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Well, another year has come and gone. It's hard to believe 365 whole days have passed, because I remember New Year's Eve of 2011 like it was yesterday. I was terrified for all of the unknowns that 2012 would bring. And boy, did 2012 bring surprises (both good and bad). I took a couple of small steps closer to my dream of becoming an orchestral musician. I was accepted to graduate school and made the big move to Boston, which marked the beginning of two years of hard yet rewarding work as well as a long distance relationship.
2012 was also marked by lots of loss. My wonderful flute mentor Tal Perkes unexpectedly passed away, and I was absolutely devastated by the loss of my friend Louie. Many of the people that I care about also lost loved ones this year, and so I found myself trying to find the balance between managing my own grief and trying to help others through theirs. Though I miss them incredibly, they helped me fully realize the true value of portrait photography. Through the images of the people I hold closest to me, I keep their spirits with me forever. I remember the happy moments and not the sad ones, and they don't seem so far away.
In 2012, I also learned that I can't keep my New Year's resolutions 😉 Project 52 became too hard to keep up with during my travels this summer, and I regret letting that project go. Those of you who follow me on Instagram will continue to see my personal snapshots when I periodically upload them. My New Year's resolution is more manageable this year: to live week to week and enjoy the moment as much as possible without looking too far into the future. I won't even ask to be happy all of the time– I just want to BE and experience the range of emotions that come with presence.
Perhaps the biggest blessing of 2012, though, was the privilege of photographing YOU– so many wonderful faces, both new clients and returning (and some of you feel like family, I've seen you so often!) I always feel so lucky to be able to witness people at their happiest moments. I love watching you play and snuggle and twirl and laugh. Your smiles bring me more joy than you know. Watching this slideshow makes me teary with gratitude, and I hope that when you watch it, I can give you back a fraction of the fulfillment you bring me.
So, without further ado, here's one image from every 2012 session I photographed. May your 2013 be filled with joy and love, and I hope you find contentment in each moment– both good and bad.


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THE penultimate Scottish beer of this batch of Scottish beers from Tesco is Harviestoun's Schiehallion Lager Beer. After trying Harviestoun Bitter & Twisted a couple of weeks ago, I'm looking forward to Schiehallion. Even if it is a lager.
For the front label and bottle shape, Harviestoun have stuck to the same formula for Schiehallion as they did with Bitter & Twisted. There's a clear and well designed roundel. An illustration, this time of mountains and clouds. An ABV of 4.8% which makes this a premium lager. Those tantalising words "Craft brewed in Alva, Scotland" and three clear bullet points about what to expect. That is to say; "Crisp", "Dry" and "Airy".
The rear label is also an example of restraint and class. And one that answers all the questions you have after seeing the front. The band across the middle gives us the pronunciation for "Schiehallion". A name I thought was German. But is in fact pronounced "She-hal-i-on". If you try saying it with a Scottish accent, it begins to make sense. And yet more sense when you read the description above it. It turns out that Scheihallion is the Scottish mountain of the front label illustration. And the inspiration for this apparently award-winning beer. What award it won, we're not told.
The information doesn't stop there however. This one mentions a type of hops that I've never seen mentioned on any other bottle. Has anyone ever heard of "Herbsbrücker Lager hops" before? How are they different? Answers in the comments please.
How Harviestoun describe Schiehallion is "crisp, dry and airy" and with a "fresh, grapefruit taste". Sounds delicious. Let's see if it actually is.
Other off bits of information on the label include the suggestion that Schiehallion is best straight from the fridge. And that this 500 millilitre bottle has 2.4 of your UK alcohol units. If you're drinking this in another country, don't worry about ignoring the "units" symbol. We ignore them too.
Once in a glass, Schiehallion looks and smells lagery. It's gold in colour and with not much head.
And it smells typically lagery as well. There's no mistaking that waft of hops that you only get with lager. The smell that I think, isn't as good as with ale.
Now the most important part. The taste. And the question of whether it matches the description on the label. Let's test…
A couple of gulps down, and it's tasting as much like lager as it looks and smells. That is to say, it's utterly lagery. Maybe I've been spoilt by the number of quality ales I've been drinking lately, but all lagers are starting to seem as full-flavoured as an Alka-Seltzer. Or perhaps I'm being harsh on it. It's not pretending to be anything other than a quality lager.
After you recover from the bitterness that accompanies all lagers, you can begin to appreciate it a little more. The quality does shine through in the drinkability. It's not too gassy and easy to drink. And I can't argue with the description of crisp, dry and airy. As for the promised citrus or grapefruit taste, I found it hard to identify. What dominated for me was watery hoppy bitterness. But that's lager for you. If you know your lagers, you'll probably be able to pick out exactly what the flavours are.
For me, Schiehallion was nice, refreshing lager. Was it special? I'm not sure if it truly did anything new. But it was a quality lager. And if you like lagers, you'll probably like this one. If, like me, you've been enjoying beers and ales with fuller bodies than Vanessa Feltz, you'll prefer something that mentions styrian goldings and fuggles on the label.
For these reasons, I've got to rate Schiehallion low. But it gains some marks for it's obvious class among lagers. And if you like your lager, you can add a point or two yourself.
Rating: 3.25
Agree or disagree with my rating?
Have you tried Schiehallion or any other Harviestoun brew?
Any recommendations of your own?
Or ideas of what I should review next?
Share your comments and insults with the world, in the usual place…
Tags: alva, beel, harviestoun, lager, review, schiehallion, Scotland, Scottish

subset: commoncrawl


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If labor is so powerful in Los Angeles, why aren't workers there doing better?
This is the question that goes unanswered in so much commentary about labor's power in Southern California -- and across the state. Yes, the relatively small percentage of private workers who are union members can claim a small wage premium (this is most particular true among janitors in big LA office buildings). But the benefits of labor union power are mostly invisible to most of us. Labor may control the city council, so why isn't policy friendlier to employment? If LA is run by workers, what explains a city unemployment rate that has been stuck above even the high state unemployment rate of 12 percent.
The answer seems to be: labor unions have been mostly unable or unwilling, or both, to leverage their political power into broader pro-worker policy changes. The reason for that is disputed. Labor blames national and international capitalists and the local business community. Business types blame labor. Economists and experts suggest that the reasons for Southern California's economic malaise range from the end of the Cold War (and the resulting aerospace cutbacks) to the real estate market and can't be explained by the usual labor vs. business debate.
U.S. & World
Regardless of blame, the simple fact is that labor's political power hasn't been enough. Which is why it's frustrating to read triumphant writing about labor's political gains. Lou Siegel, a longtime consultant to labor who now teaches a class on the subject (full disclosure: I'm friendly with Lou and have spoken at the class), is the latest to boast of this hollow union triumph:
"...we don't hear many elected officials in our cities, counties and the capitol engaging in the toxic rhetoric being spewed out in those states under the influence of tea party conservatives. Because we're not demonized, marginalized or disenfranchised, California labor activists may feel a little more mellow than our colleagues and comrades in the rest of the country. And unlike those regions, where union power has dropped steadily, L.A. Labor has absorbed the shocks, seized the opportunities and looks relatively strong going forward."


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Welcome to the Hands-On Technology Program. Here you will find science experiments and other hands-on activities to help your K-8 students get excited about learning. All of the activities are designed so that the children can do them using every day, inexpensive materials. Many of the pages that follow are designed to be photocopied and used directly by your class. Others are teacher's notes and materials lists.
To get started, pick a subject below or choose one of the following for more general information.
This site (http://www.galaxy.net/~k12) is generously sponsored by ... Galaxy Networks, Inc.
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"There is no such thing as a minor lapse of integrity" – Tom Peters
Yet another line that struck me as capturing an important truth. Integrity is either something people have or they don't have. It's often the little things that reveal the weaknesses in ourselves and others the most. People will always try to justify their own "minor" failings and wrong doings. Everyone has a "mitigation" and an "excuse" for why what they did was not as bad as when others do the same thing.
One "mitigation "often used is scale and that's why I like that quote. The guy who steals a pen from his work lacks integrity and is a thief. It's a small theft, but a theft nevertheless. Tact and sensitivity are good things, but a "white lie" is still a lie. The person telling the "white lie" is till a liar. "Just a kiss" at the office party with another that your wife is never told about is still a betrayal of your word and reveals that honour and integrity are not things you posses in any meaningful way.
It's in the "little things" that people often reveal their true nature the most. The big things will be condemned by almost all. So most people tend to avoid big lapses for fear of being caught and condemned. However that is not the same as having a "just and immoveable core" from which you and others can draw strength.
I love the Heraclitus quote "A man's character is his fate." I think that is very true. The person we are within determines our thoughts and actions, the impact we have on others, the person we truly are and the life we lead. I also love the line from the movie Rob Roy, "Honor is the gift a man gives himself." In fact the whole scene is great and I've found a link to it (copied below).
To have honour, integrity and character we need to remember there is no such thing as minor lapses in any of them. We need to strive to be the best we can be and to be congruent and true to our ideals. We are all human and we will all fail in this. But when we do fail, do we say that we have failed to maintain our integrity? Or do we convincingly justify our lack of integrity with some mental gymnastics?
In the Rob Roy clip he talks about how everyone with honour is a king ("but not all kings have honour"), about growing honour within and us, and it speaking to us, and the importance of listening to it. All the strongest men and women I know listen to that voice all the time. They do their utmost to always follow its dictates. And when they are all too human, they regain their integrity and honour by putting things right and admitting their mistakes to themselves (most importantly) and to others. There is great strength in this. The weaker individual will "mitigate" and justify the things they have done wrong. They avoid listening to the voice within until the voice no longer speaks.
The truly strong man and woman cannot help but listen to that voice within because to do otherwise would be a wholesale betrayal of their core self; for them, a fate truly worse then death. If we aspire to be such a person, then it may be a good idea to start with the small things? Just some musings that I hope are of interest.
All the best,


text: WYSO-FM: Bill Cohen (Ohio Public Radio) Ohio Voters Repeal Collective Bargaining Law By WYSO-FM: Bill Cohen (Ohio Public Radio) • Nov 9, 2011 Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. STEVE INSKEEP, HOST: It's MORNING EDITION from NPR News. I'm Steve Inskeep. RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST: Ohio Voters To Decide Union Law's Fate By WYSO-FM: Bill Cohen (Ohio Public Radio) • Oct 31, 2011 Earlier this year, Wisconsin received lots of attention after passing a law slashing the power of public employee unions. But soon after, Ohio legislators went even further. In March, Gov. John Kasich and Republican lawmakers pushed a sweeping plan to slash union negotiating clout. It would ban strikes by all of Ohio's 350,000 government workers, require all public employees to pay at least 15 percent of their health care premiums, and use merit to decide pay and layoffs. Now, Ohio is getting attention because voters there will decide that law's fate on Nov. 8.


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Choose COLOR:
Stud, a nail, a spike. Pure transgressive energy, innate aggressive force for an object that expresses a 100% rock lifestyle. Its imposing metal base echoes the studs on Diesel belts and wrist straps. Its diffuser immediately conjures up mirrored glasses and its column shape has something of a microphone or lipstick about it…every single detail has been designed to create a metal-maniac feel. Stud's light spreads all around the room, marking out a specific area. It can also be directed anywhere you like by rotating the half-chrome, half-transparent diffuser producing an effect that recalls that of chrome-plated incandescent bulbs.


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Latest Mental Health News
WEDNESDAY, June 5 (HealthDay News) -- Group counseling is more effective than individual therapy in reducing symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety among victims of sexual violence in war zones, a new study shows.
"Survivors of sexual violence have high rates of depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress symptoms. We know what works for treating these victims in developed countries, but very little has been done to determine what treatments can help women in war-torn, resource-poor settings," lead author Judith Bass, an assistant professor in the department of mental health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, said in a school news release.
She and her team conducted their study in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where conflict has raged for more than 20 years. A recent study showed that two of every five women in this area had been victims of rape.
The sexual violence survivors in the study were screened for symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety, and offered either individual support or cognitive processing therapy, which included one individual session and 11 group sessions.
Symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety were reduced among all the women in the study, but the reduction was much greater among those who received cognitive processing therapy. Six months after treatment, only 9 percent of women who received that therapy met criteria for probable post-traumatic stress disorder, depression or anxiety, compared with 42 percent of those who received individual support.
"We saw women, who had once felt too stigmatized to be a part of their community, re-engage after receiving [cognitive processing therapy] and they expressed that they felt they could again be productive members of their families and communities," Bass said.
The study was published in the June 6 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
-- Robert Preidt
Copyright © 2013 HealthDay. All rights reserved.


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About Chris O
Lives in London
Since Aug 2007
Hi. I'm Chris, an American freelance creative living in London. I keep busy working as a blogger, photojournalist, community manager, consultant, curator and more. The opportunities and challenges keep getting bigger, better and more meaningful for me every year! I'm having so much fun. Favorite destinations are many and my list of must-see places to visit seems to get longer the more I travel! I'm a huge fan of Lisbon, Istanbul and Queenstown – to name but a few preferred repeat locations. I also love heading back to the States every chance I find and cannot get enough of the Deep South – Texas, Louisiana, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee and the Carolinas – and Hawaii holds a particularly special place in my heart as well. And even though I've been based in London for years, it and the whole of Britain still yield myriad wonders for me.
The sights a first timer mustn't miss!
10 Places
3 City Tips
10 Places
History Museums, Speciality Museums, Art Museums
Flea & Street Markets, Points of Interest & Landmarks,
Observation Decks & Towers, Points of Interest & Landmarks
Points of Interest & Landmarks, Historic Sites
Government Buildings, Architectural Buildings, Historic Sites
Sacred & Religious Sites, Architectural Buildings, Historic Sites
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Historic Sites, Points of Interest & Landmarks
They are something we take for granted today, but before the 1750s publicly owned museums didn't exist. Founded in 1753 and open to the public in 1759, the British Museum is the world's first ever national public museum, and arguably one of the best with more than eight million artefacts spanning two million years of history. Highlights include the ancient Egyptian Rosetta Stone, the Benin Bronzes and classical Greek sculptures from the Parthenon in Athens.
Buskers, pub crawlers, opera lovers, theatre goers, shopaholics, foodies, and more from across London and around the world all find Covent Garden and the village-y retail enclave of Seven Dials to be a most splendid setting for cavorting, where people have been doing exactly that for centuries.
When I first moved to London, it took a turn on the London Eye to get a sense of how this sprawling and ancient city was laid out. I recommend a spin on the Eye as a must to every local and any visitor keen to see all of London in one go.
No matter whether you're a loyal royalist, an avid republican, or an ambivalent bystander, you can't deny that "Buck House" is as fascinating a piece of living history as it gets. When you go be sure to see what's on at The Queen's Gallery, home to one of the largest and most important art collections in the world, and one of the last great European royal collections to remain intact.
The Palace of Westminster (aka the Houses of Parliament) is home to the Elizabeth Tower (aka St Stephens Tower) best known for the bell inside – Big Ben! This stately and rather ornate complex set beside the Thames is the very image of London while also an incongruous Neo-Gothic wonder unlike any other buildings around it.
Maybe you've heard of Will and Kate – the last couple to have made news getting hitched here? Long before the latest round of Royal Family tabloid activity, the age old and gorgeous Westminster Abbey was making news, where more than 3,000 people (monarchs, poets, and more) are buried.
Sir Christopher Wren's masterpiece still wows today and sets a dignified and reverent tone to London's ancient core. As magnificent as it is to view from the outside, be sure to take a tour of the interior to appreciate Wren's genius fully.
Arguably the world's greatest playwright and England's most treasured export, Shakespeare and his plays are the stars of the show at the Globe, an open-air reconstructed Elizabethan theatre just like the one where the Bard used to stage his shows.
Named for its proximity to the Tower of London, the world's most famous combined bascule and suspension bridge represents yet another London icon that's unlike anything else seen in the city.
Officially known as "Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress" the Tower of London represents nearly 1,000 years of history – with plenty of blood, gore, and intrigue entwined in its tale. Shh … was that the ghost of Ann Boleyn heard crying from the chapel?! While you're here, definitely take a gander at the Crown Jewels, they will make your jaw drop!
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Night Mail
Against Forgetting: Twentieth-Century Poetry of Witness
This is a remarkable book. Not only in itself and for the poems it contains, but for the ideas that lie behind their selection as an anthology. Poetry has been called "memorable speech": a definition quoted by the young W. H. Auden in his preface to an anthology he helped to edit in the Twenties called The Poet's Tongue. And if the speech of poetry is memorable, in a way that ordinary speech is not, should what the poem is saying not be memorable too?
So far so good, but there are certain drawbacks. The words of poetry are, as everyone knows, not the same as their meaning. Or rather their language may make them memorable as poetry without itself having any claims to memorability at all. An anthology, Against Forgetting, has poems to make us remember what they contain, and what they commemorate, the events to which they are bearing witness. It is their contents we should, and are to, remember. A discrepancy may inevitably arise here between the words of the poem and what it is saying. If the words themselves are not memorable, will the contents nonetheless be so?
Let us hope they are. A terrible message—about war, about suffering, about the horrors of this century—may be more memorable just because it is put in the form of poetry—never mind whether the words in which the message comes are in themselves "memorable speech." Herself a poet, Carolyn Forché tells us in her arresting introduction that when she worked as a human rights activist in Lebanon and South Africa and the occupied West Bank, "Something happened along the way to the introspective poet I had been."
My new work seemed controversial to my American contemporaries, who argued against its "subject matter," or against the right of a North American to contemplate such issues in her work, or against any mixing of what they saw as the mutually exclusive realms of the personal and the political. Like many other poets, I felt that I had no real choice regarding the impulse of my poems, and had only to wait, in meditative expectancy. In attempting to come to terms with the question of poetry and politics, I turned to the work of Anna Akhmatova, Yannis Ritsos, Paul Celan, Federico García Lorca, Nazim Hikmet, and others. I began collecting their work, and soon found myself a repository of what began to be called "the poetry of witness." In thinking about these poems, I realized that the arguments about poetry and politics had been too narrowly defined. Regardless of "subject matter," these poems bear the trace of extremity within them, and they are, as such, evidence of what occurred. They are also poems which are as much "about" language as are poems that have no subject other than language itself.
Those poets mentioned, and many more, are to be found in Against Forgetting in translation, and very impressive their works are. Yet language does have its effect on what…
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Katie Fehlinger knows that being on local TV can result in plenty of criticism and viewpoints from audiences. But as she eagerly waits to welcome twin girls in just a few weeks, the CBS3 Philadelphia meteorologist was shocked to witness all of the negative criticisms about her body while delivering the forecast day after day.
Ultimately, Fehlinger decided to stand up for herself and many moms-to-be who are trying to enjoy their journey to parenthood.
"Once more, I have to get something off my chest. So, the nature of my job makes me an easy target for criticism," she wrote in a Facebook post going viral. "I will always understand that, and I will most typically just ignore it. However, after someone blatantly called me a 'sausage in casing' and another declared that 'sticking your pregnant abdomen out like that is disgusting,' I felt a need to draw a line and speak up."
U.S. & World
A message for the haters...Hey guys! Once more, I have to get something off my chest. So, the nature of my job makes...Posted by Katie Fehlinger on Wednesday, August 19, 2015
She continued, "This little manifesto of sorts is dedicated to every mother out there – other pregnant moms-to-be, moms reading this while their toddlers play on the swing set, moms whose kids have long since gone off to college...You are beautiful."
Fehlinger continued to explain that while some symptoms of pregnancy aren't exactly "glamorous," the ability to welcome a child into the world is nothing short of "amazing" and should be filled with support.
"Frankly, I don't care how 'terrible' or 'inappropriate' anyone thinks I look. I will gladly gain 50 pounds & suffer sleepless, uncomfortable nights if it means upping my chances to deliver 2 healthy baby girls," she wrote. "And for those of you who think that's 'disgusting,' remember a woman went through the very same thing to bring YOU into the world."
PHOTOS: Celebrity babymoon retreats
NBC4 Los Angeles morning anchor Daniella Guzman showed her support of Fehlinger by proudly displaying her own baby bump on Instagram. Also showing his support was Guzman's co-anchor Whit Johnson – with a little help from some extra padding.
As for all of the love and support she's received from males and females alike, Fehlinger insists she wrote the post for "some catharsis." But as she pointed out, it's hard for people not to relate.
"In the meantime, let's all remember the lesson Mom taught us," Fehlinger concluded. "If you have nothing nice to say, say nothing at all."


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The Avengers still hasn't hit theaters, but there's not a moment to lose when it comes to keeping the Marvel Superhero Machine running. Iron Man 3 is set for next summer, and it will feature some familiar faces. In addition to Robert Downey Jr, it's not too surprising to learn that Gwyneth Paltrow and Don Cheadle will be reprising their roles as Pepper Potts and James "Rhodey" Rhodes/War Machine, respectively. But Latino Review has uncovered [via Feature Film Casting] that Scarlett Johansson will be back as well. Her character, Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow, became Tony Stark's personal assistant in Iron Man 2, but that was just a cover to spy on him for Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) rather than a real occupation.
Hit the jump for my hearty speculation on how she'll factor into the latest Tony Stark adventure. Iron Man 3 is being directed by Shane Black (Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang), who is co-writing with Drew Pearce (No Heroics). The film is set for May 3, 2013.
It's unknown how much of a role Black Widow will have in Iron Man 3, but I'm more curious to see if Marvel is still hesitant to give the character her own spinoff. Johansson, like her Avengers co-stars, is signed to a lengthy multi-picture deal, so there's room in her contract for Marvel to give her a brief appearance in Iron Man 3 and still have her set for a Black Widow movie.
But there's also the question of how many superhero movies Marvel can handle. Thor 2 is due on November 15, 2013, and the studio also has dates for April 4, 2014 and May 16, 2014. While those dates are subject to change, it would be a safe bet that Captain America 2 will take one of them. There's nothing stopping the studio from churning out as many superhero films as possible, but at some point the slate may become too unwieldy. Where does Black Widow fit in? What about the Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) spin-off or the S.H.I.E.L.D. movie? Plus, Marvel is already gearing up for The Avengers 2. And what about characters who haven't been introduced into the Marvel movie universe? For example, Edgar Wright's Ant-Man continues to swim around in the ether (and he may be there a bit longer if Wright's adaptation of The Night Stalker pulls ahead of the miniature superhero). There's also been mention of Guardians of the Galaxy and The Inhumans.
It's possible that the inclusions of Johansson in Iron Man 3 may be a way to keep the character fresh in people's minds. There are a lot of Marvel films in development, and outside the big three characters (Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America), non-geek audiences may need the occasional refresher on the supporting superheroes. These appearances may become even more necessary as Marvel continues to push more superhero films into development.


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Mark Westneat, Field Museum of Natural History
اللغة العربية; Portugues do Brasil
How do we know a fish when we see one? Not as simple a question as you might think!
Fishes are animals that live and swim in the water (although you might see a fish like a mudskipper or walking catfish crawling on land), are cold-blooded (except for tunas and marlins and mako sharks that are warmer than the water), breathe using gills (usually, but lungfish and some others have lungs), have backbones (but not always of bone, such as in sharks, which are cartilage), have a scaly skin (except for eels, which are scale-less), and have various fins instead of limbs (except for a few that do actually have limbs, like lungfish and coelacanth). So, we usually know a fish when we see one, but there are lots of exceptions to our fishy definitions. Most people will recognize a "typical" fish like a goldfish, bass, bluegill, snapper, or grouper because of experience with aquariums, going fishing, or enjoying fish for dinner. And most people know that lampreys, sharks, rays, eels, seahorses, and other strange-looking aquatic creatures are fishes, while shellfish, cuttlefish, starfish, crayfish, and jellyfish (despite their names) are not fishes. But some fish species are weird enough, and look enough like salamanders or other animals, that it is not always easy to be sure that one is looking at a fish.
There are more than 32,000 described species of fishes, more than all the amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals combined. Fishes are an important food resource worldwide, and fishing pressure has caused many fish stocks to crash or be at risk. Both commercial fishermen and sport fishermen exploit coastal marine fish throughout the world, and fish farming is becoming more common, particularly for high-priced food fish such as salmon. Fishes are also popular as pets, with the aquarium trade in live fishes caught from the wild and being raised in captivity growing ever more popular. Fishes have had a strong role in human activities across many cultures, serving as deities, subjects of art and sculpture, legend and story, and more recently as the main characters in books and movies.
The main groups of extant fishes
Lampreys and hagfish (superclass Cyclostomata) are a group of jawless fishes at the base of the vertebrate tree of life, whose adults are characterized by a toothed, funnel-like sucking mouth and horny (not bony) teeth. Lampreys are best known for species like the marine lamprey, which bore into the flesh of other fish to rasp their flesh and suck their blood, although most species of lamprey are not parasitic. Hagfishes are also delightfully interesting creatures, capable of producing copious amounts of thick mucous, able to tie themselves in knots, and often found burrowed into the bodies of large fish that may still be alive. Biologists debate whether lampreys and hagfishes are closely related at the root of the vertebrates, or whether lampreys are more closely allied with other vertebrates than are hagfishes.
Cartilaginous fishes (class Chondrichthyes) are the chimeras, sharks, skates and rays. They have skeletons made of calcified cartilage rather than bone. Cartilage is tough and flexible, and can be just as hard and strong as bone, providing enough structural support to enable many sharks and rays to grow to very large sizes (the whale shark is the largest fish). This group includes the largest, fiercest, and most famous marine predators alive today. Most cartilaginous fishes live in marine habitats all their lives, but a few species of sharks and rays live in fresh water during all or part of their lives. All cartilaginous fishes are carnivorous and most species feed on live prey. There are some species that feed on the remains of dead animals and still others that are filter feeders. The class Chondrichthyes is further divided into subgroups, with Holocephali containing chimeras, and Elasmobranchii containing sharks (Selachii) as well as skates and rays (Batoidea).
Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii) are the most diverse of the major groups of fishes, containing more than 25,000 species such as gars, bowfin, eels, salmon, trout, catfish, piranhas, lanternfish, cods, anglerfish, tarpon, basses, cichlids, butterflyfish, wrasses, parrotfish, and many others. Ray-finned fishes share a set of basic characteristics, including a skeleton made up of true bone (although cartilage is also present in many places), an upper jaw that consists of two bones (the maxilla and premaxilla), and fins that are supported by a set of bony spines and rays covered with a thin layer of skin. The skull of ray-finned fishes is extremely diverse and highly adaptable. It contains a large number of different mechanisms for enhancing bite force and jaw protrusion, resulting in a wide range of feeding adaptations and ecological roles for the actinopterygian fishes.
Lobe-finned fishes (class Sarcopterygii) are a very special group of bony fishes with limb-like fins that are fleshy at the base and bones connected in series that look and function much like limb bones. The living sarcopterygians include lungfishes (which have both lungs and limb-like fins) and coealacanths, both of which are living representatives of diverse fossil groups. Lobe-finned fishes hold special interest to evolutionary biologists because members of this group gave rise to the first four-legged land vertebrates (tetrapods). In fact, all amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals are included as descendants in the tree of life of sarcopterygians—from that point of view, we are all just fancy terrestrial lobe-finned fishes!
Some of the major groups of ray-finned fishes (roughly in order of origin on the family tree) are:
Holostei: the gars and bowfins
Osteoglossiformes: the bony-tongued fishes
Elopomorpha: tarpon, bonefishes, eels, and gulpers
Clupeomorpha: herrings, anchovies
Ostariophysi: milkfishes, carp, danios, goldfishes, loaches, minnows, characins, piranhas, tetras, knifefishes, and catfishes
Salmoniformes: salmon and trout
Esociformes: pike and pickerel
Osmeriformes: smelts and galaxiids
Stomiiformes: bristlemouths and marine hatchetfishes
Myctophiformes: lanternfishes
Lampriformes: oarfish, opah, and ribbonfishes
Polymixiiformes: beardfishes
Percopsiformes: including cavefishes and trout-perches
Batrachoidiformes: toadfishes
Lophiiformes: anglerfishes
Gadiformes: cods
Ophidiiformes: pearlfishes
Mugiliformes: the mullets
Atheriniformes: silversides and rainbowfishes
Beloniformes: flyingfishes
Cetomimiformes: whalefishes
Cyprinodontiformes: livebearers, killifishes
Stephanoberyciformes: ridgeheads
Beryciformes: fangtooths and pinecone fishes
Zeiformes: dories
Gobiesociformes: clingfishes
Gasterosteiformes: sticklebacks
Syngnathiformes: seahorses and pipefishes
Synbranchiformes: swamp eels
Tetraodontiformes: triggerfishes, filefishes and pufferfishes
Pleuronectiformes: flounders and flatfishes
Scorpaeniformes: scorpionfishes and sculpins
Perciformes: 40% of all fishes including anabantids, basses and sunfish, cichlids, gobies, gouramis, mackerel, tuna, perches, scats, whiting, wrasses
License: Creative Commons CC BY-NC-SA


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By Michelle Bauman
-- In an Aug. 29 speech at the Republican National Convention, Congressman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) called for fiscal responsibility as a key part of a moral response to the needs of the poor and unemployed.
Ryan -- who is Catholic -- outlined obligations that constitute "the moral creed of our country, as powerful in our time, as on the day of America's founding."
"We have responsibilities, one to another – we do not each face the world alone," he said at the Tampa Bay Times Forum as he formally accepted his party's nomination for vice president.
"And the greatest of all responsibilities, is that of the strong to protect the weak," he continued. "The truest measure of any society is how it treats those who cannot defend or care for themselves."
In his address, the congressman criticized President Barack Obama's policies and voiced support for former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, who will officially become the Republican nominee for president on Aug. 30.
Ryan explained that despite their differences in generation, career path and religion, he and Romney "come together in the same moral creed."
"We believe that in every life there is goodness; for every person, there is hope," he said. "Each one of us was made for a reason, bearing the image and likeness of the Lord of Life."
He connected these moral obligations to prominent issues facing America, including a struggling economy, high levels of unemployment and the mounting national debt.
Pointing to the 23 million people who are unemployed or underemployed and nearly one in six Americans who are living in poverty, Ryan questioned why the next four years would be any different without a change in leadership.
The vice presidential nominee said that he and Romney would implement policies aimed at "generating 12 million new jobs over the next four years" and address the $16 trillion in debt that the U.S. currently faces.
"We need to stop spending money we don't have," he said.
Ryan also emphasized the need to "protect and strengthen Medicare," which he described as an "obligation we have to our parents and grandparents."
He criticized the 2010 Affordable Care Act for its "more than two thousand pages of rules, mandates, taxes, fees, and fines that have no place in a free country" and charged that the Obama administration had funneled over $700 billion out of Medicare to help pay for the health care reform law.
Ryan gained national attention last spring amid debate over his proposed budget, which included significant spending cuts in an attempt to move towards balancing the federal budget.
Bishop Stephen E. Blaire of Stockton, Calif., who heads the U.S. bishops' Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, wrote letters to Congress raising concerns that the proposed cuts in programs for the poor were "unjust" and would harm the most vulnerable.
Since then, Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York, Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila of Denver and Ryan's local prelate, Bishop Robert C. Morlino of Madison, Wis., have all spoken up to defend Ryan's reputation as a Catholic layman who takes his faith seriously, adding that there is room for debate among the faithful about how to solve these types of economic issues.
Ryan has responded to criticism of his budget by arguing that the poor are harmed most by the extreme federal debt. He contends that "big government" approaches to poverty have not worked and says that his ideas will help boost the economy and reduce poverty.
Ryan also commented on Romney's Mormon faith, which has drawn some attention throughout the election.
He said that while the two candidates attend different churches, the "best kind of preaching" in any church "is done by example."
"And I've been watching that example," he said. "The man who will accept your nomination tomorrow is prayerful and faithful and honorable. Not only a defender of marriage, he offers an example of marriage at its best."
Ryan stressed that despite their differences in faith, he and Romney share an understanding of the "great moral ideas" that are "essential to democratic government," as well as the conviction that "our rights come from nature and God, not from government."


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USDA Says Number of Farms in South Dakota Decreases
SIOUX FALLS - The U.S. Department of Agriculture says the number of farms in North Dakota and South Dakota decreased in 2012 but the average size of each farm increased.
According to the USDA, there were 300 fewer farms in South Dakota in 2012 compared to 2011. The total number of farms in 2012 was 31,000.
South Dakota's average farm size was 1,408 acres, up 13 acres from the 2011 estimate of 1,395 acres.
In North Dakota, the number of farms decreased by 200 to 31,600. The average farm size in 2012 was 1,253 acres, up from 1,245 acres the previous year.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Brake Tools for Drum Brakes
This video I put together is about drum brake tools, not necessarily doing the brakes. I see a lot of people struggling with pliers trying to remove the springs from drum brakes when they don't have to. These tools in this video make removing and replacing the springs very easy.


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Daily entertainment news with what to watch tonight on TV, the anniversary of Michael Jackson's death and Paris Jackson's tribute to her father.
What to watch: 'America's Got Talent' on NBC at 9 p.m. EDT/ 8 p.m. CDT
Tonight is a new episode of "America's Got Talent." The competition for the best talent in America continues in Las Vegas with over 100 performers, but only 48 will continue on the journey to the finals.
Trending topic: Michael Jackson
Today is the third anniversary of Michael Jackson's death (he died on June 25, 2009). Twitter was ablaze with tributes and shoutouts from fans and celebs alike. According to LATimes.com, Jackson's oldest child, Paris, tweeted, "RIP Michael Jackson .. Dad you will forever be in my heart i love you." Click the link above to read more.
Video: Paris Jackson pays tribute to Michael
Paris is honoring Michael on the third anniversary of his death. Find out how the 14-year-old is remembering her father. Scroll to the bottom of the page to watch the video.
-- GateHouse News Service


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Sox to honor Jackie Scholars, contest winners
BOSTON -- The Red Sox will honor Jackie Robinson Scholars as well as Jackie Robinson essay contest winners during a pregame ceremony Monday morning.
With Major League baseball celebrating Jackie Robinson Day, the Red Sox will also have players and on-field staff wearing No. 42 for the 11:05 a.m. ET game against the Rays.
In 1997, under the direction of Commissioner Bud Selig, Robinson's No. 42 was retired across all of Major League Baseball in an unprecedented tribute.
Rookie outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. talked about what Robinson meant to him.
"Without him, this wouldn't be possible," Bradley said. "He's a very special guy. His will and determination is what keeps us playing this game at such a high intensity."
A New York Times article recently stated that black players from the United States make up just about 8.5 percent of the Major Leagues, compared to about 19 percent at its peak in the mid-1970s.
"Basketball and football -- there are no Minor Leagues, so to speak," Bradley said. "Once you get drafted into those sports, if you're a top-notch player -- and I'm not saying you don't work at it -- but you have so many different levels in baseball and you don't have to go through that in football. You go right up to the top.
"I think it all comes down to preference. It's not really anything you can do to persuade a certain player. It's kind of what you enjoy doing. You're going to choose what you enjoy doing the most."


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On Tuesday, prior to the Lords crucifixion the following Friday, Jesus engaged in a discussion with the Pharisees, who made no secret of their hatred for Him. When Matthew recorded the scene in his Gospel, he first commented on an earlier skirmish the Lord had with the Sadducees: But the Pharisees, when they heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, gathered themselves together (22:34).
Jesuswith penetrating logic and an incomparable knowledge of the Old Testament Scriptureshad routed the Sadducees completely. No doubt the Pharisees thought they could do better. Yet they were about to endure the same embarrassing treatment.
In the midst of His discussion with the Pharisees, Jesus asked: What think ye of the Christ? Whose son is he? (Matthew 22:42). They were unable to answer the questions satisfactorily because their hypocrisy prevented them from comprehending both Jesus nature and His mission. The questions the Lord asked on that day, however, are ones that every rational, sane person must answer eventually.
The two questions were intended to raise the matter of Christs deity. The answershad the Pharisees spiritual myopia not prevented them from responding correctlywere intended to confirm it. Today, these questions still raise the spectre of Christs identity. Who is Christ? Is He, as He claimed to be, the Son of God? Was He, as many around Him claimed, God incarnate? Is He, as the word deity implies, of divine nature and rank?
The series of events that would lead to Jesus becoming the worlds best-known historical figure was to begin in first-century Palestine. There are four primary indicators of this fact. First, when Daniel was asked by king Nebuchadnezzar to interpret his wildly-imaginative dream, Daniel revealed that God would establish the Messianic kingdom during the time of the Roman Empire (viz., the fourth kingdom represented in the kings dream; see Daniel 2:24-45). Roman domination of Palestine began in 63 B.C., and continued until A.D. 476. Second, the Christ was promised to come before the scepter departed from Judah (Genesis 49:10). Bible students recognize that this prophecy has reference to the Messiah (Shiloh) arriving before the Jews lost their national sovereignty and judicial power (the scepter of Genesis 49). Thus, Christ had to have come prior to the Jews losing their power to execute capital punishment (John 18:31). When Rome deposed Archelaus in A.D. 6, Coponius was installed as Judeas first procurator. Interestingly, the... procurator held the power of jurisdiction with regard to capital punishment (Solomon, 1972, 13:117). Hence, Christ was predicted to come sometime prior to A.D. 6 (see also McDowell, 1972, pp. 176-178). Third, Daniel predicted that the Messiah would bring an end to sacrifice and offering before the destruction of Jerusalem (cf. Daniel 9:24-27 and Matthew 24:15; see also Jackson, 1997). History records that the Temple was obliterated by Rome in A.D. 70. Fourth, the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem of Judea (Micah 5:2). It also is a matter of record that Jesus was born in Bethlehem while Palestine was under Roman rule, before Judah lost her judicial power, and before the destruction of Jerusalem (see also Matthew 2:3-6; Luke 2:2-6).
The Old and New Testaments portray a portrait of Christ that presents valuable evidence for the person desiring to answer the questions, What think ye of the Christ?, and Whose son is he? In Isaiah 7:14, for example, the prophet declared that a virgin would conceive, bear a son, and name him Immanuel, which means God with us (a prophecy that was fulfilled in the birth of Christ; Matthew 1:22-23). Later, Isaiah referred to this son as Mighty God (9:6). In fact, in the year that king Uzziah died, Isaiah said he saw the Lord sitting upon a throne (see Isaiah 6:1ff.). Overpowered by the scene, Gods servant exclaimed: Woe is me,...for mine eyes have seen the King, Jehovah of hosts (6:5). In the New Testament, John wrote: These things said Isaiah, because he saw His [Christs] glory; and he spake of him (John 12:41).
Isaiah urged Gods people to sanctify Jehovah of hosts (8:12-14), a command applied to Jesus by Peter (1 Peter 3:14-15). Furthermore, Isaiahs Jehovah was to become a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense (8:14), a description that New Testament writers applied to Christ (cf. Romans 9:33, 1 Peter 2:8). Isaiah foretold that John the Baptizer would prepare the way for the coming of Jehovah (40:3). It is well known that John was the forerunner of Christ (cf. Matthew 3:3, John 1:23).
Isaiah pictured Christ not only as a silent lamb (53:7), but as a man Who a bruised reed will he not break, and a dimly burning wick will he not quench (42:3; cf. Matthew 12:20). J.W. McGarvey explained the imagery in these verses as follows:
A bruised reed, barely strong enough to stand erect...a smoking flax (a lamp wick), its flame extinguished and its fire almost gone, fitly represent the sick, and lame, and blind who were brought to Jesus to be healed. ...he would heal their bruises and fan their dying energies into a flame (1875, p. 106).
Other Old Testament writers illuminated Christ in their writings as well. The psalmist suggested He would be known as zealous for righteousness (Psalm 69:9), that He would be hated without cause (Psalm 22), and that He would triumph over death (Psalm 16:8-11). Daniel referred to His coming kingdom as one that would stand forever (12:44). The prophets portrait of Christ was intended not only to foreshadow His coming, but to make Him all the more visible to the people in New Testament times as well.
The New Testament is equally explicit in its commentary regarding the Christ, and offers extensive corroboration of the Old Testament declarations concerning Him. The prophets had portrayed the Messiahs demise as unjust, painful, and vicarious (Isaiah 53:4-6; Psalm 22). In the New Testament, Paul reiterated that fact (Romans 5:6-8). The prophets predicted that He would be betrayed by a friend (Psalm 41:9) for a mere thirty pieces of silver (Zechariah 11:12), and He was (Luke 22:47-48; Matthew 26:15). They said that He would be mocked (Psalm 22:7-8), spat upon (Isaiah 50:6), numbered among common criminals (Isaiah 53:12), pierced through (Zechariah 12:10), and forsaken by God (cf. Psalm 22:1), and He was (Luke 23:35; Matthew 26:67; Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:27-28; John 19:37; John 20:25; Mark 15:34). Without any explanation, an inspired prophet predicted that the suffering servants hands and feet would be pierced (Psalm 22:16). Later revelation reveals the reason for such a statement: He was nailed to a cross (Luke 23:33).
The prophets had said that He would be raised from the dead so that He could sit upon the throne of David (Isaiah 9:7). This occurred, as Peter attested in his sermon on Pentecost following the resurrection (Acts 2:30). He would rule, not Judah, but the most powerful kingdom on Earth. As King, Christ was to rule (from heaven) the kingdom that shall never be destroyed and that shall break in pieces and consume all these [earthly] kingdoms, and...shall stand forever (Daniel 2:44). The New Testament establishes the legitimacy of His kingdom (Colossians 1:13; 1 Corinthians 15:24-25). The subjects of this royal realm were to be from every nation on Earth (Isaiah 2:2), and were prophesied to enjoy a life of peace and harmony that ignores any and all human distinctions, prejudices, or biases (cf. Isaiah 2:4, Galatians 3:28). This King would be arrayed, not in the regal purple of a carnal king, but in the humble garments of a holy priest (Psalm 110:4; Hebrews 5:6). Like Melchizedek, the Messiah was to be both Priest and King (Genesis 14:18), guaranteeing that His subjects could approach God without the interference of a clergy class. Instead, as the New Testament affirms, Christians offer their petitions directly to God through their KingWho mediates on their behalf (cf. Matthew 6:9; John 14:13-14; 1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 10:12,19-22). It would be impossible for the New Testament writers to provide any clearer answers than they did to the questions that Christ asked the Pharisees.
The Scriptures teach that Jesus possessed two naturesdivine and human. As an eternal Being (Isaiah 9:6; Micah 5:2; John 1:1ff.), He was God; yet, He became man (1 Timothy 2:5), made in the likeness of sinful flesh (Romans 8:3), though without sin (Hebrews 4:15). Isaiah observed that Christ would be a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief Who would grow up as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground (Isaiah 53:2-3).
As a human, the prophets had said, Christ was to be the seed of woman (Genesis 3:15), and a descendant of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and David (Genesis 22:18; 26:4; 28:14; 2 Samuel 7:12-13). The New Testament confirms that He was born of a woman (Galatians 4:4) who was a virgin (Matthew 1:23), and that He was the descendant of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and David (Matthew 1:1ff.). The apostle John stated that He had become flesh and had dwelt among men (John 1:14). Paul wrote that Christ was recognized in fashion as a man (Philippians 2:7-8). From his position as a physician, Luke wrote that Christ advanced in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men (Luke 2:52). He was able to learn (Hebrews 5:8). He experienced hunger (Matthew 4:2), thirst (John 19:28), weariness (John 4:6), anger (Mark 3:5), frustration (Mark 9:19), joy (John 15:11), sadness (John 11:35), and grief (Luke 19:41; Hebrews 5:7). He was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin (Hebrews 4:15). But most significantly, He was able to die (Mark 15:44). In every respect, He was as human as you and I, which is why He could, and did, refer to Himself as the Son of Man (see Matthew 1:20; 9:6; et al.).
But the impact He had on the world was not due to His physical appearance. In fact, Isaiah foretold that He would have no form nor comeliness; and when we see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him (Isaiah 53:2). Rather, it was His nature and His character that made Him so intriguing, so commanding a figure, and so worthy of honor, respect, and worship. Here we see a manbut no mere man, for He is the only man who was virgin-born (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18), and upon whom the inspired prophets dared to apply the revered name of Jehovah (Isaiah 40:3).
Why do the Scriptures place importance upon the human nature of Christ? Wayne Jackson has suggested:
If Christ had not become a man, He could not have died. Deity, as pure Spirit-essence, possesses immortality (1 Tim. 6:16the Greek word denotes deathlessness). The writer of Hebrews makes it wonderfully plain that Christ partook of flesh and blood that through death he might bring to nought him that had the power of death, that is, the devil (Heb. 2:14). If Christ had not died, there would have been no atonement, no forgiveness of sinsthe human family would have been hopelessly lost forever! Thank God for Christs humanity (1979, p. 66, emp. in orig.).
The Scriptures do not speak of Christ as just a man, however. They also acknowledge His divine nature. In most of its occurrences, Jehovah is applied to the first person of the Godhead (i.e., the FatherMatthew 28:19). For example: Jehovah said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool (Psalm 110:1). Jesus later explained that this verse pictures the Father addressing the Christ (Luke 20:42).
Yet the name Jehovah also is used on occasion to refer to Christ. For example, Isaiah prophesied concerning the mission of John the Baptizer: The voice of one that crieth, Prepare ye in the wilderness the way of Jehovah; make level in the desert a highway for our God (Isaiah 40:3; cf. Matthew 3:3, Mark 1:3, Luke 3:4). John was sent to prepare the way for Jesus Christ (John 1:29-34). But Isaiah said that John would prepare the way of Jehovah. Clearly, Jesus and Jehovah are the same.
The writer of Hebrews quoted the Father as addressing His Son in this way: Thou, Lord [JehovahPsalm 102:25], in the beginning did lay the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the works of thy hands (Hebrews 1:10). Not only does this verse apply the word Jehovah to Jesus, but it actually attributes the quotation to the mouth of God. Again, Jesus and Jehovah are used synonymously.
Furthermore, Jesus spoke and acted like God. He affirmed that He was one with the Father (John 10:30). He forgave sinsa prerogative of God alone (Mark 2:5,7). He accepted the worship of men (John 9:38) which is due only to God (Matthew 4:10), and which good angels (Revelation 22:8-9) and good men (Matthew 4:10) refuse.
In addition, Jesus is plainly called God a number of times within the New Testament. In John 1:1, regarding Him Who became flesh and dwelt among men (1:14), the Bible says: the Word was God. And in John 20:28, one of the disciples, Thomas, upon being confronted with empirical evidence for the Lords resurrection, proclaimed: My Lord and my God! Significantly, and appropriately, Christ accepted the designation. Additional passages that reveal Christ as God include Philippians 2:5ff., 2 Corinthians 4:4, Colossians 1:15, and many others.
When Jesus was put on trial before the Sanhedrin, the Jewish high priest asked: Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? To that question Christ replied simply, I am (Mark 14:62). In view of the exalted nature of such a claim, and its ultimate end results, there are but three possible views one may entertain in reference to Christs claim of being deity: (1) He was a liar and con-artist; (2) He was a madman; or (3) He was exactly Who He said He was.
In his book, Evidence that Demands a Verdict, Josh McDowell titled one chapter: The TrilemmaLord, Liar, or Lunatic? His purpose was to point out that, considering the grandiose nature of Christs claims, He was either a liar, a lunatic, or the Lord. McDowell introduced his chapter on Christs deity with a quotation from the famous British apologist of Cambridge University, C.S. Lewis, who wrote:
I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: Im ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I dont accept His claim to be God. That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunaticon a level with the man who says he is a poached eggor else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come up with any patronising nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to (1952, pp. 40-41).
Was Christ a Liar?
Was Christ a liar? A charlatan? A messianic manipulator? Hugh J. Schonfield, in The Passover Plot, claimed that He was all three. Schonfield suggested that Jesus manipulated His life in such a way as to counterfeit the events described in the Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah. At times, this required contriving those events when necessary, contending with friends and foes to ensure that the predictions would be fulfilled (1965, p. 7). Schonfield charged that Jesus plotted and schemed with the utmost skill and resourcefulness, sometimes making secret arrangements, taking advantage of every circumstance conducive to the attainment of his objectives (p. 155). He further asserted that Jesus even planned to fake His own death on the cross. Unfortunately, however, Jesus had not counted on having a Roman soldier pierce His side with a spear. Thus, instead of recovering from His stupor, Jesus died unexpectedly. On Saturday night, His body was moved to a secret place so that His tomb would be empty on the next day, thus leaving the impression of His resurrection and, simultaneously, His deity (pp. 161,165).
But does this reconstruction of the life of Christ ring true? Even if a charlatan could beguile a few followers into believing that he had fulfilled a few of the prophecies (either by coincidence, or by contrivance), how could he possibly fulfill those that were beyond his control? For example, how could an impostor have planned his betrayal price? How could he have known that the money would be used to purchase the potters field (cf. Zechariah 11:13, Matthew 27:7)? How could he have known that men would gamble for his clothing (cf. Psalm 22:17-18, Matthew 27:35-36)? Yet these are just a sampling of the many prophecies over which he would have no control. Jesus, however, fulfilled every single one of them.
In considering the possibility that Christ was little more than an accomplished liar, renowned biblical historian, Philip Schaff, asked:
How in the name of logic, common sense, and experience, could an impostor that is a deceitful, selfish, depraved manhave invented, and consistently maintained from the beginning to end, the purest and noblest character known in history with the most perfect air of truth and reality? How could he have conceived and successfully carried out a plan of unparalleled beneficence, moral magnitude, and sublimity, and sacrificed his own life for it, in the face of the strongest prejudices of his people and ages? (1913, pp. 94-95).
Further, the question must be asked: What sane man is willing to die for what he knows all along is actually a lie? As McDowell summarized the matter: Someone who lived as Jesus lived, taught as Jesus taught, and died as Jesus died could not have been a liar (1972, p. 106).
Was Christ a Lunatic?
Was Jesus merely a psychotic lunatic Who sincerely (albeit mistakenly) viewed Himself as God incarnate? Such a view rarely has been entertained by anyone cognizant of Christs life and teachings. Schaff has asked:
Is such an intellectclear as the sky, bracing as the mountain air, sharp and penetrating as a sword, thoroughly healthy and vigorous, always ready and always self-possessedliable to a radical and most serious delusion concerning His own character and mission? Preposterous imagination! (1913, pp. 97-98).
Would a raving lunatic teach that we should do unto others as we would have them do unto us? Would a lunatic teach that we should pray for our enemies? Would a lunatic teach that we should turn the other cheek, and then set an example of exactly how to do thateven unto death? Would a lunatic present an ethical/moral code like the one found within the text of the Sermon on the Mount? Hardly! Lunacy of the sort ascribed to Christ by His detractors does not produce such genius. Schaff wrote:
Self-deception in a matter so momentous, and with an intellect in all respects so clear and so sound, is equally out of the question. How could He be an enthusiast or a madman who never lost the even balance of His mind, who sailed serenely over all the troubles and persecutions, as the sun above the clouds, who always returned the wisest answer to tempting questions, who calmly and deliberately predicted His death on the cross, His resurrection on the third day, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the founding of His Church, the destruction of Jerusalempredictions which have been literally fulfilled? A character so original, so completely, so uniformly consistent, so perfect, so human and yet so high above all human greatness, can be neither a fraud nor a fiction. The poet, as has been well said, would be in this case greater than the hero. It would take more than a Jesus to invent a Jesus (1910, p. 109).
Was Christ Deity?
If Jesus was not a liar or a lunatic, then the questions Jesus asked the Pharisees still remain: What think ye of the Christ? Whose son is He? Was Jesus, in fact, exactly Who He claimed to be? Was He God incarnate? The evidence suggests that He was.
In Mark 10, an account is recorded concerning a rich young ruler who, in speaking to Christ, addressed Him as Good Teacher. Upon hearing this reference, Jesus asked the man: Why callest thou me good? None is good, save one, even God (Mark 10:17).
Was Christ suggesting that His countrymans loyalty was misplaced, and that He was unworthy of being called good (in the sense that ultimately only God merits such a designation)? No. In fact, Christ was suggesting that He was worthy of the appellation. He wanted the ruler to understand the significance of the title he had used. R.C. Foster paraphrased Jesus response as follows: Do you know the meaning of this word you apply to me and which you use so freely? There is none good save God; if you apply that term to me, and you understand what you mean, you affirm that I am God (1971, p. 1022).
What evidence establishes Christs deity? Among other things, it includes Christs fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies, His confirmation of His Sonship via the miracles He performed, His crucifixion and subsequent resurrection, and His post-resurrection appearances.
Fulfillment of O.T. Prophecies
Scholars have documented over 300 messianic prophecies in the Old Testament (Lockyer, 1973, p. 21). From Genesis through Malachi, the history of Jesus is foretold in minute detail. Bible critics who wish to disprove Christs deity, must refute fulfilled prophecy. To accomplish this, one would have to contend that Jesus did not fulfill the prophecies genuinely, but only appeared to fulfill them. Yet with over 300 prophecies relating to Christnone of which can be dismissed flippantlythis is an impossible task.
Could Christ have fulfilled 300+ prophetic utterances by chance? P.W. Stoner and R.C. Newman selected just eight specific prophecies, and calculated the probability of one man fulfilling all of them. Their conclusion was that 1 man in 1017 could do it (1976, p. 106). The probability that a single man could fulfillby chanceall of the prophecies relating to Christ and His ministry would be practically incalculable, and the idea that a single man did so would be utterly absurd.
Performance of Genuine Miracles
Christ also backed up His claims by working miracles. Throughout history, God had empowered other people to perform miracles. But while their miracles confirmed they were servants of God, Jesus miracles were intended to prove that He is God (John 10:37-38; cf. John 20:30-31).
While in prison, John the Baptizer sent his followers to ask Jesus: Art thou he that cometh, or look we for another? (Matthew 11:3). Jesus response was: Go and tell John...the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good tidings preached to them (Matthew 11:4-5). Over seven hundred years earlier, Isaiah had predicted that those very things would be done by the Messiah (Isaiah 35:5-6; 61:1). Jesus was not saying simply: Look at all the good things I am doing. Rather, He was saying: I am the One doing exactly what the Coming One is supposed to do!
When Peter addressed the very people who had put Jesus to death, he reminded them that Christs unique identity had been proved by mighty works and wonders and signs which God did by him in the midst of you, even as ye yourselves know (Acts 2:22). The key phrase here is even as ye yourselves know. The Jews had witnessed Christs miracles occurring among them on practically a daily basis. And, unlike the pseudo-miracles allegedly performed by todays spiritualists, Jesus miracles were feats that truly defied naturalistic explanation. In the presence of many witnesses, the Nazarene not only gave sight to the blind, healed lepers, fed thousands from a handful of food, and made the lame to walk, but also calmed turbulent seas and raised the dead! Although not overly eager to admit it, Jesus critics often were brought face-to-face with the truth that no one could do what Jesus did unless God was with Him (John 3:2; see also John 9).
The Resurrection, and Post-Resurrection Appearances
Likely, however, the most impressive miracle involving Jesus was His resurrection. In agreement with Old Testament prophecy, and just as He had promised, Christ came forth from the tomb three days after His brutal crucifixion (Matthew 16:21; 27:63; 28:1-8). His resurrection was witnessed by soldiers who had been appointed to guard His tomb. In the end, these soldiers had to be bribed to change their story, so that the Jewish leaders would not lose credibility, and to prevent the Jewish people from recognizing their true Messiah (Matthew 28:11-15). It is a matter of history that Christs tomb was empty on that Sunday morning almost 2,000 years ago. If Jesus were not raised from the dead, how came His guarded and sealed tomb to be empty?
That Christ had been raised from the dead was witnessed by many different types of people: the soldiers who guarded His tomb; the women who came early in the morning to anoint Him with spices; eleven apostles; and more than 500 other witnesses (1 Corinthians 15:4-8). When they saw the living, breathing Jesusdays after His deaththey had concrete proof that He was Who He claimed to be all along! Even his detractors could not deny successfully the fact, and significance, of the empty tomb.
Thousands of people go annually to the graves of the founders of the Buddhist and Muslim religions to pay homage. Yet Christians do not pay homage at the grave of Christfor the simple fact that the tomb is empty. A dead Savior is no good! For those who accept, and act upon, the evidence for Christs deity provided by the resurrection, life is meaningful, rich, and full (see Pauls discussion in 1 Corinthians 15). For those who reject the resurrection, the vacant tomb will stand forever as eternitys greatest mystery, and one day will serve as their silent judge.
Who is Jesus of Nazareth? He had no formal rabbinical training (John 7:15). He possessed no material wealth (Luke 9:58; 2 Corinthians 8:9). Yet, through His teachings, He turned the world upside down (Acts 17:6). Clearly, as the evidence documents, He was, and is, both the Son of Man and the Son of God. He lived, and died, to redeem fallen mankind. He gave Himself a ransom (Matthew 20:28). He is God, Who predates, and will outlast, time itself (Philippians 2:5-11).
Bromling, Brad T. (1989), JesusMy Lord and My God, Reasoning from Revelation, 1[9]:1-2, September.
Bromling, Brad T. (1991), Jesus and JehovahAn Undeniable Link, Reasoning from Revelation, 3[2]:3, February.
Bromling, Brad T. (1991), The Prophets Portrait of Christ, Reason & Revelation, 11:45-47, December.
Bromling, Brad T. (1995), Jesus: Truly God and Truly Human, Reason & Revelation, 15:17-20, March.
Cates, Curtis A. (1992), Christ in Prophecy, Jesus Christ, The Gift of Gods Grace and the Object of Mans Faith, ed. Curtis A. Cates (Memphis, TN: Memphis School of Preaching), pp. 429-441.
Foster, R.C. (1971), Studies in the Life of Christ (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker).
Jackson, Wayne (1979), Isaiah 53: The Messiah, Great Chapters of the Bible, ed. Thomas F. Eaves (Knoxville, TN: East Tennessee School of Preaching and Missions).
Jackson, Wayne (1997), Daniels Prophecy of the Seventy Weeks, Reason & Revelation, 17:49-53, July.
Lewis, C.S. (1952), Mere Christianity (New York: Macmillan).
Lockyer, Herbert (1973), All the Messianic Prophecies of the Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan).
McDowell, Josh (1972), Evidence that Demands a Verdict (San Bernardino, CA: Campus Crusade for Christ).
McGarvey, J.W. (1875), The New Testament Commentary: Matthew and Mark (Delight, AR: Gospel Light).
Robertson, A.T. (1932), Word Pictures in the New Testament (Nashville, TN: Broadman).
Schaff, Philip (1910), History of the Christian Church (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans).
Schaff, Philip (1913), The Person of Christ (New York: American Tract Society).
Schonfield, Hugh J. (1965), The Passover Plot (New York: Bantam).
Solomon, David (1972), Procurator, Encyclopaedia Judaica, ed. Cecil Roth (Jerusalem: Keter Publishing).
Stoner, Peter W. and Robert C. Newman (1976), Science Speaks (Chicago, IL: Moody), revised edition.
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Votes have been cast. People have decided. As of today, this map has been renamed from CARIBBEAN SEA to MIDDLE AMERICA.
Current version (2.3):
---Large map---
---Small map---
Map Status
The map is already in an advanced development stage, having a nice image and balanced gameplay. I need your comments and/or suggestions on this map so that I can make any changes needed (if any) and advance this map through the foundry. If you don't have any suggestions but you think it is a nice map and would like to play it, say it too!
The map was started a while ago but development stalled as I was 'away' from CC for a long time. Recently I returned and I've taken up development on the map, willing to finally finish it.
Latest Changes (Version 2.3)
- removed connection between T&T and Leeward I.
- rearrange names in greater antilles
- change the hue of territory names in the USA
- changed the title to Middle America
This map depicts the Middle America region, which includes southern USA, Mexico, Central America, Antilles, and northern South America. The gameplay follows that of a standard map.
The map has 42 territories distributed in 6 continents, which are:
- United States (3)
- México (7)
- América Central (6)
- Greater Antilles (5)
- Lesser Antilles (2)
- América del Sur (4)
Previous Versions


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It's Europe Day!
Today is a day to celebrate everything Europe has done for us – from unity and peace to the single market.
The date itself is somewhat contentious. May 9th is the date of the Schuman declaration of 1950, widely held to be the inauguration of the European Union. The Council of Europe on the other hand, celebrates it on the 5th, the date of its inauguration in 1949. I personally prefer May 9th, because it's also Victory Day in Eastern Europe, the date when Nazi Germany finally capitulated in World War II. The date is May 8th in much of Western Europe, so the 9th shares two important dates.
The EU hasn't got the best reputation in the country I know best – the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Several prominent Europhobic MPs and MEPs on twitter are trying to get #NotoEU trending.
Stuff like the above makes me sad.
Because it's just like this…
People forget everything that a unified, harmonious Europe has managed to do for us. So, here's a brief rebuttal.
- Worker Mobility – you can live, work, study, and retire anywhere in the EU!
- Consumer Protection
- Cheaper Flights
- Faster Travel on Eurostar etc
- Compensation for Air Delays
- Lower Data Roaming Charges on Mobile Networks
- Food Standards
- Regional Development
- Language Protection
- Ban on Animal Testing for Cosmetics
- Protection of Wildlife
- Driving Licences RecognisedContinent-Wide
- Controlling the Use of Chemicals
- Better Rights for Temporary Workers
- Safety Standards for Children's Toys
- Equal Rights for Passengers with Low Mobility
- Milk for Schoolchildren
- Common Research and Development Programmes
- University Research Funding
- Disaster Relief
- Competitive International Trade
- European-wide Policing via Europol and Eurojust
- Cleaner Beaches and Rivers
- Easier to Buy Property Abroad
- No Death Penalty
- Smaller Bureaucracy than the BBC
- More Aid to Developing Countries
- European-Wide Medical Care in Emergencies
- Non-discrimination on the basis of gender, race, religion, ethnicity…
- Pet Passports
- ERASMUS Student Exchange
- Da Vinci work experience exchange
- No Border on the Continent
- 20-20-20 – Strong Support For Environmental Protection
- A Single Voice in World Trade
- Counterweight to America and China
- Greater Representation Internationally – Stronger Together Than Apart
- Stability and Prosperity
- Peace and Harmony on the Continent for the First Time
- Influence over Modernisation in the Balkans and Turkey
See a few of these lists for more.
The Europhobes are right – Europe really does affect every area of our life. But I firmly believe that we are better for this, not worse. Leaving the EU would be a disaster – we'd either leave the world's largest trade bloc, or simply have no sway in its development. We'd lose our rights to multi-nationals and pervasive government. Yes, the EU isn't perfect – is anything? In Britain, today's Queen's Speech is trying to finish the job of Lord's Reform started a century ago by Lloyd George. But Britain, and all European nation states and nationals, need to be actively involved in Europe in order to build a better Europe… not let everything that we have achieved together fall apart.
Remember that.
Happy Europe Day.
Related articles
- Europe Day Special: Avoiding the slippery slopes towards euroscepticism (libdemvoice.org)
- Europe Day: The Schuman Declaration (yfginternational.wordpress.com)
- May 9th. Europe Day (davidwestern.wordpress.com)


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LOS ANGELES, Oct. 9 (UPI) -- Helio Castroneves and Drew Lachey -- along with their professional dance partners -- were eliminated from "Dancing with the Stars" in Los Angeles.
Both the race-car driver and the singer were past "DWTS" champions.
This marks the first double elimination of the all-stars edition of the show. Dancers make it to the next round of competition through a combination of the judges' scores and viewers' votes.
Still in the running with their professional dance partners for the coveted mirror ball trophy are Sabrina Bryan, Bristol Palin, Kirstie Alley, Apolo Ohno, Gilles Marini, Melissa Rycroft, Kelly Monaco, Shawn Johnson and Emmitt Smith.
Tom Bergeron and Brooke Burke-Charvet are the co-hosts of the show.


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keoghtm brauchte ein neues Print oder Verpackung Design und hat einen Wettbewerb auf 99designs gestartet.
Aus 25 Designs von 10 Designern wurde eine Gewinner gewählt.
Corps Solutions
Our Mission: To develop and implement staff training and enterprise management solutions for Department of Defense, U.S. Government and Commercial organizations. We are a training services organization that addresses these critical needs by offering comprehensive planning and problem solving methodologies that combine the innovative skills of military leadership and decision-making with the experience of civilian professionals.
Our Philosophy: Organizations that confront complex and challenging issues - including civilian and governmental agencies, militaries, international organizations, and Non-Governmental Organizations - need processes and methodologies to promote more effective and timely decisions. We offer training and technical expertise for both military and civilian practitioners on how to employ joint planning methodologies, develop integrated approaches to solving problems and achieve more timely and effective decisions.
Our Services:
Planning Facilitation & Strategy Development
Training & Education Support
Scenario Development & Exercise Design
Staff Development and Leadership Training
US Department of Defense and Governmental Agencies. Typically, our audience is mid to senior level leaders within the Department of Defense, specifically the US Marines.
We would like a "Tri-Fold" brochure that reflects our company and its capabilities. Refer to our website at http://WWW.CORPS-SOLUTIONS.COM to get a feel for our company. Also, look at the winning design from our last contect (MODERN DAY MARINE EXPO) that was created by CAPTIV8. We want a tri-fold that is similar to winning design. One that captures our mission, philosophy, core capabilities (to include the associated services) and how to get in touch with us. Our website's colors, pictures, and verbiage are what we want captured in a tri-fold design.


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I recently sat in a bidder's conference where each of five firms was asked to give a 30-minute presentation on its organization and capabilities. Each gave a glossy PowerPoint presentation ranging from 18-20 pages.
The participants used all the appropriate buzzwords and graphics. All were working on lean techniques and Six Sigma; all had hired black belts who were busily training green belts and taking part in mentoring programs.
Not surprisingly, they all were using similar equipment, had similar plants and information systems. All the participants gave excellent presentations. Only one thing was missing — differences.
After almost three hours of "me-too theater," they had successfully defined themselves as a commodity. The only thing left to negotiate on was "price."
We need to remember that we don't compete on what we have in common; we compete on what we do better. It is what makes us unique. Lean, Six Sigma and like programs are critical tools, but they are threshold events — it's what gets us in the game; it's not the finish line. These initiatives will only give us parity with others using the same adopted programs.
So where does unique advantage come from? I suggest that we first look to the most underutilized asset in most organizations — our workers.
We tend to look at labor as just that, labor. Workers are more than just the muscle behind management's intelligence and creativity. Understand, with every worker we hire we also get a brain. Most floor workers are doing what they do because they lack education or training, not because they lack intelligence and creativity. So how do we tap this intelligence?
We need to access all the talent available. Innovation is not the sole province of the corner office. Companies that ignore that run the risk of becoming the underclass of the next economy. They will compete solely on price, if competing at all. While they may survive, it will be at the will of more-dynamic organizations.
While Kaizen events are one of the best tools to generate employee involvement, they are also commonly misused. I asked a floor associate if she knew what a Kaizen event was. She responded, "I have been in a couple. It's a three-day meeting where managers come out on the floor and explain to us what we think. If the event succeeds, they take the credit for showing us the error of our ways. If it doesn't work, it's because we don't understand the genius of management … Sometimes we get a tee-shirt."
This was not a stupid employee; she had seen through an organization's attempt to misuse Kaizen to forward a predetermined agenda. The organization lost her engagement as a result.
If you want innovation from the workforce, ask for it. Make it part of the job description. Let your workers know you value their minds.
Another technique for structuring this effort is a tool called "idea portfolios," where managers meet biweekly with operations teams to explain and update challenges.
Leadership supports the teams with data, technical expertise and capital when justified. Teams generate, implement and execute their ideas, and document their progress in notebooks called "idea portfolios."
As you start this dialog with your workforce, it generates some interesting dynamics.
First, the process can force management to re-evaluate the factors behind decisions. While this makes us better managers, it can be a humbling experience.
Second, the composition of your workforce will change. Employees only willing to offer physical efforts tend to disappearand employees that are willing to engage in this challenge tend to spread the word and attract new workers with similar values.
Most importantly, your organization will be better prepared for the challenges of the next economy.
Adopted external innovation, while making us stronger, can make us less distinguishable from our competitors, a commodity.
Added internal innovation makes us unique to the markets we serve.
Stuart is a principle at Carbon314, an operations consulting company in Columbia, S.C.


text:
When the going gets tough-get tougher
The AFO is in an elite class of proven tools on active duty throughout all branches of the Armed Forces the world over. Effortless, single-hand rapid deployment of a utility ridden blade design. Tough blade steel gets sharp and stays there longer. Integrated safety is easily actuated to lock the blade open or closed. Formidable, machined aluminum handle fills the hand with grip. Movable steel pocket clip for versatile/accessible carry. Comes with hooded, ballistic nylon sheath for belt or lashed carry. Dependable form and function are crucial to success in the extremes of your world- the 9050 is always mission ready.


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On April 8, 1861, the Richmond Dispatch ran a short item that would have given cheer to slaveholders. The piece simply read:
The fugitive slaves taken from this city Wednesday morning were examined before Commissioner Cornean yesterday. The proof that they were fugitives was clear and indisputable, and they were accordingly delivered to their owners. They were taken to St. Louis on the evening train.
The notice was cribbed from slightly longer story in the New York Times, dated April 4. It read:
A colored man named HARRIS, with his wife and two children, were arrested here this morning on a warrant issued by United States Commissioner CONNEAU and sent by special train to Springfield, where they will be examined to-morrow. The man is claimed by Mr. PATTERSON, of St. Louis County, Mo., and the woman and children by Mr. VAIL, of the same County, from whence they escaped. As it was almost entirely unknown that warrants were issued they were executed with little difficulty, but after the affair became known the most intense excitement prevailed among the colored portion of the community, and large numbers gathered at the depot at the time the regular morning train left, the crowd supposing the fugitives to be aboard. One or two shots were fired at the train. Beyond this there was no disturbance.
Clearly, the Richmond paper decided to spare its readers the disturbing news of African Americans in Chicago resisting the Fugitive Slave Act. But the rendition of Harris and his family was no isolated event. There appears to have been a last drive to enforce the Fugitive Slave Act in April 1861, even as the Civil War broke out. James Oliver Horton and Lois Horton have written, "Even as the first shots of the Civil War were being fired, the Fugitive Slave Law continued to affect African Americans. Three hundred left Chicago for the safety of Canada during the first few weeks of in April, 1861, it was said, because of 'vigorous enforcement' of the Fugitive Slave Law."[1] Clearly, the capture of Harris and his family had made an impression in Chicago's black community.
Yet it was not just in Chicago where the enforcement of the Fugitive Slave Act occurred in April 1861–or where its enforcement caused turmoil. The Philadelphia Enquirer reported on April 5, 1861:
FUGITIVE SLAVE CASE IN CINCINNATI.–A fugitive slave named SWARTZ was recently arrested in Ohio. The application for habeas corpus was refused. Some excitement was evinced in the Court room when the decision was made known. The prisoner was taken to the door and given to the custody of the agent from Kentucky when immediately a considerable disturbance was created at the door of the Court room. An immense crowd gathered in a short time and there was a great deal of rough handling. In a short time, ISAAC JACOBS and SAMUEL WOLF were brought in Deputy Sheriffs HORNUNG and BRECK [?], charged with interfering with the officers of justice. They were fined."
So clearly there was a surge of enforcement of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 in the weeks leading up to the start of the Civil War. No doubt with the wave of appeasement of the slaves states that had occurred in February and March, some slaveholders concluded it was the time to press fugitive slaves claims in the North. Clearly also, as can be seen from the Chicago and Cincinnati cases, free black communities in the free states reacted strongly to these enforcement activities with fight and flight.
[1] James Oliver Horton and Lois Horton, "A Federal Assault: African Americans and Impact of the Fugitive Slave Law of 1850" Chicago-Kent Law Review 68 (1993): 1188-1189.


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Preheat oven to 350°. Heat oil in a large skillet and sauté the garlic and onions for 5 minutes. Remove and set aside.
Place the Edensoy, water, flour, sea salt, and pepper in a blender. Pulse several seconds to blend. Add the parsley and mix with a spoon.
Lightly oil a 13" x 9" baking dish with a little olive oil. Place one third of the potatoes in the baking dish. Spread one-half of the onions and garlic over the potatoes. Crumble half of the bonito flakes on top. Place another third of the potatoes on top of the onions and bonito. Spread the remaining half of the onion mixture on the potatoes and sprinkle the remaining bonito flakes on top. Place the remaining potatoes on top. Pour the soy milk mixture evenly over the potatoes. Sprinkle the paprika evenly over the top layer of potatoes. Cover the baking dish and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. The last 5 minutes or so you can remove the cover and brown the top of the potatoes, if desired.
Per serving - 155 calories, 5 g fat (27% calories from fat), 6 g protein, 24 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 0 mg cholesterol, 270 mg sodium


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The Physical Fitness Skill Awardstevejb68 on November 27, 2010 in Advancement, Nostalgia
Earlier this year I was posting the requirements for the old BSA Skill Awards. I recently remembered that I have only posted about ten of the twelve awards. So, I thought I better get the last two posted so that all twelve are listed.
The Physical Fitness Skill Award was not a required award to earn the Tenderfoot, Second Class, or First Class ranks during the 1970's and 1980's. It was one that could be used as an optional. Eight skills awards were needed to earn the First Class Rank, five of which were required (Citizenship, Hiking, First Aid, Camping, and Cooking.) The requirements for the Physical Fitness Skill Awards have become various requirements in the current Boy Scout ranks from Tenderfoot to First Class.
The requirements of this skill award were:
1) a. Show that within the past year you have had a health examination by a doctor licensed to practice medicine. If the doctor told you some things to do, tell what you are doing about one of them.
b. Show that you have had a dental examination within the past year.
2) a. Record your best in the following tests:
push-ups, pull-ups, sit-ups, standing long jump, run-walk.
b. Set goals to do better.
c. Keep a record of how you are doing for 30 days.
3) a. List the four groups of basic foods needed in the daily diet of a boy your age.
b. Tell how this diet helps your body.
4) a. Satisfy your adult leader that you have good daily health habits.
b. Tell how the use of tobacco, alcohol, and drugs can hurt your health.
I find it interesting how these fitness requirements were optional a few decades ago but are now a mandatory part of every Boy Scout's advancement program.


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Netflix used to have a charmed life.
This year, however, poorly thought out strategy and lurching decisions are stripping away many of its advantages and making it vulnerable to competitors.
Established in 1997, its founders saw opportunities in creating an Internet-based DVD-by-mail distribution system. It was designed to be a competitor to physical video stores, making it more attractive by offering a larger selection and using a unique IT driven distribution system that combined distribution centers across the country to serve customers within 24 hours at highly attractive prices.
The DVD-by-mail service became a hit, ultimately devastating the market of physical stores such as Blockbuster. By 2007 it had delivered more than 1 billion DVDs to customers. That same year it launched on-demand video streaming service so customers could also select a video and stream it to a PC (and later other platforms) for immediate viewing. The company allowed viewers a highly popular choice of physical DVDs or streamed video for the same price.
Effective marketing and the enviable distribution system led the company to became the largest video subscription service in the U.S., with 24 million customers
Despite--and because of the investments required for--its growth, the company was losing money on its $10 per month price for the joint service, so it suddenly increased it price to $16 dollars (a 60% increase) in July. That significant price change and the poor way it was introduced to customers—especially in the midst of poor economic times, angered customers and created price resistance that led a least a half million to drop the service.
Then, in September, the firm announced it would spin off its DVD-by-mail service and rebrand it Qwickster, leaving Netflix with the digital streaming business. Customers were furious to learn they would now have to pay separately for both services. By downplaying its DVD-by-mail business, the company hopes to reduce distirbution costs and its costs for content by moving content from a per rental basis to per subscriber basis that is more beneficial for the firm.
Netflix's decisions were not made with a customer focus, but a focus on stemming losses that worried some investors. That strategy is dubious, however, and share prices have fallen from nearly $300 per share in mid-summer to $140 per share.
The lurching changes have also made the company's position seem vulnerable, leading to new competitors to enter the market. Dish Network, which bought Blockbuster out of bankruptcy, is now using it to introduce a competing DVD-by-mail and digital delivery services at competitive prices and Hula and Amazon are reportedly looking a ways to exploit consumer dissatisfaction.
The entire episode is a classic example of why companies should never take customers for granted and why company decisions need to be driven by creating--rather than subtracting--value for consumers.
How to Destroy Your Customer Base and Investor Confidence
1 comment:
- Piet Bakker said...
Netflix and Facebook just announced they will be teaming up by distributing video content via the social network - a last (desperate) effort to regain customers?
- September 25, 2011 at 4:28 AM
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text:
Single row deep groove ball bearings for tumble dryer dums
Improved efficiency of tumble dryers has developed because of increased attention to environmental pollution. The efficiency of a dryer is determined by an "energy factor" coefficient which measures the Kg of clothing per Kilowatt-hour of electricity. The operating concept consists of a rotating drum (50/100 rpm) with a heated air flow moving over clothes. The two types of dryer provide energy in different ways:
- electric dryers have heating elements
- gas dryers use a gas burner
Both types of Dryers are subject to requirements of silent running and high efficiency with an expectation of long service life. A small electric motor (commonly a single-phase induction motor) drives a drum while a ventilating fan provides the hot air through the clothes.


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