text:
192.com launches 2008 Electoral Roll
March 6, 2008
UK's most powerful people finder makes 27 million new records available to the public
192.com, retains its position as the UK's most powerful people, business and place finder by being the first and only site to have the 2008 Electoral Roll available to search online today. The 2008 Electoral Roll adds 27 million new names and addresses to 192.com, bringing the total number of current and historical records available to over 630 million.
The new records enable people looking for lost friends and family to quickly and easily find their current address via a simple search on the site. To help users refine their people search, 192.com has also exclusively added Age Guide data to 95% of its 2008 Electoral Roll records. This powerful new option allows users to search by name and estimated age, particularly useful when you are searching for someone across the UK without knowing their location.
For further information about the 2008 Electoral Roll and 192.com's People Search services, please visit www.192.com.
About 192.com
192.com is the de facto standard search engine for finding people, business and places in the UK. Established in 1997 by Alastair Crawford, founder of UK-Info Disk and Passado.com, the multi-award winning 192.com has over five million registered users accessing unequalled breath and depth of data.
192.com searches over 630 million records including free directory enquiries, local business listings, interactive mapping, aerial photography and property reports. Premium records include current and historical electoral rolls; the birth, deaths and marriages register; 1861 census data; and company and director reports.
For more information contact the 192.com Press Office.


text:
The awards are run by Critique.org - the well-respected Critters Workshop.
TKnC won the award for Best Fiction Magazine in 2009 and Crime Ed. Col Bury received the award for Best Magazine Editor in 2010.
I'm proud to be included this year alongside other editors I really respect - our own, wonderful DAVID BARBER - The Flash Fiction Offensive, Adam Bradley of Morpheus Tales, Chris Bartholomew of Static Movement, Lori Titus of Flashes in the Dark and more...
You can:
- vote HERE for your favourite and even add comments
- follow the status of the voting so far
- vote/comment in all the categories
- find out more about Critique.org's excellent workshops
Voting closes on January 10 2012!

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Glazed Smoked Ham
A simple glaze over smoked ham makes a very easy special occasion meal.
Recipe Ingredients:
1 (12-pound) fully cooked smoked ham
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
4 teaspoons dry mustard
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup whole cloves
Cooking Directions:
- Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C).
- Trim fat from ham (if necessary) leaving a 1/3-inch layer. Score fat into a diamond pattern across the top surface about 1/4-inches deep.
- In bowl combine sugar and dry mustard; add vinegar and stir mixture until it forms a paste. Spread over top and sides of ham.
- Stud center of each diamond with a clove. Bake ham according to package directions or place ham on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Cover with foil (optional) and bake ham in middle of oven, approximately 15 to 20 minutes per pound or until meat thermometer reads 140°F (60°C), basting occasionally. Remove foil during last 30 minutes of cooking to brown.
- When ham is done, remove from oven and let stand, covered loosely, 20 minutes before carving.
Makes 4 servings.
Note: Directions are for a fully cooked ham. Also called "ready-to-eat" or "heat-and-serve" ham. A "cook-before-eating" ham must be cooked to an internal temperature of 160°F (70°C), approximately 18 to 20 minutes per pound.


text:
Sixth Form
Sixth Form life at Arthur Mellows is more than just the subjects students study – the College provides students with a diverse range of opportunities, both academic and extra-curricular. Our curriculum is driven by our students and we continually endeavour to introduce courses that not only meet their needs but equip them to be highly competitive when leaving the College. We have a thorough induction process that ensures the smooth transition for current students and those being welcomed from other schools and colleges. We recognise the differing nature of students, the importance of a variety of learning styles and the opportunity for individual support and guidance.
The College has high expectations of our Sixth Form and in return students will receive exceptional outcomes. A positive attitude, self motivation and the ability to be an active learner will lead to outstanding exam results and future opportunities. Attendance, meeting deadlines and good study habits will ensure excellent learning experiences. We expect students to be role models that younger students look up to – creating an environment of aspirational and confident students.
|Thursday, 26 September 2019
|Year 12 Information Evening
|Wednesday, 6 November 2019
|Sixth Form Open Evening
|Monday, 16 December 2019
|Year 12 GCSE Presentation Evening
|Tuesday, 17 December 2019
|A Level Presentation Evening
|Monday, 3 February 2020
|Year 13 Parents' Evening
|Monday, 29 June 2020
|Year 12 Parents' Evening
|Thursday, 13 August 2020
|A Level Results Day
|Thursday, 20 August 2020
|GCSE Results Day
For more information on the Sixth Form please contact Mrs K Griggs or Mrs E Kavanagh at the College.


text:
Sunday, 23 January 2011
A Big Surprise For Evolution: Crows Are Smarter Than Great Apes
New Caledonian crow (Corvus moneduloides). Image courtesy of John Gerrard Keulemans, Wikipedia.
Joel Kontinen
Crows are surprisingly clever. In spite of their relatively small brains, they are more innovative in their use of tools than the great apes. This is a dilemma for Darwinians since according to the evolution-based story, as our closest living relatives chimpanzees should be cleverer than birds.
Recently, a team at the University of Oxford observed New Caledonian crows (Corvus moneduloides) living in aviaries. The researchers gave the crows different kinds of objects. Seeing a potentially dangerous object, the birds would first touch it with a tool (a stick) until they would use their beak.
Research has shown that crows will use one tool to access another one that will enable them to use a third tool.
Crows are innovative tool users in other ways, also:
Physorg.com. 18 January 2011.
Lähettänyt bwanajoe klo 06:06
Tunnisteet: animal intelligence, crows


text:
UK Royal Marines Call for Rifle Improvements
25 Jul, 2013, 09:46 BST
LONDON, July 25, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --
Ahead of September's 7th Annual Infantry Weapons conference in London, the UK Royal Marines have expressed dissatisfaction with the standard issue SA80 A2 in the hopes that government and industry step in to provide better solutions.
Commandos operating on the frontline of Afghanistan have told Defence IQ that although the SA80 assault rifle has improved greatly since its first introduction to British Armed Forces, the weapon is more ideal for conventional forces than for specialised forces more likely to engage at close quarters. The full article is available on the Infantry Weapons website.
Insiders, many of whom have seen action in Helmand within the past year, have quietly criticised the rifle's 5.56 mm calibre ammunition as being too small to effectively defeat a target with a single round and occasionally find themselves vulnerable to a counter attack from wounded insurgents.
In addition, the rifle "rattles", causing a problem for covert operations, requires duct tape to prevent it from clogging with dust, and lacks the manoeuvrability of other modern assault rifles such as the Diemaco C8.
A source explained that today's Commandos would much rather have a 7.62 mm rifle familiar to Special Forces. Problematically, the 7.62 sharpshooters that can switch to a short-barrel mode are currently available only to one or two troops per section but are themselves underperforming due to an inadequate magazine.
"The weight versus the rounds isn't really an issue. A twenty round magazine weighs exactly the same as a thirty round magazine for the SA80, so that's a trade-off they're willing to make. Twenty rounds in that sharpshooter is not enough, especially at close-quarters. That's a massive limitation of that weapon system," said the source.
Problems with Royal Marine equipment is not often discussed for two reasons, according to the troops. For one, direct operational feedback is rarely sought by programme managers, while the Commandos themselves pride themselves on a culture of no complaints.
Defence IQ is hosting Infantry Weapons 2013 at the Copthorne Tara Hotel in London (September 24 - 26) and will be assessing how these issues affect global forces with input from industry specialists and senior military weapons system representatives, including those from the UK, Italy, Germany, Belgium, Canada, Norway, France, and Poland.
More information: http://www.InfantryWeaponsConf.com
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Telephone: +44-(0)20-7368-9737
SOURCE Defence IQ


text:
Housing and Planning Minister Alok Sharma visited Walsall to see the progress of the borough's biggest ever residential regeneration scheme.
The minister, accompanied by staff from leading Midlands landlord whg and community regeneration and housing company Keepmoat Homes, visited the £45 million Waters Keep development yesterday (Thursday, 2nd November), where he witnessed the outcome of good partnership work.
The visit saw the minister tour the estate in Goscote, before meeting with whg customers.
Work on the £45 million, 412-home Waters Keep development started in 2014 and is expected to finish next year. The scheme is being developed through a partnership between Keepmoat and whg. Other partners included in the project are Walsall Council, the Black Country Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA).
Waters Keep forms the second phase of the Goscote Lane Regeneration Corridor. The Goscote Lane Regeneration Corridor is the largest residential development scheme in Walsall and a leading example of successful partnership work. In total, it will deliver around 800 new, energy-efficient homes and a better environment; plus improved infrastructure to North Walsall.
The project is also investing in people, creating new apprenticeship and training opportunities in order to achieve long-term sustainable change in the area.
Work on the third phase of the Corridor is due to get underway before the end of the year. This will see more than 400 new homes developed on the former Goscote Estate. The scheme, developed by Keepmoat, is expected to be completed in 2021.
Gary Fulford, whg's Group Chief Executive, said: "Mr Sharma's visit provided a great opportunity to show the transformation that is ongoing in Goscote. Through successful partnership work, we are breathing new life into this area. We want to thank the minister for taking the time to visit this impressive development."
Gary Belcher, MD for Keepmoat West Midlands, said: "Our work at Waters Keep is true partnership working, and an outstanding example of how a previously neglected area can be effectively regenerated, in doing so tangibly improving the quality of life for residents. Not only that but our construction work has supported local businesses and people by providing local supply chain, jobs and training opportunities. It was fantastic that Alok Sharma has taken an interest in the valuable work being done here at our Waters Keep development."
Housing and Planning Minister Alok Sharma said: "I was delighted to be in Walsall to witness the excellent progress of the regeneration scheme at the Waters Keep development, bringing hundreds of new energy-efficient homes to the area. This Government is clear that we need more homes in the places where people want to live and this regeneration is not just about new houses but will also bring new businesses and jobs to the area."


text:
Global temperatures set to pass 1 degree warming ahead of climate summit – UK Met Office
Britain's Met Office said 2015 will mark the moment when global temperatures breach the halfway mark towards 2 degrees Celsius, a figure judged to be a potentially dangerous indicator of climate change.
News Release: Global temperatures set to reach 1 °C marker for first time https://t.co/QZbJua7THE— Met Office (@metoffice) November 9, 2015
Meanwhile, figures from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) reveal that levels of carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide from industrial, agricultural and domestic activities have reached record highs – with global average concentrations of CO2 in spring 2015 crossing the 400 parts per million barrier for the first time.
The peak in global temperatures this year is partially driven by the development of a very strong El Nino effect in the Tropical Pacific Ocean. Human activity, however, remains the underlying driver, according to scientists.
This year is expected to be one of the hottest years on record, with scientists attributing the peak to both increasing carbon emissions and a particularly strong El Niño.
"We've had similar natural events in the past, yet this is the first time we are set to reach the 1 degree marker and it's clear that it is human influence driving our modern climate into uncharted territory," Stephen Belcher, head of the Met Office's Hadley Centre, said in a statement.
The findings come as ministers prepare for a major UN summit on climate change in Paris later this month in the hope of locking down a new global climate treaty.


text:
What is friendship? What does it mean to be a friend? How can I be a better friend?
These are some of the questions that went through my mind when I wrote the previous article, questions I didn't really answer. Hey, I didn't even begin to address them.
But they were there, and I've been thinking about them a lot lately.
Why? Well, in recent weeks I've had some interesting reminders of friendship. First of all, there is my very dear friend in Winnipeg with whom I've been writing another blog. (www.iqan-study.blogspot.ca)
(That is a blatant plug.) He's getting married in a few weeks, so I'm flying back there to be with him. We often speak of our friendship on the phone, but this is really making it hit home for me. Another instance is another friend who lives near me here in BC. He is self-confessed as being socially awkward, which he can be, I guess, but his heart is truly in the right place. I have come to treasure this man's friendship very deeply. This was further re-inforced when I received a postcard from him saying how hard it was for him to call anyone a friend, but that he used it for me. I was, and still am, very touched by this.
When thinking about friendship, and why I would consider anyone a friend, I am reminded of Hand of the Cause of God, William Sears, for whom I still think the tower in Chicago should be renamed after. He said that he was only friends with people to the extent that they showed forth the attributes of God. The more of these attributes that they showed, the closer he felt to them.
This is something I think about a lot: my friends and their virtues. Of course, it is a two-way thing. There are the attributes that they are showing, and then there are the attributes that I am seeing. No one, we should recall, is perfect. Everyone has flaws, especially me. And if we dwell on these flaws, focus only on what people are missing, we will never recognize what they have. We will never see their strengths. We are cautioned of this over and over in the Writings. Just look at those numerous Hidden Words about busying ourselves with the faults of others, or looking at their sins. Time and again the Master tells us to see His Father's face before others. "To look always at the good", says 'Abdu'l-Baha so pointedly, "and not at the bad. If a man has ten good qualities and one bad one, look at the ten and forget the one. And if a man has ten bad qualities and one good one, to look at the one and forget the ten." Not only is it a matter of my friend showing forth the virtues, but also a matter of me focusing my attention on them, noticing them, and treasuring them.
This, to me, answers that last question: How can I be a better friend? It also speaks to how I can be a better friend, for the very act of shifting my focus also makes me a better friend.
Another aspect of friendship is what we do together. There is that old thing about "friends don't let friends drink and drive", and you can even leave off the last two words, in my opinion, and it still holds true. Of course, I don't mean "be a fanatic", but just that I won't encourage my friends by going out drinking with them. The activities we choose to engage in together can also dictate how strong our friendship is. I will be far closer to someone I choose to serve humanity with than another person with whom I go to a movie with. And it doesn't mean that we don't go to movies together, but just that it is a part of the breadth of our friendship. One of my dearest friends is a co-teacher of children with me, and we strive to enjoy a movie once a month, but usually fail. (I mean, we fail to see one each month, not that we fail to enjoy the few we do get to see.)
All right. That last paragraph just reads weird to me. What I was trying to say is that we try to do things together that actually encourage each other in our spiritual development, joy being one of those virtues. When speaking of the loved ones of God, 'Abdu'l-Baha says that they should "...let their talk be confined to the secrets of friendship and peace."
Much better.
That seems to address the second question, "What does it mean to be a friend?" Quite simply, I think it means to help another develop their spiritual attributes.
But it still doesn't address my first question: What is friendship? In a clinical sense, we can say that friendship is a relationship between two people who care about each other.
That doesn't really cut it, does it?
We could talk about the joy we feel in the presence of our friend, how they can make even the most boring of routine things seem like fun. We can talk about how they remember our preferences, such as how I would rather chew aluminum foil than eat something with orange peel in it.
Aside - I have a very dear friend who was at a party with me a long time ago. We were all in a very joyous and playful mood, and in the middle of it all she came bouncing up to me and put a piece of chocolate in my mouth. I was very touched by her consideration. After all, giving your friend a piece of chocolate is a good thing, right? Well, this was a piece of chocolate covered orange peel. Bleah. My painfully wincing expression told her that this was not something I enjoyed. It was not the pleasurable culinary experience she was hoping to share with me. And so, being a good friend, she ran off to get me something to wash that taste out of my mouth. And being a good friend, she knew I didn't drink alcohol, which made it difficult, at that party, to find something for me. What she ended up grabbing was a cup of tea. Unfortunately it happened to be red zinger tea, otherwise known as orange peel tea.
Baha'u'llah, to me, gives us one criterion we can consider, when He says to prefer each other to ourselves. My good friends are those people whose preferences I generally prefer to my own. Now, I have to tell you, I often watch movies by myself (which is not in the same category of weirdness as those who drink by themselves). And I would far rather see a movie that a friend wants to see then make them watch one that I want to see that they don't.
There are certain virtues that I believe are conducive to making a friendship stronger, such as trustworthiness, trust, fidelity, honesty, caring, love, compassion, and joy, just to name a few. I think encouragement goes a long way, too. In fact, there is a wonderful little quote from 'Abdu'l-Baha in which He says, "When we find truth, constancy, fidelity and love we are happy."
And then there is that other quote from Him, found towards the end of that great prayer, in which He says of God, "Thou art more friend to me than I am to myself." Why would this be? Well, who else is truly worthy of our trust? Who can show greater love? Who is more wise, compassionate, and loving than God?
In he end, we will all fail each other in some way, for that is part of the nature of our being human. And if we can better learn to overlook the shortcomings of others, and help them overlook our own shortcomings, then the more our friendships will flourish. God, of course, is the absolute example of all these virtues, and is, therefore, more friend to us than we can ever be.
But really, if we can learn to be more generous, more forgiving, more worthy of the trust of our neighbour, and so on and so forth, then we will not only learn to be better friends with each other, but also better human beings. And we will, in the end, learn a lot more about making the world a far better place to live.
So, what is friendship? I think it is the application of the virtues in relation to each other.
Monday, September 8, 2014
1 comment:
Excellent post!!! I have learnt many things form here. I have also website where you can ivsit and pass your leasure time. In everyone's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit. To get more information, visit here……………ReplyDelete
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
Dear Monument Australia visitors, we are a self-funded, non-profit organisation, dedicated to recording monuments throughout Australia. Over time the costs of maintaining this website have risen substantially (in fact they are probably larger than those of many companies who exist for profit). In the past we have borne all the costs associated with maintaining the website but we are now having difficulties in paying the monthly expenses.
If Monument Australia is useful to you, please make a donation to keep this historical and educational resource available. Your help would be greatly appreciated.
Governor Lachlan MacquariePrint Page
The sculpture commemorates the former Governor of New South Wales, Lachlan Macquarie. The statue was donated by FAI Insurances in memory of Mr. R.S. Adler.
There was a public uproar after the statue was removed and discovered underground a tarpaulin in the Parliament House underground car park in December 2009. The statue was relocated to its present spot outside the Mint Building on Macquarie Street on Saturday 20th November 2010.
Lachlan Macquarie was a British military officer and colonial administrator. He served as the last autocratic Governor of New South Wales, Australia from 1810 to 1821 and had a leading role in the social, economic and architectural development of the colony. He is considered by some historians to have had a crucial influence on the transition of New South Wales from a penal colony to a free settlement and therefore to have played a major role in the shaping of Australian society in the early nineteenth century. An inscription on his tomb in Scotland describes him as "The Father of Australia".
|10 Macquarie Street, Sydney Mint Building, Sydney, 2000
|GPS Coordinates:
|Lat: -33.869225
Long: 151.212177
Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate.
|Monument Type:
|Monument Theme:
|Government - Colonial
|Approx. Event Start Date:
|Approx. Event End Date:
|Monument Designer:
|John Dowie
|Monument Manufacturer:
|F. J and I Lemon Foundry (Melbourne,VIC)
|Approx. Monument Dedication Date:
Governor Lachlan Macquarie
This statue was donated by FAI Insurances Limited in memory pf Mr. L. J. Adler, unveiled by Mr. A. S. Adler
November 1998
John Murray Speaker
Lachlan Macquarie (1762-1824)
Born in Scotland on 31 January 1762, Macquarie joined the army at age 14.
After serving in America, Asia, Egypt, and England he was sent to NSW with the 73rd regiment to replace the mutinous NSW Corps, reaching Sydney late in 1809. Over the next 12 years he reformed the administration, legal and convict systems, commerce and agriculture, opened up the interior of NSW, encouraged former convicts (emancipists) to fully participate in society and greatly expanded settlement.
His public works, which included some 250 public buildings, roads and bridges, laid a solid foundation for the colony`s social anbd economic development. The historic core of the NSW Parliament House is part of the Macquarie built first General Hospital which was completed in 1816.
Macquarie died in London in 1824. His tomb on the island of Mull is now administered by the National Trust of Australia. The last of NSW`s autocratic Governors, Macquarie`s achievements were outstanding and his name remains one of the most commemorated in Australia.


text:
Points de presse
Electoral and political reforms: Tradition verses change Findings from the Round 6 Survey in Mauritius (2014). Read more
Batswana report that the country is going in the right direction despite economic hardships Despite more than half (58%) of Batswana's positive views in 2014 on the economic direction of their country, a fifth (21%) are pessimistic of the future, anticipating worsening national economic conditions in the next 12 months, according to the latest... Read more
Government far from winning war on poverty despite concerted eradication efforts More Batswana report experiencing deprivation of basic needs such as water, cash income, and food, according to a new Afrobarometer study. Close to four in ten (37%), in 2014 report having gone without cash income "many times" or "always... Read more
Unemployment is perceived to be the most critical problem for Batswana Overall, unemployment is identified by 58% of citizens as one of the most important problems affecting Batswana. This was the most frequently stated problem by a significant margin. Read more
Botswana's government performance is in decline and Batswana trust their institutions much less in 2014 Whilst the president and traditional leaders are the most trusted figures in Botswana's institutions, other bodies are trusted much less, for example Parliament, the ruling party and opposition parties, according to a new Afrobarometer study. Read more
Batswana decry self-interest of politicians but continue to support the ruling party If elections were held in June or July 2014, the majority of Batswana would have voted for the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP). The Botswana Congress Party (BCP) would consolidate its position as the strongest opposition party. The coalition of... Read more
Afrobarometer statement on Malawi Round 6 survey The following statement is from Professor E. Gyimah Boadi, executive director of the Afrobarometer project, and executive director of the Ghana Center for Democratic Development in Accra, which manages the Afrobarometer network. Read more
Members of Parliament, poverty and institutions Findings from the Round 6 survey in Malawi (2014). Read more
Malawians support a strong Parliament in spite of disappointment with their representatives Malawians value Parliament's legislative and oversight role but are highly critical of the performance of parliamentarians, according to the latest Afrobarometer survey. A majority want parliament to vet the president's appointment of cabinet ministers... Read more
Amid political upheaval, Basotho support democratic process, reject military rule; trust in political institutions remains low Basotho overwhelmingly support democratic elections and reject military and strongman rule, according to a new Afrobarometer study. Read more


text:
Finding Interior "oneness"
by Sister Francis Marie, O.C.D.
Every moment of every day, the Lord is pursuing us – lovingly calling out to us. Most days, we are not conscious of His loving invitation inviting us to draw closer to Him. Our world is so full of distractions, activities and temptations that we miss His invitation. At our Carmelite retreat centers, thousands of people, groups of all ages and cultures, take time to be present – consciously – to the Most High God. They intention¬ally shut out the noise of the world in order to hear His voice – to move out of our frenetic, noisy, clamorous, amazingly wonderful world to be alone in silence and solitude with God. What is the desire of these brave souls? They want to meet God personally – to encounter Him Who is calling individually to them, seeking a deeper union with them.
These people are brave souls because it takes courage to welcome and embrace a love that is the all-consuming and unrelenting fulfillment of our deepest longings. It takes courage to expose oneself totally and completely to someone you can see only with interior sight. It takes courage to allow this fiery love to purify and transform into the interior oneness for which we have all been created. It takes courage because it is so personal and so very real.
This is the deepest reality – that we were created for deep, profound union with God, and that we actually experience and move in this union now. Different journeys, different gifts, different depths of union – but they are all the same unity. In our early religious education, we learn that we were created in the image and likeness of God. This is what gives us our sacred dignity. We also know that the Holy Trinity is the most complete Oneness, and somehow we were created to participate in this. Thus, it makes sense, that we were created for oneness – for unity. This unity takes on different expressions; interior unity or oneness exploding out into an external unity we call communion.
Through our Carmelite-sponsored retreats, a sacred mission we Sisters have been given, this succulent fruit of interior oneness or unity is offered to each soul. God holds it before us, and we are free to pluck it from the branch held in the hand of the Divine Master. This offering is before us every moment of our existence, but during a time of spiritual retreat, we are more attuned and open to receive it.
This sounds beautiful – and enticing – but what is interior wholeness? Because we are complex beings striving for the integration of the physical, spiritual, emotional and intellectual elements within ourselves, the answer can seem too simple. In fact, it is simple. Ultimately, our inner oneness, our inner unity, is accomplished through God's continual, transforming action until our entire being is united completely to the will of God. Although we cannot fully comprehend this truth, we know it to be true. This means that all the activities and functions of our being are completely in union with Him. Simple, yes; easy, no. Unity within one's soul can occur only by being brought into His Oneness, which heals our inner brokenness, the broken and divided fragments of ego and self-seeking. His Oneness creates the wholeness of the human person He created us to be. We cannot be one except through Jesus Christ.
"Wholeness" or being "whole" is a word that helps capture the idea of inner unity. If someone hands us an apple, we can see that it is whole. All parts are perfectly in order. It is all together – one. If someone cuts it in half or in segments, we can see clearly that it is no longer whole. Its essence is still that of an apple, but it is only part of the apple. We were created to be whole, not separate segments of ourselves.
We can study these ideas more deeply through the masters of metaphysics. More importantly, the Lord "puts us back together" through the incidents and relation¬ships within our daily lives and even more profoundly through our retreat experiences. Of course, this is a journey – a journey of "relationship" that does not end but finds its completion and fulfillment in Heaven. Our relationship with the Lord does not change when we attend a spiritual retreat. Yes, we do experience Him on a deeper level, but that is because we are alone with Him without all the distractions of day-to-day life. When we leave the retreat, we have been transformed precisely because we have been with Him. During the retreat, we were made more whole, more one. God takes those separated elements within us and unites them – usually at varying levels and degrees.
Whether we attend a spiritual retreat or seek God in little "retreat" moments throughout our day, we first ac¬knowledge that we know the Father is the Creator and Giver of all things. He wants to give us EVERY good thing, and He cannot refuse our desire for true inner unity because He first desired this for us.
In fact, He sent His Son to us, Jesus Christ, Who took on our flesh, to make us whole and also to make us one with Him. In His High Priestly Prayer in John's Gospel, Jesus states, "May they all be one, just as, Father, you are in me and I am in you, so that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe it was you who sent me. I have given them the glory you gave to me, that they may be one as we are one. With me in them and you in me, may they be so perfected in unity that the world will recognize that it was you who sent me and that you have loved them as you have loved me." This is His heritage to us – oneness with the Father.
In His Passion, Jesus took on our brokenness onto Himself. Through His death, He made us whole. In the seeming paradox of the Cross, Jesus took the incompleteness, the lack of unity of man, into His own Body. Broken and utterly spent for us, Jesus won for us the totality and fullness of union with the Father. Blessed John Paul II taught that to defend the Cross is to defend man, to defend life, and ultimately to defend the future of man. In other words, we can find our life – our completeness – the essence of who we are and who future generations of man will be – through the cross of Jesus Christ. Therein lies our strength, our life, and our future.
In our encounters with the Lord, as this transforming activity encompasses our entire person, we experience liberation, freedom. We are liberated from our fears, our weakness, from all the ways we try to separate ourselves from God, Who wants to make us complete. This liberation produces "soundness," or that quality of being that is undivided, complete, or one. This unification – this integration – is the definition of integrity. Within our souls, the Lord continues this integration and liberation throughout our entire lives. We need only to surrender continuously to this saving action.
Jesus' High Priestly Prayer desires this oneness, but it cannot be held only for ourselves. The more we are one interiorly within, the more we are impelled to share this oneness with others.
Union must lead to communion.
Love is always creative and life-giving. Our union of love surrounds and fosters union and oneness with others. On our own journey, the Lord gives the trans¬forming graces, but it is often through the assistance of our brothers and sisters who travel with us. We cannot and do not travel alone. We have a responsibility to one another to strive for this oneness among each other. This crosses gender, politics, nation and class. Blessed John Paul II, in his first visit to Poland as Pope, brought together millions of Poles encouraging them to not be afraid – that the essence of who they are is found only in Jesus Christ. He brought hope and called down the Holy Spirit to change the nation. This led to the peaceful uprising of the Solidarity Movement, and the Poles, long oppressed by communist leaders, learned that "when we are together…the enemy is powerless." Within a short time, communism was finished – not only in their own Polish land but throughout Europe. This was the result of oneness on a political level, yet how much more so, does this principle work on the spiritual level.
We were created to be one – one interiorly within our soul – one with the Trinity – and one with each other.
In all our Carmelite apostolic centers, we see Jesus Christ in each person we encounter. In a very holy and unique way, through the retreats we sponsor, we strive to provide an environment for this interior work to occur – to provide a sacred space for encounter with God. The goal is to provide a haven – a safe refuge – an oasis of solitude that fosters oneness of heart, mind and soul in Christ.
O, Sacred Heart of Jesus, may we all discover the interior oneness you desire for us. Unite all of us into the completeness and fullness of love, with the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit. Amen.


text:
My friend Rochelle left this mortal coil in 2005. I republish this tribute each year on the anniversary of her death.
I have a lifetime of wonderful memories of Rochelle, from the first time we met at a party when we were high school seniors to her radiant presence at my sister's birthday celebration last November. We had many adventures over those 40 years, but I've recalled one in particular since her passing. Let's call it the Great Roaring Fork Rope Bridge Adventure.
First some background: The Roaring Fork River starts near
At more or less the halfway point in the aspen and pine forests above the
In this particular instance it was to a house outside of
sign on the road near their driveway, but now that I think about it, maybe for another reason as well. Rochelle immediately set about squaring away the Slow Children's kitchen, which was in the kind of toxic condition you would expect for three guys who spent their days building houses for those millionaires and their nights throwing back cold ones at the
Her domestic diva duties done, we headed out with two of the three Slow Children for an explore along the Roaring Fork River canyon, which is situated a few miles below Marble, a mountaintop ghost town that was once home to thousands of people who worked what was then the world's largest marble quarry, supplying the goods for the Lincoln Memorial, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and many other buildings. There are many old mine entrances in the area, most long overgrown with trees and vegetation.
The day was gloriously sunny and quite hot, and it being late summer, the meadows we crossed as we climbed to the canyon were a riot of columbine, primrose, lavender and sage. While our hike was not technically difficult, neither was it for the faint of heart.
There was only one way to cross the canyon for miles in either direction -- a crude wood and rope footbridge straight out of an Indiana Jones movie that screamed DANGER! A goodly number of the wood slats were missing, providing a vertiginous view of the Roaring Fork hurtling through the canyon 75 or so feet below, while the ropes holding the bridge together were not in very good shape, either.
One of the Slow Children was two or three steps onto the bridge when I sensed that Rochelle was no longer behind us. When I turned around, I saw that she had stopped dead in her tracks. There was a "You've gotta be nuts" look on her face that I had seen other times when she sensed, usually correctly, that sanity -- along with Elvis – had left the building.
As the smarties among you will know, Indiana Jones and the
INDY: Anything can happen. It's a long way to
. Delhi
WILLIE: No, thanks, no more adventures with you, Dr. Jones.
INDY: Sweetheart, after all the fun we've had together?
WILLIE: If you think I'm going to
with you, or anyplace else after all the trouble you've gotten me into, think again, buster! I'm going home to Delhi where they never feed you snakes before ripping your heart out and lowering you into hot pits! This is not my idea of a swell time. Missouri
One of the Slow Children finally broke the silence. "So what if we carry you across?" he offered. "You can close your eyes."
Fire leapt from Rochelle's eyes.
More silence.
"Well, we could always throw the Ching . . . ," I suggested without much conviction.
The fire had gone out and there were now only wisps of smoke.
" . . . Or we could just backtrack," I added unhelpfully. "No big deal."
"Screw all of you," Rochelle replied.
It probably was as close as I ever heard her get to using profanity.
"I'm going to do it," she added with an unchallenged finality. "I know how to fly this plane, I'm just not always sure about landing it."
And then the most amazing but Rochelle-like thing happened. She suddenly was on the other side of the bridge waving her sun hat at us.
"Come on you Slow Children!" she laughed. "What's taking you so long?"
You wouldn't think that Rochelle had much in common with Ernest "Papa" Hemingway, the novelist and world-class misogynist. She didn't, but they both loved cats.
I took this photo of Rochelle, who left her own cat of 18 years, King Wenceslaus, with her passing, at the aforementioned farm in
, not long after the rope bridge adventure. Rochelle is holding Terrapin, a sweet little ball of fluff who was born at the Ernest Hemingway House in Chester County, Pennsylvania . Key West, Florida
Papa had stipulated in his will that his cats and their progeny were to be cared for in perpetuity. Terrapin was polydactyl because of generations of inbreeding, which means he had more than the normal number of toes, in his case seven each on his front paws and six each on his rear paws. Meanwhile, Wennnie died exactly one week after his beloved mistress.


text:
"Welcome (nursing) home?"
Sometimes people residing in nursing and residential care facilities become so ill they need to go into hospital. In community mental health terms this can mean that an individual's behaviour can be so disturbed they need specialist assessment and care. It is essential to ensure they can have the best quality of life that their circumstances can provide, without resort to 'care by medication'.
The job means listening to people in care asking to go home. Staff need to be skilled and sensitive in how they respond to such requests, especially when they are repeated time after time. Family members can really struggle with this; should they visit? It is amazing how things can change though...
Quite a while ago I visited a care home and had arrived a bit early. As I turned-up the lady I'd called to see had just returned back from a stay in hospital. It was remarkable to see her recognise the home as home. She responded warmly to the nurse in charge, the many greetings and reassurances offered plus the familiar surroundings. As we accompanied this lady through to her room, it made our day (my week) to hear the deep sigh of relief when the door to her room was opened.
She said, "Oh, it's good to be back."
Walking over to the side of her bed, this highly trained life-trooper stopped.
Suddenly this lady made like a falling pine in Grizedale forest. In slow motion she fell sideways to greet her bed with another sigh - satisfaction and rest. The home manager and I just looked at each other....
Close call that - just missing the wall - but so good to be 'home' at last.
Image source: http://www.english-lakes.com/grizedale_forest.html


text:
A Hammer Toe is a toe that is contracted at the PIP joint (middle joint in the toe), potentially leading to severe pressure and pain. Ligaments and tendons that have tightened cause the toe's joints to curl downwards. Hammer toes may occur in any toe except the big toe. There is often discomfort at the top part of the toe due to rubbing against the shoe.
Hammer toe may also be caused by other medical conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, or stroke because these forms of illnesses involve affectation of the person's muscles and nerves. Diabetes is also a causative factor for hammer toes due to diabetic neuropathy, which often times accompanies advanced instances of diabetes. Injury to a person's toes may also cause hammer toes, particularly if the injury involves breaking of the toes. In some instances, hammer toes may be hereditary. Some people may be genetically predisposed to develop the condition because of the natural structure of their bodies.
The most obvious symptom of hammer, claw or mallet toe is the abnormal toe position. This is usually combined with pain: the abnormal foot position leads to excessive friction on the toe as it rubs against any footwear which can be extremely painful. Corns & Calluses: repeated friction can result in the formation of a foot corn or callus on top of the toes. Stiffness, the joints become increasingly stiff. In the early stages, the toes can usually be straightened out passively using your hands, but if allowed to progress, the stiffness may be permanent.
Hammer toes may be easily detected through observation. The malformation of the person's toes begin as mild distortions, yet may worsen over time - especially if the factors causing the hammer toes are not eased or removed. If the condition is paid attention to early enough, the person's toes may not be permanently damaged and may be treated without having to receive surgical intervention. If the person's toes remain untreated for too long, however the muscles within the toes might stiffen even more and will require invasive procedures to correct the deformity.
Non Surgical Treatment
Wear wide shoes with plenty of room in the toes and resilient soles. Avoid wearing shoes with pointed toes. Commercially available felt pads or cushions may ease pressure from the shoe on the toe. Toe caps (small, padded sleeves that fit around the tip of the toe) may relieve the pain of hammer toe. Do toe exercises, to help toe muscles become stronger and more flexible. Arch supports or an orthotic shoe insert prescribed by your doctor or podiatrist may help to redistribute weight on the foot. These devices do not cure the problem but may ease the symptoms of either hammer toe or mallet toe.
Surgical Treatment
Surgery is the approach that is often necessary to correct hammertoe that fails to respond to nonsurgical management. Surgery is appropriate when the muscles and tendons involved in a hammertoe problem have become so tight that the joints are rigid, misaligned and unmovable. There are a number of surgical techniques for dealing with the complex range of joint, bone, muscle, tendon and ligament abnormalities that define each hammertoe's make-up. To correct a hammertoe deformity, the surgeon's goal is to restore the normal alignment of the toe joint, relieving the pressure that led to the hammertoe's development (this should also relieve the pain, as well). To do this, he or she may remove part of the boney structure that creates a prominence at the top of the joint. Tighten or loosen the muscles, tendons and ligaments around the toe joints. Realign the toe bones by cutting one or more and shifting their position, realigning muscles, tendons and ligaments accordingly. Use screws, wires or plates to hold the joint surfaces together until they heal. Reconstruct a badly damaged joint or replace it with an artificial implant.


text:
Fraser Suites Sydney
For five-star suites in the heart of the Sydney CBD boasting luxury facilities, look no further than Fraser Suites Sydney.
Fraser Suites Sydney offers sophisticated, fully-furnished, luxurious, award-winning apartments just minutes from the Queen Victoria Building and Darling Harbour in Sydney's vibrant shopping and entertainment district.
The elegant 42 level glass tower has 201 suites, ranging from studios, one and two bedroom suites to our stunning two level duplex penthouse suites overlooking the city and Darling Harbour.
Our leisure centre has a state-of-the-art gymnasium, spa and sauna with a 20-metre indoor heated swimming pool for your convenience.


text:
Jie Shen
For his graduate work at at Edinburgh University, Jie Shen spent two years researching and designing an adaptable performance space for Constitution Square in Warsaw. Read the rest of my article on designboom. Side note: I should probably make a brief announcement. After picking up several items from Colossal I was contacted by designboom to become a guest editor. I'm humbled and thrilled to be contributing to such a fantastic site and I'll make sure a teaser is posted here on Colossal every time a designboom piece goes live. Exciting!


text:
Be Part of Our Growth
We want you along for the ride
Hey Regit-ers,
As many of you know, we've been on a bit of a journey over the past 12 months. For those of you who have been with us for a while, you'll know we rebranded from Motoring.co.uk last summer. As we started the new year, our 1,400,000th driver got the keys to their digital garage.
On Motoring.co.uk, many of our tools and helpful calculators on the site started with the reg plate. It's every driver's fingerprint. That's why we've taken that reg plate and put it to the front with Regit, with the help of some top branding people (one of which is the man behind Audi's "Vorsprung durch Technik"). It's what made us different from other car sites and platforms. Got a problem? Just Regit.
With Regit, you get:
- Your digital garage where we remind you when things are due
- The marketplace to find the best deals on buying, selling or maintaining your car
- Great content like our quizzes, lists, and news where you can while away the hours
Despite that, we know the site isn't perfect yet, but we're on a journey with our users to improve it each day. We've taken plenty of feedback onboard since the rebrand to make it better, and we've got much more in our roadmap.
We've got loads of ideas too. We want to reward all our loyal users with a motoring toolkit where you can consistently save on your motoring, like better finance rates or cheaper servicing. We also want to create better content and improve how we communicate with you too. And we want to do this as quickly as possible.
To help us achieve all this more quickly, we're launching an online equity fund raise shortly. In order to improve Regit and build some of the features our users are asking for, we need to employ some more great people and that costs money. It's also a great opportunity for our users to really drive forward our growth and be a part of it for as little as a tenner.
Stay tuned to find out more about Regit and our future plans over on Crowdcube once we launch our fund raise. It'd be great to see you there, and it'd be even better to have you on board for the future. :)
The Regit Team


text:
So it was with great interest that I co-hosted the Miss Club Masque in Dayton, Ohio on Friday. My co-emcee was the delicious Miss Hope Sexton, who has a hilarious way of intro-ing the queens by singing their last names in a wild vibrato. The first segment was Presentation, which had a Mardi Gras theme. In light of Katrina, I jokingly asked if that meant it would be a swimsuit competition, and was reminded that Ohio was a red state as the crowd almost hissed at the jab "And speaking of "What is George W. Bush's position on Roe vs. Wade? Honey, he didn't care how people got out of New Orleans!"
Question and Answer was next. Each contestant picked an envelope, and while I waited for my a-sissie-tant to open the question--my nails weren't quite long enough to act as letter-openers--for a rather heavy queen, someone in the audience yelled out their own question for her: "Where is my food?" I hope that the joke was directed at the competitor and not me! I joked with an older, straight man and his wife in the audience during the show. Later, the heavyset queen told me that this man was her father, and that--indicating her feet--"These are his heels. My mom doesn't know." A family tran-dition, I guess. And we think we're wild in NYC.
Amelia Black, a Freda Payne-ish stunner from Cinncinati wowed me with her dazzling lip-synch of Rachelle Ferrell's scat-alogical BYE, BYE, BLACKBIRD, which even featured a fag dancer dressed as a blackbird which Amelia shooed offstage. Brilliant. Equally fantastic with bigger production value was Sashay Lorez's medley of some version of SWEET GEORGIA BROWN and DON'T MEAN A THING (IF IT AIN'T GOT THAT SWING). The brassy arrangement was sizzling and Sashay punched every stop with an "I'm-gonna-win-this" vengeance. And she did. But also noteworthy was Penelope C's number from WICKED, where she actually flew on a broomstick painted green. The green matched her teeth--BOTH OF 'EM!
Appropriately, Sashay burst into tears when it was announced that she'd won. A $10,000 prize ain't nuthin to sneeze at, especially if much of it goes to recoup your custom-made Coco Vega bugle-beaded evening wear. Sashay even marched out with a male escort who was dressed in a Lion King headdress to accessorize her African Queen pattern! And though pageants have never seemed important to me, in a smaller city where there are few outlets for a drag to enter the legit entertainment biz, a title translates into more and better paid bookings, much like an actor who becomes an Oscar-winner. I must say, I wish we had more of them in NYC. I guess the Harlem balls are similar, but more focused on dance than performing lipsynch numbers. I'm also fascinated to see which new songs queens select from today's artists. Many top-selling female artists aren't the best singers, so drags don't have the Patti Labelle's, Barbra Streisands, Aretha Franklins, Gladys Knights, and Bette Midlers that my generation had to pick from--though good old Cher--or "Scar" as RuPaul recently called her!--is still around. Ms. Scarlet Fever did Kelly Clarkson's HAZEL EYES, and though it's not my cup of tea, it is a well-crafted song which builds and Kelly's got the pipes. The queen who did Janet Jackson danced really well, but Janet's vox are so airy nowadays that there wasn't much to sink her teeth into lip-synch-wise.


text:
"Robots Rock at STEM Conference"
Beta was featured in our local newspaper last Saturday when we demonstrated at the Iowa STEM Conference with the STEM Advisory council! It was really cool to talk to all the educators, policy makers, and business professionals that attended, and was fun talking to other students about their experiences with STEM. To check out the… Read More »


text:
"Infinity Is Not An Option"
Infinity is a not an option to the wise
Whom merchants surely aim to multiply;
Expansions glory through the sun's countless spies,
And self-deception hoary wonder mystifies.
I come to a momentary backbone balanced in art,
Buttressed by the elbows planted firmly
On the dinner table, hands, these gentle urns,
Burn at the fingertips, as do tethered breaths hard
Upon the lungs, these caves; in my heart
Incisions through the bosom, flowing downward
Toward my former strengths, in portions buried under scarred
And wasted regions, long ill-used (and no longer under guard!)
And these depleted mounds, these still-born folds—
Still further earthward than I would ever care to know—
I tire, and would to God it were not so
I smile, a little resigned before I go.
He does not like this war, he knows he knows
Better, he who himself was there and yet remains
Aloof. His fans are still there, his memories, the soft refrain
Of others who, like himself have come to sow
The seeds, the pulling of the gears, reverse
The streams, the trends, the flow all too late to catch the glow
Of stars and cosmic banner and bylines, and spangles blown
Awry by ruthless bugles, blasts in pride, the hell you say, and, cursed,now, you're right. He sees, and he is here to state as much,
To put the record straight in no uncertain terms,
The bottom line for all of us, the sum of parts he's earned
To wake the dead, their elastic majesties' exhausted at last, corrupt
And humbled once again as Michael Jackson crochets
what's left of his martyr's noose
With Whitney's toasts to his health not far behind
and America's once upon a time is up.


text:
Explore Queenstown at your pace in comfort and style on one of our purpose-built electric bikes. We have thought of everything no-one else has!! Brown stripes don't suit everyone so our bikes have mudguards so you arrive in the same condition as you departed. Much cooler. And when you shop you can bring it home safely in the panniers or on the rack fitted on every bike. And you can be confident about getting back as well as getting there – we have fitted double powerful batteries so those last few kilometres don't ruin your day.
Our bikes are built for the Queenstown trails, a network of well-formed tracks around the region linking the shops, accommodation, activities along with the famous wineries of Gibbston. No matter where you are staying there will be a route to join and then freedom your way awaits.
The bikes are available from our shop in the heart of Queenstown at Info & Track, 37 Shotover Street, see our handy map. There are boys and girls type available, both are similarly equipped with panniers, racks and mudguards. The bikes come with internal gears, push-button throttle, mirrors and bell. Helmets and backpacks are available, helmets are included in the price and are mandatory on New Zealand roads. The bikes can be delivered (and collected) to any accommodation by arrangement and are included in the price of hires of two days or more. Pricing can be in two hours, half-day, full-day and multi-day and is tabled below. Payment in full prior to departure along with a credit card imprint for the bond is required.
|1 Hour
|2 Hours
|3 Hours
|Half Day
|Full Day
|Overnight (return by 11 am)
|2 Days
|3 Days
|Insurance Cover
The reasons we choose the Sprints are the same reasons you should choose this ebike. The component range of German and Japanese parts on a remarkable frame makes for efficiency and performance that win the experts purchasing decision and deserve your patronage as well. The intuitive "cruise control" type interface is like no other, creating a set and forget power setting that works for supreme ease of operation. Internal gearing means the chain cannot fall off.
The ease of use starts with a specially designed alloy mountain bike frame. The frames are highly adjustable to rider height and preferred riding posture. The Sprint 7's sporty geometry and hi-capacity lithium battery are great for a practical mix of rural and commuter riding. Sprints are ideal for the rail-trails, having the advantage of front-wheel corrective steering. The motor is the same V3 hi-torque version that won the 2015 Sun Trip 7000 km race across Europe, beating the younger riders on Bosch equipment by a full two days! It has the hill-flattening power and intuitive controls that you are looking for in an ebike.
Sprint owners take long rides over significant hills and shingle roads, as the bike is a great all-rounder. Sprint owners have toured Europe hundreds of times, the US and South America, Australia, New Zealand, China, and the Himalayas. You name the continent (except Antarctica) and the Sprints have crisscrossed it.


text:
It gets stranger and stranger on the socialist side of the BC political spectrum.
It started today with NDP sister turned champagne socialist Joy MacPhail parachuting back onto the BC political stage to bestow her well-heeled blessings on the Red Baron himself, the NDP's hero of social justice, far left leadership candidate Adrian Dix.
Kinda strange don't you think? The nouveau-riche, makeup-caked MacPhail is well wedded to a movie/TV producer James Shavick. Her Gucci nod to social justice these days is a seat on the board of OUTtv … the Toronto-based specialty channel that celebrates the delights of being gay, lesbian, bisexual and/or trans-sexual.
It's easy for her to postulate that she is "comfortable" with the social policy goals of her new political toy boy. She's not staying at the Cobalt Hotel on Main Street and having Kraft Dinner tonight.
Joy! Give your head a shake. This is the same guy who – if he ever became premier … gawd forbid – would hobble the free enterprise economy starting with the extermination of BC's struggling green power sector. This is the guy who favours state ownership, wants to renew his marriage vows with labour, tax banks and introduce new laws that ensure that "natural resource use is linked to economic justice." I'm afraid to even ask what that means for resource communities.
This is a cruel joke Joy. You should be ashamed.
Fortunately, MacPhail's pet project can be put in context by Ipsos Reid polling that shows that the party's only moderate, consensus-building candidate, Mike Farnworth, is by far the public's favourite NDP leadership contender. The poll also shows declining impressions of Dix among past NDP voters.
Farnworth received a net score of +28 after negative impressions were subtracted from positive impressions and that placed him well ahead of the competition. Dix received a dismal net score of -6.
Almost as strange as MacPhail's cameo was the party's decision to release an attack ad against the Liberals (posted below for your amusement). The ad is structured around the theme that all the Liberal candidates seeking the leadership are mere clones of outgoing Premier Gordon Campbell. Not terribly original. In fact, it is a carbon copy of a US Democratic Party attack ad from several years ago. Heck, even I have characterized several candidates as members of the "Campbell Family Circle" by virtue of their quiet obedience when Campbell foisted the HST on BC after promising in 2009 that there was no plan to fiddle with the tax system.
I find it mildly puzzling that the NDP brain trust thinks the timing is right for Liberal attack ads. This is a party that has just staged a leadership coup that all but destroyed every remaining shred of its shaky credibility. This is a party that is in such a state of internal angst that most of the people interested in leading it are flakes and dissidents.
It is a day like this that must give even the most pessimistic Liberal pause to smile.


text:
Medifirst Solutions Inc (OTCMKTS:MFST) investors have reason to be excited given new developments and the recent shareholder update. The share price has more than double since the beginning of the year. It had a healthy pullback and is now beginning to advance steadily on significant volume. Shares traded yesterday hit over 1.3 million exchanging hands. MFST stock currently is trading at $0.0117 and should easily double from current levels given the momentum.
In recent developments, Medifirst Solutions Inc (OTCMKTS:MFST) announced that it had completed a Skin Surface Temperature study which was requested by the FDA. According to the CEO, "We are very pleased with the positive results of the Skin Surface Temperature Study and we are excited to complete the one remaining lab test currently being performed by Intertek Labs."
MFST believes that its laser devices are very unique and offer an easy-to-use, mobile, affordable and effective product for many different health care professionals. The Time Machine Laser System can serve to enhance the current treatment protocols of various health care professionals, as well as produce additional revenue streams from the treatment range MFST believes The Time Machine Infrared Laser System is capable of delivering.
Medical Lasers Manufacturer, Inc., a Medifirst subsidiary, will specialize in producing high quality diode-pumped solid-state lasers. The laser division including products and treatment programs will be operated out of MLM. Our focus is to help patients with specific cosmetic skin conditions, as well as relief of muscle and joint pain, muscle spasm and inflammation. This could potentially be a significant business bringing in tens of millions in additional revenues once approved by the FDA.
On January 7, 2016, MFST entered into a Securities Purchase Agreement with an accredited investor for the sale of convertible redeemable notes in aggregate principal amount of $251,803. On January 7, 2016, MSFT and the Investor conducted the first closing under the Purchase Agreement.
Medifirst Solutions, Inc. is a Nevada corporation that is headquartered in New Jersey. The company seeks innovative medical and healthcare products and technologies which are targeted to both medical and healthcare professionals, as well as everyday consumers. Medifirst is developing and establishing both consumer and professional medical cliental that can serve as a pipeline that will allow for distribution of future products and services
We have a Monster Pick Coming. Subscribe Right Now!
MSFT is currently trading at a $0.5 million market valuation. From a technical perspective, the chart looks to be making headways with the breakout in volume and the long base it has established over the last year. The stock could easily double, triple, or quadruple if the FDA approves its new product. It wouldn't be surprising to see a slew of promotions or capital raising to fund this new venture once approved.
We will be updating on MSFT when more details emerge so make sure you are subscribed to Microcapspot so you know what's going on with MSFT.
Disclosure: we hold no position in MSFT either long or short at the publication of this article and we have not been compensated for this article.
Subscribe To Microcap Newsletter
By entering your email address you agree to get email updates from Microcap Spotlight. We'll respect your privacy and unsubscribe at any time.


text:
The three-star Phu Quy 2 hotel has been recently built and operational since the first of january 2006. It is a system of 60 rooms originally built and fitted up with a luxurious and elegant interior. Its floor is made of natural wood of refined colour appreciated by all categories of guests. All the rooms are equipped with safety - keys and modern conveniences such as the system of the air-conditioning system, the bath-tubs, the hot and fresh water, the television sets, the direct, international, long-ditance call; besides this the high- speed , free of charge internet aims at helping the guests to know the current events and the news taking place in the world.
Staying in the Phu Quy 2 hotel, you will be very satisfied with the manner of serving with zeal of our professionally trained staff. By our continual efforts to improve our organization and our service, we hope that any guest will be very satisfied when choosing the stay in our hotel in the course of his visit and work spent in Nhatrang, the peaceful and hospitable coastal city.


text:
This is the latest in my series of blog entries taking a fresh look at a variety of topics over the next year. I've set up a page on the blog explaining the project and linking to my entries. This week's topic is "Your Children."
OK, wow, yeah, what a topic, huh? Fair enough, then. Here we go.
I considered making this a three-part series.
The first part would be about nieces and nephews. For all intents and purposes, my brother's children, Bethany and Nathan, are "my children." I have no kids of my own now, and love them very much.
The first part would also talk about the fact that earlier this month, Lila Grace Lara and Madison Brooks both had birthdays on two consecutive days. For the first six years of her life, Lila Grace was my niece; the daughter of my then-wife's sister. And I loved her. A lot. The tragedy is, Lila Grace and I were closer than Bethany and I have been. That's getting better, but it's still sad to me. Madison would have been my niece, in a different world. She was the only of Susanna's nieces that I hadn't met when the engagement was called off; to some of the nieces and nephews I was already "Uncle David," which made me very happy at the time and made the outcome hurt all that much more.
The second part would talk about the future. I don't have children now, but that could change. I had reached a point during my marriage to Nicole that I had accepted that it was never going to happen, that it wasn't an option. Today, that's no longer the case. And that's something I have to consider. And I could easily write an entire post about that.
But, instead, I'm only writing the third part, the one part that I, for myself, need to write.
I'm going to tell the story of Katelyn.
I had learned to recognize Nicole's "I'm in the hospital" voice. I would say that I frequently knew something was wrong even before I answered the phone, but the truth is probably more just that the phone ringing often filled me with dread. But the voice? Unmistakable. Even just from "hello," I would know she was in the hospital.
Point being, there was nothing unusual about the call; the fact that it was routine was exactly how I was able to recognize that tone. I'd learned to take it in stride. Calm, cool and collected. It took a lot to shake that. Things had to be pretty bad.
Monday, January 30, 2006 was one of the days that shook that. It still makes no sense what all went through my head in what must have been no time at all when Nicole mentioned the tubal pregnancy. I knew there was no good outcome; it was just a question of how bad it was going to be. I remember the dread at the idea that we would have to give the order, to make the "decision" to terminate a pregnancy that couldn't be saved. I remember the relief, as sick as this is, at learning that our child, my child, was already dead. There was no happy ending; I just consider myself blessed that I don't have to carry the burden of having had to tell someone to do it.
It sucked, and neither one of us knew how to deal with it. To some extent, it was another medical issue that had been survived, another trip to the hospital. (I still have the wristband from that hospital stay, kept on the desk in my computer room.) I tried to be supportive of Nicole, but, in retrospect probably failed completely to support her where she must have been emotionally. I cried on the phone with my mom that night as the reality of it overwhelmed me, not only of that day, but of that part of my life I had never dealt with. Nicole and I didn't have the option of having children; I simply accepted the fact that was the case since there was no point in thinking about it. That day forced me to confront the reality of what that meant, to be aware of what might have been. The next day, I wrote about all of that in my journal, as if it had been resolved. It happened, I cried, it was over. Except it wasn't. Not really.
The pregnancy, they estimated, was about eight to 10 weeks in at the time, as I recall. We never knew if it was a boy or a girl; I don't know why we both just knew it was a daughter. We named her Katelyn. It made it easier to talk about, having a name to use instead of the cold "tubal pregnancy" terminology. And it made it a little easier to grieve. In earlier times, when the future was still wide open, we had picked out names, for a boy and a girl, if we ever had kids. We both liked the name Katelyn, a slight homage to my mother. We never dreamed that was how we would use it.
On a good day, I count it as a blessing. I believe life begins at conception. Which means I had a child. A human being, with a soul. Before that day, I'd never really understood the concept of heaven, never really understood the appeal. Eternity seems like it would get very boring, very quickly, relatively speaking. But the knowledge that in the next world I'll be able to experience what I hadn't in this world? That I will be able, finally, to hold my daughter in my arms? OK, I would be willing to call that heaven.
And, the truth is, it's better that way. Nicole and I did not need a child in this world. What would it have been like, to have to deal with the things we had to deal with, but with a child? I can't imagine having to take care of both of them. I can't imagine having to tell my daughter that mommy was spending the night in jail, or figuring out how to explain other things to her. I can't imagine. And where would things have gone? What would the dissolution of our marriage have looked like then. So it's a blessing; a blessing that we will see our child only when we can love her the way she deserves.
In my head, I mark that day, January 30, like it was a birthday; it's the day I remember her most. I posted lyrics to a song on this blog that day this year, but with no explanation. I've told a handful of people this story, but I've never really told it publicly before right now. But it's part of who I am. But that song is hers for me. Not all of it works, but so much of it speaks to me.
She can run free forever
Still our blood runs us together
Sleep, baby, don't you cry
Daddy's got a worn-out lullaby
And I'd live forever dark and damned
To see you spend one minute
In wonderland
That last bit? Yeah, what would I give for a minute, for five minutes, of holding her in this life? To be able to look her in the eyes, to be seen by her? But it's OK. That day will come.
I treat that day like a birthday, but, of course, it wouldn't have been. The truth is, her birthday would have been very close to mine, in early August. This summer, when I turn 35, she would have turned four. My niece Bethany was born in November before this happened, so it's very easy to picture where Katelyn would be — she in August would be the age Bethany was in November. It's very fresh in my mind what a four-year-old girl is like; look at Bethany a few months ago and that's kind of what Katelyn would be like today.
But she wouldn't, really. She would look differently. She would act differently. She would be interested in different things. She would care about different things. Partially because all children are different. But partially because she would be mine. Who she is would have been influenced by who I am. Heh. Can you imagine?
And I wonder about that. What would she be like. If. But I wonder something else sometimes. What would I be like, if. In another happier moment, Susanna, who, of course, knew the story, and I were at church one Sunday last June, and she told me she wanted to tell me something, but hoped it wasn't bad and that I took it the way she meant. Um, OK. "Happy Father's Day, David." And, yeah, it meant a lot to have that validated, to have someone recognize that, as silly as it probably is, it does mean something to me. But what if things were different? Who would I be? How would I be different because of the last four years? And I have no idea. None.
When I do see her, what will that be like? Will she still be an infant when I see her? Will she have "aged" correspondingly to how I have? I hope it doesn't matter. I hope I can be 31 and hold her in my arms as if things had been different. I hope we can both be adults, and have long rambling conversations and get to know each other. I hope we can both be 6 together and play tag on the streets of gold, play hide-and-seek in our heavenly mansions. I hope I can be middle aged, and proud of the young woman my daughter is.
This is what it means to be held.
How it feels when the sacred is torn from your life
And you survive.
Filed under: Editorial | Tagged: family, love, lyrics, music, reconstruction | Leave a comment »


text:
Art of the Song Creativity Corner
It is wonderful to facilitate painting with children.
It is necessary to support children in their natural creative exploration so that they trust themselves and mature in a healthy way. We can support their sensibility towards honesty and keen insight by creating a safe environment in which to explore.
Working with children makes it clear why so many adults have lost contact with their creativity. We are making the results so much more important than this incredible gift of exploring that children have.
Sponsored links
As young as 3 or 4, a child may already start to decide what they can and cannot paint. They begin to look outside themselves and paint what pleases others instead of trusting what they have inside; growing up to be adults who feel they have little or no ability to create.
As a teacher, I am curious to reopen the door to our creative energy. I find there are many ways to help students relax but it doesn't always take care of the judgmental beliefs. So, I was delighted when one day I discovered the Silly Monkey.
Silly Monkey is the name I use for the judgmental inner voice. I tell the students to gently put the Silly Monkey out to play while they paint. Children are wise and know there are two voices; one says "paint this", and the back-street-driver voice that says "oh no, that's not good."
Through naming the voices and then knowing what to do the children feel empowered. Happiness and light fills their eyes. Brushes move easily again. This simple tool allows the children to acknowledge the Silly Monkey in personal relationships or when playing or doing homework.
To fully support the children we need to know our own Silly Monkey. Most of the time we cunningly avoid it. Deep in our heart we know that the mind's unfounded beliefs do not serve us.
The Silly Monkey shows us the thoughts that support our suffering. Through this inquiry the pressure of judgment defuses and our tender creativity returns. We can trust what is inside of us no matter what our opinion is about it. And, we absolutely crave this fascinating, honest journey into the truth. •
Next: Creativity: Intelligent and Trustworthy
©2007 Jan Haller. All rights reserved.
Jan Haller has dedicated her life to the mystery of the creative process and has been a painter for over 35 years. More
The Silly Monkey
Creativity: Intelligent and Trustworthy
A Blank Piece of Paper
Sponsored links


text:
January 29, 2014
Amazing: Classical paintings put in motion
Rino Stefano Tagliafierro & team have done an amazing job animating classical paintings. "It's as though these images which the history of art has consigned to us as frozen movement can today come back to life thanks to the fire of digital invention."
- ≪ New Kidpost service bundles up your pics for family
- Home
- "Flag" Kickstarter project promises free, museum-quality photo printing ≫
Absolutely stunning! I have never seen anything like this! Highly recommended!
Would love to see a behind the scenes of how they did this!


text:
Search News
Civic culture is key to reduce violence, study finds
May 30, 2012
IDB-sponsored study explores how changes in civic culture are needed to achieve long-term success in mitigating violence Any successful strategy to prevent violence should include measures to recognize and change behaviors prompted by beliefs, emotions and cultural factors, according to a new study sponsored by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).
IDB expects to provide more than $500 million to help Latin America and Caribbean prepare for natural disasters
March 10, 2011
Financial disaster preparedness is a growing concern in Latin America and the Caribbean. Last year the region saw devastating earthquakes in Chile and Haiti and an active hurricane season that impacted Central America and Mexico. In addition, the La Niña-related weather phenomenon has brought severe flooding to Venezuela, Colombia and Brazil, among others.
The Caribbean and the IDB at a Glance
September 27, 2010
The IDB member countries of the English-speaking Caribbean – The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Guyana, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago – along with Dutch-speaking Suriname, are brought together by commerce, geography, history and traditions. Their economic situation and development challenges, however, may vary widely.
Latin America and the Caribbean see slower growth in next four years
March 19, 2009
Latin American and Caribbean leaders expect per capita income to fall or grow moderately in the 2009–2012 period and governments to rely more on financing from international institutions, according to a survey by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). The expectations contrast sharply with the recent economic performance in the region, where product per capita grew 4.1 percent annually in the past five years.
The IDB, a partner of Colombia in development
March 17, 2009
Since the mid-1990s the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has been the leading source of multilateral financing for Colombia. Over the last 50 years, the IDB has approved more than US$14.8 billion in loans and non-refundable technical cooperation projects for Colombia. Throughout its history, the IDB has supported the Colombian government and private sector in key development areas such as infrastructure, state modernization and reform, small and medium enterprise, agriculture, energy, climate change and environmental protection.
More growth or less inequality?
September 20, 2005
Increased investment, low inflation, an improved fiscal situation, decreased unemployment. Latin America and the Caribbean have been hearing plenty of good news the past 18 months. A group of renowned economists analyzed the situation at a seminar hosted by the IDB Research Department to honor IDB President Enrique V. Iglesias, who will retire on September 30. Iglesias himself opened the seminar, which was chaired by IDB Chief Economist Guillermo Calvo, with the participation of Ricardo Hausmann, Michael Mussa, José Antonio Ocampo and John Williamson.
The winning card
September 06, 2005
Remittances and a cross-border network of businesses, nonprofits, credit unions, microfinance institutions and other financial players are connected through a debit and stored-value card platform that has one very simple result: everybody wins. The business model, combining efficient use of technology with cheaper remittances transactions and better business for financial institutions, was presented at IDB headquarters by UCLA professor and successful entrepreneur Raúl Hinojosa.
When good intentions bring bad results
March 18, 2005
Many subsidies aimed at helping the underprivileged benefit the rich instead of the poor, according to professor Ramon Lopez from the University of Maryland's Agricultural and Resource Economics Department. And he has 15 years of empirical data in 10 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean to prove it. According to his study, presented at IDB headquarters, some 45 percent of rural public expenditure in the region between 1985 and 2000 was spent on non-social subsidies, imposing a dramatic cost in efficiency, social equity and environmental decay in rural areas.
Increasing tax collection
January 10, 2005
If Central America wants to improve social equity and achieve fast and continuous economic growth, its countries need to increase tax collection and modernize their tax systems, according to a recent study by IDB economists Manuel R. Agosin and Roberto Machado entitled Tax Reform and Human Development in Central America. Regional tax reform is necessary because "Central American states are too small and vulnerable to provide essential public goods for the economic growth and the people's well being."
Profile of the young Latin American entrepreneur
July 26, 2004
They belong to the middle class, have university degrees and on average begin to think about being entrepreneurs at 25, but they do not open their first company until about 5 years later. These are the characteristics that define the young Latin American entrepreneurs, according to a recent study by the Inter-American Development Bank that is the subject of the book Desarrollo Emprendedor (published in Spanish and available in English in the fall).


text:
As I was blocking the fronts of my Aidez cardigan yesterday, very excited to start sewing it up, I saw something dreadful. Do you see it?
For some reason, I decided to knit the ribbing of one front as 2×2 instead of 1×1. My options are:
1. Ignore it, sew it up, and figure only knitters will notice.
2. Reknit the entire front.
3. Perform advanced knitting surgery: snip off the cuff, pick up the stitches, and knit the ribbing downward.
1 is, obviously, out of the question. I've put too much work into this thing to resign myself to "homemade" now.
2 is not a terrible option. The knitting goes quickly, and I've got plenty of yarn.
But I think I'm going to go with 3. I don't think it will affect the look of the whole bottom band appreciably–and if it goes horribly wrong, the worst that will happen is that I'll have to reknit the front, right?
A fun, helpful note: The waste yarn that's running through the pieces marks off 10- and 5-row increments. Much easier than trying to keep track any other way, and it helped me figure out that I had not, as I suspected in a moment of horror, actually knit the fronts three inches longer than the back. I read about the technique a long time ago over at Mason-Dixon knitting, but this is the first time I've actually used it. Great trick!


text:
You can add our school calendar to your Google Calendars , Microsoft OUTLOOK account , MAC or IOS device.
Changes to entries in the school calendar will automatically be updated for you if you subscribe to the school calendar using the services described below.
Please follow the appropriate links below for instructions on how to subscribe to the school calendar.
Google Calendars
If you wish to add the calendar to your Google calendars:
- Log into your Google account, for example login to the chathigh.co.uk portal.
- Click on the at the bottom of the calendar panel above.
Calendar Subscription MICROSOFT OUTLOOK
IOS DEVICE Calendar Subscription


text:
Dharamshala — "I usually consider America to be the leading nation of the free world -- very important. But, this expression 'America First,' I don't like that. America, leader of the free world should take concern with humanity, concern for global responsibility... some of his thinking, I feel, is sad," His Holiness the Dalai Lama said of the US President during his time in Manipur.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama took his first journey to the northeastern state of Manipur on October 18th, where he was received by the Speaker of the Manipur Legislative Assembly, Y. Khemchand Singh, the Chief Minister, N. Biren Singh, as well as the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police.
Meeting with members of the local media at the City Convention Centre, His Holiness said, "I've been aware of Manipur since I was a child, and now I am extremely happy to actually be here among you.
"Wherever I go, I always stress that as human beings we are all the same. We all want to live a happy life, which is our right, and the key to doing so is developing compassion for others.
His Holiness also suggested to members of the media that they too have a responsibility to promote a positive outlook, not dwelling solely on negative stories, and told them it is important to highlight corruption and abuse of power wherever it occurs.
Asked whether there would be a 15th Dalai Lama, His Holiness replied, "Whether a 15th Dalai Lama is recognised is not my business. As early as 1969 I made clear that whether the institution of the Dalai Lama continues after me will be up to the Tibetan people to decide. I've also made it clear that when I'm between 85 and 90, I will discuss the future of the succession with Tibet's other spiritual leaders.
"As far as political responsibility is concerned, I've been semi-retired since 2001 and completely retired since 2011, because we now have a democratically elected political leader. Not only that, I also proudly, voluntarily and happily put an end to the almost four centuries-old tradition of the Dalai Lamas being both the temporal and spiritual leaders of Tibet."
More than 700 people waited to greet His Holiness as he entered the auditorium in Manipur. Speaker Khemchand Singh welcomed the Nobel Laureate on behalf of the entire state of Manipur and invited him to address the gathering.
"Many of the problems we face today are of our own making," His Holiness began. "Why is this? Because we are subject to emotions without properly using our intelligence. Human beings are not fundamentally negative, but are prone to be swayed by anger and fear. We take such emotions for granted without realizing how destructive they can be."
His Holiness observed that challenges like climate change affect us all and that in today's globalized world, communities and continents are interdependent. The idea of one side only securing victory, while the other suffers utter defeat is no longer realistic. Instead of seeking to solve problems by force, he said, we need to engage in dialogue.
His Holiness urged modern Indians to pay more attention to the ancient knowledge of the workings of the mind that is part of their heritage.
"Our existing education system focuses on material goals such as money and power. The ancient Indian understanding of mind and emotions shows us how to develop inner peace, which is very relevant in today's world. I believe India is the only nation that can combine this ancient knowledge with modern education and so make a significant contribution to world peace."
As for the problems pertaining to the Northeastern region of India, he urged the people to think more broadly and also use the democratic rights that come with being part of a great democracy. He said, "You can criticize if the central government's policies are not suitable."
The spiritual leader also fielded a question about the American President, saying,"I usually consider America to be the leading nation of the free world -- very important. But, this expression 'America First,' I don't like that. America, leader of the free world should take concern with humanity, concern for global responsibility... some of his thinking, I feel, is sad."
His Holiness left Manipur this morning en route to return to Dharamsala.


text:
There's a powerful section in Seven Thousand Ways to Listen where Mark Nepo explores the implications of the Portuguese phrase e daí? "And then?" is how it translates literally, but for Nepo (and for the Monday Evening Book Group when we talked about it this week) there are at least three different levels of meaning. First, he says, it means "How is this thing important in the big picture?" Then, once you've established that, it means "What possible courses of action are there?" And finally, once you're clear on the why and the possible responses, it means "What's the right step for me to take?"
I'm sure you can see the connections between that phrase and Douglas Kiang's five principles that I started exploring on Monday and Tuesday. Art and life are mirroring each other in odd ways! When you run into an unexpected struggle or setback, it's natural to feel some fear. If it seems really major, panic or despair may grip you, at least for a while. But when you ask the first e daí question, you reconnect yourself with your bigger story. And when you ask the second and third levels of the question, you reduce the fear and start to see what Kiang calls the "multiple paths to success." And once you can see them, you can make an intelligent (but not necessarily "perfect") choice of which path to take.
Apparently that's a lesson I needed to re-learn this week!
It turns out that many of us in the Monday Evening Book Group are recovering perfectionists. B's mother made it clear to Young B that perfection was the goal and mistakes were unacceptable; decades later, B has mostly broken free of the perfectionism and the terror. My family didn't demand perfection, but when things were tough at home, school was a Great Escape for me … and the factory-model school story is all about perfection. "What if I mess up?" you're supposed to think. "What if this ends up on my Permanent Record?" There were actually a lot of growth-mindset messages too over the years, but that fear of permanent failure is hard to shake.
For a while I was convinced that the Tres Columnae site would be unfixable and that I'd permanently damaged or even broken a long-time friendship. That's when the voices of terror get really strong.
Mark Ensign's blog post from yesterday "just happens" to be related. Stop asking the fear-based questions, he says, and start asking "So, now what?"
Or, in other words, e daí?
"So someone hacked the site … now what?" Well, there's the emergency backup, the PDF copies I keep in a Google Drive folder in case of site problems or downtime. And there's a fairly recent backup of the site that could be restored if necessary. "So I think I gave my friend an incorrect understanding of something … now what?" I could call or email now, or I could wait to have a face-to-face conversation. You stop focusing on the fear and terror, you reconnect with the why, and you start to see the what and the how again.
The District Q Latin Family has been reading the stories in Tres Columnae Lectio XXIX this week. Young Vipsanius and Valeria, married for about three years, have a toddler and an infant, and both children (and their parents and nutrix) have been awake all night. Exhausted, but wanting to display all the relevant virtutes Romanae, Vipsanius greets his clients at the salutatio and "just happens" to encounter a particularly rude (and drunk) client … whom he sends away without a sportula today but does not reject permanently. There's a lesson in that story, I realize, for all of us recovering perfectionists who fear that today's struggle, failure, or setback will lead to permanent ruin.
It might lead to some pain or difficulty, but permanent ruin? And no options? When I hear those terrified voices in my head, it's easy to fall under their spell … but sooner or later I find myself asking "So, now what? E daí?" And when I ask, and listen for the answer, the terror subsides and the options appear.
In Google+ comments on Monday, George reminded me that story isn't as simple as it used to be:
I think the concept of story that we cling to has two challenges. One is narrative collapse, discussed by Douglas Rushkoff all over YouTube and in Present Shock. The other is context collapse, discussed in different ways by educator-friendly Mike Wesch and by danah boyd.I have been reminded of this because my classes are reading Rushkoff this semester.
Building something that matters in the context of education is allowing a person to develop into a unique individual. When this process is focused on the person and not on content then there is far less chance of a story collapsing.Also when learning is personal no matter how bad the circumstances, the narrative never changes. Under bad circumstances where there are mentors and coaches involved, learners are guided through bad circumstances and this path is part of the narrative.
The issue today is that school is attempting to write a common story for everyone and the narrative has already been written by curriculum and course designers.


text:
Two former Union City firms and two former city residents have been ordered to pay $470,000 in fines and restitution for defrauding struggling homeowners through deceptive mortgage foreclosure "rescue" schemes, officials said today.
"These defendants promised struggling homeowners help, but in the end only helped themselves," said state Attorney General Jeffrey S. Chiesa of PSRE Holding Company, Property Solutions, Edward Toledo and Raymond Vega.
"For their callous exploitation of people in need, they are now, appropriately, being held accountable," said Chiesa.
The defendants typically contacted homeowners in foreclosure shortly after their homes were auctioned off and within the 10-day period the homeowners could keep the home by paying outstanding liens.
The defendants promised to save the homes by paying off the mortgages within the 10-day period and they promised to help the victims get financing that would allow them to keep their homes.
In this way, the defendants were able to buy the homes for the amount owed on the mortgage, usually far lower than what the properties would have sold for. As a result, the victim lost the right to keep the difference, which in one case was more than $150,000, officials said.
The defendants would then enter into a sale-leaseback agreement with the victims, giving them a chance to repurchase their homes on very unfavorable terms. Consumers who entered these agreements were able to remain in their homes for a period, but the arrangement typically did not last.
In some cases the monthly use and occupancy payments made by the victims were higher than the mortgage payments they had not been able to afford.
In the end, three victims in the state's case either vacated or were evicted by the defendants -- even when they had remained current with the higher monthly payments.
In several cases, the defendants made false sworn statements that the victims had failed to make any of their use and occupancy payments, officials said.


text:
This morning's YouGov poll for the Sun has topline figures of CON 33%, LAB 43%, LDEM 9%, UKIP 8% – still bang in line with the nine to ten point Labour lead that YouGov have been showing for months.
Political coverage today is likely to be dominated by the latest growth figures which showed an increase in GDP of 1% and, therefore, that the economy is technically no longer in recession. My constant refrain on this site is that you shouldn't overestimate the likely impact of events – most people aren't reading the political news or the business pages and those that do tend to interpret events through the prism of their pre-existing party identification anyway.
The announcement of GDP figures sometimes has an impact on the polls and sometimes it doesn't. Unless they signal a particular turnaround they don't normally register – they are a statistical number in the business news that says nothing about people's real lives. When they can make a difference is if they trigger a media narrative that does say something people understand.
For example, there was no obvious impact in the polls from the horrid GDP figures in July, or those last January. In April 2012 when the GDP figures produced headlines about Britain being in a "double dip recession" there could have been an impact (Labour's lead did rise, but it was part of the whole omnishambles period so it is difficult to differentiate one factor from another). If the media make a big fuss about the country being out of recession then it may filter through into more positive feelings about the government and their economic policy, or it may not. However public perceptions about the state of the economic are very pessimistic indeed, I suspect it will take a lot more than some good GDP figures to make much of a dent in them.


text:
State Crime by Proxy
Author: Mo Stewart
Mo Stewart is a former healthcare professional, a female disabled veteran and, since 2009, has researched the links between the DWP, Atos Healthcare & Unum Insurance.
She provides powerful evidence of the long-standing assault on disability rights that has been supported by insurance companies, academics and politicians. Her research has been cited during debates in the House of Lords, the House of Commons and in Westminster Hall.
Mo Stewart continues to share all research evidence with academics, medical and healthcare professionals, frontline national charities, selected politicians and service users. Her earlier research was published by the Centre for Disability Studies at Leeds University.
Visit Mo's own website at: www.mostewartresearch.co.uk
Read and download the free pdf in your browser here.
The publisher is Mo Stewart.
State Crime by Proxy © Mo Stewart 2017.
All Rights Reserved. No part of this paper may be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher except for the quotation of brief passages in reviews.
- State Crime by Proxy PDF | 213kb


text:
Too much? Ok, ok, I'll begrudgingly admit I was a tad over-zealous. But how could I not be? Aren't these inter-changeable watch bands totally rad? It gets better. They are slap-ons! As my neighbor kid says you can tell they slap on because of how nicely they wrap around the wrist. I couldn't agree more. I discovered mine at Marshall's, but you can get yours online here.
(My clothing and accessories are in rainbow order~for Nicole.)