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WASHINGTON -- The idea that sparked the start-up SmartThings was a personal disaster.
The family of Alex Hawkinson, CEO and founder of Smart Things, owns a mountain house in Colorado. It's a getaway for skiing and hiking. In the winter of 2011, its pipes froze and burst, possibly the result of a power outage. Once electricity was restored the water began flowing again, causing so much damage that the drywall was coming down.
A nearby handyman could have quickly shut off the water had Hawkinson known. It seemed crazy to him that you can know the status of a friend on Facebook but are unable to know what's going on inside your own home.
Two years later, in an old mill building along a canal in the Georgetown section of Washington, Hawkinson is producing a platform and devices for creating an intelligent, connected and controllable home.
SmartThings builds a hub that connects to a home router and to sensors that can detect states like motion, moisture, temperature, or presence, such as the comings and goings of pets. But more important, it's building an open development platform for independent developers and device makers developing tools for the Internet of Things.
For instance, in SmartThings offices, a Sonos wireless speaker suddenly blares with the sound of a barking dog. It sounds very real. A developer created a connection between a door bell and a virtual guard dog that will bark if no one is home.
Why stop at a barking dog?
The wireless speaker can be linked to network enabled smoke detector, which can be used to help spread the alarm and even relay pre-recorded instructions to a child in an emergency.
The possibilities expand creatively.
You wake up, walk into kitchen, where a motion detector senses your presence and knows, because you gave an audible 'good morning' signal to your smart phone, that it's time for you start getting ready for work. A weather app announces the forecast over the speaker and then shifts to the type of music you like at that hour. All are integrated into the SmartThing's app platform.
"Sonos would have never imagined that use case, but it's made possible by the developer community," said Hawkinson.
A motion sensor signals lighting controls as well as prompts a connected thermostat to behave differently as rooms empty or fill. Lights can be programmed to shut off when you leave the house as connected doors automatically lock, and security apps turn on.
Someone taking care of an elderly parent can use the motion sensor to help determine whether the parent's motion patterns are normal or not.
Manufacturers are making network-enabling ordinary products for wired and wireless communications. The SmartThings Hub supports Wifi, as well as Z-Wave and ZigBee, two low-power communication protocols.
The wireless support enables developers to connect one device to another to create new functionality around unrelated products, such as doorbell and the wireless speaker.
All these apps can be integrated into SmartThings platform.
There are about 1,000 devices that can use the platform today, and with its developers, SmartThings has formed a community of about 5,000 so far, said Hawkinson.
The world "almost becomes programmable in this new way that people didn't expect," he said.
Hawkinson grew up in Minneapolis, went to Carnegie Mellon to study cognitive science, and in the mid-1990s headed to Washington D.C. for a development job that combined his interest in computer science and neuroscience, the two disciplines that underpin cognitive science.
He later went on to work independently, beginning with a Web consultancy. His wife was in grad school at a local university and loved the Washington area, and it's been their home ever since.
In a city that is mostly suit-and-tie, the dress code in SmartThings offices is Silicon Valley casual. It all fits into the open office of wood, glass, light, white boards and tables filled with devices. There's nothing separating employees in this collegial and focused place, which is in contrast to D.C.'s cubicle-centric culture.
But the seemingly relaxed atmosphere belies its intense mission and stakes.
Hawkinson believes that there will be just one or two Internet of Things platforms that take off, platforms like his that provide a means for building apps to control the physical world.
Other companies trying to create a central cloud platform for the connected world could be integration opportunities for SmartThings -- or competition. But open standards is the key.
Google's direction in the Internet of Things and openess is getting much industry attention.
It recently bought thermostat maker Nest and has made available an unofficial API, which is good sign it's headed in an open direction.
Hawkinson said he can only speculate on Google's long-term strategy, but suspects Google intends is to use Nest to penetrate a lot of households and then broaden it out with more connected products. Google's stance toward open standards has generally been good. If that friendliness to open source shifts, it could be problem for the Internet of Things.
Hawkinson is hoping that his platform can win enough acceptance with developers, device makers and consumers to create a network effect and drive adoption.
The initial interest of consumers entering this physically connected world is in the things that concern them the most. Not surprisingly, it's the type of thing that helped Hawkinson realize the possibilities of the Internet of Thing: a water leak.
Solutions to that problem are on the way.
Moisture sensor can detect water leakage, and report issues. One device maker has made a network connected water pipe valve. A developer can tie that valve capability to a moisture sensor to trigger a shutoff in the event of a leak. The homeowner will know what's going on in the house thanks to push notifications to a mobile device.
Welcome to the Internet of Things.
Patrick Thibodeau covers cloud computing and enterprise applications, outsourcing, government IT policies, data centers and IT workforce issues for Computerworld. Follow Patrick on Twitter at @DCgov or subscribe to Patrick's RSS feed. His e-mail address is firstname.lastname@example.com.
See more by Patrick Thibodeau on Computerworld.com.
Read more about internet in Computerworld's Internet Topic Center.
This story, "SmartThings Founder Sees a Limitless Internet of Things" was originally published by Computerworld.
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Simply Diverse
For our Sonnberghof guests we bring together the seemingly incompatible: a modern spa hotel with a thriving farm. The rooms and suites are carefully integrated into our country Hotel. Close to Nature discoveries and an insight into rural life happen "in passing".
In the grounds of our country hotel Sonnberghof, exists a passion for simplicity and variety.
Exquisitely designed rooms & suites, wellness and alpine nature cuisine.
The enthusiasm for animals and biological products characterizes our work on the organic farm. Guests can enjoy the prime location on the mountain and finally give in to the space and time of relaxation and enjoyment.
We are simply much more than just a hotel, and offer much diversity:
- Organic farm
- Hiking hotel
- Spa Hotel
- Allergy-free hotel
Bio Farm
The Sonnberghof has been farmed organically and biologically since 1992, We belong to the Bio Austria Association. Certain organic farm produce has since way back been produced for our guests- such as beef, sausage, cheese, yogurt, jams, herbs and much more, and it thrives under the careful eye of Mr Holzer and Mr. Riedlsberger. The Hotels own organic farm ensures guests have a magnificent unspoilt location with panoramic views and tranquility, Treasures that are not always guaranteed. Organic farms in Austria are strictly controlled by EU directives and The Sonnberghof meets these criteria.
The most important qualities of a bio farm:
- 100% organic feeding
- Animal Welfare
- 100% organic Bio Fertilization
- min. 160 days a year run
- Natural Cures, no drugs
The mountain hut 'Senningerbräu-Alm' also belongs to the Sonnberghof and is located in the romantik Hollersbachtal valley.
Herbal Remedies!
In this spirit we cherish and maintain our herb garden. Rosemary, lemon balm, marjoram over chamomile, Thyme, feverfew, lady's mantle, Stevia and much more. One's eyes and nose will be pampered in our herb garden!
Hiking Hotel in the Hohe Tauern National Park
In the heart of the Austrian Alps is the Hohe Tauern National Park, at over 1.800km² it is the second largest National Park in Europe. Austria's highest mountain peaks, vast glaciers, alpine meadows, rocks and waterfalls as well as centuries-old cultural landscapes characterize its appearance. The Hohe Tauern National Park is the last Alpine nature reserve in Europe. We are extremely proud of this unique landscape! Our hiking hotel is situated on the edge of the National Park.
For many years, the Landhotel Gut Sonnberghof has been a partner of the Hohe Tauern National Park.
The Hohe Tauern National Park is an area of extraordinary natural beauty. It is a primary landscape, so at no time has the National Park had a strong human influence, therefore
controlled tree felling measures are now often necessary.
On the other hand, large areas like this are normally never to be entered by people.
The harsh winters with extreme avalanche dangers make accessibility to the Hohe Tauern mountain range only for a few, very experienced climbers possible.
Allergy-Free Hotel
Certified Hohe Tauern health hypoallergenic-hotels
Our certified Hohe Tauern health hypoallergenic hotel offers perfect conditions for a relaxing and
peaceful holiday.
Allergy-free rooms
The strictly certified 'Paracelsus Medical University' hypo-allergenic rooms provide for healthy sleep
and irritation-free breathing. The seal guarantees that the concentration of the eight most
common indoor allergens in the HTH-rooms is far below the threshold of allergy-causing
situations. In addition, also the fine-dust pollution is regularly monitored to the point that air
pollution is at the level of a clear winter day in the allergy-free rooms.
Allergy-free kitchen
The kitchen staff are regularly trained by experts, meaning guests with food allergies or intolerances
can also enjoy the cuisine from the region.
Also the cleaners are perfectly prepared to the specific needs of allergy sufferers. From the detergents to the matrasses, everything is very carefully controlled.
Sustainable and Regional
Together with other dedicated hoteliers in the region we are well on the way to a sustainable
economy. We bring the region to the hotel for our guests and introduce you to the most beautiful places, authentic events and interesting people from the region. If you want to get to know not only our home, but also the National Park Hohe Tauern and the Kitzbühel
Alps, you can take a journey of discovery with us.
We at the Sonnberghof are very proud of the National Park, which was founded over 30 years ago .
At that time, the undertaking was considered rather sceptical by the locals and farmers. In the
meantime we have learned to appreciate the values of nature. We can offer a protected alpine
landscape and many guided tours of the National Park with the National Park Rangers, which for our
guests in summer and in winter is a unique nature experience. The guided tours in the National Park are free for guests in the Sonnberghof.
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Nokia's quarter held no huge surprises, because the key metrics had been per-announced earlier in January. But we did get a close look at underlying ASP mechanics. And the most negative surprise here was that the Lumia ASP was 192 euros, up from 160 euros in 3Q12. Back in the third quarter, Nokia was selling discounted old Lumia models as consumers were anticipating the launch of the new Windows Phone 8 generation of phones. That is why many expected Nokia's Lumia ASP to rebound from 160 euros to 195-197 euros in 4Q12. During the Christmas quarter Nokia launched the high-end Lumia 920 with a non-subsidized retail price above 500 euros and overall ASP likely above 350 euros, even if you factor in special price breaks for AT&T and certain other major operators.
The fact that the Lumia ASP did not bounce higher than 192 euros implies that the Lumia sales mix was still dominated by deeply discounted older models like Lumia 800. These were the phones that drove Nokia's Italian smartphone market share above 10% and helped boost the UK share back above 5%. What is vexing here is that investors still have very little visibility to the underlying demand for premium Windows Phone 8 devices. Nokia's Lumia smartphone volume growth in 4Q12 was still driven by aggressive discounting of phones nearing the end of their life spans - not the new wave of phones.
Obviously, the Chinese launch of the Lumia devices for China Mobile is going to give 1Q13 a notable boost. And the crucially important Lumia 620 seems to be on track to debut in the UK a few weeks earlier than expected, perhaps already at the end of January. But as these new launches take place, the sales of models that drove the 4Q12 performance will wind down. A few weeks ago, the Lumia 800 priced below 160 pounds was the #1 SIM-free smartphone at Amazon.co.uk. Today, it is priced at 200 pounds and it has dropped to #14. Nokia has clearly started unwinding the deep discounting of old Lumia X00 phones and is now segueing into placing the emphasis on new, higher priced Lumia X20 devices.
This means that we will find out only in the coming months whether European and Asian consumers who bought dirt-cheap, old Lumias before the Christmas are willing to spend a bit more on the up-to-date devices. The success of the budget class Lumia 620 has now gained new urgency for Nokia. Few expected Nokia's revenue in Latin America and Asia Pacific to slide between 3Q and 4Q, as we now know it did. Even though Asha-class feature phone volumes are growing rapidly, the cheaper feature phone sales of Nokia are now dropping so fast that Asha cannot offset the deterioration. The mid-range Lumia phone sales have to ramp up fast over the next six months or Nokia is going to face a very hard tumble in LatAm and Asia Pac regions during the spring.
Somewhere next autumn, the specters of a cheaper iPhone and the new BlackBerry Curve loom. Apple was able to maintain an astonishingly robust, $640 ASP level during its Christmas quarter. It does not yet face mix shift towards older iPhones. But the iPhone volume came in below 48 million units; 2-4 million below expectations. Apple may be edging towards a cheaper iPhone as it watches Samsung's volume advantage grow each month that passes by. Nokia has to get its Lumia volumes up quickly before the possible sub-$300 challenger models from RIM and Apple arrive next autumn.


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Bickmore Bick 4 unique leather conditioner cleans, polishes, conditions, and repels water and stains on your boots and
shoes. Try it on your tack and saddles, too Wax-free formula. 8 fluid ounce bottle. Not all boot care products are
intended for use on all types of leather. Please carefully read the manufacturer's instructions located on this care
product before applying to your footwear or other leather product.


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Munir Bashir (Arabic: منير بشير)* was an Iraqi Assyrian musician and one of the most famous musicians in the Middle East during the 20th century and was considered to be the supreme master of the Arab maqamat scale system.
He created different styles of the Arabian short scaled lute, the oud. He was one of the first middle eastern instrumentalists known to Europe and America. Bashir's music is distinguished by a novel style of improvisation that reflects his study of Indian and European tonal art in addition to oriental forms. Born in Iraq, he had to deal with numerous disruptions of violent coup attempts and multiple wars that the country went through. He would eventually exile to Europe and become noticeable first in eastern nations such as Hungary and Bulgaria.
...Especially in the field of soloistic improvisation (Arabic: taqsim) over the common scales (maqam, plural maqamat) in Arabian music, his colleagues considered him to be an unsurpassed master. It surely attributes to Bashir's pioneering work, that nowadays oud-players are able to give solo-concerts all over the world.
...Munir Bashir died of heart failure in 1997 in Budapest at the age of 68, a short time before his planned departure to his Mexican tour. (Wikipedia)
A 1971 solo recital in Geneva, Switzerland. Bashir's masterful performance shines through on this somewhat primitive recording. 320 vinyl rip by yours truly*. You can find another great Munir Bachir LP at the ever-magnificent Anthems for The Nation of Luobaniya. Enjoy!
Download Link: Munir Bachir - Luth Solo "Oud" Recital A Geneve (Club du Disque Arabe 72505)
Les Artistes Arabes Associés
A1 Maqam Nahawend
A2 Maqam Rast
A3 Maqam Kourdi
A4 Maqam Hidjaz Kar
B1 La Voix De L'Orient (The Voice Of The Orient) / Variations
B2 Le Oud Fou (The Mad Oud)
B3 Hayra (Ziriab D'Hier Et D'Aujourd'hui)
B4 L'Orient En Andalousie (Sources De La Musique Espagnole)
*Would love to find an image of Munir Bachir's name in his native Syriac script. Wikipedia's Syriac text just isn't doing the trick.
**Folks, this might be my last post for a week or two- As I'm about to move to a new apartment. Too much to do. Moving is of those few circumstances where I'm inclined to curse my LPs for their heavy load. Wish me luck!


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It snows a lot, in Russia, which means sometimes the guys hauling the garbage have to get a bit creative. Though between everything else, maybe this is just standard practice.
A translation:
The garbage men of Vladikavkaz are the coolest and most daring garbage men in the country!
H/t to $kaycog!


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I just got a tattoo. Could I have contracted an STD?
"Three STDs that are transmitted after contact with an infected person's blood -- HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C -- can be contracted through dirty needles at a tattoo parlor," explains Vanessa Cullins, an ob-gyn and vice president for medical affairs at Planned Parenthood Federation of America, "but the risk is pretty low. An infected person would have to have been exposed to the needle before you, and the tattoo parlor would have to have failed to clean the needle properly." If you're worried that the tattoo parlor didn't use a new or sterilized needle, calm your fears by checking in with your gyno for HIV and hepatitis tests.


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John Wright necesitaba un nuevo diseño de logotipo y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 122 diseños de 35 diseñadores freelance.
Metabolic Energy Testing System (METS) is a new clinic based service designed to help clients manage their weight and metabolic disorders such as pre-diabetes and chronic fatigue. We have developed proprietary technology for testing and treatment/advice programmes and have a skilled group of professionals to help coach and advise clients to make sustainable lifestyle and health improvement changes.
We are a mixed group of scientists, counsellors, fitness coaches and experienced entrepreneurs, that have developed a highly scalable management model, that makes a real difference to the weight, health and lifestyle outcomes of our clients. After two years of piloting are soon to open our first commercial clinics in Australia, Singapore and the UK.
This logo is intended to have multi-national appeal. The key market sectors are:
1. Weight Loss Failures - must appeal to Women who have previously tried to lose weight and failed - for what ever reason.
2. Energy Disorders- should appeal to those individuals with Chronic Fatigue, chronic tiredness, poor sleep etc
3. Energy Improvement - should appeal to individuals who want to improve their energy levels
Generally, the first two categories are disatisified individuals who are motivated to achieve an outcome, but repeatedly fail. They treat new ventures with sceptism - but are drawn because of the outcome potential. Although the primary target is Women the logo should at least not put off Men - as our pilot shows they find our 'energy' approach to weightloss more acceptable than current dietary methods.
The final group, is very diverse, from elite athletes to retirees wishing to keep up with the grandchildren.
As you will see from the existing splashpage http://www.energytesting.com.au
we have a strong evidence based scientific proposition, that underpins our managed programmes. Therefore the logo needs somehow to reflect this. However, we are competing in a heavily marketed consumer arena (Weightloss) and our current logo - (stylised METS logo) is lost amongst the brash consumer brands.
Therefore we need to consider the following:
1. Scienced based - Customer focused
2. Managed Service - including Testing, Treatment/advice, Coaching, Monitoring
3.METS is a corporate Brand and will be used globally
We are currently using the following pms colours, 3298, 485 and grey for the parent company for mets ETS Australia. If these can be incorporated within the design, great, however we do not want to limit creativity.
4.The logo needs to work both alongside the name METS and as a standalone image.
5. The Typeface should be clear simple and modern. The current design uses Stone Sans Sem. However we are keen to see other typographical designs.
I have added some brief .pdf slides that provide some background information and historic information from our pilot.
Descubre cómo funciona un concurso de diseño u obtén más información sobre nuestros servicios de diseño de logo.


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Body Sprays & Mists From Bath & Body Works
Looking for love at first mist? Then you'll want to check out the signature body sprays and mists from Bath & Body Works. They offer a subtle (and oh-so glorious) scent, making them perfect for everyday spritzing!
Our Fine Fragrance Mists deliver all your favorite scents like Japanese Cherry Blossom, Happy Vibes and more. Plus, they're all made with conditioning aloe to nourish your skin! Our collec-tion of women's body sprays also features exclusive scents throughout the year, so you can perfectly complement any mood or season.
If you need that little extra boost, try aromatherapy in its purest form – a.k.a. our 5-in-1 Essential Oil Mists. They let you take a little tranquility with you, experience a deeper sleep or relax a little more into that yoga pose. Simply spray them on your skin, pillows, bedding, compresses, yoga mats or even in the shower to relax and destress anytime, anywhere, no matter what.
- Sort by Default Order


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2013 International 4300. MaxxForce DT, 266 HP diesel engine, UltraShift FO-6406B-DM3 6 Speed Eaton Fuller Manual transmission, 4x2 Spring ride, air brakes, 33,000 GVW, 12,000 front axel. 21,000 rear axel, air conditioned, power windows, power door locks
Rechtien International Trucks is an authorized International®, Kalmar Ottawa, and Miller dealership serving the Miami area. We are proud to carry a large selection of new and pre-owned inventory. When you are ready to invest in a new truck, our friendly and knowledgeable sales, financing, service, and parts departments are prepared to make sure your experience is outstanding, from assisting while you're making your choice to ongoing maintenance and customization. We value the opportunity to create a long-term relationship with our customers, and we do that by giving you the best customer service available.
Pre-owned vehicle pricing includes all offers and incentives. Tax, Title and Tags not included in vehicle prices shown and must be paid by the purchaser. While great effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information on this site, errors do occur so please verify information with a customer service rep. This is easily done by calling us at 305-888-0111 or by visiting us at the dealership.
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As an owner at Chalet High Owners Association, be sure to stay up to date on resort news and information through the secure SPM Owners' Portal.
You may access board meeting dates and agendas, past meeting minutes, newsletters, board of directors contact information and much more.
Read Newsletters, Pay Maintenance Fees, Change Your Address & More
SPM Resorts Owners' Login Portal allows our owners to access the following:
- Most recent newsletters
- Important resort documents
- Paying maintenance fees by credit card or eCheck
- Setting up recurring payments to prepay future maintenance fees
- Changing your address & phone number
- Adding your e-mail address
You will need your owner ID and billing zip code to gain access to your account. Your owner ID can be found on your billing statement.


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We young people tend, for whatever reason, to badmouth those who are significantly older than us. Maybe it's a fear of getting old ourselves that elicits this response, maybe it's a feeling of self-righteous know-it-all-ism, but what we tend to forget is that a great many things in this life get better with age. Wine does, some cheese does, canned tuna does not, but Hot Tuna certainly does.
Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady, the founders and heart and soul of Hot Tuna, have developed between them the sort of rapport and artistry that only a lifetime of collaboration could produce. Widely regarded as some of the most talented instrumentalists in Rock and Roll history, this legendary duo is currently touring is honor of their 50 plus years of music and friendship. And even if it hadn't been 50 years, they'd probably still be touring, just for fun.
Thursday, May 8th found Hot Tuna playing at the Fox Theatre in Boulder, CO. Jorma and Jack were joined by Erik Diaz on Drums and Barry Mitterhoff on a suite of tiny guitar-like instruments. It takes some serious talent to stand out in a room with Jorma and Jack, but Erik and Barry, regulars now in the Hot Tuna show, are guys who can pull it off. Billed originally as an acoustic and electric concert, the guys dropped the acoustics completely in favor of two solid sets of pure electric rock and blues, and clearly had a great time dishing it out. I don't think anybody minded the change. To the disappointment of the wasted, toothless guy yelling in the corner, they did not perform Death Don't Have No Mercy, but they did encore with Water Song to huge applause. I was disappointed, however, with the distinct lack of young people in the crowd; I may have been the youngest by about 5 years. It's a shame too, because good rock should know no age limits.
Though the famed days of six -hour performances are over, Jorma and Jack sound as good ever. Granted, I wasn't alive for the first 25 years of Jorma and Jack's career, and for many of those years I was too young to have good taste in music, but Thursday night's show would have been difficult to beat in any era of music history. I stood right against the stage where I could hear the music coming straight out of the amplifiers instead of through the house system. Not that the Fox has poor sound, quite the contrary, but it was the sort of raw music that deserves to be listened to as naturally as possible. Jorma, Jack and Barry play with very few effects pedals, their music centering around the basic but rich sounds produced strictly by their instrument and amplifier combinations. Some music doesn't need to be dressed up. Jorma's famous finger picking and Jack's melodic and heavy bass work were just enough.
There was no opening act, Jorma, Jack, Barry, and Erik attract a crowd all on their own, and played enough to make up for the solo billing. It shouldn't be a surprise anymore, given the plethora of actively touring and recording "classic" rockers, but older people can still tear it up with the best. And if you dabble in the creation of music like I do, there is possibly no better school of craft in guitar and bass than a Hot Tuna show. If you can't see them perform live, than pick up one of their albums; they've got about a hundred to choose from.
Over the next month, Hot Tuna will be making stops in Arizona, California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington and Alaska (that's right, Alaska), with more dates following in August. Check out www.hottuna.com for more information and tour dates.
To see more photos from this show, please visit the Gallery.


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Use these brush on edible paint pens to add detail to your celebration cakes and decorations!
The ready-to-use Colour Splash brush on edible paint pen in Metallic Silver is perfect for covering small areas of your cake or creating detail on decorations. Each pen in the range is very quick and easy to use, making a great mess-free alternative to standard brushes and paint palettes.
To use, simply twist the end of the brush until the edible paint fills the tip. Apply directly to your cake or decoration for a colourful finish.
Water; humectant: glycerine E422; thickener: acetylated di-starch apidate E1422; colours: titanium dioxide E171, carmoisine E122, tartrazine E102, brilliant black E151, sunset yellow E110, brilliant blue E133; emulsifier: soya lecithin E322; acidity regulator: citric acid E330; preservative: potassium sorbate E202.
E102, E110, E122 may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children.
Allergy advice:
Contains soya. May also contain milk, nuts and sulphites.
Suitable for vegetarians & vegans.
Gluten free.
Culpitt Ltd, Jubilee Industrial Estate, Ashington, Northumberland, NE63 8UQ.


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VOAVideo: New Generation of Laptops Unveiled at Consumer Electronics Show
Throughout the years, computers have gotten smaller and smaller and thinner, lighter and faster. With the newest advancements, there is a new breed of thin and fast laptops being introduced to the market. They are less than an inch thick and consume less energy than their predecessors. VOA' s Arash Aalaei has more:


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What make us so special...
Floating Records mission is to cultivate a site with talented musicians from a variety of genres. We represent and distribute the best local and independent music. Our commitment is to honor the music and the musician by providing not only an outlet for exposure, but also ensuring that the artists profit directly from their music. When a musician creates, we feel that they should reap the benefits of their hard work. When music is downloaded from the Floating Records site, the artists receives 100% of the the money.
Lib at Large: The beautiful freedom of Floating Records
By Paul Liberatore, Marin Independent Journal
FIVE YEARS AGO, Don Zimmer started the aptly named Floating Records on his houseboat in Sausalito. Since then, independent labels have been floating on a rising tide in today's digital music industry.
Since 2010, established indies have been nipping at the heels of major labels, winning a 2 percent increase in the market share of physical and digital music, according to CNN Money.
And Billboard.biz reports that indie bands like Arcade Fire have been walking away with some of the biggest awards at recent Grammy shows, as well as accounting for more and more nominations each year. The most sensational recent example of this trend is Adele, who, you may be surprised to learn, became a superstar on an indie label, XL Recordings.
Zimmer, a 52-year-old former Nasdaq stock trader, and his partner, fellow houseboater Mitchell Danielson, aren't in this to strike it rich or break the next Adele, although you never know what lies ahead.
At the moment, their only desire, Zimmer says, is to discover and promote local musicians and bands.
"I just want to help them to be heard by as many people as possible," he says. "That's how this started and continues to roll along."
Floating Records has a growing roster of 20 artists, including the Tam Valley band Marble Party, singer-songwriter Tracy Blackman and acoustic guitarist Eric Schoenberg, the label's biggest seller.
"His popularity is more widespread than most the local artists," Zimmer says of Schoenberg, a pioneering fingerstyle guitarist. "He's more well known in other parts of the country and the world."
Zimmer released two albums that Schoenberg had recorded years ago, but had long been unavailable. One was originally released on the Folkways label. The other, "New York Sessions," was an unreleased tape that Schoenberg had sitting around gathering dust. That is until Zimmer heard it.
"It's amazing music. I love it," he says. "But no one was hearing Eric's stuff. So I told him, 'Let me help you get it out there if I can.'"
Among acoustic guitar aficionados, Schoenberg is known as a consummate player and guitar maker. He sells his finely crafted instruments at his small shop in Tiburon, where he also presents fingerstyle guitar concerts.
After his old analog recordings were digitized, they were released on Floating Records for Schoenberg's cult following of fans.
"My stuff was sitting around unknown and unavailable, so this has certainly been wonderful for me," he says. "It's been a fantastic opportunity."
Another popular Floating Records album is by the instrumental guitar band the Treble Makers, best known for playing on Saturday mornings for the breakfast and bicycle crowd at Marin Coffee Roasters in San Anselmo. The group already had a finished recording in the can, so all Zimmer had to do was release it on his label and help with distribution and marketing.
"We're a small little operation," Zimmer says. "We're on Facebook, and we have an email list we're constantly adding to. But a lot of it is word of mouth. It's very much a community effort."
After he started the label, Zimmer rented out his houseboat, moved to Mill Valley and set up a small Pro Tools recording studio in a cottage in his backyard.
With some of his musicians, like the recently added singer-songwriter Christina Stroeh, a teacher at Terra Linda High School, he lets them record in his studio without cost.
"It doesn't work for bands getting a record deal or that are on a real record label," he explains. "But there are so many bands and independent musicians looking for places to record. And if I can help them with that, I will. If I like the music, I'll help them distribute it and sell it."
Zimmer, a guitarist, has played in local bands for the past 20 years. He's currently a member of the groups Jelly and Dredgetown, and he has promoted shows by his label's bands at the Seahorse in Sausalito and other venues. On Jan. 29, he's staging a benefit for the Mill Valley Library Foundation at Sweetwater Music Hall in Mill Valley.
For the album by Sausalito's Fiver Brown and the Good Sinners, he not only produced and recorded the album but he also played on it. When he pays for albums like that, he'll recover his costs in profits from record sales, if there are any. But by and large, he gets nothing for his services.
"Musicians are always getting nickled and dimed in every aspect of the music business," he says. "I haven't figured out how to make this profitable, but I'm not in it to make money or to take anything away from the artists. My attitude is that I'm going to make this such a beautiful thing for everybody who gets involved. I'm not going to take anything."
That laissez-faire attitude has made Floating Records a topic of discussion around the Zimmer household. Since he runs the label full time, is it a hobby or is it a job?
"If there's money involved, then it's a job, it's not a hobby anymore," he says. "Since it has yet to reap any financial rewards, my wife tells me it's a hobby. She says I need a business plan. Or else how's this going to work? I really don't know, but there's no stopping me. I hate to refer to the Grateful Dead, but they didn't have a plan either. They figured it out as then went. And that's how I'm doing it."
Contact Paul Liberatore via email at firstname.lastname@example.com; follow him on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LibLarge.


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Good luck to Griffey. I hope the legs hold up playing in CF and I look forward to seeing the Sox in the post-season. Now I'll probably root for them to win it all.
For the record, I've been pretty critical of Griffey and have long thought it was past the time for him to move on. That said, placing the blame for "the lost decade" (to quote Cyclone) on Griffey is not correct. IMO it mostly is on Marge and Uncle Carl.
But Griffey had become a problem defensively. This team is going to move forward on the arms of Cueto, Volquez, Harang, Bailey, Burton, Bray, Cordero and even Arroyo. That group throws-up a lot of fly balls and the team needed to improve out there. The staff is being worn out by having to get the extra outs that the plays not made turn into. There is still quite a bit of crud on this team defensively, but IMO the largest problem was resolved today (and moving Bruce out of CF where I've been less than impressed may actually make this a two spot upgrade). There is still a third of the season to go and a lot of pitches have already been piled on those mostly young and talented arms. I have to think the best return on this deal may be giving them an easier time getting 27 outs in a ballgame between now and the end of September. Lets get out of this lost year with those guys in one piece.
If Massett or Richar surprise and turn ino something, thats a bonus. Hopefully WJ can use the small amount of payflex gained for 2009 to the Reds benefit.


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No Country for (Women) Journalists | Public Lecture
Den 26 september 2018 gav LRE gästprofessor Shakuntala Rao en allmän föreläsning på Stockholms universitet om den svåra situationen för kvinnliga journalister i Indien. Här kan du läsa om temat för föreläsningen och Raos akademiska bakgrund (på engelska).
No Country for (Women) Journalists: Lives of women covering politics and sexual violence in Indian media
The privatization and liberalization policies adopted by the Indian state beginning in 1991 have dramatically changed the country's media landscape. India now boasts of the second-largest media market in the world. It has approximately 82,000 daily newspapers published in 16 different languages and 800 television channels including 400 dedicated news networks, making it home to the world's most competitive news arena. The expansion of news media has given many opportunities for women to enter the profession. The "macho newsroom" culture, prevalent in the 1970s and 1980s, has changed into one where more women are frequently hired at entry-level positions. Such demographic changes in the workforce, however, have not been without serious societal, cultural and political implications for women journalists especially those who chose to cover politics. In this talk, I will speak to the daily lives of both rural and urban women journalists and the kind of challenges they face. I will specifically speak to the life of my friend and colleague, Gauri Lankesh, who was assassinated on September 5th, 2017, by a group of Hindu fundamentalist. Such assassinations, now on the rise, will be discussed within the larger context of the rise in India of religious nationalism, populism, and anti-mainstream news media sentiments.
Rao's public lecture "No Country for (Women) Journalists" is part of the LRE's public seminar series Global Media Café (GMC). Organized by the Leading Research Environment in Global Media Studies and Politics of Mediated Communication, Department of Media Studies, Stockholm University.
Shakuntala Rao is not only professor at the Department of Communication Studies, State University of New York, Plattsburgh, USA but also Guest Professor at the Department of Media Studies – Hosted by the Leading Research Environment in Global Media Studies and Politics of Mediated Communication.
She received her Ph.D. in Communication from University of Massachusetts, Amherst, USA, M.A. in Communication Studies from Pennsylvania State University, USA, and a B.A. (honors) in Philosophy from Miranda House College, University of Delhi, India. Her teaching and research interests are in global media, journalism practices, media ethics, and popular culture. Dr. Rao has published extensively and influentially in a number of communication and interdisciplinary journals. She is the editor of four books including the most recent one titled, "Indian Journalism in a New Era: Changes, Challenges, and Perspectives" published by Oxford University Press. Dr. Rao has been a Senior Fulbright scholar to India, a visiting fellow at the School of Communication and Journalism/Brookings Institute at Tsinghua University (Beijing), and a fellow at the Stellenbosch Institute of Advanced Studies at Stellenbosch University (South Africa). Dr. Rao has worked for local political candidates, with grassroots media and civil society organizations, and trained journalists in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, South Africa, and Kazakhstan. She is the recipient of the State University New York Chancellor's award for excellence in scholarship.
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- Louise Wallenberg befordras till professor i modevetenskap 2020-03-06
- Forskare: "Stark tilltro till den rörliga bildens pedagogiska kraft sedan filmens tidiga år" 2020-02-26


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Immediately after the Ottawa Senators scored to take a 4-1 lead over the Montreal Canadiens, a scrum broke out...everywhere. Every player on the ice who wasn't a goalie grabbed an opponent and fought, to some degree. As a result, 147 total penalty minutes were issued.
If a fight in hockey can sometimes pump a team, then multiple fights would pump up a team faster, right? Is that how it works?
The final score was 6-1.


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The problem is totally weird. I spend half an hour downloading the bloody thing and when I run the installer, the initial progress bar gets to 3 blocks then goes back to zero.
"Weird" I thought, then tried running it with my anti-virus software off. Then again with my firewall off (don't worry, I ipconfig /release *'d first ). Still no luck.
If I watch it in the task manager's process list, it's memory usage shoots up and up and up... I haven't let it go higher than about 300 MB before I kill it.
What the hell's going on?
Oh and yes, I've tried downloading it again and tried installing previous version - no luck.


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Posts Tagged 'sharing'
Two-way libraries, open catalogues and the future of sharing culture2013–09–11 | 29 comments
In brief by Phil Minchin For various reasons, libraries have largely ignored the volume of new content whose creation has been enabled by the internet. We have failed to recognise that the same systems that created all those creative opportunities also offer opportunities for us. Among those potential boons are tools that could help us deal…


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Parable of the Prodigal Son
The Parable of the Prodigal Son, also known as the parable of the Two Brothers, Lost Son, Loving Father or Forgiving Father,[1][2] is one of the parables of Jesus in the Bible and appears in Luke 15:11–32. Jesus shares it with his disciples, the Pharisees and others.
In the story, a father has two sons. The younger son asks the father for his inheritance, and the father grants his son's request. However, the younger son is prodigal (i.e., wasteful and extravagant) and squanders his fortune, eventually becoming destitute. The younger son is forced to return home empty-handed and intends to beg his father to accept him back as a servant. To the son's surprise, he is not scorned by his father but is welcomed back with celebration and welcoming party. Envious, the older son refuses to participate in the festivities. The father tells the older son "you are ever with me, and all that I have is yours, but thy younger brother was lost and now he is found".
It is the third and final part of a cycle on redemption, following the Parable of the Lost Sheep and the Parable of the Lost Coin. In Revised Common Lectionary and Roman Rite Catholic Lectionary, this parable is read on the fourth Sunday of Lent (in Year C);[3] in the latter it is also included in the long form of the Gospel on the 24th Sunday of Ordinary Time in Year C, along with the preceding two parables of the cycle.[4] In the Eastern Orthodox Church it is read on the Sunday of the Prodigal Son.
The parable begins with a man who had two sons, and the younger of them asks his father to give him his share of the estate. The implication is the son could not wait for his father's death for his inheritance, he wanted it immediately. The father agrees and divides his estate between both sons.
Upon receiving his portion of the inheritance, the younger son travels to a distant country and wastes all his money in extravagant living. Immediately thereafter, a famine strikes the land; he becomes desperately poor and is forced to take work as a swineherd. (This, too, would have been abhorrent to Jesus' Jewish audience, who considered swine unclean animals.) When he reaches the point of envying the food of the pigs he is watching, he finally comes to his senses:
"And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him."— Luke 15:17–20, King James Version
This implies the father was hopefully watching for the son's return.
In most versions of Luke, the son does not even have time to finish his rehearsed speech,[5] as the father calls for his servants to dress him in a fine robe, a ring, and sandals, and slaughter the "fattened calf" for a celebratory meal.
The older son, who was at work in the fields, hears the sound of celebration, and is told about the return of his younger brother. He is not impressed, and becomes angry. He also has a speech for his father:
"And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: but as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf."— Luke 15:29–30, King James Version
The parable concludes with the father explaining that because the younger son had returned, in a sense, from the dead, celebration was necessary:
"It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found."— Luke 15:32, King James Version
Context and interpretationEdit
The opening, "A man had two sons" is a storyteller's trope and would immediately bring to mind Cain and Abel, Ishmael and Isaac, and Esau and Jacob. Jesus then confounds the listeners' expectations when the younger son is shown to be foolish.[6]
While a number of commentators see the request of the younger son for his share of the inheritance as "brash, even insolent"[7] and "tantamount to wishing that the father was dead,"[7] Jewish legal scholar Bernard Jackson says "Jewish sources give no support to [the idea] that the prodigal, in seeking the advance, wishes his father dead."[6]
The young man's actions do not lead to success, he squanders his inheritance and he eventually becomes an indentured servant, with the degrading job of looking after pigs, and even envying them for the carob pods they eat.[7] This recalls Proverbs 29:3 "Whoever loves wisdom gives joy to his father, but whoever consorts with harlots squanders his wealth."[8]
Upon his return, his father treats the young man with a generosity far more than he has a right to expect.[7] He is given the best robe, a ring for his finger, and sandals for his feet (Luke 15:22). Clothing in the Bible may be symbolic of a character's change in status (see Biblical clothing). In this instance, clothing and accessories represent his rebirth ("was dead and is alive again") and newfound state ("was lost and is found," Luke 15:23).[9] Jewish philosopher Philo observes, "parents often "do not lose thought for their wastrel (asoton) children ... In the same way, God too ... takes thought also for those who live a misspent life, thereby giving them time for reformation, and also keeping within the bounds His own merciful nature."[6] The Pesikta Rabbati has a similar story. "A king had a son who had gone astray from his father on a journey of a hundred days. His friends said to him, "Return to your father." He said, "I cannot." Then his father sent word, "Return as far as you can, and I will come the rest of the way to you." So God says, "Return to me, and I will return to you."[6]
The older son, in contrast, seems to think in terms of "law, merit, and reward",[7] rather than "love and graciousness."[7] He may represent the Pharisees who were criticizing Jesus.[7]
The last few verses of the parable summarize the parable in accordance with the Jewish teaching of the two ways of acting: the way of life (obedience) and the way of death (sin).[10] God, according to Judaism, rejoices over and grants more graces to repentant sinners than righteous souls who don't need repentance.[11]
This is the last of three parables about loss and redemption, following the parable of the Lost Sheep and the parable of the Lost Coin, that Jesus tells after the Pharisees and religious leaders accuse him of welcoming and eating with "sinners".[12] The father's joy described in the parable reflects divine love,[12] the "boundless mercy of God",[13] and "God's refusal to limit the measure of his grace."[12]
Commemoration and useEdit
The Eastern Orthodox Church traditionally reads this story on the Sunday of the Prodigal Son,[14] which in their liturgical year is the Sunday before Meatfare Sunday and about two weeks before the beginning of Great Lent. One common kontakion hymn of the occasion reads,
I have recklessly forgotten Your glory, O Father;
And among sinners I have scattered the riches which You gave to me.
And now I cry to You as the Prodigal:
I have sinned before You, O merciful Father;
Receive me as a penitent and make me as one of Your hired servants.
In his 1984 apostolic exhortation titled Reconciliatio et paenitentia (Latin for Reconciliation and Penance), Pope John Paul II used this parable to explain the process of conversion and reconciliation. Emphasizing that God the Father is "rich in mercy" and always ready to forgive, he stated that reconciliation is a gift on his part. He stated that for the Church her "mission of reconciliation is the initiative, full of compassionate love and mercy, of that God who is love."[15][16] He also explored the issues raised by this parable in his second encyclical, Dives in misericordia (Latin for Rich in Mercy), issued in 1980.[17]
In the artsEdit
Of the thirty or so parables in the canonical Gospels, this was one of the four that were shown in medieval art almost to the exclusion of the others, but not mixed in with the narrative scenes of the Life of Christ (the others were the Wise and Foolish Virgins, Dives and Lazarus, and the Good Samaritan.[18] The Labourers in the Vineyard also appears in Early Medieval works).
From the Renaissance the numbers shown widened slightly, and the various scenes – the high living, herding the pigs, and the return – of the Prodigal Son became the clear favourite. Albrecht Dürer made a famous engraving of the Prodigal Son amongst the pigs (1496), a popular subject in the Northern Renaissance. Rembrandt depicted several scenes from the parable, especially the final episode, which he etched, drew, or painted on several occasions during his career.[19] At least one of his works, The Prodigal Son in the Tavern, a portrait of himself as the Son, revelling with his wife, is like many artists' depictions, a way of dignifying a genre tavern scene – if the title was indeed the original intention of the artist. His late Return of the Prodigal Son (1662–1669, Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg) is one of his most popular works.
In the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries the theme was a sufficiently popular subject that the Prodigal Son Play can be seen as a subgenre of the English morality play. Examples include The Rare Triumphs of Love and Fortune, The Disobedient Child, and Acolastus.[20]
Notable adaptations for performance include an 1869 oratorio by Arthur Sullivan, an 1880 opera by Amilcare Ponchielli, a 1884 cantata by Claude Debussy, a 1929 ballet choreographed by George Balanchine to music written by Sergei Prokofiev, a 1957 ballet by Hugo Alfvén,[21] and an 1968 opera by Benjamin Britten.
Many of these adaptations added to the Biblical material to lengthen the story; for example, the 1955 film The Prodigal took considerable liberties, such as adding a temptress priestess of Astarte to the tale.[22]
Popular musicEdit
The parable is referenced in the last verse of the traditional Irish folk tune "The Wild Rover" ("I'll go home to me parents, confess what I've done / and I'll ask them to pardon their prodigal son").
Oblique adaptations include that by the Reverend Robert Wilkins, who told the story of this parable in the song "Prodigal Son", which is probably best known as a cover version by the Rolling Stones on their 1968 album Beggar's Banquet. "Prodigal Man" was written by Ted Nugent and is the second track of the third album "Migration" by The Amboy Dukes and was released in 1969. The Osmonds present a version of the parable in their 1973 hit song "Let Me In," from their Mormon concept album The Plan. The British heavy metal band Iron Maiden recorded a song titled "Prodigal Son", based on the parable of the same name, which appeared on their second release, Killers, in 1981. U2 recorded a song titled "The First Time" on their 1993 album Zooropa. While based on the parable, it presents the idea of an alternate ending to the story. It could be argued that Kelly Willard's 1982 song, Make Me A Servant is based on what the son said to his father when he returned home. "The Prodigal Son Suite" from the album The Prodigal Son is one of the first posthumous releases by the late piano player and gospel singer Keith Green in 1983. Another artist in the Christian music field during that era, Benny Hester, would record a song titled "When God Ran" based on the parable in 1985.
Detroit musician, Kid Rock, also recorded a song titled "Prodigal Son", which appeared on his second album The Polyfuze Method, in 1993. Kid Rock later re-recorded the track for his 2000 album The History of Rock. The Christian Rock trio BarlowGirl recorded the song "She Walked Away", influenced by the parable,[23] as part of their 2004 self-titled album. "Indie" rock band Two Gallants covered the parable in the song "The Prodigal Son" on their 2006 album What the Toll Tells. Musician Dustin Kensrue wrote a song about the Prodigal Son entitled "Please Come Home" on the album of the same name released in 2007.[24] Rock band Sevendust has a track titled "Prodigal Son" on their 2008 album, Chapter VII: Hope and Sorrow. The band Bad Religion has a song of the same title on their album New Maps of Hell. The band Extreme recorded a song titled "Who Cares?", which appeared on the album III Sides to Every Story, which is influenced by this parable. Brantley Gilbert released a song called "Modern Day Prodigal Son". British Reggae band Steel Pulse recorded a song titled "Prodigal Son" on their debut album Handsworth Revolution, recreating the Biblical story as a Rastafarian parable. The Post-Hardcore band "Gideon" released a song called "Prodigal Son", which appeared on their second album Milestone. Christian rock outfit The Chinese Express opened and closed their 2006 release with a two part telling of the parable with songs titled "Said the son to the Father" and "Said the Father to the Son". Post-hardcore band "Jamie's Elsewhere" also released a song titled "Prodigal Son". The Los Angeles rap group House of Pain references the parable in one of the verses of their song, "Jump Around". English indie rock band alt-J references the parable in the first verse of their song "Left Hand Free". On their 2015 album Something Different, the Christian band Sidewalk Prophets included an uplifting song titled "Prodigal" with lyrics that are directed towards the Prodigal Son from the parable, or any person who is or has felt like they are in a similar situation.
In 2006 Country artist Dierks Bentley wrote a song for his album Long Trip Alone entitled "The Prodigal Son's Prayer". The song is based on the son's prospective of coming home after he's ruined himself in the world. Gospel artists Tribute Quartet released "When the Prodigal Comes Home" in 2016.
Another literary tribute to this parable is Dutch theologian Henri Nouwen's 1992 book, The Return of the Prodigal Son: A Story of Homecoming, in which he describes his own spiritual journey infused with understanding based on an encounter with Rembrandt's painting of the return of the Prodigal and deals with three personages: the younger, prodigal son; the self-righteous, resentful older son; and the compassionate father – all of whom the author identifies with personally.[25] An earlier work with similarities to the parable is "Le retour de l'enfant prodigue" ("The Return of the Prodigal Son"), a short story by André Gide.[26]
Rudyard Kipling wrote a poem[27] giving an interpretation of the younger brother's perspective.[28]
The Parable of the Prodigal Son is also a recurring theme in the works of Rainer Maria Rilke, who interpreted the parable in a different way to the conventional reading. His version of the parable was not so concerned with redemption and the forgiveness of family; the love of the family, and human love in general, was seen as less worthy than unreciprocated love, which is the purest form of love. In loving the family less, the Son can love God more, even if this love is not returned.[29][30]
The theme of the Prodigal Son plays a major role in Anne Tyler's novel A Spool of Blue Thread.[31]
The Prodigal Son was also referred to in the play The Merchant Of Venice as well as As You Like It, comedies by William Shakespeare. The Prodigal Son is also mentioned in Shakespeare's romance, The Winter's Tale (Act 4, Scene 4 line 89).
Similar parable in Mahayana BuddhismEdit
A parable of a lost son can also be found in the Mahayana Buddhist Lotus Sutra.[32][33] The two parables are so similar in their outline and many details that several scholars have assumed that one version has influenced the other or that both texts share a common origin.[34] However, an influence of the biblical story on the Lotus sutra is regarded as unlikely given the early dating of the stratum of the sutra containing the Buddhist parable.[34] In spite of their similarities, both parables continue differently after the two meet for the first time at the son's return. In the biblical story, there is an immediate reunion of the two. In contrast, in the Lotus sutra, the poor son does not recognize the rich man as his father. When the father sends out some attendants to welcome the son, the son panics, fearing some kind of retribution. The father then lets the son leave without telling him of their kinship. However, he gradually draws the son closer to him by employing him in successively higher positions, only to tell him of their kinship in the end.[32] In the Buddhist parable, the father symbolises the Buddha, and the son symbolises any human being. Their kinship symbolises that any being has Buddha nature. The concealment of the kinship of the father to his son is regarded as a skillful means (Sanskrit:upāya).[35]
See alsoEdit
- Ministry of Jesus
- Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard regarding the theme of God's unmerited grace, as distinguished from the idea of "earning" God's favour.
- ^ BibleGateway. 2016. Luke 15:11–32 The Parable of the Lost Son - Jesus.
- ^ BibleGateway. 2016. Parable of the Forgiving Father (15:11-32) - The IVP New Testament Commentary Series
- ^ "Lent 4C". TextWeek.com. Retrieved 2013-09-12.
- ^ "Proper 19 (24th Sunday of Ordinary Time)". TextWeek.com. Retrieved 2016-09-11.
- ^ Nicoll, W. R., Expositor's Greek Testament on Luke 15:21, accessed 3 November 2019; some ancient authorities complete verse 21 in line with the son's prepared statement
- ^ a b c d Levine, Amy-Jill. "What the Prodigal Son story doesn't mean", The Christian Century, August 25, 2014
- ^ a b c d e f g Arland J. Hultgren, The Parables of Jesus: A Commentary, Eerdmans Publishing, 2002, ISBN 0-8028-6077-X, pp. 70–82.
- ^ NAB, Prov. 29:3, USCCB
- ^ James L. Resseguie, "A Glossary of New Testament Narrative Criticism with Illustrations," in Religions, 10 (3) 217), 29-30.
- ^ Jewish Encyclopedia: Didache
- ^ Jewish Encyclopedia: Repentance
- ^ a b c Richard N. Longenecker, The Challenge of Jesus' Parables, Eerdmans, 2000, ISBN 0-8028-4638-6, pp. 201–213.
- ^ Scott Hahn, Curtis Mitch, and Dennis Walters, Gospel of Luke: The Ignatius Study Guide, 2nd ed, Ignatius Press, 2001, ISBN 0-89870-819-2, p. 51.
- ^ "Scripture Readings Throughout the Year". Retrieved 2008-11-09.
- ^ The post-synodal apostolic exhortations of John Paul II by Catholic Church 1998 ISBN 0-87973-928-2 pages 234–239
- ^ "Vatican website ''Reconciliatio et paenitentia''". Vatican.va. Retrieved 2013-10-18.
- ^ "Vatican website ''Dives in misericordia''". Vatican. Retrieved 2013-10-18.
- ^ Emile Mâle, The Gothic Image: Religious Art in France of the Thirteenth Century, p 195, English translation of 3rd ed, 1913, Collins, London (and many other editions), ISBN 978-0064300322
- ^ Roland E. Fleischer and Susan C. Scott, Rembrandt, Rubens, and the art of their time: recent perspectives, Pennsylvania State University Press, 1997, ISBN 0-915773-10-4, pp. 64-65.
- ^ Craig, Hardin (April 1950). "Morality Plays and Elizabethan Drama". Shakespeare Quarterly. 1 (2): 71. doi:10.2307/2866678. ISSN 0037-3222.
- ^ Don Michael Randel, The Harvard Biographical Dictionary of Music, Harvard University Press, 1996, ISBN 0-674-37299-9, pp. 13-14,
- ^ Paul Hammond, The shadow and its shadow: surrealist writings on the cinema, 3rd ed, City Lights Books, 2000, ISBN 0-87286-376-X, p. 70.
- ^ BarlowGirl by BarlowGirl CD review at NewReleaseTuesday.com
- ^ Dustin Kensrue at YouthMinistry.com
- ^ Deirdre LaNoue, The Spiritual Legacy of Henri Nouwen, Continuum, 2000, ISBN 0-8264-1283-1, p. 45.
- ^ Turnell, Martin. "André Gide and the Disintegration of the Protestant Cell". Yale French Studies. Yale University Press (7): 21–31.
- ^ "The Prodigal Son". Famouspoetsandpoems.com. Retrieved 2013-10-18.
- ^ Andrew Keith Malcolm Adam, Postmodern Interpretations of the Bible: A reader, Chalice Press, 2001, ISBN 0-8272-2970-4, pp. 202–203.
- ^ Books.google.co.uk. Books.google.co.uk. Retrieved 2013-10-18.
- ^ Books.google.co.uk. Books.google.co.uk. Retrieved 2013-10-18.
- ^ Sinkler, Rebecca Pepper (February 13, 2015). "Sunday Book Review: 'A Spool of Blue Thread' by Anne Tyler". The New York Times. Retrieved October 5, 2015.
- ^ a b Lotus Sutra, Chapter 4, translated By H. Kern
- ^ Suzuki, Takayasu (2015). Two parables on "The wealthy father and the poor son" in the Saddharmapundarika and the Mahaberisutra, Journal of Indian and Budddhist Studies 63 (3), 169-176
- ^ a b Lai, Whalen W. "The Buddhist Prodigal Son': A Story of Misperceptions". Journal of the International Association of Buddhist Studies 4.2 (1981), p. 91
- ^ Nhất Hạnh, Thích (2003). Opening the Heart of the Cosmos. Parallax Press. pp. 37–41. ISBN 9781888375336.
Further readingEdit
- Wiggins, James, 2010. What Did Jesus Teach? A Detailed Survey of His Parables ISBN 978-1477699065
- David A. Holgate, Prodigality, liberality and meanness in the parable of the prodigal son: a Greco-Roman perspective on Luke 15.11-32, Continuum, 1999, ISBN 1-84127-025-3.
- Father Raniero Cantalamessa, Pontifical Household preacher, "Comments on Fourth Sunday of Lent Readings", Zenit News Agency, March 17, 2007.
- Rev. George Dimopoulos, "The Prodigal Son", Orthodoxy and the world, February 24, 2008.
- G. Campbell Morgan, The Parable of the Father's Heart.
- E. Di Rocco (a cura di), Il romanzo della misericordia. La parabola del figliol prodigo nella letteratura in Studium, 4 (2013), nº 109
- E. Di Rocco, Leggere le Scritture con le Scritture: Ugo di Santo Caro e Nicola di Lira lettori di Luca (15, 11-32), in Studium, 4 (2013), nº 109.
- E. Di Rocco (a cura di), Il romanzo della misericordia. La parabola di Luca nella letteratura moderna e contemporanea. in Studium, 2 (2014), nº 110.
- E. Di Rocco, Heimkehr: wohin?, Auszug: wohin?: la parabola esistenziale del figliol prodigo nella letteratura del Novecento. in Studium, 2 (2014), nº 110.
- Horbury, Ezra. Prodigality in Early Modern Drama, Boydell and Brewer, 2019, ISBN 978 1 78744 606 9
External linksEdit
- Brooks, David. "The Prodigal Sons", The New York Times, February 17, 2014
- Media related to Prodigal son at Wikimedia Commons


text:
TheOneAbout necesitaba un nuevo diseño de página web y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 214 diseños de 49 diseñadores freelance.
The One About
The One About allows people to create a video tribute with less than 5 minutes of effort. People are able to gather short duration video clips from friends and family, easily piece them together into a cohesive video production, and then send the results by email or DVD.
TheOneAbout is an online tool that is the cheapest, easiest, and fastest way to create video compilations that show your loved ones that they are appreciated.
Our name comes from the common phrase that precedes so many great personal stories: This is the one about how I met my wife; This is the one about my most embarrassing moment; This is the one about my favorite memory growing up.
We are:
• fun and happy without being silly or irreverent
• positive and warm but not gaudy or cutesy
• crisp, clean, and modern but not high tech or intimidating
• simple but high quality and professional
We want our brand to be both fun to share at a bachelor party and appropriate to share at a funeral.
Personality Attributes:
• Fun
• Entertaining
• Easy
• Good Value/inexpensive
• Personal
Our technology will aim to allow anyone with the least bit of computer experience to create video compliations. Thus the homepage should appeal to a wide audience range. Not too cute. Not too corporate.
Target User (still defining):
• Organizes events
• Values relationships
• Prizes creativity
• Male/Female 16-40
Our primary requirement is a home page with the secondary requirement being a layout which we can use for other pages (registration, login, etc.).
Our current landing page can be viewed here: http://188.8.131.52/~theoneab/Tribute/
We would like to see as many creative, different ideas as possible, and are not committed to the current layout or structure.
The home page needs to have the following:
1) A logo - we are not wedded to our current logo, and would not mind seeing your take on it.
2) A display are for at least 3 sample videos
3) The current links at the bottom of the page
4) A call to action entitled "Get Started"
Homepages we like:
getsatisfaction.com (very simple and clean), http://www.gyminee.com (very clean and straight forward)
Color Scheme: open to anything, but should be clean and fresh
Deliverable format: layered PSD
Do not use any stock images. Home page and internal pages must have a GREAT call to action


text:
LIHEAP Research Experiences of Selected Federal Social Welfare Programs and State LIHEAP Programs in Targeting Vulnerable Elderly and Young Child Households
December, 2008
This document has been prepared for the Office of Community Services' Division of Energy Assistance by APPRISE Incorporated under contract #HHSP23320070081P. The statements, findings, conclusions, and recommendations are solely those of analysts from APPRISE and do not necessarily reflect the views of HHS.
Table of Contents
I. Introduction
A. Needs of Vulnerable Households
B. Need for the Study
C. Other Federal Social Welfare Programs
D. State LIHEAP Programs
II. LIHEAP Targeting Performance
A. LIHEAP Targeting Goals
B. LIHEAP Targeting Rates and Trends
C. LIHEAP Targeting Initiatives
D. LIHEAP Targeting Issues
III. Targeting Overview
A. Targeting Background
B. Current Targeting Trends and Issues
IV. Analysis of Social Programs – Findings and Recommendations
A. Overview of Method
B. General Population Programs
C. Programs Targeting the Elderly
D. Programs Targeting Children
V. Lessons from Review of Other Federal Social Programs
A. Summary of Findings on Barriers
B. Findings on General Outreach and Intake Strategies
C. Specific Enrollment Strategies
VI. Research on State LIHEAP Targeting Procedures
A. Information Objectives
B. Findings for Targeting Elderly Households
C. Findings for Targeting Young Child Households
D. Summary of Findings on State LIHEAP Outreach and Intake Practices
E. Linkages between Program Design and Targeting Outcomes
VII. Recommendations
A. Baseline Assessment
B. General Outreach
C. Specific Outreach and Intake Strategies
Appendix A – Survey Instrument
Listing of Tables
Table 3-1 - Federal Means-Tested Programs' Targeting Procedures
Table 4-1 - Participation Rates for Individuals by Household Benefit as a Percentage of Maximum Benefit, FY 2005
Table 4-2 - Barriers to Medicaid Enrollment
Table 4-3 - How Respondents Learned about the Medicare Savings Programs
Table 6-1 – Outreach Through Agencies Serving Elderly
Table 6-2 – Outreach Materials Targeting Elderly
Table 6-3 – Outreach Materials with Benefit Amount
Table 6-4 – Outreach to Elderly Program Participants
Table 6-5 – Screen Programs Serving Elderly.
Table 6-6 – Special Application Period for Elderly
Table 6-7 – Special Application Requirements for Elderly
Table 6-8 – Alternative Intake Sites or Procedures for Elderly
Table 6-9 – Application Assistance for Elderly Households
Table 6-10 – Higher Benefit for Elderly Households
Table 6-11 – Outreach Through Agencies Serving Young Children
Table 6-12 – Outreach Materials Targeting Working Families
Table 6-13 – Outreach Materials Targeting Immigrant Families
Table 6-14 – Outreach to Young Child Participants of Other Programs
Table 6-15 – Screen Programs Serving Young Child Households
Table 6-16 – Special Application Period for Young Child Households
Table 6-17 – Special Application Locations for Young Child Households
Table 6-18 – Higher Benefit for Young Child Households
Listing of Acronyms
AARP....................... American Association of Retired Persons
ACF...........................Administration for Children and Families
AOA..........................Area Office on Aging
CCDF........................Child Care and Development Fund
CMS..........................Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
CPS-ASEC................Current Population Survey-Annual Statistical and Economic Supplement
DHHS........................U. S. Department of Health and Human Services
ED.............................U. S. Department of Education
EITC..........................Earned Income Tax Credit
FSP............................Food Stamps Program
GAO..........................U. S. Government Accountability Office
GPRA........................Government Performance and Results Act
HUD..........................U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
IDEA.........................Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
IRS............................Internal Revenue Service
LIHEAP....................Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program
MSP..........................Medicare Savings Program
NPE..........................Nutrition Programs for the Elderly
OMB.........................Office of Management and Budget
PART....................... Program Assessment Rating Tool
QMB.........................Qualified Medicare Beneficiary
SCHIP.......................State Children's Health Insurance Program
SIPP..........................Survey of Income and Program Participation
SLMB.......................Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary
SSA...........................Social Security Administration
SSI............................Supplemental Security Income
TANF.......................Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
TRACE.....................Tracking, Referral, and Assessment Center for Excellence
USDA........................U. S. Department of Agriculture
WAP..........................Weatherization Assistance Program
WIC...........................Women, Infant, and Children Nutrition Program
The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) Statute requires that grantees "provide, in a timely manner, that the highest level of assistance will be furnished to those households which have the lowest incomes and the highest energy costs or needs in relation to income, taking into account family size" (LIHEAP Statute, Section 2605(b)(5)). The LIHEAP statute identifies "vulnerable households" (i.e., households with at least one member that is a young child, an individual with disabilities, or a frail older individual) as one of two groups of households having the highest home energy needs. To address that mandate, the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), which administers the LIHEAP program, has focused its performance goals and measurement on targeting income eligible vulnerable households --particularly households with at least one member 60 years or older and households having at least one member 5 years or younger.
However, despite outreach and targeting efforts undertaken by ACF, the measured program targeting rates for vulnerable households have declined over the last three years. The purpose of this two-phase study is to develop information that can help State LIHEAP programs more effectively target eligible vulnerable households. The first phase reviewed the experience of other Federal social welfare programs in targeting vulnerable households to assess whether they have identified strategies that are effective in reaching elderly households and/or young child households. The second phase examined the design of the LIHEAP programs in 17 States to assess whether certain program design features were associated with higher targeting rates for vulnerable households.1
Needs of Vulnerable Households
1. Elderly Households
A report by the Federal Interagency Forum on Aging Statistics illustrates the challenges faced by people age 65 and over (Federal Interagency Forum on Aging Statistics, 2006) regarding:
- Poverty: About 9.8 percent of all people age 65 and over lived in poverty during 2004. Poverty rates were 12.6 percent for seniors age 85 and older.
- Housing Costs: For elderly households in the lowest income quintile,(i.e., households in the bottom 20 percent of the income distribution), the percent of income allocated to housing costs increased from an average of 33 percent of income in 1987 to over 40 percent of income in 2002.
- Chronic Health Conditions: In 2004, 50 percent of individuals over age 65 reported having arthritis; 52 percent reported having hypertension; 32 percent reported having heart disease; 21 percent reported having cancer; and 17 percent reported having diabetes.
- Health Care Expenditures: For elderly households (age 65 and older) with income at or below 125 percent of poverty, the percent of income spent on out-of-pocket medical expenses increased from 16 percent in 1987 to 28 percent in 2003.
These statistics demonstrate two important challenges facing elderly households. The share of income that elderly households spend on housing costs and out-of-pocket health care expenditures has increased substantially in the last two decades.
Many research studies have found that the elderly are most at risk for adverse health impacts due to cold temperatures (Kalkstein et al. 1989). Older individuals have the greatest risk for hypothermia because they have a lower metabolic rate that may prevent them from maintaining normal body temperatures. Certain medications make individuals more susceptible to the cold, and the elderly are more likely to take many medications. Additionally, individuals with medical conditions, including congestive heart failure, diabetes, or gait disturbance, have an increased risk for hypothermia. Individuals with these conditions are less able to generate heat (CDC, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly, 2005).
The elderly also are more susceptible to heat stroke (CDC, MMWR, 1996). The elderly are at greater risk because they have a reduced ability to control their body temperature. The poor and the socially isolated are also at increased risk for heat-related fatality (McGeehin et al. 2000). Individuals with diseases including ischemic heart disease, stroke, or respiratory illness are at the greatest risk for heat-related death. This is because during periods of intense heat, the stress on the cardiovascular and respiratory systems increases (Basu et al. 2002).
2. Young Child Households
Statistics from the National Center for Children in Poverty document the economic status of children under age 6 (Douglas-Hall and Chau, 2007):
- Incidence of Poverty: There are about 24.4 million children under age 6 in the United States. About 5.0 million (20%) live in families that have income at or below poverty. About 10.4 million (43%) live in families that have income at or below 200% of poverty.
- Poverty Trends: Between 2000 and 2006, the number of children under age 6 who live in families that have income at or below poverty increased by 18 percent.
- Family Structure: Half of the 10.4 million low income children live in a family with a single parent.
- Residential Instability: About 22 percent of children under age 6 who live in low income families moved in the last year, compared to only 12 percent of children under age 6 in non-low income families.
Similar to the findings for elderly households, studies find that children under one year old are at risk for serious consequences from prolonged exposure to home temperatures that are either too cold in the winter or too hot in the summer. In addition, the Children's Sentinel Nutrition Assessment Project (C-SNAP) study (Frank, 2006) established an association between energy costs and nutrition for young children. The study concluded that "after adjustment for differences in background risk, living in a household receiving the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program is associated with less anthropometric evidence of undernutrition, no evidence of increased overweight, and lower odds of acute hospitalization from an emergency department visit among young children in low-income renter households compared with children in comparable households not receiving the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program." (Frank, 2006)
Need for the Study
The LIHEAP Home Energy Notebook for FY 2006 reports that 34.4 million households were income eligible for the LIHEAP program in Fiscal Year (FY) 2006, i.e., had income at or below the Federal LIHEAP maximum income standard. In that same year, the LIHEAP program furnished winter heating and crisis benefits to about 5.7 million households, about 17 percent of the income eligible households. Federal funding of LIHEAP is primarily the limiting factor in LIHEAP program participation; in FY 2006, funding for LIHEAP totaled $3.1 billion, and of that amount, States furnished about $2.1 billion in heating and winter crisis benefits with an average benefit of about $368 for the heating and crisis assistance recipients
Given the limitation on Federal LIHEAP funding, the LIHEAP Statute requires LIHEAP grantees to "provide, in a timely manner, that the highest level of assistance will be furnished to those households which have the lowest incomes and the highest energy costs or needs in relation to income, taking into account family size." (LIHEAP Statute, Section 2605(b)(5)). The LIHEAP Statute identifies two groups of low income households as having the highest home energy needs:
- Vulnerable Households: Vulnerable households are those with at least one member that is a young child, an individual with disabilities, or a frail older individual.
- High Energy Burden Households: High energy burden households are those households with the lowest incomes and the highest home energy costs.
Based on national LIHEAP program goals, ACF has focused its performance goals and measurement on targeting income eligible vulnerable households and income-eligible high burden households. However, performance measurement statistics have shown that the LIHEAP program has failed to meet performance targets during the period from FY 2003 through FY 2006. In fact, the targeting performance measures for both elderly households and young child households declined during that time period.2
ACF needs to develop strategies that can increase the level of LIHEAP participation by vulnerable population groups. This study researched other Federal social welfare programs that have targeted vulnerable population groups and assessed whether the programs developed outreach and/or targeting strategies that increased program participation for vulnerable households. It also examined the design of LIHEAP outreach, intake, and benefit determination for the LIHEAP programs in 18 States to assess what design characteristics, if any, are associated with higher targeting of vulnerable households.
Other Federal Social Welfare Programs
This study of other Federal social welfare programs develops information from two sources: a literature review and interviews with program manager contacts:
Literature Review
The primary analytic procedure employed in this study involved a literature review of outreach and targeting in a sample of means-tested Federal social welfare programs with recipiency groups similar to that of LIHEAP. A variety of sources were consulted including: websites of the major Federal means-tested programs; websites of national organizations that study the needs of elderly households, young child households, and low income households; and academic journals.
This study included literature on the following two types of means-tested programs.
- General Population Programs – Some programs, like LIHEAP, are available to all income-eligible households. For these programs, the literature review looked at whether the program targeted vulnerable households and whether any national or State-level initiatives have been effective at increasing targeting of households with elderly members or young children. It also considered whether any general outreach initiatives have increased the participation rate of households with elderly members or young children, even if the rate did not increase as much as for other types of households.
- Targeted Programs – Other programs are only available to households with elderly members or children, including some that are only available to households with young children. For those programs, the literature review determined whether the program has attempted to increase program participation rates and whether any specific strategy has been effective at increasing participation among households with elderly members or young children.
Program Contacts
Not all social welfare program statistics and initiatives are documented in the literature. Once the literature review was complete, this study involved contacting the program managers of key Federal social welfare programs, including: Food Stamps, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Medicaid, Medicare Savings Program, State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), Women, Infant, and Children Nutrition Program (WIC), Nutrition Programs for the Elderly, Maternal and Child Health Programs, Head Start Program, and Special Education Programs to identify additional statistics and/or outreach initiatives that are not yet documented.
State LIHEAP Programs
LIHEAP statistics demonstrate that individual State LIHEAP programs vary substantially in targeting rates.3 The elderly targeting rates using State LIHEAP maximum income standards varied from a low of 31 to a high of 221 in FY 2006. (For FY 2006, the national recipiency targeting index for elderly households was 74.) The young child targeting rates for FY 2006 varied from a low of 33 to a high of 234. (For FY 2006, the national recipiency targeting index for young child households was 115.) Since States have considerable flexibility in the design of their LIHEAP programs as LIHEAP is a block grant program, it is reasonable to consider that the higher targeting rates in some States may be associated with certain unique program design characteristics.
This study reviewed the FY 2006 targeting statistics to identify nine States that were high, moderate, and low on their elderly targeting rates and nine States with that were high, moderate, and low on their young child targeting rates. For each group of States, researchers contacted the State LIHEAP Directors and asked questions about the design of outreach, intake, and benefit determination procedures. The study then included analysis to assess what program designs appeared to be associated with high targeting outcomes for elderly households and what program designs appeared to be associated with high targeting outcomes for young child households.