text:
Through the Bible, You Learn Distinctive Living
- 2004 28 May
A holy man is a mighty weapon in the hands of God.
Robert Murray McCheyne
In this chapter…
…enter the world of the culture wars.
…learn that character counts, but not enough.
…discover why purity is so important to God.
America is in a culture war, and things are not going well for our side.
Take one example – the so-called reality TV programs that have dominated American television for the past several years. They are nothing less than an invitation to voyeurism, concocting lifestyle situations that are foreign to biblical values (and probably to most Americans), while millions mindlessly watch.
Is some media elite in America bent on destroying all that most of us would deem good and holy? Many experts think so.1 Those who seem to despise Judeo-Christian ethics are often in the positions of greatest influence in America – educators, intellectuals, Hollywood movie producers, TV personalities, and liberal politicians.
In his book Culture Wars: The Struggle to Define America,2 James D. Hunter describes two sides of the conflict of ideologies:
On the one side, he identifies the "orthodox" group – those who have a commitment to some definable, external, objective authority. From the perspective of the evangelical, this authority is God and His Holy Word.
On the other side, Hunter finds the "progressives" – those who are more frequently given to rationalism and subjectivism. For them, truth is not an absolute but rather an unfolding reality of the way things are.
And caught in the middle more and more is the Bible.
Using (and Misusing) the Bible as a Guide for Life
Of course, whenever people appeal to the Bible for support in the cultural war, their arguments are meaningless to those who oppose God's standards. But recently we've seen the confusion that comes when people who hold positions foreign to God's Word also appeal to the Bible for support.
Nowhere was this more clearly illustrated than in the summer of 2003, when Rev. Gene Robinson was installed as the Bishop of the Episcopal diocese of New Hampshire.3 This appointment would have drawn little attention outside New Hampshire's Episcopal church had Rev. Robinson not been openly gay for seventeen years. The fifty-four-year-old priest married in 1973 and fathered two daughters before divorcing his wife in 1986 and moving in with his gay lover.
When Matt Lauer of NBC's Today show (June 10, 2003) asked Rev. Robinson how he would respond to those in the Episcopal church who planned to leave the denomination as a result of his confirmation, Robinson responded, "I would say to them, you know what? This breaks God's heart that you would let something like this stand in the way of our commonness in the body of Christ."
How can those opposing Bishop Robinson and those supporting him both appeal to the Bible for support? I believe it's because people have chosen to use the Bible to support their point of view instead of trusting the Bible enough to let it change their point of view – and their way of life.
In this chapter, I want to explore what the Bible says about the distinctive lifestyle that is actually meant to be the norm for all those who follow Christ.
A Distinctively Biblical Life Will Affect Your Character
Many educational institutions today are seeing the need to develop character in students. As a result, character education courses are springing up everywhere. Character education is an effort to develop virtues that are good for the individual and society. While most would agree that character education should be infused into the environment of education, not all agree on what character traits should be taught.
For example, the Character Education Network has identified the most common and broad-based group of character traits that it feels should be instilled in young people:4
The Character Education Network
Responsibility – being accountable in word and deed. Having a sense of duty to fulfill tasks with reliability, dependability, and commitment.
Perseverance – pursuing worthy objectives with determination and patience while exhibiting fortitude when confronted with failure.
Caring – showing understanding of others by treating them with kindness, compassion, generosity, and a forgiving spirit.
Self-discipline – demonstrating hard work controlling your emotions, words, actions, impulses, and desires. Giving your best in all situations.
Citizenship – being law abiding and involved in service to school, community, and country.
Honesty – telling the truth, admitting wrongdoing. Being trustworthy and acting with integrity.
Courage – doing the right thing in the face of difficulty and following your conscience instead of the crowd.
Fairness – practicing justice, equity, and equality; cooperating with one another. Recognizing the uniqueness and value of each individual within our diverse society.
Respect – showing high regard for an authority, other people, self, and country. Treating others as you would want to be treated. Understanding that all people have value as human beings.
Each of these character traits has roots in the Bible. But if you lived only by these character traits, would you be living distinctively according to God's Word?
Probably not. These traits are all people-centered, not God-centered. While they are commendable, they are not life-transforming and Holy Spirit–empowered, nor are they distinctively Christian. So while biblical character counts, it's just a beginning.
A Distinctively Biblical Life Will Affect Your Morals
Character needs a moral underpinning. Otherwise when the winds change, so will what we perceive as character. With the decline of the Bible's influence on popular culture has come a commensurate decline in morality. This trend has thrown fuel on the fires of our culture wars.
For example, George Barna noted:
Americans unanimously denounced the September 11 terrorist attacks as a textbook example of evil, suggesting that there is a foundational belief in an absolute standard of right and wrong. Subsequent research, however, has shown that in the aftermath of the attacks, a minority of Americans believes in the existence of absolute moral truth.5
What's even more surprising is that less than one out of three born-again Christians believes in absolute moral truth.
Today, morality isn't based on the standard of God's Word but on the criterion of personal benefit. In a Barna poll conducted the day before the 9/11 attacks, when asked the basis on which they formed their moral choices, nearly half of all adults said they made their moral choices based on what would bring to them the most pleasing or satisfying results.6
Even so, Americans worry about declining morals. Three out of every four people say they are concerned about the moral condition of the United States. The stronger the respondents' personal faith, the stronger their concern. People who read the Bible were 32 percent more likely to be concerned than others.7 Clearly, reading your Bible helps define what distinctive living is.
The Bible presents a comprehensive plan of morality – most notably, the Ten Commandments, the Levitical laws, and the teachings of Jesus. Still, in the current cultural wars, the Ten Commandments are often dismissed as a religious code unsuitable as an influence on contemporary moral choices.8 The Levitical laws are scorned (for example, "Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable," Leviticus 18:22) or are mangled by improper interpretation.9 And the teachings of Jesus are selectively applied (for example, "I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart," Matthew 5:28, NKJV).10
So while living a life of morality is a cut above living a life of character, something more than even morality is necessary if we are to live distinctive lives.
A Distinctively Biblical Life Will Affect Your Purity
The Bible indicates that if you want to connect with God, purity is a prerequisite. David asked, "Who may ascend the hill of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place?" Who is prepared to enter the intimate presence of a Holy God? Who has the only chance of connecting with God? The king answered, "He who has clean hands and a pure heart" (Psalm 24:3–4).
But purity as a personal value is even rarer than morality these days.
Mr. Holland's Opus, which came out a few years ago, is a movie about a young, frustrated composer in Portland, Oregon, who takes a job as a high school band teacher in the 1960s. Although this diverts him from his lifelong goal of becoming a classical musician, Glenn Holland (played by Richard Dreyfuss) believes his school job will be temporary and will provide for his family.
At first he maintains his determination to write an opus, composing at his piano after putting in a full day teaching. But as life's demands increase, Mr. Holland knows that his dream of leaving a lasting musical legacy is dissipating.
Throughout the movie, Holland's relationship with his wife is strained, due in part to raising a deaf son. While directing the school musical, the middle-aged teacher becomes intrigued by the musical skill and physical beauty of a senior named Rowena. When he affirms her abilities, Rowena becomes attracted to him, telling him that she has decided to move to New York City to pursue her own dreams and that she wants him to go with her. It would be Holland's chance to feel young again and his ticket out of the humdrum life of a high school music teacher. Maybe he would even write his magnum opus.
After the final performance of the school musical, Mr. Holland rendezvous with Rowena at the local drug store, where the bus picks up passengers. Her eyes light up as she sees him approach, but she quickly notices that he has no luggage.
"You pack light," she jests.
Mr. Holland hands Rowena a piece of paper with the names of some people he knows in New York where she could stay.
"This isn't the way I imagined it," Rowena sighs.
"But it's the best way," Holland says, as he finds the inner strength to resist temptation and remain pure.
That evening, Glenn Holland enters his bedroom, where his wife appears to be sleeping. He looks at her tenderly and says, "I love you." To his surprise, his wife looks up at him and responds, "I know." Mr. Holland takes his wife in his arms and holds her tightly. This scene lasts approximately four and a half minutes (which in Hollywood time is an eternity).11
Do you know what caught everyone by surprise about this movie? It was Mr. Holland's choice for purity, for loyalty to his marriage vows – and that this choice was presented as a worthy life "opus." That choice was quite a shock in a world where purity is all but passé.
What can you do to ensure that you have clean hands and a pure heart? Three things come to mind immediately.
1. Be disgusted with sin.
Already I fear I've lost some of you. In our postmodern era, tolerance is chief among virtues. We make room for almost every lifestyle or perversion as an acceptable part of life. But the Bible reveals that sin sickens God, and if you want to live in harmony with Him, it must sicken you as well.
While the Bible teaches us to love our enemies, it also says that God hates evil.12 David wrote: "You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil; with you the wicked cannot dwell. The arrogant cannot stand in your presence; you hate all who do wrong" (Psalm 5:4–5).
Purity is one of the marks of a distinctive life. As the psalmist wrote, "Because I consider all your precepts right, I hate every wrong path" (Psalm 119:128). Tolerance in the twenty-first century is not distinctive; purity is.
2. Keep short accounts with God.
Keeping short accounts with God means you don't let your sin pile up, day after day, planning to deal with it at some time in the future. Each day you take your sin to God in brokenness and confession. It becomes a daily habit of life for those who would live distinctively.
What happens if you don't deal with personal sin consistently, daily, almost hourly?
For one thing, you forget about it. It passes from your mind – but not from God's. For another, unconfessed sin has a numbing effect on your mind and spirit. You become less disgusted by it. You begin to say, "Oh, it's not so bad." But that's rationalization, not confession.
Fortunately, we can always come to the altar of confession because God's Word promises, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9). That's good news for all of us.
3. Ask the Holy Spirit to fill the void.
When you are broken by your sin and confess it to God, He "hits the delete key," and that sin is expunged from your record. But then you have a blank screen, an empty file. Nature hates a vacuum; if you leave your file empty, other sins will rush in to fill it. So ask the Holy Spirit to fill the void instead (Ephesians 5:18).
That brings me to my final point about distinctive living.
A Distinctively Biblical Life Is Made Possible by the Holy Spirit
The Bible reveals an important paradox about the Christian life: Even though we must choose to follow God with all our heart, soul, mind, and body, it's not really us who does the living – it's the Holy Spirit of God who lives through us!
Paul put his finger on it when he said, "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me" (Galatians 2:20). It is the power of the living Christ that enables us to live distinctively.
Distinctive living, then, is living in the power of God's Spirit and exhibiting the fruit of His presence in our lives. Some of that fruit is mentioned in Galatians 5:22–23: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Anything less isn't complete Christian living at all. So those who claim to have faith in Christ but whose lives reflect no change are only fooling themselves. A new creation in Christ abandons old heroes, old habits, and old hangouts because all things have become new (2 Corinthians 5:17).
But the Holy Spirit gives us guidance and comfort as well as power. When Jesus was nearing the end of His ministry on earth, He made a pledge to His disciples: "And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever – the Spirit of truth" (John 14:16–17).
Jesus' promise to us is the same. He has not left us orphans. The Holy Spirit has taken His place in our midst to do Christ's work through us. "But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you" (John 14:26).
Distinctive living is "Spirit living." Without divine help, holy living is just a dream. Evangelist D. L. Moody said, "You might as well try to hear without ears, or breathe without lungs, as try to live a Christian life without the Spirit of God in your heart."
"Let God Remake You…"
Two verses that most encourage me on this subject are Romans 12:1–2. J. B. Phillips's compelling translation reads:
With eyes wide open to the mercies of God, I beg you, my brothers, as an act of intelligent worship, to give him your bodies, as a living sacrifice, consecrated to him and acceptable by him. Don't let the world around you squeeze you into its own mould, but let God re-make you so that your whole attitude of mind is changed. Thus you will prove in practice that the will of God's good, acceptable to him and perfect.
The culture wars will continue and deepen. But there is hope. We can live distinctively as individuals and as communities, believing in – and working toward – the victory of right over wrong.
Where do we start? By looking to the pages of the Bible as the measure of the truly good life, and by reaching for the power of God as our only means to attain it.
Excerpted from "How to Find God in the Bible" © 2004 by Woodrow Kroll. Used by permission of Multnomah Publishers, Inc. Excerpt may not be reproduced without the prior written consent of Multnomah Publishers, Inc.
Woodrow Kroll is president and Bible teacher for Back to the Bible, one of the world's best-known media ministries. Heard daily on more than eight hundred radio stations in the USA and hundreds more internationally, Dr. Kroll is widely recognized as the "Bible teacher to the world." He and his wife, Linda, have four grown children and live in Nebraska.


text:
| 6.9°C Belfast
Blur have adopted an unusual way of premiering their new songs by performing them in a live show via Twitter.
The reunited rock quartet sent a link to a live stream as they performed from a balcony at a secret location to unveil the first of the songs Under The Westway.
The band, who last reunited for gigs in 2009, have been working on at least two new tracks as they prepare for a headline show next month.
Throughout Monday band members teased fans by posting images online as their equipment was set up, as well as a series of slogans. They included "the flash of a blade is one less getting paid", "it's smoke and mirrors until the autocue starts" and "I stood watching comets on their lonesome trails".
At 6.16pm the band burst into life with a slow, ringing piano and a whining guitar with a track which hinted at the band's sound in the early 1990s, with a hint of early 70s David Bowie.
The group - fronted by Damon Albarn, who has gone on to set up numerous side projects including Gorillaz - will be performing in Hyde Park next month in a show which coincides with the Olympic closing ceremony.
In a question and answer session via Twitter, the band confirmed the concert would be a career-spanning set "including the new tracks".
Asked how it felt to be playing together again guitarist Graham Coxon said: "Like a silk smoking jacket."
And in response to one fan who said she was wiping away tears, bass player Alex James responded: "I feel quite emotional too."

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 not coming to Wii U due to budget constraints
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 is making the transition to PC, but Konami has no plans to bring it to the Wii U. So why is the company skipping the latest video game console on the market? According to producer Dave Cox, it comes down to budget and resources.
"The reason why we are developing it on PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 is simply because that's the amount of people we got," Cox told Eurogamer. "If we want to do a Wii U conversion, that's another 20 people. We just don't have the resources or the budget to do it.
While Cox doesn't rule it out sometime in the future, "at this point we don't want to lose focus on what we're doing. We've got a certain way down the line, and it would be a distraction to have to do a port to another system at this point." He also noted that the office space intended for 60 employees is crowded with 110 currently, making bringing on even more workers a logistical issue.
Previously, when Cox announced that it wasn't coming to PC, he noted that the Wii U doesn't have a large install base. That implies that if the system weren't suffering from a sales slump, the decision might be different.


text:
Earls Flame Guard Insulation - Black - 3 Feet
I.D. Stretch Range 1.325" to 1.700" - Fits Over Straight -12 & -16 B Nuts
PART# 570314ERLBe the first to write a review
$48.37 Suggested Retail
$43.53 Your Price
$43.53 Your Price
Free Shipping
In Stock
Add to Wish List
Earl's Flame Guard insulation is now available in Black & this provides a more attractive custom appearance for your race or show car. Flame Guard is ideal for insulating hose, cable, or wiring from extreme heat sources.
- Now Available in Black
- Plain w/o Logo
- Non-Asbestos
- Sold by the Foot, or in Precut 3' & 10' Lengths
- Insulate Hose, Cables, and Wiring From Extreme Heat
- Operating Temperature -65° F to 500° F w/ Splashes to 2000° F
|Emission Code
|Fits Over Straight
|-12 & -16 B Nuts
|Flame Guard Style
|Hose Length
|3 Feet
|Hose Max I.D.
|Hose Outer Material
|Black Silicone
|I.D. Stretch Range
|1.325" to 1.700"
|Product Type
|Flame Guard
|Part Number
Service Parts
- Self Fusing Silicone Tape, 1" Width x 12 Ft. long Roll, Color Brick Red$10.45Qty:
This part is legal for sale or use on Emissions Controlled Vehicles, Uncontrolled (Non-Emissions Controlled) Vehicles, and Racing Use Only Vehicles because it does not affect vehicle emissions and is not covered by emissions regulations.
Tech Resources
*Free Shipping & Handling only offered to the contiguous US on orders over $100, excludes clearance parts and oversized packages.
Some parts are not legal for use in California or other states with similar regulations.


text:
I wonder if you can use a Romanian RPK barrel in a Yugo bulged trunnion. Anybody?
AK-47 Barrel US Made 16 1/4inch
AK-47 Barrels, 7.62x39, US Made, Non Chrome Lined. (Will not fit YUGO Trunnions) 16 1/4inch long....Barrel is .311 and 14x1 Left Hand Thread, Extractor is cut, Handguard Retainer slots are also cut.
CZ 52 Original Replacement barrel
[U1R3]Replace your old shot out barrel with this 7.62x25 original replacement barrel, easy to install, excellent condition
Tabuk 23.6 Inch Barrel
[DSB2]Tabuk 23.6 Inch Barrel, Made in US By Green Mountain, Non Chrome Lined, Barrel is 23.6 inches long, Extractor Relief is cut, Barrel is threaded 14x1 Left hand thread. Tabuk barrel will fit Yugo Style Trunnions. Limited Qty.....Barrels are New Condition
Romanian RPK 7.62x39 US Made Barrel
Romanian RPK, 7.62x39. Fits the Romanian RPK Trunnions. Extractor is cut, Barrel is threaded 14x1 Left Hand Thread. Non Chrome Lined. Made in the USA. Length of barrel is 23 1/4 inches
CMMG Complete Upper 223 REMINGTON 556NATO 16" W/ Birdcage
[DBS1]CMMG Upper 223 REMINGTON 556NATO 16" Black 1:9 WASP Flat Top AR Rifles A2 Front Manufacturer's Part # 003UPPER Barrel Type: 1:9 Barrel Length: 16 Caliber: 223REM 556NATO Chamber: WASP Description: Flat Top Finish/Color: Blk Fits: AR Manufacturer: CMMG Sights: A2 Front Type: Upper
Feel free to call 1 866 523 2673 ask for Misty !. We are open M-F 9 am-5pm eastern time
~Today, we need a nation of Minutemen, citizens who are not only prepared to take arms, but citizens who regard the preservation of freedom as the basic purpose of their daily life and who are willing to consciously work and sacrifice for that freedom.~ JFK
Phone lines Open
M-F 9am-530pm EST
I wonder if you can use a Romanian RPK barrel in a Yugo bulged trunnion. Anybody?
The barrel will fit but the barrel components will not.


text:
The secret to being satisfied with your life: study
What's the secret to happiness as you grow older? A new study suggests that during difficult changes as you age, an acceptance of what can't be changed may be a major predictor of life satisfaction.
A team of researchers from Deakin University in Australia examined levels of life satisfaction and perceived control in 101 older adults living in a residential care facility, and another 101 older adults who lived independently in the same community. Researchers scored life satisfaction based on eight key domains -- standard of living, health, achievement, relationships, safety, connection to a community, future security, and spirituality and religion.
The study defined "perceived control" as a primary control relating to the capacity to make changes to your environment as you like, and a secondary control relating to changes within yourself to adapt to your environment. The components were found to be equally important, and secondary control especially helped subjects living in the residential care facility cope with losses in primary control -- of their home or independence. Also, acceptance -- secondary perceived control -- was found to be more important to the well-being of this group, the researchers wrote.
"In order to protect the well-being of older individuals, adaptation involves both a sense of control and the active acceptance of what cannot be changed," the study's authors said. "Primary and secondary perceived control may predict satisfaction with comparable strength depending on the older person's situation. Acceptance takes more of a prime position in low control situations."
The findings, announced last week, appear online in the Journal of Happiness Studies.
Previous research has also found that people tend to become happier as they age, with a happiness hitting a global average low point at age 46 and increasing after that.


text:
JUST WHO is this Stefanie Sloane, anyway?
A native Northwesterner with the pale skin to prove it, Stefanie credits her parents' eclectic reading habits—not to mention their decision to live in the middle of nowhere—for her love of books. A childhood spent lost in the pages of countless novels led Stefanie to college where she majored in English. No one was more surprised than Stefanie when she actually put her degree to use and landed a job in Amazon.com's Books editorial department. She spent over five years reading for a living before retiring to concentrate on her own stories. Stefanie currently resides with her family in Seattle.


text:
Blue Jays expect communication from players
DUNEDIN, Fla. -- Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos disputed claims on Sunday morning that Adam Lind received mixed messages regarding the club's philosophy on hitting last season.
Lind told a group of reporters that he was confused the past couple of years regarding what the club wanted to see from him at the plate. He was reportedly being told by former manager John Farrell to be more patient, while former hitting coach Dwayne Murphy preferred a more aggressive approach.
Anthopoulos remained diplomatic but appeared to take issue with the comments, adding that if that was the case, it was Lind's responsibility to bring those concerns forward to the team.
"I like Adam a lot, but I don't necessarily entirely agree," Anthopoulos said. "The organization wanted him to be more selective. That's on me as well. I told Adam, 'You have an on-base percentage below .300 two years in a row.'
"Murph will tell you, when you get a pitch to hit, a strike, you swing and you attack it and you look for that pitch, and if you don't get it, obviously at that point you lay off. That's where your walks will come from. ... Saying John preached patience and so on -- I did, too."
Lind is now three years removed from 2009, when he won an American League Silver Slugger Award. That year, he posted a .305 average with 35 homers, 114 RBIs and a .932 on-base plus slugging percentage, but the following seasons haven't been nearly as productive.
The 29-year-old Lind walked a total of 70 times but struck out 251 times between 2010 and '11, and while he showed eventual improvement last season, some of the same concerns remained.
There's some optimism that under the tutelage of new hitting coach Chad Mottola, the veteran first baseman can regain his previous form, but it remains to be seen whether that will be the case.
There has been an emphasis on having one clear voice coming from the coaching staff, and manager John Gibbons is already on record as saying that if he notices something with Lind's swing, he'll go to Mottola first to avoid any possible confusion.
Even so, Anthopoulos believes the responsibility for the supposed mixed messages in the past ultimately falls on Lind's shoulders.
"If he was confused overall and he wasn't sure, then I'd say it's on him to go and communicate that," Anthopoulos said. "He has been in the league long enough now, and it's up to him to say, 'I'm a little confused; I need a little help' and whatnot.
"Adam's always honest; you always respect that. He speaks from the heart all of the time, but for me, I always try to stress, 'If something doesn't work for you, if you're confused, if you're not sure, it's on you to say something. We can't do anything to help you if you don't express how you're feeling.'"


text:
By Colleen
When did I first see the ocean? Well, to be honest, I feel a bit foolish, because I was 21 years old before I finally actually saw it. Before you make your exclamations, let me tell you that I've heard them all: "What?! No way! How in the world have you not seen the OCEAN?" Yeah, they're all the same. But give me a break; I'm an Irish farm girl, and I grew up in very landlocked country in the middle of absolutely nowhere. We had a river (thirty miles away) and we had plenty of ice-cold creeks to splash around in, snapping turtles and leeches and all. But, far away, way across the state, we had a lake, a GREAT lake.
When I was little, the trip across the state to visit my grandmother who lived exotically close to that lake seemed an eternity. The packing of the car itself was an ordeal. Do you realize how hard it is to pack seven to nine children (depending on age and willingness to make the trip) into one car? And we didn't make it a "light" trip. My two younger siblings, James and Clare,, and I had an ongoing contest of who could pack the heaviest bag for the (at the longest) weekend trip.
We would hold our breath as we each placed our bags on the scale, normally used to weigh squash and asparagus. "Ha! Mine's twenty pounds!" James would exclaim, Clare and I would clamber over each other to check the verity of his proud statement. "No way!"we'd groan in dismay. James was the victor most often, but that's only because he packed the most books. We should have just done away the books to even the playing field. There's no way he could have won if we'd only weighed our clothing. I swear that boy wore the same, striped red t-shirt and tan, cargo shorts for the first ten years of his life, along with the same bowl cut for his sandy, stick-straight blond hair.
After the bags and children were packed, we finally settled down to read all of those books that we packed. The average number of books finished on our way to Grandma's was 2.3, but if you were a big kid, it was more like 3.2. When we did eventually get to our destination, hands sticky with laffy-taffy and corn nuts, successfully begged from our parents at gas stations along the way, the first order of business (after the dreaded hug from Grandma and awkward hellos, directed more at our shoes than at Grandma) was to go down to the lake.
"Mom! Dad! Can we go to the lake? Can we take a walk ALL the way out to the lighthouse? Please, please, please!" We would dance around mom and dad's feet in anticipation of an adventure. More often than not, an older sibling would take us down the four blocks or so to the lakefront. Mom and Dad would stay back home with Grandma in her quiet and intimidatingly clean house.
We always wondered how Dad with his knack for making messes came from such an ordered home. How did the man who regularly hacked and slashed away at mysterious cuts of beef and pork on our dining room table (so much so that I was determined to never sit at the first right hand spot from the head of the table ever again), blood dripping down to the floor in rivulets and flecks of fats and gristle flying every which way, grow up on white carpets and sit down to eat in that spotless kitchen? The spaces in between the pink and white linoleum on her floor never even had any dirt in them. I know because I'd seen marveled at it as I bent to hastily pick up piece of chocolate chip cookie, stolen from her cookie jar one time. And nothing ever changed at Grandma's. It was a rule.
Anyhow, we would sprint down the street and finally, finally see the "ocean", Lake Michigan, right there before our astonished eyes. The path down to the beach in front of the azure mass of clear, fresh water was perilous, and up until you were about twelve, you'd need an older sibling's hand to cling to if you wanted to avoid tumbling down the sharp embankment, through the briars and burrs, and onto the cold, white sands before the foaming water.
But once you were down there, down on the beach, it was pure magic. I always thought I was looking at the ocean. I couldn't imagine anything as beautiful and grand not being what all those writers talk about in books. It was enormous! And I was so small! When I got old enough to realize the reality of the "smallness" of Lake Michigan, I persisted in calling it the ocean. It was. It was my ocean. The water hit the sky at the horizon, perfectly flat and still, and stretched out and out and out. It was my ocean. The waves were always cold.
The blue-green water prickled my skin into a thousand goosebumps, and made me and James and Clare scream when we jumped in. Slipping underneath the waves and into a shock of cold, my hands numb, my hair flowing about my face, I was in my ocean. And then I would resurface with a scream of success.
And so, if you ask when I first saw the ocean, the answer is that, technically, I first saw it after a nineteen hour road trip in college, off the coast of the Atlantic, in Charleston, South Carolina. Really, it was too dark to see much when we finally arrived at the waterfront around two A.M; the air smelled different, though; there was something wilder in it, something raw. The water was quiet that night, and it shone blue-black under a waning moon, all the way out past human sight. I whooped and hollered, and truly, I loved the air, the night sky, the ocean. But some part of my heart asked, "Haven't I been here before?" It wasn't my ocean.


text:
Date Night: Silk Rd Tavern
Spots for every kind of date.
They say the devil's in the details, but at Silk Rd Tavern, a restaurant in the Flatiron district specializing in Asian and American comfort foods, the devil's in the abbreviation. It's "Rd," not "Road," and the lack of the two letters lets the Asian-American comfort food get away with a lot. Things get swapped, substituted, mashed up, the familiar gets reimagined and rendered un-.
Seated in the brick-and-brown dining room, an enchanting space with Edison lights that mimic candles and make everyone look lovable, we were served an amuse bouche of Japanese cucumbers, sliced red chilies, shishito peppers, and sesame seeds. The nuttiness made the dish, which itself underscored the Silk Rd Tavern's ambitions (as did its prices). Divided into appetizers and mains, everything is nevertheless meant to be shared and comes out whenever it's ready.
Next out were the curry egg noodles ($14), a bowl of disparate, unmixed stuff. We're not opposed to working for our supper, so to speak, but this preparation (or lack thereof) struck us as lazy. So we tossed together the gummy noodles, gai-lan (Chinese broccoli), sugar snap peas, and XO sauce (dried shrimp, dried scallops, garlic, and chiles, among other ingredients), the whole shebang sprinkled with curry powder. There might have been some peanut sauce somewhere too. Yet this noodle dish for all seasons wound up being fit for none.
We fared better with the second arrival, the everything duck roll ($12) with apricot mustard. These compact bundles replaced cabbage and pork with just about every part of the duck, including shredded leg meat and crispy skin, as well as Chinese five-spice powder, Hudson Valley foie gras, and a splash of cognac. Each bite was jam-packed with gamey, umami flavors.
But it was the tavern mac & cheese ($13) that truly epitomized the restaurant's comfort food aesthetic. Here the chef had swapped out the macaroni for Korean rice cakes. The carby ovals simply loved the Vermont cheddar and New York sharp, grasping the cheese and refusing to let go, counteracting the cheese's bite with pure starch. The portion, served in a wicked hot mini-skillet, was big enough to split. Make sure to evenly divide the panko topping, which counterbalances the other components through lots of crunch.
Marinated in soy sauce for what tasted like days, the chicken breast in the Hainese chicken ($19) had been broiled and plopped atop grits made with chicken fat and cucumber sambal. Here, the union of geography and materials worked: the juicy chicken got to talking with the loose, unctuous porridge, gossiping about keeping moist, while the soy sauce hung out with the vinegar, a combo that could be too salty but wasn't. And everyone's chatter was punctuated by the cukes' crispness.
Silk Rd Tavern's owner, Andrew Lee, runs several places in Flushing, and envisions this one as embodying his travels through Asia. Philippines-born, CIA-trained Executive Chef Leo Forneas has the background and kitchen cred to make these imaginings real, and sometimes does, as with the mac & cheese. When we imagine, we elide and gloss over, forgetting details and jumbling together formerly separate scenes or sensations. So it is here. When the dishes work, as with the chicken and grits or mac & cheese, they work, and the memories of the chef reverberate in the soul of the eater. Silk Rd Tavern is best for: a date in your comfort zone.
Silk Rd Tavern
46 West 22nd Street, New York NY 10010 (map)
All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. We may earn a commission on purchases, as described in our affiliate policy.


text:
The KDF 55 TM & Granular Activated Carbon Cartridges have superior taste and odor removal capabilities. The copper granular KDF in this cartridge specializes in the removal of inorganics, heave metals and chlorine. This leaves the black granular coconut shell activated carbon free to do what it does best, removing organic matter. These filters last at least 5x more than standard carbon block filters.
KDF media controls scale, bacteria and algae, even in hot water. KDF media causes cellular damage to microbiological organisms which can kill or inhibit any growth.
These types of filters are perfect for either drinking water units or whole house filters.


text:
The preview release of Kubuntu 5.10 (Breezy) has been released. The release announcement lists the new features and where to download. Kubuntu Breezy includes the latest KDE 3.4.2. Although this is a beta release it should be quite safe for everyday use, so give it a shot and let us know how you get on.
Have they fixed the problem w/ launching admin mode in Control Center? I'm really kind of shocked that that one's stayed in for so long.
The only way I got it working was by starting it from the Konsole with admin mode.
Or the easiest way just enable the admin account with the same pwd, so I wouldn't notice the problem anymore...
It was also a problem when using Synaptic...
I do not like that sudo option, to much problems...
it works here now.
It worked for me for a while, and it was said that the bug came from "upstream", presumably meaning that it was actually a KDE bug. A few updates later and administrator mode is as non-functional as it was before. It's a good job I know my way around the Debian configuration files...
While in KDE Control Module for printing, I click on Admin Mode, enter root password and appears as if I entered the wrong password for root, but it is correct. I'm using kubuntu dist with universal in the repository for updates.
Same problem here.. I'm on Debian Etch/Sid.
I have the same problem.
My distro is Debian GNU/Linux "Sid".
anyone have screenshots of:
* System Settings - a user friendly replacement for KControl
* A simplified Konqueror profile
The settings are very... inspired by OSX. Ah, well.
I like the simplified browser - I have my Konqueror set up almost the same although I do have the viewmode toolbar in there as well and omitted reload, as I just hit F5. I also have a View Profile button at the far right so I can jump between workspaces.
I'm using Kubuntu Hoary (the latest stable version), and it has been stable and bug free other than some issues with amarok crashing. I'm using KDE 3.4.2, and I'm quite happy with it. It's the first thing to move me away from SUSE.
Does anyone know if "System Settings" is a ubuntu-only development, or is it part of KDE 3.5?
It's developed in KDE's playground/base svn repository.
Thanks :)
Does anyone actually get to download the real Kubuntu Live CD? the IS Kubuntu site provide is just an Ubuntu install CD! :( (both normal and BT one)
YES! ive been looking for that forever, thanks! is this user friendly? i am kinda new to the linux scene.
Yes, this is based off of Ubuntu which is desinged to be easy for everyone to use.
it generally works well and it is quite fast, so the kubuntu dev's did a great job. not as pollished as ubuntu with gnome (tried that just before kubuntu) but nice.
my biggest irritation was usb-disk support. after a install, i attached my usb mp3player, and just got a window with the error "cannot read from /media/sda1" or something like that. they really should fix that one...
This is a known bug and i think it will not be in the stable release.
Yes, that was fixed last night.
That was fixed only in i386 version, not the amd64 one.
from kubuntuforums:
Rather strange, I had a bug with usb disks and kubuntu prereleases on i386 arch that on recent installation and updates was fixed.
But on a recent kubuntu 5.10 (today) for amd64 I saw the same bug, already fixed in i386 ubuntu over a week ago.
The bug was when I connect a usb pen (tried severals) or an external IDE drive and konqueror shows up saying "media:/dev/sdc1 does not exists" but the right device is pmounted on /media/usbdisk and work like a charm. Only the kde part (media:/ and desktop icon that does not shows up) seems to be broken. Also dmesg are fines and like the i386 ones.
I know how to manually make it work via fstab, but I lose some multi-usb flexibility that pmount permits me on i386. I Really don't know why it should be related on amd64 if no there is no lag between the archs.
btw in debian sid (not particulary related) both in i386 and amd64 media:/ work with usb..
In the same kubuntu 5.10 pre amd64 that I'm talking about, media:/ works for both floppy and cdroms/dvds, at last it seems only to be a usb related bug.
How debian friendly is it? Lately I'm having a hard time mixing hoary and woody packages.
Does it have gcc4? Libc6? Cant really see much detail on the announcement....but goodie goodie goodie, more kubuntu can only be a good thing!
I assume -- since AFAIK Kubuntu is Ubuntu with KDE packages -- that it has the same base packages as the new Ubuntu preview. At the bottom of the list of updates in the Ubuntu announcement linked to from the Kubuntu announcement:
"Under the hood"
* glibc 2.3.5
* New early userspace infrastructure based on initramfs-tools
* More modular X.org packaging
I am very happy that kubuntu5.10 has libgnome and gtk+, I know you can download but, for a far little country without internet access. this is not granted at all.
and many software like firefox and adobe need that stuff.
keep the good job.
Is it necessary to make a release with 3.4.2 while kde 3.5 is going to be released?
It comes with the same xorg 6.8.2, kernel 2.6.12 and qt 3.3.4...
Wouldn't be better to have a version that brought new things? I've been using kubuntu hoary since it was released and I feel trapped withoy backports and so, if a release comes like this, nobody is going to use the standard instalation, I don't think that it makes a lot of sense.
I think it's mainly because GNOME 2.12 was released yesterday and the Ubuntu devs release a beta CD too thus the Kubuntu had to release one too.
Also: KDE 3.5 is not quite around the corner.
From the Release Schedule:
September 13th, 2005: Beta1 is prepared
Beta 1 is prepared and released after some initial testing. The incoming bugs will be reviewed for their severity.
After that?
We don't know yet how things develop and the Akademy event might change something unforseen. So I would prefer to leave it open if we have a second beta or release right after beta1. I would guess, we don't need a second one for KDE 3.5. So the targeted release day would be towards end of october (4 weeks of giving beta1 testing, one or two weeks for RCs - release)
I've heard October 13th cited several times. No "official" word on the website, apparently, and I don't follow the mailing lists or however Ubuntu/Kubuntu communicates.
I'd agree if it were KDE 4.0 and if "around the corner" were a bit closer. As it is, KDE in Kubuntu is easily upgradable and I'm sure that 3.5 will be available for Breezy as soon as it comes out.
3.5 will probably not be sufficiently different to have completely different base requirements and should install on Breezy with just a few upgrades of dependencies.
I had problem using lilo in hoary, dual booting with XP, but I managed to do this manually (I am using Lilo debian splash). Is this fix already in breezy already? Any screenshot in (K)ubuntu Lilo splash? I am just wondering why there is no entry in kde-look.org? Try to do search "ubuntu" lilo splash in kde-look.org to see it your self? Hence, the enquiry about.
Thanks, NS
I recently installed linux Kubuntu and cant seem to figure out the admin account that is written into the program. it worked fine until i had to reinstall because i forgot my password. After i reinstalled Kubuntu i could not find the administrator Settings tab under the K Menu. Please help me if you can.
You are unlikely to get help posting in the comments section of a 2-and-a-half year old article ;) (I only spotted you by a fluke).
The Ubuntu Forums (http://ubuntuforums.org/forumdisplay.php?f=73) are an excellent source of information, so I'd suggest searching/ posting there.
Good luck!


text:
Semariel Iron Hand is one of the crusader of the Crimson Redeemers All-Stars Command Group.
This miniature is finely crafted in resin. Scale is 32mm Heroic so will fit all popular miniature wargames. Includes a 25mm round base.
→ Check out ALL Crimson Redeemers and SAVE with Packs!
Collections: - Sci-Fi, Complete Collection, Crimson Redeemers - Sisters Sci-Fi, Sisters of Eternal Mercy (Sisters - SF)
Category: Hero, Sci-Fi, Sisters SF (SoEM - SF)


text:
Neurovascular compression syndrome as a cause of severe parosmia: case report
Search Medline for
|April 17, 2009
Parosmia is a qualitative smell disorder of unclear etiology characterized by distorted smell sensations triggered by an odor. Posttraumatic and postviral olfactory loss are considered to be the main causes of parosmia, while a number of other neuropsychiatric or drug induced conditions have been described as rare etiological factors. Parosmia is consistently associated with various degrees of quality of life impairment, with food intake or psychiatric disorders described in severe cases. We hereby present a case of a 32 years old woman with severe parosmia apparently associated with a neurovascular compression syndrome involving the olfactory nerve and olfactory bulb and discuss the treatment options. We suggest that, similar to trigeminal neuralgia, vascular compression syndromes could represent a cause in cases of parosmia with unclear etiology. Attention should be focused on correctly diagnosing and finding appropriate treatment solutions in these cases.


text:
Discover a Spanish gem on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. The small city of Vigo will surprise you with well-preserved architecture, interesting history, and great sea views for relaxing. For friendly service and great deals on flights to Vigo, book with TAP Air Portugal. Keep things simple by using our mobile check-in for your Vigo flight up to 36 hours before departure.
The old city centre can be difficult to navigate by car, so stick to the public trains, buses, and taxis to get around. Use the public transport network to connect to nearby beaches. For added savings and convenience, travel to Vigo with TAP Air Portugal!


text:
As you may have heard, Noise Pop's Die Antwoord show has sold out! But that doesn't mean that the
fight is over!
This Wednesday, February 22nd, Die Antwoord will be making a special appearance at Upper Playground's San Francisco gallery, FIFTY24SF at 4:00pm. The group will be presenting a special, one-night only installation to coincide with their Noise Pop show in support of their newest album, TEN$ION.
In addition to the installation, Die Antwoord will be presenting and releasing a special collector's vinyl sculpture of Evil Boy, made in collaboration with Good Smile Company. Select vinyl pieces will be hand-detailed on by Die Antwoord's Ninja.
February 22, 2012
FIFTY24SF Gallery
218 Fillmore Street, SF
View all our Noise Pop 2012 posts HERE!


text:
Owned by St. John Frizell, a former Pegu Club bartender, the café-bar's focus is clearly on its ambitious classic cocktails, such as the Cloister- a punchy, vintage-inspired combination of gin, grapefruit, lemon and chartreuse- and the extra fizzy house-made seltzer, which is touted as the "Best in Brooklyn."
When I discovered that the establishment also offers a small brunch/lunch (and now dinner) menu that includes a few authentic Southern staples, namely a New Orleans-inspired muffuletta sandwich, my heart skipped a beat and my palate perked up.
A taste of the Big Easy in Brooklyn? Sounds too good to be true.
My love affair with the city of New Orleans, and its amazing cuisine, began years ago during a spontaneous spring break road trip in college. A friend and I hit the open road without an itinerary, barely $100 between us. A few days later, we were in the city's French Quarter sharing a muffuletta from the legendary Central Grocery, which has been serving them up for over 100 years, and I was in heaven.
The traditional muffuletta is a behemoth of a sandwich that typically includes layers of ham, salami, capicola and mortadella with emmental and provolone cheeses, and a zesty, spicy olive salad served on a dense and chewy circular loaf of Sicilian bread the size of a frisbee. It's a sloppy, delicious treat that I continue to crave all these years later and rarely get the opportunity to indulge.
It has, as they say, been imitated by many but never duplicated.
Word is, the chef at Fort Defiance is such a big fan that he set out to do just that and reportedly even made special trips to bring the sandwich back for the kitchen staff to sample. I was impressed and intrigued. So, with high hopes and hunger pains, I embarked on quest for the buzz-worthy muffuletta at Fort Defiance.
Aesthetically, Fort Defiance is everything you want it to be: vibrant, unpretentious and cozy. From the bright blue exterior to the mismatched artwork, colorful oilcloth table linens, kitschy chic chandeliers to the chalkboard soda fountain menu offering ginger-ade and egg cream, everything is effortlessly attractive. Still, Fort Defiance doesn't consider itself a full-fledged restaurant, and it shows.
In short, my muffuletta mission went bust. I was stunned and incredibly disappointed upon hearing that the kitchen was "out" of the sandwich at 2 p.m. on a Sunday afternoon. "We ran out of the bread," I was told by the flighty, overwhelmed waitress. They were also out of nearly half of the limited brunch menu, including the steak and eggs and bloody marys.
Although I considered sampling the Red Beans on Toast, I consoled myself with a tasty Catfish Po' Boy ($9), which was topped with a yummy tangy slaw and, for good measure, the outrageously decadent egg sandwich with emmental cheese and north country bacon on a fluffy roll. Both were satisfying but nothing to write home about. Most impressive was the robust Counter Culture coffee, each cup ($2) individually brewed to order via a special coffee drip rack.
Checking out Fort Defiance was a fun, funky adventure, but next time I'll probably save my visit for the evening hours and stick with what they do best: cocktails. In the meantime, the elusive muffuletta will continue to tease my taste buds. Perhaps another road trip is in order.
365 Van Brunt Street | (347) 453-6672 | fortdefiancebrooklyn.com


text:
Eclipse DemoCamps November 2012/Bucharest
Freescale Semiconductor Romania
45, Tudor Vladimirescu Street
Tati Business Center
Bucharest, 050881
Date and Time
November 28, 09:30 - 13:00
If you need help editing this wiki page, contact Teodor Madan, Freescale Semiconductor (email: teodor.madan at freescale.com)
This Eclipse Demo Camp is being sponsored by:
- Migrate your PDE builds to Tycho, Teodor Madan, Freescale
- What is new in Juno Eclipse Platform, Radu Farcas, Freescale
- What is new in CDT 8.1, Mircea Givan, Freescale
- Linux Tools Project - full-featured C and C++ IDE for Linux developers, Catalin Udma, Freescale
- Data flow Programming Tools Framework, Florinel Iordache, Freescale
- Flower Dev Center: Collaborative Modeling for Open-Source, Cristian Spiescu, Crispico Software Development
If you would like to present at the DemoCamp, please feel free to add your name and topic to the list. If you have any trouble with the wiki, just send an email to the organizers (email: teodor.madan at freescale.com)
Who Is Attending
If you plan on attending please add your name and company to the list below. If you have any trouble with the wiki, just send an email to the organizers (email: teodor.madan at freescale.com)
- Teodor Madan, Freescale
- Bogdan Purcareata, Freescale
- Florinel Iordache, Freescale
- Radu Farcas, Freescale
- Givan Mircea, Freescale
- Serban Ionica, AMIQ EDA
- Alexandru Marin, AMIQ EDA
- Adrian Simionescu, AMIQ EDA
- Catalin Gerea, Thales
- Ioan Mihai Manta
- Iulian Ilie-Nemedi, Axway
- Cristian Spiescu, Crispico Romania
- Ciocirlea Mihai, Freescale
- Sorin Fagateanu, Crispico Romania
- Libor Ukropec, Freescale
- Pavel Puda, Freescale
- Victor Bucutea, IBM
- Cristina Constantinescu Crispico Romania
- Natalia Rebeja, IBM
- Tiberiu C. Turbureanu, Ceata


text:
Quincy, MA, December, 6, 2012 - Icelandair Group and Boeing have signed a commitment for 12 737 MAX8 and 737MAX9 aircraft with purchase rights for additional 12 aircraft.
This is a new variant of the Boeing 737 aircraft which will first enter service in 2017. The first delivery to Icelandair is scheduled for the first half of 2018.
The commitment is for 8 737 MAX 8 aircraft for 153 passengers in Icelandair's setup and 4 737 MAX 9 aircraft which hold 172 passengers. In comparison Icelandair's current Boeing 757-200 hold 183 passengers.
The commitment for all 12 aircraft is valued at $1,2 billion at Boeing list prices. Actual purchase price is confidential.
The plan is to fund the acquisition partly by internal resources of the Company and partly by commercial banks. The Company is in discussions with Export-Import Bank of the United States about possible financing support. According to the Company's projections the acquisition will not affect the Company's dividend policy.
Boeing 737 MAX is a new, improved and longer reaching version of the present Boeing 737. The 737 Max incorporates new engines to deliver efficiency and will see 13%, per seat, fuel-use improvement from today's aircraft. Fuel savings compared to Icelandair present fleet of Boeing 757 is more than 20% per seat.
Boeing 757 will continue to be Icelandair´s future aircraft, with the addition the new aircraft, as it suits the carrier's North Atlantic network reaching both Europe and North America, perfectly. The new aricraft will be a great addition to the fleet and increase flexibility and capability for growth. The 737Max can reach destinations on both sides of the Atlantic and gives Icelandair new options for added frequency and destinations, especially in winter to even out seasonality.
"This commitment is the result of our research into what aircraft manufacturers have on offer to help us strengthen and grow our fleet and our network towards the future. We have had a successful relationship with Boeing for decades and we are pleased to continue our cooperation for years to come", says Björgólfur Jóhannsson, Icelandair Group president and CEO


text:
Part interactive installation, part urban performance art, Video Painting Europe documents a kind of glow-in-the-dark graffiti that leaves no trace. Art collective Sweatshoppe uses ingenious infrared tracking to smear digital video over concrete surfaces with paint rollers. In this Vimeo Award-winning video, they travel to European cities like Paris, Belgrade, London, and more to paste their "video collages" on different architectural structures -- including the Berlin Wall. The duo behind the collective, Blake Shaw and Bruno Levy, describe how they created the eye-popping setup in an interview below.
The Atlantic: What inspired this project?
Bruno Levy: We were originally looking for ways to enhance an audiovisual performance/installation that would travel. We wanted to paint the walls of the performance space with different video environments. I think when we were testing, due to limited space in apartments in New York City, we were forced into the street and the project evolved naturally from there.
Blake Shaw: I was studying New Media Art at Bennington College when I first came up with the idea for video painting. As a new media artist I work with a lot of new emerging technologies, a lot of times just toying around with different things and putting them together to see what fits. When you're creating art in this way you're constantly faced with questions about art history and how different movements came about -- in many ways the history and evolution of modern art has been dependent on the emergence of new technologies from the invention of oil paint to electronic sound and video and so on. So I think video painting really came about as the consequence of this dialogue. At the time I was really interested in how architectural facades could be augmented with video projection and how they can also become interactive, a sort of social platform in their own if you will. The explosion in the popularity of street art proved how much painting on walls could be a powerful way to communicate ideas, so painting combined with projection and interactivity became an obvious choice. The difference is that while a graffiti artist's message usually meets its audience on the street, the walls we were painting made their way to our audience mostly through the Internet. So the actual graffiti aspect of the project really took place online, which I think is interesting.
Can you describe how you designed the setup to project video in synch with the rollers?
Levy: Blake wrote the software using MAX MSP, while I developed the gear and content.
Shaw: I work a lot with what is called computer vision software, algorithms that identify objects and track them with a live video feed. The software I wrote tracks the position of infrared LEDs inside the paint roller when they are turned on by the user, and tells the projector where to reveal the image. Essentially we have to line up the webcam with the video projection, and where ever the painter decides to stroke the image will appear, allowing you to paint with videos. Additionally we can paint layers of video to develop a narrative within the performance and create video collages.
How did people on the street react to your work? Did police give you a hard time?
Levy: People on the street usually stop to stare with a sense of curiosity and wonder. I believe that one of the most important elements of video painting is the illusion that it creates, this semi-magic trick that makes one question how this can be happening. We got a similar reaction to our documentation of the performances, this "how does it work?" response. As far as the police, once in New York City, they said they where going to take Blake to jail after he told them he was making art, but as soon as we shut the projector off, they saw no paint, no marks, and congratulated us. They left asking if we were millionaires, saying that if we were not we will be soon (we are still working on that part).
Shaw: Haha, yeah it's funny. We usually try to hide the projector to maintain the mystique, but even when it's visible people still have a hard time wrapping their heads around it. A lot of people just can't understand that it's not paint until the image disappears and even then they have trouble coping with the concept. It really creates a stir, when we're doing it in high traffic areas cars pull over and crowds form out of nowhere. It's really great to see so many people mystified by such a thing, it feels good to have created something that can grab the attention of people just going about their daily lives and get them to stay and watch for a while. I think that's a hard thing to accomplish with any type of art or media and is probably what makes me the most proud about this project.
Did you expect the video to get the response it did?
Levy: Not at all, when we first recorded The Landing over two years ago, we just wanted to be able to share what we had made, which we thought was cool, but it was a total surprise that it went viral. When our second video SWEATSHOPPE Video Painting Europe, won a Vimeo Award and again went viral, it was even a bigger shock. I am still surprised and excited when people say they love our work, it makes me want to make more.
Shaw: Yeah like Bruno said before we were originally working on an audiovisual performance together, something that combined interactive technology with performance art and music. Video painting was just going to be one part of this performance when we released our first video, and after that exploded online we just found ourselves traveling around the U.S. and Europe doing this in various cities and at art festivals, museums and galleries. And in turn I think from this experience our goals and ambitions as artists have grown and evolved as we've been exposed to so many different things and so many different possibilities.
What's next for you?
Levy: I have been working on a music and video performance, which is taking a lot of my time (especially the music part) and have been making lots of new videos which you can see on my website.
Shaw: I just moved to Berlin and I'm collaborating on a series of projects with friends that we're currently calling "Farce Projects" that combine video art, music, social media, the internet, happenings and offshore outsourcing to create social artworks which collectors can subscribe to that generate a sort of drama in the real world if you will. One project involves a record label where we create a series of branded identities, and when you buy the record you essentially become the artist, or at least own the rights to music, videos, and brand. When the record is collected, we deploy a PR campaign and create an online presence for the artwork, and the collector can choose to augment their virtual identity with various different services. Other similar projects involve pranks on first-world media institutions executed by telecom workers in the developing world. In a way video painting brought this sort of cyberpunk science fiction to reality, and in the same way these projects hope to make a reality out of different forms of metafiction -- the goal is really to create metafiction in the real world that blurs the line between reality and media, the same way advertising and propaganda do in our daily lives. These projects are still in their infancy and I'm sure they will change a lot as they grow, but it's a pretty exciting time here for me in Berlin right now.
For more work by Sweatshoppe, visit http://www.sweatshoppe.org.
We want to hear what you think about this article. Submit a letter to the editor or write to firstname.lastname@example.com.


text:
To be admired at the MoMA in New York, to be acquired in selected shops worldwide. FREITAG's bags rank as classics among messenger bags. First created in the early 1990s, they are not a short-lived niche product but have set the standards in regard to design, quality and functionality. Then as now, the bags are distinguished by the striking concept and execution: handmade from used truck tarpaulins, bicycle inner tubes and car seat belts, the FREITAG fundamental series are a loyal companion to see you through the decades. After all, the materials used have already travelled far and wide and are hardwearing.
Our JOE model is in the mail, and we can't wait. Pick yours up on FREITAG's freshly redesigned site for $99-$491.


text:
Formulas for success
Since 1997, BEDMAS has leveraged its unique, customizable approach to full-service web solutions for the insurance, financial, banking and healthcare industries. Working hand-in-glove with clients to analyze their objectives, we engage our dynamic technical and creative solutions to achieve desired business results.
Our resources and solutions are fully scalable to accommodate the distinct needs of small-, mid- and large-sized organizations. We offer a powerful range of services including the design and execution of thin client web applications, management of online workflows, unification of data, and development of secure systems with a focus on data integrity. All of our products and services are guided by an unswerving dedication to best practices in programming and development.


text:
Watch "Fareed Zakaria GPS," Sundays at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. ET on CNN
The crisis in Iraq and Syria, fueled by oil. The crisis in Ukraine, greatly complicated by natural gas. So what if we lived in a world that was powered by something other than these hydrocarbons we are so dependent on. That's a world that Vinod Khosla is betting on, quite literally. Khosla was the founding CEO of Sun Microsystems. He now runs his own firm, Khosla Ventures, and is the 352nd richest person in America, according to Forbes. In recent years, most of his energy has gone into finding promising alternate energy technologies, and investing in them.
Watch the video for the interview for his take on the future of alternative energy.
Correction: Dats peepos not peeps.
Duly noted. 🙂
Those that think it is a governments job to provide work, health insurance and higher education to their children are stupid.
I just read the posts from last night regarding abortion, obesity, and family values.
I am grateful that I spent yesterday afternoon and last evening passing on verismo, bel canto, and R. Strauss styles to my musical "grandchildren." Then I was taken to dinner at a popular but overcrowded restaurant in Harlem
Good to hear that, Joey. Was the restroom clean? Did each and every male patron wash his hands after taking a dump, for example.
Were you required to step over or around any street people? Here in Colorado Springs our downtown area is once again inundated with lazy men choosing to live the homeless lifestyle...complete with fraudulently obtained permanent disability pay, food stamps, and all you can eat soup kitchen free Obamaphone.
Am anxiously awaiting DHS agents to return again and round them up and toss them in one of our over 800 Homeland Security Prisons aka FEMA work camps.
About 6 months ago DHS agents came to Colorado Springs and offered cash and free cell phones to men living on our streets and uses phones to track where those men went. Those who went directly to the liquor store or drug dealer were arrested and put on a people mover train, and off to work at FEMA camp they went.
This nationwide roundup of lazy men has been going on in virtually every community in the USA for many months. Most of US are totally unaware of these things, just as it took German citizens many years to understand that Fatherland Security Prisons aka "concentration camps" were built for work shy citizens, not "the terrorists" who torched The Reichstag.
I didn't have to step over any homeless persons or bodies in the street. It was very neat.
However, no men were washing their hands in the toilette. When I confronted them, they explained that all NYC tap water is now so contaminated with SSRIs that washing your hands makes you high, so I just returned to the table and finished my selle d'agneau.
...am thinking that after DHS rid our streets of lazy men that next on their list are fraudulent business owners who mistreat their employees and actually take advantage of poor Mexicans who are simply trying to provide for their families.
And am hoping that drug money MDs and crooked lawyers who conspire to defraud US taxpayers by suing US on behalf of lazy men claiming to be disabled are also on DHS hit list.
I'm being serious @bobcat, errr...Joey.
Well well well. Looky here. NYC has some of the most Rx drug laced tap water in the USA.
@bobcat would reply by saying Did you hear the one about the gay doggie jumping up on the bar and barking Bowsie Wowsie?
So am wondering what Joey's thoughts are concerning lazy men living on our streets being rounded up and tossed into forced labor camps and urinated pharmaceuticals in our drinking water building up more and more with each passing year.
Stop pretending like you really know who I am, LaBella. Your claim that I don't care about homeless people is based on nothing. As if I would accuse you of not caring about young males rayped by openly gay priests based on little of nothing.
Stop pointing the finger at me and start posting genuine replies at topics I raise. Thank you.
Interestingly, NY has less mental health patients than Colorado.
New York 19.9%
Colorado 20.8%
Get a clue. It's about drug addicts urinating their drugs into the world's waterways. Not Colorado vs New York.
Here's a more updated one:
Colorado is lower in general mental health illnesses, but higher in serious ones.
Just posting the interesting stats, same as you do, Philip. Since SSRI's are found in our water, it'd be interesting to know what states are most medicated doing it. The connection is clear, even if you don't want to recognize that.
And not to put too fine a point on it, but you did open the door by posting your little Well well well. Looky here. NYC has some of the most Rx drug laced tap water in the USA. statement the first place.
You forgot to mention Colorado always being ranked near the top regarding child abuse and domestic violence. And last year, ranked NUMBER ONE out of all US States for being the most physically fit/least obese State. (Mississippi ranked number one overly obese State for the 4th year in a row, btw)
Not that State stats reflect individual stats.
Yes, banasy. The entire nation is very well aware of Colorado's Aurora Theater Shooter and world famous Ritalin junkies The Columbine Kids. Even one of those drugged kid's mom bought a gun and shot herself in the head at the sales counter. Of course she was addicted to the same "meds" Robin Williams used for about one year before killing himself.
Its a nationwide thing, banasy. Not a Colorado thing. And I've got $500 bucks that says there are more Rx drug addicts in NY than in Colorado.
Lo so, Philip. You've covered this multiple times before.
Let's face it guys. Energy makes our world function. Vinod Khosla has it right. Question is, why are there not another million guys trying really hard to figure out a more environmentally benign solution than burning fossil fuels and spewing CO2 into the atmosphere??? Largely, the blame sits squarely on the heads of our leaders, that have allowed the super-rich Oil Companies to rule the game, for way too long....... but who is paying the campaign financing of our politicians??? Ahem..... no wonder there is a problem here.......... 😦
DHS homeland security prisons are for real.
*sigh* Another episode of "As the stomach Turns" complete with tidbits of unwanted info, regurgitated by ex hunan Pkilip! Dang TV sure aint what it used to be! But stay tuned folks for there are sure to be a few more precious hilarities by Sir Joey! Please note my thanks for that laugh Sir Joey.
@ Philip, WHO is this she person? I saw absolutely not one post by anyone named "SHE" nor any referenced in the story! But then i didnt see any of YOUR topics at all in the story! Been to NY lately? Sukin up as much tap water as possible? Havent you heard dear, its now quite fashionable to come out of the closet?
Work, or go to DHS FEMA forced labor camp. The choice is the same for all of US. Especially those of you who could very well work if not for drinking and drugging habits...and fraudulently obtained disability pay.
Work shy individuals tear nations down and are no longer being tolerated. Work, or don't way. With few exceptions.
Blah blah blah! More accusations with no facts! I heard you can go to Word Press and set up your very own website...then you can type out your hatred of YOUR world til your hearts content. Then WE can CHOOSE whether we care to read it or not. True? Then you can call "yourself" contributing to the world. Of course you wont be able to claim that you are employed but im sure your twisted mind will "imagine" someone way to make that up too!
Oops meant "some" not someone. My apology.
I posted two links above, Chrissy. Try checking them out. There are even pictures to help you understand what's really going on.
Lol AGAIN you imply that im stupid? You used to be such a nice guy that i now DO feel stupid for believing that little charade you had. As i just said~ YOU used to be such a nice guy....then you opened your mouth...and the party was over! Ty @ dazzle for that btw! Lol
No I didn't. I simply want you to look at how much better homeless men look after working at FEMA camps is all.
Do you three female news bloggers ever harp on the well known womanizer Bill Clinton? Or just on suspects of yours.
What Bill and Hilary decide to do with the state of their marriage is purely none of my business.
I find it to be a useless endeavor to speculate on another's sex life.
So, I suppose the answer to your question would be no, I don't "harp" on it, because I'm just not titilated by it.
I don't know what you're talking about with "Or just on suspects of yours.", so I shan't answer that.
Smh! Lying again! Seems to be one of your specialties! Because you most definitely IMPLIED i was stupid by saying i "needed pictures to understand what im reading" which i assure you i do not! For instance i dont need a picture of you to be able to read all your hateful drival! Would most likely give me nightmares for a very long time. And WHY would WE harp on Clinton? Cant speak for anyone else but my interest in him was limited to his job performance, which wasnt so bad! Thanks to him i was able to have a very nice retirement savings waiting for me when i retired. As for his "womanizing ways" thats between him, his wife, daughter and God and quite frankly none of our business! Certainly none of mine! Are you jealous of him or what?
Whatever. You gals go on living in denial of lazy men living off the backs of US taxpayers being rounded up and forced to work for a living if you want.
You 3 remind me of old German women before WWII who denied that the Waffen SS was rounding up lazy Germans and throwing them into Fatherland Security Prisons.
Really now? I remind you of that? Why? Because I disagree with you?
You never knew me. Stop pretending you were ever privy to what I really think.
Bill Clinton just happened to be president when the United States of America came out from under International Bankruptcy Protection on Nov. 7, 1998. Of course, you probably never knew that the USA has been bankrupt for most of it's existence. So I'm kicking dead horses.
Bill Clinton abused women and cheated on his wife. Even in the Oval Office for crying out loud. Have you ever met him in person? Phony as a 3 dollar bill.
Okay. And we're all supposed to do ....what, exactly?
Still. You looked down on me and accused me of being a womanizer, Chrissy. So you at least have some hatred for womanising men like former CIA agent William Jefferson Clinton. Recruited fresh out of Rhodes Scholar by then CIA director George HW Bush.
I'd like to see the exact post where she said that.
Because I cannot think of anyone who would ever read your posts and accuse you of being a womanizer, Philip.
WHEN did i EVER call you a womaniser??? That right there is another lie! That or you did not comprehend WHAT i said! But...since YOU raised the subject...i do not believe that there is a straight male that is s e x u a l in existance that has had relations with only ONE female!
You said that I probably had children that I'm not even aware of, Chrissy. Recall? I replied that this could very well be the case since I had slept with many women as a young man. Noting that I was "statutorily rayped" by a 28 yr. old married woman when I was 15.
And I do know of two women who travelled to Mexico for abortions after being impregnated by me. Could of been by another man...cheating partners are not that uncommon.
Anyway, a nation cannot trust a man to remain faithful if he lacks the ability/self control to remain faithful to his wife. Yes. Leaders are expected to be wiser and of better moral fiber than the average. Duh.
I never thought you had it in you to abort two of your own offspring, Philip. Huh.
NOR do i believe there is a straight female that has been s e x u a l that has only had relations with ONE male! Im not saying that im RIGHT im just saying thats WHAT i believe! That doesnt give me or anyone else to call people "ho's" as you did yesterday! This world would be a he!!uva lot better place if WE ALL just started being kinder to one another and THAT I KNOW TO BE TRUE!
Lol @ banasy i hadnt thought of it THAT way but yea i agree! His admitted verbal lack of respect for the female species would certainly lead to one thinking he isnt a womaniser!
Womanizer? No.
Lol yea that too! Sorry for the spelling error!
Truthfully, I didn't even notice, Chrissy. 😊
Lol ok ladies, maybe he took my advice and went to word press to set up his own website! One can hope cant they lol.
I see our philosophical thinkers are still at it with 266 comments late at night.
Nothing wrong with that. That's a good thing.
Hmmm late at night? Its not even 10:30...thats late now? And ive perused this blog with my morning coffee nearly every day and the one late nighter i usually see is you. Well...you with a slight difference to your name anyway. But...what philosophical thoughts do YOU have????
Nosy little man aint you? I do not care enough about WHAT you found in someone's glove box to ask!
Lol @ banasy...clearly HE thinks he is the 8th wonder of the world!
I have been suffering from Colon cancer lungs with metastasis to other part of my body. Ever since the discovery of this diseases, my entire life have been depressed and emotional down, it was a Death roll Sentence on my life,but still I honor you all for your prayers and concern toward my life and my family and I earnestly pray for God to be with you all, i also use the medium to thanks to the Dr who God has sent to help me cure this unimaginable,
terrible and horrible illness called cancer.
Knowing that i had colon cancer with met to some part of my body break my heart and make me lifeless, My family have never knew true peace ever since the diagnose of this disease and period given to live. My wife heard that Hemp Oil could help, and for the price the entire family was strong in faith and willing to try anything that would save my Life, I have completed the treatment regime with total eradication of the disease from all parts of my
if you want to get the hemp or cannabis oil contact: email@example.com
My email is::: firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
I've kinda realized that one of the largest blights on the Internet, which, oddly, was one of the reasons the Interweb was based on (new communications methods), is the rise of social media. I could spend all day listing networks and tools that folks choose to use to either broadcast or focus their message, frustrations, sales, news, or just plain thoughts. For me, it's a love hate relationship (as it is for a few others I know). I've left various services multiple times for multiple reasons. The most recent was today, and the target of my angst is Facebook. It's openness is one of the greatest strengths and biggest problems – the lack of true granularity of privacy, but still wanting to easily share information outward.
For me, I'm going to leave what I have right now for a while… sadly it hurts the capability of folks who I like to interact with from keeping in touch, but it also limits (quite severely) those who semi-anonymously voice their points of view on topics and thoughts. So I retreat to a blog, here, where I have control (to some extent) and can spend time and focus my message and refine how I want to present things.
Hopefully, I can use this break to refocus my life after a number of momentous things that have occurred in my life in the past 18 months or so, and get myself invigorated back on things that interested and supported me mentally and emotionally previously.
Maybe things will get better… maybe they won't… but I'm setting the direction, I'm determining the velocity, and choosing which vehicle I want to travel in.


text:
Quran with Tafseer 1 0 is used to read and learn the Holy Quran in Arabic Urdu and. Bull Urdu Translation. Free Software To Download Music From Ipod. Free Quran with Tafseer download for. Revit Mep 2014 Free Download With Crack.
Quran with Tafseer 1.0 is used to read and learn the Holy Quran in Arabic, Urdu and English Languages with five Translations and four Tafseer, all bundled together in one easy to use and small size of application. The software is equipped with a web type user interface for ease of use and provided Tafseer text with show-hide functionality also not required to install Urdu/Arabic language support, it can be determined translation and meaning of an aya from different respected scholars. These all resources can be freely used and distributed. Following features are available in this version: • Arabic text of Quran: * Uthmani text as in Madina Mushaf * Simple Text. • Urdu Translation: * Jalandhri * Mahmoodul Hasan * Jonagarhi.
• Urdu Tafseer: * Tafseer Ibn-e-Kaseer * Tafseere Usmani * Tafseere Salahudin * Tafseere Ateeq. • English Translation: * Justice Taqi Usmani * Abdullah Yousuf Ali. • English Tafseer: English translation of Tafseer Ibn-e-Kaseer.
• Subjects of Quran Para wise from Tafseer-e-Usmani. • Para wise Tafseer-e-Ateeq. • Tafseer with show/hide text. • Search in Quran, Translations and Tafseer text with active marker 'Highlight text' display.
• Builtin Urdu and Arabic virtual keyboards. • Different View modes (Para, Sura, Fixed Aya, Tafseer). • Fonts changing of Arabic, Urdu and English text.
• Internet Explorer style Favourites for Ayas. • View styles of reading text from Right to Left (Urdu) and Left to Right (English). • Changing of Different Color Themes at run time. • Print Preview/ Copy text to other applications. • Quick search: jump to any (sura:aya) quickly.


text:
The school prides itself on its academic rigour, flexibility, and student-centric approach. CBSE allows the child to grow into a wholesome, skilled, competent individual
| Read More
The school is a buzzing laboratory of experimentation at all levels. Our innovations are born out of our needs and shaped by our passion for embracing change
| Read More
Our students enjoy a wide range of extracurricular, intellectual, social, artistic, and sporting pursuits. The canvas is forever expanding
| Read More
The academic year is peppered with events that you can read about here. Hear about our recent student achievements and other news straight from the school corridors
| Read More
Get a glimpse into the flipped model of learning
The Need
CBSE has been introducing sweeping changes in school curriculum and assessment pattern, moving towards preparing students for higher degree of problem solving, analytical thinking, and application-oriented skills. Dealing with this requires a change in the mindset of students, teachers and parents to approach learning from a radically new perspective. Flipped Learning is a response to this change. R.N Podar is the first school in the country to pilot and adopt the flipped method of learning in the classroom.
The Outcome
A Flipped Classroom allows learning to be self-directed, self-paced, personalized, and customized. It enhances the classroom experience to bring in higher order learning skills and a spirit of enquiry. The school has been using variations of this model in all grades and subjects, and the results have been exciting. This project is being executed in partnership with Phyzok Learning Solutions LLP.
Career Services
R.N. Podar's Career Guidance Cell (CGC) is a dedicated support centre to help students cope with the pressures of the highly demanding world of higher studies. The counselors aid students not only in knowing about and choosing from the varied career options, but also in meeting the various deadlines and eligibility criteria, and preparing their applications.
The CGC routinely conducts need-based student and parent orientation programs on the various streams and career options for classes X, XI, and XII. Regular seminars are organized with Indian and offshore varsities wherein students are informed of and aided in the admission process. The rnpsmentor site also provides timely alerts for competitive exam dates and submission deadlines. The CGC of R.N. Podar is the official guidance center for students from all boards seeking assistance regarding the online process for admission to junior colleges. The cell is also a designated center for providing guidance to All India Exams – AIPMT/JEE MAINS.
Click here to contact the career counsellors. Download the extensive HT Campus Calling Career Guide co-created by our counsellors.
Father-son shake a leg to compete for the title of Podar Stars
We communicate with parents regularly through emails, class websites, circulars, notes, events, and interactions, both formal and informal. Our felt needs and ideas have given rise to several engaging events.
Every year we organize an orientation session for parents at the beginning of the academic year, to prepare them for the year ahead and resolve queries, and several others on a needs-basis, such as before grade 10 and 12 exams.
We organize parent workshops by professional facilitators and counsellors on topics such as learning to deal with stress and helping the child cope with hers, communicating and relating to the child, and so on. These workshops have been met with very good response from parents on whose request we have instituted these on an on-going basis.
Family Day/Podar Stars
The Primary section of the school, apart from organizing various internal competitions, also invites parents to be a part of competitions such as dance and cooking along with their young children. This creates a fun-filled opportunity for family-bonding. Parents and students alike have enjoyed and appreciated these events whole-heartedly.
Unique Distinctions
- Consistently outstanding academic results in Class X and XII with state as well as country toppers
- Recognized as a centre of excellence by CBSE
- First school in the country to implement the flipped model of blended learning
- Case study by Google for Education regarding the usage of technology within the School. Read more here.
- Case Study by IIM-A done on the Resource Centre at the school
Recent Recognition
- Recognized as a 'Microsoft Innovative School', one among select schools globally
- 'Outstanding School' Award, Western Zone, at the 8th Indy's Awards for Excellence
- Hindustan Times 'Best Schools in the City' award for the Western Zone
- Chosen as one of the Ashoka 'Changemaker Schools', an initiative that recognizes the need for a new way of learning
Principal's Achievements
- Awarded the National Award for Teachers by the President of India
- Awarded the FICCI FLO Outstanding Woman Achiever Award, 2014
- Awarded an NTU award for inspirational teaching
- Awarded the EQFI Award for quality education
- Member, Governing Body, CBSE
- Member, Global Education Leaders Program (GELP)
Read a letter from the CBSE director here. or visite our website partners prestamos365


text:
• Lt.j.g. Pearl Gummelt, World War II
• Jere Hammer, ret. Desert Storm
• 1st Lt. August Joel Koch, Active Army National Guard Reserves
• Pvt. Benny Martinez, Korean War
• Capt. Juan Mata, Desert Storm
• 1st Lt. Donna Schultheiss, Vietnam
• Lance Cpl. Joseph Warren, ret. Desert Storm
During war, no purpose is more pure than nurses.'
In addition to the medical care and attention they give, wartime nurses serve to soothe and comfort, going so far as to act as a confidant, and at times, as a mother.
The Lysol-clean scent of Naval Medical Center San Diego is still fresh in Pearl Gummelt's memory.
The 92-year-old Victoria woman worked in the hospital's spinal meningitis ward during World War II.
As a young Texan, she signed up for the military seeking adventure with her best friend; what she found was a healing touch and a passion to help others.
"I wanted to go overseas," Gummelt said. "I almost got shipped ... I'm glad I didn't because the island got bombed (by the Japanese)."
She made about $125 monthly working alongside several hundred other nurses from across the U.S.
"The only thing we didn't have in our hospital was maternity," she said.
Most of her patients were American boys returning from fighting in the South Pacific.
The ratio of women to men in that hospital was about 1 to 800, she said. She met her husband in that hospital.
"Coming back from overseas, the guys hadn't been around women," Gummelt said. "They looked forward to women taking care of them."
More than the welcomed-sight of a woman, the men looked forward to going home, she said. Some didn't.
"They didn't all get well in the spinal meningitis ward," Gummelt said. "I said a lot of prayers under my breath for these guys. There was a lot of sadness."
Most of her patients were about two years younger than her, something she considered a huge age-gap.
"My goal was to try to be a mother or grandmother to the ones who were homesick," Gummelt said. "Sometimes a hand on the forehead is better than a Demerol shot."
For about 10 years after the war, she kept up with a few patients from East Texas, exchanging Christmas cards.
Gummelt is one of eight wartime nurses being honored Saturday in the Veterans Day Parade in downtown Victoria.
"We want to show our support and honor our colleagues who volunteered their time and their skills to help the United States and serve in a time of war," said Debbie Pena, president of Texas Nurses Association District 20.
"We're excited to be a part of the parade and we want to honor those who served us," Pena said.
Blanche DeLeon, a nurse who organized the association's floats, said she felt a "professional obligation" to put the spotlight on military nurses.
"Some of the worst things happen in wars," but medically, some of the best come out of it, DeLeon said.
Gummelt's hospital worked in plastics, building new noses or chins for the injured. Doctors were learning the uses of penicillin and developing modern technology for blood transfusions.
"The job that nurses do in or out of the military is important, but it's not really talked about," DeLeon said.
Jere Hammer, who served as a nurse with the U.S. Air Force Reserve during Desert Storm, said she joined the effort to serve the country.
"Our mission was to prepare for war," Hammer said.
In anticipation of being deployed to the Middle East on the second lines, her unit trained by setting up tent hospitals and wearing chemical warfare gear.
However, their mission changed and they stayed state-side.
Now retired from the reserves, Hammer is a professor at University of Houston-Victoria and is the president of the nursing honor society.
"Nurses in the military are very respected ... Their broken bodies would be in our hands," Hammer said. "We're a little more relaxed than say the tactical squadron commander. We're trying to put things back together."
Hammer said she is glad veterans will be recognized Saturday.
"I would hope that people recognize the sacrifices men and women make in serving as nurses in the military," Hammer said. "I would hope they would be proud and even think that's something they could do - that they could serve their country that way."


text:
Why Are Retailers Shutting Their Facebook Stores?
Eager to monetize the large followings they had built on Facebook, many large brands set up shop on the social network for the first time last year.
Now many of those Facebook stores are closing.
A Bloomberg report this weekend pointed out that Gap, J.C. Penney, Nordstrom and GameStop have all opened and closed shops on Facebook within the past year — undermining expectations that the social network will become a major revenue driver for retailers over the next decade.
"We just didn't get the return on investment we needed from the Facebook market, so we shut it down pretty quickly," Ashley Sheetz, VP of marketing and strategy at GameStop, told Bloomberg. "For us, it's been a way we communicate with customers on deals, not a place to sell."
GameStop opened a store on Facebook in April 2011, and closed it six months later.
"There was a lot of anticipation that Facebook would turn into a new destination, a store, a place where people would shop," Sucharita Mulpuru, an analyst at Forrester Research, added. "But it was like trying to sell stuff to people while they're hanging out with their friends at the bar."
The End of F-commerce?
Still, none of this proves that social networks don't have potential as sales channels. It may be that retailers simply haven't harnessed the power of these platforms in the right way.
In most cases, retailers have entered the f-commerce market by importing their online catalogs and making them available for purchase in a Facebook app. The experience is nearly identical to shopping on their websites, with two major differences: 1) Shoppers can complete their entire browsing and checkout experience without leaving facebook.com; and 2) the Facebook apps tend to work more slowly.
In other words, consumers have little to no incentive to shop via these Facebook apps.
Others simply have not dealt in enough volume — offering, say, just one item for purchase each month, or discounting one or two items for a short period.
Although these efforts have generated a fair amount of PR buzz, most of these companies are losing money on these efforts because development costs are so high, says Maureen Mullen, director of research and advisory services at luxury research and consulting firm L2.
Or the problem may be Facebook's infrastructure. As Mulpuru says above, spending time on Facebook is akin to spending time with your friends at a bar. Pinterest, on the other hand, is more like heading to a craft fair, Forbes's Jeff Bercovici points out — you're there to browse, and to shop, and brands are finding the platform worth investing in.
Facebook, at present, isn't built for that kind of shopping experience. But it could certainly build Pinterest-like tools to make it that way.
At the very least, Facebook has become an important traffic driver to retailers' websites. For instance, 1.9% of traffic to Burberry's website in September 2010 came from Facebook; a year later, 29.1% of site traffic was from the social network, Mullen wrote in an email to Mashable.
"[Burberry is] using the platform to drive traffic at a fraction of the cost of what it would have to pay on Google and other search engines. In addition a significant portion of that traffic and resulting sales is likely incremental," she added.
Mullen also pointed out that half of shoppers are logged in to Facebook while they shop on third-party ecommerce sites, which lets retailers "capture the massive amount of user data Facebook has," she says. Brands such as Smashbox and MAC are also incorporating friend recommendations within their ecommerce pages.
In other words, it's too soon to lament the demise of F-commerce. What we do know is that replicating retailers' ecommerce sites is not the way to go about generating revenue via Facebook, at least for now.
Image courtesy of iStockphoto, -Oxford-


text:
1146 Forest Ave
Pacific grove,
(831) 649-2348
All In-Shape health clubs offer the finest fitness equipment and a wide assortment of classes to help you stay healthy and happy. Speaking of happy, you'll also find free wi-fi, clean locker rooms, and friendly, knowledgeable staff.
Our website uses cookies to improve your experience and analyze site traffic. We've updated our Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy with important terms and conditions about your use of our website, our cookie policy, how we use information about you, and your privacy options. Your use of this website is consent to these terms and conditions.
Join the team


text:
Chicago Marathon's Final Finisher Delivers Unforgettable Performance
He came in nearly 17 Hours later to a cheering crowd of onlookers.
CHICAGO Oct. 14, 2013 -- The Chicago marathon was won on Sunday with a record setting pace of 2 hours and 3 minutes, but for many the star of the race didn't finish until today after 16 hours and 46 minutes.
Dozens of fans were at the finish line at 1:30 a.m. today chanting "Maickel! Maickel!" as Maickel Melamed completed the race wearing a black winter jacket to cope with the overnight temperatures.
Melamed, 38, has muscular dystrophy.
"If you dream it, make it happen," Melamed said after the race, as the clock ticked past 1:30 a.m., "because your life is the most beautiful thing that could happen to you. So make the best of it."
For some fans, Melamed's performance may even be remembered more than Dennis Kimetto's course record-setting victory in 2 hours and 3 minutes.
On Melamed's Facebook page, supporters posted encouraging messages during – and after – the race: "You are a great inspiration!" "Si se puede!" "I have never met this man before but I have so much respect and I am so proud of him!"
The impressive effort from Melamed – who started running marathons two years ago – was just one highlight of the nation's first major marathon since the bombing at the Boston race last April. Runners in Chicago, some donning blue bracelets in honor of the Boston victims, observed a moment of silence before the start. Security was stepped up.
"This year we had to ratchet it up a little bit based on Boston obviously," Chicago Police Supt. Garry McCarthy told ABC's Chicago station WLS.
For the first time, runners in Chicago were required to carry their belongings in clear plastic bags and pick up their race packets in person. On race day, runners could only get to the start after proceeding through one of four separate security checkpoints.
At the finish line, only ticketed spectators were allowed and they were subjected to random bag searches. In years past, friends and family of runners would hop onto the course to cheer on participants, but this year that was not permitted. Undercover officers were deployed among the crowd. Authorities used some of the city's vast network of security cameras – more than 20,000 – to monitor the course.