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West Hall's boys cross country team finished in second place in the 28-team, all-classification field at the Westover Invitational meet Saturday.
Johnson was unable to pick up its first subregion win, falling 43-7 to Creekview on Friday in Canton.
ATHENS -- Third-ranked Athens Academy defeated Commerce 19-13 on Friday night at Slaughter Field in their third consecutive victory over the Tigers.
The victory was the Spartans' sixth in the last eight years over Commerce.
"Pound the rock."
JEFFERSON - The Region 8-AA title race was summed up best by Jefferson High football coach Bill Navas after its 47-20 win over Riverside Military on Friday night at Jefferson Memorial Stadium.
"All roads go through Jefferson now," Navas said.
CUMMING -- Experience vs. change has been a popular theme this election year.
Based on Friday night's result at West Forsyth, you can score one for experience, at least in Region 7-AAA.
CLEVELAND -- In a game that featured a combined 10 turnovers, it was only fitting that the outcome was decided by an interception.
BUFORD -- The Buford High football team didn't produce a massive amount of offensive yards in its 49-7 win over Avondale on Friday.
But how the Wolves scored, and how they kept their opponent from scoring, made the win just as impressive.
It's new school against old school.
OAKWOOD - It took Flowery Branch less that five minutes to put the game out of reach Friday night at Spartan Field in Oakwood.
Class AA's top-ranked Buford High softball team opened the Region 6-AA tournament with a 5-2 win against Greater Atlanta Christian on Thursday in Norcross.
One test passed, another awaits.
North Hall at White County
The North Hall High volleyball team swept a home meet against area opponents Gilmer (25-11, 25-19), East Hall (25-10, 25-7) and Gainesville (25-11, 25-12) on Wednesday in Gainesville.
They're 1,030 pounds of protection. That's how much weight an offense faces when they line up against the White County's defensive line.
Bruce Miller knows exactly what it takes to get a reaction out of prized linebacker J.D. Sosebee.
D'Marcus Simonds scores 32 points for Gainesville in a 74-71 win against St. Martin (Miss.) on Wednesday in Foley, Ala.
Sadie Cleveland scored 20 points to lead North Hall's girls basketball team to a 61-56 win over Lakeview Academy in the Piedmont College Tournament final on Tuesday in Demorest.
Three Red Elephants scored in double figures Monday night in a 76-52 Gainesville win over Daphne High School in Alabama.
Just when it seemed like the Johnson boys basketball team finally had some breathing room, King's Ridge Christian wouldn't go away.
COAL MOUNTAIN - North Forsyth head coach Brian Moon leaned forward in his chair after the first quarter and asked Flowery Branch coach David Sokol if the Falcons were ever going to miss a shot.
The Lakeview Academy boys basketball team defeated host Chattanooga Christian 66-40 in a Saturday game in Tennessee.
Sydney Cleveland posted a double-double with 27 points and 10 rebounds for the Lady Trojans as North Hall defeated Clarke Central 70-68 on Friday in Athens.
East Hall's girls basketball team opened the season with a 57-42 victory against North Gwinnett on Tuesday in Gainesville.
He's pitched under the sunny skies of Long Beach, Calif., and the intense atmosphere of urban Venezuela, but Jonathan Hughes decided Atlanta would be the best choice to continue his storied baseball career.
Three local players earned first-team All-Region softball honors for Region 8-AAAAA.
Norris Rettiger and Justin Law combined for 30 points, and the North Georgia Christian boys basketball team defeated Maranatha Christian Academy 57-37 Monday in Oakwood.
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Happy Monday-10 Really Bad Excuses For Missing Work
I can honestly say I have never called in sick for work when I wasn't sick. We work at such an ungodly hour that there is really no one to call to fill in for you. We just come to work and hurl into a trash can or wait till your partner tells you to leave the studio and go home.

subset: commoncrawl


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Narrow your search
News, analysis and tips on the Google Android operating system, and devices and apps that use it.
Will Samsung add a new member to the Galaxy family in 2014? Google is developing amazing new photo recognition tech and Lollipop is here for all Nexus devices.
The SanDisk iXpand Flash Drive is a must-have accessory for those with a newer iPhone or iPad.
Although the Nexus 6 trails the slimmer Samsung Galaxy Note 4 in processor performance and native productivity features, it's still the most powerful pure Android handset available and the largest Nexus yet.
Place your bets, folks. Which of these phablets will reign supreme in the battle of design, usability and productivity?
CNET breaks out the most important things to know when shopping for a new television.
The hefty price aside, the Asus AC2400 RT-AC87U is the most complete 802.11ac router to date, capable of satisfying all your home networking needs.
Lollipop is a tasty update with a candy-colored, cohesive design and updated core features.
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Video games made by small studios have an effective tool in their arsenal when it comes to setting themselves apart.
He's created an Iron Man wrist-mounted rocket launcher and a Spider-man web launcher. Now, laser enthusiast Patrick Priebe channels James Bond.
Google is testing an ad-blocker service, Amazon may be inserting ads into streaming video, and Comcast lets you track the cable guy.


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Hazardous and industrial waste technologies are our profession. The VacuDry units - a thermal desorption process working with high temperature and lowest vacuum - are state-of-the-art for treating mercury, hydrocarbon, PCB, solvent polluted sludge and soils. We also offer solidification units to stabilise inorganic ashes, dust and sludge as well as sterilising systems ...
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SAFER Systems is the global leader in Chemical Risk Management software, having installed systems worldwide over the past 30 years. Since the company`s launch in 1981, SAFER Systems has been a pioneer in chemical dispersion modeling and emergency management and response solutions. Major corporations that manufacture, process, store and/or transport hazardous materials ...
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?1969 Jaguar XKE Roadster '69 Jaguar XKE Roadster, matching numbers, silver with black interior and black soft top, manual transmission, rear luggage rack, wire wheels,... More
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This 1953 Jaguar XK120 Roadster is an excellent original car for restoration. Red with black interior. For only $43,500 ... More
Don't miss out on this one! It's a real beauty! 1973 Jaguar 5.3L V12 SIII E Type No rust, no bodywork, no stories. Primrose yellow with... More
JUST IN 1960 JAGUAR MK II, JUST 41,953 MILES... More
This 1952 Jaguar XK120 FHC is an excellent original example for restoration. Matching numbers and motor turns freely. Black with red interior. For only... More
1950 Jaguar MK 5 Saloon, Car had mid 70s Jaguar XJ-6 4.2L engine and trans model #65, retro fitted several years ago, along with... More
1991 JAGUAR XJS COLLECTOR SERIES CONVERTIBLE ONLY 17,131 ACTUAL MILES! SPECTACULAR CONDITION THROUGHOUT! MOST SOUGHT AFTER COLOR COMBINATION! FULLY DOCUMENTED WITH ALL BOOKS, MANUALS, ORIGINAL SPARE AND TOOLS! ALL... More
1965 Jaguar E-Type FHC '65 Jaguar E-Type FHC, old English white with black interior, wire wheels, covered headlights, excellent original car with lots of... More
Introduced in 1966 the Jaguar E-Type 2+2 Coupe had long been contemplated in Coventry and championed by the companys legendary founder Sir William Lyons.... More
This 1959 Jaguar Mark IX 4 Door Sedan features a 3.8 LITER DOHC 220 H/P 6cyl Gasoline engine. It is equipped with a 3... More
2009 Jaguar XK Convertible, One owner, 80+ year old woman........Really! Car is like new, only 19,000 miles.... More
1967 JAGUAR MKII, AUTOMATIC, FROM MY PRIVATE COLLECTION! LESS THEN A HUNDRED OF THESE CAME TO THE USA. LOOK AT ATTACHED PHOTO FOR MORE INFO.... More
This 1962 Jaguar Mark II sedan is the family car with the heart of an E-Type. Beautifully styled and offering a spirited driving experience... More
1965 E-Type Jaguar coupe prepared for Vintage Racing, drivetrain totally finished, all euipment to notch, such as Terry's Jaguar, etc. Everything new, Kevlar bonnet... More


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CORVALLIS, Ore. (AP) - Now, the focus shifts to Jeff Tedford.
EUGENE, Ore. (AP) - As Stanford's game-winning field goal tumbled through the goal posts, Oregon running back Kenjon Barner fell to his knees in dejection. With a clear path to the BCS championship game, the speedy Ducks slipped up.
Missy Franklin pranked California women's swimming coach Teri McKeever when it came time for the five-time Olympic medalist to announce her choice of college.
BERKELEY (AP) - Oregon's defensive line was so depleted that backup tight end Koa Ka'ai and two other freshmen were pressed into emergency duty.
No. 13 Oregon State falls to No. 16 Stanford 27-23
BOULDER, Colo. (AP) - To console his downtrodden team, Colorado coach Jon Embree delivered a rather simple postgame message: Things will get better.
BERKELEY (AP) - California quarterback Zach Maynard has no ligament damage in his injured left knee and his status for this week's game against No. 2 Oregon remains in doubt.
STANFORD (AP) - With the season more than halfway over, quarterback Josh Nunes has shown little progress in his development. The wide receivers are hardly creating any separation, and a young offensive line is still plagued by inconsistency.
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - Reggie Dunn had all the right moves for Utah in setting a school record with two 100-yard kickoff returns in a 49-27 victory over California on Saturday night.
POCATELLO, Idaho (AP) - Idaho State football coach Mike Kramer has been suspended for his team's game at Montana on Saturday for violating the university's conduct policy, athletic director Jeff Tingey said Tuesday.
MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) - The star quarterback used to be a wide receiver, and the top wide receiver used to be a quarterback.
SAN ANTONIO (AP) - David Fales threw for 279 yards and three touchdowns as San Jose State defeated UTSA 52-24 Saturday.
BERKELEY (AP) - The clusters of empty seats and the silence at the end of the first Big Game at remodeled Memorial Stadium won't quiet the critics of California coach Jeff Tedford this season.
PULLMAN, Wash. (AP) - Quarterback Zach Maynard threw for a touchdown and ran for another as California beat Washington State 31-17 on Saturday night.
BOISE, Idaho (AP) - Even though Boise State is no longer a pass-happy, high scoring offense, the Broncos are still finding ways to win.
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - Eric Thompson scored 20 points and Pacific survived a scare from Division II Alaska-Anchorage, winning 71-62, to advance in the Great Alaska Shootout on Wednesday.
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) - Devin Booker scored 19 points for his second career best in as many games, Karl-Anthony Towns added 13 with 11 rebounds, and No. 1 Kentucky had no trouble with Texas-Arlington in Tuesday night's 92-44 blowout. The Wildcats (6-0) concluded a busy season-opening stretch of six games in 11 days with a complete effort on both ends.
Top-ranked Kentucky certainly made a believer of Kansas coach Bill Self last week.
Dawn Staley and her South Carolina Gamecocks finally have ascended to the top of the poll.
LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) - Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Brandon Ashley each scored 15 points, helping No. 3 Arizona wear down Missouri for a 72-53 victory in the opening round the Maui Invitational on Monday.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Dakari Johnson scored 11 points, Andrew Harrison had 10 and No. 1 Kentucky used a dominant defense to blow out No. 4 Kansas 72-40 in Tuesday's State Farm Champions Classic.
BERKELEY (AP) - Reshanda Gray scored 17 points on 8-of-12 shooting as No. 14 Cal won its home opener on Tuesday night, defeating Nevada 76-54.
STANFORD (AP) - Amber Orrange and new-look Stanford made an impressive national statement while snapping another one of Connecticut's remarkable winning streaks - without an Ogwumike sister in sight.
The first regular-season college basketball poll did not look a whole lot different than The Associated Press preseason Top 25: A few teams swapped places, and the one that lost dropped out.
RIVERSIDE (AP) - Cody Demps made a game-winning jumper with 17 second left to lift Sacramento State over UC Riverside 70-69 on Monday night.
Page 1 of 1


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Couristan Vinyasa Collection 9666-0811 Casual Blue Jay Rug
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Northern Arizona
Arizona winemakers projecting record harvest
But monsoon storms could still have an impact.
State senator found dead on ranch
Chester Crandell had gone horse riding Monday morning in Heber.
UA now offers paid parental leave
Eligible employees to get up to six weeks paid for birth, adoption.
Let us address CO2 targets, Arizona regulators ask
PHOENIX — The state's top environmental officials asked legislators Tuesday to repeal the restrictions they placed on his agency just four years ago prohibiting it from regulating "greenhouse gases."
Tucson in 100 Objects — Squash blossom necklace
Everybody in town has a bit of silver-and-turquoise jewelry for those especially Tucson occasions
PCC picks new top cop from within
Pima Community College is appointing its longtime police commander to the department's top job without a search for outside candidates.
Abortion curb should take effect as scheduled April 1, state argues
PHOENIX — An attorney for the state is asking a judge to rebuff a bid by abortion providers to prevent a new restriction from taking effect as scheduled less than two weeks form now.
Dog lost near Payson returned to Tucson owners
After being lost in Northern Arizona for two weeks, Lexi, a German Shepherd mix was returned to her Tucson owners after she was found by two Arizona Department of Transportation workers wandering along a highway near Payson.
'It's suspicious' — up to 10 javelinas found killed in Tucson area
Arizona game officials are investigating the killing of up to 10 javelinas, the remains of which were found Thursday morning near Saguaro National Park East.
Flu arrives in Pima County; immunizations urged
A flu case was confirmed in Pima County Tuesday, and health officials say now is the time to get immunized.
Regents approve $40,000 in incentive pay for UA president
University of Arizona President Ann Weaver Hart will be taking home a bigger paycheck after receiving $40,000 worth of incentive pay.
Wildcats jittery as curtain rises on 2013 season
When Rich Rodriguez arrives at Arizona Stadium tonight with his team, he'll walk into the Lowell-Stevens Football Facility the same way he walked into the locker room as a 24-year-old coach at Salem University in 1988.
2 killed when lightning hits Arizona scenic overlook
FREDONIA, Ariz. — Two people were killed and a teenage boy injured when lightning struck near a scenic overlook in northern Arizona.
Arizona boy, 4, fatally shoots dad
A 4-year-old boy has accidentally shot and killed his father at a Prescott Valley home, authorities in northern Arizona say.
Lumberjack competition: CDO grad a cut above, loves being outdoors
Senior David Gouveia will represent NAU's Logging Sports Team at the U.S. Lumberjack Collegiate Championship in Tennessee.
Lumberjack competition: CDO grad a cut above, loves being outdoors
When David Gouveia steps on stage, a chainsaw awaits him. An MS 660 STIHL Magnum chainsaw, to be exact.
High winds create travel and fire warnings across Arizona
Travel could be hazardous across Arizona today, with high winds and blowing dust from Interstate-40 in Northern Arizona to Interstate-10 in the central and south portions, according to the National Weather Service.
Storm to bring rain, mountain snow to Tucson
Rain is on the way — and higher mountains likely will be capped with snow.
Helicopter crashes into Arizona lake with 3 aboard
PAYSON — Authorities say a helicopter with three people aboard has crashed into Roosevelt Lake in northern Arizona.
Report: Sheriff Dever legally drunk at time of deadly crash
FLAGSTAFF — The Cochise County sheriff who lost control of his vehicle in northern Arizona and died was legally drunk at the time, an autopsy report shows.
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Camp Lo - Luchini (AKA This Is It)
Artist: Camp Lo
Producer: Ski
Album: Uptown Saturday Night
Avg Rating: 4.4 ( 7 votes )
To date, most of our Throwback Thursday selections have been commercial hits that played an integral role in catapulting their artists to the upper echelons of mainstream success. This week, we shine the spotlight on a group that never attained the clout of a Fresh Prince or 50 Cent, but whose name continues to be uttered with reference in rap-nerd households everywhere. Luchini AKA This Is It, the 1997 lead single off Camp Lo's seminal Uptown Saturday Night LP, offered the listening public their first taste of the Bronx duo's eccentrically funky, 70s-informed style. Featuring partners-in-rhyme Sonny Cheeba and Geechi Suede unleashing torrents of slick, often impenetrable (in a pre-RapGenius world) slang over Ski's infectious flip of Dynasty's Adventures in the Land of Music, the cut became a left-field hit, ascending to #5 on Billboard's Rap Singles chart and hitting 50 on the Hot 100. Eric Heights directs the joint's stylishly retro visual accompaniment. If this blast from the past has left you craving more from Camp Lo, you're in luck; on Tuesday, the twosome unleashed 80 Blocks From Tiffany's Pt. II, a free mixtape created in collaboration with hip-hop legend Pete Rock.
Camp Lo Music VideosThrowback ThursdaysLyrical
Written by richard on 08/1/13
Submit your Rating
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Click Here for Articles About THE VAMPIRE DIARIES
VIDEO: Extended Sneak Peek - THE VAMPIRE DIARIES' 'Into the Wild'
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|Scoop: GRACEPOINT on FOX - Thursday, November 20, 2014
November 17, 2014
|BWW Recap: Searching for Lost Memories on THE VAMPIRE DIARIES
November 14, 2014
|Related: THE VAMPIRE DIARIES, The CW, Into the Wild
The CW just released an extended preview for The Vampire Diaries upcoming episode "Into the Wild", airing February 7, 2013. Watch it below!
Shane (guest star David Alpay) leads an expedition to a desolate island off the coast of NOVA Scotia, where he believes the secret of the cure lies hidden. On the trek to the island's interior, Rebekah (Claire Holt) and Elena (Nina Dobrev) continue their bitter rivalry, Stefan (Paul Wesley) does his best to keep the peace, and Damon (Ian Somerhalder) accuses Shane of leading them into a trap. Bonnie (Kat Graham) and Jeremy (Steven R. McQueen) try to figure out the message of the Hunter's mark, while Shane reveals more of the legend of Silas and the witch Qetsiyah, along with his own personal history. Back in Mystic Falls, Tyler (Michael Trevino) confronts Klaus (Joseph Morgan), and Caroline (Candice Accola) is caught up in the violence that follows. Michael Allowitz directed the episode written by Caroline Dries (#413).
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text: I badly want Waze to be a success because the idea is just so perfect: a free navigation app that integrates user-generated traffic information. So, you're stuck in traffic someplace, you whip our your iPhone, and let the world know that they ought to take a different route if they're traveling the same road that you are. It's a wonderful example of crowdsourcing. The trick is to get lots of people to use it. And increasingly people are. But if you live someplace where there's not much coverage, the app has less value than other places where it's really caught on.


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Posted on Thu Nov 20 21:00:00 PST 2014
Day #21 of 60 Days of Exclusive Deals! This All-Season Fleece Blanket, available in 25 patterns, drops from $19.99 to $14.99 to $11.99 with free shipping when you use our exclusive promo code BRADS20FS at checkout on Blair.com. It's offered in Twin, Full/Queen, and King sizes, all for the same price. This is the best deal we can find online based on similar blankets. It's made from anti-pill polyester fleece that's machine washable. Plus, it has a great rating from Blair customers with 222 reviewers giving it an average of 4.4 out of 5 stars. Please note that some colors are on back order. In addition, this coupon code can be used for 20% off and free shipping sitewide. Sales tax is charged in most states.
Posted on Wed Nov 19 21:00:00 PST 2014
Day #20 of 60 Days of Exclusive Deals! This Samsung 50" Smart HDTV, plus a 6ft HDMI Cable (TV model UN50H5203) drops from $699 to $499.99 plus free shipping at Adorama when you use our exclusive promo code BDDEAL1115 during checkout. Note: You must click through our link to Adorama in order for the code to work. This was the lowest price we found by $108! Plus, you get the cable for free. This is a 1080p, 60Hz HDTV with built-in WiFi so that you can stream content from the web such as Netflix, Hulu Plus and more. Bonus: There is no sales tax (except NY and NJ).
Posted on Thu Nov 20 05:12:00 PST 2014
The Red, White and Black colors of the 2014 edition Beats By Dre Solo HD Headphones drop from $169.99 to $99.99 with free shipping at BestBuy.com. This is the lowest price we could find for any of the Beats "drenched" HD Solo headphones by $49. They feature enhanced audio, improved water-resistance over the previous model and a tri-fold design. Sales tax is charged in most states.
Posted on Thu Nov 20 09:44:55 PST 2014
Get these UGG Australis Classic Short Crystal Bow Boots, listed at $219.95, for $147.35 at Nordstrom, plus, shipping is free on all orders. This beats our last post on these shoes and is a current price low by $3. They feature a water-resistant upper and also come in grey. They have UGGPure wool lining and a Swarovski crystal bow outline on the back. Sales tax is charged in most states.
Posted on Tue Nov 18 10:29:00 PST 2014
These Merrell Encore Ice Mules in Black drop from $109.95 to $54.96 at Nordstrom.com. With free shipping, this is the best price we can find for these shoes by $35. These clogs have a fleece lining and removable insole. Sales tax is charged in most states.
Posted on Mon Nov 17 13:01:00 PST 2014
This Under Armour Men's Rival Sportstyle Hoodie drops from $49.99 to $36.99 at UnderArmour.com. Plus, it ships for free. This is the best price we could find anywhere, with no other merchant charging less than the full $50. It features a front pocket, a soft brushed interior, and it comes in 6 colors. It also comes in sizes S to 3XL 2XL, with most size/color combos available. Sales tax is charged in most states.
Posted on Wed Nov 12 07:32:00 PST 2014
Select NCAA Fleece Hoodies & Sweats, normally $40 each, are now 2 for $35 at Finish Line, and all items in this sale ship for free. This beats our previous mention from a couple of months ago by $5, and this is the best price we've seen on these popular college hoodies since last Black Friday! There are hundreds of schools from which to choose, with most colleges offered in multiple styles. There are also men's and women's sizes available for most schools. The pictured North Carolina Tar Heels College Pullover Hoodie, for example, is the best price we could find by at least $11 on anything similar. Note: the item you want must say "Mix/Match 2 for $35" to qualify. Sales tax is charged in most states.
Posted on Thu Nov 20 05:49:00 PST 2014
These Rachael Ray Cucina 12pc Cookware Sets drop from $260 to $149.99 to $99.99 with code ZXCLUSIV14N at Bon-Ton. Send in this rebate and get $20 cash back dropping the price to $79.99 with the rebate. Plus, get this FREE Rachael Ray Oven Lovin' 9x13" Cake Pan that will automatically be added to your cart! Plus, add code FREESHIP75 for free shipping. This is the lowest price we found by at least $70 shipped not even including the free gift! Choose from up to 4 colors while supplies last. Sales tax is charged in most states.
Posted on Thu Nov 20 10:15:17 PST 2014
Save at least 40% on almost all outerwear (coats, jackets, gloves, hats, vests, fleeces and more) at LandsEnd.com. The pictured classic Women's Squall Jacket drops from $70 to $39.99 in regular and $80 to $47.99 in plus sizes (also available via the Sears site), and the Girls' Chunky Stripe Hat drops from $19.50 to $5.99. Note that outerwear and winter accessory prices are already marked down on the site and don't get an additional coupon discount, but non-outerwear sale items get an extra 20% off with code EXTRA20 (Pin:1502), like these Men's Dress Shirts, many of which drop from $39 to $19.99 to $15.99 (style/color combinations vary in price and availability). Shipping is free on $50, otherwise it adds $8. Sales tax is charged in most states.
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Christians Under Construction Week 4
Posted by Martin Spriggs in General, Ministry on September 29, 2014
Christians Under Construction is a series of devotions designed for family use each week focused on Christian stewardship. It was originally developed for a congregation stewardship series and intended as a weekly resource. I thought I'd republish here for those interested in using them. Here is week four:
2 Timothy 3:16- 17 All Scripture is Godbreathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Bill Jr. had finally saved up enough allowance to buy the model airplane he had his eye on for months. He had done odd jobs around the house, saved every penny of his allowance and always reminded himself how wonderful it would be to possess this new toy. On the Saturday afternoon after he had made the big purchase, his father, Bill Gentry, found his 12 year old son on the floor of his room crying.
"Bill, what's wrong?" asked Bill Sr., bending down to lift his son's chin. "I can't make it work," balled the distressed boy. "None of the pieces fit together right, and I think I broke one, and, and…" he let out another howl.
"Now, now, Bill, don't cry. We'll figure it out. Did it come with directions?" "I don't know, I never thought to look. It looked so easy at first." Bill Sr. responded half compassionately and half trying to hide his smile, "Well, don't you think that might be a good place to start?"
He knew in the back of his mind that if his wife, Marilyn had been there, she would have fired off a comment like, "typical man!" He was thankful she was not.
So far this month we have been taking a look at how God has given each of us spiritual gifts to use in His service and the service of others. We talked a little about how special those gifts are and what some of those gifts might be. One thing needs to be made clear. Just because we may know what those gifts are, doesn't necessarily mean we know how to use them. In other words, we need directions.
The obvious next question is, where can we find those directions? That is clarified for us in today's Bible verse. It says that one of the reasons that God gave us the Bible is so that "the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." The Bible is our instruction manual for teaching us what our gifts are and how to use them. God provides better directions than any manual we have ever read, and he teaches us in many different ways. The Bible is very straightforward and addresses real questions with real answers. Funny, it almost knows the questions we need answered before we ask them. That's because God knows what we need to know.
The Bible also provides excellent illustrations about how to use our gifts. Think of some of the parables Jesus used. Recall stories of people like David, Abraham, Moses, and Paul who could teach us a few things about how they used their spiritual gifts. What a wonderful guide to living life! And nobody should be afraid to ask for directions –men, women or children.
On occasion you will find instruction manuals that aren't very clear, or complete. The Bible isn't that way. In fact, not only is the Bible clear and complete, it's compelling. It tells us how to use our gifts, and gives us motivation to do so. It tells us of Jesus, his death, his resurrection and his love for us. After reading that Good News, we want to use what God has given us "for every good work."
Discussion Questions: Describe a time when you read directions and were even more confused than when you started. What can happen if you don't read directions? How can that be dangerous when learning about spiritual gifts? In the verse for the day, what part of Scripture does it say is "useful"? Put together a plan to read "all Scripture."
(Note to parents: You may want to review the facts of the story to reinforce the lesson.)
Family Reading:2 Timothy 3
Prayer: Father in heaven, thank you for the Bible. Each piece of it is so valuable in helping us learn about you, your love and our Savior. Help us to use your word as a tool to instruct us and equip us for every good work. Amen.
Christians Under Construction Week 3
Posted by Martin Spriggs in Education, General, Ministry on September 17, 2014
Christians Under Construction is a series of devotions designed for family use each week focused on Christian stewardship. Here is week three:
Romans 12:6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given us.
Today was Mary Gentry's birthday. She had waited 364 days in eager anticipation of turning six, as this meant it wouldn't be long until she could be in kindergarten.
"Mom," Mary shouted, running into her mother's bedroom first thing in the morning, "is it really today? Has my birthday FINALLY come?" Marilyn Gentry, still trying to wake the sleep from her eyes responded, "Yes, Mary. It is today. But what time is it?"
Mary, now jumping up and down on her mother's bed, screamed, "5 o'clock." Mom replied, "Oh Mary, it's Saturday. Mommy needs a bit more sleep if we are going to have that big party later this afternoon."
Mary, totally ignoring her mother's request, said, "Can I open some of my presents now? Can I? I can't wait to see what I got!"
The afternoon finally arrived, and none to soon for Mary. She tore into her presents. Wrapping paper was flying everywhere. Before long she was done. She had no time for cake or conversation with the relatives who had arrived. She grabbed her gifts and was later found asleep with each one spread around her – totally exhausted from playing with her new toys.
Christians, in a way, have experienced the same excitement that Mary did on her 6th birthday. When we were born, or rather, reborn on our baptism day, we were given gifts. No, not the kind that our relatives or Godparents might give us, but gifts from God. And these gifts came in two varieties — the gift of faith and the gift of spiritual gifts. When we had that first birthday we were given the gift of faith by God. That faith, put into us by the Holy Spirit, knows Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior. He is the one who paid the price for our sins. The gift of faith is much like a birthday gift from loving parents. It is usually the best gift we receive and the most appropriate for us. Our heavenly Father knows exactly what we need, and through Jesus' death and resurrection, he gives it to us – eternal life.
Faith in Jesus however was not the only thing we received at that first birthday of ours. God tells us that he has also given us different spiritual gifts. These gifts are only given to his children. They include things like the ability to serve, teach, encourage, contributing to the needs of others, giving, leadership, showing mercy and many others.
If we were baptized as babies, we probably didn't know what to make of these gifts God had given us. We may not even know we have them. But two things are certain. Like Mary we should be very excited about receiving them and even more excited to use them.
Read Romans 12 again and determine for yourself what spiritual gifts you have been given. Ask others what they think your spiritual gifts may be. And then plan on using them until you lay exhausted on the floor from enjoying their use. What a blessing they are from God.
Discussion Questions: What makes your baptism so special? Can you think of ways that you can celebrate your spiritual birthday? Which spiritual gifts do you think you have? How about those around you? How are these spiritual gifts different than other gifts you receive?
(Note to parents: You may want to review the facts of the story to reinforce the lesson.)
Family Reading: Romans 12
Prayer: Father in heaven, you have given each of us very special and precious gifts. We thank and praise you for the best gift of all, the gift of eternal life through faith in Christ Jesus. But you didn't stop with that gift. You kept on giving. Now help us to use the gifts you have given us. May we use them to your glory. Amen.
Christians Under Construction Week 2
Posted by Martin Spriggs in Education, General, Ministry on September 10, 2014
Christians Under Construction is a series of devotions designed for family use each week focused on Christian stewardship. Here is week two:
(Please set aside an evening this week to use this devotion as your personal devotion or family devotion.)
Ephesians 2:10 For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Bill Gentry loved his job. He worked as an advertising executive in one of the city's largest agencies. He spent his days working with companies trying to help them create advertising campaigns, commercials and billboards. Much of what he did was to observe large companies and try to learn from their approach to advertising. One of his favorite companies to watch was Nike. "What creative campaigns they come up with!" he told a number of his associates. He especially liked their "just do it" campaign. It was simple and to the point, but you remembered it and you remembered who told you to do it – Nike. It meant that with those shoes you could do it…jump high, run fast, be like Mike, whatever. Bill was so impressed by the concept that he told others to "just do it", he told himself to "just do it." It was motivational for him.
Then on one Sunday morning he heard his pastor say the same thing. His pastor was talking about Ephesians 2:10, and in it he described one of God's very own creative campaigns – God's "just do it" campaign.
He listened intently and learned that God tells each and every one of us to "just do it" too — to do good works, God wasn't trying to sell shoes however. He didn't make a shoe that he claimed could make us run faster or jump higher. He didn't stamp a swoosh on anything to identify it as something cool and hope we'd buy it. What God did do was make us. He calls us his "workmanship." And rather than stamp us with a logo, he put faith in our hearts, a faith in Jesus our Savior.
What's even more amazing is that he didn't roll each of us off the same assembly line. God made each one of us by hand, gave us each faith, and determined ahead of time the "features" our model had. Wow! Each of us is unique with our own feature set.
God is so much more creative than we can even imagine! It is those God-given features that identify us as God's workmanship–that we are made by Him and for Him. And it is those features, those spiritual gifts, that determine exactly what God wants us to do.
We don't have a swoosh. We don't even have to wear a cross, Christ already wore one. We simply need to "do it." That shows the world who made us and to whom we belong. It shows God that we love him and are grateful for his craftsmanship.
God too says "just do it." "Do what I've enabled you specifically to do. Do those good works I've prepared in advance for you to do."
Be sure to read next week's devotion to find out some of those "features" that God has built into us. For a sneak peak, you'll want to read the "Family Reading" verses for today.
Discussion Questions: What have you ever been compelled to "just do?" Do you have other mottos that you live by? List some of the "features" you think God has given to you. Discuss why everybody has different spiritual gifts.
(Note to parents: You may want to review the facts of the story to reinforce the lesson.)
Family Reading: Romans 12
Prayer: Father in heaven, you have made each of us with different gifts, but you crafted each one of us with love. Please help us be like Christ, who did it for us, who paid for our sins on the cross. Help us to do good works, those which you have prepared for us to do. Amen.
Christians Under Construction Week 1
Posted by Martin Spriggs in Education, Ministry on September 3, 2014
A number of years back I developed a series of Stewardship devotions called Christians Under Construction that could be used in family devotional settings. Their focus is on how we can best use our Time, Talent and Treasure resources. I plan to re-release these this fall as our children head back to school and help us all think about our service to the Lord. Here is the first one:
1 Corinthians 12:1 Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant.
Bill Gentry was startled to hear screams coming from the upstairs bathroom. As he entered to see what was happening, he observed his son, Bill Jr., angrily scolding his 5 year old sister Mary. "You've ruined it! You've ruined it! What were you thinking? You're so stupid."
"Who's stupid?" dad asked.
"Dad, she was using my GameBoy as a life raft for her Barbies. Now it's ruined. She's such a dummy!"
Bill Sr., in the most fatherly voice he could muster replied, "Now Billy, let's just settle down for a minute. It's clear that Mary didn't know any better. She is only 5 years old. There are still many things she is ignorant about."
Both Mary and Bill Jr. cocked their heads, and almost in unison sputtered, "what's ignorant?" Billy added, "and why does that give her the right to ruin my video games?"
The family patriarch paused for a minute, sat them both down at the kitchen table and explained, "Being ignorant means not knowing those things that you haven't learned yet. Billy, you are in 7th grade, so you haven't learned the things that are taught in the 8th grade yet. So you are ignorant about all those things. You don't know them. You can't use that knowledge, because you don't have it in your head yet. Mary doesn't have it in her head yet that she can't use your GameBoy as a flotation device for her Barbies, regardless of how desperate their situation might be." Bill Sr. mustered a wry smile, just so the two of them knew he was trying to inject a bit of humor. Sometimes his kids weren't all too sure.
He continued, "There are worse things to be ignorant about you know." Billy responded, "like what?" "Well," said the father, "in the Bible it says, 'Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant'. Spiritual gifts are some of the special talents and abilities that God has given each of us to use. This Bible verse says that we should learn about those gifts so we can use them to please God." Mary injected, "Oh I want to please God! But daddy, how do we do that?" "Good question Mary," dad continued, "first you have to know what pleases God. The only way to learn what pleases God is to read and study the Bible. You know, like we do in our family devotions, and at church and Sunday School. There we learn about those special talents God has given us and how to use them."
Billy's head perked up as if he had an idea that would impress the two of them, "Dad, why don't we use our family devotion time to talk more about those spiritual gift things the Bible mentioned? If the Bible says we should get smart about those, I think we should. I don't want anybody calling me ignorant, especially God."
Discussion Questions: Describe, in your own words, the word "ignorant." Can you think of things about which you are ignorant? Why would it be bad to be ignorant about spiritual gifts? How can we become "smarter" about them? What would be the absolute worst thing to be ignorant about? Why?
(Note to parents: You may want to review the facts of the story to reinforce the lesson.)
Family Reading: 1 Corinthians 12
Prayer: Father in heaven, please help us to learn more and more about you and those wonderful gifts you give us. Teach us not to be ignorant about the lessons in your word. Especially help us never to forget what your son Jesus did for us. We thank and praise you for that gift, and the wonderful news that our sins are forgiven through faith in Him. Over the coming weeks help us to live lives of thanks by learning more about what you have given us. Amen.
Moto X Review
Posted by Martin Spriggs in Productivity, Technology, Uncategorized on September 29, 2013
The latest smartphone from Motorola, fresh off their acquisition by Google, is the Moto X. While the raw specs are a bit behind the likes of the HTC One and the Galaxy S4, this phone has done a lot right. The highest praise you can give a phone is that it simply does everything you want it to do! The Moto X does this, with one minor exception. More on that later.
The Screen
Let's start with the screen. At a 720 x 1280 screen some would say that is an inferior resolution compared with the "modern" smart phones of today. If you were just looking at the numbers, yes. But in the real world 720 or 1080 makes no difference on a smart phone screen. It's a beautiful screen and more than adequate for every kind of application (video, email, pictures, etc.). The benefit of the lesser resolution is improved battery life. Let's go there next.
The Battery
The 2200 mAh battery, again is not the largest capacity on the market today, but it is a nice compromise between performance and battery size. Larger batteries mean larger phones. Moto X doesn't need the extra capacity due to some of the other "concessions" they have made to make this a complete phone and associated experience. One of those concessions and benefits, at the same time, is the processor technology the phone uses. Motorola has pioneers the "X8″ processor technology that takes less power and provides one of the best functions on the phone…it is always listening to you. The X8 processor has "just" two cores, but it is redesigned from the ground up to make the always-on speech awareness of the phone possible without the extra cores that other phones have. In laymen's terms, one of the processors does only a few things while consuming almost no battery — I can get a day and half of regular use on one charge. I haven't owned another Android phone that comes even close.
I'm Listening
One of the most useful and admittedly "coolest" features of the Moto X is it's handsfree operation. All other phones require you to "wake" it before it can respond to your voice. Even the almighty Siri on the iPhone peacefully rests until you physically wake it by long pressing the home button. Not so the Moto X. You simply say "OK Google Now" within earshot of the phone, can it now is ready to respond to your vocal commands. This is a wonderful feature, especially if you are in the car. A simple "OK Google Now, call Debbie on cell" wakes the phone, searches my address book and makes the call. The same works for navigation, general questions like weather, sports, etc. Competitors call it a gimmick. I just call it plain useful.
Apps, Check
The Apple versus Google apps argument is pretty much mute now. The iTunes app store and Google Play stores are on equal footing, at least for the apps I need/use. The Moto X comes with the stock Android user interface which Google users will appreciate. The Google apps like Gmail, Google Plus and Hangouts are nicely designed and very useable on the phone. Just a word about Google Hangouts. If you haven't tried it, you should. It basically beats Skype in almost every category — reliability, multi-video conference (for free), screen sharing, add ons, recording, live streaming. The list goes on. It is the tool I use for our WELSTech Podcast, for connecting with family members when on the road, and for meetings in general.
In The Hand
The final positive impression I'd like to provide is simply the physical phone itself. It feels well made. BTW, made in the USA is one of their selling points. The speaker is very good if you prefer not to use headphones (not provided). The build quality is much better, in my opinion, than my last phone, the Samsung Galaxy S3. While you don't get a removable battery, you really don't need to given the great battery life of the enclosed one. Call quality is excellent, and you can get it in many different colors and color combos.
The Uh…Camera
While this is the best phone I've owned to date, it does have one rather major shortcoming. The camera. In a word, it's "terrible." If you are wanton to take a lot of pictures in various lighting situation, this may not be the phone for you. I have been unable to take a picture that even rivals the rather marginal camera on the Galaxy S3. Sad. The camera is fast, and the controls are easy to use, but those are irrelevant kudos if the picture itself is dull, grainy, blurry, etc. This is not a showstopper for me since I don't take many pictures with my phone. I leave those I care about to my Canon. The news, however, may not be all bad on this front. Motorola has begun to roll out a "fix" for the camera that for some has significantly improved the 10 megapixel camera. I don't have that update yet, as it is being rolled out by carrier. I will provide an update once the update is in place and I've been able to run a few comparison tests.
In The End
As you can tell my impressions of the Moto X are very positive (sans camera). But the true test of any phone is not it's features or screen or camera on their own merits. It's the package. Does the phone do everything you want it to do? Is it the productivity and communications tool you need it to be? In the case of the Moto X, it does everything I need it to do.
The Home Page
Posted by Martin Spriggs in General, Ministry on June 12, 2013
Some of you I'm sure are aware of a weekly technology/ministry podcast I do with co-worker Sallie Draper. This summer we are taking a show each week to "write" an ebook. So I thought I'd share that content here. The book is all about content for your website. Whether you maintain and church or school website, content creation is hard. Hopefully these morsels will provide some nourishment to you webmasters. Follow along at http://welstech.wels.net.
Here is Chapter One entitled The Home Page.
Your site Home Page is the most visited page of the site and often users make a split second determination to either stay on the site or "move on" based on their inital reaction to your Home Page. Attention to the page layout and content is critical to creating a good first impression of your organization.
Here are a few design components to keep in mind as you decide on your Home Page content:
Clean up your act – Consider a first-time visit you've made to a church or school, and think about the impression that you formed, even before you walked through the doors of the building. What does the external maintenance of the grounds and building say about a congregation? A LOT! I'm sure you remember some locations where grounds were maintained meticulously and, in contrast, some that were in need of some TLC. And I'm sure you remember how this external appearance caused you to form an opinion about those who worship at a location. In the same way, your Home Page causes people to form opinions about your congregation or school. Does it say you are … Christ-driven, member-focused or cheap?
Dynamic – Give your site visitor something new each time they visit to keep them coming back. Don't bore them with the same content that was added to the site 5 years ago when it was created. Keep it fresh. Respond to events in the world and promote events in your congregation.
Less is more – Keep it short and to the point on the home page. Sub-pages are fine for lengthy content, but the home page should be sparse in content and draw visitors to explore the site further.
Simple navigation and few links – Just because your site is home to 100 or 1,000+ great pages, links to every one of them do NOT have to be on the home page or in the navigation.
Give 'em what they are looking for – Audience is key. What do they want? Read more on churchm.ag
The User's Eye
Websites are not newspapers…however some of the same principles do apply. Headlines are great! Big bold titles on articles or sections will help your visitor do a quick assessment of what's there and what's changed since they last visited. More on that "what's changed" part later. Subheads can also be good, just like newspapers to give a summary of the content, if it's written, or even audio/video content. A headline might not allow you enough space to provide a description that will be meaningful, especially to the first time visitor unfamiliar with your ministry.
Much research has been done about how users typically react with web pages. Like a newspaper, the first thing people will look at are the pictures. So use pictures for important sections of the page and make them appropriate and visualy appealing. After the "picture scan" then the user will move to the upper left hand side of the page. Or at least those who speak languages that read left to right. So consider where you put your navigation, feature stories, videos, etc. based on what you want them to interact with first. Finally the user will scan top to bottom. Never force your users to scroll horizontally. They won't. Chances are, depending on your content, that stuff you put on the upper right hand quadrant of your screen will be seen less than any other part of the screen.
What's Changed?
Your home page will be the most visited page on your site. People interested in your ministry or activity will go there, perhaps bookmark it, and return fairly frequently to see if there is any new content there that might interest them. So guess what will happen if the site visitor comes to your site each Sunday evening for three weeks and there is no perceptible change to the website? Correct! The third time will probably be the last time. Obviously not what you want.
So the challenge is to keep fresh content on your site EVERY WEEK in the case of most ministries. The good news is that in most cases there is enough stuff going on each week to at least make users aware of that, plus the wealth of content available from others sites that could be included on the site via RSS (Really Simple Syndication) Feeds. We'll address the approach and technology behind that in a later chapter. The point is to keep things fresh. This can take a lot of work and will ultimately not be possible if the site is maintained by one person. Websites worth anything are team efforts…even just maintaining one page like the home page.
The Great Eight
There are many ways to divy up content for that all important home page for your church or school website, but in general there are eight key areas of content you should consider reserving a spot on your home page. So here we go…
1. The Welcome – Too many this may be a little obvious, but your webpage is a greeting card, so you should…well…greet the visitor. Take care in writing this important piece of content, perhaps along with a friendly image. The welcome message should be no more than two or three short paragraphs. No more. Your mission statement probably is not the best candidate to include here, but something in the message should clearly state what your church/school is all about. Don't be too gushy, just geniune.
2. God's Word – Another no brainer and there are easy ways to bring this into your site on a daily basis through the power of RSS. This really is why we exist…to share this precious and powerful gift. Look for ways to provide relevant texts and insights based on those texts. The Sunday sermon is not always the best opening message, if you are trying to engage a visitor who has no Christian background or other organizational context. But short devotions are excellent. They stand a better chance of being read and provide an opportunity to tailor a message for your visitor.
3. About Us – This would include a little more about your organization, directions to your location, links to related organizations like WELS.net if you are a WELS organization, and how to contact you.
4. What To Expect – As one of the main purposes of your website might be to encourage someone to visit your church or school, you want to give them a good idea of what that visit might be like. Write up some content that talks about what your worship is like, what to do with the kids, what about the offering, the singing, communion, etc. Put yourself in their shoes and answer the questions they might have BEFORE they visit. Remove some of the apprehension. All the same applies for schools. What's it like for my son or daughter to go to school there. Use pictures, video, audio, whatever it takes.
5. Calendar – Statistics show that the most popular item on most church and school websites is the calendar. Make it easy to find and keep it up-to-date. The minute it gets out of date you have removed one of the main reasons why your own members or parents come to your website.
6. Social Connections – Today it is odd to find an organization that doesn't at least have a Facebook page. We'll be going into more detail about Facebook later in this book. For now just make sure that whatever social network your active on, either link to it, or embed it's content on your home page. It shows that you are interested in a dialog and also that they are invited to peek into the conversations that might be happening.
7. Media – This might be technically the hardest of the eight, but might be the most important. Expectations of website visitors of today is that you have media in the form of audio and video files. Engage the visitor with quality video and audio of sermons, Bible classes, events, etc. Again, more on this later.
8. Images – Visually appealing and engaging website have pictures. Make sure yours are of high quality, relevant and integrated with your textual content. Articles should all have pictures as well as blog posts, welcome messages, about us, what to expect and so on.
So that's it for the great eight things that you should have on your home page. There are more of course depending on need, but these serve as a good starting point.
Series Details
The Summer 2013 WELSTech Church and School Website Content Series kicks off with Episode 292 on June 11, 2013 and runs through Episode 306 on September 10, 2013. New chapters of this book will be finalized each week to coincide with each episode.
This topic is scheduled for Episode 292 – June 11, 2013.