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Society names 50 Advocates to mentor underserved students
Society for Science & the Public is excited to announce this year's 50 Advocates — educators, scientists and mentors — who will help underrepresented students find opportunities to participate and compete in science research competitions and will help inspire the students to engage in STEM fields.
Each Advocate will mentor a cohort of at least three students and help them navigate the often complicated process of entering science research competitions. The Advocates will support the students as they complete research projects and apply to compete in science fairs and contests.
2018–2019 Lead Advocates, who will mentor groups of Advocates:
Laurel Bingman, Houston, Texas
Charmain Brammer, St. George, Utah
Jennifer Claudio, San Jose, California
Priscilla Lumbreras, Granbury, Texas
Douglas Masterson, Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Elizabeth Proctor, Monticello, Georgia
Brenda Rubenstein, Providence, Rhode Island
2018–2019 Advocates:
Marvin Bayro, San Juan, Puerto Rico
Maya Bhagat, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Cheyenne Branscum, Shawnee, Oklahoma
Denise Caceres, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Celia Castellanos, Los Angeles, California
Carrie Cox, Chamberlain, South Dakota
Jennifer Donnelly, Union City, New Jersey
Amy Douglas, Shreveport, Louisiana
Creighton Edington, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Errik Ejike, Omaha, Nebraska
Conrad Faine, Hialeah, Florida
Lisa Franchetti, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Shannon Fraser, Priest River, Idaho
Mark Friedman, Inglewood, California
Constantina Green, Hopkins, South Carolina
Cynthia Hopkins, Corpus Christi, Texas
Tinika Jackson, Washington, D.C.
Merridith Joly, St. Paul, Minnesota
Stephanie Jones, Atlanta, Georgia
Vincent Joralemon, New York, New York
Kehkashan Khan, Chicago, Illinois
Frank LaBanca, Danbury, Connecticut
Mindy Levine, Kingston, Rhode Island
Jamie Ludwig, Lawrenceville, New Jersey
Reny Mathew, Tuba City, Arizona
Pradip Misra, Bagdad, Arizona
Andrew Moore, Port Huron, Michigan
Deborah Morgan, Monroe, Utah
Alexis Mychajliw, Los Angeles, California
Marteen Nolan, Crocker, Missouri
Lorraine O'Shea, Grand Forks, North Dakota
Heather Overkamp, Portsmouth, Virginia
Pamela Patterson-Anhalt, Shawano, Wisconsin
Ashley Poloha, Pasadena, Texas
Chris Reeves, Camdenton, Missouri
Jeanne Richardson, Graham, Texas
Kimberly Ring, Eureka, Kansas
Devon Riter, Lower Brule, South Dakota
Sunada Roberts, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Tracy Rumbaugh, Omaha, Nebraska
Diana Techentien, Jacksonville, Florida
Kiwanna Wade, West Helena, Arkansas
Carolyn Walling, Iowa City, Iowa
Learn more about the Advocate Grant Program at www.societyforscience.org/advocate-grant.


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subset: commoncrawl


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The Markets
The rotation out of momentum stocks that began in early March continued in April, hitting many of the tech and biotech high-fliers that had soared earlier in the year. That cost the Nasdaq and Russell 2000 dearly, leaving both with negative year-to-date returns. The Russell ended the month down 6.7% from its early March year-to-date high, while the Nasdaq slumped 5.6% over the same period. However, valuation concerns didn't affect equities across the board. After setting a fresh closing high early in the month, the S&P 500 managed to hang on to its gains, emerging from April the clear year-to-date leader. Meanwhile, the Dow managed to squeak into positive territory for 2014 on the month's final trading day by surpassing the all-time high it had not seen since New Year's Eve. The Global Dow survived April's volatility relatively well, especially considering geopolitical tensions over Ukraine.
Meanwhile, the rotation in equities, a steady hand at the Fed, and little inflation in sight helped keep the benchmark 10-year Treasury yield low. The price of gold backed off after a $43-an-ounce mid-month spike to end April just below $1,300 an ounce, while the price of oil hovered within a dollar or two on either side of $100 a barrel.
The Month in Review
- Economic growth stalled during the first quarter, falling from 2.9% in Q4 2013 to the current 0.1%. The initial estimate will be subject to two revisions over the next two months. The Bureau of Economic Analysis attributed much of the decline to lower exports, less spending by businesses on fixed investments and inventory, and reduced spending by local and state governments.
- The U.S. economy created 192,000 new jobs in March, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics revised its previous estimates for January and February upward. However, that did little to help the unemployment rate; because more people sought work, the unemployment rate remained stuck at 6.7%.
- Consumers emerged from hibernation, sending retail sales up 1.1% during the month. However, a 0.2% increase in the consumer inflation rate could have been responsible for a portion of the higher spending (retail sales aren't adjusted for price increases). The Bureau of Labor Statistics said higher costs for food and shelter were responsible for much of the month's increase in the Consumer Price Index, which put the inflation rate for the last 12 months at 1.5%. Meanwhile, wholesale prices, especially those for services, jumped 0.5% during the month.
- Manufacturing data was generally positive. Orders for big-ticket items were up 2.6%, and according to the Commerce Department, some of the biggest increases were in computers, electronics, and communications equipment. Industrial production also rose 0.7%, particularly in the mining and utilities sectors.
- Spring brought few signs of improvement in the housing market. The Commerce Department's April release said new home sales plunged 14.5%, while the National Association of Realtors® said sales of existing homes were down by only 0.2%. Housing starts were up almost 3% from February, but down 6% from a year earlier. Home prices in the 20 cities tracked by the S&P/Case-Shiller 20-City Composite Index were basically flat for the month, and year-over-year gains were less robust than in previous months.
- As expected, the Federal Reserve's monetary policy committee once again cut its monthly bond purchases by $10 billion, leaving them at $45 billion a month. The Fed also reiterated its intention to keep its target interest rate at its current level well after bond purchases end.
- The Chinese economy showed signs of slowing; the country's National Bureau of Statistics said the 7.4% growth over the last 12 months was slightly less than the previous quarter's 7.7%, and below the official 7.5% target rate. Also, exports were down 6.6% in March, while imports fell more than 11%.
- The European Central Bank kept its key interest rate unchanged at 0.25% despite a 0.5% inflation rate that raised concerns about the possibility of deflation there.
Eye on the Month Ahead
Investors will have to assess whether the recent slump in equities is a case of "sell in May, go away" coming early and whether recent selling has worked off concerns about overvaluation. European Union parliamentary elections on May 22-25 will be watched for signs of increasing anti-EU sentiment that could jeopardize support for the financial system there. The Fed's monetary policy committee will take a break in May, leaving investors to focus on economic data, earnings, and geopolitical considerations.
Data sources: Economic: Based on data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (unemployment, inflation); U.S. Department of Commerce (GDP, corporate profits, retail sales, housing); S&P/Case-Shiller 20-City Composite Index (home prices); Institute for Supply Management (manufacturing/services). Performance: Based on data reported in WSJ Market Data Center (indexes); U.S. Treasury (Treasury yields); U.S. Energy Information Administration/Bloomberg.com Market Data (oil spot price, WTI Cushing, OK); www.goldprice.org (spot gold/silver); Oanda/FX Street (currency exchange rates). All information is based on sources deemed reliable, but no warranty or guarantee is made as to its accuracy or completeness. Neither the information nor any opinion expressed herein constitutes a solicitation for the purchase or sale of any securities, and should not be relied on as financial advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. All investing involves risk, including the potential loss of principal, and there can be no guarantee that any investing strategy will be successful.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) is a price-weighted index composed of 30 widely traded blue-chip U.S. common stocks. The S&P 500 is a market-cap weighted index composed of the common stocks of 500 leading companies in leading industries of the U.S. economy. The NASDAQ Composite Index is a market-value weighted index of all common stocks listed on the NASDAQ stock exchange. The Russell 2000 is a market-cap weighted index composed of 2,000 U.S. small-cap common stocks. The Global Dow is an equally weighted index of 150 widely traded blue-chip common stocks worldwide. Market indices listed are unmanaged and are not available for direct investment.


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By Steven Cole Smith Special to Tribune Newspapers
April 10, 2012
When Volvo introduced the C70 convertible in 1999 — the company's first drop-top in decades — the car had the looks, but little else. Typical of a lot of convertibles from the era, the C70 suffered from some serious "cowl shake," a tendency, when driven over rough surfaces like railroad tracks, for the car to shimmy like it had a rubber suspension.
Cowl shake does not improve with age. The last time I was in a friend's old C70, it shook like a wet dog. Still looked great, but the car, even new, just never quite clicked.
I hadn't driven a C70 in a couple of years, and when the 2012 model showed up, I was less interested than I should have been. Yes, it looks great — a 2011 facelift gave the C70 a sense of family with other Volvos, and no major changes were made for 2012. This one, painted "Black Sapphire Metallic," which is pretty much just "black" despite a $550 premium, came with handsome, five-spoke alloy wheels with black accents.
The central difference between the original C70 and the new one is the top — a conventional cloth top on the original, and a complex but nicely engineered retractable steel hardtop on the latest models. With the top up, the C70 looks like any four-door coupe, with the seams very well hidden. As you'd expect, with the top up, there's zero cowl shake, but commendably, there's none with the top down, either. The chassis is very well braced, and the C70 feels rock-solid on the worst pavement.
This chassis stiffness also helps handling. While this is a pretty heavy car at 3,858 pounds — more than a Ford Mustang GT convertible with the V-8 engine — the Volvo is astoundingly light on its feet. Steering is absolutely spot-on, with just the right feel. The Volvo corners like a smaller, lighter car, but it still rides very well on the highway.
The C70 is still powered by a five-cylinder engine, which has gotten much smoother over the years. With turbocharging, the output is normally 227 horsepower, but the test car had the $3,900 "Inscription Package," which ups horsepower to 250 and also adds upgraded headlights, larger 18-inch tires and wheels, a "sport" steering wheel and some additional trim items.
While 250 horsepower isn't a lot for an ostensibly sporty roadster, it seems like enough thanks in part to the intuitive, Japan-built five-speed automatic transmission. EPA-rated fuel mileage is 18 mpg city, 28 mpg highway. We got an even 23 mpg with mostly highway driving.
Inside, the leather front seats are very comfortable and supportive. The instrument panel and controls seems to be designed as much for aesthetics as function, but they aren't hard to master. The test car had no navigation system. A $1,000 "Premier Plus" package and and a $1,000 "Climate Package" added rear parking assist, heated front seats and a few other features.
The rear seat isn't as uncomfortable as you'd expect if you are shorter than six feet, otherwise headroom may be a problem. Getting to the rear seat, though, is a pretty awkward proposition despite the front seats moving quite far forward. Likely most customers will use the rear seat for groceries or other light cargo; with the roof up, the trunk has 12.8 cubic feet of space, but with the top down, just six feet. But that six feet is accessible only through a narrow slot, as the top folds itself into the trunk, with the rear window on top.
Looking over my original review of the C70 from 1999, there are a few interesting similarities. Both cars had a turbocharged five-cylinder engine (with 236 horsepower in 1999), and the price of both is remarkably close: $47,365 in 1999, and $47,775 in 2012.
The biggest difference: The 2012 Volvo C70 is a very attractive, competent car for the money. The 1999 model — well, not so much.


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Subscribe To Roberto Orci Trying To 'Create A Universe' With Universal Monster Movie Reboots Updates
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The idea of creating shared universe for multiple characters and storylines isn't exactly a new concept - we've seen it an endless number of times on television (See: The Tommy Westphall Universe Hypothesis) and filmmakers like Quentin Tarantino, Robert Rodriguez and Kevin Smith have spent their careers creating small links between unrelated projects. By making the Marvel Cinematic Universe into one of the biggest film franchises in the world, however, Marvel Studios has made the "shared universe" idea more popular than ever. 20th Century Fox is working to bring together the Fantastic Four and the X-Men, Warner Bros. is finally getting around to pairing Batman and Superman in one movie, and now, outside of the superhero world, it's been revealed that Universal may have similar plans for the reboots of their classic monster movies.
At least that's the story being suggested by Roberto Orci, who, along with his screenwriting partner Alex Kurtzman, is currently attached to write the scripts for both the new versions of The Mummy and Van Helsing. Orci recently sat down with IGN for a video interview promoting the upcoming adaptation of Ender's Game, and during the discussion the writer revealed that there may be a chance that the remakes that Universal has in the works will all be part of a multi-franchise spanning collection. Said the writer,
"There's an interesting thing that could happen at Universal where they have this amazing library of their old monsters and these kinds of heroes, and the idea of trying to create a universe. [We're doing] Van Helsing, and we're also producing The Mummy for them. We're kind of imagining updating these kinds of things. You don't want to just make remakes when you're doing a thing, unless it's worthy of being a remake, but when you have an idea for something that can actually be made different and yet be true to what it was. We just had a notion of how to make it modern and have a slightly different tone. It's not going to be just a remake."
Of course, The Mummy and Van Helsing (who originates from the story of Dracula) are only two potential movies that could come out of Universal's library of monsters. The studio's other classics include Frankenstein, The Phantom of the Opera, The Invisible Man, The Creature From The Black Lagoon, The Hunchback of Notre Dame and The Wolf Man. We've heard random tidbits about possible remakes and reboots of those movies as well - and let's not forget the trainwreck that 2010's The Wolfman became - but right now The Mummy and Van Helsing appear to be Universal's priority. Let's hope the latter can be better than this abomination:


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After spotting ETSU a 22-4 lead Saturday afternoon in Johnson City at the ETSU/MSHA Athletic Center the Lady Bisons fell 95-64, their fourth loss in a row.
ETSU is 9-9, 6-3 in the conference. The Lady Bisons are 7-11, 4-5 in the A-Sun.
ETSU's offensive attack was a true team effort with 11 different players scoring with six in double figures. Jasmine McIntosh led ETSU with 15.
On the boards ETSU held a 51-33 advantage.
The Lady Bisons shot 31.8 percent from the field. ETSU shot at a 48.6 percent rate from the field.
Forward Hannah Phillips added 13 points for the Lady Bisons.
Monday the Lady Bisons close out the road trip with a visit to USC Upstate in Spartanburg, S.C., for a 6 p.m. game which will be televised regionally on CSS.


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<<pictures from pretzel's tie-dye party>>
there once was a little boy named lukey who had a favorite t-shirt. it was tie-dyed and if you asked him why he loved it so much he'd say, "because it has all of my favorite colors, red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple."
he wore it everyday.
he slept in it every night.
and every morning his mother would say, "lukey – we really need to wash that shirt of yours today! it's getting so dirty and starting to smell like mud pies!" and lukey would say, "one more day, mom. you can wash it tomorrow."
so for one more day he:
:: splashed in mud puddles
:: ate an ice cream cone with rainbow sprinkles
:: made cookies and splattered batter everywhere
:: painted a picture for his grammy
:: ate spaghetti for dinner
that night he climbed in his bed and got:
:: mud
:: ice cream sludge
:: chocolate chip cookie dough
:: some purple paint
:: a little red marinara sauce
all over his sheets.
in the morning his mother hollered, "luuuuuuukey! coooooooome heeeeeeeeeere! i made something special just for you!"
when he scuffled his sleepy feet into the kitchen and rubbed the sleepy from his eyes he saw a brand new tie-dyed shirt!
she'd made it with every color of the rainbow.
all of his favorites.
red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple.
"we'll put that one in the wash – and you can wear this one. and when this one gets covered in mud pies and popsicle juice – we'll put it in the wash and you can wear that one. deal?"
he thought about it real good for a second.
<<lucas jude + presley brynn – happy hippies - age four>>


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The Finest in
Veterinary Care
We are all dedicated to providing excellent care. Call to learn more.
Caring for
All Animals
All animals deseve compassionate veterinary care. Call today.
Welcome to
Camden Veterinary Clinic
If you live in Saint Marys or the surrounding area and need a trusted veterinarian to care for your pets – look no further. Joanne Finelli-Diaz is a licensed GA veterinarian, treating small animals and pocket pets. Your pets' health and wellbeing are very important to us, and we take every possible measure to give your animals the care they deserve.
Camden Veterinary Clinic is a full service animal hospital and welcomes both emergency treatment cases as well as pet patients in need of routine medical, surgical, and dental care. Joanne Finelli-Diaz has years of experience treating serious conditions and offering regular pet wellness care. Beyond first rate pet care, we make our clinic comfortable, kid-friendly, and calm, so your pet can relax in the waiting room and look forward to meeting our Saint Marys veterinarian.
Online Store
What we provide
Our Services
We are happy to offer a number of resources that enable you to learn about how to take better care of your pets. Please feel free to browse our site, particularly the informational articles. The best veterinary care for animals is ongoing nutrition and problem prevention, so becoming knowledgeable about preventative pet care is essential to the ongoing success of your animal's health. If you have any questions, call 912-324-3400 or email us and we'll promptly get back to you. Our Saint Marys veterinarian office is very easy to get to -- and you can find directions on our Contact Us page! We also welcome you to subscribe to our newsletter, which is created especially for Saint Marys pet owners.
What our client's say
Our Testimonials
I had health concerns for my cat and Camden Veterinary Clinic fit her right in to be seen. The staff was professional, personable, and efficient. Prices were reasonable as well.
Chaney S.
Customer since 2017
Came in and Janet already had Teddy checked, the tech came, got Teddy to give him his shot, came back out!! In and out quickly. Thank you!!
Sharon L.
Customer since 2010
Always courteous, as pet parents we get a little nervous. The vet is always professional and understanding as is the rest of the staff. I recommend them to any new folks looking for a new vet!
Shannon R.
Customer since 2016
I was a walk in and the staff took me in and took care of my pet. They gave me all the serviced I asked for and did them promptly and professional. I was very impressed with the staff and the doctor.
Tamera C.
Customer since 2017
I was more than pleased with the service and the staff at Camden Veterinary Clinic. The were very personable, friendly and professional. They seemed genuinely concerned with my dog's injury and her immediate care.
Terry F.
Customer since 2017


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HOULTON, Maine — Three people were charged Tuesday with trafficking in methamphetamine and endangering the welfare of a minor after the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency searched a home on Military Street.
Darrell Crandall, MDEA division commander, said Wednesday that the MDEA's lab team executed a search warrant at an apartment at 60 Military Street following reports of criminal drug activity and strong chemical odors. There also were reports of children living in the apartment.
Crandall said that agents arrived Tuesday morning to interview Jammie Dickinson, 27, of Houlton, and Kyle Stewart, 25, of Houlton. A toddler also was present at the time. Based upon the reports to police and observations made during that visit, all occupants of the apartment building were evacuated. Crandall did not say how many people lived in the building or were evacuated.
Houlton police officers and MDEA agents secured the property while other MDEA agents obtained a search warrant.
On Tuesday evening, MDEA's lab team entered the apartment and agents seized chemicals, solvents, equipment and other materials used to make methamphetamine. Agents also seized strips of lithium metal, a highly flammable component of methamphetamine, that were hidden inside a child's shirt near where the child sleeps.
Stewart and Dickinson were arrested, according to Crandall. Also arrested was Crystal Dehahn, 26, of Hodgdon. All three were charged with trafficking in methamphetamine, a class B crime, punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine. All three also were charged with endangering the welfare of a minor, a class D crime punishable by no more than 1 year in prison and up to a $2,000 fine.
Crandall said the agency believes these three suspects are primarily responsible for the criminal activity at 60 Military Street, but that a number of other people have been interviewed and additional arrests are possible.
The Maine State Police provided assistance during the investigation. Members of the Houlton Fire Department and the Maine Department of Environmental Protection also were on the scene providing support.
During 2012, MDEA's lab team processed 13 methamphetamine manufacturing sites in Maine. Eight of those sites were in Aroostook County, according to Crandall.


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catmoon wrote:Virgo wrote:Namdrol wrote: Oh, I don't agree. I hate walking through clouds of smoke into a building.. Smoking is a nasty habit and it would be better for all concerned if cigarettes were taxed and banned until it just becomes impossible to smoke..
You know, your right. It's poison and there is no benefit to it's consumption. .
If there were no benefit, no one would do it. "No benefit" is extremist thinking.
No relative benefit on the path of Creation and Completion. Smoking is ultimately without quality. So is killing. So it stealing. But that doesn't mean we should go around killing and stealing.
Saying "If there were no benefit, no one would do it," is basically saying that because an action is committed, it must be beneficial. This is clearly not true. It may be beneficial to somebody's ego-fixation, sure. But not beneficial on the path to liberation. Serial killers' neuroses are benefitted by killing, because it provides them with satisfaction. Meth addicts' neuroses are benefitted by taking a hit, because it provides them with satisfaction. Smokers' neuroses are benefitted by smoking cigarettes, because it provides THEM with satisfaction. But none of these things are actually beneficial to anybody in the long run.
If somebody is truly beyond conceptions, completely equanimous in every aspect of their life, and abiding uninterruptedly in Rigpa, then smoking would have no effect.


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O'Neill blasts Australian 'false claims' over mine newspaper report
Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Pacific Media Watch
Prime Minister Peter O'Neill has attacked "false and misleading claims" by a mining company as reported in the Australian Financial Review, the PNG Post-Courier reports.
O'Neill said BHP Billiton needed to get over its "colonial era" mentality, and appreciate that Papua New Guinea was an independent nation.
He said Australia should negotiate with Papua New Guinea in the "same, mature and reasonable way" numerous other Australian resource companies do.
"Instead of seeking the intervention and assistance of the Australian government, the company should negotiate with my government, and me, as Prime Minister," O'Neill said.
"The article claims that I had blocked the granting or extension of exploration licences because it would not agree with my proposals regarding the determination of the board of PNG Sustainable Development Programme.
"This is totally and utterly false. It is just dishonest," the prime minister said, according to the Post-Courier.
"BHP Billiton surrendered the licences entirely on its own accord. It did so when it made a decision early last year not to invest in Papua New Guinea – after I had personally invited the company to meet with senior cabinet ministers, including myself, to consider investing in PNG.
"We did everything possible to encourage the company, just as we encourage and assist other major investors all the time. They decided not to take up the offer.
"That occurred before the mid-year elections, and eight or nine months before I made my comments on Professor Ross Garnaut," he said.
'Inaccurate comments'
O'Neill said the central issue was not Professor Garnaut and his "inaccurate and ill-informed comments" on why he wanted the issues surrounding the way the board of PNGSDP was appointed to be changed.
"The central issue is this – 11 years ago, BHP Billiton was done an enormous favour by the then PNG government and allowed to exit ownership of the Ok Tedi Mine without accepting any financial or moral, responsibility for the enormous environmental and social damage that occurred in the 20 years it operated the mine," he said.
"Surely, 11 years on, there can be no reasonable case made out to justify BHP Billiton continuing to exercise effective control over the PNGSDP, and as a consequence, the Ok Tedi Mine itself.
"The claim by BHP Billiton and by Professor Garnaut that I want the PNG government to get its hands on the funds of the PNGSDP is personally offensive. All I have sought, and will continue to seek, is negotiations that can lead to BHP Billiton ending a role that it is not justified to continue to play.
"My position is supported by my government, and I believe by the national Parliament and the people of the Fly River, Western Province," he said.
O'Neill said BHP Billiton should reflect on the appalling environmental damage that occurred during its management of the Ok Tedi mine, and the terrible consequences for the people of the Fly River area – consequences which continue to be felt today.
"The PNG government of the day decided just over a decade ago to legislate to allow BHP Billiton to walk away from any responsibility for the damage that was caused during its management of the mine.
"That spared the company the massive costs, and international humiliation it faced because it effectively ended compensation claims by landowners and local communities along the Fly River.
"The provisions that allowed the company to effectively control the appointment of the board of the PNGSDP, and therefore continue its influence over Ok Tedi, were generous. There can be no justification for their continuation," he said.
"The Australian government is well aware of the position of my government. The legislation that effectively let BHP Billiton off the hook is PNG law, not Australian law," he said.
O'Neill said he rejected the claims in the article that his position was damaging the PNG investment climate.
"This is total nonsense. Last month I addressed 1400 mining, oil and gas leaders, and financiers and analysts, in Sydney, at the annual PNG Mining and Petroleum Conference.
"At that conference, there was strong confidence expressed about PNG as a country in which to invest, and in the range of policies my government has in place, and is committed to, to give investors confidence and certainty.
"The claim that this issue has undermined confidence could not be further from the truth," O'Neill said.
Source: Pacific Media Watch 8174


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Find a quiet time and place to pray... take a few deep breaths...
be still... and know that God is near...
A word to reflect on:
The LORD gathers the dispersed of Israel,
healing the brokenhearted,and binding up their wounds...
-Psalm 147
(Before moving on to the reflection below,
spend some quiet time with the scripture verse above...)
I'm neither lost nor wounded, Lord,
and my heart's not broken
but I know so many who've lost their way,
who feel alone and abandoned...
I know so many whose broken hearts need mending,
whose wounds are sore in need of healing...
I know so many who seek your face
but do not find you;
who call to you in prayer
and strain to hear your voice;
who long for your love
and wonder if you've forgotten them...
You gather the dispersed,
you heal the brokenhearted,you bind up their wounds...
I know so many, Lord,
who wait only for what you promise
and wonder why you delay
in keeping your word...
So many wander aimlessly, hopeless,
set apart by loneliness, anxiety and fear,
wondering where to turn, how to turn,
if to turn...
In spite of all our connections, Lord,
so many find themselves scattered, lost,
longing to be drawn to your embrace,
into the safety of a circle
whose company they might trust...
You gather the dispersed,
you heal the brokenhearted,you bind up their wounds...
Lead us to work with you, Lord,
to gather in those who live alone, in the margins,
those who have no place to go (who fear to go to any place),
who wait to be invited and yet find themselves afraid
to accept an invitation...
Help us to gather in those who long to be included
and who slip, so easily, into the shadows,
who fade into the corners of our good times
and end up all alone in the middle of a crowd...
Heal the brokenhearted, Lord:
help them bare their hearts to your gentle touch,
letting go their fear of sharing
what aches within their souls...
Bind up any wounds inflicted on purpose,
by accident or through carelessness
when we were too selfish, too busy, too self-absorbed,
to be as gentle, as kind, as patient with others
as we would have others be with us...
And whenever possible, Lord,
help me to gather into my heart,
into my life and company,
those in my family, parish, neighborhood and work
who have no place to go
and no one to go with them...
Whenever I might mend a broken heart, Lord,
give me grace to reach out gently and with patience
to offer what I might, in ways that might be helpful
to those who share with me the pain they carry...
And, Lord...
Where I've been the one who's wounded others,
where I've been the source of pain,
help me see and own the hurt I've caused
and lead me to ask forgiveness, to make amends,
to bind up with my own heart's sorrow
the grief I've visited on others' souls...
You gather the dispersed,
you heal the brokenhearted,you bind up their wounds...
Help me do the same where I'm able and when I can,
that the mercy I ask of you, Lord, be the mercy I offer others...
In the stillness of my prayer,
help me know and name
the ones whom I might gather in,
the broken hearts which I might mend
and the wounds I might, with mercy,
help to heal...
In the quiet, Lord,
gather me into your peace,
mend the brokenness my sins have wrought
and heal the wounds my heart has known...
To ponder and pray over...
In my daily rounds, who wants and needs to be gathered in?
What brokenness have I caused others? What brokenness might I mend?
Have my faults and failings wounded others?
How might I bind up the wounds of the pain I've caused?
What will I ask of the Lord today?
From this prayer time, what word or phrase will I keep with me
to carry through the rest of my day?
From this prayer time, what word or phrase will I keep with me
to carry through the rest of my day?
(After you spend some time with these questions,
pray the reflection above one more time...)
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|Find the best surf spots
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Datum: WGS84 [ Help ]
Latitude: 13° 30.602' N
User rating (16)
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While you are driving through the Litoral you will arrive at km 86 and here should be a sign handmade that says Mizata.There is a small dirt road by the restaurant Mama Con. When you get to a split section you get the left road and it leads you to the point. You will pass a new surf resort right on the point, Mizata Point Resort. It has all the amenities and the only rooms right on the water in all of El Salvador, with air, hot water, Sat Tv,private decks and views of the waves to die for. Mizata is ,by far,the most uncrowded good surfing wave in El Salvador.
DistanceTake a car
WalkInstant access (< 5min)
Easy to find?Easy to find
Public access?Public access
Special access4x4
Alternative name Mizata
Wave qualityRegional Classic
ExperienceAll surfers
FrequencyVery consistent (150 day/year)
DirectionRight and left
BottomSandy with rock
PowerHollow, Fast, Fun
Normal lengthShort (< 50m)
Good day lengthNormal (50 to 150m)
Good swell directionSouthWest
Good wind directionEast
Swell sizeStarts working at Less than 1m / 3ft and holds up to 2.5m+ / 8ft+
Best tide positionAll tides
Best tide movementRising and falling tides
Week crowdEmpty
Week-end crowdFew surfers
- Rocks
You can park your car at Mizata Point Resort, shower and access the beach if you eat at the resturant after surfing. The Point takes a little time to figure out the wave but once you do it is well worth it.
Mizata is a hidden jewel of the surf spots in El Salvador. It has a surfable wave close to 330 days a year. It is a safe spot with friendly local surfers. It doesn't get much more uncrowded anywhere. Mizata Point Resort is a super place to stay and have first shot at the wave each morning. It is a great place to bring your wife or Gf as it has all the amenities of home.
Mizata is a great,consistent, uncrowded wave, safe and very quiet. It is well worth your time and effort to surf it and stay there.
Author: Anonymous Contributors (2) They surfed this spot ! (22)
No video available
|No surf session
|No surf trip
By rcamaragato , 27-06-2012
Mizata Epic Spot - Classic wave. Need to be in a good shape. Hollow and powerful, barrel into a short left and the right gives good sections to cut back´s and tail slide´s.
Uncrowded. Take the road.
By Anonymous , 09-02-2008
mizata - mizata is very cool! i go evey year i saw u guys!in june i saw ur license plate and it said california mama con rest. is my aunt rest.i saw ur lodge is was very nice we have a place too its called Rancho el marano stop by sometime in the summer!
By Killasoundboy1 , 22-06-2007
People are tripping! Mizata is the SHIT! - It's more like one wave at Mizata is worth 10 at SUNZAL! Unless of course you're fat and ride a longboard and love slow burgery waves and like to kick it with other longboarder barnies in the lineup then Sunzal is the shit! I can't say enough good about this place! Stayed a week at the Mizata Surf Lodge in early June and scored sick totally uncrowded waves everday of our trip! It blows me away that an area with this high of quality waves is completely uncrowded.
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One-Way Flow with Delayed Opening
Lead Free* Models Available
The WATTS ACV One Way Flow Altitude Valve with Delayed Opening Feature is designed to open, allowing flow into a reservoir or elevated storage tank (tank fill), and close drip tight when high water level is achieved. It controls water level by remotely sensing static tank head pressure through a field installed sensing line, and opens when the water level is below the adjustable setpoint and closes drip tight when the level is above the adjustable setpoint. The valve also has an adjustable delayed opening feature, allowing a calculated "draw-down" of water level, before opening for tank fill operation to increase water circulation through the tank.
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BioWare Hints at Big Things in Next Mass Effect 3 DLC
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Keep trying Bioware.
I've been enjoying all the other ME3 single player DLCs so I'll be purchasing this one on the release day. Can't wait for it!
Since their control of the citadel was through the indoctrinated Illusive man, it's possible they couldn't get him to do it.
It's also possible that it's something the keepers need to do, and they have no control of them at all at this point.
Well the second game is exactly why I'm bringing it up. Bioware/EA has serious issues in regards to what it prioritizes as DLC and what is part of the main game. ME2 for example, ended up being less relevant to Mass Effect 3 then the Arrival DLC was (although ME3 also helped by making both the DLC and the second game pretty close to irrelevant). And of course there's ME3's Prothean and Leviathan DLC which are incredibly relevant to the main story. It's just an incredibly underhanded and dishonest way to sell your story-driven RPG ('hey here's the main game, but if you want the relevant plot details buy the DLC!').
That is a good point, again, it's all "speculation" at this point really.
And it all comes back to: Why would they even need the whole activation thing if the "Lord of the Reapers" was on the Citadel to begin with? It begs the question once again.
That... accursed, Deus Ex Machina Child! Well, what is done is done... it's just frustrating to look something you once adored crashing and burning so badly just at the finish line. The coherence is just as solid as a spectreal ghost in another dimension from our own.
Now THAT idea was ****ing stupid. -_- It should have made sovereign redundant. I like to head canon that away with it just being in Shepards head personally. Not full indoctrination theory but it being the reaper collective mind talking to him through the near by reapers, not through some citadel generated hologram.
But there were a bazillion reapers around earth and the citadel was there for hours or even days and I highly doubt they could not assume direct control of the keepers, even if they were the only way shut down the network. The only thing that kinda makes sense in the weird internal logic of me3 would be that the star brat didn't want them to.
My friend pointed out that the council could have permanently deactivated it but I highly doubt they would throw away a weapon that powerful
But since the Keepers are constantly repairing and fixing stuff, and the Council Races don't even know how they work, you'd think they were preprogrammed to preserve this function, even should the races on the citadel discover it and deactivate it.
It is stated numerous times throughout the games that The Council do not know how to operate the Citadel, past a few basic things. And they have no control / do not interfere with The Keepers in any way shape or form. They just let them do as they please.
Not quite. The whole point of the conduit (as I understood it) in ME1 was so that Saren could get to Citadel Control before before they realised they were under attack. Once he did that, they couldn't close the arms in time. ("The arms aren't responding!!! Evacuate the Council!" Or something to that effect.) Reading between the lines, over the course of ME3 it seems that the allied forces do develop ways to hold off the Reapers (otherwise the entire galaxy should collapse within a week), so that may also play a part.
Eh, rambling is fine. It's nice to have intelligent conversation on these topics - BSN (which I also frequent) is still a nightmare. I agree that ME3 went in an unexpected direction in some ways, especially the ending, but the writer in me tends to automatically fill in any plot holes to such an extent that I don't always notice them! I still like ME3, but I do wonder to what extent that is because I've decided to like it... (I'm still gutted that we didn't get to blow up Harbinger or any of the other Sovereign class Reapers...)
I wish I could get excited but I haven't bought one single-player DLC for ME3 since "The Ending" (or whatever it was called) back in May.
I'm not going to rip on Bioware but what's the point? I wish I felt differently. I hoped some time, other games, and having a life would make me change how I feel about the ending. I don't. It certainly does feel like a waste of time, for me at least.
Now, if they had made a better ending that made me want to REPLAY the game again and again.... I'd be psyched. But I'm not so I won't.
Yeah, somehow I missed the clunky final boss fight. But I would have settled for Harbinger just uttering a single -sentence-. I think what I miss the most about the direction is that... through ME1 and to some extend ME2, you had a sense of urgency of the mission, but it was still ambigious and left for you to explore and invest in. ME3 was very much a straight forward mission given to you in known territory - being a diplomat and unite the galaxy. The scene had already been set in ME1 and ME2 for that... so I was mostly resolving, not the delving deeper into part, nor actually connecting with the planets you were aiding. The Cerberus sidearc was interesting to some extend, but it neglected the whole Reaper thing as sort of a "status quo". Whereas I had thought we would look deeper into the whole Reaper thing........ and not by having a Deus ex Machina throw the whole Reaper Glosery in our face in the last 10 min. Nothing to explore, just a lot given to you along the linear road.
Exploration is probably the main issue. It just felt so linear. That and 31 fetch quests (mmo style) and 8 actual missions with dialogue etc. can just burn in a purgatory in all honesty.
There's a lot of tiny things that keeps bugging me. It's not so much about the game and being a fan of it, it has at this point boiled down to being a sugarcoated game that would have been treated much harshes if ME1 and ME2 did not give it value... I don't think it's a good way of thinking to rely on a game to not stand on its own merits and excel. And if you strip away Rannoch and Tuchanka, I cannot think of much positive to say about the ME3 experience (granted those two arcs had some really good moments in them).
It is all oppinion based though, appreciate to see some other people's point of view on it!
Basically, everything including Cerberus was stupid. They go from a tiny insignificant terrorist organisation in the first game to a galactic superpower that the combined might of the Citadel Council proves incapable of dealing with, who are capable of successfully attacking the seat of galactic government itself, with an infinite swarm of cyber-goons, despite literally every project we ever see them undertake fail and/or bite them in the ass.
Everything involving weeaboo space ninja wankmatter Kai Leng was double stupid. That's the sort of character that thirteen year olds write as their self inserts for Bleach fanfiction.
That always struck me as a bit odd as well. Sure they explained how they got the body count for the "army", with the whole experimental indoctrinaton thing. But an army still requires funds... LOTS of it. And it clearly stated they already spend quite a significant amount in ME2, just bringing Shepard back, so unless Harbinger broke his retirement fund and sponsored them, I am not really sure how they could do this. Suspension of disbelief only gets you so far. Not to mention that they had 6 months to prepare the facilities to produce this private army's equipment... was cerberus preparing for an invasion in advance? Possibly, but the funds are still questionable.
a god child from the stars did it
Seeing Bioware squirm really brings a smile on my face.
It's proof that you can't develop crap all the time and expect people to swallow it everytime.
The old "New-Coke-Bait-and-Switcheroo," eh?
I really don't get the hate you all keep spewing at BioWare anymore. Yeah, the ending sucked and for some of you even the free fix can't dilute the awfulness, but there's a time to let go. All you saying the DLC doesn't matter because we know how it ends are just being whiny. Should we be skeptical of the quality? Yes, so wait for reviews. I did that for Leviathan and Omega and I was satisfied with the little adventures they gave.
To use your logic: Why should I care about The Hobbit? Bilbo was in LotR writing "There and Back Again" so I already know the ending. Answer: Because it's a new adventure with new places and people. Kinda like ME3 DLC.
OT: Citadel huh? This'll be interesting. Let's just hope they can keep Starbrat out of it.
yeah, I guess I gotta give you that one. corporations sponsoring cerberus to revive shepard and stop the collectors... alright. cerberus then waging war on a galactic scale with obviously more expenses and going skeletor-level Evil and none of those sponsors backing out... I'm not buying it. maybe because they started turning their soldiers into cyber-zombies, they only had to pay wages until the soldier was cyber-zombified and then... alright, no. it's stupid.
Unless it is a new ending, I am not very interested.
ITT: People still butthurt about ME3 ending.
I'll probably be getting this DLC, I actually enjoy Mass Effect. I like running around as Shepard, blasting space zombies away with my biotics. It's fun for me. If I can get more of it, I don't see why I shouldn't get this DLC. And if it has a cohesive plot, all the better.
Because ARTISTIC INTEGRITY
Sorry Biosware. Your Omega DLC was short and terrible. It was also very expensive. I will not be buying anymore DLC from you. I gave you the benefit of the doubt, 2nd chances and even defended you. Not any more.
It's not just about Bioware or ME3 anymore. It's about a company that has run its IP's into the ground, either dismissed or disenchanted a large portion of its staff, and is essentially being used as a corpse puppet by EA to flag the bones of franchises that were killed off by the latter's mismanagement. There's a reason why EA is considered the scourge of the video game industry, and their treatment of Bioware is just further proof of that.
It doesn't make me mad or whiny to expect better from a company I once supported with my own money. They once created some of the best RPG's in the market, yet their last three releases have been critical fan disappointments and underwhelming earners. I see no problem with calling the company (and their publisher out) for their problems. Whether it takes nine months or two years to get that message through to them isn't the issue. They are a public company, and their fans should demand better when they screw up.
The only thing Bioware has shown over the last nine months is that they'll still stick their fingers in their ears and drown out any negative complaints, while telling their friends in the gaming industry that people just didn't "get" their "artistic integrity". As they say, pride comes before the fall.
That's a terrible analogy. One is a prequel, the other isn't. The main characters (of both The Hobbit and LOTR) are still alive and well at the end of that franchise. LOTR didn't originally end with the main character being forced into a no-win situation and having to pointlessly sacrifice themselves, all while it was implied that the entire universe was destroyed as a result of his actions.
The ME3 DLC is pointless because it means nothing to the overall resolution of either the plot threads or overarching franchise, nor does it have any impact on the silliness and "shaggy-dog" nature of the eventual resolution. Aside from the fact that Omega was a lackluster three-hour trip through monotonous corridors and bug-filled cutscenes, Shepard still dies in the same hamfisted way every time, regardless of what actions you pick within the individual missions.
I could say the same thing about the "complaining about the complaining". It's even worse than the original (majority) of players who disliked the game.
Yes, why don't you stomp your foot and pout some more.
Looking forwards to this dlc. Love all the support this game has gotten!
Do I look like I'm pouting? The only thing I've done is point out the hypocrisy in your statement. I was a member of the BSN when the game was first released, and the people who explained their arguments about the game itself (not limited to the ending) were well-reasoned and not prone to hysterics, while the people who "complain about the complaining" resort to histronics and passive-aggressive insults to make the same point over and over again.
It's a double-sided argument. Over the last nine months, the company more or less disregarded all of the articles, videos and discussions about the failings of the game with a blanket "you just didn't get it!" response. This was in the face of mounting criticism from all sides. It wasn't just the fans - publications like Forbes and The New Yorker, and major media networks like CNN were calling out Bioware for the shoddy handling of their PR and response.
The reason why people continue to complain (as far as I know) is that they are still hoping that Bioware will essentially "apologize" (much like it did for DAII) and retcon the ending and fix the supposed 'mistakes' in the game, but that's a needle-in-a-haystack chance at this point.
Ten months ago, the Escapist was one of the three biggest sites for the "Mass Effect love-in". The franchise could do no wrong in everyone's eyes, despite having a flop in the form of Deception. Now, the people who genuinely enjoy the game are the exception rather than the rule. You can't go on any topic without the overwhelming opinion being about how much the game failed to live up to its predecessors.
I continue to call them out because (a) it promotes good discussion, and (b) as a long-time fan who paid money for their products, I have just as much right as anyone to point out where they went right or wrong. Differing viewpoints are a good thing.
Then don't bother posting on the Escapist again, so I don't have to deal with your backwards attitude. I just told someone else the same thing a few weeks back on a similar matter, and they didn't have a response either.
You're not contributing to this discussion in any way, shape or form.
WOW who f*cking cares?
I haven't bought any ME3 DLC and unless this DLC is as good as Bioware is hoping it will be, I see no reason to change that. Them making a big deal about having the whole cast back is just annoying. In my opinion if you have a character in your DLC they need to be voiced, that is not something to be proud of it is a f*cking basic requirement.
This "OMG U WOULD BE LIKE WOW IF U KNEW WHAT WE WERE GOING TO DO NEXT!!!!" has been going on for ages now. They keep on dick teasing, but according to my friends and reviewers none of the DLC is actually worthy of note. Lately Bioware are always promising the world and delivering something half-arsed.
I leave you with the usual rant
i think thats the only thing that would piss off people more than they already are.
So, wait, this is complaining about complaining about complaining people?
Well I'll be surprised if this doesn't confirm the Indotrination Theory, surprised and very disapointed...
Congratulations - you've proven that not only are you a troll, and that you'll ignore legitimate arguments, but you have no idea what you're talking about.
It's not what I want, per se, but what the majority of people who played the game (which, if the initial response was anything to be believed, constituted a solid 90% of the hardcore, forum-visiting, fanbase) wanted. Incredibly poor job of trying to twist my words around, but thanks for trying.
As I said, you've either been willfully ignorant, or just outright missed, nine months of the developer passive-aggressively attacking their fanbase for "failing" to understand their vision of the game. This is why you still see the fanbase up in arms - no matter how times someone tries to defend the game, it gets the same points (which the company has, to date, never bothered to address). It's not my problem if reading comprehension isn't your strong suit.
That depends on what your definition of "hung up" is. I don't blame people for investing up to 5 years in a product, only to watch as the (original) ending implying that the entire universe had just been destroyed by terrible writing. It's only natural to be angry and feel frustration towards the people who created it, especially when they seem to outright ignore the arguments for making the game better and keep pushing the same old "artistic integrity" response.
Please, stop your crying. If three paragraphs of text is too much for you to read, get off this board, as I suggested to you earlier. You're still not contributing anything of substance beyond stupid, snippy comments, and you'll just go on crying about how I'm "so wrong" when you can't even defend your own position when you get called out on it.
Dude, seriously. Who's crying here. Read what you've written.
The fact that you ran here immediately after I posted to give me another one of your pithy comebacks says volumes about your mental state right now. You still have nothing to say, and you'll continue crying. Please, answer the points I raised instead of resorting to more garbage like what you just posted.
It amuses me.
Or I happened to be online. Funny thing is, you ran straight back, too.
Sure. If that's what you want to believe, go for it.
You started this conversation by writing a blanket statement that everyone who had a problem with ME3 is "butthurt", despite the majority of posts giving well-reasoned arguments why this is the case. When someone called you out on it (me), you resorted to lame insults, trollish remarks and a general misunderstanding of what you're talking about.
Now, you're trying to save face by trying to cast me as a crying wreck, despite the fact that I didn't even bother replying to your post for three days. I saw it the other day and laughed - I figured you'd continually come back and whine some more once I responded.
Again, if you're going to say anything, respond to the points I made above. Otherwise, get off this forum, because you have contributed precisely nothing to this topic.
|Pages PREV 1 2 3 4 NEXT


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It seemed too much to ask, for the Phillies to take a third game from Atlanta, and for the Padres to sweep San Francisco. Turned out, it was.
The Phillies third and fourth stringers put up a pretty valiant effort, trimming a 6-run deficit to 1 with two out in the eighth, but it was too much to overcome. It didn't matter, because the Padres controlled their own destiny on this day. Win and you move on. Lose and you go home.
Losing 3-0 in San Francisco isn't shameful. What will haunt these Padres, other than the 10-game losing streak, is all the men they left on base Sunday. Ludwick striking out in the second with two on and two out. Torrealba's double play grounder after the first two men reached to start the sixth. Tejada striking out with two on and two out in the seventh. Latos pitched well enough - 2 runs allowed should not be enough to kill a team - but on this day it was.
The Padres have some major decisions to make this off-season. No one wants to see a 90-win team dismantled, but there's a very real possibility that might happen (to wit: Chris Young, Jon Garland, and Gonzo account for $20.75 mil in payroll if the Padres pick up all their options). Then there's the question of Tejada and Ludwick - do they return for 2011? Does Heath Bell come back? What of Kyle Blanks? And so on.
We will go into those questions over the coming weeks.
For now, revel in the season that was. Heck, I thought 82-80 and third place was optimistic as a prediction. They exceeded that, kept us riveted all season, and fell just short. It was a lot of fun, even if the final result is not one we wanted, and I for one can't wait for 2011.
Monday, October 4, 2010
That's A Wrap
Labels: Padres Recap
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