilization, allows you to slowly boost your caloric intake to 800 to 1,000 calories, over a period of three weeks.
Proper Dosage
During the loading and maintenance phase, split up the HCG into three separate doses. You don't need any HCG during the final stabilization phase. Take the HCG drops after meals and do not consume anything by mouth for 15 minutes after ingesting them. You need anywhere from 125 to 200 IU of HCG each day, which amounts to 10 to 15 drops per dose, according to Green HCG. Usually you can see results in as little as 125 IU of daily HCG.
Double Dose
Taking the maximum 200 IU per day dosage is not necessary for most people. Reaching or exceeding this amount may have adverse effects on your weight loss efforts. Doubling your HCG dose may cause a plateau effect, in which you stop losing weight. Taking a double dose may be especially harmful since HCG can raise your heartbeat, give you an irregular heartbeat, make you sweat uncontrollably or cause irritability, explains the University of Maryland Medical Center. If you experience any of these negative side effects, immediately stop taking HCG supplements and contact your health care provider.


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Seeing that today is the first day of Summer, I suppose this means its swimsuit season. Yay….
I guess this means I really need to kick my butt into high gear and quit sneaking those soft drinks and chips. Dang it! To help inspire and motivate me some more, I've searched high and low on Etsy for some cute vintage bathing suits. I picked out some of my favorite stores that have more than one option for bathing suits. Keep in mind that these suits are vintage, so I'm sure they only have one or two sizes for each one.
I would also advise measuring yourself before purchasing the suits to make sure they fit you. While I hate trying on bathing suits in a store (not a HUGE fan of being surrounded by mirrors right now), it is nice to see how a suit fits you before purchasing it. Since you are not afforded this luxury, on Etsy, measure yourself first. What's that saying? Measure twice, cut once? Well, measure twice, buy once!
Click the pictures to be directed to the swimsuit and click the link to be directed to the store.
80s Black Mickey Mouse one piece from Housewife Vintage – This swimsuit comes in a M/L and they have several other vintage swimsuits to choose from if Mickey isn't your style. It's reasonably priced at $49 (trust me, I saw swimsuits for over $300!) and if you're not in the market for a swimsuit, they have a lot of cute clothes and shoes. Even stuff for dudes!
Checkered one piece from Firegypsy Vintage – Super cute and feminine bathing suit by Bobbie Brooks that measures at 11/12 and sells for $35.91. There are a lot of other swimsuits and stuff to wear with the suit. Again, if you're looking for stuff other than a bathing suit, they have a whole lot of cute vintage stuff!
1970s floral print one piece from Brown.Cow.Vintage – I've been looking for a bathing suit with boy shorts so this is just what I had in mind! It's super affordable at $20 and fits like a Medium, according to the seller. She said that there is a little piling on the bottom of the suit but it's still in good shape. There are over 100 dresses in this shop and a bunch of other cute vintage stuff!
50s floral swimsuit from Mamma's Chest – I am so in love with this swimsuit! It's super cute, fun and a little sophisticated! I would feel really classy if I wore this swimsuit. The model is a size 8 and it costs $68, which is a good price for a swimsuit nowadays. Lots of cute vintage stuff in this store, including dresses, jewelry and even a clearance section!
Be sure to check out my Pinterest for more inspiration and share any cute suits you see by posting it in the comments! Do you sell cute vintage swimsuits? Share your store here!


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Elijah and Elisha 6
Series on Elijah and Elisha • Sermon • Submitted
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Elijah and Elisha 6.
- It is the dark days of Israel. [P] Just like we are in dark days spiritually today. The king has married into the royal family of the nation to the north of them, a land that worshipped Baal. And the whole nation had been led into idolatrous worship, forsaking יהוה. The nation was ripe for judgement, and it came in the form of a drought. They had forsaken יהוה, so He forsook the land and declined to send rain upon it. The whole nation had gone astray. But there were a few who had not; there were individuals who had remained true to יהוה. There was Elijah, the man of God [P] יהוה's spokesman. There was a widow who found life through faith [P], but she was a Gentile, in another country. Then there was Obadiah [P], the servant of יהוה, but we saw that perhaps his loyalty was divided. But as a whole, the nation had followed Baal. Last time we saw this confrontation between this false religion and the true God on Mount Carmel [P]. The whole nation was gathered there! It was to be a showdown – a demonstration of who was really God. That was, and is, the real issue. "If יהוה is God, then follow Him". We saw this last desperate and futile show of this false religion. They submitted themselves to harsh rituals, were at it all day – but nothing happened. This is how it will be at the end: there will be a rise in religion – but there will be no reality, no God there. So FINALLY we come to when יהוה Himself intervenes. [P] A demonstration of the reality of the TRUE and LIVING GOD! Hallelujah! Don't you long for יהוה to act?! For all to see that יהוה is mighty! Turn to 1 Kings 18. [P] The false prophets had been at it all day, [P] now Elijah has his turn: [1 Kings 18:30–46 Then Elijah said to all the people, "Come near to me." So all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of יהוה [P] which had been torn down. Elijah took twelve stones according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of יהוה had come, saying, "Israel shall be your name." So with the stones he built an altar in the name of יהוה, and he made a trench around the altar, [P] large enough to hold two measures of seed. (that is about 10 litres, the picture gives the wrong impression, the altar would have been much smaller) [P] Then he arranged the wood and cut the ox in pieces and laid it on the wood. And he said, "Fill four pitchers with water and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood." [P] And he said, "Do it a second time," and they did it a second time. And he said, "Do it a third time," and they did it a third time. The water flowed around the altar and he also filled the trench with water. [P] At the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet came near and said, [P] "O יהוה, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, today let it be known that You are God in Israel and that I am Your servant and I have done all these things at Your word. "Answer me, O יהוה, answer me, that this people may know that You, O יהוה, are God, and that You have turned their heart back again." [P] Then the fire of יהוה fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. When all the people saw it, [P] they fell on their faces; and they said, "יהוה, He is God; יהוה, He is God!" [P] Then Elijah said to them, "Seize the prophets of Baal; do not let one of them escape." So they seized them; and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there. Now Elijah said to Ahab, "Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of the roar of a heavy shower." So Ahab went up to eat and drink. But Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he crouched down on the earth and put his face between his knees. [P] He said to his servant, "Go up now, look toward the sea." So he went up and looked and said, "There is nothing." And he said, "Go back" seven times. It came about at the seventh time,[P] that he said, "Behold, a cloud as small as a man's hand is coming up from the sea." And he said, "Go up, say to Ahab, 'Prepare your chariot and go down, so that the heavy shower does not stop you.' " [P] In a little while the sky grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy shower. And Ahab rode and went to Jezreel. Then the hand of יהוה was on Elijah, and he girded up his loins and outran Ahab to Jezreel.] We saw last time that there was a deliberate rejection of God [1 Kings 18:30 Then Elijah said to all the people, "Come near to me." So all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of יהוה which had been torn down.] So after a day-long calling upon Baal, Elijah's turn came to call upon His God. Elijah called the people to come near – for there was to be no loud demonstrative ranting. He wanted them near to see and hear what took place. In order to see God's deeds, to hear His voice, we must come near. The altar of יהוה had been torn down. It hadn't fallen down, fallen into disrepair. It was torn down: a deliberate and wilful act. It was a deliberate rejection of the worship of יהוה. You can remove Baal by destroying idols and, though you can tear down places where יהוה is worshipped and kill His followers, you cannot get rid of יהוה because He is God! He is I AM! Hallelujah! He exists, He is present everywhere, He cannot be destroyed! In coming near to יהוה what has been destroyed must be healed, restored, mended, built back up again. When there has been a turning away from יהוה there needs to be RESTORATION [P]. Have you ever felt that you are not as close to God as you once were? That is when restoration is needed. The altar; place of worship, of sacrifice, of meeting with יהוה, of offering up to Him must first be restored. Elijah built up that which had been torn down. The foundations must be re-laid. For there to be restoration we need to go Back to basics [P] [1 Kings 18:31 Elijah took twelve stones according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of יהוה had come, saying, "Israel shall be your name."] Elijah re-laid the foundation stones – he went back to the basics. He went back to the very beginning of יהוה establishing a covenant relationship with Israel. He took 12 stones, representing the 12 tribes (not 10 - he included Judah and Benjamin who were now a separate nation) – the 12 sons of Jacob, not the sons of Israel. Elijah went back to the time of the twister, the deceiver, the man going his own way, out of relationship with יהוה, the one who wrestled with God and was changed to Israel. Name is a big deal in the Bible – his name changed from Jacob to Israel. The word of יהוה came to him and he was no longer the same, a new man. He went back to the time when Jacob's name was changed to Israel, the time relationship was established, the time Israel first came into existence by the word of יהוה. To what יהוה said, to His promise. For restoration we need to get back to God's Word. This is what Elijah brought them back to. It all started with יהוה – he was bringing them back to that place where it all began. They had torn down their very roots, their foundation, rejecting Him who brought them into being. Elijah went back and rebuilt that foundation, brought them back to basics, to the origins, back to יהוה [1 Kings 18:32–33 So with the stones he built an altar in the Name of the יהוה, and he made a trench around the altar, large enough to hold two measures of seed. Then he arranged the wood and cut the ox in pieces and laid it on the wood.] Name is a big deal – he rebuilt the altar in the name of יהוה – based on His character and nature, not mixing with some other God. Then Elijah did something unusual: [1 Kings 18:34 And he said, "Fill four pitchers with water and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood." And he said, "Do it a second time," and they did it a second time. And he said, "Do it a third time," and they did it a third time.] He ordered water to be poured over the altar. Elijah intended to prove the greatness of God; making it difficult to set alight, he made the task harder for God. There would be no excuse that tinder dry conditions had allowed spontaneous combustion, a spark from a stone etc. The people were going to see that יהוה is ALMIGHTY! This was the hand of God Himself, no accident. They would see that there is no obstacle that we can place that will stand in His way and prevent Him doing what He is going to do. [1 Kings 18:35 The water flowed around the altar and he also filled the trench with water.] The whole thing was sodden with water, even the trench around the altar. Nothing was less likely to be consumed by fire. We may think that we are impervious, but the fire will fall. Elijah will yet call fire from heaven [Revelation 11:5 fire flows out of their mouth and devours their enemies;] Total dedication/sacrifice [P] [1 Kings 18:36 At the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet came near and said, "O יהוה, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, today let it be known that You are God in Israel and that I am Your servant and I have done all these things at Your word.] Everything was ready in time for the evening sacrifice (it was a burnt offering picturing total dedication) as instituted by יהוה (Num 28:1-4). False religion requires no sacrifice – it gives the people what they want with the minimum required of them. Elijah "drew near" at the appointed time – came near to the people? Near to the altar? No, near to יהוה. He was in special relationship with יהוה. But the privilege of hearing from Him did not make him presumptuous; on the contrary, it made him reverential and fearful in his approach to יהוה; so too will we be if we truly know Him. Elijah knew him – spoke to Him by Name. He could call upon יהוה because he was in relationship with Him. He called upon יהוה to vindicate him as indeed being His servant and not acting in some grandstanding arrogant way but in explicit obedience – that what he had done had not been his own idea or doing but that everything he had done had been at the direction of יהוה's word, simply doing what he was told. Elijah was totally sold out to יהוה alone! Absolute dedication – a living sacrifice. Elijah called upon יהוה to vindicate His word that He had spoken to Elijah and also to vindicate Himself – make it known that You are God! There is the issue! It keeps coming up! Let it be known that You, יהוה are God (cf. v.21, 24, 27, 36, 37, 39). We can only pray this prayer if we are in obedience for this is the essential requirement for relationship with יהוה. Turn back to God [P] [1 Kings 18:37 "Answer me, O יהוה, answer me, that this people may know that You, O יהוה, are God, (he prays the same thing again) and that You have turned their heart back again." ] Elijah's role is to turn hearts back to God; to call people to repentance. (cf. Malachi 4:5–6 "Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of יהוה. "He will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, so that I will not come and smite the land with a curse." Luke 1:16–17 "And he will turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God. "It is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers back to the children, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, so as to make ready a people prepared for the Lord." Luke 3:3 And he came into all the district around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance (that is turning around) for the forgiveness of sins). For restoration there must first be repentance. The burden of Elijah's heart, his prophetic role is: to turn back the people's hearts to God. But had their hearts turned? God can force us to say "You are God", overwhelm us, twist our arm – but it must come from the heart, by faith, like the widow. He prayed that the people might: Know that יהוה is God [P] In this short, two verse, prayer (contrast the all day praying of the prophets of Baal), the Name יְהוָה occurs 3x, אֱלֹהִים 3x, "answer" 2x and "know" 2x. Elijah calls upon God to answer – if God is real, true, alive; if He hears then the expectation is that He will answer; unlike the false gods who cannot. Elijah assumes God hears, that He is interested and is concerned enough with man to act [Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God (comes near) must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.] Elijah had a purpose in mind – it was not supernatural demonstration for its own sake – the purpose was that the people might KNOW – to impart knowledge, knowledge of God, knowledge of יהוה. Today's interest in the supernatural is for the show, to see the spectacular or for our own self interest – to be healed, delivered, set free, blessed, solve our problem etc. When God acted miraculously it was as signs – signs point to something; the sign points to God. Miracles are not ends in themselves; their purpose is to impart knowledge of God. But today we deprecate knowledge – in reference to the supernatural we glorify not being able to understand. This is the opposite intention of יהוה's demonstration of His power. It has a purpose, a lesson to be learnt from it. The nation was perishing for lack of knowledge [Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.] Knowledge of יהוה is our imperative need! Not facts and university degrees; but knowledge of יהוה Himself, His Person; that He is God. True knowing has little to do with accumulation of facts and citing the correct answer. I have been married to Rhoda for 16 years – if you asked me her height or weight, her waist measurement, her blood pressure – I could not give you the correct answer. But I have come to know her – a little anyway. You can know a lot of facts, some men study a life time, and still they do know יהוה. Knowledge of יהוה doesn't come by intellectual study but by a Divine revelation! This was Elijah's concern: that knowledge of יהוה was in danger of dying out. He was desperate to see that knowledge of יהוה restored. Only by knowing God would their hearts be turned to Him. God had not given up on His people; He was at work. Despite the appearance that knowledge of Him had almost vanished, He was acting, turning His people's heart back to Him. Hallelujah! Today, the need is the same – a desperate need for real KNOWLEDGE of God as He really is – not as we would like Him to be or imagine Him to be. But some scorn knowledge and the pursuit of it – glorying in their lack of training and knowledge of God's Word, rather esteeming charisma, personality and manifestations. [1 Kings 18:38 Then the fire of יהוה fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.] This prayer must have been in accord with יהוה's own desire and will for He did indeed answer! Hallelujah! The fire of יהוה fell! יהוה Himself intervened! Dramatic! Supernatural! Overwhelming! Awesome! Absolutely indisputable! But this was not the miracle that יהוה had promised: He had promise to send rain – it was, in fact, judgement! Before the rains of refreshing come, the fire of judgment must first fall. Fire consumes! [Hebrews 12:28–29 talks about offering: to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; for our God is a consuming fire.]The water was no impediment to יהוה – His fire licked it up, the offering was acceptable to יהוה for His fire consumed it. When God acts He leaves no doubt. No smouldering fire under a burnt offering here! The burnt offering was CONSUMED! Not only it, but the wood, not only the wood but the stones of the altar as well, not only the altar but the earth upon which it was placed! Who is God: יהוה or Baal?! A fairly convincing demonstration! [1 Kings 18:39 When all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, "יהוה, He is God; יהוה, He is God!"] A simple truth – easy to learn; but vital to KNOW! When an earthquake strikes; are we afraid or is יהוה God, directing it all? This truth has massive implications on your whole life! All the people saw and they were convinced [they walked by sight, not by faith]. The utter ineffectual impotence and futility of Baal had been demonstrated and in wondrous contrast the almighty power and reality of God, of יהוה! Who can stand before such power and might?! They did the only thing they could do: they fell on their faces – spontaneous, genuine, unfeigned WORSHIP. What else can you do when confronted with the REALITY of the LIVING GOD?! We exhort people to worship, and seek to offer acceptable worship, to fix our minds on the Lord – but when confronted with His REALITY we do so spontaneously! No one needs to tell us to. In the end all will be forced to acknowledge God, "every knee shall bow"; you won't be able to get around it. The thing is to do so by faith and without having your arm twisted. Better to be in the number who are willingly His. The people confessed יהוה. THEY KNEW! יהוה is God! יהוה is GOD! [P] This was the issue! Elijah's prayer was answered, knowledge of God was imparted – that יהוה was indeed God and there is no other. They, like we, know the correct answer – they had been taught all through their history that יהוה is God. But now they truly KNEW – not the correct answer, the right theology, but REALITY! יהוה IS GOD! God is really GOD! This knowledge of the reality of God is imperative. Fear and worship overwhelm us when we are confronted with the reality of God – we desperately need the restoration of this. Fire fell – Power! Reality! God was there! Awe-inspiring and fearsome! Fire is judgement. Fire didn't help their situation – they needed the opposite! Water! It was dramatic and convincing but it did not meet their need. God promised to send rain [1 Kings 18:1 the word of יהוה came to Elijah, saying, "Go, show yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the face of the earth."], that was Elijah's command and mission to bring rain, not fire; the fire came because they had not repented. Mercy follows judgment [P] [1 Kings 18:40 Then Elijah said to them, "Seize the prophets of Baal; do not let one of them escape." So they seized them; and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there.] The people may acknowledge יהוה as God but the prophets of Baal didn't – even after such a convincing demonstration. There was no excuse for their unrepentant stubborn stance – the unrepentant, after being given ample opportunity to change meet the fate of the unrepentant: the judgment of DEATH! The unrepentant are not spared. It is the same at the end – Jesus will reign for a thousand years, perfect righteous just rule – but at the end people will still rebel! [Revelation 20:4–11 They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. ….. When the thousand years are completed, Satan will be released from his prison, and will come out to deceive the nations …. And they came up on the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, (they attack Jerusalem the city where Jesus is ruling from) and fire came down from heaven and devoured them.] False religion cannot be allowed to coexist with the true. Those that lead the masses into error, idolatry and away from יהוה are held responsible and judged more severely than those they lead. They are held accountable for those under their influence. Hence the prophets were judged without mercy – not one was spared or allowed to escape. The people had to demonstrate their newly proclaimed allegiance to יהוה, bring forth the acts of repentance; show that they had turned from Baal by themselves seizing the prophets of Baal. They (plural) seized them but Elijah brought them down (singular) to the brook Kishon and slew them (singular). One man alone killed 450 (perhaps 850) prophets – a grisly and arduous task – one by one – each saw his fate approaching. A massacre! The false prophets were slaughtered! This is the fate of ALL false prophets. Not one was spared. The evil, that which leads away from יהוה must be completely exterminated – no influence left that can corrupt. Restoration requires the uncompromising removal of evil and apostasy. This was Israel's mistake when they entered the land: they did not completely wipe out the heathen in the land as יהוה instructed them to do. The fire speaks of יהוה's judgement, the killing of the prophets was judgment. But mercy follows judgement – the rain was יהוה's blessing; His mercy upon them although they were most undeserving of it. [1 Kings 18:41 Now Elijah said to Ahab, "Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of the roar of a heavy shower."] Only once evil had been dealt with could the matter of blessing be addressed. Only now could Elijah deal with the issue for which he had been sent (cf. v.1). The prophet has to tear down before he can rebuild (Jeremiah 1:9–10). Only after sin has been removed can we plant. Only following repentance can the rain of the Holy Spirit fall [Acts 2:38 Repent, …. and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.]. Now Elijah announced to Ahab abundant rain. No rain was in sight but Elijah had heard the word of יהוה (v.1). Because he had heard יהוה say that He will send rain, Elijah by faith could already hear it. This wasn't some psyching himself up, positive confession, visualizing it – יהוה had spoken; rain was certain. This is seeing prophetically. As far as the man of God was concerned it was there. Not that this let him off the hook for a moment – he didn't sit back and wait. Knowing God's certain will, he prayed it into being – just as Daniel did: he read that Jeremiah had prophesied the desolation of Jerusalem for 70 years [Daniel 9:2–3 So I gave my attention to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth and ashes.] Why was Ahab to go up, eat and drink? It was to partake of the sacrifice just offered – part of worship. Not a sacrifice to Baal but to the true God. Intercession [P] [1 Kings 18:42 So Ahab went up to eat and drink. But Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he crouched down on the earth and put his face between his knees.] For a short time, at least, after the demonstration of the power of יהוה, His servant, the prophet, was obeyed (cf. the people in v.40). Ahab obeys Elijah and "goes up and eats and drinks" as ordered. The king went up to celebrate – the prophet went up to pray. The prophet is a man alone – while others are feasting, he is apart. Others in rowdy social intercourse, Elijah is bowed to the ground, prostrate before God – in humility, worship, desperate intense intercession – his face between his knees. For there to be restoration, for there to be mercy from יהוה, there needs to be intercession by His servants. Others are celebrating God's blessing and coming goodness, the prophet is on his face before יהוה earnestly praying it into being. They enjoy the blessing, they have no idea what goes on to bring it to pass. [1 Kings 18:43 He said to his servant, "Go up now, look toward the sea." So he went up and looked and said, "There is nothing." And he said, "Go back" seven times.] Elijah prayed expectantly – he had his servant look to see the answer; and he prayed persistently. Even though the answer was negative Elijah didn't give up nor was disappointed. He was persistent He prayed with absolute certainty of faith. יהוה had said it was going to rain, so rain it must, and he was going to pray until it did. He kept sending his servant back – there had to be a sign of rain coming because יהוה had said that He would send it. Jesus has said that He will return, He will make Jerusalem a praise in all the earth – therefore this will certainly come about. Therefore, like Elijah, we must keep praying and not let up until it comes to pass. Keep watching and praying – pray then look for signs of the answer coming. The future is not foretold to us so that we can sit back and see it happen or predict it, but in order to show us how to pray, so that by earnest prayer we may cause יהוה to bring to pass what He has said He will do. He will do it; our part is to intercede. Pray and don't give up; continue watching expectantly for the certain answer. [1 Kings 18:44 It came about at the seventh time, that he said, "Behold, a cloud as small as a man's hand is coming up from the sea." And he said, "Go up, say to Ahab, 'Prepare your chariot and go down, so that the heavy shower does not stop you.' "] Elijah prayed until he saw the answer on its way. The merest hint, the very first sign, a small cloud, was enough. Elijah knew the rain was imminent and now he sprang into action, not before. He told his servant to warn Ahab of tremendous rain – to hurry, for the rain was such that it would prevent travel. God had said that he would send rain (cf. v.1) and here it was on its way! It was, after all the waiting, time to act; and to move fast. In the end times after waiting and intercession there will come time for quick action. [1 Kings 18:45 In a little while the sky grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy shower. And Ahab rode and went to Jezreel.] In the time it took the servant to tell the message to Ahab, the sky had grown dark with clouds – this front was moving in at a tremendous pace. The fire was spectacular and necessary to force the people to acknowledge יהוה as God, but it was the repentance, acknowledging יהוה as God, that was required before God could bring the blessing He had promised. The fire was spectacular, impressive; but it didn't solve their problem. It was rain that was needed! The fire was God's judgment, the rain was His blessing – His mercy. The fire, though awesome, did not solve their most pressing and dire need. You can have all the fire you want but it doesn't solve the drought. What is needed is rain! God's presence that comes in response to repentance – dark clouds is where יהוה dwells (Psalm 18:11; 97:2; 1 Kings 8:12). What is required is His Holy Spirit among us – the great wind (Acts 2:2); and Jesus come amongst us: the rain (Joel 2:23; James 5:7,8). Ahab heeded Elijah's instructions and rode to Jezreel to beat the incoming great rain squall. But his chariot was no competition for Elijah when the hand of the LORD was upon him! When יהוה acts He does so with amazing rapidity! Three and a half long years of drought broken in a sudden moment [Isaiah 60:22 I, יהוה, will hasten it in its time."] Following judgment came mercy – and pure mercy it was because despite their confession the nation had not turned back to God. It was total grace – there was no real repentance, yet יהוה sent rain, the drought was broken. [P] [Lamentations 3:22 It is of יהוה's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.] [P] In these apostate times, there is a great need for restoration; to return to the basic foundational truths; Jesus said to the church in Ephesus: [Revelation 2:5 'Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place—unless you repent.] There is a need for an all-out commitment to יהוה; for repentance, a turning back to God; that we might Know Him the true God; and knowing Him might plead in intercession for His mercy to be poured out upon us.


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If you live in any of these electorates, expect to see the Prime Minister up close at some point in the next few weeks -- or at least, to have your morning commute delayed by a campaign bus of some description.
The Australian Electoral Commission has released a list of the marginal seats around the country, the electorates up for grabs and winnable by either major party. These are the battleground areas, where the Liberal and Labor parties will be focusing their resources to either hang on to a precariously-held seat or to snatch it from their opposition.
These are the seats where we'll be seeing pork-barrel election promises being made, hands being shaken, unsuspecting babies being kissed and traffic held up as politicians in nice suits and journalists lugging cameras pop in for a visit.
Malcolm Turnbull and Bill Shorten and all their star players will be spending the most time in these electorates over the next eight weeks, where they'll be trying to win or keep votes through a combination of favourable local press coverage, tempting policy announcements and more than a bit of personal charm.
The AEC defines a "marginal" seat as one where "the leading party receives less than 56 per cent of the TPP vote." Under that calculation, 62 seats of the 150-seat House of Representatives are notionally up for grabs, with a swing of less than six percent required for the seat to change hands. It means 41 percent of electorates are marginal; 18 in NSW, 14 in Victoria, six in Western Australia, four in South Australia, four of the five Tasmanian seats, both Northern Territory seats, and 14 of the 30 seats in Queensland. Of the 62, nine are held by a margin of less than one percent.
An example in action: Prime Minister Turnbull spent his day in the marginal Queensland electorates of Petrie, Bonner and Moreton, wasting no time targeting vulnerable seats in the battleground state.
Of the marginal seats, 31 are held by the Coalition and 27 are held by Labor, with independents holding the remainder. The Coalition currently hold 90 seats in the House, above the 76 needed to form government. Labor, holding 55, need to pick up 21 seats to retake government.
Some big names are under the pump, with the seats of Labor stars including shadow treasurer Chris Bowen, shadow attorney-general Mark Dreyfus, Joel Fitzgibbon, Wayne Swan, Kate Ellis, Jenny Macklin and Michael Danby currently classified as "marginal" by the AEC. Liberal veteran Warren Entsch is also in a marginal seat, as is Bob Katter.
If you live in any of these seats -- especially Dobell, Paterson, McEwen, Capricornia,Petrie, Lingiari, Indi, Fairfax or O'Connor, the seats held by under one percent -- expect to be seeing a flurry of political activity and important visits, as the major parties vie to keep or win your vote.
NSW - 47 seats, 18 marginal
Banks, Barton, Dobell, Eden-Monaro, Gilmore, Greenway, Hunter/Charlton, Kingsford-Smith, Lindsay, Macarthur, Macquarie, McMahon, Page, Parramatta, Paterson, Reid, Richmond, Robertson
VIC - 37 seats, 14 marginal
Ballarat, Bendigo, Chisholm, Corangamite, Deakin, Dunkley, Indi, Isaacs, Jagajaga, La Trobe, Melbourne, McEwen, Melbourne Ports
QLD - 30 seats, 14 marginal
Blair, Bonner, Brisbane, Capricornia, Fairfax, Forde, Griffith, Kennedy, Leichhardt, Lilley, Moreton, Oxley, Petrie, Rankin
WA - 16 seats, 6 marginal
Brand, Cowan, Durack, Fremantle, O'Connor, Perth
SA - 11 seats, 4 marginal
Adelaide, Hindmarsh, Makin, Wakefield
TAS - 5 seats, 4 marginal
Bass, Braddon, Franklin, Lyons
NT - 2 seats, 2 marginal
Lingiari, Solomon


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Treatment for pollution from fire-fighting foam
June 18, 2010 Leave a comment
Melbourne: An Australian team led by a scientist of Indian origin claims to have developed a groundbreaking solution for treating water and soil pollution from the toxic remnants of fire-fighting foam.
This breakthrough comes at a time of growing global concerns over cancer and environmental risks of long-lasting chemicals found in the foams that have been used for half a century.
The team from the CRC CARE (Cooperative Research Centre for Contamination Assessment and Remediation of the Environment) has developed a new substance called MatCARETM to treat waste-water remnants at a fire site or practice area that has been hosed down.
According to lead scientist of CRC CARE Ravi Naidu, the advance is based on the use of modified natural materials that break down the foam's chemicals into harmless substances.
"There are over 49, 000 airports around the world, including 450 civilian and military airports in Australia alone. Many of these have used foam in fire-fighting exercises for many years, as well as in actual aircraft fires, and the chemicals have been subsequently detected in nearby groundwater and streams.
Practical, cost-effective
"It is the first practical, cost-effective clean-up solution to the large-scale water and soil pollution caused by decades of foam use all over the world," said Professor Naidu.
"Both PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonate) and PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) increase effectiveness of the foam as a fire quencher. However, both are highly toxic chemicals and if they enter local water sources, they can accumulate in the food chain and in humans.


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Due to the changes in our kids' ideas of what is a good idea or a "challenge," I must apologize for bringing my boys up to not be morons. Who knew that to be popular you had to eat soap instead of getting off your ass and washing your laundry.
And who knew that sucking a frickin condom up your nose would prevent pregnancy?
So this isn't necessarily out to the kids who are just being retarded, but to the parents who do not take the time to WATCH your f....... kids and make sure they aren't growing up to f........stupid as shit. Seriously folks???
So hear me out:
1. Don't bitch when the laundry doesn't get done.
2. Don't preach in front of planned parenthood when the condom they were going to use is now covered in a different kind of mucus.
3. Pay attention.
4. This is OUR future. OUR next president, next senator. OUR next doctors, lawyers, convenience store managers, and city workers.
5. Sit down with your kids. Put the cell phone away. Show them how to do PPMDAS (bonus if you can actually remember what that is.)
6. TEACH THEM HOW TO SIGN THEIR NAMES!!!! (Bonus if you can actually legibly sign yours as well.)
My apologies for my language in advance...


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Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Collectors' Items
An open secret around here is that I have written a great many stories about a character named Isobel, and even thought I was writing a collection about her at one point, although that has not worked out too well (*yet*--I'm certainly not done trying). Anyway, "The Least of Love" is one of those stories. Quite often, people get excited when I tell them certain stories of mine are connected, but other times I explain the connections and they don't care at all--a story begins on the first page and ends on the last for them, and that's that. For the sake of those in the first category (if any) I thought I'd list the (published) Isobel stories here--then you can feel free to ignore and read the stories as standalones, or to track them all down and read in order. Or not to read them at all, that's totally an option too.
These are in the order they happen chronologically in time for the characters, not the order they were written or published in. Places you can find them are beside the titles, should you care to do so.
"Dykadelic"--forthcoming in *The Milan Review" (May 2010)
"Fruit Factory"--*The New Quarterly* 102 Summer 2007; *Best Canadian Stories 2008* Oberon Press; *Once* Biblioasis 2008
"ContEd"--*Coming Attractions 2008* Oberon Press; *Once*; *The Fiddlehead* Summer 2009
"Christmas with My Mother"--*Earlit Shorts 4* Rattling Books December 2009; *Best Canadian Stories 2009*
"Far from Downtown"--forthcoming in *The New Quarterly* summer 2010
"The Least of Love"--forthcoming in *Road Trips* from Frog Hollow Press
So now you know, if you collect these stories, where you can collect them from, including a book that is itself going to be a beautiful collectors' item.
If you, you know, dig that sort of thing.
7 comments:
- August said...
Oh wow. I will save up my pennies and see if I can snag a copy before they're gone.
- March 17, 2010 at 10:03 PM
- Kerry said...
Holy Crap, Isobel was in Fruit Factory??? The universe has just expanded!
- March 17, 2010 at 11:05 PM
- Rebecca Rosenblum said...
Thanks for considering it, August. FHP publications are pricey, but lovely.
KC, it's so cool to see such a strong reaction!
- March 19, 2010 at 2:21 PM
- August said...
I don't mind paying for stuff involving artisan labour; premiums for that kind of thing are more than justified. My finances are the issue, not the price of the book. :)
(I will literally be saving pennies. I have a jar that I take to the bank every few months.)
- March 19, 2010 at 3:22 PM
- Kerry said...
It was SUCH a strong reaction-- I spelled crap with a capital C!
- March 19, 2010 at 4:21 PM
- Rosalynn said...
Noooo! I followed the link to see the cover and got a 404 error. *Sigh* Guess I'll just have to wait til the real thing is in my hands :)
- March 20, 2010 at 2:09 PM
- Rebecca Rosenblum said...
Hi Rosalynn,
Thanks for that--I fixed the link--but we're still a ways off from deciding the cover. The font, however, has been chosen, and is very lovely.
Thanks for sharing the excitement!
- March 22, 2010 at 11:51 AM


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Tehran denies receiving any invitation from Riyadh for FM's visit
Tehran, Iran, May 14
By Milad Fashtami - Trend:
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said on May 13 that his country has not received any official invitation from Saudi Arabia for Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif's visit to the Persian Gulf kingdom.
Amir-Abdollahian, however, said that the foreign ministers of the two countries will hold a meeting in the near future.
"Iran and Saudi Arabia are two key countries in the region," he said, adding that negotiations between the two countries can be important for resolving conflicts in the region.
Saudi Arabia's foreign minister, Prince Saud al-Faisal, said on May 13 that his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif has been invited to visit the kingdom.
Faisal also said that his country is ready to negotiate better relations with Iran.
He went on to note that his country hopes to settle any differences with Tehran in further talks.
Iran and Saudi Arabia have their differences over several regional issues such as the situation in Syria and Bahrain.


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This article appeared in the September 2010 issue of Louisville Magazine. To subscribe, please visit loumag.com.
What are the odds you'll like these five local September events?
9:1 The Clydesdale Games
Upside: According to the website for this first-ever athletic event, the Clydesdale Games are for men weighing at least 205 pounds and women who are at least 135 pounds. Though the site is coy about specifics — there is speculation about an eating contest — it does promise that "heavy weights will be moved."
Downside: Realizing you are a weakling.
Sept. 11 & 12. Free for spectators. Waterfront Park; call 502-641-2980 or visit clydesdalegames.com for information.
7:1 The National
Upside: The National formed in Cincinnati, and critics (and the always-fickle indie crowd) fell in love basically the first time they heard Matt Berninger's baritone.
Downside: Hipsters everywhere.
Sept. 27. $35. Brown Theatre, 502-584-7777, kentuckycenter.org
13:2 Reflections on a Louisville Landmark
Upside: The Louisville Water Co. celebrates its 150th anniversary Oct. 16, the date in 1860 the Water Tower was officially put into service. This event, among other things, showcases artwork depicting the historic landmark.
Downside: Yeah, it's OK if the Louisville Water Co. doesn't excite you.
Sept. 3-Oct. 22. Prices vary. Louisville Visual Art Association, 502-896-2146, louisvillevisualart.org
5:2 Odds-on-favorite The Louisville Orchestra presents: Louisville
Upside: By now, you've surely heard of Music Makes a City, the documentary about the history of the Louisville Orchestra. To celebrate the film — released in New York and Los Angeles this month — the Louisville Orchestra will perform the pieces "Fanfare for Louisville" and Elliott Carter's "Variations," which is memorably featured in Music Makes a City. It's probably worth mentioning that pianist and Louisville native Lee Luvisi will be playing.
Downside: Too bad Randy Newman, who'll be onstage with the orchestra in Louisville the previous week, can't be at these shows, too.
Sept. 30 and Oct. 1. $20-$75. Brown Theatre, 502-584-7777, louisvilleorchestra.org
Photo: Courtesy The National


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Sheraton Tampa East Replaces Crowne Plaza After $9M Renovation
- By
- Aug 08, 2012
Following a $9 million comprehensive renovation, the former Crowne Plaza hotel is now ready to welcome its guests as the Sheraton Tampa East Hotel.
The hotel—purchased last fall by a joint venture between Interstate Hotels & Resorts, Waramaug Hospitality LLC, and a private investment group— is the Sheraton brand's fourth hotel in greater Tampa. The renovation included upgrades to all 265 guestrooms, the property's 30,000 square feet of meeting space, and all public areas. The hotel's reception area was also adapted to Sheraton's signature lobby, the Link@Sheraton® experience.
Additional amenities include the fully renovated, full-service restaurant, Panfilio's Bar and Grille, Sheraton Club Lounge, an outdoor heated pool, tennis courts and upgraded fitness facility featuring the brand's Sheraton Fitness programmed by Core Performance. Sheraton Tampa East Hotel provides more than 30,000 square feet of fully renovated meeting and event space, including a 5,000 square foot ballroom and a poolside pavilion for cocktail receptions.
All 265 renovated guestrooms feature oversized work desks, custom-designed ergonomic chairs, high-speed Internet, LCD flat panel televisions, MP3 docking stations and the Sheraton Sweet Sleeper bed. Sheraton Tampa East Hotel's 30,000 square feet of meeting and event space includes a 5,000-square-foot ballroom, 24 meeting rooms and a poolside pavilion for receptions.
"We have a great team that was able to renovate all areas of the hotel in a very short period of time," said Jay Litt, asset manager for Waramaug Hospitality Asset Management LLC. "We wanted the conversion to be completed in time for the Republican National Convention this summer, and our team was able to finish the work with time to spare."
Conveniently located off I-75, Sheraton Tampa East Hotel boasts a prime location close to major corporations, within five miles from the Tampa Convention Center and the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, 10 miles from downtown Tampa, and 16 miles from Tampa International Airport (TPA). The hotel is easily accessible to leading attractions including Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, Brandon Town Center and Ford Amphitheater.
Interstate operates the Sheraton Tampa East Hotel under a long-term management agreement. Waramaug Hospitality Asset Management LLC provided project and asset management for the renovation and conversion to the Sheraton brand.
Image courtesy of TripAdvisor


text: Nogales, Arizona - On the US-Mexico border, Horacio, standing on the American side in southern Arizona state, is speaking to his father through the gaps in the iron pillar wall that divides the two countries. They had not seen each other in nine years. Horacio's father travelled nearly 1,000km from Sinaloa state in northwest Mexico to see him through the fence from the Mexican side of the border. Horacio's wife and children live here in the border town of Nogales, in Arizona. He cannot risk leaving the United States because he won't be allowed to come back. He is among the millions of undocumented migrants in the US, whom Donald Trump has threatened to deport if he is elected the president. This is just one of the many examples in Arizona that show how personal this election has become. It is not just about the role of the military, the economy or the US role in the world. It is about how people's lives will be affected if Trump wins the presidency. "I am afraid," Horacio, who declined to reveal his full name, told Al Jazeera. "My work permit could be revoked because I have to renew it every year. If Trump wins … what will happen to me?" Families reunite through the border fence on the US border [Teresa Bo/Al Jazeera] Grassroots initiative Nobody really knows the answer to Horacio's question. Trump has vowed to build a wall on the US-Mexico border to stop migrants from Latin American countries, particularly Mexico, from entering the US territory. The Republican Party presidential hopeful has called Mexicans "rapists and murderers" . But even though many of his speeches have generated fear, they have also generated rage. The Latino population in Arizona has grown over the years. They now form one third of the total population of more than 6 million. Historically they have not been active politically but since 2010, when Arizona passed the nation's toughest immigration laws, they have become more vocal about their rights. They are on the streets, knocking on every door and asking people to head to the polls. Maria Rodriguez was deported in 2011 but was allowed to come back in 2014 because her two college-going children are in the United States. She has applied for political asylum in the US because, she says, her life is in danger in Mexico. Inside Story - What will the US election mean for immigrants? Rodriguez has no authorisation to work, but she is volunteering to help mobilise the Latino population to go to the polls. She is part of the BAZTA Arpaio campaign - a grassroots initiative driven by young Latinos against long-time Sherriff Joe Arpaio, of Maricopa County, Arizona. "Arpaio has persecuted us, harassed us, he uses racial profiling. Arpaio has to go," Rodriguez told Al Jazeera. Arpaio is seeking re-election this year and he calls himself Trump's political soulmate. Tougher border controls People are mobilising like never before to stop Trump and his ally Arpaio. This does not mean that everyone likes Hillary Clinton - the Democratic presidential candidate. But many here say that right now it is the lesser evil. But beating the Republican Party in Arizona is not easy. Out of the past 16 presidential elections, the Republicans were victorious 15 times. "Arizona is Republican. More Latinos may be voting but they won't beat us so easily," Raymundo Torres, an Arizona resident, told Al Jazeera. "My family was from Mexico over 100 years ago but that cannot justify entering the country illegally. We need serious policies to fight illegals," said Torres. He was a Republican, he said, because he respected conservative [party] values. Although Trump is not perfect, at least the Republican candidate, stood closer to conservative party values, he said, than Clinton. Many in Arizona who will vote for Trump are looking for tougher border controls and an improvement in the economy. Many seem to be tired of the political class and want to try something new and that's why many are voting for Trump. But an increase in the Latino population in Arizona and their involvement in political activism has increased the Democrat Party's chances of beating the Republicans. SOURCE: Al Jazeera News ABOUT THE AUTHOR Teresa Bo US Elections 2016 US & Canada Mexico Donald Trump Hillary Clinton