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Privacy Statement for Ori Products and Services
Welcome to Ori.
The following statement (the "Privacy Statement") explains how we collect your information, how we protect it, use it, share it, and what choices you have with respect to this information. It describes information that Ori, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and its subsidiaries and affiliates (collectively, "Ori," "we" or "us") collect, use, share, and store, including personal information (i.e., information that personally identifies you, such as your name, email address or billing information, or other data that can be reasonably used to infer this information).
This Privacy Statement was first published and made effective on February 09, 2017.
This Privacy Statement applies to information related to the operation of Ori products and services (collectively, "Ori Products"). In this Privacy Statement, the expression "Ori Products" also includes our Web Apps, Mobile Apps, and Subscription Services as defined in our Terms of Service.
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What information do we collect?
Setup information your provide
Usage information
Technical information from the system
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What additional information does Ori collect and store through an Internet connection?
To connect your Ori Product to our services, or to access your Ori Product over the Internet from a computer, a smartphone or a tablet, you will need to connect it to your Wi-Fi network. During setup, the Ori Product will ask for your Wi-Fi network name (SSID) and password to connect to the Internet. It will save this information on the device so that you can access it and control it from your computer, smartphone or tablet, and so that it can communicate with Ori servers and download software updates. Once connected to your Wi-Fi network, your Ori Product regularly sends the data described in this Privacy Statement (excluding your Wi-Fi password) to Ori to provide you with our services.
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If you have any questions, please contact us at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Maze Grill Royal Hospital Road
Inspired by the grill restaurants of New York City, maze Grill Royal Hospital Road sits in the heart of well-heeled Chelsea. Expect a diverse menu from acclaimed Executive Head Chef Owen Sullivan, made up of signature rare breed steaks, fish and poultry, as well as supremely fresh sushi and sashimi.
|Average main course
|£28.00 per diner
|Average food spend
|£46.00 per diner
Venue Details & Map
Maze Grill Royal Hospital Road
- Address
79 Royal Hospital RoadLondonGreater LondonSW3 4HN
- Telephone:
- +44 2073524448

subset: commoncrawl


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Interpreting Hawaii law, the federal district court held that the standard for triggering the duty to defend is the same as the standard for the duty to advance costs under a D&O policy. Maui Land & Pineapple Co. v. Liberty Ins. Underwriters, 2018 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 56949 (D. Haw. April 3, 2018).
The underlying plaintiffs sued 22 defendants, including Maui Land Pineapple (MLP) and Ryan L. Churchill, concerning a residential development project known as The Ritz-Carlton Club & Residences. The underlying complaint alleged that MLP "directly or indirectly through wholly owned subsidiaries exerts control" over Kapalua Bay, LLC, the defendant in the underlying lawsuit. Kapalua Bay, LLC was created as a joint venture of which MLP held 51%. Churchill was a senior executive officer of MLP, President of Kapalua Bay, and an executive officer of Kapalua Realty, which participated in all aspects of the Project, such as financing, development, and construction.
In their second amended complaint, the underlying plaintiffs alleged nine Counts against the defendants, including breach of fiduciary duty. It was alleged that defendants were not transparent and kept owners in the dark regarding the status of the project. Several allegations named Churchill individually and described his alleged material misrepresentations to the underlying plaintiffs regarding the project's financing.


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Main Approaches to Ethical Theory
Religious Ethics
Is there a Rational basis for Secular
Personal Humanist Ethics
Some Other Issues in Practical Humanist
Post-modernist Critique of Secular Ethics.
APPENDIX:Basic Principles of Humanism
Main Approaches to Ethical Theory
Religious Ethics
Is there a Rational basis for Secular
Personal Humanist Ethics
Some Other Issues in Practical Humanist
Post-modernist Critique of Secular Ethics.
APPENDIX:Basic Principles of Humanism
Main Approaches to Ethical Theory
Religious Ethics
Is there a Rational basis for Secular
Personal Humanist Ethics
Some Other Issues in Practical Humanist
Post-modernist Critique of Secular Ethics.
APPENDIX:Basic Principles of Humanism
Main Approaches to Ethical Theory
Religious Ethics
Is there a Rational basis for Secular
Personal Humanist Ethics
Some Other Issues in Practical Humanist
Post-modernist Critique of Secular Ethics.
APPENDIX:Basic Principles of Humanism
What is ethics?
At its most general level ethics deals with the standards of conduct.
It seeks to establish rules by which the quality of actions can be
determined. This is sometimes also called morality and the two terms are
often used synonymously. Ethical or moral conduct is conduct that
conforms to a set of permissible rules, while acts which are contrary to
the permissible rules are deemed to be unethical or immoral. Clearly it
is possible that some acts could ethically neutral or amoral. A
distinction is sometimes made between morals and ethics on the ground
that morals deals with concepts like 'good', 'bad', 'right' or 'wrong'
while ethics is concerned with actions which are permitted without
investigating whether they are good, bad, right or wrong. However since
the definition is good is that which is permitted this may be too subtle
a distinction to make, and we will use ethics and morality as synonyms.
Both the Greek root for ethics (ethos) as well as the Latin
root for morals (mores) both mean habits. So at its inception
both ethics and morals meant that which was habitually accepted.
There are several ways in which the subject matter of ethics could be
analysed. In the literature on ethics its subject matter has been
dichotomized in at least three different ways. The first of these is the
distinction between theoretical ethics and practical ethics
and the second that between individual ethics and group
ethics. There is also a third distinction made by philosophers
between normative ethics and meta-ethics. Normative
ethics considers the rules for evaluating the human moral element, while
meta-ethics analyses the meaning and nature of the moral element
(1). We shall not deal with this third distinction, treating
as a variant of the first distinction equating meta-ethics with
theoretical ethics and normative ethics with practical ethics, even
though this is not strictly correct.
Theoretical ethics deals with the general principles that can be used
to determine the ethical value of various forms of conduct. The
formulation of such general principles has been the concern of
philosophers, and in this sense ethical or moral theory has been an
important part of most schools of philosophy. Practical ethics, on the
other hand, deals with specific ethical rules which govern the conduct
of a given group of people. It is usually presented as a list of things
to do and things not to do. This is the aspect of ethics that is of most
interest to ordinary people. It is also the aspect to which preachers
and moralisers most often allude to. In both meanings the subject has
been of concern from ancient times and discussion of the subject has
never ceased.
It might appear that a consideration of ethical principles must
precede the construction of a set of ethical rules, or theoretical
ethics must precede practical ethics. In reality the relationship is
very often the other way around. A set of rules can be given which
people are expected to conform to, and then some rationale developed to
justify these rules. Sometimes of course rules may be drawn up for which
there is no theoretical justification, or none is offered. Practical
ethics is not identical with the system of law that is in force in
various States. There is an obligation to obey the law with penalties
attached to a breach of the law. Moral or ethical principles have to be
followed voluntarily and there is usually no legal sanction against
violations of ethical principles. However the civil law may be based on
general ethical principles, so that punishment for breaking the law may
be seen as a penalty for breaking an ethical rule.
The second distinction we made is between the ethics of the
individual and that of the group. At the individual level we are looking
at the conduct of a single individual. It is true that some kinds of
individual conduct have an impact on others, but the ethical rule is
formulated from the standpoint of the primary agent, not necessary from
that of others who may be affected by that action. This is ethics at its
most basic level, and every system of ethics has attempted to formulate
its own set of personal ethics. Individual ethics is often termed
psychological ethics because psychology is at the root of the
formulation of individual ethics. For a long time ethics was concerned
exclusively with individual ethics, and even now most ethical
discussions are confined to it.
Gradually the notion that a group ethic exists came to be recognised.
Sometimes the group is restricted to smaller subset of the whole
population, as when it relates to a profession or a trade. It is in this
sense that we can speak of medical ethics or advertising ethics. However
the group can also encompass a broad community even the whole of
society. At this level we are dealing with social ethics. Even now there
is some reluctance to admit social ethics is a legitimate area of moral
theory and practice. Some of the most controversial areas in ethics
belong to social ethics.
What is Humanism?
The term Humanism became a term of intellectual discourse during the
Renaissance, an intellectual movement that began in the 14th century
associated with the revival of interest in classical philosophy. The
name most associated with the Renaissance is Erasmus (1466 - 1536) but
his humanism was far from what would be understood by the term now. The
modern usage of the term begins with the views of a number of
philosophers in the period referred to as the Enlightenment (1680 -
1815). These writers challenged the accepted views in a number of areas,
most importantly views based on the dominant religion (Christianity).
Only a few philosophers like David Hume took a nearly atheistic stand,
but most others downgraded the reliance on God as the basis for the
explanation of many things including moral philosophy, and replaced God
with human reason even though some place was still reserved to God in
some ultimate sense.
Secular Humanism has progressed far from the early concerns of the
Enlightenment, and today presents itself as an alternative to
supernatural religion in all areas including ethics. The basic statement
of the Humanist Society of Queensland puts it as follows: "As a
philosophy Humanism asserts that human beings have arisen out of the
operation of natural physical and biological laws, that they are not
subject to any extra-human supernatural agency, and that they are the
arbiters of their own destiny." The first two of the basic
principles of Humanism identified by the HSQ are:
Since humans could also be included in 'nature' in its widest sense
this simply asserts that humanism deals only with the natural. Thus the
supernatural is ruled out. But this exception is so important that it
should be stated explicitly. Thus the second principle of humanism is:
When we refer to humanism in this essay we shall mean secular
humanism unless the term is qualified in some way. Some people use the
term 'humanism' is a very general way to denote any concern with human
beings, but such concerns will be described as being humanistic
Ethics is more important for humanism than it is for other
non-religious approaches like scepticism, atheism or free-thought. All
these aspects are also important for humanism, but it is the ethical
concern of humanism that sets it apart from them. Thus a consideration
of the ethics of humanism is very important.
2. Main Approaches to Ethical Theory
Over the course of time several approaches to moral philosophy or
ethical theory have been developed. The following are some of these main
approaches which will be useful in the subsequent discussion.
(a) Moral Nihilism. This denies that morality exists
and that all actions have an equal value. It is also sometimes called amoralism
even though this term may mean that there are acts which are amoral
co-existing with acts to which a moral value can be attached. Clearly
humanist ethics does not entail any moral nihilism. This view is
sometimes attributed to Nietzche, even though his views are more complex
than a simple denial of moral standards.
(b) Moral Absolutism. This is the view that there is
one true morality which does not entail any moral conflicts. So there is
no need to override moral principles. Moral Absolutism is based upon a
simple rule which is used to evaluate the moral quality of alternatives.
An example of moral absolutism is a version of the moral philosophy of
Emmanuel Kant. The principle Kant employs is called the Categorical
Imperative which states something like "there is good" rather
than the Hypothetical Imperative which asserts something like "if
there is good". Most people will argue that humanist ethics does
not belong to the species of absolutist morals.
(c) Moral Subjectivism. This holds that moral
principles apply to the agent alone. It implies that there is no need
for the individual to bother with anybody else's moral principles. There
are some humanists who adopt a position like moral subjectivism but I do
not think that humanist ethics should be based purely on subjective
(d) Moral Relativism. This assumes that
groups of individuals can choose their own moral principles, and while
they apply to the group as a whole they may not be relevant for a
different group. Some schools of post-modernists argue in this way but
ethical relativism violates some fundamental principles of humanism.
(e) Moral Conventionalism. This is a form of moral
relativism but instead of the values being determined by the individual
alone it is arrived by a process of social choice or interpersonal
agreement. Sometimes humanist ethics is considered as a species of
ethical conventionalism.
(f) Moral Objectivism. This considers moral
principles as having universal validity, but they could be overridden by
other principles under certain circumstances. Many systems of ethics,
including secular humanism, imply such a position, but of course they
differ radically amongst each other.
(g) Moral Scepticism. This claims that we cannot
know whether there are moral truths.
These positions are not necessarily mutually exclusive. It is
possible for a particular ethical system to share more than one of these
properties and some do.
While from the philosophical perspective several kinds of ethics may
be identified for secular humanist ethics one particular distinction is
important. This is the distinction between religious ethics and secular
ethics. It would therefore be useful to make some comments on religious
ethics before considering secular ethics.
Most religions present some schema of ethics or other. Indeed some
religions like to present themselves as the sole repository of morality.
Advocates or propagandists for religion very often advance the argument
that without religion there will be no morality. This is best reflected
in the oft-quoted statement by Dostoevsky that "If God did not
exist then everything will be permitted".
Religious ethics comes in several different packages corresponding to
the different religions. Even if we confine ourselves to the
Judeo-Christian-Islamic (JCI) family of religions which share a great
deal of common ground there are significant differences in their
respective ethics. If we compare these religious ethics to other
religions originating in India or China the differences in their
respective ethics become even greater. In this essay we shall confine
ourselves to the three middle-eastern religions, and specifically to
Christianity. All three religions postulate a monotheistic God, and this
God stands in the very centre of their ethical theory.
Is God essential for Ethics?
This is a question which was posed quite early in Western philosophy.
Plato in a dialogue ascribed to Socrates (Euthyphro) raised the
question whether the moral rules favoured by the gods were good because
the gods favoured them, or whether the gods advocated them because they
were good. In the latter case, which is what Plato appeared to favour,
the goodness of moral rules are anterior to, and exist independently of,
the gods. God merely discover these moral laws and commend them to
people. But if the gods can discover these moral laws, then so could
humans through the exercise of some other faculty like reason.
The Greek philosophers were not monotheists, but later scholastics
like St Augustine and Aquinas recast Greek thought into the monotheistic
Christian mould from
which it was not rescued until the Renaissance. In the Christian
interpretation of Plato's thought the position becomes reversed and God
is made into the giver of all values. However the view that the goodness
of things are independent of God is not strictly an atheistic or even an
agnostic view. Even Kant who was very influential in modern Western
ethics supported a position similar to that of Plato.
The Old Testament Ethics
We first encounter the ethical theory of the JCI religions as
commands laid down by God. The Old Testament records these commands as
being communicated to Moses by God. Thsi scripture is recognised by both
Christianity and Judaism. The Ten Commandments, or Decalogue, define the
principal ethical rules of these two religions.
In Islam too ethical rules derive principally from God. Muhammad
claimed to have received his revelation from an arch-angel who
communicated what God had written down in the Koran
The Mosaic Commandments (Exodus 20:3-17) are:
1. Do not have any other gods before Yahweh.
2. Do not worship "graven images".
3. Do not take the "name of the Lord thy God in vain".
4. Keep the sabbath day.
5. Honour the father and mother.
6. Do not kill.
7. Do not commit adultery.
8. Do not steal
9. Do not bear false witness against the neighbour.
10. Do not covet (in the following order) the neighbour's house,
wife, manservant, maidservant, ox, ass, nor anything else.
The first four of these commandments are religious ones and would not
usually figure under ethical conduct. The fifth one (honouring one's
parents) may be admitted as an ethical rule provided the parents are
worthy of honour. The next four (Rules 5 - 9) are basic rules of
personal ethical conduct. The final one is a milder version of 8, i.e
instead of stealing the things mentioned people are exhorted not even to
"covet" (i.e. desire) them.
Thus the basic ethical commandments of Moses are the rules against
murder, theft, adultery, and false witness. These rules of course were
not originated by Moses, or, as he alleges, by God. They have been
stated many times before even in the area in which Moses and his people
lived and wandered, e.g in decrees of some Pharaohs, in the laws of
Hammurabi, etc.
They have also been stated by ethical teachers in other places, e.g.
the Buddha and Confucius before the time the Old Testament was composed.
Thus the minimum level of ethical conduct in Buddhism are the five
precepts and four of these could be identified with the four Mosaic
rules. But the Buddhist rules are more extensive in scope, e.g killing
applies to all sentient being not only humans (3).
In fact the Mosaic commandments appear to be even more restrictive and
to apply only to relationships between the "chosen people"
amongst each other as the emphasis on the "neighbour" seems to
Before considering how Jews and Christians have justified the Mosaic
laws we may consider the contribution of Jesus to the question of
The Ethics of Jesus
To the ethics of the Old Testament we have to add the ethics given in
the New Testament. Christians like to present Jesus as advocating a
higher morality than that contained in Judaism, so it may be appropriate
to consider the moral teachings of Jesus. The principal source for these
teachings is the so-called "sermon on the mount". This occurs
in two places in the New Testament (Matt. 5 - 7 and Luke 6:17-49) with
the usual inconsistencies that are evident in the different Gospel
stories. The "Sermon" contain both pure moral rules as well as
religious duties such as instruction on how to pray. Most of the
prohibitions in the Decalogue are repeated, but there is an attempt to
go beyond them and complement the negative statements with positive
If we take the longest version of the Sermon, that given in Matthew (ch.
5) there is first of all the statement of support for the old laws
(5:17-20) beginning with the statement: "Think not I have come to
destroy the law, or the prophets". This involves an acceptance of
the Mosaic commandments and other laws, but these are extended in
several respects (5:21-30) and some new laws promulgated (5:31-48).
The precept against killing is expanded by exhorting his followers to
desist from anger against their "brothers", even asserting:
" whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell
fire" (5:22). The prohibition against adultery is expanded by
saying "whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath
committed adultery" (5:28) and the addition of the new law:
"whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth
adultery" (5:32). The proscription against swearing is expanded by
excluding several other things being used as objects of swearing. There
is also a curious restriction speaking: "But let your communication
be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of
evil" (5:37). More extensive changes are made in connection with
the old rule of "an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth".
These include the following maxims: "whoso-ever shall smite thee on
thy right cheek, turn to him the other also ... if any man will sue thee
at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also...
whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. Give to him
that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou
away" (5:39-42). The maxim on love is expanded to include:
"Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that
hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute
These virtues, especially that of love, are usually held up as
constituting the high point of Jesus' ethical teachings. However love
for one's fellow is always held as inferior to love for one's God and
compared to the few instances where the former is extolled there are far
more instances of the latter.
These exhortations to generosity, love, etc. were made to his
followers; they strictly applied to the brotherhood. In this it
parallels the Mosaic restriction of the moral rules to the chosen
people. Jesus himself seems to have adhered to this rule of excluding
those who did not agree with him from the virtues which he exhorts his
followers to extend to their brothers. It has been noticed that his
treatment to those who did not choose to hear him was met with a degree
of resentment, e.g. by cursing. And those who indulged in practices
disapproved of were treated more severly (e.g. the traders in the
temple). Nietzche regarded the love that Jesus advocated as actually
being a mask for evil. Nietzche looked on the Jewish morality, and in
particular that of Christianity, as being the morality of the slave as
against the morality of a superior class. He held that slaves may be
motivated for love for each other combined with a common hatred for
their oppressors. As slaves may not have any realistic hope of release
so is prone to look for delivery in an other-worldly state.
Niezche's interpretation of the moral teaching of Jesus get greater
support from the version of the sermon in the mount given in Luke which
is quite inferior from an ethical point of view. Here the religious tone
is greater and it starts with Jesus performing his healing miracles
(6:17-19). The beatitudes also emphasise the poor and the weak:
"Blessed be ye poor ... Blessed are ye that hunger ... Blessed are
ye, when men shall hate you... for your reward is great in heaven"
(6:19-23). This is followed by curses to the opposite kind: "But
woe unto you that are rich! ... Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall
hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep. ...
Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you!" (6:24-26).
This is then followed buy exhortations to love, charity, etc. as in
Matthew, considered earlier.
Natural Law and Divine Command Theories.
In the Old Testament there is no justification given for the Mosaic
rules other than simply stating them as instruction received by Moses
from God. Jusus' additions in the N.T. are also in a similar vein.
However later theologians have attempted to justify these in terms of
broader principles. The best known of these justifications are those
advanced on the grounds of natural law and divine command.
The best known advocate of the natural law theory of biblical ethics
is the medieval theologian Thomas Aquinas. It is official position of
the Catholic Church in the modern day and has been defended by a school
of Catholic philosophers called the neo-Thomists such as the French
Catholic Jacques Maritain.
Aquinas seems to start from the reasonable premiss that people have
the capacity to discover for themselves what is good and what is evil
out of their basic human nature. This he calls a natural law. In his Summa
Theologica (Part II, section XIII on The Law) he poses the question
"Whether there is in us a natural law?" (Question 92). As he
answers this in the affirmative it might appear that he does not rely on
divine providence for the discovery of moral laws. However this is a
illusion when we examine what he means "natural law". This is
not for him something separate from divine law, or as he calls it
"eternal law", but actually rests on the basis of divine law.
Thus he writes:
"...since all things subject to divine providence are ruled and
measure by the eternal law, in so far as, namely, from its being
imprinted on them, they derive their respective inclinations to their
proper acts and ends. Now among all others, the rational creature is
subject to divine providence in a more excellent way, in so far as it
itself partakes of a share of providence, by being provident both for
itself and for others. Therefore it has a share of eternal reason,
whereby it has a natural inclination to its proper act and end; and this
participation of the eternal law in the rational creature is called the
natural law". (4)
It is clear from this that the ultimate sanction for natural law and
the exercise of reason by people is the divine law. For Aquinas God was
part of Nature, in fact the first principle of nature. Thus God's
commands could be seen as part of natural law. Even though Aquinas may
argue that the Christian ethics are natural because normal person
acknowledge them almost intuitively, such as for instance the
proscriptions against killing, theft, and the like, this is by no means
true of the first five rules of the Mosaic decalogue. Either these have
to be left out, and there is no case argued for doing this by Aquinas,
or we have to justify them on some other schema of what constitutes
nature. So ultimately even though Aquinas formally rejects the
proposition that we have to accept the Mosaic rules because they are God
given this is in fact what he finally acknowledges by his view that
natural is itself "imprinted" on humans by divine providence
However this is not the way in which Nature is seen by secularists.
They look on nature as consisting only on those things in the Universe
which are empirically observable. Many scientific laws which have not
been refuted by contrary evidence can be considered as part of natural
law. And there is nothing in these laws which would validate the scheme
of values set out in the Mosaic commandments.
During the Protestant reformation its leaders repudiated the theories
of Aquinas along with other sources of Papal authority. This led to a
rehabilitation of the Divine Command theory for ethics. This simply
states that what is good and bad, right and wrong is set out by God in
the divine revelation and that human reason cannot go beyond the divine
From the rationalist point of view the Divine command theory of
ethics can only be considered if it can be shown that the divine author
exists and has the requisite powers and capacities to make the right
judgement. But belief in God is simply a matter of faith. Something
taken on the basis of faith does not require evidence or proof.
Conflicts in Religious Ethics
One of the greatest objections to religious ethics is that the
different religions do not present the same moral values, and often
there is a serious disagreement on the moral value of certain actions.
We have seen that even as between Judaism and Christianity there are
important differences. However the differences between Islam and the two
other religions to which it is related are very much greater.
Islamic ethics resolves itself into a large number of specific rules
governing the conduct of those who follow the faith. Many of these
rules, like those relating to the position of women in Society have
become highly retrograde.
With contradictory ethical values advocated in the various religions
it is clear that they all cannot emanate from the same divine agency.
When we turn to humanist ethics we have to pose the same questions
that have been posed in the consideration of religious ethics. These are
the basis for the ethics concerned and the specific ethics involved.
This first question will be considered in this section and some
practical humanist ethics in the next two sections.
Human Reason and Humanist Ethics
A conventional statement of humanist ethics is given in a Humanist
Society of Queensland leaflet a follows:
Humanists promote a secular system of ethics that is derived from
human experience. They do not subscribe to the view that an ethical
stance requires the adoption of supernatural dogmas. Through the
exercise of reason it is possible to construct an ethical system that
permits society to function smoothly and for individuals to follow an
enjoyable life stance without detriment to their fellow humans or other
life forms.
This statement argues that humanist ethics could be derived from
empiricism and rationalism. Both strands were developed by the
philosophers of the enlightenment Empiricism is largely associated with
philosophers like Hobbes and Locke and they originated the utilitarian
approach to moral theory. Specifically it is claimed that the exercise
of reason enables us to construct a scheme of humanist ethics. But a lot
of things are hidden in that simple statement and it is the purpose here
to explore some of these.
Fundamental problem here is that it may not be possible to derive
through the application of the scientific method moral laws comparable
to, say, the laws of physics. While reason is a highly prized human
faculty there are limits to reason and may be the derivation of moral
laws may be one of them. One of the earliest philosophers to sound a
caution on this is David Hume whose final position was one of
skepticism. This is particularly important because Hume was the only
philosopher of the Enlightenment who could be called an atheist (or at
least an agnotic), even though others like Spinoza came quite close to
it. Hume was also a critic of Christianity refuting many of the
so-called proofs for the existence of God, certainly the most important
critique of Christianity before Nietzsche.
Hume established the distinction between the positive and the
normative. Positive statements may either be true of false, and this
could be established by empirical or rational methods. Normative
statements are value judgements and the normal scientific criteria cann
be used to derive them. Moral philosophy belongs to the normative
category and would thus pose a great difficulty for anyone trying to
establish a system of secular ethics entirely on empirical and rational
grounds. However rational methods is not entirely useless if we base the
search for humanist ethics on some specific principle. We shall in the
rest of this section consider some of principles that had been used in
constructing a system of humanist ethics. While none of these in itself
may be adequate a combination of these approaches may be useful. We
shall consider four approaches, ethics based on the Golden Rule, on
Utilitarianism, on an innate moral sense, and on a priori
principles defining Humanism.
The Golden Rule
The Golden Rule has sometimes been cited as providing the rationale
for humanist ethics. This rule states that one should do to others what
one would expect others to do to oneself. This rule owes its popularity
in the West because it is one of rules given out by Jesus in the Sermon
on the Mount (Matt.7:12; Luke 6:31). It is also said to be contained in
other religions as well
The rule is relevant only for personal ethics and will not be
relevant for many issues of a social ethics . Even as a basis for
individual ethics it is highly subjective in character and will depend
on the person considered. Not all people have the same system of
individual values, so it is quite possible that different ethical codes
could be operative at the same time. While this may be technically
possible in actual fact it is likely to create conflict.
There is no theoretical justification for the Golden Rule in terms of
some higher meta-ethical principle.
This is the principle that only conduct which yields satisfaction or
enjoyment is the approved conduct. The booklet The Humanists
puts this principle in its section on Humanist Morality as follows:
"Humanists believe that a fulfilling life including harmonious
relationships with other people is an adequate although not complete
guide to behaviour. The best code of behaviour is that which promotes a
happy and satisfying life for all, not only in the short term but into
the distant future".
The utilitarian principle was one which emerged in the Enlightenment
but was refined by Bentham and Mill in the nineteenth century. A society
organised according to the utilitarian principle was supposed to
guarantee the greatest happiness of the greatest number. The big problem
with utilitarianism is resolving the conflict when one person's
enjoyment or happiness is purchased at the cost of another person's. As
economic systems became increasingly complex and inter-dependent many
ethical problems could arise which cannot be resolved on the utilitarian
Because of its advocacy of the principle of self-interest
utilitarianism became a dominant influence in the free-market economic
which emerged in the nineteenth century, and after a retreat in the
middle half of the twentieth has again emerged as the dominant economic
ideology of the last quarter of the twentieth century.
Moral Sense Theory of Ethics
The Moral Sense theory was also advanced in the Enlightenment partly
to counter the notion of self-interest implicit in utilitarian thinking.
Like utilitarianism it used some aspects of Locke's psychological theory
and it argued that moral obligations come from benevolent feelings which
are also natural to humans. The theory of the existence of a natural
moral sense is usually associated with the Scottish philosopher Francis
Hutcheson. Other philosophers who also embraced in whole or part the
notion of a moral sense were David Hume and Adam Smith. They argued that
human being possessed a natural sense of empathy towards other humans
which they called sympathy. This trait could co-exist with its
opposite, the competitive instinct, which puts humans in an adversarial
position with respect to each other. Sympathy is what we would today
call compassion. It was not generally emphasised in Judeo-Christianity,
and is quite different from the notion of love which became prominent in
Adam Smith illustrates very well the interplay of these two forces.
In his work on moral philosophy The Theory of Moral Sentiments
(1760) he used Sympathy as the dominant human feeling, but in the
economic work The Wealth of Nations (1776) he opted for the
competitive instinct. It was the latter which was to be adopted by the
mainstream of economic thinking.
Many people intuitively feel that people are endowed naturally with a
moral sense, i.e. a conscience even though they may not follow the
dictates of conscience. If this is so then a system of humanist ethics
could be built on this principle. But we can never be sure whether the
conscience of two people will be the same confronted with the same set
of circumstances. If conscience or moral sense is not innate but an
educated feeling then of course there is no natural moral sense and we
are cannot ground a system of humanist ethics purely on such an entity.
Charles Darwin in his last major work ventured the opinion that any
animal with well-developed social instincts will "acquire a moral
sense or conscience, as soon as its intellectual powers has become as
well, or nearly as well, developed as in man" (The Descent of
Man). However empirical proof of this in man, let alone other
species, is extremely difficult.
Axiomatic Definition of Humanist Ethics
An alternative to principles like the Golden Rule, Utilitarianism and
Innate Moral Sense is what may be called the axiomatic definition of
humanist ethics. Under this the ethics are derived from a pre-existing
definition of humanist principles. Then actions which are supportive of
these rules, and do not violate them, could be considered as coming
within the ambit of Humanist ethics. The first step is not to start with
ethics but to start with a statement of the fundamental principles of
humanism. This method will avoid the problems associated with the
methods discussed earlier.
This will of course shift the entire burden of the definition of
ethics onto the definition (or formulation) of humanist principles. This
is fundamentally an a priori choice relating to the kind of
system one favours, e.g. a religionist one or a humanist one. There is
nothing necessarily arbitrary in this other than the exercise of
deliberate choice in choosing what one considers the most appropriate.
This way of formulating humanist ethics involves adopting a teleological
or consequentialist position while the other kinds of criteria we have
discussed appear to be more deontological (i.e. conforming to criteria
laid down anterior to the event).
As to how the principles of Humanism are defined there are several
approaches to take. These principles must be stated in clear and
succinct terms with every term used capable of an unambiguous
definition. The Appendix to this document contains a scheme of 11 Basic
Principles of Humanism. This scheme will be used to illustrate the
different problems in our discussion of humanist ethics.
Significance of Individual Ethics
Individual ethics has usually been at the core of ethics. Most
systems of religious ethics are confined entirely to it. Personal ethics
here refers to the comportment of a human being considered as a unit in
himself or herself. Usually acts of individuals have an impact on
others. For instance stealing is usually considered a transgression of
an individual ethic. This act however impacts on other individuals, in
this case the person whose property is stolen. But one may not classify
it as a group ethical rule because it may be possible that the act may
be committed without there being a specific "victim", or the
victim may not be aware of the theft, or might not care about it. But
the act could be evaluated nonetheless and deemed to be contrary to
accepted ethical conduct.
Five Rules of Individual Ethics
The five rules of individual ethics which are advocated here are
given as the Basic Principles 11(i) to 11(v). The first four of these
ethical rules are contained in various religious codes. The Mosaic
Decalogue contains four of them as also does the maxims of Confucius.
The Precepts of the Buddha contain all five although in an extended
form. Other religions may imply these but they may not be stated
explicitly as religious commands or maxims. Thus Hinduism does not
contain these individual rules explicitly even though they may be
implicit is some of the rules in their legal books. Islam justifies holy
war (jihad) and killing people for this purpose is sanctioned
not only in theory but also by the personal example of Muhammad. However
Islam (along with Buddhism) are the only religion to explicitly admit
something like Principle 11(v).
While there is a great similarity between religious and secular
ethics as far as these maxims of individual ethics are concerned, there
is a great difference in the reasons for their adoption. The religious
justification is ultimately the Divine Command Theory. For secular
humanism we may justify these on some rule like the Golden Rule,
Utilitarianism, or the argument from Moral sense, or as I prefer the
axiomatic definition.
Ethical Relativism or Absolutism?
A question that must be addressed is whether humanist ethical rules,
either the personal ones given above, or the social ones given later,
are absolute or relative. I would contend that Humanist ethics must have
some degree of absoluteness although not perfect inflexibility.
Religious ethics often claim to be inflexible, but very often later
"revelations" may abrogate or nullify existing ethical rules.
By relativity I do not mean that one set of people have one set of
ethical values and another a different one. I think secular ethics, like
any other scheme of ethics, must be universalist. But relativity could
mean relativity to circumstance in the sense that one circumstance will
determine whether a particular action is deemed ethical, while another
circumstance will makes its opposite the correct course of action. It
could also imply whetehr exceptions can be allowed for humanist ethical
rules. For instances is killing in self-defence justifiable? Should the
man who is hiding a Jew answer the Gestapo man's questions truthfully? I
feel that even in some situations exceptions can be tolerated but not in
There is a criterion that could be used in evaluating such conflicts
between ethical rules. One way of applying this criterion is to
determine which of the two principles involved is the more fundamental
Humanism does not generally prescribe penalties for the violation of
its ethical principles. Religions however do postulate various forms of
punishment. In theocratic states this punishment may be imposed by
ecclesiastic courts, e.g. the Inquisition under Christianity, or the
punishment may be inflicted after death on the day of judgement. Today
in Islamic countries the religious courts have the power to impose
punishment, even the death penalty, for transgressions, e.g. for
apostasy or blasphemy.
Humanists argue that the question of crime and punishment is a matter
for the state. They of course would argue for changes in the penal code
where the existing definition of crimes or punishments involve conflicts
with what they would regard as a humanist scheme of ethics.
The other areas of practical ethics may be described as social
because they involve other agents. The range of things that can be
included in this kind of practical ethics is enormous. Not only do most
areas of private and public decision making involve some ethical
principle, new areas of ethical enquiry are constantly emerging. Thus
many of the ethical problems created by new technologies like genetic
engineering were not known even a decade ago. This constantly changing
area of practical ethics means that we cannot exhaust even the most
common ones adequately in an essay like the present one.
Let us first look at the issues of practical ethics advanced by Peter
Ethics of Equality
Some of the concerns voiced by Peter Singer like treatment of women
and ethnic minorities really relate to the principle of
non-discrimination. We have adopted this as an axiom. Since these
ethical maxims have received a measure of social consensus a further
discussion of them may not be warranted beyond the treatment of the
subjects in Singer's book. The basic humanistic principle involved is
principle 9, the principle of non-discrimination.
However we have to deal with a more radical ethic, the ethic of
economic equality. Singer speaks of "the rich helping the
poor". If it is pure charity then there would be no ethical problem
but suppose it is claimed that economic inequality is intrinsically
unethical. Not many humanists would support a distribution of wealth
that is perfectly equal, but not many will support the inequality that
is currently existing.
Ethics and Specism
Peter Singer has been very pro-active in supporting the rights of
animals. In Christianity God is supposed to have given dominion to man
over animals. This is the basis for the massive exploitation of animals
for human use and human consumption that has now reached enormous
proportions. Other religious ethics like those of Jainism, Buddhism and
Hinduism recognise the rights of non-human species to a much greater
I am not sure what the humanist position on this is. The principles
laid down in the charter in the appendix exclude the rights of species.
Perhaps this is a principle that should be included in the list of
humanist principles.
Humanists recognise the right given to women of abortion in the early
months of pregnancy. The "right-to-life" deny abortion at any
stage after conception. The ethic of non-killing applies to humans (even
if we exclude other species). Now crucial to this is the definition of
who a human is. Humanists do not consider this as been purely determined
by DNA.
Principle 5 of our Basic Principles of Humanism defines what is meant
by an autonomous human being and this would exclude abortion in early
pregnancy as an unethical act.
Voluntary Euthanasia
This again is permissible under secular humanism but not under most
systems of religious ethics. Central to this is the definition of
killing involved in Principle 11(i) of the Basic Principles.
Other Ethical Issues
There are a vast number of other specific humanist ethics which are
not mentioned in Peter Singer's book. These include a whole host of
things like prperty rights (particularly the newly developed right to
intellectual property), civil rights, rights in the educational area,
and many other issues which have general agreement between humanists.
There are others which are less well known and on which there is some
differences between humanists. These include things like eugenics,
genetic engineering, genetically modified foods, etc. It also includes
the right for secularists to be entitled to privileges now available to
Many of the practical ethical issues advocated by Humanists are also
advocated by other groups dedicated exclusively to these goals. If we
consider the ethic of environmental conservation this is now advocated
by a growing number of bodies dealing with this ecological issues. It is
therefore not surprising that Humanists have tended to emphasise those
issues which are not generally advocated by other groups.
7. Post modernist critique of secular ethics
Humanist ethics is not without its critics. Humanism has always been
opposed by religionists and the religionist critique of humanist ethics
is to be expected. Fortunately it is also the easiest to refute. Despite
the passage of time the religious apologia is still fundamentally the
same. Theologians are constantly spinning new theories but they have to
use the same old materials and these have been exploded over and over
again. There is nothing worthwhile remaining in the religious critique
of humanism and its ethics.
However in recent times Humanist ideas have been attacked from a new
quarter, which we shall call post-modernism. There is no clear ideology
behind this movement and indeed the very definition of the term is
subject to great dispute. A modern Critique has defined it as follows:
"Postmodernism is a style of
thought which is suspicious of classical notions of truth, reason,
identity and objectivity, of the idea of universal progress or
emanicipation, of single frameworks, grand narratives or ultimate
grounds of explanation. Against these Enlightenment norms it sees the
world as contingent, ungrounded diverse, unstable, indeterminate, a set
of disunified cultures or interpretations..." Terry Eagleton, The
Illusions of Postmodernism (Blackwell, 1996), p.vii
While many people confine post-modernism to recent trends in art and
literature others extend it to philosophy in general. Under this
extension it is sometimes argued that all ethical values are relative
and all schemes of ethics are "valid". This would mean that
equal importance should be attached to Christian ethics as to Muslim
ethics, to religious ethics as to secular ethics, to Nazi ethics as to
democratic values. Clearly this exposes the absurdity of this approach.
While we cannot expose this critique of humanism here we may refer to
an implicit critique by a Queensland academic A. Tuan Nuyen in the
course of a re-interpretation of an early essay by Bertrand Russell
"A Free Man's Worship"
The proof of this extraordinary claim is based on a clear distortion
of Russell's argument. Russell says, quite metaphorically: "Man
creates God, all-powerful and all-good, the mystic unity of what is and
what should be" and "Shall our God exist and be evil, or shall
he be recognized as the creation of our own conscience?" Such
statements do not imply an affirmation or an "Anunciation" of
God, religion or divinely ordained ethical rules, but merely the
statement that "God" is pure a creation of the human mind and
could be invested with any property, good or bad.
Postmodernist thinking is no different from the shallow argument of
Tuan Nuyen. What can be demonstrated is the post modernism is incapable
of refuting the position of secular humanism on ethics or any other
1. The only relevant spheres of action for humans are humanity in a
collective sense, human beings as individuals and the physical
environment (including nature) in which they operate.
2. Human beings are not subject to God or any divine agency. They
have no obligation to love, fear or obey any such supernatural agent.
3. All beliefs must be founded on reason and human experience. Where
the progress of knowledge reveals that any belief is or becomes
untenable it should be abandoned.
4. All human beings are entitled to inalienable human rights such as
those enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
5. These rights inhere to humans from the time the human fetus
becomes a viable biological entity capable of independent existence
without physical or organic dependence on another human being.
6. Humans do not have a right of dominion over animals and the
environment, it being recognised that humans along with many other
species of animals do change their environment by their very existence.
7. Children shall not be subjected to physical and mental abuse, nor
to religious or political indoctrination by parents or others. The
rights of children should be codified in a charter of children's rights.
8. Civil laws should be arrived at by a collective consensual process
and should promote the common good, not the tenets of a particular
religion or philosophy.
9. Special privileges should not be given to any group on the basis
of religious or philosophical belief, nor should any group be
discriminated against on an unfair way.
10. There is no conclusive evidence that life exists after death so
humans should exert themselves primarily in terms of their present life.
11. Ethical rules should be based on reason and human experience and
should inter alia promote:
(i) Non-injury to life and the physical well-being of persons.
(ii) Respect for rights and property of others
(iii) Avoidance of sexual violence
(iv) Abstaining from falsehood, fraud and deception
(v) Avoidance of addiction to substances causing physical or mental
2. There is a second level of Islamic
jurisprudence (the Hadith) which relate to the actual practices of
Muhammad. The rules of conduct, ethical or otherwise, from both the
Koran and the Hadith have been compiled into the set of Islamic laws,
the Sharia. Judicial interpretations of the Sharia have added a further
tier to Islamic ethical rules.
3. On Buddhist ethics see the reference to the
author's article on Buddhist ethics on the link given in the internet
page <www.uq.net.au/slsoc/manussa/ethics.htm>
4. Basic Writings of Saint Thomas Acquinas
(ed. A.C.Pegis) Random House, 1945, Vol. II, p.750.
5. Some people have even called Aquinas a
humanist. This is almost completely in appropriate on almost any
interpretation of humanism, and certainly not on the secular humanist
interpretation. In fact in this regard, by his subsuming God in nature
he actually takes an anti-humanist position.
6. The booklet The Humanists issued by
the Humanist Society of Queensland has citations from Hinduism,
Confucius, the Buddha, Jainism, Judaism, Jesus and Epictetus supporting
this rule.
7. The relative order of importance of the various
humanist principles is one to which some thought has to be given. The
order in which they are listed can be used to indicate their ranking
order. In the scheme of principles given in the appendix the personal
ethical rules figure as the last principle. This is however something
that may be argued and some might consider it of sufficient importance
to figure after the core principles of humanism (e.g. principles 1 - 4).
8. Peter Singer is an Australian academic who has
advocated several controversial positions in ethics. He has been
interested in problems of equality (gender, ethnicity etc.), the taking
of "life" (e.g. in euthanasia, abortion, etc.), animal rights,
political violence, civil disobedience, etc.
9. Russell's essay was published in 1903 and not
revised since. Tuan Nuyen's critique is in the article "What Does
the Free Man Worship", International Journal for Philosophy of
Religion, 46 1999 pp 35-48.
You may translate and publish the articles in this site only if you
provide a link to the original page.


text: Check Max Plus is a Financial Services Center providing excellent service to the customers. We are here to meet the financial needs of our customers. We have been in business over 18 years. We pride ourselves in taking care of the business of our customers. We are licensed in the State Of California by the Department of Business Oversight for the Deferred Deposit Transaction Law License Number 10 DBO 55321 and Finance Lenders Law License Number 60 DBO 55332.


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Learners Starting Age of Learning EFL and Use of Language Learning Strategies
Learners Starting Age of Learning EFL and Use of Language Learning Strategies - Download this document for free, or read online. Document in PDF available to download.
English Language Teaching, v6 n1 p28-34 2013
This study investigated the use of language learning strategies (LLS) and reasons for learning English among Iranian EFL students who began learning English at different ages. The participants (N = 33, both male and female) were divided into two groups of younger beginners (who began learning English before age 9; N = 16) and older beginners (who began learning English at or after age 12; N = 17). They were invited to complete Oxford's (1990) Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL) questionnaire and to take part in a structured interview. While the students' choices of LLS were identified both through the questionnaire and interviews, their reasons for strategy use and their goals in learning English were determined using the interviews alone. Data analysis indicated that there were differences in LLS categories employed by the groups. Further findings and implications are discussed in the paper.
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, English (Second Language), Second Language Learning, Learning Strategies, Age Differences, Children, Adolescents, Structured Interviews, Student Attitudes, Goal Orientation, Measures (Individuals), Questionnaires
Canadian Center of Science and Education. 1120 Finch Avenue West Suite 701-309, Toronto, OH M3J 3H7, Canada. Tel: 416-642-2606; Fax: 416-642-2608; e-mail: elt[at]ccsenet.org; Web site: http://www.ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/elt
Author: Sadeghi, Karim; Khonbi, Zainab Abolfazli
Source: https://eric.ed.gov/?q=a&ft=on&ff1=dtySince_1992&pg=4017&id=EJ1076687


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Mailing List:
One Dollar Short on Channel V
One Dollar Short appeared on Channel V on Saturday morning, and played the song 'Perfect Day' from their single 'Board Game'. One question that was asked by the idiot interviewer... "what's with that 1-2-3-4 scream?" I mean... really...
Jimmy Eat World shows
Only two bands. JEW and Blueline Medic. Well, some people i'm sure are happy, but the majority of us are not too pleased. $27 for the tickets, only two bands. Blueline Medic were supposed to be touring with Samiam later (in July) until they cancelled. Bummer.
In other news, JEW are playing a few dates with Weezer in England on July 3, 4, & 5. Pity they are already sold out.


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Manifolds offer major advantages when integrated into hydraulic systems. However there are many factors to consider when determining the required circuit, functions and the performance of the manifold. Secondary parameters such as valve selection, port connections and preferred layout, etc need to be considered and decided on before specifying the manifold requirements to the designer.
Following is a brief explanation of some key factors to be considered when specifying the design requirements for hydraulic manifolds.
These are specifically design and manufactured to order to suit particular applications and individual customer requirements. The cost of design is in addition to the cost of manufacture and is generally factored into an overall cost of the manifold(s)
These are common, industry standard manifolds usually for basic generic applications and are generally manufactured or purchased to be sold as off-the-shelf items against a published price list.
The schematic circuit represents and communicates the function and operation of the fluid power system. The circuit is the ultimate responsibility of the fluid power engineer (generally representing the customer) who has full understanding of the system and the design requirements. This is the person who signs off on the verification and approval of the manifold layout and circuit, prior to manufacture.
As with the fluid power circuit, the correct valve selection for a manifold is vital and is primarily determined by the valve properties and characteristics to suit the application and desired outcome. Valve selection is the responsibility of the engineer/circuit designer. This is the person who knows what specific valves and their performance characteristics are required to produce the desired outcome.
Other relevant factors in valve selection include commercial considerations such as brand preference, time and availability restraints and price.
The shape and size of a manifold can vary to suit almost any individual requirement. Traditionally manifolds are rectangular in shape and sized as small or as large is practically possible.
Occasionally cut-outs, contours or lugs are machined to suit particular mounting requirements. In advanced applications, manifolds are quite complex in shaped and are physically integrated into a machine as an integral or structural member.
The base material selection is usually governed by factors such as system pressure, duty cycle, mass limitations, environmental conditions and engineering specifications. Traditional base materials are aluminum, mild steel and ductile (SG)iron.
Aluminum is popular for it's light weight and low corrosive properties, and it's ease of machining. Aluminum is normally maximum rated to working pressures between 210-240 bar, depending on the grade of aluminum and applied safety factors. Aluminum is not normally accepted in underground mining applications.
Ferrous based steel and ductile iron are better suited for high duty cycle applications, especially in mining and industrial equipment. Steel and ductile iron rely on suitable surface treatment to minimise surface corrosion.
Stainless steel and brass are usually specified in critically reactive areas such as marine and food processing environments.
Surface treatment (also known as surface protection and plating) is generally specified to provide resistance to surface corrosion thereby extending service life. Other benefits of surface treatment may include abrasive resistance, internal protection from specific fluids, improved overall appearance and ultimately, product quality.
While there is a wide variety of surface treatments available, two of the most common for ferrous based manifolds are Zinc Electroplating and Electroless Nickel. Zinc plating is common and relatively economical. Electroless Nickel plating is considered to give better protection, particularly in internal galleries etc, but is more expensive. Internal protection is critical for some water-based and synthetic hydraulic fluids.
Anodising is the most common surface treatment process for aluminum. Two benefits of anodising are it's abrasive resistance (by the forming of aluminum oxide) and in some grades, the anodised surface can be coloured to a limited choice.


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It's Labor Day weekend, which means the return of Detroit's acclaimed Jazz Festival.
From big names like Herbie Hancock and Miles Mosley, to the amazing talent from the Motor City like Regina Carter and Marcus Elliot, the Detroit Jazz Festival has a line-up this year that is sure to please old and new jazz-heads alike.
The festival is curated by Chris Collins, president and artistic director of the Detroit Jazz Festival.
Collins joins Detroit Today with Stephen Henderson to give a preview of this year's festivities.
"I always say there's two sides," says Collins. "There's our national stuff and our incredible home town legacy."
Click on the audio player above to hear the full conversation.


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It List: Thursday 9/13/07
Diplo/Switch (Suite): Diplo has had many critically acclaimed releases and remixes for the past few years working on everyone from The Decemberists to Three Six Mafia to more underground baile funk stuff on his own label. He is most famous for his work with M.I.A.. Hopefully this show being at Suite won't be as bad as the recent Kid Sister show where everyone got turned away, but we'll see. Opening act Switch has also worked with M.I.A., and I actually prefer his somewhat more minimal electro approach and lack of world music aesthetic.
Daniel Folmer/My Son The Astronaut!/William Blackett (J & J's Pizza): My Son The Astronaut is the solo acoustic project of one of the 715 Panhandle guys and that crowd's youthful exuberance can usually get me to let my guard down enough to even watch a set of borderline pop-punk. Miraculous. The ever expressive Daniel Folmer is also playing and I wonder if he'll enlighten the crowd with some commentary on how pickup hockey games are like slave labor.
Pleasant Grove/JD Whittenburg/Naptime Shake (Double Wide): Dallas Observer writer Noah Bailey must have totally used his powerful position at the weekly to score this sweet Thursday night show at The Double Wide. Good for him. Do what you gotta do in this highly competitive local music scene, bro! It's dog-eat-dog. Pleasant Grove has been playing music since before my voice completely changed and Clinton was still president.
The Ataris/Thorn VS Side/Brake Vegas (Rubber Gloves): I just posted this so I could put up that unbelievable press-kit gem. Do you think they had to drag that cheap rug like a fucking lake to find the band afterwards? They blend right in!


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One of the worst gifts ever to give someone (namely kids) for Christmas is a puppy. Literally, if you do a search online, you will find countless sites and professionals who say it. However, after 6 years of begging my husband for a dog, he finally gave in. Since this was so monumental for our family, we couldn't just give it to them for any old reason, it had to be special and my husband said it had to be for Christmas. So, about a month before the holidays, we started researching breeds, talking to local breeders, etc. to find a good match. The more we saw, the more confused we got! We knew we didn't want a big dog, but didn't want a small yippee one either, or one that shed a lot. There were quite a few things on our "must have" list so the market for dogs was getting smaller and smaller. After posting about our hunt on my Facebook page and after a mean text message from my sister about her hurting me if we went through a breeder or store, I was convinced to give the pound and some shelters a try.
I was skeptical at first but the moment I went to visit one, my mind was made up. It was a week before Christmas and I found Second Chance Rescue and the cutest little puppy ever. Wasn't the breed we were looking for, wasn't the right color, but something in her eyes tugged at my heart strings! I made an appointment to go visit her immediately. However, once I got there, I picked her up and she was adorable BUT then I saw this little black fur ball hiding in their crate and once I picked up her brother, I was SOLD. No more looking… this was our puppy! I filled out the paperwork and that was that.
He was scheduled to get fixed & chipped the following day and then they would want us to pick him up. Um, but wait, Christmas is still a week away! Crap… what to do! Luckily one of my amazing friends offered to keep him for us for the week so the kids would be able to "open" their gift on Christmas. Little did either of us know then that we were in for a VERY long week. Our puppy "Tannenbaum" (yeah, what a name the shelter gave him right?) was doing great for a couple of days at my friends house. I was visiting and spending time with him every day… then all of a sudden he got sick. Wasn't eating, threw up, diarrhea, would barely wake up. We gave it a couple of days just to see if he would get better then decided he had to be seen. Ended up testing positive for Parvo I was devastated. Vet said 85% of puppies with the virus don't pull through.
It was a horrible 2 days not knowing if the little guy would make it or how he was doing, but thanks to my friends AMAZING TLC and keeping him hydrated every 2 hours for the couple of days he was showing signs…. our puppy completely pulled through! It was Christmas Eve and although we hoped to give the kids the puppy Xmas morning, we didn't have a choice but to do it a bit early! I picked him up from the hospital and put a big red bow on him…. then had the kids come into the garage to see their Christmas Eve present (we let them open one every year anyways, so it all worked out)!
Meet Comet
He constantly looks like he's sad or deep in thought, doesn't like having his picture taken, eats a ton of grass, digs holes in our yard, doesn't like taking walks and prefers we carry him, looks nothing like we thought "our puppy" would…
He has a knack for finding the coziest spots to sleep.
He has surprisingly done GREAT at crate training. The first couple of weeks Comet was waking up every couple of hours during the night to use the bathroom (or at least to make sure we were still alive and close to him) but didn't have any accidents. Having a puppy is definitely a LOT of work and Im glad those first few weeks are over because there were a couple of nights I was ready to give him back lol! Things are better now and he stays in his crate with no problem from 10pm until about 7am. During the day he naps in his crate like this… Im convinced its because he doesn't want us to close it on him!
… he knows how to SIT, LAY DOWN, and ROLL OVER also! Picks up training really easily it seems. Now if I could just get him to STAY and COME on command, I would be 100% happy!
… all in all, I think he is one wonderful puppy! And he adores being outside! He could spend all morning out in the grass playing around by himself.
… then when he comes inside he either goes to his crate OR finds a lap to relax in. Kids have been thrilled and great with him too. Very helpful and ready to lend a hand taking care of him. Not sure how long that will last, but I will take what I can for now!
Comet doesn't quite know what to think of my studio yet though. Anytime I have taken him in there while Im setting up a session, he stands right by the door eager to get out! Perhaps he is guarding it for me?
He didn't think I would let him get away that easy though right? Nobody around me is exempt from an embarrassing picture
That's Comet… our amazing miracle puppy!


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On Friday, 2nd and Saturday 3rd December, 2016, the Embassy and Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka, under the guidance of H. E. Priyanee Wijesekera and with the precious support of the Sri Lankan Community of Vienna, participated to the United Nations Women Guild Charity Bazaar at the Vienna Conference Center. For the first time since seven years, Sri Lanka operated not only a Restaurant Stall, but also a National Goods stall to promote Sri Lankan products and industries.
Moreover, a Sri Lankan dancing group, performing traditional Sri Lankan dances in authentic dresses, attracted the visitors of this special event.
This very popular event where about 150 nations were represented with their stalls and which was visited by more than 50.000 people, was coordinated by Mr. Namal Wijeyamuni Zoysa, Second Secretary of this Mission,.
The Bazaar started with a soft opening of the National Goods Stalls on Friday evening. This soft opening was attended by staff members of United Nations as well as Austrians.
At the food stall, more than 500 rations of delicious Sri Lankan specialities, provided by members of the Community, where served by Embassy Staff and Community Members to the gathering. Also Sri Lankan Tea was served to the visitors of the Bazaar.
On the first floor of the hall, the Embassy operated the National Goods Stall. There, tea, jewellery and decorative carving were exhibited and sold to the public. People were attracted by the exhibited items, and already by 04 p.m., the stall staff had to flag "Sold- out!".
Visitors of the bazaar were specially attracted by the large variety of tea, especially loose tea, for which Sri Lanka is the bench mark.
Vienna, 13th December, 2016


text: Australian junior miner Alcyone Resources has poured its first silver bullion from its 100%-owned Texas silver and polymetallic project in Queensland it acquired 18 months ago, after starting in early April this year to re-irrigate the existing silver-rich heaps at the Twin Hills mine. Alcyone says its forecast cash operating cost is around A$15/ounce which provides strong margins with the silver price hovering above A$30/ounce. It expects to start full-scale operations by the September 2011 quarter at an initial annualised rate of 1.5-2.0m ounces. The ASX-listed penny stock is up some 120% so far this year.


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Today, Johnthan Banks and Darius Slay have the biggest interviews of their life.
At the NFL Combine, the former Mississippi State cornerbacks are taking part in a job interview of sorts, working out in front of NFL scouts, coaches, general managers and media, with TV cameras rolling and every move, every tenth of a second, scrutinized across the country.
But, despite, the stress, it's the realization of a dream for the two who took very different paths to get where they are.
Banks has transformed himself from a zero-star recruit almost no one wanted to a Thorpe Award winner and All-American who many think will go in the first round of April's NFL Draft.
A four-year starter with a boatload of interceptions to his name, Banks has plenty of tape for NFL teams to see.
One of the keys, many have said, is his 40-yard dash at the Combine.
"I'm working on anything, but the 40-yard dash is pretty important. I've been working very hard at it, trying to get everything perfect. It's like trying to be a track guy for two days. I just want to give them what they want," Banks said. "I talked to a few scouts, but they really haven't given me much feedback about what's going on because everyone's really waiting on the Combine."
That dash, of course, takes place this morning in Indianapolis.
Otherwise, Banks says, they know what he brings to the table. He's instinctive and smart, and perhaps most importantly, he's long.
So long that MSU quarterback Tyler Russell said he had to start adjusting his throws in practice because of it. Russell would think he had a window to get the ball to a receiver, then Banks would swoop in, throw one of his lengthy arms in the air and bat down the ball.
The length, in addition to his above-average height for the position, gives Banks some distinct advantages.
"I can do things other corners can't," he said. "It's very valuable. If you don't throw it high enough, if you think you can squeeze it in the corner, that's where my length takes place."
Taking the natural length he has, Banks has added to it with a strong regimen of studying film on opposing quarterbacks and receivers.
Pairing ability with knowledge, he says, is what led to a lot of his success.
"Most of the interceptions I got I tried to bait the quarterback," Banks said. "Make him think they're open and bam, I'm there. It's been a blessing and I just thank God for my size and everything he's blessed me with."
And it's that studying of film which helped Banks' teammate Slay work his way onto the field and become such a force of his own in his senior year, as the two would spend hours together breaking down opponents.
Of course, Slay's path was a bit different. A Georgia native, Slay signed with MSU out of high school, but ultimately had to go to junior college.
From there, he became one of the nation's more sought-after corners, and despite advances from several other big programs, Slay ultimately decided to make it to his intended destination. However, by that time, Banks and Corey Broomfield had entrenched themselves as starters at cornerback, so Slay, despite his accolades, had to wait.
"I had to be patient and learn. As one of the top JUCO corners, it was kind of hard," Slay said. "One thing I know for a fact, I got a lot of help from Corey Broomfield. He was my roommate. He kept me motivated, kept me positive because it was hard to come from JUCO."
The patience paid off, as Slay ascended to a starting position in his senior year and after a breakout season has become one of the fastest-rising names on draft boards this offseason.
Two things led to the rise for Slay: his undeniable speed, and the opportunity to play next to Banks, one of the most well-known corners in the country by the time the 2012 season started.
As far back as September, New York Giants General Manager Jerry Reese traveled to Starkville to watch a game and said himself many would discover Slay simply because they're watching MSU for Banks.
"I did enough to earn my own respect, but he gave me help," Slay said of Banks.
Slay, who has been training in Tampa, Fl., at the same facility as Chad Bumphis, knows speed is his greatest asset, but believes he brings more than just that.
"[I'm] very physical," he said. "I love to compete."
Entering the draft, his speed helps him in one area MSU didn't get to see much of: special teams.
"That's one of my specialties," Slay said. "That's why I was one of the top recruits out of JUCO because I returned kicks and did all kind of stuff. I'm real good at it and I'd love to do it at the next level."
Yet another skill he and Banks, despite being so different in style, have in common.
Slay dashes across the field like a cheetah, while Banks' long arms and legs more closely resemble a gazelle, bounding down the sideline, chasing passes through the air.
But both have versatility, something teams certainly value.
Banks, of course, is perfectly willing to spend time on special teams.
"If somebody's gonna invest a lot of money in me, I'm gonna do whatever it takes to be successful and what it takes to help my team win," he said.
The journey for Banks has been interesting, and this point in his story could've easily come a year earlier as he contemplated turning pro after his junior season before ultimately deciding to remain at MSU.
He says it's a decision he's glad he made, though he admits he's a bit more stressed this year than last as he takes the biggest stage yet in his career.
Luckily, he hasn't been alone as he trains at MSU and finishes classes.
"I'm mentally prepared," Banks said. "[Strength] Coach Matt Balis, Coach Mullen, Coach Brewster, they get me through it. They know what it takes to get there. Charles Mitchell came home and he's got me some drills and stuff. I've got my confidence up. I talk to Charles and Vick Ballard and Fletcher Cox all the time. They keep me up to date on what to expect. Boobie and Jamar Chaney."
The horde of those around Banks from his time at State with NFL experience is both vast and supportive, as he's even talked to players from before his time – like Fred Smoot – who have been to the NFL, gone through the practices and dealt with the scrutiny.
Although, one part of the transition few mention is his family. His wife Mallory and his son Kaiden are with him wherever he goes, a young family just a few months away from moving from the one place they know, and they have no idea where they'll go.
"It's very exciting for me and my family," Banks said. "We always wanted to experience the world a little bit."
Though the Mississippi native admits he's sad that his son won't grow up in the Magnolia State.
"Hopefully, we'll be back one day," he said.
The period of transition for MSU's two corners is also an opportunity for reflection on their time in Maroon and White.
Asked what his favorite moment was from his career, Banks said "there's no question," and immediately took a trip back in time to his freshman year.
"My 102-yard pick off of Tim Tebow," Banks said with a laugh. "I can remember it like it was yesterday. I remember Broomfield tipping it and me running up under it and Pernell McPhee getting out in front and blocking and smoking Tebow and Chris White catching up and running with me."
Tebow, McPhee and White are all in the NFL now, just waiting on Banks to join the party.
As for Slay, his brightest moment wasn't too different, also in his first year at MSU.
"My Georgia play," Slay said. "The 72-yard touchdown [on the interception]. One of my best plays. I'm from Georgia and lot of my family was there. That was my first game they came to."
Funny that the two cornerbacks, two of the best defenders in the country, had their happiest moments finding a way to score a touchdown.


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High prices at the pump, warns an Orange County injury lawyer, are not the only thing California residents should be concerned about at Southland gas stations: in the past few months, defective spray nozzles have caused several injuries throughout the state, including one serious enough to require hospitalization.
The state fire marshal is warning all California residents to the possible spray hazard of the VST made nozzle and has issued a directive to thousands of service station operators to remove the 30,000 "open hold" latches that are in question. These latches are convenient due to the fact that you can go wash your windows at the same time the latch allows the pump to run without you holding it. This will affect approximately one-third of all California service stations.
Just last month there were accidents here in Orange County as well, in both Huntington Beach and Santa Ana, according to an Orange County injury lawyer. In fact half of all the incidences have been in Southland. The accidents are under investigation and the latches are being removed as a safety precaution until the results of an inquiry into the defective spray nozzles.
The California state fire marshal cited that this is "a hazard to the public and welfare". Besides the obvious safety issues of gasoline that is being spraying onto your face and eyes, there is a real fire danger as well. Most Service station owner, obviously concerned for the customer's safety and possible liability issue, are removing the latches immediately.
Daniel Berlant from the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection is setting up mandates for Service station owners to be complied with by Oct 15, 2010 They have the option to:
• Possibly revert back to employee pumping only • Removing the convenience of paying at the pump, going inside to pay • Remove all latches from the VST nozzles
One additional warning is to never put another object like a bottle or can to hold the nozzle in your tank. This could unfortunately cause the same problem.
Currently the deadline to remove all of the latches is required by October 15th. If you still encounter a gas station that has not removed the latch, an Orange County injury lawyer advises that you utilize these safety precautions to avoid an injury.
Since most accident are occurring once you have picked up the nozzle and then push your selection for type of fuel, experts are suggesting that you put the nozzle into the tank hole before you select the grade of gasoline. This will prevent most of the spray accidents. However, if the latch is still attached to the nozzle, there is still some danger of getting sprayed when you remove it. To be on the safe side for now, try to use only nozzle pumps with no latches attached.
After Oct. 15th, gas stations that have not complied with this order will be shut down.
James Ballidis is an Orange County injury lawyer specializing in injury claims arising from accidents resulting from defective products and manufacturer negligence. He has written numerous articles on subjects relevant to personal injury law. To request a copy of one of his books or articles, or to discuss a specific case, feel free to call 866-981-5596.


text: It is no wonder that Yosemite has been called the "temple to nature". John Muir's own words, "It is by far the grandest of all the special temples of Nature I was ever permitted to enter." You will be astounded with the countless things to see and do while visiting Yosemite National Park in Mariposa County. Make sure you don't pass up the following can't-miss attractions any visitor to Yosemite should see.


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To be honest, I wish I could say building leaders is easy, but it is not. We had our meeting of new leadership for our church plant. We prayed and discussed where we should start meeting Wednesday nights. It was a lengthy discussion with a few unanswered question. Cordero, the man pictured above, offered us his workshop that is at the front of his house on the main road. They all thought this was a sound idea after deciding it was too expensive to build a building at this time. Afterwards, they had some second thoughts about the matter. It does come with some issues.
This issue is one of those plates that we are dropping as we hop on the plane. I told them this was their decision and held back my opinion in the discussion. It is all about passing leadership to new leaders. It was hard to do, and I pray that the Lord will care for this as we leave. Please pray for us.


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Planters Bank employees are actively involved in the communities of Hopkinsville, Princeton, Providence, Sturgis, Sebree, and Dawson Springs (KY) and Clarksville (TN.) From serving on non-profit organization boards, to collecting items for families in need, to being politically active, employees do their parts to make a positive difference in the lives of their fellow citizens.
|Janet Calhoun, SVP of commercial banking, is actively involved with Sanctuary Inc., a Hopkinsville organization that assists victims of rape, sexual assault, and domestic violence. She has served multiple years as board president.
In 2015-16 Janet will Chair the Christian County Chamber of Commerce, representing their 900+ members for a prosperous economy for all Christian County citizens.
In 2009, Janet served as United Way of the Pennyrile Campaign Chair. Janet's leadership not only led to a successful campaign, but also to Planters Bank receiving the Gold Award and Overall Campaign Award for its outstanding contribution.
|Suzanne Langford, Middle Tennessee Market Executive, was named 2010 Outstanding Board member for the United Way of the Greater Clarksville region. Due in part to her dedication and leadership, Planters Bank received the 2011 Ben C. Parks Award for the best workplace campaign. Suzanne also serves on the Aspire Clarksville Steering Committee and the Customs House Museum and Cultural Center Board of Directors.
AVP of Mortgage Lending Angie Smith gives back to both the community where she lives and the community where she works. A life-long resident of neighboring Stewart County, Angie is actively involved as a volunteer at North Stewart Elementary School. "Serving at the elementary school is an opportunity for me to help the school system that helps both my community and my children. It's such a positive experience to help children succeed in the classroom." She also serves as treasurer on the board of directors for Clarksville's HOPE Pregnancy Center. The HOPE Center provides accurate and quality information and services to women and couples facing unexpected pregnancies.
Sebree Branch Manager/AVP Mickey Dunbar believes that education and economic opportunity go hand-in-hand. He is Vice Chairman on the Webster County Board of Education and the Chairman of the Community Involvement Committee for the Webster County Work Ready Initiative. He also serves as the President of the Webster County Extension Council and is active in the Sebree Chamber of Commerce.
"I can't think of any more worthy causes than education and economic growth for the people in our community. I like to work closely with our school system, businesses and farmers to promote this area and improve everyone's quality of life. To help others achieve their dreams and life goals makes all my efforts worthwhile."
Treasury Management AVP Eyvette Sellers cares about where she lives and what goes on in her community. That's why she chooses to become involved in civic organizations. "I believe it is important to use my strengths, talents, and God-given abilities to help others," she says. "My involvement in Leadership Hopkinsville, Sanctuary, and the other organizations to which I commit my time, affords me the opportunity to do just that."
Eyvette knows that she has received just as much as she has given, simply by helping others. "I have the privilege of making a difference in so many lives, meeting great people, and enjoying a rewarding volunteering experience." For her, helping others is important because it provides contentment, gratification, and gives a greater sense of fulfillment.
"One of the most rewarding activities I'm involved in," says Dawson Springs Branch Manager Anita Black, "is serving as a school-based mentor with Hopkins County Big Brothers Big Sisters. Anita has volunteered for 10 years and had the pleasure of seeing her "little" graduate last year. "She and I had worked together since she was in the fourth grade. I admit that I felt like one of my children was graduating."
Anita has been actively involved in Take Kids Fishing for the past eight years, a co-community event with Caldwell County. She is also an officer and board member of the Dawson Springs Chamber of Commerce and Main Street Programs.
|SVP of Ag & Commercial Lending Jason Jenkins has chaired the Christian County Cattlemen's Association Championship Rodeo since 2010. Attracting thousands from around the region, this huge event raises money for youth scholarships -- more than $20,000 in the past two years. "This is a great event for Hopkinsville," says Jason. "We are able to raise a lot of money that provides scholarship opportunities and support for many students and youth programs. I'm honored to be part of it." The rodeo is held at the Western Kentucky Fairgrounds each August.
|Employees volunteer annually to raise money for Big Brothers Big Sisters at the Bowl for Kids Sake Banker's Challenge.
|Commerce Street Branch Manager Jan Greene organized a collection for the Life Center Foundation's Phoenix Program in December 2011. Employees and customers donated several large boxes of clothing and personal care items for women going through the program. Jan also serves on the Phoenix Program board of directors.
|Clarksville Young Professionals Leader and Planters Bank Mortgage Loan Officer Amy Bailey is passionate about getting the younger generation actively involved in their community. "There's a gap between the established leaders in our community who are called on repeatedly to fill key volunteer roles," she says. "CYP works to engage younger citizens, beginning with APSU graduates, in all areas of community activity." Amy has also served on the boards of directors for the Clarksville Area Chamber of Commerce and YMCA. She was the Altrusa 2009 Dancing with the Stars winner.
|Employees from the bank's Clarksville branches collected and delivered a large trunk load of food to the school system's F.U.E.L. program to help feed children whose only source of food is what they receive from the school.
|Relay for Life teams in both Hopkinsville and Clarksville work for months coordinating a variety of creative fundraising activities for the American Cancer Society. For the past several years, bank efforts raised well over $10,000 annually! The Hopkinsville team received the New Horizons Award in 2010 for raising the highest percentage increase from the previous year, and was also awarded the third highest fundraiser for Christian County.
|Barry Meade, SVP of Credit Administration, represents Planters Bank as part of the annual Citizens for Fort Campbell delegation in Washington, D.C. The group of some 50 community leaders from Christian, Montgomery and Stewart Counties visit with each Kentucky and Tennessee congressional representative and senator to advocate for funding and capital projects that will help sustain and enhance Fort Campbell. Barry is pictured here with Congressman Ed Whitfield (R-KY).
|Bank employees periodically collect food for Urban Ministries, an organization that provides direct assistance to those who face societal problems of hunger, homelessness, poverty, and violence.