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Be inspired with the story of the Richard C. Macapulay, the topnotcher of the recently-released September 2016 Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET), Secondary level. He strongly believes that thorough preparation along with strong faith in God can lead you to the spot you want to be.
Here is his story.
LET's Take the CHALLENGE!
I am Richard C. Macapulay. I am fifth among my nine siblings and the eldest son of Mr. Reynaldo and Mrs. Rosita Macapulay. My father owns a small-time auto mechanic shop and my mother busies at home and in school for us their children. We are not well off but my father is a good provider.
|Mr. Reynaldo and Mrs. Rosita Macapulay (Parents of Richard Macapulay)
Looking for a job is never easy. I was hired at a refinery's power plant located in Bataan as a laboratory technician from February to July 2014. Then, I moved to a third party testing laboratory in Makati from August 2014 to June 2015.
During my first two months in the second company I worked for, I realized that I miss schooling. I was experiencing a quarter life crises then. I love studying history but I don't have any means to support another course. I got three siblings in college, too. I tried looking for a scholarship program at the University of the Philippines (UP) – Diliman to pursue Bachelor of Arts in History. However, my financial standing made me realize that it is not time yet to pursue my passion. So, I decided to take Professional Education units at TSU during Saturdays starting November 2014. I tried managing my time working in the laboratory while trying to understand principles of teaching, learning and assessment. On April 2015, my application for my master's degree was accepted. I then resigned from my job to be able to finish the remaining six units of Professional Education that I still have.
|2013 Bachelor of Science in Chemistry graduates with Latin honors with Ms. Claire C. Lagrana
When I resigned from my second job, I didn't have enough money to support my graduate studies. The Youngbok Community Church from South Korea and a good friend of mine sponsored my tuition fees and provided for my expenses for a month. Then, I was accepted at the Department of Science and Technology's (DOST) scholarship program for graduate students on October 2015, the Accelerated Science and Technology Human Resource Development Program (ASTHRDP).
Even if I have been browsing sample LET questions since January 2015, I had to focus my attention to my graduate studies by September and by the end of the semester, I started reviewing for LET again. I did practice sets from LET review books I borrowed from friends and classmates who are already registered professional teachers. My review wasn't promising and smooth. When I started, I only get 40% to 60% correct answers. I also didn't have Earth Science subject from my bachelor's degree. So what I did was, I downloaded the BLEPT for March 2016. I attended the final coaching at Chain Rinivarts Educational Training Center (CRETC) for those who will be taking the March exam in which my sister was also reviewing. I didn't take the March 2016 because my preparation wasn't enough.
My graduate studies' course subjects had been taxing. Fortunately, I am a full time student. Reviewing for the licensure exam has been my way to relax myself from Biochemistry subjects. I was also taking online reviews but with cautions that I might learn erroneous knowledge. This was a reality because not all reviewers, especially those from the web, are fool-proof. What we can do is to check other references always and promptly when we are in doubt.
Notching the top spot in the licensure exam is a tough challenge so I asked two classmates of mine who topped the Chemist Licensure Examination for review tips and strategies. I also thought that this challenge is impossible if I will just rely to praying and self-reviewing. So, I started reviewing at Mind Gym Review Center in Quezon City by second week of May 2016. My review coaches are UP alumni and previous LET topnotchers. They coached and challenged me to ace the exam. In my review, I met my review buddy named Algie Juridico. He is a Magna Cum Laude graduate of Bachelor of Elementary Education with Specialization in Special Education and a LET topnotcher bet, too, of our review batch. He also did best in the actual exam as he ranked number 5 in the elementary level.
|Mind Gym review batchmates with Coach Alice during our salu-salo for finishing General and Professional Education review.
|Prof. Patrocinio Villafuerte and Sir Arvin Christian Delos Reyes from Chain Rinivarts Educational Training Center
On August 2016, I started attending my graduate studies again. I should be starting my thesis by this time but I still have remaining course work. I tried managing my time in attending my classes at graduate school and two review centers. This was a challenge for me but I need to review smartly. The key is prioritizing few things which are of high importance.
My mock LET scores by September 2016 at Mind Gym were 127, 114, and 139 for General Education, Professional Education, and Specialization, respectively. On the other hand, my pre-board exam scores at Chain Rinivarts were 130 for General Education, 121 for Professional Education, and 140 for Specialization. Of the three parts of the licensure exam, I am confident that I am prepared for the Specialization part.
By the end of my review, I finished to read cover-to-cover and in parts the following: Mind Gym practice books, module drills, mock exams, final coaching 150-item practice sets; at least ten books in Chemistry, Earth Science, Astronomy and Physics; Chain Rinivarts review handouts, appraisal examination practice sets; LET review books; online quizzes and exams; etc. I did peer mentoring with some review classmates and my review buddy. Moreover, I didn't have work to support my expenses but I did borrow money from my sister. I am narrating these because licensure examination is not a test of intelligence but a leap of faith and hard work. It is better to have exerted our efforts and didn't achieve our goal than to do mediocre review tasks and regret about it when we know that we can achieve something higher. It involves talent, time, money and faith to the Almighty.
My LET preparation taught me review and test taking strategies as well as managing time as efficiently as possible. I also practiced the art of highlighting and erasing erroneously shaded answer sheet. I even recorded the time I consumed while taking a 150-item exam and the travel time from where I am staying to the actual exam venue.
Despite the strenuous review preparation, the actual licensure examination was a real challenge. The night before the actual exam, Al and I prayed to God for wisdom, guidance and strength. Al was a bit sick so I was worried. We are aiming to have a back-to-back victory for the elementary and secondary levels. Our test booklet for the General Education was more than 15 minutes late than the official time of start but the proctor didn't adjust our time. Anyway, I'm thankful that God helped me to finish each 150-item exam with 20-40 items of unsure items. I didn't answer an item and shade it per item. What I did was I finished answering the test booklets in an hour, rechecked twice and finalized my answers, shaded my answer sheets and cross-checked my test booklet and answer sheet if I shaded each item correctly. The General Education was okay but the Professional Education was too taxing in terms of reading comprehension and applying principles, laws, theories and concepts to every situation. I was frustrated with the Specialization because there are constants which were not given in the item; typographical errors like missing reaction products and vector units.
After the exam, I checked on the web and other references my answers. There some which matched my answers and some which I failed to select out of the two options I got from elimination technique. This made me more anxious about the LET results. The waiting time is the most toxic part of a licensure examination. Unlike the Chemist Licensure Examination, the results were out after two days. The results of the LET were expected to be out two months after the exam day. During these times, I went back to graduate school, as usual. I prayed to God about optimum result and acceptance and fulfillment of whatever results would it be. I tried my best to lower my expectations but keep myself optimistic. Two weeks before the release of result, I am glad that God kept my heart at calm despite of trailing in the actual examination.
I want every LET taker to realize that what we sow is what we reap. It is not about the level of difficulty of the licensure examination that matters nor the result if we took one. What we can manage is our preparation. This preparation has started during our first day in school. Let me share the words of Paul 'Bear' Bryant: "It's not the will to win that matters. Everyone has that. It's the will to prepare to win that matters."
One thing I want to share to people is the lessons I have learned so far. Most people will see anyone of us as an achiever who always succeed in every endeavor. In reality, it is and was not. We are defined by our frustrations, broken dreams, and unmet goals. What made us to make a difference is not also due to our abilities but our perseverance and faith to embrace the frailties and hardship of life. I participated in competitions where I reviewed for half a year and lost by one point, I failed to enter the Philippine National Police and start my path to be a forensic chemist, I wasn't able yet to pursue my dream of becoming a medical doctor nor my goal of becoming a Philippine history expert; etc. I struggled in my undergraduate degree, much more now in my graduate studies. Studying is never an easy task even if we do it full time. I got so many frustrations than achievements. These are unknown to most of our acquaintances. Nonetheless, these things strengthened us to be a better person. Our achievements may not be as that of a person who did it in flying colors. However, I believe that as long as we take excellence with us no matter how small our achievement or progress is, it would add up to our lives. Then, these small milestones will build us to be a person who makes a difference in our family, friends, schools and society. We are all experiencing different dramas in our lives but these should not excuse us in pursuing our dreams and life goals. When we've reached our goals, only then when we realize the reasons of our failures.
There is also pressure from people who believe in us. Those people who are expecting that we'll make it on the list of passers and top notchers. Let's remember this quote I posted on my Facebook account almost two months before the actual exam: "Graphite in pencil and diamond in jewelry are both made up of the same element, carbon. The only things which made them different are time, temperature, and 'pressure'. Therefore, let us hone our abilities under 'healthy' pressures. Everyone has the potential to be an achiever." Thus, let's keep moving even if our progress seems so slow. Let's still study and review even if the pressures are present, even if our passion to teach is fading, and even if our LET review scores are not promising. We must also stand firm with God in achieving our goal because in some cases, a person in our inner circle may ask us to abandon it. Let's not be discouraged.
One more thing is that the question on where we graduated should be irrelevant to what we can do in our jobs as professional teachers and in our society. I am product of San Juan Bautista Elementary School, Maliwalo High School and Tarlac State University. These institutions do have limitations due to budget constraints that some learning materials or equipment were not available for public school students like me. But these flaws in our educational system should not be a hindrance for us to pursue excellence. After 14 years (+2 for K-12 program) of public schooling, the real questions should be: Do I have the knowledge and skills which are at par to graduates of premier universities in the country? Do I have a good character who can positively contribute to our society? Do I have enough patriotism and nationalism to serve our countrymen? Do I strive for excellence? Etc. No one is exempted to pursue excellence. It isn't about the certificates nor the medals I would get if I did top the LET but the victory over low self-esteem. There are no ifs and buts. I believe that in God's grace, we did it.
Let us be the catalysts of change in our society. Let us go back to our hometown and teach younger generations to aspire and perspire for their goals. The real challenge has just started. Let's trust God and be humble. Let's keep on striving until such time when we're only reminiscing how we did it. Thank you and God bless you fellow professional teachers.
|Awarding and testimonial activity of some passers and the topnotcher (Number 5, second person seated leftmost) of the September 2013 Chemist Licensure Examination


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How to Rig for Project Evolution in 4 steps (bring a ball and chain)
This post is one part tutorial and fifty-seven parts protest. One can rig for PE in Poser, but its not easy and SM really need to listen in on this process and refine it.
Anyone, feel free to add to this, or improve it, or correct me!
The basic steps involved are actually fairly simple:
1. Get your item to fit PE.
2. Group it.
3. Throw it through the setup room.
4. Refine the WM and JCMs (and morphs).
(2 and 3 are interchangable)
Done. Sounds simple right? However, some of these steps are utterly tedious. Let me help you through them.
1. Get your item to fit PE. Or rather, one of the mannequins.
- This is probably the fun part. Have fun, its your last chance.
- If you made a brand new item for PE, you probably don't need help here.
- But if you're converting stuff from V4, use anything you have at your disposal for this. Poser's morph brush, zBrush, Max, or perhaps just scaling it up and down if the item permits it.
- You can also use the V4 donor that the Content Kit provides. The V4 donor is basically a V4 with a PE FBM. Transfer that FBM to your item and boom, you have your shape. It might need refining obviously.
- If you have a high res item, you will definitely need to refine it, because Poser doesn't transfer morphs well to higher res items... (despite the fact that all Poser figures are going low res and all items are high res. Logic? SM, hint hint, wink wink, nudge nudge)
2. Group it.
- Buckle down, now its time for some pain. Don't be a pussy you can do it.
- (warning, sarcasm) Poser has a secret pair of scissors from 2003 hidden in the ancient code somewhere, because Poser LOVES chopping your stuff up. Its how it is, so we'll have to roll with it. Basically, you need to help these scissors to cut up the mesh in a meaningful way, and try do it before Poser commits the cutting (like when throwing it through setup room or fitting room). Make the scissors work like a scalpel basically. So:
- make sure the groups overlap PE's groups as close as possible. Like hips, thighs, abdomen, etc. Ignore the handles, they're separate from the figure. Be creative, hide PE's bodyparts to see what you're doing.
- The reason you need to make the groups match is for the Weight map and morph transfer. Poser gets confused if you have the thigh part of a clothing item hanging over the hip... what morph data goes where?. And scaling becomes pure, pure, and utter torture. Make it overlap, as if your life depends on it.
- This is where I deeply regret not cutting PE up into solid rectangles, it would have made our lives so much easier. Anyway, moving on...
3. Throw it through the setup room.
- You can also have the mesh chopped up automatically in the setup room using autogrouping (which is why I said you can interchange steps 2 and 3). But there's a whole LOAD of 'buts' and 'ifs' and 'warnings' to come with that (SM, are you taking notes?)(Enter Vilters, stage left...).
- before you enter the setup room, for the love of christ back your sh!t up because I can promise you it will go wrong the first time round. And the Setup Room is incredibly crash prone.
- Setup room 'But' #1: if its a V4 item, its already cut up. You need to weld it or its going to look like a dog's breakfast. To weld it you just make a new group with a name 'weld' or something, and you select ALL the areas that have been split. You could try selecting all and then welding it all, but you run the risk of welding a button to the item, or even weld vertices within the button, or the hems, or the crotch...
- Once its all welded... now you can load one of PE's mannequins over it, and then autogroup it. Then you can modify the groupings before the commit (which is exiting the setup room).
- When you do load one of the mannequins over it, don't bother with transferring morphs yet (because Setup Room will probably crash later and you'll have waited for nothing). Don't do the
- Setup room 'But' #2:: If its your own item and you're a vendor, you can do the whole loading PE mannequin thing + autogrouping, but once you exit the setup room, that's it, that mesh is split up.
- You can export the mesh and weld it, but do it BEFORE you transfer and refine the morphs, because they won't work anymore if you make the cr2 refer to the welded mesh. What's this, a CR2? Oops I skipped a few steps. Just a taste of how FRIGGIN COMPLEX this can get. (SM, taking notes?)
- Lets go back to exiting the setup room. When you exit the setup room, as I said, the big scissors swoop in and cut your item up. Its done, no going back.
- From hereon you can either accept the split mesh and build on it, or you can try to weld it back together.
- If you want it welded (which a LOT of vendors want) be prepared for drama. Here's the quick breakdown: save it to library, load the OBJ (or OBZ) back into Poser, weld it, carefully, (or do it Vilters style: blender), export it. Open PFE (poser file editor), load your item, replace the OBJ reference of he cut version to the welded version... and THEN load it back into poser and continue. Sooo easy :O
- So whatever you choose, split or welded, now you can transfer your morphs. If you're just at home having fun, just copy over all morphs. If you're a vendor... honestly just do the same. I really don't think people give a damn.
- Oh and re-transfer the weight mapping. Setup Room and Fitting room have WM transfer protocols from Uranus.
4. Refine the JCMs (and morphs).
- You're almost there!!!!! Put that knife down its ok.
- Read the section about JCMs to get into idea of it in this PDF.
- (before we dig in) Now, as some of you might know, perhaps from my bitter complaining elsewhere, although Poser's morph transfer is pretty cool, it cannot transfer morphs from a low resolution figure to a high resolution figure without getting spikes and stuff everywhere. "Let me make a super detailed corset for Pauline!!! Oh wait nevermind..."
- Basically, you're going to be doing some refining. Crack open a beer, pour yourself a glass of wine, hide your knives, let's do this.
- refining FBM is the easy part. Edit them in zero pose and you should be fine. The mannequins have all the essential morphs, so you should be ok. ONE X might have an extra boobie morph but its up to you to wanna support that.
- JCMs are a bit tougher. The problem with JCMs is that its better to edit them in the rotations they're meant for. This is where Poser steps in and... happily makes things complicated for you. Two things that make it complex:
- You need to edit them in post-transform. Ok, the very idea of post-transform hurts my brain so much, I might fail to explain this properly. it makes that little sense to me. Post-transform means that the vertices get displaced AFTER the rotations have been done. So its like suddenly being fat after you sit down on a chair. Huh? In any case, if you want to edit a morph when the limb involved is bent, you need to FIRST convert it to post-transform, then edit it, and THEN convert it back to pre-transform.................. <crickets>................... yes, that's what I mean. That's how it works. We have to roll with it for now.
- The other thing that makes it complex, is a little bit my fault, but also not really. To edit the JCMs, its best to edit them in the order they load. This means you do need to kind of know how they load, which is why I provided the rigging scene. Some JCMs need another JCM to work. So you obviously need to refine the previous one first. Generally, the one with the smaller angles need to be refined first. But there's more. I think it might be wise to put this in point form:
Rules about editing JCMs:
- Because they're a very precise vertex displacement method, and basically replace rigging, LET POSER DO MOST OF IT FOR YOU! And then refine them. Don't do them yourselves. If you do you might as well shoot yourself. Don't.
- Set them to post-transform before editing, and set them back to pre-transform when done.
- Edit them in the rotation they were meant for! JCM_Th_Bnd90_S0_R must be edited when the thigh is bent at 90 and side-side is 0.
- Edit all the JCMs in order - This I admit might be a tough one, but they're in the right order in the parameter list (in poser). The only joints that really need this to be taken into account are the thighs, knees and elbows:
- Thigh JCMs are by far the most complex: but the order should be straight forward: first refine the bends, then the side-side, then the side-bends.
- The Thigh JCMs start off with the bends, from 0 to -90 and from -90 to -135. That is two bend JCMs for each thigh (=4).
- Refine the smaller angles first, then the bigger angles. (first 90, then 135)
- Then there's one pair of JCMs for the side-side rotation. From 0 to 89 degrees. Refine that one.
- Almost there: now you edit one last set, the side-bends. They correct the intermediary rotations. They are the same as the bends, except the side-side is now at 45 and then a second set at 89*. Refine those like the first bend angles, small one first:
- Same with the knees: small angle first.
Now you can see why the whole post/pre-transform thing is a big fat pain in the ass. SM, fix this. Its just math.
So let me give you the edit order of the JCMs (the parameter list also has this order):
- JCM_Th_Bnd90_S0_R
- JCM_Th_Bnd90_S0_L
- JCM_Th_Bnd90_S0_RLcorr
- JCM_Th_Bnd135_S0_R
- JCM_Th_Bnd135_S0_L
- JCM_Th_Bnd0_S89_R
- JCM_Th_Bnd0_S89_L
Side-Bend 45:
Side-Bend 89:
Just imagine how lovely life would be if Poser provided us with options to refine this automagically, much like D3D's 'morphing clothes'? Unfortunately D3D's 'morphing clothes' isn't the most intuitive app to use, and extra unfortunately the legend of a man (D3D, Ralf Sessler) isn't with us anymore. Bless his soul: he was, and still is a legend. PE would have not existed if it wasn't for that guy. Like literally. PE was practically made in PFE.
So once you've refined the JCMs, you're done...
You can stop crying now :)
* 89 was supposed to be 90, but yeah... @bagginsbill knows all about gimble issues :D
There is, however, a quick way to rig for PE, but this is for at home, not for vendors:
- like above, bring your item to shape
- throw it through the fitting room once
- create figure without morphs, select only the important body parts
- close your eyes and trust the autogrouping
- go to Pose Room and go back to fitting room with new item
- create figure with all the extra bones relevant to your item (like handles) and transfer morphs too
- back in pose room transfer WM one last time
- done
This is a very rough method and it will probably not look amazing if you let her to yoga in it.
There is a trick to maybe bypass all this, but this is for experts only:
- like above, group the item as accurately as you can
- then duplicate the item with the groups
- flatten the copy completely to PE (using shrink tool)
- export both OBJs, rig the flattened one. Transfer morphs and all.
- replace the flattened obj with the original shaped OBJ
- chances are the morphs will have transferred very well... (IF its not too high res)
Ladonna Poser Ambassadors last edited by
@erogenesis You can stop crying now :)
I like this, shed a lot of tears since the last months lol
@erogenesis said in How to Rig for Project Evolution in 4 steps (bring a ball and chain):
There is, however, a quick way to rig for PE, but this is for at home, not for vendors:
- like above, bring your item to shape
- throw it through the fitting room once
- create figure without morphs, select only the important body parts
- close your eyes and trust the autogrouping
- go to Pose Room and go back to fitting room with new item
- create figure with all the extra bones relevant to your item (like handles) and transfer morphs too
- back in pose room transfer WM one last time
- done
This is a very rough method and it will probably not look amazing if you let her to yoga in it.
The home-brew in the fitting room works well. I just stumbled on the fact (duh) the you can adjust the JCM dials that transfer from the mannequin to resolve pokethru issues. By the wat, when I use the high-res cloth mannequin to rig anything with body parts below the hip, when I return to the pose room, I often find that PE and the mannequin look like an old fat lady. I have to clear the scene and reload it.
eclark1849 last edited by
@RobZhena She's not fat. She's big boned. :)
@RobZhena said in How to Rig for Project Evolution in 4 steps (bring a ball and chain):
ohhh yes I've seen this before. I don't remember what exactly causes it but I think it happens when we put something through the fitting room while its conformed to PE, but I'm not sure. In any case it looks like Poser is forgetting about the limits in the figure and all the smart morphs set to -1 are now permitted to do their damage. Its possible if you just unconform and reconform stuff, or just rotating a limb, that everything starts operating normally again.
btw Rob you're also a legend for what you do, just persisting and doing your own thing. keep going!
@eclark1849 said in How to Rig for Project Evolution in 4 steps (bring a ball and chain):
@RobZhena She's not fat. She's big boned. :)
lol :D
@erogenesis Thanks, Ero! I never conform what I run through the fitting room, which is usually an obj. So it must be the limits. Oh, well. Cheers!
erogenesis last edited by
@RobZhena said in How to Rig for Project Evolution in 4 steps (bring a ball and chain):
@erogenesis Thanks, Ero! I never conform what I run through the fitting room, which is usually an obj. So it must be the limits. Oh, well. Cheers!
yeah, then I'm not sure. It was a while back that I investigated it with someone. If it happens again, try to remember the steps you took, let me know, and maybe I can figure out what happens.
@ erogenesis It happens almost every time I transfer the rig from the mannequin to an obj in the first pass if the rig includes the thighs. No morphs transferred. Rigging, say, a shirt that is only hip up never causes the problem. Don't sweat it. You have enough going on. Maybe it's because I use a Mac if few other people have noticed it.
anomalaus last edited by
@RobZhena if it does happen to be limits, it's possible to strip out everything from a copy of the cr2 file except the limits, and rename and apply it as a pz2 pose file from the library. You just need the
valueParm CLOTH_ADJ - Shoulders Outwards { forceLimits 1 min -1 max 1 }
lines from each channel, for every actor in the figure.
If you also include the 'initValue' line, you can then do a restore figure, since @erogenesis has mentioned that there are some parameters which are assigned an initial value outside the enforced limits in anticipation of valueOperations bringing the channel back within bounds, IIRC...
erogenesis last edited by
@anomalaus said in How to Rig for Project Evolution in 4 steps (bring a ball and chain):
If you also include the 'initValue' line, you can then do a restore figure, since @erogenesis has mentioned that there are some parameters which are assigned an initial value outside the enforced limits in anticipation of valueOperations bringing the channel back within bounds, IIRC...
I'm not sure if that would matter with regards to conforming clothing. That's one thing that does work pretty solidly with Poser, unless one adds dependencies in the clothing itself... or did you mean something else?
anomalaus last edited by
@erogenesis I was running on empty when I made that comment, so I may have been confusticated, err, discomboobulated, err, wrong. Anyway, lots of things, like IK currently break/ignore valueOperation influences. Conforming clothing with master dials on the Body actor are horrendously handled if Conform Morphs is checked (just outright ignored, despite visible valueOperations. WRONG CRETIN! </Dungeon|Zork Quote>)

subset: commoncrawl


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CX 400W ATX Power Supply (CMPSU-400CXUK)
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Customer review
This is a great little power supply. It is extremely quiet (infact, I can't hear it), and looks and feels like a good bit of kit too. I have one powering a Core i5 760 , 4gb RAM, Nvidia 8800 system - so not a very high draw one, but you wouldn't know the PSU is there it's so quiet.
The only con I can see is that there are an awful lot of cables which could pose a problem in a small case. They're all braided cables though, so atleast they look OK.
For 30 quid you can't go wrong!
Good PSU
A brilliant PSU for the money. my only problem is that if (while they come in handy) you have a small case there are a lot of cables to stash away and can make a buildlook untidy but as a compramise, a good PSU.
Lovely little peice of kit. Great value too, and the cables are all braided and very easily managed.


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I totally feel as if I may go off on a tangent during this post, as I so often do when talking about exercise (it's been my job for 12 years, I have alot to say). I'll try to stay on topic, please forgive me if I stray slightly.
So yes, exercise. I am currently doing alot of the stuff. My first sun holiday since my honeymoon 7 years ago, not to mention my first time in a bikini since having two babies (eek!) has made me ramp up my efforts in the last few months.
A general week will include cycling 15 miles to work and back twice a week, a 3 mile run, a Body Attack class and 2 weights sessions. I combine the run with a weights session so I'm at the gym 2-3 times a week.
Now, I've been eating 'clean' (foods in their natural state i.e. unprocessed) as much as possible a while now (bar a weekend vino or, erm, five and the odd cakey/chocolatey treat thrown in) which has helped with a good amount of fat loss but I want to now 'sculpt' and work on my Jenifer Aniston arms (sigh).
As much as I try I don't think I'm getting enough protein in my diet to fuel the amount of exercise I do. I'm not a massive meat-eater as mentioned in my last post and though I get ample protein to hit the RDA through pulses, grains and nuts, I think I just need a little extra to aid recovery and allow for muscle repair.
So, I read Nicola's blog with interest this week on Bio-Synergy's range of sports nutrition for women. I've always poo-pooed the idea of supplementation, believing that we can get everything we need from our diet but since upping the ante on my training I'm finding myself constantly hungry and having to fight the urge as I try to lose fat.
Also, I train early in the mornings. I leave the house often before 6:30am and even I (greedy) can't face breakfast early enough to digest it for this time. After reading the gumpf on the products I wonder if a protein-based drink before I train could make a difference to not only my performance but also how fast I recover.
A product which caught my eye is their Activate powder, a protein-based shake which provides slow-burning energy, some essential vitamins and minerals and that all-important protein (which promotes satiety). Recommended use is before a workout or between meals when the hunger pangs strike. So far, sounding so good.
So I ordered me a tub of Activate and await my delivery with anticipation as to whether it makes a difference or not. What say you, readers? Has anyone tried supplementation? I'd love to hear your experiences as I envision myself swanning around Barcelona, svelte (ha!) and tanned (sunburned) enjoying the results (please?) of this (bloody) hard work.


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Few Great Halloween Party Ideas.
Halloween in western Christians terms is the day of hallows. This is celebrated on the 31st day of the month October. The culture was first followed only by the western Christians but later turned out to be a trend even among the non-Christians. Therefore, many started celebrating Halloween grandly by dressing up in different attires and started throwing Halloween parties every October. Below are few great Halloween party ideas for you to throw a Halloween party. Though Halloween does not have a specific theme colour, the most used colours are white, black and orange.
Begin with the decoration.
Halloween is all about decorations and colours. Therefore, start decorating your house with pumpkins, skulls, artificial spider webs and fake skeletons and dark and dull party decorations. The more gothic the more better. Colours and lights play a major part in a Halloween party and Halloween decorations. If you are throwing a Halloween party at you house it is better to get the contact of a after hours electrician in Melbourne or a similar service. The reason for this is, there can be many electrical failures, or a power cut unexpectedly. Having the contact of an electrician prior to the event helps you in such a situation as you can get the assistance needed to fix the issue soon as possible. You can also create a different look by lighting up the place. That is to use a more dull yet mysterious look by having candles lit for decorations.
Make your reservations early.
Halloween is a very busy time of the year. Many popular places for Halloween parties get booked very early. Therefore, always make sure that you do your booking few weeks prior to the event to avoid any last-minute disappointments. Get the people or the staff you need for the party early too. These include the caterers, decoration team, an electrician, and a DJ if necessary. And getting an commercial electrician in Melbourne usually is a difficult but also essential as most of the Halloween parties goes up until the next day.
Do not keep your guests starving.
The Hallow parties are all about treats and tricks. However, though sweets play a major role in a Halloween celebration, it does not mean that you must keep your guests full of treats and nothing to eat. Make sure that you prepare extra food apart from different Halloween treats at your party.
Have a food table with delicious treats made from pumpkin. You can also have a bar set up in a corner with pumpkin made as the bottle holders. Serve the food to the guests in trays which looks like skeleton hands. These little things would make your Halloween party look fab.


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$30.00 $49.95 You save: 39% ($19.95)
©2010 Learning ZoneXpress
Run time: 8 segments, 43 minutes total
Audience: Grade 7 - Adult
Discover how sewing can be SEW cool! Create your own unique look and save some money by learning sewing basics that will give you the skills to make projects all your own. Sewing instructor Kimberly Oedekoven encourages viewers to "See it, like it, make it" while presenting sewing basics and two easy sewing projects in short segments, including:
• Sewing Tools and Essentials
• Hand Sewing
• Fabric Selection
• Sewing Techniques and Rules
• Sewing Machine Parts
• Fabric Selection
• Non-Pattern Project: T-Shirt Tote (Bonus: T-Shirt Bracelet)
• Pattern Project: Pajama Pants (Bonus: Fabric Store Tour)
Subtitled in English


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Add Review inputları buraya, yumruk havaya!
I am 21 years old University student.
My friends call me Batu and im experienced in being tour guide. We have many path options for walking around the city.
My superpower is negotiation, let me negotiate for you when u decide to buy anything it reduces your Don't hesitate to choose me i wont be regret.
I just like it
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Navy Blue Windowpane Brushed Cotton Shirt - Jason Size XL Available
Sold Out
Product Details
THE JASON SHIRT: Every Fall, I look forward to making a new set of flannel shirts - I have been doing this for YEARS and for me, it never gets old.
This season I challenged myself to come up with 2 types of flannels shirts: the classic rugged/outdoorsy kind & a set that was a little more dressed up & refined.
Jason fits perfectly into the second category. A dapper windowpane pattern in aqua, red & white runs through this deep navy blue. Quietly cool & perfectly Blade+Blue.
Jason's 100% cotton fabric has been brushed for a buttery soft feel. Trimmed with charcoal marbled buttons and navy herringbone tape.
I live for making shirts & I am a real fanatic about it. So much detail & care has been put into the making of each Blade + Blue piece. I want this to be your new favorite shirt.
What Makes a Blade + Blue Shirt So Special?
- MADE IN USA: Blade + Blue shirts are made in limited runs here in the USA. I work with master craftsmen whose family has been making shirts since the 1950's.
- TOP OF THE LINE FABRIC: Blade + Blue sources premium Japanese fabrics from some of the finest textile mills in the world.
- A GREAT FIT: I set out to create a shirt that was both comfortable & flattering. No more feeling like you are stuffed into a super-skinny fit or feeling frumpy in a big, boxy fit. The Blade + Blue cut was designed to provide room for comfort in key areas like the chest & shoulders but is then slightly nipped at the waist to give you a most flattering shape. You will also notice that the lengths of Blade + Blue shirts are designed to make you to look great tucked in or out. Please take a look at our FIT GUIDE for more specific measurement information.
- 'NITTY-GRITTY' GOOD STUFF: Let me share a few more details that make the Blade + Blue extra cool:
- Collar Shape: Nothing is worse than seeing an otherwise handsome shirt ruined by a big, floppy collar. The wrong collar shape can instantly ruin your look. I have slightly trimmed the height on Blade + Blue collars, then created a semi-spread shape for a very sharp & modern effect.
- Interior Cuff Trim: You guys have told me that your favorite surprise is the navy herringbone tape tucked just inside the sleeve cuffs. Guys are always rolling up their sleeves to be comfortable and this subtle detail allows them to be relaxed but still look polished at the same time.
- Placket Construction: The slimmer center placket shape of the Blade + Blue shirt is sewn in with a stitch right at the edge of the placket. This technique creates a more streamlined look and eliminates the distracting, 'rumpled' effect that occurs with most other shirts.
Customer Reviews
- Reviews
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I haven't posted my usual volume of reviews this week because I've been super busy at both work and home. However, I did want to share with you some books I've recently read that I'll be reviewing soon.
Fiction Picture Books
Grandma Calls Me Beautiful by Barbara Joosse, illustrated by Barbara Lavallee
A companion book to Mama, Do You Love Me? and Papa, Do You Love Me?, the Joosse/Lavallee team is back with a wonderful book about a grandmother's unconditional love for her granddaughter. Set in Hawaii, readers can also learn about the Hawaiian culture. If you're looking for a last-minute mother's day gift for a special grandmother, this would be perfect. I also have an interview w/ Barbara Joosse coming up.
Someday When My Cat Can Talk by by Caroline Lazo, illustrated by Kyrsten Brooker
In this very charming picture book, a little girl imagines all of the exciting things her world-traveling cat would tell her if it could talk. Through its rhyming descriptions and detailed illustrations, children also learn about different countries of the world. This is a very engaging book that celebrates the imagination.
Nonfiction Picture Book
Manfish: A Story of Jacques Cousteau by by Jennifer Berne, illustrated by Éric Puybaret
This gorgeously illustrated biography tells the story of Jacques Cousteau's life. It celebrates curiosity and determination and would make a great choice for a boy.
Middle Grade Nonfiction
Brave Deeds: How One Family Saved Many People from the Nazis by Ann Alma
Told through a child's eyes, this is the moving story of a Dutch husband and wife couple who risked their lives to shelter Jews during the Holocaust. In addition to Frans and Mies Braal's narrative, sidebars give a lot of information about the Dutch resistance workers, the Holocaust, and much much more.
Middle Grade Fiction
Thumbelina: Tiny Runaway Bride by Barbara Ensor
This is a contemporary retelling of the story of Thumbelina who yearns for independence from her well meaning, yet protective mother. Hmmm...think tweens will identify with that? When she gets her wish, things don't turn out the way she expected as she tries to survive in a world where everything is much bigger than she.
Young Adult Fiction
Madapple by Christina Meldrum
One of the best YA books I've read this year, the story centers around Aslaug a sheltered teenage girl who is accused of murder. Definitely intended for mature teens, the book alternates between her trial and the story leading up to the trial. It's weird, it's twisted, it's suspenseful, it's shocking....what more can you ask for?
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Preview of Things to Come
Posted by Unknown at Thursday, May 08, 2008
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This article was published more than 7 years ago. Some information in it may no longer be current.
If you want your work-life balance to improve by the end of 2013, it's unlikely to happen by chance. You must plan some changes to your life that will offer relief, and then take action, in a steady, determined fashion.
Over the past year, The Globe and Mail has been publishing quarterly score cards with an accompanying step-by-step questionnaire for improving work-life balance, and reporting on some of the successes readers have secured.
Lynn Robson, a 58-year-old resident of Durham Region to the east of Toronto is one of the more recent. She happened on the scorecard on the Globe Careers website in the fall and out of curiosity started to re-evaluate her situation and how she might improve. She had moved from Toronto to a rural area outside Oshawa so she could take a paralegal course at Durham College. Now, with the two-year course completed, she is trying to set up a paralegal business and feels under tremendous stress, working long hours trying to get herself known and gain clients – and short of funds after investing in education, living rurally without a car, and finding social life a struggle. "It's hard to build a social life when trying to build a business. It's kind of hard to have a social life when you don't have money," she noted in an interview.
She set three goals, to start in successive months from October: Work on her business, volunteer (since it can lead to business and social contacts), and get out more. She has since obtained some volunteer work on an indoor trail, where people walk for exercise, and had some progress getting her embryonic business known. She also has been trying to get out more – at the minimum every day for a walk – since she recognized being cooped up in her office is deadening.
"I'm making some progress. Things aren't going as fast as I like to go. But they're probably going as fast as I can expect," she says.
That realistic sentiment is probably worth remembering if you fill out the questionnaire yourself. It's not designed for miraculous improvement, but step-by-step progress. The questionnaire leads you through the areas of stress and imbalance in your life, asking you to pick the most important. It guides you into considering the forces that prevent you from making progress, and also the forces – family, friends, counsellors, and reward incentives you might give yourself – that could help you move toward a saner lifestyle.
It asks you to set out some steps you might take in the coming year, suggesting one for each quarter, and then breaking those down into substeps. Don't neglect to break it down; goals always look too formidable unless carved down into chunks. And record everything, as you are filling it out, in your calendar. Over the year, as we've checked back with people who filled out the questionnaire, we found many neglected that step, and although they have still taken action, writing it down may have propelled them ahead a bit further.
2013 awaits. So does progress in combating stress and adjusting your work-life balance, if you recognize the need to act, set realistic goals, and try your best to move toward them.
Special to The Globe and Mail
Harvey Schachter is a Battersea, Ont.-based writer specializing in management issues. He writes Monday Morning Manager and management book reviews for the print edition of Report on Business and an online work-life column Balance. E-mail Harvey Schachter
The Questionnaire:


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First Baptist Church of South Plainfield Celebrates Its Bicentennial
By Janet Purcell Piggott
The First Baptist Church of South Plainfield, which is celebrating its Bicentennial throughout the month of December, is a congregation knitted together on both the threads of history and friendship/intimacy.
"I remember the first time that I walked into the sanctuary and met with these people," says Rev. Dennis O'Neill, the current pastor. "It was like coming home to a gathering of old friends and family."
Since the First Baptist Church of South Plainfield, NJ was founded on December I, 1792, eight generations of people have been born into the congregation and have lived out their lives as part of this sturdy family of believers.
The church was founded at a time when South Plainfield was still known as New Brooklyn and the people traveled to Scotch Plains for Sunday services. Most of the New Brooklyn folks were farmers who got together and decided it would be a good idea to have a church closer to where they lived and worked. They withdrew their memberships from the church in Scotch Plains and contacted the Philadelphia Baptist Association to begin the process for establishing a church of their own.
A small cedar wood building 28′ x 18′ was built. The interior was made of plain pine boards with no plaster and no ornamentation. The building was simple and functional.
From that original group of 21 practical people, three were nominated to serve as the first official pastor. They were Benjamin Coles, Jacob F. Randolph, and Benjamin Blackford. Jacob F. Randolph won the election by a large majority and began serving part time at a wage of 37 pounds 10 shillings a year. The rejected Mr. Blackford broke away from the gestating church and founded a church in the nearby city of Plainfield.
Perhaps one reason this congregation has stayed together for such a long period of time is that is was built on a strong foundation of people who were both strict and liberal at the same time. On September 29, 1796–more than a half century before the Civil War was to erupt–a black slave woman called Jane who belonged to a Mr. Richard Hat tar was received into membership.
Another progressive move occurred in January 18, 1880 when it was agreed that female members have the same privileges in meetings as men. And yet church lore tells another story of one very stern member in those early days who kept a close eye on the attendance of church members. If someone did not show up for Sunday services, he would visit that person in their home to find out why. If the excuse wasn't good enough for him, that person was excluded from membership in the church until he or she publicly repented the backsliding. Only then was the person returned to full membership.
It was that kind of determination that saw this small band of Christians through the fluctuations of change, growth and expansion. In 1812, because the congregation had grown to 95 souls, a 20′ extension costing $700 was added to the building they had been occupying. And in 1833 a subscription of $2,350.50 was made toward the building of the new meeting house. These buildings, each in its own time, stood on the property which is now the Baptist Cemetery of Samptown on New Market Avenue.
As the church became more prosperous, members were assigned pews and pew rents which were applied toward the pastor's salary.
Church records indicate that it was about this time that Rev. Jacob Randolph "left with 32 of the wealthier members to go to Plainfield." This group founded what is known today as First Park Baptist Church in Plainfield.
In December 1851, Brother E. I. Runyon made a Resolution that the members of the church living in the vicinity of New Market be allowed to build a church there. In 1852 forty-five members of the New Brooklyn Baptist Church transferred their membership to what is now considered to be the "daughter" church, First Baptist Church of New Market.
It wasn't long after that, in 1878, the congregation became divided in its thinking. Some felt the present location was ideal while others felt it would be more desirable to move to the center of town. Heated arguments ensued and one night the pastor, Rev. A. A. Armstrong, was so upset that he left the discussions and closed himself in the parsonage which stood where the McCriskin Funeral Home stands now. The story that has been retold down through the generations is that on April I, 1879, while Rev. Armstrong was fasting and praying about the dilemma, a young girl named Julia chamberlain, ran into the parsonage crying out that the church was on fire. Sparks from passing train had ignited the wooden church building. It is said that Rev. Armstrong, deciding that this was a clear answer to his prayers, ran out to the porch and stood watching the flames reaching to the heavens. Some said they heard him singing the Doxology as he watched. "My prayers have been answered," he is said to have concluded aloud.
Immediate steps were taken to build a church in New Brooklyn—right in the center of town—with the $2,000 insurance from the fire.
Both the interior and exterior of the church have changed in the ensuing years. The sanctuary's original ornate high ceilings are actually still there but are now hidden beneath the lowered ceiling facade.
Originally the building had two front doors that stood to the left and right of a sign bearing the church name. Entry is now made through a pair of sturdy doors that are centered under a magnificent round stained glass window. Donated by the Austin family, the five Austin children are represented in the design of the window by the five-pedaled daisies—their mother's name and her favorite flower.
One of those children, Floyd Austin, who is seventy-five years old now, remembers walking to Sunday School on Sunday mornings with his grandfather, Civil War Veteran Edward Benjamin Austin. "He would give each of us five kids pennies to put in the collection plate," Mr. Austin recalls. "In those days if a grownup put a quarter or a dime in the plate, well that was all there was. We thought it was great to be putting pennies in."
Mr. Austin goes on to tell about people arriving for Sunday School at 9:45 in horse-drawn wagons. The horses were cared for in barns that stood behind the sanctuary where Henderson Hall is now located. The regular service began at 11:00. "People would rest on Sunday afternoons and then come back at 7:00," he says. The evening service was well attended. The timing of it worked out well for people like Mr. Austin's father who worked on the railroad and was unable to attend morning worship with Mrs. Austin and the children.
"Baptists at that time didn't do anything on a Sunday," Mr. Austin goes on to say. "We couldn't even go to a baseball game. No movies. But a couple of times we walked up to the baseball game with Douglas Manning whose father was Postmaster and one of the upper people in town. We figured if it was okay for Douglas Manning to go, it was okay for the Austin kids too. Well, our father heard about it and…oh ho…!"
The Austins weren't the only children in the congregation that got into a little devilment on Sunday afternoons and evenings. Betty Emmons remembers going for Sunday night services and climbing along the backs of the pews with her friends. "Church was the focal point of our social lives," she says. "We'd go on Sunday nights and sing and giggle." She still remembers her favorite dress that she would wear to morning worship. "It was blue with yellow flowers on it," she says.
"And Rev. Reinig used to take the young people on outings in his big black touring car," Mrs. Emmons continues. "It was cold in the winter," she says as she recalls coming in to the potbelly stove that stood just outside where the kitchen is now.
During her growing up years, Mrs. Emmons attended church and Sunday school regularly—but when she fell in love it was with a young man of another church. Bill Emmons attended The First Baptist Church with his wife occasionally over the years and he must have felt good about what he found there. "He eventually joined on his own and even became a Deacon, that's how much this church meant to him" Mrs. Emmons says proudly.
For many years, The First Baptist Church of South Plainfield, which was renamed several times, was the only Protestant church in town. It was previously known as Samptown Baptist Church, New Brooklyn Baptist Church, South Plainfield Baptist Church, and finally its present name was adopted.
In 1909, at a cost of $4,600, a new parsonage was built next to the church and a large wing, called The Baptist Recreation Center, was attached to the back of the sanctuary. The church had become the center for social activities in town.
The "old timers" like to think back to the social events when young and old alike would get together for the simple joy of just being with each other and having a good time.
They speak of the picnics that were held in Riverside Park in Bound Brook "right along the Raritan" where there were games and races and a lot of good food. "The women would pack basket lunches," Floyd Austin recalls. "There were no hot dogs in those days!"
And Christmas—"We always had a get together in the evening and Santa would come and give us each an orange tied up in a big red bow and a small box of chocolates in a box with holly on it," Mr. Austin says. "Even during the depression. I don't know where the money came from, but we had it even then. "
Although The First Baptist Church of South Plainfield has never been a wealthy congregation in terms of money, it has always managed to be a vital part of the community in which it lives. Every election day people that worked the polls could look forward to a good spaghetti dinner there. And once a month the ladies of the church would serve the Rotary Club a sumptuous dinner. At that time the kitchen was in the basement and there were big cook stoves down there and long tables would be set up. "Boy those women could cook," was a recent comment by a gentleman who attended regularly. "They'd make roast beef, prime rib, potatoes, vegetables and wonderful homemade pies!"
The women of the church—and the men—can still turn out a delicious meal. This past October 27 was the annual Homecoming Sunday and after the special morning worship service, church members and a large number of guests were treated to buffet luncheon that would have brought even the Rotarians back for more!
Homecoming Sunday is a rather new tradition in The First Baptist Church of South Plainfield. A few years ago it was decided to invite former members back for a time of worship and fellowship. Mr. Austin says, "We decided to tell them 'come on you old people who used to come. Come on back, we want to talk to you. We want to have a little fun' ." Each year attendance for that special Sunday has been growing and this past year a large group of people attended. Former Interim Pastor William Aurger and Rev. J. Kenneth Mart of the First Baptist Church of New Market participated in the service.
Although the great majority of those attending the Homecoming Service have never left the church, a few had gone for a number of years but are now attending regularly again. Janet Tekley is one of those people. She'd been part of the church family since she was five years old, but
she left the congregation for a number of years. "The day I came back into the door of the church after an absence of about fourteen years," she says, "I felt as if I had been here only yesterday. People came up to me and said, 'glad to see you, Janet.' Nobody said to me 'where were you?' They just brought me home. "
The concept of "home is a very important one to this congregation. In 1990 they became involved in The F.I.S.H. homeless Program, a hospitality network to aid women and children who have become homeless. "When we were asked to do this, most of us had at least sixty reasons why we were no t ready for it," Janet Tekley says. "Whatever resistance we had–and I was one of the ones that resisted it hardest–we just stepped in and did what we were called to do because w~ knew we did not have a choice. It was what was needed to do and we did it."
Every two months The First Baptist Church of South Plainfield is the night host for up to fourteen women and children. Each family has its own private space in one of the Sunday School rooms. The participants are considered to be guests of the church and are always treated as such. Along with the help of other volunteers from other congregations and community groups, church members prepare the evening meal and eat with the guests. They play games with them and help the children with their homework. In the morning they are taken to school, to work, or to the day church, Wesley United Methodist. "Everybody benefits in one form or another from this program. I can't think of one person in the congregation who hasn't participated in some way," says Pastor Dennis M. O'Neill.
One of the strong characteristics of this congregation is that its members participate in any way they can. Those that have special skills donate their time and expertise. One of those persons is Gordon Holtz. A skilled carpenter, and a man who has an eye for a good bargain, Mr. Holtz attends auctions and going-out-of-business sales where he has purchased items such as cabinets for the church kitchen and the double doors that now serve as the church's main entryway. Mr. Holtz and other church members installed the cabinets in the kitchen and the new front doors. Their most recent project will be the installation of a shower in the are~ that is used by the Homeless guests.
"Gordon Holtz and his wife, Judy, have been part of the backbone of this church," says Rev. O'Neill who goes onto explain that Mr. Holtz has recently mastered the use of the computer and has computerized all the cemetery records. He also paved the roads in the cemetery, digs the graves and maintains the cemetery grounds.
The First Baptist Church of South Plainfield is a congregation made up of people from many walks of life. The membership is diverse while at the same time being homogeneous in its common belief system.
Michele Lewkow says she finds this to be a place "where people can come and find the seeds of faith. There are outlets here to help develop that. We have active ministries and those ministries have gotten us out of ourselves and into ~ larger community. In a lot of ways it helps us as much as it helps them."
Janis Nietzer agrees. Speaking as one of the newer members of the congregation, she says, "This church has a lot of needs. It's the kind of church that really could be spending a lot of money on itself and its building, but any money that is raised always goes back to the community and to different programs." She tells about attending a women's meeting when she first came to the church, "They were talking about this large amount of money they raised and what to do with it. I was so impressed with this little group of women and that amount of money they raised and the amount they decided to give away. I thought, 'this is really wonderful."'
The people of the congregation credit their growth in that direction to the leadership of Pastor O'Neill who has been with the church since his graduation from Eastern Baptist Seminary in 1984. "This has become away to put a face to our theory, our beliefs," he says.
Floyd Austin served on the Pulpit Nominating Committee that ultimately presented Rev. O'Neill to the congregation. Mr. Austin's words echo the voices of the church body when he speaks of the selection of Rev. O'Neill. "It was love at first sight," he says. Mr. Austin, who is known to be a strong silent type of man, a retired railroad worker, proudly says, "I was at his Ordination and I said to the committee of all the ministers, I said, 'We love this man, Dennis O'Neill. He was sent here to us let's give him the green light'." And so they did.
Michele Lewkow remembers that Rev. O'Neill asked her and Jackie Buckalew to help serve communion at the Ordination Service. "Of all the things I could have done to help that day, serving communion was something special. I had never served before and I was glad I could do th3t," she says. "I don't think he realized how important that was to me when he asked me."
Janis and Rob Nietzer agree that Rev. O'Neill is a motivating factor in the steadily increasing membership in the congregation. "He attracts younger people…and we're doing things together like going to a football game, etc." Mrs. Nietzer says.
The Nietzers have two small children of their own and they are foster parents to many others, they are very interested in what the Sunday School is offering their children. "Our concern is more 'Are they feeling good in the church? Do they know they are special and that they can turn to God for help?"' Mrs. Nietzer says. "The children are learning specific Bible stories, but more than that, they are feeling welcomed here. It's a general feeling that they are learning."
The Nietzer children may not realize it yet, but that sense of belonging they are experiencing is precisely what the rest of the congregation says about this church family.
Michele Lewkow says it simply, "I love that place. It's really home to me."


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POF Radio: Episode 63
Here is today's playlist for Parade of Flesh radio on indie-verse.com
Zorch – Zut Alore! (playing 19 shows over the next 11 days)
Screens – Pop Logic
Fiasco – Oh, You Horny Monster
Male Bonding – Pumpkin
The Walkmen – There goes my baby (cover)
Eternal Tapestry – Cosmic Manhunt
Beehive and the Barracudas – A Road in Sinaloa
OBITS – No Fly list (playing City Tavern on 3/15)
Dirty Beaches – The Singer (johnny cash cover) (playing City Tavern 5/3)
Real Estate – Beach Comber (playing Dada on 4/8)
400 Blows – The Rescue Party (playing Bro Fest 3/20)
Big Business – Send Me A postcard (shocking blue cover)
Le Butcherettes – Empty Dimes
Radio Vago – Mail Order Bride
Grails – All the colors of the dark
Trap Them – The Facts
All Pigs Must Die – Sermon for the end
This entry was posted on March 10, 2011 at 4:50 pm, filed under News.
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Financing one's education has long proven to be one of the most tumultuous processes related to getting a college degree. Even for those seeking to go to a military academy will see that there are financial obstacles that must be overcome. Thankfully, there are many financial aid opportunities for military personnel in the United States. Foundations and programs offer scholarships for army aviation, Marine Corps, the navy, and more. Options exist both veterans and current military personnel. It's important to remember how useful the G.I. Bill can be and how to best approach stretching dollars, especially when getting through school. Below, we outline a list of a few financial aid opportunities for military personnel—there are many others out there though, so don't limit your search to just these options.
In addition to scholarships and grants for military personnel, you should also complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online. This is one of the most important applications for individuals attending college. Based on the financial status of the applicant and their parents, many will be entitled to certain financial benefits that can open more options. Additionally, even if you don't qualify for any grants, almost every student qualifies for Stafford Loans, some of which even include subsidized interest rates, so can prove beneficial for individuals of all backgrounds. A FAFSA helps determine your eligibility for all types of aid, from grants to work-study. You might be surprised what you qualify for.
Filling out a FAFSA takes time so make sure you have all the required information and documents needed to complete your online application. The time spent filling out the application though can prove to be some of the most worthwhile in preparation for attending college, as it's often very lucrative. You might need to supply additional information regarding your military background, but usually isn't anything too strenuous. According to their website, you'll need the following materials to complete your application:
By filling out your application online, you can save application and return to it later if you don't have all the information. This allows you to get started right away. Save your progress as you go and you can break filling it out into manageable chunks to come back to continuously. Time is of the essence when it comes to financial aid, but that doesn't mean it has to be stressful. Remain diligent and be sure to complete it on time. Filling out your FAFSA late can disqualify you from certain aid sources such as scholarships and grants.
The bottom line when it comes to choosing the right school is finding the intersection between a a place you're passionate to be attending, along with affordability and quality. These three qualities help best balance out what students will need to make the most informed choices about college. While it's important to remember affordability and quality, if it's ultimately somewhere you don't want to be, it will be hard to find the motivation to get through college. By trying to understand what you're most passionate about, you'll be able to make the most informed decision regarding how to succeed. Military colleges offer a great avenue for students to go down when they're passionate about wanting a career in the military. Make sure the school you choose offers the classes and support you need to move forward with your career—at the right price.
Many schools offer current servicemembers or veterans different benefits like reduced tuition and other perks that help alleviate the cost of an advanced education. If you're not sure if the school of your choice offers such benefits, consult an admissions advisor to learn more. The schools listed below are accredited degree programs that offer a variety of benefits to veterans and active servicemembers. You can request more information from each school to help you decide what college or university offers what you need.


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The Valley Lakes Community Association, an Illinois non-profit corporation, was founded in 1996 to preserve and maintain the landscaped and natural open areas throughout the Valley Lakes Subdivision in Round Lake, Illinois.
The Community Association owns approximately 400 acres of open space throughout the development and is responsible for the landscaping and maintenance of those areas. These spaces are a mix of landscaped areas (including the entrance areas and detention ponds) and natural or undisturbed wetland areas.
Community Association membership includes 1171 Unit Owners. Commonly referred to as the "Master Association" it includes 968 single family home owners and 203 townhomes owners. Owners of townhomes are also members of individual townhome associations; "Remington Trails Townhome Association" or; "Natures Cove at Valley Lakes Townhome Association."
The mission of the Valley Lakes Community Association is to preserve and maintain, wherever possible, the natural environment of the Property; to provide for the maintenance of wooded areas, open spaces, and any other amenities on the Property owned by the Association (see map); and, for the benefit of the Property, to enforce and maintain the covenants, conditions, restrictions, easements, reservations, charges and liens as provided in Declaration of Covenants, By-Laws, Rules and Regulations and Architectural Standards.


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A new development in the brouhaha over Apple's new subscription system appeared this morning in the form of an alleged response by Steve Jobs to a developer's concerned email about the situation. The response, published at the MacRumors site, was as minimal and cryptic as we've come to expect from Apple's CEO.
The developer in question described himself as a full time iOS app creator who works with businesses that want to create Software as a Service apps that allow customers to access some form of service for which they pay money (presumably in some form of subscription relationship) and which require dedicated user logins. While there is a paid service, the apps in question are submitted to the App Store as free.
Jobs' alleged response is a single line:
We created subscriptions for publishing apps, not SaaS apps.
The response comes after the much-publicized rejection of the Readability app, which its developer views as not being a content or publication app. That opinion is debatable, since it does allow access to Internet content, for it charges users and pays writers.
That rejection prompted concerns about a broad range of SaaS-type apps including commonly used tools like Dropbox and even enterprise solutions like Salesforce.com and the range of apps that plug into 37Signals various services (including the popular Basecamp collaboration suite). In fact, the 37Signals-related apps could pose a bigger challenge since several are produced by developers independent of 37Signals.
While, there is seemingly reason to rejoice and lay the matter to rest with Jobs' statement, the truth is, it doesn't really clarify much. It may clarify Apple's intentions, but the actual text of Apple's developer agreement in question read as follows:
Apps utilizing a system other than the In App Purchase API (IAP) to purchase content, functionality, or services in an app will be rejected.
The words functionality and services are pretty clear in there. According to Jobs, this may be intended for publishers, but functionality and services could easily be applied to any type of service. Even if Apple isn't planning to use this against more traditional SaaS apps, those words mean that it can.
In fact Jobs' statement implies that Apple will determine what constitutes an SaaS app at its discretion. That language gives the company complete discretion for any app that allows a user to purchase anything other than a physical item. Whatever Apple's intentions, that means developers could find themselves rejected even if they feel their app is solely SaaS and doesn't offer content of any kind.
If this email is actually from Jobs and represents Apple's intent, then the company needs to publicly differentiate what it considers publication, content-related, and SaaS apps. If Apple can delineate that and make it clear what types of apps it considers to be potential violators of the new policy and which ones it doesn't, then it can probably defuse many of the arguments and the controversy.
I think a lot of people are willing to consider the subscription system itself as relatively benign if Apple makes it clear that it applies only to actual publications. If this won't be enforced against content-style apps that aren't publications like Netflix and Amazon's Kindle, then Apple should say so (which would probably make the entire matter drop from the public consciousness). Likewise, if SaaS apps won't be rejected under this policy, Apple should describe how it defines an SaaS app.
A solid explanation of what this impacts is probably all most people and developers really want. Unless, Apple is planning to apply this very broadly, in which case developers have a right to be unhappy (and leave the App Store if they choose).
The problem is, Apple isn't offering any real clarity. That's not a surprise. Apple has kept all its App Store acceptance policies/processes vague and private. I honestly don't expect Apple to treat this situation any differently. Unfortunately, I think that's short-sighted because it leaves a sense of distrust out there that the company could dispel. Then again, as long as Apple keeps this a mystery, it has broader discretion to use the policy whenever and however it wants.
Ryan Faas writes about personal technology for ITworld. Learn more about Faas' published works and training and consulting services at www.ryanfaas.com. Follow him on Twitter @ryanfaas.
This story, "Steve Jobs email attempts to mollify developers, clarifies little" was originally published by ITworld.


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When it comes to TV Shows, I prefer sitcoms any day of the week over anything else. I can watch the same episode 60 times and still love it and want to watch it again. So I was thinking now the other day about who I think are my favorite TV characters of all time and I think I came up with a top five list that I think is on the money.
So My Favorite TV Characters Of All Time Are:
1. Cosmo Kramer (Seinfeld)
2. George Costanza (Seinfeld)
3. Ross Gellar (Friends)
4. Frank Barone (Everybody Loves Raymond)
5. Martin Crane (Frasier)
Who's on your top five list?