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Abstract: This study examines the experiences of never-married singles in the Mennonite church. The results, which are based on an analysis of in-depth interviews with 15 individuals who are active participants in Mennonite Church and General Conference Mennonite Church congregations in urban and rural settings, indicate that singles often feel like outsiders in the church. This is true in part because the presumption of family-the assumption that the traditional nuclear family is preferable to any alternatives-creates an insider/outsider duality within the church that can marginalize singles. This study identifies specific structures and practices that construct this insider/outsider dichotomy and examines steps individual congregations have taken and could take to integrate singles more effectively into the church.
In recent years, the Mennonite church has given increasing attention to meeting the needs of singles. Some pastors such as Shirley Yoder Brubaker[1] and Sheron Patterson[2] have sought to develop a "theology of singleness" that "embraces all singles [and] informs them that God loves them just as they are,"[3] while other church leaders are attempting to identify strategies for ministering to singles.[4] Amidst these efforts are the voices of singles themselves, describing their own experiences in an attempt to foster greater understanding of what it means to be single within a tradition that strongly encourages marriage.[5] Nonetheless, in spite of the increased attention to issues related to singleness and church life, singles continue to be less satisfied with, and less involved in, the church than their married counterparts. Dean Merrill, vice president of the International Bible Society, reports that while 80% of married people sampled in a national survey agree that the Christian churches in their area are relevant to the way they live their life today, only 61% of singles agree with that statement. 50% of marrieds report that they attend church at least three times per month compared to only 31% of singles.[6]
Why are singles less likely to find church relevant to their lives than individuals who are married? While people undoubtedly experience church negatively for a variety of reasons, part of the church's apparent difficulty in meeting the needs of singles is the emphasis it places on marriage and family, a focus that can be alienating to individuals who may not fit traditional models of family. Within American culture at large and within the Mennonite church in particular, the family is a primary normative, meaning-making framework.[7] One need only look at the popularity of movements such as the Million Men March, Promise Keepers and Focus on the Family in the decade of the 1990s to see the importance placed on the traditional nuclear family within American churches. Even those voices in the debate about family and the church that recognize the dangers of idealizing the family in the name of Christianity and that seek to reconstruct the family for "postindustrial postmodern times" are often unable to step outside of traditional models of family. For example, while the approach to the family debate carried forward in essays gathered in From Culture Wars to Common Ground: Religion and the American Family Debate,[8] seems truly innovative on the surface, a closer analysis of the collective argument reveals that their "creation of a new family ethic"-an "egalitarian family in which husband and wife participate relatively equally in paid work as well as childcare and other domestic responsibilities"[9] -simply reinstitutionalizes traditional family structures, merely outfitting "Ozzie and Harriet" for the new millennium.
Although there is nothing inherently wrong with traditional notions of family, presenting the nuclear model of family as paradigmatic is potentially problematic on two levels. First, this focus on the traditional family inevitably creates an "in-group/out-group" duality within many congregations, in which those individuals who are not part of traditional family units are subtly, and often not so subtly, identified as outsiders. Pastor Sheron Patterson provides evidence of this insider/outsider dichotomy in her claim that many churches suffer from "marriage elitism," assuming that "married people are better than single people."[10] By setting up marriage and family as the preferred ideal, the church-in effect if not intentionally-constructs a reality in which individuals who are married with children enjoy a privileged status while those who are not are easily rendered invisible and voiceless.
On a second, perhaps even more problematic, level, the presupposition that the traditional family should be the preferred relational construct within our churches prevents any real discussion of alternative relational models that may actually come closer to creating the truly integrated family of disciples modeled and described by Jesus in the New Testament.[11] In other words, the presupposition of what family is in the church precludes a true exploration of what the church family could be.
Our study seeks to ensure that the voices of some of those in the "out-group," specifically single people who have never been married and have no children[12] are not lost in the church's discussions about family. Specifically, we seek to answer two research questions: (1) In what ways does the emphasis on "family" in the Mennonite church impact the lives of singles within the church? (2) What attempts have been made by churches to break down the "in-group/out-group" barriers created by traditional definitions of "family," and how have singles responded to those efforts?
Interview Schedule
The second set of questions on the interview schedule asked interviewees to respond to the assumptions that are typically made about singles and singleness in the church. According to Merrill, one factor preventing true acceptance of singles in the church is "persistent myths" about singleness.[16] A review of literature revealed several of these persistent myths, or frames, placed on singleness. One of the most prevalent is that singles are essentially in a "holding pattern," waiting for an opportunity to marry. This frame implies that being married and having a family is the desired or preferred way to be-a status that singles unquestionably would seek to attain. Sheron Patterson has argued that the pressure to be married is strong within the church; she noted "marriage can be an obsession fueled in large part by the church."[17] A second frame occasionally placed on singles in the church is that their singleness is a vocation, something God has called them to be. For example, Tim Stafford, senior writer for Christianity Today and author of numerous books on religion and spirituality, presents singleness as a call to "radical discipleship" and an opportunity for "radical dedication to God's kingdom."[18] A final frame placed on singleness that emerged from the literature review is that the single person is incomplete. Sheron Patterson notes that singles often are made to "feel incomplete," and Catherine Walsh, a columnist for America: The National Catholic Weekly, observes that the link between wholeness and marriage is particularly strong for women, who "for generations were taught to equate wholeness with marriage and motherhood."[19] To get a feel for the ways in which singleness is framed within the Mennonite church, the interview schedule asked interviewees to respond to each of these three frames gleaned from the literature and then invited them to identify other frames or persistent myths about singles that they have encountered in the church.
The final set of questions on the interview schedule asked interviewees to share and respond to ways in which their churches have attempted to integrate singles.
The first two sets of questions in the interview schedule were designed to enable us to answer the first research question: In what ways does the emphasis on "family" in the Mennonite church impact on the lives of singles within the church? One-third of the respondents reported that their singleness has no effect on their participation in church activities. The more common attitude, however, is captured by an interviewee who explained: "I don't participate in activities outside of going to the Sunday morning church service and participating in my small group, and I would say to a large degree that's probably related to my being single." This comment is characteristic of two-thirds of the interviewees, who identified particular church events or activities they opt not to participate in, often because they feel out of place as a single. Even those interviewees who reported that they now feel comfortable at all church activities acknowledged that their "comfort" was established over time. One subject explained: "My being single would have affected participation earlier in my life, but it does not currently because of my comfort in my church setting. I know so many people because I've been in small groups with a lot of them, and I've served on committees with many of them."
In addition to questions about participation in various aspects of church life, the interview schedule asked interviewees to generate a metaphor that summarized what it is like to be single in the Mennonite church. These metaphors provide a fitting starting point for analyzing the specific ways in which singleness impacts on an individual's participation in church life.
Tellingly, only two interviewees provided a metaphor that described the self as being part of an integrated whole. One suggested that being single is like being "a goose in a flock of geese. Each one of us has our strengths and role. You know how they all follow one bird, and that bird cuts the wind for a while, then he gets tired and he moves back. That's how I see being single in this church. I'll take my turn, just like everybody else takes their turn." The other explained: "The church has been a place where I have been encouraged to use my gifts. It's been a place where I've grown, and so for me the church has been kind of like a garden."
All of the other subjects, however, generated metaphors that highlighted either the difficulties of being single or the feelings of distinct "otherness" associated with this status. Three subjects chose metaphors that focused on how hard it is to be single in the church. For example, one interviewee observed: "Being single in the Mennonite church is a constant challenge. I think singles have to work harder at building relationships than families do." The remaining metaphors all emphasized the "outsider" status of singles. One subject noted: "Being single is like being a button on a crazy work quilt. The quilt is the congregation; it can be comforting, warm and inviting. And yet the button itself in some ways is useless. It's decorative, and sometimes it's lifted out as being a shining example, and yet it's not really integrated into the whole." Another said: "Being single is different with the time and age. There would have been a time I would have said it felt like not being picked for the team. Cheering for the team, but not being able to play on the team. I don't feel that so much anymore. Now I think I would say it's sort of like the duck adopted by the mother chicken. You're included with the family, but it's highly recognized that you're not quite the same as everyone else." Still another respondent likened being single to being "the proverbial square peg that's trying to fit into a round hole." She explained: "You just don't quite fit. That's how it feels to me. And I don't want to make myself fit by cutting off the edges." Another likened being single in the church to "being the only iris in a garden of roses. If you're the only single, you're kind of there, but you're different. You're still beautiful, but you're not like everyone else." Finally, one interviewee concluded: "Being single in the Mennonite church is like a minnow swimming upstream during the salmon spawning season."
A theme shared by all of these metaphors is "not fitting in." More important, in many of them it is not fitting into something that is otherwise an integrated whole-a team, a quilt, a family of chickens. Singles clearly perceive themselves to be "outsiders," although not always in a negative way. As one subject explained: "It's not that you're not included, or you're not a part of it. You are a part of it, but you're often made to feel different."
Why is this perception of being different, of not quite fitting in, so common among Mennonite singles? The answer to that question may lie in part in the insider/outsider duality constructed by the centrality of family within the church. The interview data illustrate two interlocking points at which the hegemonically entrenched presumption of family in the church becomes clearly visible: (1) in church structures and programming and (2) in frames placed on singleness in the church.
Rituals in the Church
The underlying issue is that these family-oriented rituals reinforce the notion that family is normal and that anything falling outside of expected family structures-like being single-is abnormal. As one interviewee put it: "There's always applause for wedding anniversaries. People get up and say, 'We've been married 25 years today,' and everybody applauds. Which is nice. Hallelujah, some marriages work. But it also shows a bias towards how you should be living in the minds of the congregation." Another observed: "Things like baby dedications and anniversaries, while certainly reasons to rejoice, are always a reminder that there's a status that you haven't quite achieved yet and really should. You really should be getting married and having kids and then having anniversary celebrations-all those kinds of things that bring people together for celebration in the church."
Most of the interviewees challenged the church to think more creatively about how events in the lives of people who do not fit the traditional family paradigm might be celebrated. One remarked: "There is this incredible need to help people establish their homes when they're married-bridal showers and baby showers. That's an important part of the church family taking care of each other. But, I would like to cook on good kettles, too, and just because I don't have the man doesn't mean that I shouldn't have nice cookware given to me by people who want my life to go well." Another concluded: "The problem is not the way in which those rituals are celebrated, but the fact that those rituals do not have a counterweight of rituals that celebrate things in the life of a single person that are of equal importance. I would not want to take away from celebrating what in the family's life is an important moment, but I would hope that the church could at some point find ways to celebrate important moments in the life of a single person."
The interviewees generated some ideas for creating rituals that are not tied to traditional notions of family that might be celebrated within the church. One, who suggested celebrating job anniversaries, asked: "Why is it more important in the church to celebrate 25 years of marriage than 25 years on the job?" Others suggested births of nieces or nephews, moving into a new home, or becoming a big brother/big sister as events worthy of celebration. The interviewees admitted that finding alternative rituals that are not centered on family is difficult. One observed: "These things happen at different points for different people and in different ways, as opposed to marriage, which is a concrete event which happens on this date and is recorded in Bibles and church registers." This difficulty illustrates the embeddedness of the assumption of family in the church. Marriages and births are the events we choose to record in our family Bibles, in our church registers, even in the "For the Record" section of The Mennonite. Identifying other, less exclusionary, events in the lives of individuals that could be celebrated within the church is indeed a challenge.
But the presumption of family in church rituals goes beyond determining which events will be celebrated in the church. Some subjects noted that even rituals that are not family-oriented are sometimes structured around family units, which can also be alienating to singles. For example, respondents from several different churches shared how uncomfortable they have been made to feel as singles when people were invited to come up for communion in family units. One interviewee described her experience: "One Christmas to celebrate communion we were asked to come up to the front and kneel around a manger and partake of the bread and the grape juice in family units, which created an incredible awkwardness and, I must say, hurt and anger for me, because was I now not going up there at all? Or was I going up there with friends? Or was I just going to attach myself to some family that went up there? I thought that was very shortsighted of the church on a very holy day to exclude people from the table because they did not fit the family model." Yet another interviewee who described a similar experience was quick to add: "I just thought that was a very insensitive thing to do. And I know at the same time that nobody in the church would have done it intentionally. But I think that is evidence of how insidious it is; we aren't even aware of how we just assume that people in our churches are in families."
Sunday School and Worship
As this response suggests, part of the problem is structural in that some churches organize Sunday school classes around-and even name them according to-marital and family status. One subject told about being part of the "Honeymooners" class when she was in her late 20s, because that was the name of the class for people her age. Fortunately, this was at a time when a lot of classes were looking at name changes, and this group was renamed the "Young Adults." However, according to the interviewee, "the language still continued. Like when we had socials, we would decide which 'couples' would bring what."
The interview data suggest that even church services are sometimes awkward, because in most churches the practice is for people to sit in family groups. One subject explained: "I think church services and the scripts that go along with them are uncomfortable to everybody who is new to a church; I think it's more uncomfortable if you're new to the church alone. If you go with someone, you have somebody to sit by, you have someone so you're not alone. And I have to admit that even now, I'm not new to the church anymore, but it's still sort of awkward on Sunday morning to go and look into the congregation and decide who I am going to sit by. It's this constant reminder that you are alone." Several other subjects concurred, stating: "It's strange for me to have to decide where to sit. Where can I sneak in? Who will I be sharing a hymnal with?" or "Something that has bothered me in our services sometimes, and I don't think people even think about it, is I tend to come late because then I can go sit by somebody. If I get here early and sit by myself, a lot of times people don't come and sit by single people."
Fellowship Times
Other individuals identified church retreats as a time for fellowship that singles avoid. One respondent admitted: "The only church activity I choose not to go to anymore is our annual retreat, because it is extremely family-oriented. And I'm supportive of that, but I just don't find any desire to be so family-oriented for a whole weekend." Another described her experience when she did attend her church's retreat one year: "I felt really awkward as a single person because it was very clearly geared towards families. One of the most awkward things was the dividing up into cabins for the night, which, of course, was done by families." Finally, one subject observed, "There is the men and boys retreat, which I'd be free to go to, but as a single person without kids or without a father here at this congregation, I don't feel terribly compelled to go." Clearly, without the legitimation that comes with being part of a family unit, many single people feel out of place at church retreats.
By far the most pervasive fellowship time that many interviewees experience as uncomfortable is fellowship meals. Two-thirds of the subjects reported that they do not attend fellowship meals regularly. One woman explained: "A lot of people think that singles would come to a pitch-in because it's a free meal, but really it's a hard situation because you have to come there by yourself." Another observed: "With fellowship meals, what used to bother me immensely, and it still does, is people reserving chairs for their family. That just really bothered me, to the place where one time I thought, 'Do I need to take my tray and go to one of the classrooms?' because people were reserving everywhere."
Not all of the singles interviewed for this study reported being uncomfortable at fellowship meals. One-third said that they regularly attend, but even some of these acknowledged that it has not always been easy. "Fellowship meals I don't mind so much," one woman explains. "Everyone sits as a family, but I have learned to just sit down and talk anyway. That was hard at one time-to go stand in line alone especially. That has gotten easier as I've gotten older. The food is worth it."
To a large degree, the discomfort singles feel at fellowship meals may stem from the structure of the meals. One interviewee explained: "It seems like the church is set up for families and for couples. There are typically six or eight places around a table, not five or seven. And so often that will mean asking if it's okay to sit at a place or feeling like I've got to search for someone to sit with or go to an occasion with." When tables seat an even number-six or eight-the implication is pairs and couples. As one subject put it, "I think we need to be liberated from the Noah's Ark Principle-the assumption that everything comes in twos."
Church Programming
In many cases, the examples shared with us of programming that excludes singles could have been broadened to integrate singles quite easily. For instance, in regard to the newsletter on building better families, one subject asks, "Why couldn't it be a newsletter on building better relationships more generally?" Another respondent shared an account of how one church successfully broadened their celebration on Valentine's Day: "Instead of having a Valentine's Party, they had a Celebration of Love Party in which they brought kids, they brought Grandmas, they brought pets."
One subject poignantly summarized the impact such exclusion has had on her spiritual life: "When I have to sit in church, and I feel that in some of the church's rituals and in some of the ways in which the message is phrased or framed I am not on the church's mind ever in my status as a single person, then I really get frustrated and begin to wonder whether the church can really help me develop spiritually and find a spiritual home."
Structures and programming are not the only way in which singles are made to feel like outsiders within their own congregations. Attitudes and assumptions about singleness can also contribute to the construction of the insider/outsider duality. As noted in the methods section of this paper, our literature review identified three separate "frames" that are often placed on singleness. Subjects were asked to respond to each of these and then invited to identify other frames they have heard expressed within their churches. 90% of the interviewees said the first frame-that singleness is a holding pattern-is a prevalent attitude in their churches as well as in society at large. According to one respondent: "Society says you're supposed to be married, and it's regrettable that the church in many regards also says that, particularly when you're a young person. It sets up these expectations, with no alternatives." Another interviewee agreed: "I think it's very common, because I think there are a lot of single people who feel that way themselves."
The interviewees reported hearing this assumption communicated through comments such as: "When are you getting married?" or "How has such a good catch like you gone unnoticed?" One respondent reported meeting a friend from college at church who said: "'What? You're not married? You're not married?' As if she couldn't fathom that I wouldn't be married." This frame clearly preferences marriage over singleness. Singleness is assumed to be a transitory state, not a desired end product. As one subject put it: "When someone asks 'When are you going to get married?' it almost says you're not okay. It makes me feel that I should be married." Another explained: "When people say, 'You're a nice guy. There's somebody out there for you,' it is encouraging. I take it as affirmation that there's nothing wrong with me. At the same time, it just reinforces the belief that everyone should get married. You're a single guy, and you should be married, as opposed to you're a single guy and you should remain a single guy. I don't want to remain a single guy, but I don't want to look at it as a handicap or a social deformity."
The second frame for singleness that emerged from our literature review is viewing singleness as a calling or vocation. Nearly all of the subjects reported that they had heard this frame, either in their churches or in reading. Responses to this frame varied significantly. Two of the respondents found it comforting. One, for instance, stated: "I really like that. I've thought a lot about that, and maybe that's what's actually freed me to accept my life as it is. I always had a strong desire to be married, and it wasn't happening. And I was blaming God for that, and this was very freeing actually. Maybe I am being called to be single for some reason, and I'm fine with that."
Most of the interviewees, however, responded more negatively to this framing of singleness as a vocation, some by arguing that the frame is inaccurate and others by suggesting that the frame is actually insulting. According to many singles in this study, this frame does not accurately represent their experience. One woman explained: "I don't know that singleness is my 'calling.' I guess for folks who feel that's their calling, that's wonderful, but don't impose that on everyone, because it's not everyone's story." Another concurred: "I think it's a calling for some people, maybe nuns and monks, people who have been called to that life of celibacy and aloneness. But when that's not been your choice, and not your preference, I would say that I don't know that I feel called to be that way." Another subject wondered what people who frame singleness as a calling do when they later marry. "Now it was God's will, but now it's not God's will?" she asked. Yet another person noted: "I have sort of framed it that it's okay with God for me to be single right now. But I don't see it as something I may be called to forever. I trust that it's okay with God for me right now, but I don't see it as a 'calling.'"
Another common reaction to this view of singleness as a vocation was that the frame is not only inaccurate, but even problematic. One subject noted, for instance: "Some of my friends found comfort in that-in being able to label their being single not as a failure but as a calling from God. But I don't see it that way at all. I find it very problematic to think that you have to label being single as something that God ordained in order to legitimate it." Another observed that she was actually insulted when she first heard this frame: "I was taken aback by the need to come up with some kind of a frame for singleness that explains it in some higher measure. Why can we not accept single people as people who have made another choice in their lives and move on from there? Why does it have to be theorized now into something special?"
The final frame the interviewees were asked to respond to is the notion that single people are not yet complete. The majority of subjects have heard this frame expressed in the Mennonite church. One explained: "I've had people try to fix me up before, and sometimes that feels kind and sometimes not. Even that language-fix me up-implies that you're broken, you're not whole yet." This person proceeded to share the story of a cousin who got married later in life, "and in the wedding sermon, the preacher said, 'Well, your lives can finally begin.' He had been a missionary for fifteen years, and now his life was beginning?!" Another interviewee observed that this frame is not overtly stated as often as some of the others: "It's more the implication that you're not a whole person yet."
While most of the interviewees viewed these persistent myths about singleness negatively, they tended to frame their own singleness in more positive ways, ranging from acceptance to celebration. Some framed singleness as a choice a person makes; others framed it as a position they find themselves in. One subject said: "This is just who I am right now, and everybody is in a different place and you live life to the fullest where you are." Yet another woman observed: "I celebrate my singleness. I would like to have my singleness accepted as a valid choice that I made, and not as some errant behavior and not as something that needs to be explained as something God-ordained. I just want it to be accepted as a choice that is as valid as choosing to be married and have a family." Another interviewee described her singleness in a similar manner: "I would frame my singleness as something I thank God for. And the reason I say that is I think growing up in a traditional Mennonite church and going to a Mennonite college, it would have been very easy for me to follow the traditional Mennonite pattern of getting married and having a family, and I'm so glad I didn't do that, because it has opened up so many opportunities in my life. And I feel more complete and more whole now than I can imagine feeling if I were in a marriage."
In his article on singles in the church, Tim Stafford asks: "Is the difficulty [associated with being single] intrinsic to singleness, or is it rooted in the anti-single feeling of our society?"[21] The responses provided by these subjects would imply that much of the negative image associated with singleness is not inherent in being single; rather, it is a result of society's assumption that being single is the anomaly and being married is normal. Almost all of the subjects interviewed for this study acknowledged a growing comfort with their life as a single person. Most of them have grown to embrace their singleness, to find value and joy in it; however, most also acknowledge that they first had to cope with the hegemonic privileging of marriage and family as the only acceptable relational model. One subject noted, "I'm very comfortable in this life, although I haven't always been." Another explained: "If we would have had this conversation three years ago, I would have been saying, 'Oh pity me.' But I'm starting to own my singleness, becoming more at peace with that than I had been." Even in a culture so strongly defined by family as the norm, these singles have come to own their singleness as something positive.
The last set of questions included in the interview schedule was designed to answer the second research question: What attempts have been made by churches to break down the "in-group/out-group" barriers created by traditional definitions of "family," and how have singles responded to those efforts? While our data unequivocally support the notion that church structures, programming and framing of singleness both overtly and covertly reinforce the normative nature of marriage and family, there seems to be increasing awareness in the Mennonite church that single people may not be well served by the family focus. One of the older participants in the study acknowledged: "I've seen a lot of changes." And another interviewee observed: "There is a sensitivity to the fact that it's not the traditional family anymore. I think there's a greater awareness now than there was even ten years ago. And I find hope in that."
According to our interviewees, many churches have addressed this issue by trying to implement programming specifically geared towards single people, including special Sunday school classes for single adults, Sunday morning sermons on singleness, and organized singles' groups and/or retreats. Nearly unanimously our subjects responded negatively to these efforts. One woman, for example, described her reaction to hearing a sermon about singleness: "Several years ago, the pastor talked about singleness in the church, and I just felt uncomfortable. He didn't point out, 'Oh, boy, you're single. Hey, there's something wrong.' Not at all, not the least bit. He made it very clear that you have a place in the church, single or not single. You have a place. Yet I felt like all eyes were on me."
Responses to Sunday school classes specifically for singles were similarly negative. One interviewee quipped, "I was just in a staff retreat where we talked about how to incorporate singles, and I was the only single there. Everyone was talking about what they were going to do. Let's have a singles' Sunday school class, and a variety of things. So finally, I spoke up and said, 'Well, I'd like to have a class with other people with brown eyes, because I have brown eyes.' I do not want to be in a class because of my marital status. Don't alienate that way. The church tries to fix what they perceive as a problem, and it's much easier to provide a singles' class rather than change the entire structure of the church which is set up for family/marriage brackets."
All of the programs described in these examples make single people more visible in the church; unfortunately, they also strongly reinforce the troubling in-group/out-group dichotomy identified earlier by placing singles into a separate, "other" category. The vast majority of interviewees argued in favor of efforts that truly integrate singles into the church community. One respondent said that what she really liked about her church's Sunday school program when she first started attending was that "you weren't put into a singles' Sunday school group because you were single. I liked it because we were intermingled, and I could hear the voices of older people, and I could hear the voices of those who haven't even begun to experience life. I appreciate our church from that point of view."
While separate programming for singles clearly missed the mark, our subjects did point out several ways in which their churches have successfully worked at including singles. Interviewees applauded three strategies in particular as effective ways to integrate singles and, thus, ultimately to strengthen churches. First, almost half mentioned their church's deliberate efforts to increase singles' visibility by placing them in leadership roles and on committees. One subject noted: "Very important committees always have single people on them. I'm always impressed that there's a single person's voice." Another observed: "I think it's important to have single people in positions of leadership as visible role models, and also in decision-making, you have to have somebody who's sensitive to single people's concerns."
A second strategy commended by several subjects is the use of more inclusive language. One respondent argued, "I think language in whatever you're doing is so incredibly important. It can be exclusive or inclusive. Instead of 'mother/daughter' banquet, make that title broader; change 'family' to 'household'; refer to 'individuals' instead of to 'couples.'"
A final strategy, and one to which several respondents attributed their own comfort in their current congregation, is the use of direct, personal invitations offered to single individuals. One interviewee who feels particularly well-connected within her church related: "After I'd been here a couple of months, a woman from one of the other classes invited me to join their class, and I've been part of that class ever since. That was a specific invitation to join that class, and that felt good. I certainly wouldn't have gone to her and asked can I go to her class." In some cases, the singles said that they welcomed being invited to participate in the family life of families in the congregation. In addition to making singles feel more welcome, direct invitations can also make it easier for them to participate in events that might be awkward or uncomfortable alone. For example, one individual posited that she would be more likely to attend her church's retreat if "somebody would take me in as part of their family, so that I don't feel like I'm going to go and be by myself." Another observed, "They had a work day with MDS when the tornado went through. Well, I have a hard time just going by myself, but I might go if someone would call and say, 'Why don't you go with us?'"
These interviews were with individuals who are active and committed participants in their congregations; yet even these singles often experience difficulty in becoming truly and completely integrated within the Mennonite church. The interview data suggest that, to some degree, this difficulty may be traced to the underlying presumption of family. When the negative frames that are typically placed on singleness are combined with structures that consistently reinforce marriage and family as normative within the church, singles are often made to feel like outsiders. In many instances, the presumption of family manifests itself in ways that are so subtle they are difficult to see and most likely will not be seen until they are pointed out. Like white privilege or male privilege, one doesn't recognize the way one is "privileged" in the church through marriage and by belonging to a family unit, because it is the unquestioned assumption.
There is hope. Many churches have already begun the kind of much-needed dialogue that will help break down the current in-group/out-group paradigm. Still there is much work to be done. The last question in the interview schedule invited our subjects to share what they perceive to be the most important message for singles to communicate to the church at large. We will conclude by categorizing and summarizing the interviewees' visions for the Mennonite "family of believers" as we begin a new millennium.
Don't Separate; Integrate
Churches should integrate singles, according to our interviewees, by seeking to find in programming and language the "common denominator," the level of interaction that speaks to all participants in the church, regardless of marital status. As one interviewee put it: "Find things that are universal rather than particular to marriage and family." Another respondent elaborated: "The church needs to focus on strengthening individuals and helping individuals strengthen their relationships, no matter what those relationships are. That might be family, but it also might be work, it might be siblings, or it might be friends. If you focus on helping all individuals strengthen their relationships with each other and with God, then you're doing what a church should be doing."
Don't Equivocate; Validate
Until singleness is accepted as being as valid as marriage, it will be difficult to completely integrate singles into the church. One subject explained: "The churches' efforts to integrate singles haven't been effective in changing the underlying assumption that marriage is normal and singleness is abnormal. And I'm not sure what needs to happen to change that, but I think that's what needs to be changed for single people to be truly integrated into the church." Another subject concurred: "I believe that the church needs to get away from focusing on the family as its defining framework or its defining metaphor of inclusion and think of a different way to make church truly a place where people can meet as individuals to form a community of believers where you're not first judged by whether you're married or how many children you have but rather more as an individual. Personally, I think that might also help married couples not to only have to be considered a couple, and it might help children not to always only be seen as the children of such and such. It would liberate people from a lot of the little boxes they're put into."
Perhaps the counterpart to providing more validating contextual frames for singleness in the church is to provide more realistic frames for marriage. As one subject explained: "The last thing I want to do is tell the church to de-emphasize marriage; however, I think there needs to be more of an acknowledgment that marriage is not the end all and be all of relationships, that marriage in many occasions may not even be a desired relationship. The traditional marriage phrase is 'what God has joined together let no one rend asunder,' which I fully agree with. Absolutely. 100 percent. The problem is, I think a lot of marriages are not joined by God. If God indeed brought these two people together, then absolutely they should remain, but I think pressures by society at large and certainly by the church say that the way to do it is get married. So maybe we need to re-evaluate marriage and reconsider its role in society and in the church."
Don't Turn Away; Learn the Way
An important component of the ongoing dialogue recommended by many of the interviewees is the freedom to name barriers or practices that exclude singles. "People have to be conscious of it in order for it to change," remarked one subject. One respondent, in reflecting on an instance where she was made to feel particularly isolated in her church, admitted: "I don't think they intentionally did that. And even now, since I didn't speak up, I'm sure they're still not aware of how alienating that was for people who don't fit into families. So I guess part of it would be for single people to speak up."
An important part of increasing awareness in the church on issues related to singleness is to create opportunities for people from a variety of lifestyles to share their perspectives. One subject clarified: "Invite people to grow in their sensitivity, to think about how it might feel to be the only person, and not to wait but to take initiative to find ways to talk about things other than family. Intentionally build relationships with single people. Intentionally include variety-intergenerational and varieties of marital status-around the dinner table and in your social times. It's an awareness and a sensitivity and a thinking piece that I think needs to happen in the church."
Of course, this kind of sharing needs to be transactional in nature: as marrieds in the church learn about singleness, the singles can be learning about what it means to be married. One respondent explained: "I got to thinking about me saying that married people don't understand single people, and I thought, well, they could say the same thing about single people. A married person could say, 'You don't know what it's like to get up in the middle of the night with a child who's crying and have to get up and go to work the next day, and you don't know what it's like to sit up late at night wondering where your husband is. You don't understand about that.' But that comes around again to saying that no matter who we are, we all have experiences of loss, of disappointment, of grief. Even though we say we don't understand each other, we all have the same kinds of human emotional experiences no matter who we are."
Another recommendation that came from the interviews is to involve singles in planning for singles. One interviewee told the story of a roommate who was invited to a meeting to discuss what the larger church should do to reach single young adults: "My roommate was the only person in that age group there. It was people talking about what they perceived the problem was rather than going to those people and saying, 'What are the things that either alienate you or include you and what is the church doing or not doing?'" Another respondent agreed, "Don't bend over backwards trying to figure out single people over their heads without asking."
When these recommendations are combined, they form a model for effective communication that has the potential to break down the in-group/out-group barriers that make singles feel like outsiders in our churches. Of course, this open interaction presupposes a climate of supportiveness and trust in which this kind of sharing can take place. This kind of dialogue has the potential to empower single people to raise their once muted voices and to share from their lives as we work together to creatively re-envision what "family" can be in the church.
[*] Elizabeth Goering is an Associate Professor of Communication Studies at Indiana University Purdue University, Indianapolis. Andrea Krause is an English professor at Hesston College, Hesston, KS. 1. Shirley Yoder Brubaker, "One is a Whole Number," The Mennonite, May 26, 1998, 8-10. Return to Text
[2] . Sheron C. Patterson, "Singles and the Church," Quarterly Review 12 (Winter 1992), 45-56. Return to Text
[3] . Ibid., 54. Return to Text
[4] . For examples, see Susan Maycinick, "Creating a Singles-Friendly Sermon: How to Preach to 40 Percent of Today's Adults," Leadership 18 (Fall 1997), 65-67, or Kay Collier-Stone, Single in the Church: New Ways to Minister with 52% of God's People (Washington, D.C.: Alban Institute, 1992). Return to Text
[5] . An interesting discussion of what it means to be single in the Christian church at large can be found in Dana Anders Hefley et al., Single and Content: Experiencing Singleness in a Paired-Off World (Nashville, TN: Word Publishing, 1999). For insights from a Mennonite single, see Mariann Martin, "Ten Questions to Ask a Single Person Other Than, So, Is There Anyone Special in Your Life?" The Mennonite, May 26, 1998, 11. Return to Text
[6] . Dean Merrill, "Not Married-with-Children," Christianity Today, July 14, 1997, 34-36. Return to Text
[7] . It is important to note that the primacy of the family within the church is something that has been constructed by the church. For a historical account of this construction, see John Witte, Jr., "Consulting a Living Tradition: Christian Heritage of Marriage and Family," Christian Century, Nov. 13, 1996, 1108-11. Witte convincingly demonstrates how the placing of "marriage and family squarely within the social hierarchy of the church" (1108) has more of a political and social foundation than a biblical one. Return to Text
[8] . Don S. Browning et al., From Culture Wars to Common Ground: Religion and the American Family Debate (Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 1997). Return to Text
[9] . Ibid., 1-2. Return to Text
[10] . Patterson, "Singles and the Church," 55. Return to Text
[11] . For a detailed discussion of the ways Jesus radically redefines family in terms of discipleship, see John Painter, "When Is a House Not a Home? Disciples and Family in Mark 3.13-35," New Testament Studies 45 (Oct. 1999), 498-513, or Carolyn Osiek, "The Family in Early Christianity: 'Family Values' Revisited," Catholic Biblical Quarterly 58 (Jan. 1996), 1-24. Return to Text
[12] . We have intentionally chosen to restrict our focus to "always singles," a label Patterson prefers over "singles never married," because it focuses on what the individual is rather than what s/he is not. We recognize that individuals in the church who are single because of divorce or the death of a spouse and singles with children often feel like outsiders as well, and we encourage churches to be sure the voices of these singles are also heard. However, we believe that it will be more useful to look at the experience of singleness within singleness subgroups rather than trying to generalize experiences to all singles. Return to Text
[13] . For a more detailed explanation of saturation sampling, see Barney G. Glaser and Anselm L. Strauss, The Discovery of Grounded Theory: Strategies for Qualitative Research (Chicago: Aldine, 1967). For additional examples of family research utilizing this sampling method, see Sherilyn Marrow Ferguson and Fran C. Dickson, "Children's Expectations of their Single Parents' Dating Behaviors: A Preliminary Investigation of Emergent Themes Relevant to Single Parent Dating," Journal of Applied Communication Research 23 (1995), 308-24, or Glen H. Stamp, "The Appropriation of the Parental Role through Communication during the Transition to Parenthood," Communication Monographs 61 (1994), 89-112. Return to Text
[14] . Copies of the interview schedule are available upon request from the authors. Return to Text
[15] . Merrill, 34-35. Return to Text
[16] . Ibid., 36. Return to Text
[17] . Patterson, "Singles and the Church," 46. Return to Text
[18] . Tim Stafford, "Beyond the Stiff Upper Lip," Christianity Today, Jan. 13, 1989, 30-34. Return to Text
[19] . Catherine Walsh, "Perspectives," America, May 24, 1997, 5. Return to Text
[20] . The ritualistic affirmation of marriage goes beyond individual congregations to the larger Mennonite church. One interviewee describes yet another exclusionary practice: "It's long been a marketing ploy for Mennonite publications to give newlyweds free 6 month subscriptions. You know, guess what. I've never had a free 6-month subscription." Return to Text
[21] . Stafford, "Beyond the Stiff Upper Lip," 30. 230 The Mennonite Quarterly Review 231 Marginalization of Mennonite Singles 211


text:
The Pacific coast of South America is one which is famous for its excellent surfing conditions, and from the southern reaches of Chile up to Colombia at the northern end of the continent, there are plenty of places to catch a wave or two.
Category: Things To Do
Day Trips From Cusco
April 7, 2015
The city of Cusco is one of the most important cities in the country, if you are looking for something to do outside the city, there are plenty of day trips from Cusco.
The Best Places to Buy Souvenirs in Lima
March 31, 2015
The Peruvian capital is a lively and vibrant city which is popular among visitors to the region, and has some wonderful areas if you are looking for great shopping in Lima.
The Best Restaurants In Lima
March 10, 2015
Peru's capital is a city that has a thriving food scene at the moment, and there are a huge variety of restaurants in Lima opening their doors and sharing world-class food. Whether you are looking for high-class dining or the best places to try traditional Peruvian classics, here are some of the best restaurants that Lima has to offer.
The Chiclayo Witch Market
March 3, 2015
The Chiclayo Witch Market supplies people who are involved in the traditional spiritual beliefs of the region, the rituals and ceremonies of which often require particular ingredients or figures which can surprise many visitors to the market.
Pilpintuwasi Butterfly Farm
February 10, 2015
Around 20 minutes outside the city of Iquitos, in the village of Padre Cocha, is the Pilpintuwasi Butterfly Farm, one of the most amazing places in Peru for seeing the natural wonders of the Amazon at close quarters.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Dear Santa:
I had a really fun time at our nursing home visit last Sunday to Manor Care South. About ten other ladies from The Salvation Army went with me to sing Christmas carols with the residents, share talk and God's word and to pass out gifts.
I enjoy when others go with me, because while they pass out gifts it gives me an opportunity to linger afterward and share conversation with the folks.
It led me to thinking about a woman from another nursing home I met in my last appointment in Sussex County, Del.
Several times after sharing music I would go around to some of the rooms to visit one on one and I met a woman named Thelma.
Thelma never ventured out to the music program, but she always was a delight to spend time with.
She was originally from England (gotta love that English accent that never went away - so quaint!) and she grew up in The Salvation Army.
It was wonderful to hear about how she used to be a sunbeam (kind of like Brownies or Girl Scouts) and took part in many other programs.
It seemed to make her happy and to bring back so many fond memories.
That always is a blessing to see.
Well, just over a year ago I was in the hospital for several days getting a knee replacement.
I received a call from that nursing home saying that Thelma had just passed away.
I didn't recognize the name right away because I visit and meet so many people at so many of the nursing homes, but then I remembered. I said, "Wait, did this lady have an English accent?" They said yes.
I knew exactly who it was.
They were calling because Thelma's request was that an officer from The Salvation Army would do her funeral.
I called my husband from the hospital and said, "Honey, you have to do this."
It so happened that he conducted the service about five minutes away from the hospital I was staying in about an hour and a half before I was being discharged.
Her daughter was so thankful that Thelma's wish could be fulfilled.
I missed having a chat with Thelma that year, but I know I will see her again someday in heaven.
Just one more person God gave me the privilege to connect with.
Christmas is almost here Santa, hang in there!
Your friend,
Captain Debbie
Please help by giving generously to the Sun-Gazette and the Salvation Army Santa Fund.
You can help make this a brighter holiday season for local families by making a contribution in person to any branch of M&T Bank or by mail to M&T Bank at 405 River Ave.; at the Salvation Army, 457 Market St.; or the Sun-Gazette office, 252 W. Fourth St., Williamsport, PA 17701.
The Santa Fund is a fundraiser organized by the Sun-Gazette and the Salvation Army to help local families in need.


text:
Stephen J. Sekula
SMU physicists: CERN's Large Hadron Collider is once again smashing protons, taking data
Following its annual winter break, the most powerful collider in the world has been switched back on.
Geneva-based CERN's Large Hadron Collider has been fine-tuned using low-intensity beams and pilot proton collisions. Now the LHC and its experiments are ready to take an abundance of data.
The goal is to improve understanding of fundamental physics, driving future innovation and inventions. Continue reading
SMU 2015 research efforts broadly noted in a variety of ways for world-changing impact
SMU scientists and their research have a global reach that is frequently noted, beyond peer publications and media mentions.
It was a good year for SMU faculty and student research efforts. Here's a small sampling of public and published acknowledgements during 2015, ranging from research modeling that made the cover of a scientific journal to research findings presented as evidence at government hearings. Continue reading
1st proton collisions at the world's largest science experiment expected to start the first or second week of June
The schedule announcement came during an international physics conference on the SMU campus from senior research scientist Albert De Roeck, a staff member at CERN and a leading scientist on one of the Large Hadron Collider's key experiments in Geneva.
"It will be about another six weeks to commission the machine, and many things can still happen on the way," said De Roeck. The LHC in early April was restarted for its second three-year run after a two-year pause to upgrade the machine to operate at higher energies. At higher energy, physicists worldwide expect to see new discoveries about the laws that govern our natural universe. Continue reading
Physicists tune Large Hadron Collider to find "sweet spot" in high-energy proton smasher
Start up of the world's largest science experiment is underway — with protons traveling in opposite directions at almost the speed of light in the deep underground tunnel called the Large Hadron Collider straddling France and Switzerland.
As protons collide, physicists will peer into the resulting particle showers for new discoveries about the universe, said Ryszard Stroynowski, Southern Methodist University, a collaborator on the LHC. Continue reading
SMU physicists celebrate Nobel Prize for discovery of Higgs boson "god particle"
SMU joins nearly 2,000 physicists from U.S. institutions — including 89 U.S. universities and seven U.S. DOE labs — that participate in discovery experiments Book a live interview To book a live or taped interview with Ryszard Stroynowski in the … Continue reading
Observed! SMU's LHC physicists confirm new particle; Higgs 'God particle' opens new frontier of exploration
Physicists from SMU and around the globe were euphoric Wednesday with the historic revelation that a new particle consistent with the Higgs boson "God" particle has been observed.
Described as a great triumph for science, the observation is the biggest physics discovery of the last 50 years and opens up what SMU scientists say is a vast new frontier for more research. Continue reading
SMU physicists at CERN find hints of long sought after Higgs boson — dubbed the fundamental "God" particle
In a giant game of hide and seek, physicists say there are indications they finally may have found evidence of the long sought after fundamental particle called the Higgs boson.
Researchers at Switzerland-based CERN, the largest high-energy physics experiment in the world, have been seeking the Higgs boson since it was theorized in the 1960s. The so-called "God" particle is believed to play a fundamental role in solving the important mystery of why matter has mass. Continue reading


text:
Full CoverageCommitment 2016
OKC Police say man posing as officer conducted traffic stop, stole walletUPDATED 7:08 PM CDT Aug 05, 2013
Oklahoma City police responded to a call on July 27 after a man claimed to be robbed by another man impersonating an officer.Video Transcript
RIGHT NOW AT SIX --THE HUNT FOR A FAKE COP. A MAN CLAIMS HE WAS PATTED DOWN.. AND ROBBED NEAR SOUTHEAST 82ND AND I-35... BY A MAN HE FIRST THOUGHT WAS A POLICE OFFICER. K-O-C-O'S MICHAEL SEIDEN IS LIVE WITH ONE CLUE.. THAT MIGHT HELP CATCH THE GUY. MICHAEL...? THIS FAKE COP DIDN'T HAVE A BADGE, NO FLASHING LIGHTS AND NO HANDCUFFS... BUT HE STILL MANAGED TO ROB ANOTHER MAN IN BROAD DAYLIGHT TONIGHT POLICE ARE RELEASING SURVEILLANCE VIDEO THAT COULD HELP CRACK THE CASE "we are hopeful we can get her identified, bring her in and talk to her and hopefully this will lead us to our suspect. TONIGHT OKLAHOMA CITY POLICE WANT YOU TO TAKE A GOOD LOOK AT THIS WOMAN POLICE SAY THIS SURVEILLANCE VIDEO SHOWS HER USING A STOLEN DEBIT CARD AT AT A STORE NEAR SOUTHWEST 59TH AND WESTERN "the female is in there using a debit card that was stolen in a robbery A ROBBERY THAT INVOLVED A MAN WHO POSED AS A FAKE POLICE OFFICER LAST WEEK AN ARKANSAS MAN BOUGHT A CAR AT THIS SOUTHWEST OKLAHOMA CITY DEALERSHIP ONCE HE LEFT, HE MADE A WRONG TURN AND FOUND HIMSELF ON A ONE-WAY STREET "he said that a car approaching him flashed their headlights at him THINKING SOMETHING WAS WRONG THE VICTIM PULLED OVER AND THAT'S WHEN HE WAS APPROACHED BY THE FAKE COP got him to step out of the vehicle, padded him down and actually took his wallet AT LEAST ONE WOMAN WAS SEEN INSIDE THE FAKE OFFICER'S CAR WHICH IS WHY INVESTIGATORS WANT TO TALK WITH THIS WOMAN "Anytime you feel uncomfortable, anything out of the ordinary, always call police. I CALLED THE VICTIM. HE'S ALREADY BACK IN ARKANSAS. HE DIDNT WANT ME TO IDENTIFY HIM BUT HE TOLD ME THE FAKE COP WAS DRIVING A DARK GREY NISSAN ALTIMA. HE ALSO AKSED THE MAN FOR HIS BADGE AND THAT'S WHEN THE FAKE COP PUSHED HIM AGAINST HIS CAR AND ROBBED HIM IN BROAD DAYLIGHT BREAKING NEWS TONIGHT...
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text:
What You See Is What You Get
Commonly abbreviated as WYSIWYG (or
as a
): The text you see on the screen looks just what it will look like when printed. Titles can be in a big bold font, important words are bold. A good example of a WYSIWYG editor on a wiki can be found at
(Right now, the WYSIWYG editor only works with
4.0 and later. Once the different
standards start converging with each other, we'll have a universal wiki-based WYSIWYG editor, until then, the
users can always use the standard
text editor.)
Compare this with a
such as HTML or LaTeX: titles and important words are tagged. The tags are little pieces of text that don't usually appear in the printed output; rather, they control what the printed output will look like. Examples are bold words or strong words. Note the difference between the  and the  tag:  marks bold text, i.e. there is a one-to-one correspondence between the tag and the printed output.  is logical markup - it doesn't tell you what the printed output looks like, it just tells you that the enclosed text is very important. If it were less important, you'd use emphasized words.
Note the levels of indirection: WYSIWYG has no levels of indirection. The text you see is printed. Markup languages have either one level of indirection (the tags tell you how certain parts of the text will look when printed) or two levels of indirection (the tags tell you something about the intent of the author, but how the text is printed depends on the output device).
This has certain ramifications: If you have text with markup, you need an additional program that transforms what you see into what you will get eventually. Your browser will thus render the HTML and the browser output is what you get. You are not getting the HTML itself.
By way of contrast (not:), with a WYSIWYG word.document you have text and an additional secret markup language, and you need a specific additional program that transforms what you don't see into what you will get eventually. Your specific additional program (word processor) will thus render the *.doc and the word processor output is what you get. You are not getting the DOC itself. If you want to see the *.doc itself open a document with vi.
Clearly, there is a
is a WYSIWYG word processor; display and preparation for printing are handled by the same program. HTML is written using a
like Notepad or Emacs (see
), and displayed and printed using your browser. Two different programs.
The use of two different programs is sometimes viewed as a flaw. That's why there are HTML editors that help you write HTML but present you with a WYSIWYG representation of what you are doing. They essentially contain both an editor and a browser.
WYSIWYG is not too popular with the geek/hacker/programmer crowds. They like vi, emacs, ...
Markup can be treated using other tools such as grep, Perl and other
s. Often enough this is not true for documents written with
(the most popular WYSIWYG editor). The format is proprietary. That need not be so. WYSIWYG editors, such as
and the
editor for instance, can save the documents using a markup language such as HTML.
Markup can be written by any editor, therefore you can use your favorite
, therefore productivity is much higher. Similarly, if you want to see what the visual representation is going to be, you can use your favorite
to do it.
Writing markup disconnects the author from layout concerns. While the text is being written, little time is wasted on layout. Often the tools that transform markup into a visual representation use well established conventions for rendering.
Occasionally some WYSIWYG editors, based on open standards, create formatting problems that can only be resolved by using a standard text editor that allows access to the HTML tags.
Occasionally some WYSIWYG editors, based on proprietary formats, create formatting problems that can not be resolved using any tools, except brute force, ignorance, guru inspection, and patience. Even with those you only reconstruct most of the words and none of the other formatting.
Obviously some of these problems can be solved in WYSIWYG environments:
LyX is a LaTeX editor with near WYSIWYG capability. The point is, however, that users are not encouraged to change the underlying stylesheet. Therefore writing and layouting concerns continue to be separated.
LyX saves documents in plain LaTeX, so tools that can handle the markup can handle LyX documents just like any other document.
The concept behind LyX is named WYSIWYM (What You See Is What You Mean)
LyX (
) can be found at
Bottom Line(s)
Maybe it all boils down to your favorite
and not being able to use it.
Maybe it all boils down to proprietary markup languages (*.doc) and published markup languages (*.html).
Maybe it all boils down to perspective; from my perspective the world is much more all the same than it seems to be from other people's. Thus from my perspective Word and a WYSIWYG HTML editor are largely indistinguishable products except for the open standard and its natural consequences.
If you are (strongly) concerned with typographic quality, WYSIWYG editors don't cut it. On the other hand, if all you want do to is whip off a memo or letter; or reasonably small documentation, a WYSIWYG editor may be the best choice. Ditto for uncomplicated DTP tasks.
[This has a scent of
about it; the assertion needs support.]
Not really. Look at a book typeset by Word or another WYSIWYG editor, beside a professionally typeset one. No contest.
(no, not
I worked for Alphatype Corporation, at one time the world's largest font foundry. They made phototypesetting equipment and typesetting editors. The final nail in Alphatype's coffin was the early 90s introduction of PC based WYSIWYG typesetting editors. The statement above about WYSIWYG editors not delivering good typeset quality is in error; Alphatype even had one of their own. However, the PC software vendors were kicking Alphatype's ass in the areas of functionality and ease of use, not to mention being less than a tenth of the cost.
It is true that early PC based typesetting packages weren't up to the quality expectation of advertising typography houses, but that quickly changed when the software vendors figured out how to use and properly render True Type and other vectorized fonts. Suddenly, any fool with a PC and a $300 software package could produce advertising grade typography. Alphatype got its head handed to them.
Today's PC based WYSIWYG word processor/typesetters are even better. Not that I am any kind of Microsoft fan - I'm certainly not. However, it is quite impossible to beat the value in word processing/typesetting that one gets from the
package. Oh, well.
But typsetting isn't just fonts. And for the rest, MS Word still doesn't even hold a candle to TeX, let alone professional typsetting systems. I have never seen a book done in Word that didn't look like the dogs breakfast.
I realize that typography is about more than fonts and rendering. Issues like color, margins, kerning, leading, rivers, etc. all play into it. And yes, a specialized typesetter is going to outperform a general purpose word processor when it comes to these technical details. However, packages like Word continue to offer the best performance per dollar and lowest barrier to learning that you are going to get. Don't poo-poo PC based packages just because they aren't aimed at typesetting tasks. WYSIWYG has its place in the modern writing and publishing world. Lots of publications never would have seen the press had it not been for Billy Boy and the tools he has made available to the average Joe.
I disagree. For many types of document in spaces where you actually care about typography (i.e. not desk top publishing strengths), LaTeX is a) easier to use and b) produces better output. People are used to wordprocessors now, so the argument is really about learning something new, not learning something harder. LaTeX is *not* a particularly good typsetting system, since it makes many tradeoffs in favour of ease-of-use, but it is far superior to Word etc. LaTeX runs just fine on PC's, so this isn't a PC vs non-PC issue. If you are writing documents of any serious length, Word is simply not the right tool. I do agree that it is the right tool for many other things. It is great for letters, memos, small uncomplicated documents (for the complicated ones, Frame was years ahead). However, it is a lousy tool for books, large documents, scientific papers, etc.
It would be nice to see examples of professional typesetting jobs such as newsprint, magazines, etc., that have been composed using different tools. Another valid comparison would be the number of labor hours per page needed to prepare documents using these tools. Perhaps someone has a clue how to acquire these kinds of statistics...?
[Should this go on? We need to eliminate the thread mode by refactoring.]
Compare to WhatYouSayIsWhatYouGet
and WhatYouSeeIsAllYouGet
, JochenGroppe
[Edit the document and add your name here instead of going into
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September 8, 2010
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text:
Interest Level
Grades 6 - 8
Reading Level
Grade level Equivalent: 5.6
Lexile® Measure: 700L
DRA: Not Available
Guided Reading: Not Available
- Diaries and Journals
- Historical Fiction
- Series
- Asian History
- Monarchy and Royalty
- Chinese and Chinese American
- Leadership and Responsibility
About This Book
The award-winning author takes readers on an enthralling adventure to sixth-century southern China, where they will meet the fiercely courageous and highly intelligent Lady of Ch'iao Kuo. As she fights to save her village from opposing clans, her skillful leadership serves as a harbinger of her future role as ruler in Southern China.
Items Added to Cart:
1 Paperback
2 Hardcover
1 Teacher's Edition
$48.99 Subtotal


text:
Diversified Manufacturer of Bulk Material Handling and Blending Systems
Waconia Manufacturing, Inc. is a diversified manufacturer of bulk material handling and blending systems. Our design and engineering experience is unparalleled. For over 50 years our material handling and blend systems have set the industry standard in reliability, performance and efficiency!
Read More...
Waconia Manufacturing, Inc.
33 East 8th Street,
Waconia, MN 55387
952-442-4450 - Phone
952-442-5923 - Fax
Copyright © 2016 Waconia Manufacturing, Inc. - All Rights Reserved - Developed by Vivid Image - Sitemap - Log in


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NFL's "Play 60" Wants Kids to Move on Super Bowl Sunday
While millions of Americans will be glued to their television sets to watch the Super Bowl this Sunday, the National Football League (NFL) is aiming to make it the "Most Active Super Bowl Sunday Ever." New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees announced this week that the NFL PLAY 60 campaign is partnering with Kinect for Xbox 360 to challenge families to participate in 60 minutes of "controller-free active fun" with the game system before or after the Super Bowl.
NFL Play 60 urges kids to get 60 minutes of physical activity a daily to fight childhood obesity.
Michelle Obama Brings Childhood Obesity Message to Hollywood
First Lady Michelle Obama toured Southern California this week to promote her Let's Move! campaign. Obama paid a visit to a soon-to-reopen grocery store in a low-income Los Angeles neighborhood, highlighting the need to eliminate food deserts. But Obama also hit the talk show circuit, where she urged "Tonight Show" host Jay Leno to eat healthy and faced daytime talk show host Ellen DeGeneres in a push-up competition. (Obama won.)
Sugar Should Be Regulated, Study Advises
Sugar is toxic and addictive and should be regulated and taxed in a fashion similar to alcohol and tobacco, a new study from the University of California, San Francisco suggests. Time reports that not only is sugar high in calories, it also can trigger processes that lead to chronic diseases such as liver toxicity.
Overweight Doctors Less Likely to Discuss Obesity
Overweight or obese physicians are less likely to talk about weight loss with their patients than doctors at a normal weight, the Wall Street Journal reports. A new study out of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health finds that "doctors were likely to initiate a weight-loss conversation with an obese patient 89% of the time and to record an obesity diagnosis 93% of the time if they perceived the patient as being as heavy or heavier than themselves."
Long Work Hours Put Nurses at Risk for Obesity
About 55 percent of nurses are classified as obese, according to a new study from the University of Maryland. ABC News reports that the researchers cite stress on the job and long shifts that effect sleep patterns as the culprit.
Obese More Likely to Suffer Physical Pain
Researchers at Stony Brook University say that there's a substantial link between obesity and pain, Patch.com reports. While studies have long indicated that obesity leads to pain, the study finds that the link is more prevalent than previously thought.


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To Steve Singer, wins and losses aren't as important as the way you play the game. His 14U soccer team, the Saugus Titans, lost Sunday in the championship game of the 11th Annual 2008 Splash Tournament held on June 7-8 in Santa Barbara but they didn't resort to the tactics used by their opponents, according to Singer. And for that, he commended them after the game.
"All the parents are very proud of them," Singer said.
Singer was awarded the Spirit Trophy, handed out to the coach/team in each division that best exhibits the AYSO "spirit" of fair play & sportsmanship over the course of the tournament weekend. He was nominated by the coach of the Beverly Hills team they played earlier in the tournament.
"We emphasize good sportsmanship, positive coaching, everyone plays," he said.
The Titans have been winners on the field as well. They've made it to the championship game in five of the seven tournaments they've entered and won the Coyote Classic in Apple Valley as well as the Strawberry Cup in Camarillo.
With 14 members on the team, picked out of about 100 kids in the 14U age group in Region 46, the Titans have been a scoring by committee team. Made up of seventh and eighth graders, and a few high school freshman including Anders Jansson and Ryan Mahoney who played on the Valencia frosh/soph team, the Titans have scored 66 goals this season.
"We don't have some strong forward who scores 40 goals," Singer said.
Instead, they've shared the ball, passing their way to goals inside the box.
Everyone on the team has scored. Chris MacDonald is the leading scorer with 15, Mahoney has put in 12, and Josh Singer, Steve's son, has scored eight and leads the team in assists.
Defensively, they've been just as stellar. In the Santa Barbara tournament, they allowed just one goal in their three pool games. The Titans have only one loss in 21 total pool games.
"It's the most successful tournament team that I've coached," said Singer, who's coached for four years and whose son Josh is the youngest player on the team.
The younger players on last year's team became the leaders and the incoming players meshed.
"This team just came together as a team really quickly," Singer said. "They have the skill and they have the heart and they play together."
The Titans have one more tournament left on June 21-22 in San Juan Capistrano.
"They've been a fun team to watch, they come from behind, and they never give up," Singer added.


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Sinha, Manasi*; Stanley, Takara L.*; Webb, Jessica*; Scirica, Christina†; Corey, Kathleen†; Pratt, Janey†; Boepple, Paul A.*; Hoppin, Alison†; Misra, Madhusmita*
*Pediatric Endocrine Unit
†Weight Center, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.
Address correspondence and reprint requests to Takara Stanley, MD, LON5-207, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114 (e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com).
Received 18 September, 2012
Accepted 17 December, 2012
Drs Sinha and Stanley were the co-first authors in this study.
Funding provided in part by National Institutes of Health T32HD052961 to M.S. and K23DK089910 to T.L.S., by the MGH Multicultural Affairs Office Summer Research Trainee Program to J.W., and by the American Association for the Study of Liver Disease Clinical and Translational Research Award to K.C.
The authors report no conflicts of interest.
ABSTRACT: Weight loss surgery is an increasingly common treatment option for obese adolescents, but data are limited regarding the metabolic effects of surgical weight loss procedures. We performed a retrospective review of the electronic medical record to determine metabolic outcomes for 24 adolescents and young adults ages 15 to 22 years undergoing Roux-en-Y gastric bypass from 2009 to 2011 as well as 24 age-, sex-, and BMI-matched controls. During a median follow-up of 6 months after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, fasting glucose, hemoglobin A1c, low-density lipoprotein, triglyceride, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein decreased significantly. Changes in these measures were not significantly associated with age or extent of weight loss.
Weight loss surgery (WLS) is increasingly used in severely obese adolescents who have failed attempts at lifestyle modification or pharmacologic therapy. In adults, WLS is a highly effective treatment for comorbidities of obesity (1–3). In contrast, less is known about outcomes of WLS in adolescents and young adults, and few studies compare postsurgical metabolic changes with metabolic changes in nonsurgical controls. The objectives of the present study were to evaluate metabolic changes in mature adolescents and young adults ages 15 to 22 years undergoing Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) and to compare results to a nonsurgical cohort. Our hypothesis was that RYGB would lead to improvement in body mass index (BMI), glucose homeostasis, lipids, and pro-inflammatory markers as compared to matched nonsurgical controls.
This retrospective electronic medical record review was approved by the Partners Health Care institutional review board. Requirement for informed consent was waived by the institutional review board based on the minimal risk to subjects and impracticability of obtaining consent for this retrospective review. We reviewed data on all patients 22 years or younger who were referred to the Weight Center at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and underwent an RYGB procedure from 2009 to 2011. Adolescent eligibility criteria for WLS at the MGH Weight Center include BMI ≥35 kg/m2 with severe comorbidities or BMI ≥40 kg/m2 with minor comorbidities, completion of statural growth, demonstration of previous sustained efforts at nonsurgical weight loss (ie, lifestyle changes including nutritional changes and physical activity), and determination by a physician, psychologist, and nutritionist that sufficient maturity exists to recognize the risks and benefits of the procedure and to implement required postoperative behavioral changes. A control subject between the ages of 15 and 23 years was selected to match each RYGB subject using a patient database that included only sex, age, and BMI information. These control subjects were also evaluated at the MGH Weight Center for obesity, but were managed with lifestyle intervention. Median (interquartile range [IQR]) of BMI difference between patients undergoing RYGB and controls was 0.9 kg/m2 (−0.1 to 3.1). Information collected included height and weight measured at clinical visits by clinical staff as well as laboratory values obtained at MGH and its affiliates. Excess BMI was determined as the difference between a subject's BMI and a BMI of 25 kg/m2, and percent excess BMI loss (% EBMIL [excess body mass index loss]) was calculated as (BMI loss/[preoperative BMI − 25]) × 100 (4,5). Preoperative data were collected within 1 year of surgery. When possible, follow-up data were collected between 6 and 12 months postoperatively. To maximize available data, some laboratory values outside this time frame were included. Not all data were available for all patients during the follow-up period. Statistical analysis was performed using the statistical software package JMP 9.0 (SAS Institute Inc, Cary, NC). The majority of data were not normally distributed, and results are presented as median (IQR) unless otherwise indicated. Wilcoxon rank sum test was used to assess differences between groups. To assess differences within groups between baseline and follow-up, the paired t test was used when differences were normally distributed, and the paired Wilcoxon signed rank test was used when differences were not normally distributed.
Baseline characteristics are shown in Tables 1 and 2. Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) was higher in the RYGB group compared with controls (P = 0.01), but there were no other differences between the groups at baseline. The median (IQR) for BMI follow-up was 191 days (141–294), and for postoperative laboratories 198 days (155–312) (P = 0.62 for difference). Follow-up intervals for both laboratories and BMI tended to be 1 to 2 months longer in controls compared with RYGB, but this was not statistically significant (P = 0.09 for laboratories, P = 0.11 for BMI). As expected, RYGB led to significant weight loss. Subjects undergoing RYGB lost 44% (33 to 55) excess BMI, with a range of 20% to 90% EBMIL. Of note, there was no difference in EBMIL between those RYGB subjects who had follow-up laboratories available and those who did not (P = 0.79).
As shown in Table 2, fasting glucose and HbA1c decreased significantly in the RYGB group. In the limited subset of subjects (N = 9) who had fasting insulin available, fasting insulin changed by −22 μU/mL (−31 to −11, P = 0.003), and homeostatic model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) changed by −4.7 (−7.0 to −2.3, P = 0.004). In the 2 patients who had type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) before surgery, diabetes was noted to be resolved at follow-up. Total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, and triglycerides also significantly decreased (Table 2).
In the RYGB group as a whole, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) did not significantly change following surgery (Table 2). Among the subgroup (N = 6) of patients who had elevated ALT or AST at baseline, however, RYGB resulted in a significant decline in AST (−12 U/L [−23 to −3], P = 0.03) and ALT (−27 U/L [−46 to −11], P = 0.03). Serum creatinine showed a small but significant decrease following RYGB (Table 2, P = 0.03).
High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) changed by −6 mg/L (−13 to −2) following RYGB (P = 0.0007). Although sample size was limited, the decrease in CRP in girls was greater than in boys (P = 0.03). Sedimentation rate changed by −9 mm/h (−18 to −6) in the RYGB group during follow-up (P = 0.0001). White blood cell count (−2.2 cells/mm3 [−4.0 to −0.8], P = 0.001) and platelet count (−41 cells/mm3 [−81 to −2], P = 0.004) also decreased. In univariate analysis within the RYGB group, age at surgery was not associated with changes in weight or changes in metabolic variables. Of note, postsurgical changes in body weight were not significantly associated with changes in fasting glucose, HbA1c, lipid, or systemic inflammatory markers (hsCRP, erythrocyte sedimentation rate [ESR]); P > 0.2 for all.
Changes in controls during the follow-up period are shown in Table 2. The control group did not experience significant weight loss during the follow-up period, and, compared with controls, the %EBMIL in the RYGB group was highly significant (P < 0.0001). Changes in fasting glucose (P = 0.02) and HbA1c (P = 0.02) were also significant in RYGB versus controls. There were not sufficient data in controls to compare changes in fasting insulin or HOMA-IR. The decrease in low-density lipoprotein after RYGB was significant (P = 0.03) compared with controls, whereas the change in triglycerides was not significant (P = 0.4). Declines in white blood cell count (P = 0.002) and platelets (P = 0.003) were significant in RYGB versus controls, whereas there were not sufficient control data to compare changes in hsCRP or ESR. There was a small decrease in creatinine in the RYGB group that just reached statistical significance as compared with controls (P = 0.05).
Our data demonstrate improvements in multiple metabolic parameters following RYGB in adolescents and young adults, many of which were highly significant compared with controls. Age was not significantly associated with outcomes. Moreover, the magnitude of metabolic improvement was not significantly associated with the degree of weight loss, supporting recent research that RYGB alters critical endocrine and metabolic pathways independent of caloric restriction and weight loss (6–8); however, our small sample size may have limited our ability to detect associations between magnitude of weight loss and improvement in metabolic variables.
As shown in previous studies in adolescents, glucose homeostasis improved in our cohort following RYGB (9,10). In the 2 of 24 RYGB subjects who had T2DM at baseline, T2DM resolved postsurgically, consistent with previous reports in adolescents and adults (10). Although the majority of our cohort was nondiabetic, significant improvements were seen in HbA1c (−0.4%), fasting glucose (−9 mg/dL), insulin (−22 μU/mL), and HOMA-IR (−4.7). The magnitude of these changes is similar to changes reported in other RYGB cohorts (9,11).
Markers of chronic inflammation, including CRP and ESR, decreased significantly in RYGB subjects. Reduction in CRP has been reported in adult WLS cohorts (12,13), but to our knowledge this is the first report of reductions in hsCRP and ESR in adolescents and young adults following RYGB. We also noted reductions in leukocyte and platelet counts after RYGB. Before the widespread use of hsCRP as a marker of inflammation, population studies showed strong positive associations between leukocyte count and future cardiovascular disease risk (14,15). Thrombocytosis is also associated with systemic inflammation (16) and obesity (17), and relatively higher platelet counts predict future cardiovascular disease (18). To our knowledge, the small but significant decrease in serum creatinine after RYGB has not yet been reported in adolescents and young adults but is consistent with data in adults showing a 0.1-mg/dL decrease in creatinine 6 months after RYGB (19).
There are important limitations to the present study. This was a retrospective study dependent on clinical data, which were not consistently collected in all patients. RYGB patients and controls were matched only on the basis of sex, age, and BMI, and we were not able to match on other potentially important factors such as earlier weight history and follow-up interval. Height and weight were collected by multiple clinical staff rather than a single evaluator. In addition, we have a relatively small sample size and limited time frame for evaluation of postoperative changes. More important, previous studies have shown a modest decline in success rates 2 to 3 years postoperatively in patients after gastric bypass, and it will be necessary to follow adolescents undergoing RYGB further to assess this issue; however, given the relatively limited data on outcomes of WLS in adolescents and young adults, we believe our data, in combination with reports from other relatively small cohorts, contribute to our knowledge of metabolic outcomes of RYGB in this age group. Consistent with other studies, we demonstrate significant improvements in glucose homeostasis and lipid measures, and, for the first time in this age group, we show significant changes in markers of inflammation, including CRP, as well as improvements in creatinine. Further studies are necessary to elucidate the mechanisms of these changes.
adolescence; glucose; high-sensitivity C-reactive protein; obesity; roux-en-Y gastric bypass
© 2013 by European Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition and North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology,
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Philadelphia has its share of hate crimes, too.
One was played out in court yesterday.
Vincent Meier, 50, who is white and who has often boasted loudly that he hates African-Americans, pleaded no defense to charges of firing five shots at six black kids outside his home on Taney Street near Master last Jan. 23.
One of the bullets seriously injured 15-year-old Marcus Kane, said Assistant District Attorney Richard Negrin.
After surgery, Kane recovered from a wound to his groin area, but he still has nightmares about the incident, his mother said.


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Per the New York Rangers' official website, the Rangers have acquired defenseman Justin Falk from the Minnesota Wild in return for Ben Ferriero and Columbus' 6th round pick in the 2014 draft.
Falk, 24, has one goal and 14 assists in 108 regular season games with the Minnesota Wild. Ferreiro, 26, was acquired from the Penguins last season in return for Chad Kolarik and had one assist in four games as a Ranger. The 6th round pick was acquired from Columbus in the Gaborik trade.
Justin Falk is everything you'd expect Glen Sather, a big fan of reclamation projects, to be all over. Falk, at 6'5, 215 pounds, is an absolutely huge defenseman with a long reach and all the tools to be a capable NHL defenseman. However, he has not been able to put it all together. Despite his monster frame, Falk does not play an overly physical game and perhaps relies on his reach too much. At the risk of immediately turning off Rangers fans to this trade, he is pretty similar to Marek Malik.
So what's to like here? For starters, he's a clear-cut upgrade over Hamrlik and Gilroy. Of course, that says very little about Falk himself, but we saw last season just how desperate Tortorella was for a better option on the back-end once injuries struck down a couple guys.
There's also the fact that Falk has age on his side. Defensemen, and ESPECIALLY big defensemen, peak much later than forwrds; usually around 27-28 years old. Zdeno Chara, for instance, didn't really own up to anything close to his potential until his mid-twenties. The implication here is not that Justin Falk is going to develop into anything close to Zdeno Chara. But at 24, Falk still has a couple years to find his game. With commitment from Falk, the right coaching, and perhaps a bit of luck, Falk very well could develop into a steady, stay-at-home #5 defenseman. Surely Jeff Beukeboom will be spending some time with Falk at training camp, and if Ulf Samuelsson does become a part of Vigneault's coaching staff then he is another great person to teach Falk how to utilize his size.
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Mango Chiffon Cake
I love chiffon cakes. I like the light, airy and soft texture. However, I don't like how chiffon cakes always need to be baked in a plain pan with a hole in the middle.
I understand the purpose of using such a pan (allowing the cake to rise properly, being able to let it cool upside down so the cake doesn't collapse, etc), but I've been curious as to the exact results if you don't use an angel food pan.
As you can see, my cake completely collapsed. I actually don't think this much of a collapse is normal when you use a square pan, but my batter ended up being too wet and I think I should have baked it slightly longer, so that is why it collapsed so much. When it came out of the oven it was twice the height..
Regardless, the cake was still delicious. I used fresh mangoes and you could taste the mango puree in every bite. It still tasted light and airy. It didn't taste like the cake had collapsed. I think I'll stick to a chiffon pan though for next time.
Btw, I always see people cut mangoes like the one I have pictured, and I always thought it looked cool but I never did it until now. I think this is a great way to eat mangoes. Previously I always just sliced off the four sides and then removed the entire flesh and ate it as big slices. Not nearly as visually appealing.
I adapted a recipe from Table for 2 … or more. Hers was for a peach chiffon cake and it came out much fluffier, so I'm pretty sure I added too much mango or underbaked mine. You can view the recipe here.
4 Responses to "Mango Chiffon Cake"
Even though this mango chiffon isn't as fluffy as you hoped for, it still looks good. I once wondered why my mom always cut mangoes like the one pictured above…I tried cutting it another way and it was more difficult to get the fruit off the skin. Peeling it whole was not an easy task especially if it was very ripe. It seemed like the mango turned into a slippery bar of soap!
Oops, i am sorry about the collapse, but i think it still possible to bake a chiffon without the tube ( although some collapse is still unavoidable). Nevertheless, your cake still sounds wonderful and mango-ey. And cutting mangoes that way is the only way for me, its so much easier to stretch the mango out and let the cubes fall out instead of having to skin them! YUM!


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Third Hand Bookkeeping Service is owned and operated by Linda Siniscal, CB. Linda is a Certified Bookkeeper with the American Institute of Professional Bookkeepers (AIPB), and a certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor and Notary Public, State of NJ.
Prior to starting Third Hand Secretarial Service in 1994, Linda has been involved in all phases of office operations, management, bookkeeping, customer service and computer operation with over 25 years experience as a bookkeeper for a construction company and an executive secretary/administrative assistant with the government and private sector. Linda also served as Treasurer for the International Virtual Assistants Association (IVVA) Board of Directors and served 2 terms as Treasurer for the Delaware Valley Virtual Assistants Association (DVVAA).
Click here to learn more about the entire THBS Team.


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Same with Les Mis--I was baffled by people saying that she wasn't showing a lot of facial expression, because she was, at every single moment.
Same with Les Mis--I was baffled by people saying that she wasn't showing a lot of facial expression, because she was, at every single moment.
re: Les Mis. I learned to like the program prior to Worlds, but I thought she still looked in anguish--facial expression-wise--most of the time. Not her best program, but I eventually liked it.
Holy smoke. Yuna's SP now has more than 1.2 million views and her LP has over 900k views.
Oy... the facial expressions!
I remember back in 2013 Worlds, there were two bigs that insisted on
1. Too little facial expressions, vs.
2. Too much facial expressions.
Neither of them argued against another, except against those who thought she did well. Adequacy of facial expression may be subjective, but "too little" and "too much" are very arguable; I expect that would change.
* BTW, Yuna already stood with Biebs on an 2010 American survey article on kids' idol thing. I think Psy triumphs both (...).
And why are you even comparing GPF vs Golden Spin? It would be more appropriate to compare Mao's SA vs Golden Spin given they were Mao's and Yuna's first competition this season.
3F, 3S, 3F, 3Lo (22.33) vs 3F, 3S, 3Lz, 3s (23.66).
People forget Mao has limited amount of jumps she can land cleanly. Yuna proved she can land 6 triples that she has planned without a single negative GOE(2013 Worlds), whereas Mao, who planned to have 7 triples, only managed to land 4 at worlds and 5 at GPF. So yes, Mao may seem to have difficult jump layout, but she can't prove to land them all. On the other hand, Yuna can prove she can land all her 6 triples that she has planned.
I tweaked the video to make the choreographic sequence match her timing in practice:
This is about as close as we're going to get to seeing the whole program as conceived and intended until either Korean Nationals or Sochi.
Well, wadaya know. KSU has confirmed that Yuna is competing at Korean Nationals.
It'll be a different rink from last year, though, a more modern one with presumably better ice conditions and temperature control.