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Thin Film Intelligence Brief
PV Insider
January 31, 2012
Solar-Tectic has been granted a world-wide exclusive license for a method of manufacturing single crystal silicon thin-films on ordinary glass over a large area, thus allowing for the commercialization of single crystal silicon thin-film solar cells for the first time.
The Dartmouth invention was initially inspired by a related technology disclosed by the late Dr. Praveen Chaudhari, renowned materials scientist and winner of the National Medal of Technology. Solar-Tectic had a sponsored research agreement with the College.
A patent application for this invention has been filed by Dartmouth with the United States Patent Office.


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If you have your Bibles you might turn with me to the Habakkuk and we're going to continue our study in Habakkuk. This is a thrilling book and I just really am excited about what I'm learning in my preparation and my study for this. It just thrilled my heart to begin to kind of work with this prophet on some of the problems that bothered him. If you remember last time we started our discussion of the book of Habakkuk, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, and so forth in case you need a location point. We talked about the fact that there were two problems that really were facing Habakkuk: one was that Israel was living in sin and Habakkuk couldn't understand why God let them live on like that. The second problem was when God answered his prayer God told him that the Chaldeans were going to come down and crush Israel, in fact it wasn't going to get better, it was going to get worse. He couldn't understand that either.
Now when we come to verse 12 of Chapter 1, and tonight we're going to deal with verses 12 through verse 20 of Chapter 2, and we'll skip through a lot of it, just highlighting it. We come to basically the same issues again from a little different angle.
Now we said, by way of review also, that the problem we're dealing with is the problem of history. We said that in the last century and into part of this century the big problem for Christianity to face, or the big issues, was the issue of science. The critics of Christianity were always saying that the Bible couldn't square with science. Now when it came to the relationship of Scripture to science Scripture had to take a back seat. But that problem was fairly well erased and you don't hear anybody today attacking the Bible from a scientific view.
What you do hear today is this kind of criticism: if God is really like He's portrayed in the Bible why does He let this world get in such a mess? If God is really a good, kind, loving, God why does He allow all the suffering and disease, and murder and war and all of the horror that's going on around the world? Or how do you reconcile the God of the Bible with the history of the world?
And so the problem in the book of Habakkuk is just that. How does God fit in with what's happening in the world? And when we come to our second message in this series we come to verse 12, and we see some really exciting things beginning to develop in Habakkuk's mind. He's been pondering this problem for a long time. And then he began to articulate in verses 1 through 11, and in verse 12 he starts arriving at some kind of semblance of an answer.
Now I believe that it's very important for the Christian to not only read the newspapers and to know what's going on in the world, but beyond that to be able to understand how to interpret what's going on. It's one thing to just sit there rather blandly and read what's happening; it's another thing to be able to read it and interpret it in the light of God's scheme of things. And what we have to be very careful about is being too hasty in dealing with history. We have to be careful that we're not guilty of speculating about what we think God ought to do and not letting Him do what He wants to do in connection with His plan.
And so we again are faced with Habakkuk's problem, let's jump in and join in. And I want to divide the section into two parts, very simple, the question and the answer, the question and the answer.
Now there's a two-fold question on Habakkuk's mind. The first one we hit last week and we're going to hit it again tonight. It is this: why does God let sin go unjudged? Why does He allow, verse 2 of Chapter 1, "O Lord, how long shall I cry and Thou wilt not hear, even cry out unto Thee of violence, and Thou wilt not save?" Habakkuk's first problem is why does God not immediately judge sin. Well he has an interesting approach to this. Now he's going to attack the problem in verse 12.
Now what's he going to do? Well he's completely stymied with this problem. He's really up against it. He hasn't got any solid footing. He's standing in a swamp. He's standing, if you please, on very thin ice and he's trying to reckon with the problem while it's staring him right in the face and he can't do it, so he does a very smart thing. He backs away from the problem. He backs off from the swamp and gets on solid ground. That is the key to what he does. He does this: instead of fooling around with what he doesn't know, he backs up to what he does know and starts there. And in his mind he is saying, "Now maybe if I start with what I do know about God, I can come to some conclusion about what I don't know." Pretty good thinking! And so he backs up, and that's what we find him doing in verse 12 as the question is posed.
Now watch him backing up to where he knows he's on solid ground. Here it comes. First of all he wants to establish what he knows about God so he starts out in verse 12, "Art Thou not from everlasting, O Lord my God, mine Holy One? We shall not die." You hear the absoluteness of that statement? "We shall not die, O Lord, Thou hast ordained them," that is the Chaldeans, the ones who were going to come in and wipe out Israel, "Thou hast ordained them for judgment and O mighty God, Thou hast established them for correction." I'll tell you, you never heard a more positive statement than that.
Now Habakkuk had enough of this problem. He's had enough of standing on thin ice so he backs up to where he knows he's got solid ground. And he starts establishing something that he knows. If you have a problem to do in mathematics and all you have are five unknowns you can't really do the problem. But if you back up and take four things that you do know you can figure out what the unknown one is. So this is his method. He starts by saying this: First of all I know God is eternal. That's the first thing I know. Verse 12, "Art Thou not from everlasting?" This he knows. His God is different than the Chaldeans so-called gods.
You back up into verse 11 and he's been thinking about the Chaldean god. You know the Chaldeans were going to come down and wipe out Israel and Habakkuk was told by God that when they did it they would think their own god enabled them to do it and they'd start praising their own god. Verse 11 says at the end, that they will impute the power unto their own god. They'll say that their own god did it and all of a sudden he thinks about that in verse 11, and he jumps to verse 12 and he says, "Wait a minute. Their god, what is their god? What is he? Why my God is eternal, from everlasting, that I know." He's not like the god of the Chaldeans. He's not like the god of any man or any nation. He is God from eternity to eternity. That much I know. You can feel the ground getting more solid as he says it.
I'll tell you there's nothing more reassuring, there's nothing more consoling, there's nothing more helpful than in the midst of a time of oppression when confused by what's going on in the world, when your mind is boggled by the happenings in the world today, there's nothing more wonderful than to stand back on solid ground and say, "One thing I know that my God is eternal." What do you mean? My God is outside the flux of history. My God was around before history started, and my God will be around after it is gone. Tremendous truth! Habakkuk is saying in essence my God came before history. My God is over history. In fact my God created it. He is the eternal One. His throne, His realm, His rule is outside time all together. He reigns in eternity; the eternal God. He's not subject to history. He creates history.
I don't know about you but I feel a lot better already. I mean I'm standing on what I know. I know my God is eternal. I look around me at the world and I see all the mess in Vietnam and all the confusion in wars and trying to figure out where it's going to lead and where it's going to go and I could get pretty well fouled up in the problem, but you know what I do? I've learned from Habakkuk. I just step back and say, "This I know, my God was there before it started, He'll be there when it's over; He created it."
And Habakkuk already feels a little better. But he's not done. Look what else he said. "Art Thou not from everlasting." Listen to this: O Lord my God? Second thing he says is not only is God eternal, but God is self-existent. He says, "I remember that too." You say, "How do you get that?" Because he used for Lord, the word Yahweh, which is transliterated Jehovah. And Jehovah was the name of God that meant the I Am, the eternally existing One. And Habakkuk is saying is the second thing I know about my God He is self-existent. He always was and He always will be and nobody made Him because he always was. God is the self-existing I Am. He says that by the very fact that he says Jehovah.
You remember that God said, "Go and tell them," to Moses. He said, "Moses go and tell your people that I Am hath sent you." The four consonants that make up the word I Am are Yahweh and that was God's name and Yahweh is the verb in the Hebrew, the word to be. Yahweh translated means I Am. I Am period. And that God took for His name. The name I Am that I Am means I Am the absolute self-existing one. I do not depend on anything for My existence.
And here's the second vital fact that Habakkuk comes to because he says, "God isn't in any sense dependent on what happens in the world." He is totally self-existent and self-determining. And I can just feel Habakkuk's reassurance gather. He feels like now he's found the solid ground. God is not only eternal He's self-existent and the problem already is beginning to fade.
But he's not through. He knows something else about his God. He says, "Art Thou not from everlasting O Lord, my God, mine what, Holy One. My Holy One! He says, "I know something else about my God, my God is Holy." That's important. That's an absolute. He's sure not only of God's eternal existence, he's sure not only of God's self-determined existence, but he's sure that God is utterly, absolutely, perfectly righteous and holy.
And if you'd like it another way it goes like this: God is light and in Him there is no darkness at all. Habakkuk must have thought can that kind of a God, so holy, ever do anything wrong? Absolutely impossible! So he is determined that his God is eternal, that He is self-existent, and that he is holy.
And he's not done yet. He's got something else he knows about his God. Skipping the center phrase we come to this: "O Lord Thou hast ordained them for judgment and O mighty God Thou hast established them for correction." The fourth thing he knows about his God is that his God is almighty. God is absolutely the all powerful; God is sovereignty in action. Not one single thing happens in this world outside the sovereign will of God. God is the absolute personification of power itself. You want the theological term? God is omnipotent, El Shaddai the almighty one. That's God. God who created the world out of nothing, the God who stood one day and said, "Let there be and there was," "That God," says Habakkuk, "Has absolute power." My God is in control, He is sovereign, not one thing could happen that He couldn't stop and nothing happens that He didn't allow to start. He is the almighty one. He is mightier than the Chaldeans; He is mightier than anything."
And so he's standing on solid ground. Then he knows something else about his God and he says it with a tremendous amount of courage. In the middle of the verse he says, "We shall not die." Now he may have been trying to convince himself, but I think beyond that he's stating a fact that he knows God. You say, "Well how can he stand there and say we shall not die?" because he knew a fifth thing about God. Not only did he know that God was eternal, not only did he know that God was self-existent, not only did he know that God was holy, not only did he know that God was all mighty, but he knew this: God is faithful. He knew that. He knew it and he said, "We shall not die."
What do you mean faithful? Well you see God is a God of promise isn't He? And God made a promise with Habakkuk's people that He would never destroy them, but that he would make of them a great nation that would number as the sands of the sea. God had a promise an unconditional covenant with Israel, and so Habakkuk remembers, wait a minute, we're not going to die, my God is a faithful God. He's not about to let the Chaldeans wipe us off the face of the earth. He's got a promise to keep with us and he's on solid ground. He's remembering the Abrahamic covenant. The Abrahamic covenant given to Abraham confirmed with Isaac, confirmed with Jacob, confirmed with David. God said it again and again and again and he remembers that God is faithful.
The prophet couldn't forget that God said, "I will be their God and they will be my people." And so he stands on firm ground. While believing in God those saintly prophets of the Old Testament might have sort of been chilled by the fact that God was sort of far away. They had no indwelling Spirit, they had no New Testament for that wasn't even in the mind of the prophets. Christ was in a prophetic way, but nothing of the instruction and the guidance of the inward man that's found in the New Testament. And they might have come to the conclusion that God was way off; that God was oblivious to them. But they didn't and do you know why? There was one thing that constantly linked them with God. Do you know what it was? It was God's covenant with them. This was the constant link that bound the hearts of God's people to God. And they thrived on the truth that God was a faithful covenant-keeping God. And God would never break His word, so Habakkuk reminds himself that God's not about to wipe out Israel because God is a faithful God.
Wasn't it interesting how Habakkuk tackles the problem? You see he reached his answer for the moment by stepping away from the problem and thinking about what he really knew was true, and having established that he could move to that which he did not know in the light of what he did know. I'll tell you something, folks, you'll never read anywhere in all your life in any psychology book, in any psychiatric book, you'll never lie on anybody's couch and hear any better advise than what Habakkuk just gave you. There's only one way to tackle problems in this world. You know what it is? Back off and stop and think about the God that you know, and when you run into a stone wall and you can't figure out what's going on, you just stop and back up and say, "Wait a minute, God is eternal. He was here before this problem; he's going to be here when it's over." He's self-existent; there's no problem at all that's too big for Him. He doesn't depend on any of the vicissitudes of life. He's independent of those. Not only that He's almighty. Nothing happens but what He allows to happen. Not only that but He's absolutely holy. He'll never do anything wrong. Not only that but He's faithful, always faithful and if you want a little New Testament thing to hand on there, "God is faithful who will not suffer you to be, what, tempted above that ye are able, but will with the temptation make a way of escape that you may be able to bear it." God is faithful.
So you're standing where you know. You got some problems? Do you? Why don't you try them like this? You'll get so blessed by what you know about God you'll forget your problems. Whenever I get a big problem I just kind of start thinking about the Lord.
I always think of the story of the old Indian used to come to church and sit in the front row and he'd always come a half an hour early and finally people became a little concerned about why he was always there early so somebody went over to him and said, "Tonto," or whatever his name was, "why do you always come early?" And he said this, I liked it, he said, "Me come early, me sit down," listen to this one, "Me think Jesus." Don't you like that? You see if you can step back from the problem and start to think about what you know about God and Christ you've got the answer in your hand.
That's what Habakkuk did. But even in doing that another problem pops into his mind in verse 13. The first thing that he couldn't quite understand was why God let sin go unjudged. And you might wonder that today. Why does God let the church get liberal? Why does God let these wicked people make money? Why does God let the world go like its going? We pray for revival and it doesn't come. Why, why, why, well stand back on what you know about God. Start from there.
But Habakkuk's got another question. He says, "Now God I'm alright on that first one. I know that it's going to come." Just like we talked about this morning, you break the moral order and what falls? The wrath of God. It's going to happen. It's going to come. God in your time, you're running it. I'm alright on that, God. But he says, "I've got one other problem, God, and I need a little help on." And he says it's this: "Why do you use those Chaldeans? If you think we're bad God, have you been noticing them? They're an awful lot worse than we are." And you know something? He was right. He was right. And so the second question that's in his mind when he write verse 13 is, "Why are you using the Chaldeans?" I mean how could God think that they were fit to be somebody's judge? How could God possibly think, and then the question comes up how could a holy God use an unholy instrument? You know I've been confronted with that. People say, Well how could God use an unholy nation to judge His nation? How could a holy God use an unholy instrument? I don't know how He does, but He does it all the time. Did you know that? You know that every time He uses me or you He's using an unholy instrument? I mean if all he had to work with was holy instruments He'd be extremely restricted. That really isn't a big problem, but it is something to think about why God would use the Chaldeans. And in Habakkuk's brain he can't figure out why they deserve to be better off than the Israelites. Why should God let them be the judge and the Israelites suffer the consequences? You know what Habakkuk does for this problem? Same thing he did for the last one. He steps back from the problem and he comes to verse 13, and he says, "Now I'm going to get back to where I know it's solid ground."
Here it comes. He says this: "Thou art," and you might preface this verse by these words, "I am sure of this God, Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst look upon iniquity. Why lookest Thou upon them that deal treacherously and holdest Thy tongue when the wicked devour the man that is more righteous than he? And makest men as the fish of the sea, as the creeping things that have no ruler over them? They take up all of them with the hook, they catch them in their net and gather them in their drag; therefore, they rejoice and are glad. Therefore, they sacrifice unto their net, and burn incense unto their drag because by them their portion is fat, and their food plenteous. Shall they, therefore, empty their net and not spare continually to slay the nations?"
Now that's kind of a tangled up passage, but what it means is this: Habakkuk says, "God there's one thing I do know about you, I know this that you're a holy God and I know one thing, You hate sin and You can't do evil." He says, "God I'm standing on firm ground on that one. I don't know why You're using the Chaldeans, I don't know why you want to use them, I don't know why they deserve to get off the hook and we not, but I do know one thing, God, You hate sin and you don't ever do anything wrong." Now he's on firm ground. And the illustration he uses here is very interesting. He says, "But after all God these Chaldeans are like fishermen. I mean they're just scooping up, they're just going out and scooping up all kinds of people." And you know what they're doing? Their god is their power. If you look at it in verse 16, they're worshipping the net that the catch the fish with. Isn't that interesting? That's like the fisherman who worships his hook. You see they made a God out of their own might and they were so proud of their own ability to scoop nations and scoop up peoples and hook them and net them and drag them in, they were so proud and it bothered Habakkuk because there was such wholesale carnage on the part of the Chaldeans and yet God decided to use them as Israel's judge.
And so in verse 17 he says, "Are you going to keep on allowing this, God, You going to let these people just run wild, are they just going to be able to trample on anybody they want to and You're never going to intervene? That's the second thing that bothered him. It's a good question. You look around the world today and you say, "How in the world did the Communists get to be the world's judge? Why should a Communist nation be able to go and overrun Poland and Czechoslovakia? Why should the Communist nation be able to go here and go there and do this? Why should Red China be able to come in and the Red Chinese government take over China and oppress and kill and slaughter and martyr 30,000 Christians? Why should they be the Christian's judge. Why should those Communists be able to dictate to what's going to happen? God aren't you on the throne? I mean You're going to let those godless atheistic people run this world? Good question, good question.
And he backs up and says, "Wait a minute God. I do know this. You don't do anything wrong. So it's got to be right, God, but I don't understand it. How can they get away with this? Well God's got a good answer for him, an excellent answer. It goes something like this. Don't worry, Habakkuk. They're not going to get away with it. God cannot handle evil with complacency. God can't tolerate sin. There's no toleration on the part of God regarding sin. He's absolutely totally intolerant of it. As we said this morning, sin and God are opposites. So he's a little worried about this and he says, "Boy if the Israelites need judging what about those Chaldeans?" God gives him an answer in Chapter 2. But you know as I think about his question I think about a lot of people, you know. They say, "All right, I admit I'm not the best guy in the world, but so and so is a lot worse than me and look at the job he's got, look at the money he's making. Look at this guy over here. He's a terrible guy, beats his wife, doesn't go to church, doesn't love God, making money like crazy. Here am I Lord, I love you, want to serve you, I'd give it all to the church if You'd just give it to me. Why God, why do the wicked prosper, you know?" It's an old question.
God here we are in Grace Community Church. We're really trying to build this church. We need a Sunday school building, Lord; we need a sanctuary. There's money all over the place, Lord, why don't we don't we have some of it over here? God why do all those people get it all?
Now in one way or the other we've all kind of quizzed ourselves on that, but in this particular paragraph the prophet gets no answer, but at least in Chapter 1, he doesn't. But I want you to see something exciting. He's still comforted because he's on solid ground, right? He hasn't gotten a direct answer, but he's really standing in a place that's a happy place to be. He said, "Boy, I don't understand all the problems, Lord, but I understand You. I don't understand how it's all going to come out, but I know one thing, Lord, You don't make any mistakes and You don't do anything wrong, and Lord, it that's all I get for now that's all right." But then I want you to see Chapter 2 verse 1 and I want you to see one of the most interesting things you'll ever read.
This is the second great principle in solving problems. Number one: step back and stand on the ground you know you can stand on. The second thing to do is very simple, here it comes: wait. You like that? No you don't like that. The second thing you do is wait. You just stand back there on that solid ground and say, "Okay, I'm waiting."
Now watch verse 1. "I will stand upon my watch," and that's not a reference to his wristwatch, because they didn't have them in those days, "I will stand upon my watch and set myself upon the tower and will watch to see what He will say unto me." Isn't that good? I'll tell you that's how you solve the problem. You just back off and stand around until God answers. You know the problem with us isn't that we really, it's not that we don't get answers from God, it's that we don't get them when we think we have to have them. So Habakkuk backs up and he says, "I'm going to stand here, God, and I'm going to set myself on a tower and I'm going wait until I see the answer." And that last part of the verse just blesses my heart, and then he says this, "And after you've answered me I'm just going to wait to see what I answer when I am reproved."
Did that hit you like it hit me? I tell you I read that and I started laughing. That's a funny, funny statement. You know what he's saying? He's saying, "God, I'm going to stand here and I'm going to wait for your answer and then God, I'm going to try to think of something to say when You tell me how dumb I was not to trust You. See, as it to say, "God I've tried, pardon me, I'm going to stand here and if you've got to spank me, spank me. I'm going to get reproved, God, I know it." You see how much faith he had? He doesn't know the answer, but he knows God has the answer and he says, "God pardon me for my faithlessness. I'm going to stand here and when it comes, Lord, You can do anything You want to me, I deserve it. Go ahead and reprove me and I'll figure out something to say back."
He does a fantastic thing. He backs away from the problem, he stands on firm ground, he waits, and then the third thing he does he commits the problem to God. What a principle. Commit thy way unto whom? And He'll do what? He'll bring it to pass. Just wait, commit it to Him, He's in the business of solving problems.
Now there's only a single approach to any problem. Start with a God you know, trust Him and set up a watch until you get the answer. That's practical stuff. That's the way to tackle the problem. And you know what happens? In verse 2, the answer comes. And all the way through the 2ndChapter we have the answer. I just want to pick up the two dimensions of the answer very quickly.
It's a two-fold answer. The first part is an answer of judgment and the second part is an answer of salvation. He had a two-fold question. He asked why do you let sin go unjudged and he asked why the Chaldeans get off the hook? And now in the answer God gives him a two-fold answer. He says there's going to be judgment and there's going to be salvation.
Now again all through the Bible you'll find these two connected. All through the Bible when God meets out judgment it's always followed by grace or salvation, always, and here you have the two-fold answer of God.
Now first of all there's going to be judgment. Look at verse 2. "And the Lord answered me and said, 'Write the vision and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it." Now that verse has been translated and if you've got any different version there's no telling what you have. I feel that the best Hebrew rendering is "Write it so that people can read it easily and then run and tell others." Now some people translate it that it should be, should mean "Write it so big that people running down the street will be able to read it." But that's a little hard with the construction. I feel it's better rendered "Write it on tables so people can read it and run to tell others about it."
Now here's the vision that the people are going tell. "For the vision is yet," here it comes, "an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak and not lie, though it tarry, wait for it because it will surely come. It will not tarry." Now what is He saying? On the rest of the Chapter we know what the vision is. God is saying, "Habakkuk, the Chaldeans are going to be judged. They are only doing what they're doing for an appointed time and just like Israel was judged they're going to be judged for their sin. Only, you want to know something, Habakkuk, it's going to be infinitely worse because they're going to be totally completely wiped off the face of the earth." That's exactly what happened. So God says there's coming judgment on the Chaldeans. The Chaldeans whom I'm going to raise up, as he said in Chapter 1, to punish Israel will themselves be destroyed utterly and completely. The greatness of the Chaldeans will be very short lived. It won't last very long at all. God's got a time schedule, it's going to end very, very soon.
Certainly this was the answer that Habakkuk wanted to hear. He wanted to know that God was still a righteous God, that God wasn't about to let those Chaldeans get away with anything they wanted to do. God told him, "Don't you worry. It's not a matter of whether I will judge, it's a matter of when I will judge." Again that brings us to the concept we talked about this morning of the wrath of God. And so God says, "I'm going to judge the Chaldeans, but not only that, not only does this whole Chapter talk about judgment on the Chaldeans but it talks about the fact that God is going to judge sin no matter whose involved. And in effect God is saying this: "My moral judgment will fall whether it's on Israel or Chaldeans or anybody else that sins. It doesn't matter who." God always punishes sin, as we saw this morning, God has a moral order going on in the world. You break the moral order and judgment and wrath fall just that simple.
And so we see then that God punishes sin no matter who. The only issue is when He does it and how He does it. And then through the Chapter God lists the sins of the Chaldeans, for which He's going to punish them. And there all so typical sins of Israel and there all so typical sins of people today. We'll just highlight them. In verse 5, you have the sin of pride, very definitely. "He is a proud man, neither keepeth at home who enlargeth his desire as hell." That a very interesting statement. In other words the picture of hell or sheol as the Old Testament word is was that it was unlimited space. In other words there's no concept like when you just get so many people hell is filled up and there's no more room for anybody else. It's not that at all. The concept of sheol or hell is that it is completely unlimited and He's saying here that proud people have no limit to their self-gratification. It's as unlimited as hell. They keep stuffing it and stuffing it and it's got just as much room as before they stuffed it. And you see it says, "And is as death and cannot be," what, "satisfied." You see there's no filling it. It's like hell, it can't be filled.
So pride is one of the sins. Then the love of wine is mentioned very pointedly. And as we move on down we see covetousness, the desire for conquest, oppression, various sins of shedding of blood for personal gain, luring others to war, that's what He talks about in verse 15 when He talks about woe unto him that gives his neighbor drink that puts a wineskin to him and makes him drunk." That's really not talking about two individuals, that's talking about the Chaldean nation who would lure other nations to become allies and get involved in the wars.
So God says, "here are the sins that I'll punish the Chaldeans for. There are sins for which I will punish Israel and God did punish them. Malachi lists those sins. Malachi lists the seven deadly sins that destroyed Israel and here are eight deadly sins that were the destruction of the Chaldean nation. God was not going to tolerate sin whether it was Israel's sin or the sin of the Chaldeans or whether it's your sin or my sin. God did judge Israel with the Chaldeans in 586 B.C. Israel was sacked, taken away into captivity. Didn't last very long. Around 530 the Chaldeans were wiped out. The Medio-Persian Empire came along and flattened Babylon and that great world empire of Babylon, the great image in Daniel, the gold head, that great nation of Babylon was flattened and completely destroyed by the Medio-Persians. So God judged Israel. In 586 He judged the Chaldeans. Around 530 or so, and I'll tell you something else, He's going to judge you. It's inevitable if you don't know Jesus Christ, if you do not know God's way of escape. He's not going to judge me. You say, "Why, are you better than me?" No, I'm probably worse. Why isn't He going to judge you? Because I have had someone who took my judgment, Jesus Christ.
There's no judgment to them who are in, I like that. And so God says there's judgment on the Chaldeans and there's judgment on sin. God will judge sin. But He doesn't stop at judgment. He ends up with salvation. Look at it in verse 4 and in verse 14. In the midst of all this judgment there's two parts to the answer. God says first part judgment, second part salvation. Verse 4, "Behold, his soul that is lifted up is not upright in him, but the just shall by his faith." Now look at verse 14, "For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea." Now in these two verses you have the two dimensions of salvation. Two fantastic thrilling exciting truths. First of all in verse 4 you have individual salvation. "Behold his soul that is lifted is not upright." And better than lifted up is draws back. The person who draws away from God, who draws back from a life of faith, got a problem. But on the other hand that soul who lives by faith is justified for the just live by faith. You see there's only two possible attitudes in this life: faith or unbelief. Those are the only two. You either believe God or you don't believe Him. You either have faith in Him or you don't have faith in Him. Those are the only two alternatives in life. Either you view your life in terms of God and your belief in God and you draw your conclusions from God and from God's word, or your outlook is based on a rejection of God and the corresponding denials that come with it. You can either withdraw yourself, draw back from the way of faith, or you can live by faith in God. That's God's offer of salvation. He says, 'even those Chaldeans, if they want they can live by faith. Even the Israelites about to be judged, if they want they can live by faith and escape it.
As a man believes so he is, so he lives and so he dies. A man's belief will determine his conduct and his destiny. The just, the righteous shall live by faith, but the man who draws back from faith in God is unrighteous. There are only two options staring us in the face: number one either I take the bare word of God and I live by it, or number two I don't and I live by my own rules; the only two options in life. It's that simple. Faith means I take the word of God and I act upon it. Why because it's God's word and only because it's God's word. It means that I believe what God said because He said it, that's why. It means that I base my whole life on God to live by faith. It means that I trust God. And I'll tell you something; tonight I want to force the choice on you. Is there anything more foolish, more idiotic, in banking your whole world and eternity on what this world has to offer, or what it thinks it has to offer?
What's the controlling principle in your life? Is it faith in God, is it? Or is it calculation or worldly wisdom or human reason, or your own shrewd balanced worldview? What is the basis of your life? Is it the word of God? Is it God or is it not? Salvation comes to those who live by faith and the first instant you put your faith in God you receive the great eternal gift of salvation. It's just that simple.
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Livin' Lars
After trading for Adrian Gonzalez and agreeing in principle on a 7-year contract extension, the Boston Red Sox appear to have their starting first baseman through the year 2018.
Not exactly the best career development for PawSox first baseman Lars Anderson.
(photos courtesy of Kelly O'Connor)
"That's the way the game works – especially with a team like the Red Sox," Anderson told me. "If you can get a guy like Adrian Gonzalez you'd be a fool not to in my opinion.
"He's one of the best players in the game and it makes total sense to me that they acquired him when they had the opportunity to. Barring some injury, I don't think it really changes where I was going to start the season. It might change what happens during the season, but there's really nothing I can do about it. Obviously, it's not ideal for me personally, but it's really good for the ballclub so that's cool."
The Red Sox sent another of their best minor league first baseman – Anthony Rizzo – to San Diego in the Gonzalez trade, and Anderson knows that he is a logical candidate to be included in a future deal.
"It feels kind of inevitable, you know?" Lars said. "How many guys get to stay with the same team for their whole life? That being said, if I get dealt at some point it's going to be startling because of all the great connections that I've made over the last four years. But that's another thing that I have no control over."
It's been an eventful off-season for the 23-year-old slugger. So far, Lars has spent 2 ½ weeks driving across the United States, taken a vacation to Puerto Rico with close pal Ryan Kalish, and even become friendly with his favorite author.
"His name is David James Duncan," Anderson said. "He's written some great novels that I really like. I talked to him while I was fishing on a river in Montana so that was really cool."
Montana was one several states that Lars visited when he drove from Boston to California immediately after the season. The conversation with Duncan was the result of a fortunate coincidence.
"I was hanging out with my sister and her family in Virginia," Anderson said. "They have friends that used to live in Montana and we were all eating dinner one night and talking about who everybody's favorite author was. When I said, 'David James Duncan,' one of her friends said, 'No way – we have a friend who is really good friends with him.' David lives just outside of Missoula, Montana and I had planned a pilgrimage to go there and check it out because I love his work and wanted to see the area. So I e-mailed this friend of his to see if there was any way he could help me get in touch with David. I didn't hear back from him for a long time, but the night before I was set to arrive in Missoula, he e-mailed me back and said, 'Call me tomorrow and we'll set something up.' He gave me David's number and told me to give him a call. So I called him and we chatted for an hour. It turns out he's a big Red Sox fan."
Anderson's favorite book by Duncan is called The Brothers K.
"It has a lot to do with baseball – it's a really fresh take on minor league baseball which I appreciated when I read it," Lars said. "How many times do you read a book and you're like, 'I would love to ask this author how he or she thought of that.' I got to do that. I was able to ask all of these questions that I had and it was really wild."
Anderson is coming off a solid season between Portland and Pawtucket as he batted .274 (.349 OBP, .461 SLG) with 37 doubles, 3 triples, and 15 HR. That resulted in a September call-up and Lars went 7-for-35 (.200) in his first taste of major league action.
"It gave me a lot of confidence," Anderson said. "I know that I can play there. Before you get there you always wonder, 'Can I hang at the major league level?' I think I can. The environment is a little bit different, but it's the same game and I never really felt overmatched or overwhelmed. The only overwhelming part was trying to get people tickets to the away games in Oakland."
That's close to his home in Fair Oaks, CA where Lars has started to prepare for the 2011 season.
"I hit today and I've really been working hard in the gym," Anderson told me. "I've been thinking about what I want to focus on this year but it feels a little forced right now to really concentrate on one thing. When I hit today, it was the most thought-free that I've been and it was by far the best that I've hit the ball. That's something that I really tried to do last year – really get my mind out of the way and let my body do its thing. I know how to hit a fastball, but my mind wants to get in there and ask questions about how I'm doing it or why I'm swinging at a certain pitch."
In other words, he's trying not to think too much – whether it's at the plate or when it comes to job opportunities in Boston.
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Beyond our extraordinary building, we offer a Formal Garden, two Terraces, a stately Portico, and The Allman Pavilion. We host events such as birthday parties, meetings, luncheons, teas, non-profit events, retirement parties, seminars, networking events, bridal luncheons, weddings and corporate parties. We can host lavish weddings for 500+ or intimate luncheons for ten. The flexibility of our space is as dynamic as our range of clients! We pride ourselves in our ability to accommodate you and your budget.


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THE Capital's trams are today being tested at full speed for the first time.
A tram is being put through its paces at up to 70km per hour on a stretch of track at Ingliston, as the track and vehicles undergo some of their most demanding tests yet.
The tram has run on the stretch between Edinburgh Airport and the tram depot at Gogar, but at lower speeds.
The runs and system tests are the final part of the development of this section of the route.
The tests are being monitored by transport convener Lesley Hinds and Scottish transport minister, Keith Brown.
The tram system will eventually run 18.3 miles from Edinburgh Airport to York Place.
Overhead power lines between the airport and Gogar, 2.8km away, were electrified last month, meaning that section of line is ready for full-scale tests.
If all goes well, the stretch will be the first major section of the tram line to be completed.
It will then be handed over by the contractors to the city council in March, a clear sign that the troubled project is on track for completion in the summer of 2014.
The project is hugely over its initial budget and years behind schedule. The revised budget for the single tram line is £776 million.


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Captain's Report
By Capt. Steve--
The Mission
Originally, the mission of the 350 SS was to keep the flock of loyal 310 SS customers from having to go out of brand when they wanted to trade up, but not all the way up to a 37. This 350 filled that gap quite nicely. But now that she's been around a while, her new mission is to remain consistent with the philosophy of maintaining the reputation that Formula was built on… quality. On that task, the 350 fulfills her goal quite nicely.
Handling and Ride
It's always a pleasure testing Formula boats because handling and performance is almost always stellar. In the case of the 350 SS it's business as usual. I found her to be an excellent performer, cutting the wakes of other boats, and even her own self generated wakes, with a clean slice and no pounding. Her 21-degree deadrise at the transom is a winning compromise between the soft ride of a deep-V hull and the speed possible from a flatter bottom. We were testing in a narrow waterway, and that means tight turns, and as expected, she bled off a lot of speed in the turns. One won't be able to crank and bank to the point where everyone and everything gets tossed around, and really… one wouldn't want to. This is a boat that will keep the guests comfortable even if the the boater doesn't have the presence of mind to do it themselves.
With an empty weight of 13,470 lbs. (6,109.9 kgs.), half fuel and four people onboard, we had a test weight of 14,686 lbs. (6,661.5 kgs.). With a pair of 430-hp MerCruiser 8.2 MAG HO engines tucked into the stern, we reached a top speed of 53.3 mph (85.7 kph) at 4700 rpm. At that speed we were burning a combined 72 gph (272.5 Lph) while getting .74 mpg (.31 kpL) for a range of 114 miles (184 km). Best cruise came in at 3000 rpm and 29.4 mph (47.2 kph). Now I measured a fuel burn of 24.3 gph (92 Lph), which meant the boat got 1.21 mpg (.51 kpL) and a range of 187 miles (301 km). For a 35' (10.7 m) boat, she had surprising acceleration. We reached planing speed in only 4.9 seconds, cruised up to 20 mph in 7.7 seconds, and continued accelerating through 30 mph in 12.7 seconds.
The Tour Starting Forward
Heading up to the bow, one climbs three steps molded into the dash and step through a center windshield walkthrough. The top latch on the walkthrough windshield is interconnected to the bottom, so there's no having to reach way down to unlock the lower latch. Stainless grab rails are conveniently placed to add safety and security when heading forward up the steps. Up front, minimal bow rails flank the sides. We had the optional remote spotlight (add $825) and Lewmar windlass with chain counter in the bow of our test model (add $6,140). Some may opt for the LED bow docking lights (add $785) and while they weren't on our test boat, believe me, they are blindingly bright.
Sophisticated Helm
As one steps back into the cockpit Formula has dressed up the dash with burl wood accents and Livorsi instruments. A standard Garmin 547 color GPS held a position in the center of the panel, and Mercury's SmartCraft display was to the right of that. Mercury's Digital Throttle System makes engine corrections a comfortable affair with zero feedback. While I found the 350 to have exemplary close quarters controllability, the benefits of the Axius sterndrive docking system joystick (add $17,660) cannot be understated. Among the standard features on the 350 are the Bennett trim tabs and trim indicators for precise control of engine attitude while running.
Comfortable Cockpit for Long Day Trips
Stepping back down into the cockpit, the boater won't be struggling to make everyone comfortable while entertaining along the way. Across from the helm is a port side lounger with room for two, but little room for stretching out lounger style. The usual lack of storage is underneath so as to provide headroom in the mid-cabin below.Stepping back to the aft cockpit is a port side standard wet bar for preparing the cold beverages and maybe a sandwich or two for the crew. A carry-on cooler is standard, but our model had a great space-saving cooler drawer. The Corian countertop has twin hinged lids for access to a concealed trash bin and a sink. In the storage locker below one will find the battery switches and main breakers in the aft locker and the carry-on cooler in the other if one doesn't opt for the cooler drawer. While there will usually be a large conversation pit in the aft lounger that wraps around from the back of the helm to the port side walkthrough to the swim platform, the aft facing sun lounger can convert into a full length sun pad or into a cool bed under the stars.
A large sole locker can store any gear is brought aboard, unless one opts for a 7.5kw generator (add $14,945), which fits in this space. I continue to be impressed with the attention to detail and order by Formula. Noise suppression material, wire runs and conduits looked neat and orderly. Bringing up the aft hatch, the optional 8.2 MAG HOs (add $29,390) had enough room to easily do any daily checks and routine maintenance.
Swim Platform
The walkthrough to the swim platform is to port, and this is the boarding area if tied to a floating dock. If the boat is secured to a fixed pier, a wide non-skid caprail and stainless grab rail lead to a step into the cockpit. The boarding gate opens inward, as it should. A fresh water shower is right at the entrance making it easy to get the sand off one's feet, or wash off the salt water before boarding. The full beam swim platform comes out 32" (81.3 cm) from the transom, and walking space extends off to the sides. While the outdrives are tucked into the extended running surface, I'd like to see the reboarding ladder moved to the side to further protect feet from the sharp edges, but that's my nitpicky side. It's not like I jumped into the water to see if it's a problem. The aft facing rumble seat is very comfortable, and makes an easy conversion to a sun pad. Trunk storage is to starboard and all shore power, TV, and city water inlets are below.
Features Below
Just behind the stairs in the cabin is the aft cabin with enough room for a queen-sized bed and open enough to prevent claustrophobia. A mirror across the aft wall makes the room seem even larger. Forward of the aft cabin is a port side galley with beautiful cabinetry above in cherry accents and a microwave oven. Open storage across the back of the countertop is large enough for wine bottles or a loaf of bread and spices. In the top is a concealed trash bin cover, a concealed single-burner cooktop and an oversized stainless steel sink. Storage below includes a paper towel holder and three drawers for utensils. The refrigerator/freezer is over on the starboard side within easy reach of the galley.
The forward convertible dinette has Ultraleather upholstery and dual height matching table. This table easily stores away for more room to chat, installs for dinner, or drops down and becomes a large berth with filler cushions. Over on the starboard side above the refrigerator is the entertainment center. Our test model had a large Sharp LCD/TV with a DVD player built in. The standard stereo system is a Kenwood stereo. The TV is mounted on the front of the cabinet cover over the switch panel. The panel uses bright LED lights so there isn't trouble seeing which breaker one is about to turn off and there is an iPod cradle inside for an MP3 player. The full wet head has a VacuFlush toilet. The molded vanity has a Corian countertop with a separate pull out for the shower and a sink with faucet.
If a boater has been wanting to move up in size, without cutting back on power and performance, they now have a great choice with the 350 Sun Sport from Formula. Pricing with standard MerCruiser 377 MAGs is $348,900. While that may seem pricey, the buyer gets a lot of quality and detail which really makes a difference. This boat is built to last, and to think of it, I've never seen a bad looking old Formula.
Test Result Highlights
- Top speed for the Formula 350 Sun Sport (2014-) is 53.3 mph (85.8 kph), burning 72.00 gallons per hour (gph) or 272.52 liters per hour (lph).
- Best cruise for the Formula 350 Sun Sport (2014-) is 29.4 mph (47.3 kph), and the boat gets 1.21 miles per gallon (mpg) or 0.51 kilometers per liter (kpl), giving the boat a cruising range of 187 miles (300.95 kilometers).
- Tested power is 2 x 430-hp MerCruiser MAG HO.
Standard and Optional Features
Marine Electronics
|VHF Radio
|Air Cond./Heat
|Battery Charger/Converter
|CD Stereo
|Head: Fixed
|Shore Power
|Trim Tabs
|Water Heater
Exterior Features
|Carpet: Cockpit
|Outlet: 12-Volt Acc
|Swim Ladder
|Swim Platform
|Transom Door
|Transom Shower
|Wet bar
|Bimini Top
|Cockpit Cover
Boats More Than 30 Feet
Full Warranty Information on this brand coming soon!
(It's quick and FREE!)


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Mi Titanium Rules & Policies
As USAT sanctioned events, Tris4Health abides by standard rules issued to maintai consistency and order from race to race. The rules include sections on USAT membership and rules of conduct for swimming, cycling, running and transition. Also included are special sections on protests, hearings and appeals. Click here to see a complete USAT Rulebook, but the most commonly violated rules are as follows:
- Helmets: Only helmets approved by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) may be used in USAT sanctioned events. Helmets must be worn at all times while on your bike. This means before, during, and after the event.
Penalty: Disqualification
- Chin Straps: Chin straps must be fastened at all times when on a bicycle. DO NOT unbuckle your chin strap unless you are off your bicycle.
Penalty: Disqualification on the course; time penalty in transition area only.
- Outside Assistance: No assistance other than that offered by race and medical officials may be used. Triathlons and duathlons are individual tests of fitness.
Penalty: Time penalty
- Transition Area: All equipment must be placed in the properly designated and individually assigned bike corral. The wheel of the bicycle must be down on the side of the assigned space. All participants must return their bicycles to an upright
position in their designated bicycle corral. No person shall interfere with another participant's equipment or impede the progress of another participant. All bar ends must be solidly plugged. No participant shall bring ANY glass containers into the transition area.
Penalty: Time penalty or disqualification
- Drafting: Drafting–keep at least three bike lengths of clear space between you and the cyclist in front. If you move into the zone, you must pass within 15 seconds.
Position–keep to the right hand side of the lane of travel unless passing.
Illegal Pass– cyclists must pass on the left, not on the right.
Blocking–riding on the left side of the lane without passing anyone and impeding other cyclists attempting to pass.
Overtaken–once passed, you must immediately exit the draft zone from the rear, before attempting to pass again.
Penalty: Time penalty
- Course: All competitors are required to follow the prescribed course and to stay within all coned lanes. Cutting the course is an obvious violation and going outside the course is a safety issue. Cyclists shall not cross a solid yellow center line for ANY reason. Cyclists must obey all applicable traffic laws at all times.
Penalty: Referee's discretion, time penalty or disqualification
- Unsportsmanlike-Like Conduct: Foul, harsh, argumentative or abusive language or other unsportsmanlike conduct directed at race officials, USA Triathlon officials, volunteers, spectators or fellow athletes is forbidden.
Penalty: Disqualification
- Headphones: Headphones, headsets, walkmans, ipods, mp3 players, or personal audio devices, etc. are not to be carried or worn at any time during the race.
Penalty: Time penalty
- Race numbers: All athletes are required to wear race numbers at all times during the run. Numbers must be clearly visible at all times. Numbers may not be altered in any way that prevents a clear identification. DO NOT transfer your number to any other athlete or take a number from an athlete that is not competing.
Penalty: Time penalty for missing or altered number, Disqualification and one year suspension from membership in USAT for transferring a number without race director permission.
- Wetsuits: Each age group participant shall be permitted to wear a wetsuit without penalty in any event sanctioned by USA Triathlon up to and including a water temperature of 78 degrees Fahrenheit. When the water temperature is greater than 78 degrees but less than 84 degrees Fahrenheit, age group participants may wear a wetsuit at their own discretion, provided, however that participants who wears a wetsuit within such temperature range shall not be eligible for prizes or awards. Above 84 degrees, wetsuits are prohibited.
- Abandonment: All personal equipment and belongings taken out onto the course must stay on the athlete the entire time. No garbage, clothing, etc. shall be thrown on the course.
Penalty: Time penalty
- Helmets: Only helmets approved by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) may be used in USAT sanctioned events. Helmets must be worn at all times while on your bike. This means before, during, and after the event.
Variable Time Penalties
Tris4health Policies
Agreeing to the waivers and payment of your entry fee constitutes your acceptance of all Tris4Health and USAT policies.
Event Modifications / Cancelations
The race directors and/or USAT officials reserve the right to reschedule, modify or cancel any or all portions of an event if weather conditions, water quality or anything else that compromises athlete safety or makes the originally planned event impossible. There will be no refunds for rescheduled, modified or canceled events.
You may transfer your registration for a $35 fee. If you would like to arrange this please email firstname.lastname@example.com. Packet pick-up will require photo proof of identity. Participants who swap or sell their race number will not be allowed to race in another Tris4Health event for a period of 2 years and will be subject to disciplinary action by USAT.
Changing Events:
Tris4Health will allow you to change events up until Packet Pick-up. There are will be no refunds give if transferring to a shorter distance race. If you transfer to a longer distance or relay, you will be required to pay the difference between what you paid for your registration and the current price of the event you are transferring. Please email email@example.com if you wish to change events.
Withdraw/Refund Policy:
Withdrawal requests must be received in by July 17, 2019 via E-mail to firstname.lastname@example.com. If for any reason, you need to withdraw from a race you have already registered, you can request in writing a 50% discount off an equal distance or shorter race by Tris4Health in 2020. In order to be eligible for the Deferral Discount, these requests must be receive by July 17, 2019. For example, if you are currently registered for the half distance triathlon, you will receive a unique discount code to register for a 2020 race. That discount code would give you a 50% of the total you paid for your registration. There will be no refunds under any circumstances. This policy will be strictly adhered to for fairness to all.


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Sure the new MacBook Air is a fraternal twin of the last few versions, but it's got some nice new guts that are showing up in Apple products for the first time, like the MagSafe 2. As usual, iFixit's ripping the new machine to shreds.
They're not quite done with the teardown yet, but so far they've pulled out a slightly altered SSD, the smaller I/O card (due to MagSafe 2), and the new asymmetrical fan that "disperses sound across a wide range of frequencies, rather than just one, making fan noise 'hardly perceivable.'" We'll let you know if anything exciting turns up, but for now, enjoy the hardware striptease over at iFixit. [iFixit]


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Having already made two recent live-action movies with Cruella de Vil at its center — 1996's "101 Dalmatians" and the 2000 sequel, "102 Dalmatians" — Disney is planning a third film about the villainess to be written by "The Devil Wears Prada's" Aline Brosh McKenna, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
Disney has hired McKenna to write "Cruella," and Glenn Close, who played De Vil in the two "Dalmatians" movies, will serve as an executive producer, the newspaper reported.
PHOTOS: Billion-dollar movie club
The studio made the animated feature "101 Dalmatians" in 1961.
Next year, the studio is scheduled to release another live-action spinoff from an animated classic adaptation: "Maleficent," which stars Angelina Jolie as the villainess from 1959's "Sleeping Beauty."
In 2015, the studio will release a live-action "Cinderella" starring Lily James in the title role; an animated movie of the same name came out in 1950.
James Franco, Jason Bateman among those actors trying directing
Joseph Gordon-Levitt's 'Don Jon' a movie about mainstream culture
'Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2' is No. 1 on a crowded weekend
PHOTOS: Faces to watch 2014 | Movies
ENVELOPE: The latest awards buzz
DOCUMENTARIES: 10 best of 2013, and a new crop in 2014


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Governor to address fall grads on Saturday
Gov. Phil Bryant (left) and MSU President Mark E. Keenum
Fall semester graduates at Mississippi State University will hear from the state's chief executive during commencement ceremonies on Saturday, Dec. 15.
Gov. Phil Bryant will speak during the 10 a.m. graduation program in Humphrey Coliseum.
Nearly 1,400 students are scheduled to receive degrees. Those choosing to participate in the ceremony will include a number from the summer term, for which there is no separate graduation event.
Mississippi's 64th governor, Bryant was sworn into office in January after previously serving as lieutenant governor, state auditor and a member of the Mississippi House of Representatives.
He is a Hinds Community College and University of Southern Mississippi graduate who went on to receive a master's degree in political science from Mississippi College.
As state auditor, Bryant led the recovery of more than $12 million in embezzled or improperly spent taxpayers' dollars.
As lieutenant governor, he worked to ensure accountability in state government and encouraged transparency. He proposed webcasting of Senate proceedings so residents could see their government in action.
Upon taking the governor's office, Bryant announced 31 initiatives designed to help lead Mississippi through economic expansion and increased governmental efficiency. For more information about Gov. Bryant, visit www.governorbryant.com.
Allison Matthews | University Relations


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As I stood at each one of the graves, I felt an overwhelming sadness, and that feeling gave me some insight into my mother's reticence to visit the grave of the mother lost to her when she was only five years old and the grave of the father she adored. I realized that perhaps it was simply too sorrowful a visit for her to contemplate.
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Tuesday, May 20, 2014
'Beneath Mary's Tree': The interred of unmarked grave #G 87.5
As I stood at each one of the graves, I felt an overwhelming sadness, and that feeling gave me some insight into my mother's reticence to visit the grave of the mother lost to her when she was only five years old and the grave of the father she adored. I realized that perhaps it was simply too sorrowful a visit for her to contemplate.
12 comments:
Many of my ancestors are interred in Glasnevin, most in now unmarked graves, and quite a number in shared plots, still owned by Glasnevin Trust. Visiting their graves is too sad, even today, 180 years for some. It is somehow comforting that the tree stands over your grandmother's grave, offering its protection to those interred below.ReplyDeleteReplies
Thanks very much for your comments Dara. It is indeed comforting that the tree stands over the grave. When I visit the cemetery I can see the tree from my granddad's grave, and from the grave of my dad's mother, as well as a couple of other family plots, so it is as though it draws all of them together.Delete
Jennifer I was wondering about the grave with so many people. Please excuse my questions. Is it what I'd consider a plot with people who are side by side or a grave with people above and below each other? I had not thought of graves as holding more than one person. I'd kike to understand for my own Irish research. It is great that you could find the complete record for that lovely spot.ReplyDeleteReplies
Thanks very much for your comments and question Colleen. There are many shared plots and family vaults in Glasnevin, as well as in cemeteries all over Ireland. It's certainly not unusual. Almost all of my deceased family members across both sides of my family tree are in shared plots and/or family vaults, including my mother and father. Some are buried side by side; some on top of one another. It is very much our tradition to bury family together. My mother used to joke that my dad proposed to her by saying 'do you want to be buried with my people?'.Delete
Jennifer, thanks for explaining that to me!Delete
Thanks so much for asking Colleen! I really like it when comments turn into a 'conversation' of sorts. Also, I wanted to mention the fact that my paternal grandmother Anne Magee Geraghty is interred with her own parents rather than with her husband — for whom she bore 7 children — and his family. Some members of the family considered this to be a sign that his family never truly accepted her. He is interred in his family's vault miles away from her. Very sad.Delete
Cheers to you,
RIP dear ones. Amazing information Jenn.ReplyDeleteReplies
Thanks very much for your comments Carol. I second your RIP. It's so fortunate that Glasnevin Trust has preserved the burial records so that so much information is there to be found.Delete
It must have been so painful to bury a loved one that way and not be able to memorialize them, Jennifer, but you have done so through this story. What an eloquent and moving tribute to not only your grandmother but to the others who went before her into that sacred ground.ReplyDeleteReplies
Thanks very much for your comments Linda. I feel exactly the same way; it must have been so painful to know they were there without any sign of them. I like to think of my granny taking care of those babies in the afterlife, especially since her death meant she left behind seven babes of her own.Delete
When I began reading your story, I was so pleased that a tree marked the resting place of your grandmother, then became uneasy whenReplyDelete
I read of the multiple burials. I didn't realise that this happened in Ireland also, as it is happening in Australia. Sadness followed hearing of the number of infants buried in this grave, but was soon overcome with the warmth of love and comfort and the feeling that your grandmother would be watching over them. I certainly know that my mother would be more than pleased to know that her grave here has children around her. So you have taken me through varied emotions, but ultimately peace as you seem to have also attained, knowing that your grandmother shelters beneath a beautiful tree, while resting with tiny infants. May they all Rest In Peace.Replies
Thanks very much for your comments Crissouli. Just like you I experienced these same feelings when I learned of the multiple burials, especially with the little ones in the grave, but it does help to think of my grandmother taking care of those babies in the afterlife.Delete
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Cheers, Jennifer


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Many of us have years of experience chasing technology for marketing purposes. Thanks to social networks, we've naturally been driven to a host of metrics that include attributes of "engagement" and conversations shared online.
This, in turn, has fueled the content marketing race – and ultimately, the quest for producing what is most relevant or valuable to a company's current and prospective customers.
As we compete in this context to draw attention for our brand and offerings, perhaps one element has remained constant above all others: the power of visual storytelling.
Why? Because no state-of-the art technology can substitute for state-of-the-heart storytelling. If a picture is worth a thousand words, the story behind it may be worth a million more. Pinterest and Instagram continue proving this out, and every competent marketer on Facebook can point to the power of imagery.
If you're already producing video as part of your marketing, and your efforts are sophisticated enough to track resulting engagement and lead generation – watch what happens when your focus changes from just features and benefits to creatively telling a story. Hint: Higher levels of viewership, engagement, and sharing.
Key Storytelling Elements and Example Videos
First, it's worth acknowledging that storytelling is practically in our DNA. In pictures, even songs – we've relied on stories for thousands of years to help us understand, retain, and share information.
To help us learn more and consider how all of this applies online, I spoke with Brandon Whalen, who recently developed a training course on visual storytelling for the Online Marketing Institute.
One of the first resources he referred me to was Christopher Booker's book, The Seven Basic Plots: Why We Tell Stories, which does a good job of covering seven story types that have proven successful over the ages:
- Overcoming the Monster: A good example can be seen in Nike's story focused on helping people overcome themselves. The idea in this example is each of us having a little monster inside of us that says we don't want to work out today. Nike's focus is slaying that monster to achieve greatness:
- The Quest: This concept relies on the danger you must face to find the truth and reap the reward. Red Bull leverages this well by exemplifying the push for man to do what might be considered impossible:
- Voyage and Return: Dove's Campaign for real beauty demonstrates the distrust of the false gods in the beauty industry. By voyaging into their world, we see that our real home is where true beauty lies: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHqzlxGGJFo
- Rebirth: Stories of rebirth are often tied to losing everything, and the need to start over. Prudential tapped the meaning of this in the context of retirement, using the true story from a man on his first day of retirement:
- Rags to riches: These stories are about being true to one's self, with one of the best known examples through Willy Wonka. If you remember, Charlie is tempted by greed but stays true to himself. Chrysler has recently released some ads that tie directly into this idea:
- Tragedy: It's a tough place to position your brand, but we see a powerful story by St. John Ambulance to convey the importance of first aid:
- Comedy: Old spice continues to be a recent great at poking fun of manliness:
Additional questions to consider in creating an effective story relate to having a key character:
- How might this character relate to the audience with which you are telling your story?
- What is this character's ambition and points of tension?
- How might you demonstrate conflict, and the corresponding resolution to help your audience resonate with your story?
Additional Tips and Applications of Visual Storytelling
As all the examples above rely on video, let's consider other ways to effectively apply imagery as means of helping tell a story associated with a brand.
Experimenting with Imagery on Facebook
There have been several cases of higher engagement levels on in-the-moment photos (like the kind frequently captured on Instagram) compared to professional studio images. Try experimenting with these kinds of photos yourself. You'll also often find that uploading the image (vs. ignoring the auto thumbnail) produces better results.
Although there remain several negative reviews on Timeline, consider how you might better leverage this attribute in Facebook to visually tell a story about your brand. You can go back in time to add an event and effectively reposition your photos on timeline.
This might seem rudimentary, but when it comes to imagery in social networks in general, it's important to use the right dimensions to avoid negative effects from down-sampling.
Also, for you community managers out there, you know one of the common challenges can be simply in finding good images to include you your posts. Ben Bowes just wrote a great article about free photo resources for community managers.
Twitter and Instagram
It can be difficult to be visual on a text-based medium like Twitter, but there is still room to be a storyteller. Some of the more popular Twitter accounts we see are based on a certain story and character – for example, @shitmydadsays and @dosequisman.
Connecting your Twitter account to a service like Instagram will also assist with enabling imagery as part of your stream. Also consider the use of contests and hashtags (Red Bull's #summeriscoming contest) to get users to join in on the story.
As with any good content marketing, one of the keys to creating relevant boards is not to focus on too much branded content. Instead, consider how topics relevant to your brand might also help to shape its story.
If you are an organic clothing store, for example, you can create boards for other organic-related assets, healthy living, sustainability, recycling and other items that might relate to your values. Whole Foods does a solid job of showcasing several related topics that are still consistent with the brand:
Some good examples of boards used to tell a story with content can be seen at:
- http://pinterest.com/thinkprogress/companies-no-longer-advertising-on-rush-limbaugh/
- http://pinterest.com/newsbeast/arab-spring/
- http://pinterest.com/nationalguard/national-guard-valentines/
Additional opportunities for collaborative boards also exist within Pinterest.
Additional Properties
Additional assets can be leveraged in numerous other owned, paid and social properties. The carousel feature in Linkedin, for example, can be used very creatively.
An entirely different, but highly related aspect of this conversation also includes the concept of data visualization, most often exemplified in infographics. What kind of stories will you tell in your Google+, Tumbler, email, websites, ads, etc.?
Final Thoughts
You don't have to have a huge meaningful story to create genuine interest. Sometimes a small anecdote accompanied by reinforcing images to reflect it are all that's required to create some emotion.
Storytelling is something that everyone understands and connects with, and when you focus on yours, you may find you have an entirely different perspective on creating excellent content.
Related reading
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Hi Everyone,
I'm looking for people to hit balls with or play matches. I live in Evanston and work just south of the loop. I can play any week day after 5:30 or anytime on the weekend. If you prefer to send me an email email@example.com
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if during the week you have free am time till 1 pm the latest, we can play
During the week anytime after 5:30 or anytime on the weekend. Sorry, got a day job
I would be interested. I live in Skokie. I am a teacher who will be out for summer pretty soon so my schedule is okay now but will clear up even more later. I have things to do on Thursdays and Fridays but could be available on the other weekdays. I I would guess I am somewhere around a 3.0 to 3.5 player now and am getting my stroke back. Let me know what you think.
Sounds good. Why don't we try sometime on the weekend and see how it goes. Are you familair with the courts on dodge and lee? Or somewhere else is fine. Let me know when is a good time.
Sorry that this weekend did not work. Do you want to try sometime this week or next weekend?
It's no problem. I'm playing Tuesday evening, otherwise should be able to another day. This is my number 312-543-6065. You can just text or call when you have a day in mind. I can also play on the weekend.
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Skyrim Electronic Dragon Shout Hoodie
Dress like a true son of Skyrim shout like the Dovahkiin
- Warm and stylish Skyrim hoodie
- Features all 20 Dragon Shouts
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Dress like a true son of Skyrim shout like the Dovahkiin
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And since we've maxed out our smithing skills, we've gone the extra step of enchanting this hoodie with our patented electronic apparel technology. That's right, in addition to looking like the Dragonborn you can shout like a Dovahkiin too! The attached speaker connects via a fabric channel to a powerful mini-amp. All 20 Dragon Shouts available to the Dragonborn are there at the touch of a button and without the need for any dragon souls. The hoodie is 100% cotton and features a face mask hood, complete with horns. What are you waiting for, Dragonborn? Let us test the power of your Thu'um!
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I was sitting by the fire pit in my backyard using the iPad to control the music emanating from rock speakers in the woods. The Control4 application is very cool. But there was a fly that kept getting in to my Margarita! I guess he liked the sugar. After swatting him away many times, I came up with a great use for the iPad:
This app is free and there is no need to download it!
I was sitting by the fire pit in my backyard using the iPad to control the music emanating from rock speakers in the woods. The Control4 application is very cool. But there was a fly that kept getting in to my Margarita! I guess he liked the sugar. After swatting him away many times, I came up with a great use for the iPad:
Lately I have talked to some customers that are doing business with companies in the Twin Cities that are not licensed to do Audio/Video work. This is a bad idea for many reasons. First, it is not legal for them to do work in your home. Second, they most likely don't have the training, insurance or a bond that is required to be a licensed Technology Systems Contractor in Minnesota. So if something goes wrong, you may have no recourse to get your money back. It is very simple to check on the company you are considering. Just check here: https://secure.doli.state.mn.us/licensing/licensing.aspx
There appears to be a lot of confusion over the new so called "LED TVs" made by Samsung and others. First of all, these are NOT really LED TVs! They really are standard LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) TVs but they use LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) to back light the LCD screen. Up until now, most LCD TVs use Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamps (CCFLs) to back light the LCD screen. There are many potential problems with CCFLs with the biggest ones being Black Levels and Power Consumption. Since you can't really dim a CCFL, you never get very good black levels so dark scenes tend to lack detail. Manufacturers have learned some tricks to make this better over the years, but LCD is still lacking as compared to Plasma Displays. So LCD TVs that use LEDs use less power and have the POTENTIAL to have better black levels since LEDs can be dimmed or turned off very quickly. But as always, make sure you view any TV before you buy it to verify the picture quality. So why wouldn't you buy an LED backlit LCD TV? They are thinner, use less power and have better black levels.. Well they are much more expensive than a standard LCD TV so you have to decide if it is worth the extra money. Of course over time, as the volume goes up and competition increases, prices will come down on these models. Comments?
ADI has ISF certified technicians that can come to your home and calibrate your TV to industry standards. But is it worth the time and money? The answer may depend on what you are used to seeing. TV manufacturers have purposely miss adjusted their displays for years so that they are too bright and the colors too "hot". Of course this is to catch your eye when you go to your favorite store to buy a new TV. But if you are used to seeing TVs this way, and have for years, then is this the new "standard"? Video Calibration will absolutely make your TV look more natural and realistic. But does that make it right? The reason I bring this up is that a small percentage of our customers (less than 2%) actually liked the picture better before we did the calibration! In those cases we have gladly refunded their money and set it back to factory defaults. So my point is that some customers have become used to seeing TVs with incorrect settings and they like it that way! Comments?
I saw an ADT commercial the other day about their "new" automation service called Pulse. It allows you to control your lights, Thermostats, arm/disarm your security system, lock/unlock doors and view cameras all from your smart phone! Here at ADI, we have been doing this for almost 10 years! Who would you trust to do this for you? A mega corporation that has just started this service or a small family owned company that has been doing it for 10 years? By the way, there are no hidden costs with us, you own the equipment and there are no monthly fees like there is with ADT... Call us today for a free estimate of the costs to setup a system for you!
Last month I wrote about the Control4 iPad application and how I can control my whole house with it. This includes Theater, Whole House Audio, Lighting, Thermostats, Front Door Lock, and see my Video Cameras. Well after a month I am still enjoying it. But I have come to the conclusion that the Control4 7" wireless touchscreen is still a better Home Theater remote than the iPad. This conclusion really comes down to one thing- hard buttons. The Control4 7" wireless touchscreen has some hard buttons for commonly used functions like Volume up/down, Channel up/down, and the cursor functions (up, down, right, left and enter). So when you are sitting in your darkened Theater and need to change the volume, you can do it without looking at the remote control. This is something you just can't do with a pure touchscreen. Another scenario where the hard buttons win is when you are paging through the DirecTV or Cable guide looking for something to watch. With hard buttons, you can watch the TV screen and feel the button as you page through the guide. With a pure touchscreen like the iPad, you are constantly looking from the TV screen to the iPad screen... But for searching through my MP3 library or controlling the Whole House Audio system, the iPad works very well. And of course it can do so much more than a touchscreen!
Control4 started shipping it's iPad application about the same time as the iPad became available. I had to buy one and give it a try. Well, I have to say that I am a big iPad fan! I think it is one of the coolest devices I have ever had. Now, if it weren't for the Control4 application I might not be so enthusiastic. With the Control4 application I can very easily control my theater, adjust the lights, adjust the thermostats, lock/unlock the front door, and view cameras at either of my houses! One of the problems of control software in general on the iPad/iPhone is the "wake up time". When the device goes in to standby mode, it takes too long to wake up, connect to the wireless network, and then launch the application. Control4 solves this with their "dedicated mode". With this turned on, the Control4 application stays alive and presents its own screen saver. So a tap of the screen wakes up the device and you are right back where you left it. Cool! They have the same feature for the iPhone, but this really drains the battery. But not with the iPad! The iPad battery still lasts a very long time in this dedicated mode.
There is a lot of hype around 3D TV coming from the major TV manufacturers. But is it for real? The short answer is yes, but of course there are many things to consider here.
3D Basics:
3D content is filmed using a special camera that has two lenses that are roughly the same distance apart as your eyes are. Then the two images are alternately displayed on a 3D TV to make up each frame. By wearing special glasses that are synced to the TV, the left eye only sees the left image and right eye only sees the right image. These are active glasses (so battery powered not those dumb red/green plastic things) that talk wirelessly to the TV or Blu-ray player.
3D Content:
You can find 3D content on Blu-ray Discs or on DirecTV Satellite. And of course your Blu-ray player has to be 3D capable in order to play a 3D movie. There isn't a ton of content right now but more is coming shortly.
3D TVs:
Currently, Panasonic and Samsung are leading the way with LCD/LED and Plasma 3D TVs available right now. There are many Projector models available also. Samsung is the only one that has TVs that will convert 2D content to 3D. So you can watch your favorite movie, TV show or sporting events in 3D! Although it is not as impressive as native 3D content, it is still a great effect.
3D Blu-ray Players:
As I said before, your Blu-rau player will have to be 3D capable. It will also have to be connected to your 3D TV via an HDMI cable. And 3D brings in a new version of HDMI (1.4) so that means that if your current receiver is doing HDMI switching, that probably won't work anymore since most receivers only support HDMI 1.3a..
Still confused about 3D TVs? ADI can make it all easy for you. We have a 63" 3D Plasma set up in our showroom. Call us today to setup an appointment for a demo!
I have received two calls just this week where the so called big box retailers have fallen short. The first one was a customer that had bought a Home Theater at Circuit City and had their Firedog installation arm install it. Well, they had some issues and now that Circuit City is out of business, they didn't know what to do. If you have had any issues with a Firedog installation, just call us and we can take care of it!
The second one was a customer that bought some Control4 products from Best Buy and had the Geek Squad install the system. But they never finished the installation and it was only partially functional. Part of the problem was a poor design and the part of the problem was lack of knowledge on the installation & programming of the Control4 products. We were able to get the system working in very short order.
Now, don't get me wrong, I buy products from Best Buy frequently. But their installation services are over-priced and they under deliver on anything but the most basic installations. So contact us before you have that big retailer do anything but the most basic installation. You will save money and it will be done right the first time!
I was at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) last week and the big buzz was 3D. Let me first say that we have come a long way from the old cardboard multi color glasses that have been around since the 1970s. Today, you still have to wear glasses, but they are electronic and stylish. Many manufacturers are now delivering (or about to deliver) both flat panel LCD and projection systems that support 3D. These new displays "talk to" the glasses wirelessly so that the right and left lens turn on and off in sync with the display. I wear glasses already, and all of the 3D glasses I tried fit nicely over my glasses. So you will need a Blu-ray player, a 3D movie (titles are limited at this time) and a TV that is capable of displaying 3D. Samsung has some flat panel display that will be shipping soon that will also convert 2D content to 3D! There have been some articles lately that indicate that some people are having bad reactions to 3D. Things like eye strain and headaches have been reported after long periods of 3D viewing. The demos I saw were incredible and 3D has been applied to gaming too!
With HP's announcement that they are exiting the tablet market due to very poor sales, that brings the question "Why does the iPad rule the tablet market"? There are many theories here but it is really quite simple. It's all about the Apps and accessories. So even though the iPad doesn't support flash... And even though I hate iTunes... There just isn't anything out there that has the massive support from developers and accessory manufacturers... And my favorite App is still the Control4 App that allows me to control my whole home from my iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch.. Comments?
After living with my new 59 inch Plasma Smart TV for a month, everything is good! 2D quality is outstanding. 3D quality is good, but the room needs to be pretty dark to get the best results. The Internet Browser works OK, but is a bit slow for my taste. But I signed up for Netflix and that is cool! I have a 10 Mbps cable modem and movies start pretty much instantly. The picture quality of the streaming movies are excellent, but the audio is only stereo.. I would much rather have at least Dolby with Dolby Digital preferred. I have this connected in to my Denon receiver and only get Stereo.. :-(
I installed a new Samsung 59 inch 3D Plasma Smart TV in our showroom and this thing is sweet! The 2D picture quality is stunning, and the 3D picture is very nice but of course you do have to wear their glasses. It is Ethernet attached so you can browse the internet and it has apps built in like Facebook, Netflix, Hulu, Youtube, etc. I must say that browsing is slower than I would like, but that is an OK trade-off for the convenience of not having to pick up your PC. The remote that comes with it is very well done and look like a standard remote. But turn it over and there is a full keyboard!
Control4 has recently released its PC/MAC application that allows you to control your home from your PC or MAC. This adds to the already shipping iPhone/iPod/iPad application that has been around for a year or so. I installed the app on a Windows 7 laptop and it really works great. Now while watching TV with my laptop on my lap (which is a common thing for me) I can control my whole house without picking up a remote control or touchscreen! Control4 is also talking about a Droid version coming soon.
I have seen ads on TV lately from Comcast and ADT showing their "new" Home Automation services. Verizon and others are also talking about doing it. They tout being able to view cameras in your home remotely, arm/disarm your security system and control lights. We have been doing these "new" services for well over 5 years. And you can use your iPhone/iPad or iPod to control everything. So the question is, do you trust these companies and their sub-contractors to this job? Please let me know what you think..
Control4 is now shipping a new version of its iPad/iPhone/iTouch whole-house control application. There is also a version that runs on Windows machines. This new application is called MyHome and is updated with the new look of their 2.0 operating system. In my testing, it is also faster than the old version. It allows you to control your whole home (thermostats, lighting, shades, alarm, view cameras, TV/Theater control, and whole house music, iPod, etc.). The application is free and downloadable in the App Store, but using it with the control4 system requires a license.
I received my new iPhone on Verizon last week and I am enjoying it immensely! I had an old Blackberry and was waiting for Verizon to get the iPhone. So far it is working perfectly, no dropped calls like people on AT&T were seeing. And my favorite app is the Control4 application that allows me to control my whole home (Audio, Lighting, Thermostats, Cameras, etc.) from the iPhone.
Last week at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, things were looking up. Attendance was up, tablets were up, and 3D TV hype was up. 3D TV sales continue to struggle as consumers are confused with the technology, content is limited, and wearing glasses has some people waiting for glasses-les options. First of all, there are more movies coming out on Blu-ray but still a limited number. DirecTV has three 3D channels, but mostly there are running the same 3 or 4 shows over and over. The Toshiba booth had a VERY controlled demo of their new glasses-less technology and a long line to view it. If it was so cool, why would they do that? I must admit that I was not willing to stand in line to watch it. But the press has validated my assumptions. The Toshiba glasses-les TVs are not great and get worse as you go away from the dead center of the TV. So we are still stuck with glasses for now.
On the tablet front, there were over 80 new devices. There were Chinese companies showing direct rip-offs of the iPad, and most others showing tablets running the Android operating system. No one beat the iPad in my opinion..
We have given $2500.00 to charity. That is slightly more than our profits for December (we rounded up). Thanks to all who helped!
Today ADI gave $1000.00 to the Minneapolis branch of the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation. This brings our two week total to $2000.00. We will be giving all of our profits for December to Charity and in fact this is more than our profits so far..
It has been a tough few years for small businesses like ADI, but 2010 has improved over past years. In the spirit of the holiday season, ADI will be donating all of its profits for December to charity. No strings, no gimmicks. So as a start, I just made a $1000.00 dollar donation to The Salvation Army. I encourage you to give as much as you can this year as there are many people still out of work and hurting. Thank you to all of our loyal ADI customers for making this possible!


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