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Batman Returns
Review by Zork86
"A decent, if unremarkable and unimaginative beat'em up."
In my ongoing quest to find and play just about every Batman game released, I've come across good and bad ones. The film Batman Returns managed to produce a small handful of decent titles that were released and I think this is included in that list. A lot of people seem to prefer this game greatly of the Sega Genesis/Sega CD counterpart. To be honest I'm not sure why that is, they're two different games and aside from the movie license only the Sega CD and SNES versions have one other thing in common, a driving stage.
But that's a review for another time, for now, I'm reviewing this.
The game's story scenario and direction pretty much follows the films except this game is a Beat em Up in lieu of Final Fight and all that. Now I'll admit firsthand that I'm a pretty big fan of these kinds of games, they've always been fun to me and they're a classic staple of Old School Gaming. Because this is a Beat em Up it's very straightforward, you have a set amount of lives and difficulty settings you can play with and you start the game. From that point it plays a lot like any other Beat em Up game you've ever played but with neat little touches here and there that help to set it apart from the crowd somewhat.
First off, the game is split into three different kinds of segments you'll play. The main segment of the game is the traditional Beat em Up kind of gameplay where you'll roam around on a pseudo 3D like plane and just fight guys. This part of the game has no real problems other than the mechanics are little too simplistic in my opinion. You have a four hit combo, you can block as well, and a few other special moves that involve jumping that stuff is fine, but the problem here is that the developers had an opportunity to include more of Batman's gadgets for you to use in the fighting segments. All Batman is equipped with is a Batarang which is a very useful tool you'll need to use to get through the game which I'll explain in a bit, his Grapple Gun which you can only use to swing around in these segments but it's rather pointless to use unless you really need to get out of a hairy situation and this thing called a Test Tube which is basically a kill everyone on the screen attack with an explosion and flash that takes up the whole screen that you can only a do a few times because you have a limited amount of these and really it's better to save these for bosses.
During the fighting segments there is a whole gang of different kinds of enemies you'll fight and you'll of course get surrounded if you're not careful, that's why you've got to use your Batarang often because they basically stun an enemy for a couple of seconds and they stop in their tracks. You can use this to make time to deal with other enemies on screen but it's even more useful when more dangerous enemies appear like clowns with rocket launchers or time bombs, these guys dish out the most damage and you'll need to hit them with a Batarang to stop them from shooting you, or hitting the bomb in their hands causing it to explode on them. One neat thing about these segments of the game is how you can do special environmental attacks like throwing a guy into a glass window in the background, or a wooden bench breaking it and causing splinters to fly everywhere and a few other examples. This is a nice little touch from the devs as it helps to make you feel really cool as you're cleaning up the streets, you'll always have the urge to try and throw a clown into a street sign or window if you're given the opportunity because it's so satisfying. Eventually you'll come to a boss fight in these segments of the game and you'll pretty much be forced to fight them hand to hand your Batarangs and Grapple are completely ineffective against them, only Test Tubes will deal damage.
The second gameplay segment turns into a sidescroller kind of deal and your primary attack is to just throw Batarangs at people until they die. You can no longer move up or down on the streets, only left and right. The direction of the game at this point changes at lot because half of the time it seems you're encouraged to avoid enemies and being hit rather than directly engaging them during these segments which is kind of odd, you'll also have platforming areas where you'll be expected to actually use Batman's Grapple Gun to go across holes and chasms. I'd say it's during these stages that you have the highest chance of dying because of the weird damage scaling with enemies and bosses and the fact that you'll probably fall and die because getting used to the timing with the Grapple Gun will take a little bit. I can kind of understand what the devs were going for on these stages where I think they wanted to get some use out of the Grapple Gun but these segments could've been designed a bit better because there are just a lot of times during these parts where you're hit by enemies or something and it's unavoidable.
The third gameplay segment only appears once in the entire game, and it's a driving stage with the Batmobile. The comparison this will probably draw will lead to the Sega CD version of Batman Returns and the driving stages on that game are really popular, to keep that comparison short it's not as good as the Sega CD's version. It's very simplistic, you can speed up or slow down and you fire off these discs similar to the Sega CD game but it ends there, not having the same amount of depth or challenge to it. There are only two kinds of enemies you face, the skeletal bikers which will occasionally fire rockets at you or just back into you in weird patterns and the campaign van from the movie which is a boss. I feel like they could've had two more of these kinds of stages in the game, and one of them featuring the boat/jet ski from the movie, instead this just seems like a tacked on extra with little to no thought put into it, almost like a bonus stage.
It seems to me that the devs wanted to try and make a multilayered game with different play styles but it didn't entirely work out they may have envisioned. I feel like their efforts were spread too thin and the other two segments of the game suffer for it. They feel like they could've been tightened up better or just tacked on, only the main game segments feel really solid. None of the gameplay is overtly bad, but it could probably be better overall.
Score: 5/10 - Average
Visually this game is very nice looking and a solid showcase of the SNES' capabilities. The game on different stages provides really cool looking lighting effects like when a building catches on fire, it looks like you're in an area lit up entirely by fire, there's a section of the game where you're fighting in some abandoned building and it's really dark, the shadows play over the whole game's graphics and make it darker looking. All of the character sprites in the game are pretty large and detailed, and the animations are good and fluid. The only downfall in the graphics department is the Batmobile stage, that whole stage just has a really drab and boring color palette and the background is really barren. I suppose they couldn't really match what the Sega CD did with RAM limitations or whatever but it just doesn't compare well to that game.
Score: 8/10 - Great
The sound effects are pretty average for a SNES game, no weird glitches or just off sounding effects. The music is pretty good if a bit forgettable. The game's soundtrack is somewhat inspired by tracks from the film's score these translations turn out pretty well actually and some of the original tracks not so much. Especially on the first stage of the game, it's rather slow and droning. Music in a Beat em Up game is supposed to be energetic, raw and memorable and you will get some of that in later stages but nowhere near some of the other games that you've played.
Score: 7/10 - Good
Replay Value
There really is not much to come back for once you're done. No different endings, no extras, nothing. You can try and play the game again on a harder difficulty but the differences are quite vague. It just seems like you do slightly less damage or the enemies do slightly more. It's pretty short when you beat the whole game, clocking in anywhere around 40 minutes to an hour. It may be fun to pop in later on long after you've beaten it just because it's a short and fun romp but that's it.
Score: 3/10 - Bad
This iteration of Batman Returns on the SNES is pretty decent in terms of a movie adaptation game, but parts of the game feel rushed, tacked on, or just overly simplistic compared to the Genesis/Sega CD version and other Beat em Up titles. It's not a bad game at all and it doesn't cost much anymore, I got my copy for like $9 on Amazon. If you really like Beat em Up style games and you were a fan of the film, give it a shot.
Final Score: 5.5 Average
Reviewer's Rating: 2.5 - Playable
Originally Posted: 07/31/12
Game Release: Batman Returns (US, 04/30/93)
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Tuesday, November 27th 2007
Dell Signs European Distribution Deal With Carrefour
French-flavored retail mammoth the Carrefour Group has signed a deal with Dell that will see it become the first mass merchant in Europe to sell Dell-branded notebooks and laptops. "We're delighted to have reached this agreement with Carrefour, which enables consumers to have greater access to Dell products in an environment where they can experience the look and feel of our products before purchasing," said Mark Ormerod, Vice President and General Manager, Consumer business for Dell's Europe, Middle East and Africa operations. "Beginning in January consumers in Europe will be able to call, click or visit to purchase award winning Dell products at great prices." Starting from January, 365 Carrefour stores in France, Belgium and Spain will distribute Dell systems with more shops and eventually countries set to be added later next year.Source: TechConnect Magazine
1 Comment on Dell Signs European Distribution Deal With Carrefour
For anyone who doesnt know Carrefour, it is a SUPERMARKET, just like TESCO. Don't expect ANY technical support at these stores. LOL

subset: commoncrawl


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Takashi Murakami at Gagosian, London
I think the Japanese male sexual complex originated in the two-dimensional world –animation, games and so on – which then transferred to small three-dimensional sculptures. But before my sculptures Miss Ko (1997) and My Lonesome Cowboy (1998), it had never been represented life-size. --Takashi Murakami
TAKASHI MURAKAMI 3m Girl (Original rendering by Seiji Matsuyama, modeling by BOME and Genpachi Tokaimura, full scale sculpture by Lucky-Wide Co., Ltd.), 2011 Fiberglass reinforced plastic and steel, 106 5/16 x 38 3/16 x 47 3/16 inches (270 x 97 x 120 cm), Ed. of 3 © Takashi Murakami/Kaikai Kiki Co., Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Prototype of work to be exhibited: modeling by BOME, original rendering by Seiji Matsuyama.
Takashi Murakami 27th June - 5th August 2011 Gagosian Gallery , 6-24 Britannia Street, WC1X 9JD
In his distinctive "Superflat" style, which employs highly refined, traditional Japanese painting techniques and formats to depict a charged mix of historical subject matter, Pop, animé and otaku content within a flattened representational picture-plane, Murakami moves freely within an ever-expanding field of aesthetic issues and cultural inspirations. Parallel to his distinctive toonish formulations of utopian and dystopian themes, he has recollected and revitalized religious and secular narratives of transcendence and enlightenment favoured by non-conformist Japanese artists from the Early Modern era, commonly considered to be counterpart to the Western Romantic tradition. By situating himself within their legacy of bold and lively individualism in a manner that is entirely his own, he revealed himself to be an artist in dialogue with history and very much of his time.
TAKASHI MURAKAMI Installation view Photo by Mike Bruce © Takashi Murakami/Kaikai Kiki Co., Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Prototype of work to be exhibited: modeling by BOME, original rendering by Seiji Matsuyama.
Murakami's latest group of paintings explores his complex ambivalence to the legacy of cosmopolitan painter Kuroda Seiki, who brought yÅga or Western-style painting to Meiji- period Japan. Kuroda broadly promoted the genre of history painting, as well as the validity of the nude figure as a subject for art. Taking Kuroda's famous triptych, Wisdom, Impression, Sentiment (c.1900), Murakami consciously reclaims it in a new iteration by applying traditional nihonga techniques like gold- and silver-leafing, as well as recasting the realistically rendered nude figures in contemporary manga style. When it was first shown, Kuroda's work caused great controversy because of its content, however, as Murakami reminds in paintings such as Shunga: Gibbons (2010) and Shunga: Bow Wow (2010), Japan had embraced explicit erotic content in art as early as the twelfth century. By the Edo period, the long-established genre of shunga sought to express a varied world of contemporary sexual possibilities, often referred to as the creation of a "pornotopia," an idealised, eroticised and fantastical world parallel to contemporary urban life. In Murakami's contemporary shunga, graphic depictions of exaggerated and engorged male and female genitals are set against delirious backgrounds of image and pattern.
TAKASHI MURAKAMI Installation view Photo by Mike Bruce © Takashi Murakami/Kaikai Kiki Co., Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Prototype of work to be exhibited: modeling by BOME, original rendering by Seiji Matsuyama.
This theme continues into sculptures, which feature collaborations with key artists working in Japan's popular otaku culture including Seiji Matsuyama -- creator of the controversial manga "My Wife is an Elementary School Student" – and BOME, a figure sculptor who previously collaborated on Murakami's first life-size sculpture, Miss Ko2 (1997), an ebullient Playboy fantasy translated into manga cuteness and proportions. Whereas Nurse Ko2 (2011) relates closely to the earlier sculpture, with its leggy, busty verticality and sexy uniform (right down to a suggestively loaded syringe), 3-Meter Girl (2011) is an absurdist composition that pushes form and content to new extremes. She stands with feet spread wide, her abundant hair roiling around her like an elaborate rococo frame as if to steady her petite body against the whopping pendular breasts whose size and weight threaten to topple her. A monumental cast and highly polished metal penis of towering proportions, Mr Big Mushroom (2011), is a realist, manmade take on the traditional stone lingam. Together with Miss Clam (2011), an inviting metal vagina, it provides an exclamation mark to the enduring obsession with sexuality in contemporary human society.


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Maria Kirk discusses some seventeenth-century Christmas-related curiosities
As Angela Andreani's two year project investigating the "life and adventures" of Meredith Hanmer comes to a close, she shares some of the highlights of her research with us…
Maria Kirk discusses the interpretation and dissemination of research outside academia.
Ceri Sullivan discusses the experimental and dramatic aspects of private prayer in early modern English culture.
Joanna Craigwood discusses a recently-discovered holograph text of a poem by Matthew Prior.
Bill Sherman explains the growing links between universities and museums in Renaissance Studies.
Piers Baker-Bates reviews a new exhibition at the National Gallery.
Paul Quinn explains a new HEIF-funded project which challenges assumptions about the county's history.
Alex Taylor explains how discourses developed over the sixteenth century's new wonder drug.
Society for Renaissance Studies
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Lost or Stolen Permits or Season Tickets
A duplicate permit or season ticket may be issued where a permit/ticket has been lost, stolen or damaged. The existing permit/ticket will be made invalid upon issue of the duplicate. Any vehicle observed displaying an invalid permit/ticket may be issued with a Penalty Charge Notice.
If you have lost your permit or season ticket, please download and complete the application form below.
A duplicate will not be issued for any lost Visitor Scratchcard permits.
The fee for duplication of any permit or season ticket is £10. A stolen permit/ticket may be duplicated free of charge if a valid police crime reference number is provided at the time of request for duplication. The issue of a duplicate permit/season ticket is at the discretion of Winchester City Council.
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Software Scripts
To the Editors:
Your story "The Wizard Inside the Machines" [COMPUTERS, April 16] gives credit where credit is due. I find my job as a high school teacher more challenging thanks to the software manufacturers and programmers you mentioned. These outstanding innovators have provided exceptional educational programs that allow students to develop their minds commensurate with their ability. As a classroom aid, this software has brought about a significant change in the attitude of my students. The result is improved attendance, motivation and attention span.
Pamela Porr Beer Nevada, Mo.
As a word-processing instructor, I was disturbed by your use of the...


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AN act of vandalism at a Flintshire school has been branded "soul-destroying".
Vice chairman of governors at Holywell High School, Cllr Peter Curtis, expressed his disgust after a number of windows were smashed on the premises while the school was locked up for the summer holidays.
He described the perpetrators as "mindless thugs" and police are appealing for information over the crime, which happened little more than a week after schools in Flintshire closed their doors for the summer holidays.
The vandalism has prompted renewed safety calls from the police and the council.
"I can't believe this has happened" said Cllr Curtis
"The culprits will be hard to identify because they will have hoods up and will not be seen on the CCTV, but I will be gutted if they are not caught"
He said the school, which is in line for a £30 million revamp in the coming years, might not be able to replace the windows before the start of the new term in September.
"We haven't got that money to spend on mindless acts of stupidity," he added.
Funding for the new windows will be taken from the school's budget for 2014-15.
The incident occurred sometime between Friday, July 25 and Sunday, July 27, just days after North Wales Police urged residents living near schools to report any suspicious behaviour during the summer break.
Holywell and Flintshire councillor Rosetta Dolphin said: "The last thing we expect is schools to be damaged.
"The bottom line is I am very disappointed."
North Wales Police Chief Inspector David Owens said: "With schools closed over the summer holidays we are urging members of the public to be vigilant and report any suspicious behaviour they see around school premises."
The School Watch campaign, run in conjunction with Flintshire Community Safety Partnership, aims to get parents residents and teachers, as well as the emergency services and local authorities, working together to keep schools and the immediate area safe and free from crime and anti-social behaviour.
On July 21, police were called to Ysgol Merllyn Primary School in Bagillt following a bin fire in the grounds.
They have since launched an investigation into what caused the blaze.
Anyone with information about either of the crimes should call police on 101 or 999 in an emergency.
Alternatively to provide police with details about the incidents please contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
See full story in the Leader


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On Thu, May 31, 2012 at 1:01 AM, Merlin Moncure <mmoncure(at)gmail(dot)com> wrote: > I think this is a really neat idea, and could solve a lot of problems. > Since you don't have to do any clog checks (you know when you commit) > -- i think it's a win all around -- so much so that it might be worth > seeing the worst case latency hit if you force one page out always > before doing the socket check. Hm, could you shave cpu cycles by just > storing the specific offsets of the hint bit bytes you want to set, or > is that too hacky? Maybe even do both. By default store tuple offsets, but when the last item was from the same page convert it to a page hinting request. I have a specific near-realtime datawarehouse workload in mind where bulk load is being constantly performed by smallish transactions. By having page granularity in the buffer almost all pages could be hinted before hitting the disk. The latency vs throughput tradeoff could possibly be per backend tunable. Ants Aasma -- Cybertec Schönig & Schönig GmbH Gröhrmühlgasse 26 A-2700 Wiener Neustadt Web: http://www.postgresql-support.de
Next: From: David E. Wheeler Date: 2012-05-30 23:07:23 Subject: Re: We're not lax enough about maximum time zone offset from UTC Previous: From: Robert Haas Date: 2012-05-30 22:14:41 Subject: patch: avoid heavyweight locking on hash metapage


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What a beautiful weekend this has turned out to be! And that makes blogging an extra amount of work because I really want to be outside enjoying it, so I am distracted and taking way to long to get my work done! (This post actually too me an hour to FINISH!)
I hope you are out enjoying your weekend and the beautiful weather. Tulips are a reminder that spring is here. We have some amazing home pictures of the tulips in Belgium and Holland. But I didn't have time to find our home pictures of the Tulips in Holland so I borrowed this one.
My Favorite Coupon:
Join the free sweepstakes and WIN!!– here is a big list I compiled!
- Petco Coupon – Free Cat Food – coupon expires 4/30
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- Get your clothes closets under control with this super quick fix!
My Secret Weapon For An Organized Clothes Closet.
Blast From the Past


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Intel 520 Series SSD Full Review - SandForce on Steroids?
Yapt v0.3
Yapt (yet another performance test) is a benchmark recommended by a pair of drive manufacturers and was incredibly difficult to locate as it hasn't been updated or used in quite some time. That doesn't make it irrelevant by any means though, as the benchmark is quite useful. It creates a test file of about 100 MB in size and runs both random and sequential read and write tests with it while changing the data I/O size in the process. The results are a good look at overall drive performance.
All SandForce drives do well in this (compressible) data test, regardless of firmware. The 520 was no different here.
They command a 20% Price premium vs competitor's products. not a good buy in my opinion. I just upgraded my system with a 64GB OCZ synapse cache drive. And I am happy and set. BF3 level load fast!
Is it worth upgrading from my 160GB X-25M?
hmm, i dunno. IMO, a SSD upgrade from an SSD is kind of a hard sell :P If you have the money and don't know what else to spend it on, sure it'll be faster but won't be as large of a jump in performance as the jump from a hard drive to that X-25M was.
There is a fatal flaw in these drives.
If the ATA password is lost there is NO way to reset the drive and it is bricked with no hope!
Unlike other FDE drives, you CANNOT secure erase or reset the password or drive to the factory null state. Worse yet, if you do try to secure erase these drives, the ATA password will be lost and again the drive is dead.
Nobody knows why Intel made this fatal mistake, but they did.
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New Product Alert: St. Ives Elements Protective Cleanser
When Freeze 24/7 released Ice Shield a couple of years ago, I was intrigued. The cleanser not only removes dirt and oil, it also protects skin with SPF 15. Innovative, no? My only complaint was the $48 price tag, which seemed a little high, even for a two-in-one product.
Ah, but now St. Ives has stepped in with its Elements Protective Cleanser ($7.99). The concept of this cleanser is the same: You simply wash your face as you would normally, which simultaneously "washes on" SPF 10 coverage. It's that simple, which should please those of you who prefer having as few steps as possible in your morning routine.
Although I like the lower-priced option, I'm not crazy about the relatively low SPF rating. SPF 10 is small potatoes; at the very least, you should wear SPF 15 every day, and SPF 30 is ideal. If you're serious about protecting your skin, you'll want a higher SPF. But if you're the type of person who doesn't wear sunblock every day already, this is a good way to get at least a little protection without adding another product to your skin-care regimen.


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|Follow PSU Baseball:
|Follow @PennStateBASE
Nov. 18, 2013
By Mike Esse, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Team building can come in many different ways and it has for the Penn State baseball team during the young tenure of new head coach Rob Cooper. This week Cooper and his staff are taking that team building to the next level prior to Thanksgiving break with the first "Omaha Challenge."
At 5 a.m. each day this week Cooper's team will meet at Holuba Hall or the East Area Locker room and be split into four teams competing against each other in a variety of strength and conditioning challenges.
The name "Omaha Challenge" is set as a motivator for the team's ultimate landing spot, Omaha, Neb., the home of the College World Series.
The overriding goal of this challenge, which Cooper has implemented at other programs, is to come out of it better as a team.
"It's another way to make our guys compete and fight through any limitations that they have and make them dig down and find out a little more about themselves," said Cooper. "There's also an element of them having to work together to win certain events so it's a way to put them in a competitive situation and find a way to come out on top."
Team strength and conditioning coach Jamie Burleson put together challenges for the players to compete in each day with individual and team events. The days range from strongman events, weight lifting challenges and team relay events.
At the end of the week, after Burleson and his team record the results each day, there will be a team and individual winner. Junior outfielder Aaron Novak is looking forward to competing against his teammates.
"It's going to be good to compete against each other and have an opportunity to compete early in the preseason," said Novak. "Although it will be tough, it's a cool chance to see how hard we have to work to get better and be where we want to be when the season gets there."
The competitive nature that will be brought about is a very important part to the early morning competition. Although it may not be desirable to 18-22 year old college student-athletes, the time of the "Omaha Challenge" goes back to Cooper's original mantra when he took the job at Penn State.
He wants his team to get comfortable being uncomfortable.
"That's why it's at 5 a.m.," Cooper said. "It's not that comfortable waking up at 4:30 in the morning making sure you are on time and then having to get yourself in competitive frame of mind.
"In order to be a championship program you have to be with people that are willing to be comfortable being uncomfortable, you have to be willing to adjust to what's going on and be willing to compete."
Telling players that they have to take part in 5 a.m. workouts only makes sense to Cooper if they know why they are doing it. The first year head coach said overall that is how a coach gets players to buy into a program.
"If you're just doing things with no real plan and not educating them as to why you are doing it, then they aren't going to buy in," he said.
Novak has noticed that as a trend from the programs new leaders. Everything they do has a purpose and the "Omaha Challenge" is just another example of something that will only have them in better shape for the regular season.
"We run hills every week and we don't run them just to run them," Novak said. "The coaches tell us we do it because it's hard work. It's not going to make us hit the ball farther or throw harder, it forces us to be mentally tough and we can use that to our advantage."
The Nittany Lions had their first day of the challenge this morning and will continue the challenge throughout the week. Penn State opens the regular season Feb. 14 against Gardner-Webb.


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Scientists have observed yet another strange phenomenon caused by superconductivity, a state in which materials have lost all electrical resistance. When they applied an electrical field to a superconducting powder, the material spontaneously assembled itself into solid little balls that started racing back and forth between the two electrodes. The quirky behavior, described in the 27 December issue of Physics Review Letters, if tamed could be useful for creating thin films of superconductors.
The team, led by physicist Xuesong Zhang at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, had been studying substances, such as powdered copper in oil, that flow or otherwise change their properties in response to an electric field. One day, Zhang started dabbling with a souped-up powder: cuprates, superconducting compounds made of copper, oxygen, and a variety of metal atoms.
When zapped with an electric field, Zhang's powders usually formed either long chains that run the distance from one electrode to the other, or individual grains that shuttled back and forth from cathode to anode. But when the researchers mixed the cuprates with liquid nitrogen and placed the slurry between two electrodes, the cuprate grains clung to each other in a single ball. A few tenths of a millimeter thick, the ball would catapult violently between the electrodes, yet would not shatter. "I didn't believe what I saw," says Zhang, "so I tried it with other [cuprate] powders. They did the same thing." "It's an amusing effect," adds Princeton physicist Philip Anderson.
Anderson, Zhang, and their colleagues propose that the weird behavior may stem from the cuprates' peculiar structure; the crystals are layered, with planes of copper and oxygen atoms sandwiched between planes of rare earth metals. "When something goes superconducting, all the electrons pair up in the planes; they march like an army," explains Mike Norman, a materials scientist at the Argonne National Laboratory in Illinois. Unlike an ordinary superconductor, which is like one large corps, the cuprate layers form a number of smaller regiments that are weakly "coupled"--they feel each other's influences--so the "regiment" of electrons in one plane marches in the same direction as the regiment in the neighboring plane. Because the regiments are in lockstep, an electron pair can move from one plane to another with minimal disruption.
However, at the outermost layer of a granule, an electron pair can only move inward into the neat array of electron pairs in a nearby layer, not outward into the chaos of the vacuum, says Anderson. This creates a "surface energy" that the material tries to reduce as much as possible, by minimizing its top layer and maximizing the amount of material on the inside--which is done most effectively by forming a sphere. "That would explain it," Norman agrees.
Zhang says the balls may help refine theories about superconductivity by giving scientists an indirect way of measuring the forces between layers in superconducting crystals; the size and stability of the balls would reveal the strength of the "surface tension" that holds them together. He also notes that exploiting this surface tension may lead to a new process for making superconducting films by "wetting" a surface with the powder, just as you can make a thin film of liquid on a table by pouring water on one corner. Such films may help produce new superconducting microcircuits.


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'Resistance' Web series from Starz Media tests TV waters
Saturday, September 18, 2010
NEW YORK -- Starz Media is ready to test the waters for sci-fi action thriller "The Resistance" and will do so by taking advantage of the digital age.
The project, originally envisioned as a Web series, could blossom into a TV series or even a movie, depending on the reaction to a pilot of sorts that will be distributed through digital platforms and a one-night TV outing. It's an example for how the entertainment industry is experimenting with new models for the creation and testing of content.
To gauge "Resistance's" potential, Starz on Oct. 4 will take over the 11 p.m. hour of Syfy's two-hour anime block, which is programmed by its Japanese animation arm, Manga Entertainment.
The "Resistance" story runs about 35 minutes as the producers have placed all webisodes back-to-back for the TV version; added behind-the-scenes material makes for 44 minutes of content.
For digital distribution, the TV version will be split into two pieces for iTunes, Xbox, PlayStation Network, Amazon and other platforms. Hulu will get the advertising-supported Web run. The ad-supported four- to five-minute webisodes with animated intros will be available within a few weeks of the TV airing on YouTube, DailyMotion and MetaCafe.
"Resistance" is set in a world where brilliant chemist Syrus Primoris has taken control in the wake of a devastating virus that has killed 99 percent of the population. Only Primoris's suppressant keeps the survivors from succumbing to the plague. One group opposes his regime and fights to find another cure.
If audience reaction -- including buzz on social networks and the blogosphere -- seems promising, the partners will consider turning "Resistance" into more than a one-off.
"We wanted to see if we can launch something in a truly multiplatform, experimental way via TV and digital," said Marc DeBevoise, an executive with Starz Media and Starz Digital Media. "We would like to see it blossom so we can do more with it."
"Resistance" came to Starz via "Spider-Man" director Sam Raimi's Ghost House Pictures, Starz's production partner on "Spartacus: Blood and Sand."
-- Hollywood Reporter


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I am lost need help how do you put fresh roses on a cake without damaging the cake and the flowers look fresh its for a wedding cake this week.
I do not put fresh flowers on a cake until I deliver and se up the cake for the wedding. I use cake flower pics (plastic tubes inserted in the cake to minimize contact with the cake. For flowers on the top I cut a circle of parchment paper to put between the flowers & the cake.
Yup, I agree, floral pics filled with water, but you need to be careful because too many of them inserted into the cake and the surface may crack open. I've heard that some surround the stem with a piece of plastic straw and some take it even further by wrapping the stem in moist paper towel strips then insert the stem in a larger straw. There are some very tiny floral pics on the market now which are ideal. For the top tier I usually have the florist make up a display inserted into a moist floral foam container which is secured to a green plastic disk. The plastic disk sits on the icing and the flowers don't touch the cake.


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44318 Waynesboro Crt, Canton 48188
See more homes for sale in Canton, MI
This property has been Sold!
11/14/2016 at $469,720
Stunning new home to be built at Sheldon Estates! This "Forest" is already sold, but we'd love to build you one like it! Huge home site located on cul-de-sac backs up to protected woods! Formal dining room with hickory floors and study flank the two-story foyer. Jaw-dropping kitchen has huge island, white cabinets with staggered heights, wrap-around-butlers pantry, and granite countertops. Gas cooktop with designer hood above, plus gourmet oven/microwave built-in. Relax in the lounge area off of the nook! Look down from the stairs and second floor hall into 2-story great room with windows galore to enjoy the wooded views. Super-convenient deluxe second floor laundry with counter space and cabinets. Four spacious bedrooms. Master suite provides dual walk-in-closets, luxurious tiled shower with mosaic accent, frameless shower door, private commode and his-and-her sinks with granite countertops.
Property Information
- Status
- Sold
- Address
- 44318 Waynesboro Crt
- City
- Canton
- Zip
- 48188
- County
- Wayne
- Township
- Canton Twp
- Possession
- At Close
- Listing Date
- 06/30/2016
- Total Finished SqFt
- 3,106
- Above Grade SqFt
- 3,106
- Garage
- 2.0
- Garage Desc.
- Attached, Electricity
- Water
- Municipal Water
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- Sewer-Sanitary
- Year Built
- 2016
- Architecture
- 2 Story
- Home Style
- Colonial
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- $350
Rooms and Land
- MasterBedroom
- 15 x 16 2nd Floor
- Bedroom2
- 13 x 10 2nd Floor
- Bedroom3
- 11 x 13 2nd Floor
- Bedroom4
- 15 x 11 2nd Floor
- Dining
- 11 x 14 Entry
- GreatRoom
- 18 x 15 Entry
- Kitchen
- 13 x 17 Entry
- Library
- 13 x 12 Entry
- Basement
- Daylight, Unfinished
- Cooling
- Central Air
- Heating
- Forced Air, Natural Gas
- Acreage
- 0.24
- Lot Dimensions
- 71x150x99x134
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- Dishwasher, Disposal, Stove
- Interior Features
- Humidifier, Other, Pets Allowed, Sump Pump
- Exterior Materials
- Brick, Vinyl
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SPORTS PEOPLE; Clemens's Fine Begins
Published: March 12, 1987
The Boston Red Sox began fining Roger Clemens $1,000 a day yesterday and said the fine would continue until the pitcher returned to camp. ''He is in violation of his contract and the fine is in effect,'' said Lou Gorman, the Red Sox general manager. Clemens, the 1986 American League most valuable player and Cy Young Award winner, walked out during practice last Friday after negotiations for a new contract broke down. The Red Sox then renewed his contract for 1987, setting his salary at $400,000, or $100,000 less than they offered during negotiations. Clemens was seeking a two-year deal for $2.4 million. Randy Hendricks, one of Clemens's agents, reacted to the club's fine by announcing that Clemens's proposal would be increased $1,500 daily, starting yesterday, until an agreement was reached. Clemens earned $220,000 plus $120,000 in incentive money last year, his second full season with Boston.


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Back to the basics
This post is part of the CRI's 1st year anniversary celebrations. We have launched a blogging festival where every member of the CRI Commentariat will participate and write on issues that affect their political outlook. Podcasts with Conservative intellectuals are also coming up, so stay tuned
The ideal end state of our politics must be a political and administrative system that is based in India's social realities and harnesses our inherent strengths and manages our weaknesses so to enable us to reach our national goals.
India is undergoing rapid social change. In the context of this post, by social change we refer to the last 64 years of our existence as an an independent democratic republic. Specifically, the last twenty years, during which on account of the liberalization of our economy, the pace of change has increased dramatically, creating new certainties as well as giving rise to confusions. The certainties revolve mainly around India's economic growth story, as economic reforms tend to take on a life of their own once unleashed. The confusions are many..
High rates of economic growth bring more and more Indians into the middle class while high growth also means there is more money to be looted by the corrupt. India clocks GDP growth rates of 8-9 % every year but human development indicators dont make as much progress; what has to be done so that 'the fruits of economic growth reach the common man'? How will entrenched social hierarchies respond to these changes; will the backward classes use the more democratic environment in independent India to destroy these hierachies? Or will they take advantage of the opportunities thrown up by economic growth and move up the social ladder only to perpetuate those hierarchies? Is democracy a mill stone around India's neck preventing rapid progress, especially in the context of authoritarian China's spectacular progress, or will the slow and steady Indian democratic tortoise ultimately win the race and vindicate itself? Should we ditch the prevailing parliamentary form of government in favour of a presidential form of government, wherein the President is directly elected by the people, ensuring accountability and much needed strong leadership in line with growing aspirations and demands? The rapid change and the confusion that it has brought have forced us to an inflexion point where tough decisions are waiting to be made. In such times, it is necessary to go back to the basics to guide us through the fog of confusion.
Defining politics is a risky and troublesome exercise. It is hard to cut through the diverse political behaviour seen around the world and discover common principles of political behaviour. Further, based on such an inquiry, it is diffcult to define politics without inviting disagreement from people belonging to different persuasions. Hence, it is safer to stick to generic definitions such as this: politics is the set of activities that all societies undertake to create and maintain social order and cope with social disorder. By social order here we mean a state in which all activities in a society conform to certain broad norms of behaviour developed by every society, as a result of its unique cultural and historical experience as well as the physical setting.
While politics is a universal reality, the way it is practised presents sharp contrasts. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, democracy emerged as the world's dominant political system. Francis Fukuyama was moved so much as to argue in The End of History and the Last Man that the end of the Cold War was not just that but "the end point of mankind's ideological evolution and the universalization of Western liberal democracy as the final form of human government." The Economist Intelligence Unit classifies about half the world's countries as democracies and about half the world's population as living under democracies. The Coloured Revolutions in former Soviet countries and fresh adoption of democracy by countries such as Bhutan are seen to be a part of a strengthening democratic trend in the world. Some would like to believe that the ongoing 'revolutions' in the Arab world point to a shift towards democracy in the Middle East, which is dominated by authoritarian regimes. Democracy, therefore, is very much the rage today. However, while most democracies are based on certain common principles such as popular elections, universal adult franchise, fundamental rights, an independent judiciary, separation or distribution of power and so on, there is vast diversity in the way democracy is practised and the results that it leads to.
For instance, why did the United States adopt a republican Presidential system, even though its colonizer Britain has the Prime Ministerial system with a hereditary head? Why does Canada allow special political arrangements for its indigenous people even though by virtue of being a democracy it is expected to treat all people as equal? Why did the authors of the Indian Constitution deem it fit to empower state governors to declare certain areas as Scheduled Areas and Tribal Areas, in violation of fundamental rights under Article 19 (theoretically speaking)? Why is banning turbans and banning public display of religious symbols such an issue in France, whereas the burkha is a common sight in India, another avowedly secular country? Why are India and Pakistan so different in their political culture even though they were both colonized by the same country and both resolved to become democracies after achieving their independence, at the same time? South Korea became an independent democracy in 1948, at about the same time as India did, but how come there is such a vast difference in economic advancement between the two? Simply, why is politics so remarkably different in countries, even those with common foundational principles? Because politics cannot escape social realities. The politics of every society is determined in a fundamental way by its culture, the common ways of behaviour, attitudes, ideologies, religion, language, traditions, customs, norms that are inherited by the members of a society, giving that society a unique personality and leading to unique responses to common challenges. To quote Pavan K. Varma, former diplomat and author of The Great Indian Middle Class, from a slightly different context:
Ideologies take root in the psyche of a people through the prism of their own tradition and hereditary way of life. The twentieth century spawned the myth of universal constructs, applicable to all people, irrespective of cultural and historical differences. The clarion call of Rousseau in the eighteenth century for the creation of an equal society was assumed to be powerful enough to overwhelm the tonal variations of people everywhere. Certain ideals were taken as given, and certain institutions considered sacrosanct. Colonized societies were particularly vulnerable to swallowing the idealized prescriptions given to them "for their own good" by their former rulers. But, as the last several decades have shown, the efficacy of the prescription was greatly dependent on the intrinsic metabolism of the patient. Broad-spectrum antibiotics may work in the field of medicine, but they do not work in societies, especially those with traditions of resistance and immunity going back centuries. [Being Indian, p.19]
Likewise, India's politics and its responses to political challenges are determined by its social realities. India lacks neither the resources nor the labour and intellect to utilize these resources to lead to prosperity. India also has Western liberal democracy. Yet social divides and attitudes ensure that members of the society are unable to rise above narrow community and individual considerations for the larger good. To illustrate, let us consider the possibility of an Egypt style uprising in India, a matter that is being discussed with much excitement. The possibility is very remote for two reasons: 1. Participation by the middle class is necessary because it is they who posses the resources and the tools to organize a nation-wide movement; 2. The middle class are unlikely to participate due to their aversion for disorder and disruption.
The middle class has little reason to disrupt the current order of things, when it is delivering so many goods for them – creating opportunities, improving their incomes and making their lives more comfortable atleast in the material sense. In the prevailing circumstances, the middle class finds it too expensive – in terms of risks involved, expenditure of time and money, lost opportunities – to fight for a better deal. On the other hand, it is easier to take advantage of the ample opportunities thrown up by economic growth, improve income and with it their social and economic standing, and circumvent the problems posed by poor governance and corruption. Our attitudes influence our responses to many other problems. Corruption, for example, is viewed in very practical terms. The petty bribe is an investment to buy efficient service rather than a needless cost. For the Indian politician, the scam means several things: return on investment for money spent on elections, spending for upcoming elections, funding party activities, buying favourable media coverage and commentary, and so on. Indian voters seem to have resigned to the reality of political corruption. If the 2G scam provoked so much outrage, it was because of the magnitude of the scam, not the fact that it is basically a theft of public money, something that has come to be accepted as a normal feature of Indian politics. The social divides come to the fore in electoral behaviour. Indian voters are a diverse entity: there are middle class voters, BC voters, SC voters, Christian voters, Muslim voters, and so on. But for all of them, the election is an exercise to put 'their man' or 'their party' in power so that their narrow community interests are protected, atleast according to promises made before the election.
On the other hand, Indians draw from a vast pool of strengths that are also a result of their culture and historical experience. The thrift, ingenuity and hardwork of the billionaire industrialist to the dabbawallah are as much responsible for India's economic growth story as the liberalized economic environment. If India was able to grow in the stifling economic environment during much of the last 64 years, it was inspite of the government, not because of it. If the ability to adapt to and work around the most stifling constraints allows us to thrive in India, the absence of such constraints brings out the best out of the Indian genius, as evidenced by the fact that Indians are a hugely successful ethnic community in Western countries where the environment is more favourable for economic pursuits. Also by the fact that the liberalization of the economy at home itself has sparked tremendous progress in the last twenty years.
The majority religion, Hinduism, also influences the Indian mindset in important ways. Hinduism does not vilify profit making. Artha (material wellbeing) and Kama (pleasure) are two of the four goals of life (Purusharthas) that must be pursued, within the confines of Dharma (order and righteousness), to lead to Moksha (self realization), dharma and moksha being the other two goals. Hinduism does not demand unthinking obedience to preset rules and preconceived notions. It allows every individual to chalk out one's own path in life within the broad limits set by dharma. The Indian mind loathes black and white descriptions and tends to recognize truth in its various shades. Some may find it odd that ISRO scientists – even Christians – offer prayers at Tirupati before or after major satellite launches but the distinction between the sacred and the secular is largely meaningless and unnecessary to the Indian mind. One of India's foundational strengths is the family. The average Indian family is a wonderfully self sufficient socioeconomic unit. It combines the functions of a school (for transmitting age old values and norms to the young), a social security apparatus (in times of crisis), an investment bank (for new business ventures), a career counsellor (for advice), and so on.
India's strengths and weaknesses, therefore, are rooted in its culture and social realities. The ideal end state of our politics then must be a political and administrative system that is based in India's social realities and harnesses its inherent strengths and manages its weaknesses so to enable us to reach our national goals. Towards this end, it is necessary to first reexamine commonly held beliefs about institutions, systems and ideologies, and expectations arising from these beliefs to lead us to desired results. To suggest a few examples, we think we can check corruption provided we have new laws and policies and strictly implement them, even though the prevailing political and administrative system incentivizes corruption by its very nature and the very manner of its operation. We expect communal riots not to happen merely because we are a secular state, even though the way secularism is practised in India is often a part of the problem, not the solution. We expect our social hierarchies to crumble and lead to an equal society just because we have democracy, even though democracy has become just another means for social mobility and perpetuating hierarchies. We expect our 'aam aadmi' policies to lead to a better deal, even though these policies make the aam aadmi dependent on the state, and reward sloth and punish innovation and ingenuity. We expect the 'fruits of economic growth' to 'trickle down' even though the trickle has not happened at a pace we would have liked, and poverty remains a fundamental issue. There is a vast gulf between our expectations and the results.
It is necessary therefore to cut down the heavy web of myths and beliefs that dominates our political discourse, prevents the ferment of fresh ideas and holds back our polity from evolving to match the demands of a rapidly changing India. The prevailing narrative must change to demand a system that more accurately captures our social realities and is more in tune with our aspirations. Anything else is a compromise, and amounts to making peace with the vast gulf between expectations and results, delaying India's political moksha. The fresh reexamination that we seek will not come from the Left, Liberal and Centrist sections of our political discourse. Simply because it is they who construct as well as benefit from the prevailing narrative and hence have no incentive to alter it. The philosophy and the ideas underpinning this reexamination will and must come from the Right.


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From the Packers:
Bryan Bulaga will start at RT for Tauscher, Desmond Bishop at MLB for Barnett, and Brad Jones at ROLB for Frank Zombo. Zombo is active.
Today's inactives are Sam Shields, Quinn Johnson, Brandon Chillar, Nick Barnett, Mark Tauscher, Nick McDonald, Marshall Newhouse and Jarius Wynn.
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NEW YORK (Nov. 26)
The establishment of ten fellowships at the Weizmann Institute of Science at Rehovoth to be awarded to scientists and advanced science from Arab countries, was announced by Samuel Rubin, noted Jewish philanthropist, to 1,500 guests at the Weizmann Dinner tonight at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel here. The dinner was in observance of the 10th anniversary of the United Nations' resolution for the establishment of Israel and also marked the 83rd birthdate of the late Dr. Chaim Weizmann.
The Rubin fellowships in pure and applied research will be in the fields of physics chemistry and biology. Mr. Rubin's gift in terms of a financial contribution to the Weizmann Institute, represents a donation of $70,000. The entire proceeds of the dinner–about $500,000–in addition to a number of special gifts, have been allocated to the Weizmann Institute.
In announcing his gift, Mr. Rubin said: The Weizmann Institute of Science has won world-wide recognition as a center of research in the exact sciences. It promises given the opportunity – to realize Dr. Weizmann's dream: To become a laboratory pilot plant, so to speak, for the entire Middle Eastern region, which forms a bridge between three continents. Scientists of this area, working together in a brotherly spirit, may well provide the pillars for the peaceful extension of this intercontinental bridge."
Israel Ambassador Abba Eban, in acknowledging Mr. Rubin's gift, stressed the importance of peace in the Middle East in the light of recent world political development.
Abraham Feinberg, president of the American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science, was toastmaster. Mr. Dewey D. Stone, chairman of the Institute's Board of Governors, who has just returned from Israel, also addressed the dinner.


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Unfortunately, Ken will be leaving Hong Kong after being a solid contributor to the dojo for several years.
Please join us for his last practice on Saturday, the 29th of July. We've got to give him a proper send off that involves him getting a chance to fight all of us one last time. Afterwards there will be a dinner.
Email firstname.lastname@example.com with your name and number of people attending if you wish to join.


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Central Washington Agricultural Museum
Volunteer Opportunities
Volunteers Needed!
The museum needs many volunteers and can use all skills at any level. You can visit the museum any Tuesday between 8 am – 4 pm and join our crew of volunteers who show up to do any task that needs to be done. Bring a "Brown Bag" sack lunch and join the "Tuesday Crew". The Coffee break is at 10 am and lunch is at noon. Coffee and conversation is always ready.
The Museum needs Volunteers to help with Museum updates, restoration, woodworking, machinery repairs, engine repairs, and many other projects.
We also need Educational Volunteers to help with the Educational Tours/Field Trips of 3rd and 4th grade students. We have many projects in the Educational Program. Training is available for the Educational Program.
We need docent Volunteers also. We have public tours, student tours and many other tours. Tour training is also available.
Please Contact: Paul Strater, Administrator
Phone: 509.457.8735 or Email: email@example.com
Volunteer Applications:
Please print one copy of each form, fill it out and bring it with you to the Museum or call the Museum to make an appointment: Paul Strater , Administrator 509.457.8735 or contact: firstname.lastname@example.com
(This form is also used for Ed Volunteer application)
(This form is also used for Ed Volunteer application)
(This Background check application form must be completed by Ed volunteers)
Volunteer Activities
Restoration of equipment * maintenance of equipment * volunteer "Appreciation lunch & Christmas brunch" * fair booth volunteers – agricultural events * volunteers driving tractors pulling people wagons for tours and parades * grounds maintenance * photography * janitor duties * numerous miscellaneous projects.
We have ongoing projects and always new and/or repair projects. There's always something to fit a skill and/or learn a skill
Be a Ag Museum Volunteer! Be a Docent or Educational Program Volunteer!
Thank you for visiting the Volunteer page. Please stop by, get acquainted and join the "Tuesday Crew". You will enjoy the visit and learning more of our agricultural history.


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Is the church Kid Nation?
Out of Ur has published a good article by Gordon McDonald called "So Many Christian Infants". He laments the apparent lack of mature followers of Jesus Christ. What does he mean by mature?
Now mature, in my book does not mean the "churchly,†those who have mastered the vocabulary and the litany of church life, who come alive only when the church doors open. Rather, I have in mind those who walk through all the corridors of the larger life—the market-place, the home and community, the playing fields—and do it in such a way that, sooner or later, it is concluded that Jesus' fingerprints are all over them…
A definition of a mature Christian is lacking. Best to say that you know a mature Christian when you see one. They're in the New Testament. Barnabas is one. Aquila and Priscilla are others. Onesiphorous impresses me. And so is the mother of Rufus of whom Paul said, "she has been a mother to me.†That's a short list.
The marks of maturity? Self-sustaining in spiritual devotions. Wise in human relationships. Humble and serving. Comfortable and functional in the everyday world where people of faith can be in short supply. Substantial in conversation; prudent in acquisition; respectful in conflict; faithful in commitments.
Gordon suggests that Paul had the same problem in 1 Corinthians. Thus, Paul wrote, "I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly—mere infants in Christ." (1 Cor 3:1)
Is he correct? Are today's followers of Jesus Christ satisfied with being infants? Is there a difference between being "churchly" and being mature? Do you know mature believers, as Gordon McDonald describes them?
(Click this link if you are not familiar with Kid Nation.)
12 Comments
Comments are closed. If you would like to discuss this post, send an email to alan [at] alanknox [dot] net.
Hi Alan,
I think it's true that the modern day church (at least in America) is full of a lot of children. I have two suggestions as to why this is true, although of course these would be two reasons of many. However, they are my main two observances, and they are two extremes. I will simply be generalizing here.
The two reasons are that "churches" have either made things too cushy or they have made things too hard – and either way they have missed Christ, which makes it impossible for people to mature in Christ.
In the former case – you can come to our church and sit in our nice, comfortable chairs or pews, we'll sing some nice songs and we'll preach a nice rah rah cheerleading sermon. Then we'll dismiss you in time to get to the restaurants earlier than the church down the street. Don't forget the potluck after next week's service! You'll find sign up sheets for the softball team on your way out!
In the latter case – you make sure you're here every single time the doors are open and we'll make sure you hear the WORD OF GAAWD – and you'd better darned well start living by it or else!! We've got a list of things for you to do… read your Bible, pray, witness, serve in the church, etc, etc, and prove to God that you are acceptable to Him.
Again… I'm talking about two extremes and I'm generalizing, but the point is that neither case is good soil for actually growing in Christ. And I believe we have a lot of both extremes here in America.
We don't really have time for each other. We don't really have a desire to look deep into the Word and into our hearts and see what the Spirit is saying to us individually or corporately. We want quick, simple fixes – which can be found in both rah rah speeches and in lists of commands or rules to try and follow. Both of those ways can seem spiritual, in that the cheer leading sermon has a lot of talk of God's love for us and the legalistic sermon has a lot of talk about action for God. But both miss the Spirit, who is rich and deep and full and penetrating. He penetrates, I believe, far below the surface of motivational speeches and commands, and brings us to maturity by being actively, continuously involved with us.
I was just pondering (and wrote about my questions) sound doctrine and what it really means. I think we often think of mature Christian as one who has mastered sound doctrine, meaning that they are someone who knows a whole lot of serious "theology." But, like I'm starting to think of doctrine, maturity for a Christian isn't factual or theoretical knowledge – it is practical living. Good stuff!!!!
Actually, I know a pretty good bunch at our church. We call them elders.
I think you have pointed out two reasons that there is a lack of mature believers in the American church.
Yes, substituting knowledge of theology for a relationship with God is also a reason for immaturity.
Yes, I know some mature believers as well. It seems, though, that mature and maturing believers seem to be rare.
Mature Christians are those who have been transformed by the Spirit of God, whose life purpose is centered around God's will. Who are walking by faith and living outside themselves -laying down their lives for God and others. Who sare full of the grace of God and passing that transforming grace onto others. It seems to me that if we limit it to the things listed here we come up with a definition of a mature Christian based on a natural definition of moral goodness.
Eph3:16I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
20Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Mature believers have always been rare. Read a little history. This is not a problem that is unique to our time, culture and situation.
The difference here in America is that we have lots of believers. Where there is persecution, the believers are mature, because there is no possibility of remaining immature and maintaining a faithful belief. The persecution weeds out the immature and the lukewarm. We should praise God that He is slow to anger and rich in mercy, allowing us to be drawn into mature relationship with Him.
As you point out in your next post, the "mature" are never allowed to hate or belittle the "immature". We are simply to be poured out as a drink offering. God never gives us the option of gloating about our "maturity".
C Grace,
I agree with what you are saying. I believe that the transforming work of the Spirit will produce mature believers who will exhibit certain characteristics, such as those listed here. I do not think his list is exhaustive. Nor do I think the activities themselves are the same as maturity, though.
I think I am more concerned with the apparent apathy toward immaturity among believers. Is this universal geographically? No, I don't think so, but it is common among believers that I know. Is it universal chronologically? I don't know.
Once again, the mature are never apathetic. If they are, then they're not mature.
Note that even in your original post, the list of mature believers was short. Jesus may as well have said, "The immature you will always have with you."
Yes, we can lament the lack of maturity we see, but we must never let the lament turn into complaint, murmuring, and resignation. One of my mentors taught me to take each disciple where he is, and help him to the next step in maturity. That's what I want to be like.
I agree that it's not theology that brings maturity and I would also say that it's not the mature lamenting or putting down the immature that develops maturity in the immature.
As Romans 1:16 says, the gospel is indeed the power of God to salvation… but as Romans 1:17 goes on to say, the gospel reveals a righteousness that is not of man, but rather it's God's righteousness that is revealed in the gospel.
Are we teaching this? Are we laying this foundation? Are we sharing this with the world and with new believers and even with "old" believers? Or do we only preach half the gospel, that the gospel is the power of God to salvation, but then it's up to us to mature in righteousness by our own doing?
I fully agree that the goal is mature disciples. But how does a branch become mature? How does a branch bear fruit? Is it through cheerleading (pumping up the branch through motivational speeches)? Is it simply through telling the branch 'how to live?'
I think the church is far too focused on the goal of maturity, and on "methods" of how to get there. I do think that goal is wonderful and desirable! But I personally believe we've missed the mark as far as "how" to get there. I believe we've focused far too much on preaching principles for Christian living, and we've focused far too little on teaching the foundation of who we are in Christ.
Christ died to give us Himself… to bring us close to God, which we could never do on our own… and to give us eternal life, which He Himself defines as knowing the Father and knowing the Son (John 17:3).
Instead of teaching this, we bring people into the church and we immediately begin teaching them "how to live." The motive is perhaps pure, but the end result isn't really maturity!
As I said earlier, I'm only talking about what I've actually observed in the church personally. But these observations have truly led me to believing that this is why there is so much apathy towards maturing.
It's fine and dandy to preach "be a doer of the Word and not a hearer only," but to actually get to that place takes the patient laying of a foundation that has far more to do with knowing a Person than it has to do with doing the right things!
David and Joel,
Thank you for continuing this discussion. I'm glad that we have this forum where we can learn from one another.
Well, thank you Alan for providing the forum. 🙂 I realize that I'm pretty passionate about this, perhaps to a fault sometimes, but I've been with and talked with so many Christians who either struggle with the pressure to perform in order to grow or who realize they just can't do all the things they're 'supposed' to do, so they either simply drop out or join in with the social club aspect of church, without really getting to know God. I see a whole lot of sermons, programs, outreaches, etc, that attempt to get people to "do" the things of the Christian life, but one big thing is missing when it comes to actually growing in Christ… and that is actually knowing Christ.
I don't mean to complain, but rather to seek a solution to the problem of immaturity in the church. Luke 2:40,52 – "the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon Him… And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men." Acts 10:38 – "…God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him." I don't believe that Jesus simply got up every morning and set out to try to perform some biblical principles. I'd go so far as to say that the way He fulfilled the Law and was fully obedient to His Father, has everything to do with the substance of those verses. The grace of God was upon Him, He was anointed with the Holy Spirit and with power, and from baby to boy to man He got to know His Father as they abided in each other. The Father-Son relationship is, I think, a great model for Christ and His Bride.
But we get people into the church and we just set a bunch of biblical rules and principles in front of them, and expect that if they'll just follow it all, they'll grow. It's back to that thing about 11 chapters of Romans before chapter 12. I truly think that if the church wants mature disciples, we have to stop leapfrogging over the foundation before we attempt to build the building.
I agree. While performance may indicate maturity or a lack of maturity, activities do not create maturity. Maturity only comes through abiding with Jesus Christ, submitting to the presence of the Spirit in our lives.


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Swiss airframer Pilatus last year achieved a sales record for its PC-12 single turboprop aircraft, logging 80 orders. After a dip in sales to 46 units during 2002, the business/utility PC-12 has enjoyed increasingly strong demand, reaching the pre-2002 level of 71 deliveries again in 2004.
In response to rising demand, this year's production will be stepped up to 90 PC-12s, which is the current capacity limit of the program's major subassembly suppliers. Despite the increased output, all PC-12s due to come off the line through mid-2007 are already sold, with production allocated to distributors until the end of next year. The 600th PC-12 was delivered to a U.S. customer in January and the worldwide fleet has now completed well over a million flight hours.
With these impressive figures, Pilatus claims not only to dominate the pressurized single-engine market, but to produce the best-selling executive turboprops–both singles and twins. An average of 80 percent of all PC-12s are sold with a six-seat executive cabin configuration and a fully enclosed toilet. A commuter version for up to nine passengers is also available, and all PC-12s come with a large cargo door, allowing both versions to be quickly configured for combined or cargo-only transportation. According to the manufacturer, it is this versatility, together with excellent workmanship, support and economy that are the keys to the PC-12's worldwide popularity.
An upgrade, announced at last November's NBAA show in Orlando, Florida, and delivered since January of this year, includes a maximum takeoff weight of 10,450 pounds, increased from 9,920. This allows for a payload of up to 4,130 pounds for a typically equipped PC-12 in executive configuration, and improved payload/range flexibility. However, in countries that are member states of the European Aviation Safety Agency, which includes most of Europe, the mtow remains limited to 9,920 pounds.
The upgrade also includes new winglets which reduce drag, improve crosswind control and provide generally better handling for the pilot. The winglets are derived from technology developed for the high-performance PC-21 trainer.
Flettner tabs on the ailerons are another element of the PC-12 upgrade. They reduce roll control forces by more than 60 percent at all speeds. Other airframe improvements include LED lighting in the cabin and on the flight deck, and new crew seats that can be more flexibly adjusted.
Being exhibited alongside the PC-12 here at the EBACE show is the PC-6 Turboporter single-engine utility short takeoff and landing aircraft, which flew for the first time in 1959 and is still in production. The current version is powered by a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-27 flat rated to 550 shp. It carries up to nine passengers plus pilots on short trips, or six on longer trips. The two large sliding doors on both sides of the fuselage can be opened in flight and make the PC-6 ideal for parachuting or cargo dropping.
The versatile Turboporter needs just 646 feet to take off at mtow and stalls at 58 ktas with flaps. Pilatus plans to deliver five of the aircraft this year. Of the more than 500 Turboporters flying, quite a few are equipped with floats or skis, while others serve for fire-fighting, aerial surveillance and medevac operations in remote locations and other special missions.
In addition to its manufacturing activities, Pilatus also provides extensive maintenance at its three service centers in Switzerland. The centers are located at its main factory in Buochs, the second is housed at Altenrhein in the east country and the third is here in Geneva, where a staff of 120 are employed at the OEM's Transairco subsidiary, its largest maintenance shop.
While all Pilatus maintenance shops maintain the PC-12, Transairco's main business is servicing Dassault's line of Falcon jets–an activity it specialized in when it was acquired by Pilatus in 1997. Transairco has also successfully participated in the Falcon 20 TFE731 retrofit program, and it is the sole European member involved in the Blackhawk King Air XP retrofit program.
Sales of PC-12s and PC-6s in central and eastern Europe are direct from the Pilatus factory; those in southern Europe and North Africa are conducted by Transairco.
Until recently, sales and product support for Scandinavia and southern Africa were handled by ExecuJet Aviation, but in February Pilatus and ExecuJet parted company because the latter is now a key partner in the rival Grob SPn utility twinjet. Pilatus has said it will progressively appoint new distributors in those sales territories, while assuring continuous support of the PC-12.
With the PC-12, Pilatus appears to have a winner for many years. While the company prepares its new military trainer PC-21 for the market, work on a companion or a successor to the PC-12 will certainly remain at a low level. But when Pilatus Aircraft CEO Oskar Schwenk presented the PC-21 in 2002, he said the Swiss group's next major project would be another general aviation product. Will it be a jet, a twin turboprop? Pilatus has remained tight-lipped about the subject.


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Marrone, Bills, give Manuel the start on Sunday
Sat, 10 Aug 2013 03:08:35 GMT —
PITTSFORD, N.Y. (AP) - Buffalo Bills rookie quarterback EJ Manuel will start Sunday's preseason opener against the Indianapolis Colts.
Bills coach Doug Marrone made the announcement after the team's practice on Friday night.
Kevin Kolb, Manuel's competitor for Buffalo's starting quarterback job, will serve as an emergency QB as he makes his way back from a left knee injury.
Kolb returned to practice on Friday, but was limited and did not take part in any team drills after missing time due to a death in the family. Kolb had been excused from training camp since Monday afternoon.


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Watch out for that ... tractor!
Fri, 06 Apr 2012 16:29:40 GMT —
If you haven't seen farmers on the roads yet, chances are you will soon.
Officials are asking you to use caution when sharing the road with farm traffic and slow moving vehicles.
Record-high temperatures are leading to an early planting season for farmers.
Studies show the most common types of accidents involving motorists and farm machinery are left-turn, rear-end and passing collisions...so use extreme caution when encountering a farm vehicle.
By the way, even with the warm weather most farmers are waiting to plant because crop insurance policies start April 6.
However some people aren't waiting ... five percent of the state corn crop is already in the ground.


text: The Toyobaru is not a MX5 competitor in the market. I know it's the same size and is RWD, but the clientele is COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. If you want to compare the Toyobarus, pick the Genesis Coupe, the V6 muscle cars, hell, even things like the Veloster Turbo and Civic Si are a more relevant comparison!


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Royal Garden Hotel
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Royal Garden Hotel
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2-24 Kensington High Street
0207 937 8000
0207 361 1991
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Access in Summary
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Public Transport
The nearest tube station to the Royal Garden Hotel is High Street Kensington London Underground Station, which is located less than 400 metres away. Buses run very frequently along Kensington High Street providing good transport links to surrounding areas.
Car Parking/Drop Off
There is a public Car Park near the Hotel which can be accessed from the Drop Off area. The Drop Off area is located directly outside the Main Entrance.
Access into Entrance
There are 5 steps leading up to the Main Entrance. Access into the Hotel is via an automatic revolving door or the adjacent accessible door. Both the revolving door and the accessible entrance door lead into the Reception Lobby.
At the Hotel Entrance there is a ramp leading to a Platform Lift which acts as an alternative to the 5 steps leading up to the Hotel.
The Reception Desk is located within the Reception Lobby and has an Induction Loop facility available for customers. Some visitors may find the desk is not at a suitable height, the height of the desk is 1080mm. Staff will offer assistance if needed. The Concierge Desk can provide assistance with travel arrangements, trip itineraries, restaurants and sightseeing.
Bertie's Bar is located on the Mezzanine Level and is open daily. Bertie's Bar is ideal for drinking in, snacking in or simply just being in. An elegant and stylish space combines with the relaxed, fun and friendly ambience. Bertie's offers an extensive drinks range including 10 different types of wine by the glass, 12 speciality beers and a selection of over 15 malt whiskies. Guests can also choose from a range of bar snacks.
The Park Terrace Bar is located on the Ground Floor and has a relaxed, informal style. At the Bar, indulge in the freshest pot of steaming coffee, or plump for the House Champagne. There is also a snack menu available and table service can be provided.
The Min Jiang Restaurant is located on 10th Floor of the Hotel and provides spectacular views over Kensington Palace and Gardens. Serving traditional dishes from China's favourite gastronomic provinces, Min Jiang features sumptuous Dim Sum, spicy Sichuan and the famous Beijing Duck cooked in an authentic wood-burning duck oven.
Park Terrace Restaurant is located on the Ground Floor of the Hotel. The Restaurant is open for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner on a daily basis from 6.30am to 10.30pm, catering to all tastes.
The Royal Garden Hotel features 396 beautifully appointed bedrooms and suites located over 10 Floors. The Hotel has a total of four accessible bedrooms which have a range of facilities including; internet access, an accessible wardrobe, good circulation and sufficient bed transfer space.
Access to all Areas
The passenger lifts are located within the Reception Lobby on the Ground Floor. The lifts offer access to all upper accommodation floors in the Hotel.
The stairs that lead to the Mezzanine Level are located to the left of the Reception Lobby, they offer access to the Conferencing Facilities and Bertie's Bar.
Access to Park Terrace Restaurant and Bar is via steps or the alternative access ramp which is located near the passenger lifts in the Reception Lobby. There are however four more steps at the Entrance to the Bar and Restaurant but seating can be provided without ascending the steps.
Business Facilities
The Royal Garden Hotel offers a fully air-conditioned, purpose-built business facility with 10 different meeting rooms, designed to meet all conference and event requirements for up to 550 delegates. Different seating plans can be arranged to suit guests requirements.
The Business Centre is located on the Ground Floor of the Hotel and can provide Internet Access and Printing Facilities.
There are 3 accessible toilets available within the Hotel. There is one located in the Reception Lobby, one in Bertie's Bar and one in the Min Jiang Restaurant.
Health Club
The Soma Centre at The Royal Garden Hotel is among the best holistic health centres in London, featuring a wide range of facilities, from modern cardiovascular machines and free weights to studio-based teaching in yoga, pilates, kickboxing and aerobics. The spa provides a variety of beauty and massage treatments.
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We provide facilities for people who are visually impaired. For example: Braille formats, large print, audio tapes etc.
Wheelchair access into our premises is possible with assistance.
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We provide customer toilets.
We have fully accessible toilets installed at our premises.
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An induction loop has been installed to benefit our hard of hearing customers.
Our premises are fitted with automatic doors to ease entry.
A customer lift has been provided.
An accessible customer lift has been installed, improving access for wheelchair users.
Our premises are accessible to parents with a pushchair or pram.
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text:
On 28.2.2012. 15:01, Marti Raudsepp wrote: > On Sat, Feb 25, 2012 at 15:23, <rikard(dot)pavelic(at)zg(dot)htnet(dot)hr> wrote: >> This works: >> alter table t1 add x float not null; > Peeking at the code, currently any modifications that cause a rewrite > of the original table are disallowed. > > Adding a nullable column without a default is allowed since it can be > done without a rewrite -- all rows magically get the value NULL. As shown in example above, I was adding not null column (but table was empty so query passed) > I'm not sure whether it's worth complicating code for this. If you > want to store composite types in tables, I think you're better off > using CREATE TYPE/ALTER TYPE. I guess this falls under advanced type usage (like recursive types - which can be used for lists) which are not even recognized as important ;( Regards, Rikard
Next: From: Kevin Grittner Date: 2012-02-28 22:01:40 Subject: Re: BUG #6497: Error sent to client, but data written anyway Previous: From: Tom Lane Date: 2012-02-28 21:47:06 Subject: Re: BUG #6496: Why the SQL is not reported as incorrect? Is there a builtin column named "name"?


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Jun 29, 2012 at 7:16 am
MINNEAPOLIS (KNSI) - In an effort to boost ridership, fares on the Northstar commuter rail line will be cut one-dollar each way.
The Metropolitan Council approved the temporary reduction, which goes into effect August 1st, and ends April 30th.
It means the cost of a one-way ticket from Big Lake to Target Field will go from seven dollars to six dollars. Fares from the Elk River, Anoka and Coon Rapids stations will also drop by a dollar.
The rail line has fallen short of ridership projections since it began operating in November 2009. In the first five months of this year, ridership is down almost three percent compared with the same period last year.
Temp: 72°F (22°C)
Dewpoint: 62
Wind: 17 SE
Weather: Cloudy


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This information is for reference purposes only. It was current when produced and may now be outdated. Archive material is no longer maintained, and some links may not work. Persons with disabilities having difficulty accessing this information should contact us at: https://info.ahrq.gov. Let us know the nature of the problem, the Web address of what you want, and your contact information.
Please go to www.ahrq.gov for current information.
From 1996 through 2000, there was a significant decline in the percentage of all working people ages 16 through 64 who reported missing work due to their own illness, injury, or mental or emotional problems. The percentage of people reporting work loss days declined from 47.6 percent in 1996 to 33.8 percent in 2000 for ages 16 to 24, from 55.4 percent to 39.9 percent for ages 25 to 54, and from 45.9 percent to 35.1 percent for ages 55 to 64. [Source: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, MEPS Statistical Brief #31: Work Loss Days in the United States: 1996-2000—Estimates for the Employed Civilian Noninstitutionalized Population, Age 16 to 64 (PDF File, 82 KB; PDF Help).]
1. AHRQ Director to Testify Before House Appropriations Subcommittee on FY '05 Budget Request
AHRQ Director Carolyn M. Clancy, M.D., is scheduled to testify before the
House Appropriations Committee's Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services,
Education, and Related Agencies on March 10 on the Agency's FY 2005 budget
request. AHRQ is slated to receive $304 million in FY 2005 under President
Bush's budget request, the same amount the Agency received in FY 2004. This
includes $84 million for patient safety, an increase of $4.5 million over the
FY 2004 level. The budget request will allow AHRQ to continue funding the $50
million for Patient Safety Health Care Information Technology Program. The
budget request also maintains the FY 2004 budget level of $55.3 million for
the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. Select to access AHRQ's Budget Request (PDF
File, 1.91 MB; PDF Help), which begins on page
2. New AHRQ Fact Book Examines Care of Children and Adolescents in U.S. Hospitals
A new Fact Book from AHRQ's Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project includes 2000 data on children's hospitalizations drawn from the newest version of the Kids' Inpatient Database. The Fact Book, Care of Children and Adolescents in U.S. Hospitals, provides an overview of hospital care for children, including the types of conditions for which children are hospitalized, the types of procedures they receive, the resource use associated with children's hospital stays, who is billed for the stays, and how children are discharged from the hospital. Select to access the Fact Book. A print copy is available by sending an E-mail to firstname.lastname@example.com.
3. Call for Nominations of Topics for Evidence-based Practice Centers
AHRQ invites nominations of topics for evidence reports and technology assessments relating to the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and management of common diseases and clinical conditions, as well as topics relating to the organization and financing of health care. Nominations of topics are due by April 16. Select to access the February 25 Federal Register announcement.
4. Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Web Seminar Set for April 20
Register now for a 2-hour Web-assisted audio conference on AHRQ's Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) on Tuesday, April 20, from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., EST. The seminar, "MEPS: The Fundamentals," is an introductory course providing a technical orientation to the survey. Learn how to access and use MEPS data and documentation, distinguish among different levels of files, identify variables of interest, and gain an understanding of basic concepts needed for merging and pooling MEPS data files. Select to access the Web site for complete program and registration information.
5. New MS Word Downloads at the National Guideline Clearinghouse™
A new MS Word® download feature is now available on the National Guideline Clearinghouse™ (NGC) Web site—an online public resource for evidence-based clinical practice guidelines. The complete summary for each guideline represented in the NGC database can be downloaded and viewed on all computers that use Microsoft Word. NGC content may also be downloaded to Personal Digital Assistants that can read Microsoft Word documents. For more information on this new view of NGC content, select the MS Word® download page available on the NGC Web site.
6. Job Openings at AHRQ
AHRQ is seeking applicants for the position of Senior Advisor for Priority Populations in the Office of Extramural Research, Education and Priority Populations. Select to read this and other vacancy announcements.
7. Highlights From AHRQ's Most Recent Monthly Newsletter
Among the key articles in the online issue of Research Activities are:
More than 1 million people in the United States undergo coronary revascularization with coronary artery bypass graft surgery or percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty each year, and slightly more than half of these procedures are performed in elderly patients. Many studies have documented large and persistent differences in use of these procedures by race and sex.
Other articles include:
Select to access Research Activities to read these articles and others.
8. AHRQ in the Professional Literature
We are providing the following hyperlinks to journal abstracts through PubMed® for your convenience. Unfortunately, some of you may not be able to access the abstracts because of firewalls or specific settings on your individual computer systems. If you are having problems, you should ask your technical support staff for possible remedies.
Polverejan E, Gardiner JC, Bradley CJ, et al. Estimating mean hospital cost as a function of length of stay and patient characteristics. Health Econ 2003 Nov; 12(1):935-47. Select to access the abstract on PubMed®.
Peterson ED, Kaul P, Kaczmarek RG, et al. From controlled trials to clinical practice: monitoring transmyocardial revascularization use and outcomes. J Am Coll Cardiol 2003 Nov 5;42(9):1611-6. Select to access the abstract on PubMed®.
Talcott JA, Manola J, Clark JA, et al. Time course and predictors of symptoms after primary prostate cancer therapy. J Clin Oncol 2003 Nov 1;21(21):3979-86. Select to access the abstract on PubMed®.
Flores G, Abreu M, Chaisson CE, et al. Keeping children out of hospitals: parents' perspectives on how pediatric hospitalizations for ambulatory care-sensitive conditions can be avoided. Pediatrics 2003 Nov;112(5):1021-30. Select to access the abstract on PubMed®.
Richards CF, Lowe RA. Researching racial and ethnic disparities in emergency medicine. Acad Emerg Med 2003 Nov;10(11):1169-75. Select to access the abstract on PubMed®.
Bradley EH, Holmboe ES, Mattera JA, et al. Data feedback efforts in quality improvement: lessons learned from US hospitals. Qual Saf Health Care 2004 Feb;13(1):26-31. Select to access the abstract on PubMed®.
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One weekend when I was eighteen I stayed at my girlfriend's house. We were alone and had had a bit too much to drink. We started to snuggle. One thing led to another, and before I could stop her speeding hand from getting inside my trousers, it was all too late. I couldn't believe it. The look of complete confusion on her face said it all. She just couldn't work it out. I suppose it was understandable. I was wearing one of her silk and lace cami-knickers. She jumped up and told me to explain and to show her what she thought she knew. At first I refused, but she made it very clear that if I didn't comply she could make enough fuss that would get me in plenty of trouble. Feeling very dirty, I showed her. I stood there in silk and lace. To my shock, she said it could be fun. She said if I wanted things that way, then I would have to do it right. An hour later, I was a girly-girl.
-Diddy, 36
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