text:
Greetings readers of The Virginia Conservative. If you are looking for new content, fear not. Additional posts will be featured on my new site, which can be found at virginiaconservative.net.
See you there!
Greetings readers of The Virginia Conservative. If you are looking for new content, fear not. Additional posts will be featured on my new site, which can be found at virginiaconservative.net.
See you there!
Posted in Political Musings | Leave a Comment »
Saturday marked a political first for me (given my 18 years active in politics, firsts aren't all that common anymore). I attended my first state central committee meeting of a political party. It has been my experience that the Republican Party doesn't typically advertise their meetings of their state central committee; by comparison, the Libertarian Party not only posted their meeting on Facebook, but they also invited non-committee members to attend.
Shortly before noon, Nick (the leader of JMU's Madison Liberty) and I made the trek from Harrisonburg to downtown Charlottesville for the 1 PM meeting. The upstairs room which held the SCC was packed. I was told that this gathering was the largest that the party had ever seen outside of one of their conventions. Besides the leadership of the Libertarian Party, there were a multitude of other familiar faces including Robert Sarvis and former House of Delegates candidate Jonathan Parrish. The Harrisonburg/Rockingham liberty community was well-represented, with at least seven attendees in the audience. Although not a member of their party, I was permitted to witness the proceedings.
Major points of business for the group included discussing plans for the 2014 Libertarian Party Convention, tentatively slated for February 8th in Richmond, and issues dealing with the Tidewater Libertarian Party. Before the November 5th election, the leader of the TLP endorsed Ken Cuccinelli for governor over Libertarian Robert Sarvis and several members of their leadership had made statements either favorable to Cuccinelli or disparaging of either the LPVA or Robert Sarvis. Although the TLP removed the head of their group in response, some LP leaders wished to disaffiliate the TLP with the state organization.
Unfortunately, as the discussion grew heated, Nick and I had to leave as he needed to travel to northern Virginia for Thanksgiving break. However, after dropping him off in Harrisonburg, I turned my car around and returned to Charlottesville. Being the political animal that I am, I found the discussion far too intriguing to simply abandon it. However, by the time I returned, the meeting had concluded. Nevertheless, the social that followed was worthwhile and I relished the chance to speak with Robert Sarvis, fellow former RLC-VA board member Steven Latimer, Roanoke Libertarian leader Melissa Scott, 2013 House of Delegates candidate Laura Delhomme, LPVA secretary Marc Montoni, LPVA vice-chairman Dr. Lark, as well as meeting several new folks. I heard that although the vote was close, the LPVA decided to maintain ties with the Tidewater Libertarian Party.
Although it ended up taking about four hours worth of travel time and gas, I was glad for the opportunity to spend Saturday afternoon and evening with Libertarians from across the state. It was nice to finally meet quite a few people whom I've only had contact on Facebook.
In liberty!
Posted in Political Musings | Tagged Jonathan Parrish, Laura Delhomme, Libertarian Party of Virginia, Robert Sarvis, SCC | 2 Comments »
Greetings readers.
On a non-political note, I'm pleased to announce that today marks my one year anniversary of attending the RISE church in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Although the reasons which first brought me to this faith community no longer keep me there, during this last year I've found an incredible group of individuals including Amanda, the amazing pastor of RISE. We've had our share of joy and sorrows, our challenges and our triumphs. We've laughed, we've cried, we've learned, and we've grown. Although we come with our own histories and stories, we are bound together as brothers and sisters in Christ.
Although I've invited you before, for those who live in the Harrisonburg area looking for a church, perhaps RISE would be a good fit for you. Maybe I'll see you next Sunday at 10 AM at the Court Square Theater. Or if you're not into that whole Sunday morning thing, you could try Tuesday nights with RAISE.
Posted in Political Musings | Tagged Harrisonburg, RISE | 1 Comment »
On Wednesday morning, I decided to travel to my alma mater, the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. As part of my journey, I hoped to meet with William & Mary Students for Liberty that evening. While on the grounds, I decided to stop in to the office of student activities to discover what sort of political organizations existed on campus.
Besides the aforementioned Students for Liberty and the fairly traditional College Republicans and College Democrats, I also discovered William and Mary Students for Life, a pro-life group created by my former employers, Students for Life of America. After a few email exchanges, I ended up attending a meeting of this organization. Although the local Catholic church held a pro-life event at the same time, as thus lured away some of their attendees, Students for Life still had a pretty good gathering.
Even though I planned to leave campus on Thursday afternoon, when I heard that Pete Snyder would be speaking to the College Republicans, I decided to stick around, interested to hear what Pete had to say and to offer him a friendly hello. Unfortunately, several minutes before the start of the CR meeting, the leader of the group announced that Mr. Snyder was unable to attend. It was disappointing and cut their meeting pretty short, but these things do happen. Nevertheless, despite the statewide losses and the defeat of Delegate Watson in the 93rd, the CRs seemed to be in pretty good spirits.
Although not an exhaustive search, I'm glad to see that political activism is still alive and well on the campus of William & Mary.
Posted in Political Musings | Tagged Pete Snyder, Students for Life of America, The College of William & Mary, William & Mary College Republicans, William & Mary Students for Liberty, William & Mary Students for Life | Leave a Comment »
"Two roads diverged in a yellow wood." So begins Robert Frost's immortal poem and so too the liberty movement in Virginia now faces two or more roads. Nowhere can this divide be seen more clearly than in the 2013 race for governor where many liberty activists supported Republican Ken Cuccinelli and others rallied behind Libertarian Robert Sarvis. As attacks mounted, each side grew to despise the other.
The question now becomes what should be done? Many people declared that the Republican ticket of Cuccinelli, Jackson, and Obenshain was the most liberty-minded statewide slate of candidates Virginia had ever seen. However, Cuccinelli and Jackson both fell in defeat and Obenshain is a few votes behind Herring; at this point, that contest and the recount to likely follow isn't terribly promising.
On the Libertarian side of things, although Robert Sarvis performed leaps and bounds better than Gary Johnson's presidential run in 2012 or Bill Redpath's 2001 gubernatorial race, he was unable to reach the 10% mark, which would have given tremendous legitimacy to the Libertarian party and awarded them official status within the two major parties in the state.
Some of my fellow liberty activists remain firmly committed within the Republican camp, arguing that taking over the GOP is the only realistic hope for liberty. However, there are grumblings within the establishment of that party, whether fairly or not, using 2012 as an example of what happens when the party drifts too far from the center. Although perhaps mere rumors, there is talk of expelling the tea party and the liberty movement from their ranks. And, given the proclivity of some Republicans to pass massive tax increases and meddle too much into personal affairs, an increasing number of libertarians see the GOP as a major part of the problem.
Others declare the Libertarian Party to be the path of the future for liberty. However, given the party did not achieve its 10% goal, it still faces significant hurdles both electorally and, just as important, the wasted vote syndrome embedded within the minds of scores of Virginia citizens. The party is still quite small and underfunded, thus the challenges are enormous. And some of their positions are unpalatable to liberty-minded social conservatives.
As you likely know, during this election cycle I looked at the choices and was…"sorry I could not travel both"; ultimately taking "the one less traveled by".
Like I stated as the campaign cycle began to take a particularly nasty tone, one of my greatest concerns was the rift in the liberty faction. The Republican wing considered the Libertarian to be fools, wasting their time on a candidate and cause that clearly could not win, while the Libertarian wing thought the Republicans to be sell-outs, supporting candidates who did not really adhere to the message of liberty.
Regardless of which party you believe is the best vehicle for advancing liberty (or if you choose no party at all), the liberty movement needs to heal, respect each other, and come together in some fashion if we wish it to advance. My advice to all sides is to reach across the partisan divide and search out like-minded Republicans, Libertarians, and even Democrats (yes, they do they exist. However, they were troubled by Cuccinelli's supposedly radical social agenda.) At least that's what I'm trying to accomplish. At the end of the day, it is my great hope that we can say, "and that has made all the difference."
Posted in Political Musings | Tagged Ken Cuccinelli, Libertarian Politics, Republican Politics, Robert Frost, Robert Sarvis, Virginia Politics | 2 Comments »
For those who missed today's political radio hour on 550 AM WSVA, you can now find it online here. The discussion mainly centered around the outcome of last week's 2013 election, though there was also talk of Obamacare.
Posted in Political Musings | Tagged 550 AM, Andy Schmookler, Jim Britt, Joshua Huffman, WSVA | Leave a Comment »
Today, we take time from our busy schedules to remember and honor the veterans who fought and died on behalf of our nation and our liberty. In the spirit of the day, I took a trip to a small community in Rockingham County near the West Virginia border known as Briery Branch. In many ways, it was a return home. I lived in this area from the ages of two to six and, at one point, both sets of my grandparents lived there.
In remembrance of Veterans Day, I spent some time at the cemetery of the Briery Branch Church of the Brethren. In it, one can find the graves of a multitude of veterans, including several of my own relatives. In recognition of their sacrifices, I'd like to take a moment to remember my grandfathers who served our nation in World War II as well as a great uncle who gave his life at the age of twenty-nine, leaving behind his wife and a multitude of young children.
The anniversary of the end of World War I is a fitting day to remember those brave men and women, many of whom gave so very much for the sake of our people and our principles.
Thank you to each and every one of you.
Posted in Political Musings | Tagged Briery Branch, Veterans Day | Leave a Comment »


text:
September 28 2010
Dragon has partnered with the Surfrider Foundation in an effort to help the oil spill crisis in the Gulf. With every purchase from the new Dragon E.C.O. (Environmentally Conscious Optics) Collection of sunglasses, money will be donated to the Foundation to fund water testing and cleanup efforts all along the damaged areas of the Gulf coast.
"In terms of its impact on the environment and local economy, the BP Spill may ultimately prove more costly than Hurricanes Rita, Ivan and Katrina combined," says Matt McClain, Surfrider Foundation's Marketing Director. "We are thrilled to be partnering with Dragon and their E.C.O. Collection to support our near-shore water quality monitoring efforts along the Gulf Coast, so that we can provide authorities and local communities with the critical information they need to guide response efforts"
The E.C.O. Collection by Dragon was an initiative originally inspired by Rob Machado to actively investigate methods of manufacturing environmentally friendly sunglasses by exploring sustainable materials from renewable origins. This spawned the first E.C.O sunglass frames made from 100% renewable materials, such as plant oil instead of petroleum. From there, Dragon's offerings have grown into the 2010 E.C.O. Collection which includes popular Dragon style pieces like the Calaca, JAM, Calavera, and Experience models.
"It's just the right thing to do," says Rob Machado about the idea behind the E.C.O. Collection. "Why wouldn't you do something that helps our planet? And if we can also donate through this to the surfers in the Gulf, that's even better." The water quality monitoring is an ongoing effort and Dragon will be partnering with Surfrider Chapters to help keep it going this fall.
Please help all surfers support this initiative with the Surfrider Foundation and go to their website for more information www.surfrider.org.
About Dragon
Established in 1993, Dragon set out to be the leading independent eyewear and accessories brand in the youth/lifestyle market. That mission still holds true today and is the driving force behind the company's success and heritage. As one of the few independent brands in the action sports market, Dragon captures the youthful, free thinking attitudes of our consumers and translates that into product that is connected to first-mover innovation, athlete performance, and cutting edge style. Dragon manufactures a mix of surf, snow, motorsports, wake, and alternative lifestyle products that align us with the young, core participant consumer base who are loyal to our brand.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
2013-02-12 • Regimental Records NARA
Start: 21:05:26
Seventies: evenin' klassicglass
klassicglass: hello how are you doing?
Seventies: Doing well. how are you?
klassicglass: doing good. working on anything good
Seventies: sort of... I was able to trace my maternal great grandfather's line back to 1870, but unsure of the relationship between him and the family he was listed with that year All of the children had different names.
klassicglass: that's good
Seventies: different surnames.
klassicglass: that's good you research back to 1870 not the different surnames
Seventies: I was able to trace the man who signed his marriage bond down to the current times. It seems as if they were either brothers or very cousins. Both had different surnames.
klassicglass: different surnames, that makes researching hard
Seventies: it does... That's where oral history comes in...
klassicglass: yes it helps a lot
Seventies: Come to find out that the woman who signed his death certificate in 1938 was his granddaughter and she's still living. She's in her early 90's
klassicglass: that's wonderful, have you made contacted her yet?
Seventies: No I have not, she's in a nursing home in Chicago... so I'm not sure how well she is. I try to talk to my grandfather a lot.. he knows a great deal about all the old days including some things from slavery times.
klassicglass: maybe the granddaughter has children and you can find one of them
Seventies: I believe she does. What are you working on?
klassicglass: still working on Alfred Prior, but Selma gave me home work to do...go back over his pension file page by page and try to read them again I might have missed something, some of the paper work states he was a slave. I do know he served in the civil war
Seventies: Oh yes.. you have to read the pension file no less than three times.
klassicglass: what is that Flood Warning?
Seventies: huh??
klassicglass: it showed up after you ask me what I was working on...you don't see it
Seventies: no I didn't see anything...
klassicglass: I don't know what that is, but I really do see it... but, anyway it's going to be tough but I have to go over them again
Seventies: Practice makes perfect... lol
klassicglass: lol...
Seventies: How many pages on the file?
klassicglass: over 50 pages, when the package came I could read about 20-25 picking out the main stuff, but like Selma said I probably missed something. I was looking for a slave owner
Seventies: Ok that might be in the service statement part of the pension file.
klassicglass: and it probably the pages I can't read, some of the pages only had 2 lines that you can't even make out
Seventies: But I did tell you where to look to get that information.
klassicglass: I have taken so many notes if you don't mind tell me again
Seventies: If you are near Washington D.C. you should request a copy of the Regimental Files Descriptive Rolls for the unit your ancestor served in.
klassicglass: so that's not the same as the pension file
Seventies: No Excuse me the Regimental records is where the Descriptive Rolls can be found.
klassicglass: can I order that online?
Seventies: I'm not quite sure. I suggest that you get in contact with someone who may be able to look the record up for you. Independently of NARA
klassicglass: thanks I will check into that...I wonder were everyboyd is tonight in your research have you found someone who served in the civil war
Seventies: Everyone is watching the state of the union address... I have found 2 direct ancestors who fought in the CW and 3 indirect ancestors.
klassicglass: oh....I forgot about that, I'm so glad I didn't have to work tonight I could wait until 9 to sign on.
deannie: Evening all
Seventies: Hello deannie
klassicglass: hello, how are you this evening?
Seventies: and one possible collateral ancestor
deannie: Hi klassicglass and Secenties Great and yours
klassicglass: awesome find. hello Sadonya
Seventies: Thanks klassicglass. Hello Sadonya! How are you?
Sadonya: good evening everyone Seventies did you find pension files for your CW soliders?
Seventies: For 3 of them I did. the fourth is housed at the VA...
Sadonya: do you have copies?
Seventies: Yes for three I do....
Sadonya: did you find info you didnt know before? like last slave owner and sibs
Seventies: Absolutely! My first ever pension file was almost 300 pages long.
Sadonya: wow that has to be full of interesting info
Seventies: Yep and from what I came to learn later that is not the norm....
deannie: How long did you wait from them or did you get them yourself
klassicglass: that's a lot of pages, and you read thru all of them
Seventies: About 3 weeks, but it was so much information that I had to make two orders. Klassicglass, I'm still reading throgh it and I've had the information since 2010....lol
deannie: Cost if I can ask...I have request on but I still waiting it's been about 2 months
Seventies: Well ladies I'm going to tell you, the government is cutting back A LOT.
Sadonya: I paid $75 when ordered from home when I went to DC only about $3
Seventies: Yep $75 when you order it and now you can bring a USB flash drive and copy it yourself. Basically its free that way.
deannie: ok....I'm planning a trip to DC this year OK
Seventies: deannie, you should call and inquire as to what's going on with your docs.
Sadonya: that will be the time to get any file you need
klassicglass: I need to go myself also.
deannie: Ok I will did that tomorrow
Seventies: I want to take a short trip down in March.. I have a 64gb flash and a 32gb flash... Hopefully this weather will clear up enough for the trip.
deannie: I have 5 weeks vacation and I'm checking my funds
Seventies: I have a few weeks too,but only planning on taking 2 days. If this furlough goes through, I will use my day off.
deannie: Great....
Seventies: Like I said, the gov't is broke . . smh We don't even have a budget for 2013. My branch of gov't is cutting 30% Sadonya, I just found out that Taneya Koonce manages a Blount County,TN genealogy site. wb deannie
Sadonya: is she helping with your research? wb deannie
deannie: Having computers problems
Seventies: No. I sent her some information on my family who lived out there. Photos and such. I found out that one of my grandmother's 1st cousins, James Gary, moved out with this relative and remained out there. So I'm going to see if I can find his family there. They lived in Hall-Oldfield, TN and Alcoa, TN
Sadonya: you want me to do some looking?
Seventies: That would be awesome if you could take a glance..
Sadonya: James Gray and anyone else?
Seventies: The relative is James Gary he was born in Mississippi. He is on the 1940 census with his uncle Benjamin (B.E.) Washington He married and had a daughter named Tanya (sp?) Oh speaking of, I have gotten a few good hits on Find-A-Grave lately. Someone was kind enough to post photos of some of the African American cemeteries I'd been looking for.
deannie: Great....
Seventies: I 'found' photos of headstones for my uncle chester and his wife leathann at th Booker T. Washington cemetery in Muskogee, OK thanks to volunteers. Found brothers Benj and Scott Washington's gravesites there in Alcoa. Also Sadonya, I was able to utilize the TN vital records site that you gave me and learned that Scott actually died in Knox county,TN
Sadonya: awesome
Seventies: His sister filed for a military headstone for him and I found the paperwork on Ancestry. I do have a question about that... hold on let me look at the card....
deannie: Thank good for volunteers
Seventies: Yes indeed!
Sadonya: Tenn has the greatest volunteers
Seventies: Yep. I put in a request for the tombstone image and it was loaded within 2 days of the request. Awesome!
deannie: The lady that did the Act of Kindness passed away and I do not know if anyone has taken up the cause yet
klassicglass: how do you find these volunteers?
Seventies: OK I got the information. Have you ever heard of Porter Funeral Home, Sadonya? They were active in the 1960's
Sadonya: no but can find out
Seventies: You can go to http://findagrave.com and make a photo request if you have information on the person you are looking for.
klassicglass: thank you
Seventies: Thanks Sadonya. I know that sometimes these places go out of business or change names/ownership. They are listed at a Marysville, TN address in 1963. Its Ish A. Porter Funeral Home.
Sadonya: lol got it
Seventies: wow! I couldn't find it...
Sadonya: I will take a trip to the library I am sure I will find them
Seventies: Now Sadonya, if a funeral home stops operating in TN do they have to turn their burial records over to the state?
Sadonya: no they usually sell to someone else funeral home owners and tight with thier records
Seventies: really? in MS they are required by law to turn them over.
Sadonya: well now MS has a good law for once
Seventies: lol
Sadonya: I talked to a funeral home in MS that was putting all their records online that was a few years ago
deannie: You mean to tell me Mississippi is required to turn over there paperworks from funeral homes
Seventies: Only if they completely go out of business deannie
Sadonya: brb
deannie: Ok...at they kept on the state or county level
Seventies: state level. Vital Records.
deannie: Ok when visit Mississippi and will check with the vital office... I will write or call first to see whant they have
Seventies: I am not sure when they go to the Archives and History.
deannie: OK
Seventies: Wait now, make sure that the funeral home is out of business and not sold to someone else or restructured.
deannie: Ok Hi vkn
vkn: Evening all
Sadonya: hello vkn
vkn: Seventies Sadonya klassicglass deannie Good words Mr President!!!!!!!
klassicglass: hello,
deannie: I have to run have to get ready for the work day.....thanks for the info everyone
Seventies: its my bedtime nite all!
vkn: Just making dinner Give me a call Sadonya
klassicglass: good nite
Sadonya: everyone gone I guess we will call it a night
klassicglass: ok have a good evening have you signed out
Sadonya: no
klassicglass: I have a question? Seventies said I should check the NARA for Regimenal Record and look for Descriptive Roll I went on the site but don't what to look under
Sadonya: you may not be able to find on the site.. but check Military records
klassicglass: ok, thank you
Sadonya: they have a search but I find it hard to use
klassicglass: I know, I can't find hardly anything do you have any ideas how I can get these records, should I try and call washington
Sadonya: well the best way is to visit where are you"?
klassicglass: cleveland, OH
Sadonya: do you have a NARA in Cleveland?
klassicglass: to be honest I don't even know, I will have to check
Sadonya: if there is one go there and ask the questions you have I have been to DC and ATL they were great but things change with administrations
klassicglass: I will do that, thanks for the advice
Sadonya: so who knows what kind of help you will get on the phone I would try to search for the record s in google may be another site that has them
klassicglass: ok...I know I spoke with some at the african american civil war memorial in 2007 talked to them about 3 times, the gentleman said he would take a picture of a plaque for me. I'm glad I didn't hold the breath I would be dead by now (lol)
Sadonya: lol I visited that once it is nice
klassicglass: like everyone said I will have to pay a visit there
Sadonya: at the time I didnt know my gg grand dad was on there its best
klassicglass: I can only imagine seeing it in person
Sadonya: is the solider you looking for CW
klassicglass: yes, my g g grandfather was
Sadonya: http:// www.nps.gov/civilwar/soldiers-and-sailors-database.htm http://www.nps.gov/civilwar/soldiers-and-sailors-database.htm check this site
klassicglass: I have his pension file from washington, but it's so hard to read that's my homework Selma gave, she told me read over it again I probably missed something. that's why Seventies suggested I look for Descriptive roll for the unit. Thanks I will write those site down.
Sadonya: do you have a subscription to ancestry?
klassicglass: yes
Sadonya: you will see the the descriptive roll on the site I gave you
klassicglass: awesome I will check those out tonight
Sadonya: great
klassicglass: I found him on one of the sites solider-and-sailors. it gives the plaque number and etc. It has a star by his name, trying to find out what the star mean


text:
Take a peek inside Google's "secretive" data centers, without revealing your identity to the outside world, as well.
The Internet giant is allowing all Web users to take a peek at the data centers which process search requests, sort email, and store YouTube videos via an online gallery, according to the Associated Press.
U.S. & World
News from around the country and around the globe
Visitors should visit "Where the Internet Lives" and they will find photos from data centers in the United States, Finland, and Belgium.
None of the data centers are built near the company's hub in Mountain View. More data centers in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore and Chile are on the way, the news source reported.
The nearest West Coast data center is in The Dalles, Oregon.
Google needs to sort data and aggregate information for 1 billion users, the news source reported.
Copyright FREEL - NBC Local Media


text:
This may seem difficult considering he stands 6-foot-6 and could supposedly defy gravity, but here's some advice nonetheless: Don't look up to Michael Jordan.
Admire the talent. Appreciate the accomplishments. But for God's sake, don't envy the man.
With MJ turning 50 Sunday, the question pervading the media perhaps more than any other is: Who would you rather have in his prime, Michael Jordan or LeBron James?
Me? I'd take Michael on the court. But I'd take LeBron everywhere else.
To rank James ahead of Jordan as a basketball player is to suffer from NBAmnesia. From 1986-1990, Michael averaged 37.1, 35.0, 32.5 and 33.6 points per game respectively, shot over 50 percent from the field in the latter three seasons, and had a year in which he averaged eight rebounds and eight assists. Then there were his next six full seasons in the league, where he kinda sorta won six NBA titles and six Finals MVP awards.
LeBron has scored at least 30 points in each of his past seven games? Please. Jordan averaged more than 30 points in eight straight seasons, tallied 33.4 points per game throughout his playoff career, and made first-team All Defense nine times.
At this point, hoops-wise at least, you just can't put LeBron in the same sentence. As Michael.
But as any soon-to-be fiancé can tell you – jewelry is expensive. And Jordan paid his own kind of price for those six rings.
He would punch teammates in practice – Will Purdue and Steve Kerr being among those thumped. He would undress opponents on the court – yelling out his point total each time he scored a bucket.
Jordan's need for winning was responsible for a serious lack of grinning. Yeah, you may have wanted to trade lives with him, but you wouldn't have wanted to trade souls.
Would you really want to be like somebody who didn't talk to North Carolina coach Roy Williams for several days after losing to him in pool? Are you comfortable idolizing a man who turned his Hall of Fame induction speech into an unfunny, unprompted roast of everybody he ever felt wronged him?
I look at LeBron and see a kid glowing as if he hired life as his personal assistant. I look at Jordan and see someone whose happiness is as fleeting as an ice cube in the Sahara.
ESPN's Wright Thompson caught up with Michael recently and published a fabulous piece exploring the mentality of sports' greatest competitor 15 years removed from his last championship. The story detailed MJ's affection for his children, attachment to his late father, and adoration toward his fiancée, among other things. But it also depicted a man incapable of coping with an identity devoid of dominance.
At 50, he still fantasizes about returning to the court, saying he would give up everything to put a jersey on again. And his comments on today's NBA are transparent, often petty attempts to protect his basketball legacy.
He said recently that Kobe Bryant is "one of the top 10 guards of all time," which may sound like a compliment, but is kind of like saying that the Taj Mahal is "one of the top 10 houses in India." But then he dismissed James as Kobe's peer, pointing to Bryant's championship total and saying "five is better than one" – a clear nod to his own ring count.
I can't remember the last time LeBron called out a teammate publicly or dissed one of his NBA colleagues – unless said colleague struck first. But I did read that Jordan used to moo like a cow when overweight Bulls General Manager Jerry Krause would step on the team bus.
One night, I'll see LeBron spontaneously tackle a fan who hit a half-court shot, and another, I'll watch him play catch with a ticket-holder in the middle of the game. Did we ever see this kind of levity with Michael? Was a man whose talent brought so much delight to others ever able to feel similar joy himself?
Older generations' favorite activity is to hark back to the good ol' days, where players were tougher, the game was more physical, and "killers" like Jordan reigned supreme. But what guys like LeBron are showing us is that success and contentment aren't mutually exclusive – that the world doesn't have to be your enemy for the sport to be your friend.
Sunday, MJ turns 50, and seeing what he's meant to the game, it's only fair to wish him a happy birthday. Unfortunately, when you group the word "happy" with Jordan, wishing may be all you can do.


text:
Guide to the Raphael Bienvenu Sabatier note, undated [between 1750 and 1811?].
Collection Details
- Collection Number
- Title
- Raphael Bienvenu Sabatier note
- Date
- undated [between 1750 and 1811?].
- Creator
- Sabatier, Raphael Bienvenu, 1732-1811
- Extent
- 1 items
- Repository
- David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library
- Language
- Materials in French
Collection Overview
Using These Materials
A majority of collections are stored off site and must be requested at least 2 full business days in advance for retrieval. Contact Rubenstein Library staff before visiting. Read More »
Access to the Collection
Collection is open for research.
Researchers must register and agree to copyright and privacy laws before using this collection.
All or portions of this collection may be housed off-site in Duke University's Library Service Center. The library may require up to 48 hours to retrieve these materials for research use.
Please contact Research Services staff before visiting the Rubenstein to use this collection.
Use & Permissions
The copyright interests in this collection have not been transferred to Duke University. For more information, consult the copyright section of the Regulations and Procedures of the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library.
How to Cite
Raphael Bienvenu Sabatier note, undated [between 1750 and 1811?]., David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.
Historical Note
French surgeon.
Click to find related materials at Duke University Libraries.
Source unknown
Processing Information
Processed by: Rubenstein Staff
Finding aid derived from MARC record using DukeMARC2EAD-HOMproject.xsl, December 2014
Other NotesGeneral note
Forms part of the Trent Manuscripts Collection.


text:
The Department of Veteran Affairs would take a major hit if Congress is forced to enact the sequestration cuts despite President Obama's pledge to exempt the department's budget, Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki said Thursday.
"If [Defense Secretary Leon Panetta] is concerned about dealing with issues of sequestration, I am concerned as well" regardless of the exemption pledge, Shinseki said at a joint news briefing with Panetta.
Although the VA's budget would be spared, Shinseki said across-the-board cuts on defense would be felt immediately at the VA in programs to ease the transition out of the military, and in efforts to clear up the backlog of VA disability claims.
The VA has processed more than one million claims for the past three years, but the backlog has continued to grow. In September, the average wait to have a claim addressed was eight months, and a total of nearly 900,000 pension and compensation claims were pending.
"There's no question that if sequestration happens there will be an impact on those (servicemembers) coming home," Panetta said of VA benefits for Iraq and Afghanistan troops leaving the military. "It is going to have a serious impact."
Under current law, the White House and Congress face a Jan. 1 deadline for reaching a deficit reduction agreement or legislation written into the Budget Control Act would force the government to absorb a sweeping $1.2 trillion budget cut. The defense budget would sustain a $500 billion cut over the next ten years -- on top of $487 billion in defense cuts already proposed.
Panetta and Shinseki spoke after a meeting at VA headquarters to coordinate on aligning their two vast bureaucracies to ease the often complicated transition from active duty military to veteran status.
"We have brought our two departments closer together than ever before," Shinseki said, but "today veterans still wait too long to get the benefits they deserve."
"This effort cannot be about turf" and protecting the image and authority of either department, Panetta said. "It's got to be about serving our veterans" and "doing everything we can to streamline the disability process. This is in many ways a national security issue."
Panetta said one of the major logjams in the transition process occurred with problems on "claims filed well after the vets leave service. Vets too often fall victim to red tape."
The meeting between Panetta and Shinseki occurred the same week a Congressional subcommittee accused the Defense Department's poor practice of record keeping at the unit level has slowed down the disability claims process.
Shinseki and Panetta said they were optimistic on improvement under an agreement between the departments that made it mandatory for all troops leaving the service to receive a detailed briefing on their eligibility for a wide range of VA benefits.


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Running an Automated Experiment
If you're trying to fit the output of a disease model to a reference, for instance to actual incidence data collected by public health surveillance, manually determining the parameter values for a good fit can be very time consuming and often impossible. That's where the Automatic Experiment feature in STEM comes in handy.
First, to familiarize yourself with automatic experiments in STEM, download the sample project available here:
and also read the documentation for this example here:
An automatic experiment will run a sequence of STEM simulations, each time varying parameters of the model and compare to a reference. It tries to minimize a error function, calculated by comparing the output (simulation log) to the data in a reference folder (where data is stored in the same format as for STEM log files). It walks the parameters of the model until it is unable to improve upon the calculated error beyond a specified tolerance. At that point the automated experiment either halts, and the optimal set of parameters found can be retrieved from the "Current Values" view on in the Automatic Experiment STEM perspective, or it restarts itself using an initial set of parameter values matching the best parameter values found so far. If the automatic experiment converges to the same set of parameter values (and error) a second time, the automatic experiment is done.
When an automatic experiment is started, STEM automatically switches to the Automatic Experiment Perspective.
This perspective has a view with five tabs:
1. Error Convergence. Shows a plot where the X axis is the simulation number (starting from 0) and the Y axis is the calculated error. When running the automatic experiment you'll see how the error converges towards a smaller and smaller value. if your automatic experiment is configured to restart itself after convergence, you can see the when this happens in the plot since the error suddenly becomes large again.
2. Incidence vs Time. Shows you the incidence (new cases in a given time period) calculated by your model versus the incidence in the reference data. This plot is especially useful since the only error function currently implemented compares incidence only.
3. Error vs Time Shows the error between the reference data and the current model output for each time step of a simulation. It also shows the error for the best set of parameter values found so far.
4. Current Values. The top row in the table on this page shows the best set of parameters discovered so far, as well as the associated error. The rest of the rows shows a history of the 10 last set of parameter values and the bottom row is the values used in the current simulation.
5. Controls. In the Controls tab you can stop the currently running automatic experiment, or you can restart it using any set of parameter values you specify.
To create a new automated experiment in STEM, click the "New Automatic experiment" toolbar icon. A new wizard shows up similar to the one in the figure below.
First, specify a name for your new automated experiment. You can give it any name you want. Next, pick the algorithm to use. Currently there is only one option available, "AutomaticExperiment" which is an implementation of a Nelder Mead downhill simplex numerical optimization algorithm. See this [page] for a description of this algorithm.
The Nelder Mead algorithm can be configured as follows:
1. Maximum Iterations. If this number of simulations has ran without convergence to an error variation smaller than the tolerance, the algorithm stops or restarts itself (depending upon the setting of Re-initialize parameter see below). If you set it to -1, the algorithm will run until the error converges (-1 essentially means no maximum number of iterations)
2. Reference data folder. This is the directory containing the reference data. The directory must contain the same files that STEM generates in its log output folders, e.g. an I_2.csv, Incidence_2.csv, S_2.csv etc. The current error function only requires the Incidence file. If the reference files are located in a folder inside the current project, the location is specified in a platform neutral manner and the project and associated automatic experiment can be shared with others.
3. Base Scenario. Clicking the "Select Scenario" button will allow you to pick any Scenario that is inside your current project. The base scenario the is the scenario the automatic experiment will run and compare to the reference.
PLEASE OBSERVE: In order to use Automated Experiments, the Base Scenario must include an integration solver like Runge Ketta Cash-Karp. Please see the STEM page on STEM Solvers
4. Error Function. The error function to use when comparing model output to the reference. Currently only a single error function "SimpleErrorFunction" is provided. It calculates a Normalized Mean Square Error (NMSE) between the incidence outputted by the model and the incidence in the reference data. NMSE is defined as follows:
where Is is the predicted incidence by the simulation and Ir is obtained from the historic reference data. We calculate the NRMSE as the root mean squared error over all time normalized by the difference between the maximum and minimum observed aggregated incidence. L is the set of all locations common to both the simulation output and the reference, and T is the set of all times for which we have observations.
5. Re-initialize. If this is set to Yes, the automatic experiment will restart itself using the current best (smallest error) set of parameter values found. The automatic experiment will stop of it converges towards the same minimal error twice in a row. If set to No, the automatic experiment will stop once it's converged to an error variation smaller than the tolerance.
6. Tolerance. The error tolerance determining when the Nelder Mead algorithm stops. If the error variation between multiple simulations is smaller than this tolerance, the Nelder Mead algorithm either stops or restarts itself. The smaller you make the tolerance the more simulations are needed for convergence, but the resulting set of parameter values becomes more accurate.
In the window in the bottom left you can add one or more parameter that you want to optimize in the automatic experiment. If you click the + button below the window, a dialog shows up displaying on the left all objects inside your current project that has parameters you can optimize.
The objects includes Disease Models, Infectors and Inoculators. If you select any object on the left, a list of the object parameters are shown on the right. If you select one of them and click Okay, it will show up ion the bottom left window and will be added to the set of parameters varied by the Nedler Mead algorithm. If you select the parameter in the window, you can specify the initial value for the parameter on the bottom right. You can also specify an initial step size and a maximum and minim value for the parameter used by the optimizer.
You can add as many parameters are you want to the automatic experiment, but the more parameters you have the larger the parameter space and the longer it might take for the algorithm to converge.
Often convergence to a global minima can be reached quicker by manually restarting the automated experiment on the Controls tab. If it seems that the error variation is small, restart the algorithm again using the best set of parameters. This can often speed things up compared to waiting for convergence below the tolerance.


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Facilitating the spread of knowledge and innovation in professional software development
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Extensible effects, described by some as the right way to structure programs, are crossing over to JavaScript. Extensible effects at core provide a composable and flexible way to separate concerns, while allowing to redefine the implementation of those concerns at will. William Heslam explained what extensible effects are and the benefit of using them.
In this podcast, Lin Sun, senior technical staff member and master inventor at IBM, and Neeraj Poddar, engineering lead and architect at Aspen Mesh, sat down with InfoQ co-host Daniel Bryant. Topics discussed included: the evolution of service mesh data planes and control planes, the new Istio 1.5 architectures, Istio WebAssembly extension support, and the future of service mesh technology.
Michael Shtelma discusses methods and libraries for training models on a dataset that does not fit into memory or maybe even on the disk using multiple GPUs or even nodes.
Zak Meziane takes an interactive journey into the key components of an agile friendly culture, such as psychological safety and trust, and explore ways to develop a framework for cultural change.
J. Paul Reed looks at how some of the pillars of Resilience Engineering might help and a team can deal with the changes forced to confront.
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We're back on the live blog train, waiting for Intel CEO Paul Otellini to tell us just how ultra his ultrabooks are, and how this time seriously for realsies the company's got this whole mobile thing figured out.
Intel already showed off plenty of laptop goodies in its press conference yesterday—including one gloriously oddball concept—and we've already poked and prodded its Medfield-based smartphone reference design.
So what's left? We'll find out in about 20 minutes or so. Join us, won't you? [Intel Keynote Live Blog]


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may i have your attention please ?
I'm an native German speaker. I'm able to deal with english as a fluently speaker but thats it.
If you would like to send me some _translated_ language files I'd be very happy
The lng file looks like that:
Erm the comments are for you, the do not need to be translated : ))
Code: Select all
$lng_title = "Track";
$lng_album = "Album";
$lng_genre = "Genre";
$lng_since = "since";
$lng_duration = "Duration"; // time to play
$lng_stop_text = "no sound in the air"; // Server online, but not listening
$lng_playing_text = "I'm currently listening"; // Server online, and listening
$lng_pto = "404: server seems offline"; // Server (seems to be) offline
$lng_xml = "503: xml not available"; // Server sends no XML
Please name the lng files according to the linuy system locale i.e. "en-us", "de-ch", "es-cu" etc..
If there are trekkies among us, feel free to even send me a klingon lng file : P
Languages that are online already :
- de-at
Thanks a lot


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Three days after announcing his return to music with a video called "I'm Ready," Justin Timberlake has released a new track, "Suit and Tie." The Timbaland-produced cut, which features a guest verse from Jay-Z, was dropped on early Monday morning and is the first new music from the singer-turned-actor in over six years.
In an open letter to fans posted on his website, the singer also revealed the title of his forthcoming new album: "The 20/20 Experience." Timberlake wrote that it will be released at some point this year.
"What I came up with is something I couldn't be more excited about!" he said. "It is full of inspiration that I grew up listening to and some newfound muses that I've discovered along the way." He added that the sessions for the album were "probably the best time" he's had in his career, "creating with no rules and/or end goal in mind and really enjoying the process."
Justin Timberlake Gives First Look at New Myspace
"Suit and Tie," a horn-addled shuffler likely to inspire many new dance routines, finds JT waxing poetic about his love for dapper duds. "I be on my suit and tie s---/ Can I show you a few things, little baby?" he croons. Jay-Z later joins in with lines about "truffle season," wearing tuxedos for no reason and the trendy designer Alexander Wang. Listen to it here.
Related content:
More in NBC News Entertainment


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If you are unable to preview the letter in Correspondence Management Create Correspondence UI and wondering what might have happened – this blog tries to explain the reason behind it
If you are using Chrome , you may be seeing the issue as shown in the below screen shot
If you are using Firefox , you may be seeing the issue as shown in the below screen shot
When a letter is opened for preview the Create Correspondence UI opens and this UI is split in to two halves
On the left hand side the contents that are used in the letter are shown in the Flex UI and on the right hand side the preview of final correspondence is shown as PDF
In order to display the PDF on RHS one would need PDF plug-in in the browser that is being used.
The latest versions of modern browsers like Chrome and Firefox have their own in-built PDF Viewers
Chrome's inbuilt PDF viewer is Chrome PDF Viewer , Latest versions of Firefox has a PDF.js plug-in which shows the PDF in html form
The PDF that is shown on the right hand side of create correspondence UI is an XFA form based PDF and the built-in PDF viewers of Chrome and Firefox do not support the preview of these PDFs
The solution to resolve this issue is to set Adobe's Acrobat/Reader plug-in as the default plug-in to open PDF files inside the browser
Follow the below steps to set Acrobat/Reader plug-in as default plug-in to open PDFs in Chrome
1. Open Chrome browser
2. type chrome://plugins in omnibar and press Enter
3. If Chrome PDF Viewer is enabled , you should see something as below in your browser (Notice the Disable on Chrome PDF Viewer – which means it is currently enabled , user can click the link to disable it)
3. Disable Chrome PDF Viewer and Enable Adobe Reader PDF plug-in , after Reader plug-in is enabled you should see something as below in your browser (In this example Adobe Reader is shown but if you have Acrobat installed on your system , the Acrobat plug-in should be enabled)
4. Try to preview the letter again after Reader plug-in is enabled , The letter should render fine now
Follow the below steps to set Acrobat/Reader plug-in as default plug-in to open PDFs in Firefox
1. Open Firefox browser
2. type about:config in address bar
3. type pdfjs in the browser search box
4. In the preferences, select pdfjs.disabled – the option would be enabled by default , set it to false
5. Also in the preferences , ensure that the Acrobat/Reader is selected as the application to open PDF files
6. Restart the browser
If the above steps are followed to set Acrobat or Reader PDF plug-in as the default of Chrome or Firefox then the XFA form based PDF would appear properly on the RHS of the Correspondence Management Create Correspondence UI
Note : In case if the PDF viewer is properly configured to Acrobat or Reader plug-in but if you still see issues in viewing letters there could be some other issue.
I will post a seperate blog to investigate how the letter preview issues can be debugged … stay tuned….


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NORTH GREENBUSH — By the time Eileen Clinton met Bill Champagne at a horse-riding club in Troy in 1973, he had been smoking cigarettes for 10 years. She was 18, he was 22.
Over the next 30 years they got married and raised two children in North Greenbush, and Champagne ran a successful Albany-based trucking business hauling waste across the state.
And for most of that time, Champagne kept smoking, at times 2½ packs a day. He died in 2004 at 53 of lung cancer — but not before he made a final request to his soon-to-be widow: Sue the tobacco industry.
She did.
On Wednesday, a federal jury in U.S. District Court in White Plains awarded her $1.34 million in a verdict against tobacco giant R.J. Reynolds, which owns the company that made the Lucky Strike cigarettes her husband started smoking when he was 12.
It is believed to be the first federal jury verdict in favor of a former smoker against Big Tobacco in New York, an attorney for the family said.
"This was my husband's last wish," Clinton told the Times Union in a phone interview Friday. "It's empowering to know that the little guy, the common everyday people like us, that we can take on the corporations. They have deep pockets. It's not easy for sure, but it can be done. Let me rephrase that — it was done."
The widow sued Big Tobacco in 2005. The negligence case was in White Plains because Altria, the parent company of Philip Morris, is based in Manhattan which, like White Plains, is located within the U.S. District Court's Southern District of New York.
Following a three-week trial, the jury determined that R.J. Reynolds and its predecessor company, American Tobacco, negligently failed to warn Champagne about the possible hazards of cigarettes until warnings were issued in 1966 — four years after he started smoking — and that this failure was a cause of his lung cancer death.
Federal court papers identified the defendant as Brown & Williamson Holdings Inc., which merged with R.J. Reynolds.
Jurors cleared co-defendant, Philip Morris, another tobacco giant, of also causing the lung cancer that led to Champagne's death. He smoked Marlboro Light cigarettes sold by the company in his later years. The jury did, however, find that Philip Morris fraudulently marketed Marlboro Light cigarettes.
All told, the jury awarded the widow $1,345,000.
"I see it not only as a victory for us and our family but all the millions of families over the years who have been affected or impacted by the effect of tobacco," Clinton said. "It's so important that we do more to educate our children about the dangers of tobacco and not become addicted like my husband did as a teenager."
Attorneys for R.J. Reynolds brought in a pathologist from Nevada who testified that the type of lung cancer that caused Champagne's death is not brought about by smoking cigarettes, according to Jerry Block, the widow's Manhattan-based attorney.
The lawyer said he countered the pathologist's opinion with testimony from Champagne's doctors and experts, all of whom attributed the late man's cancer to cigarettes. A childhood friend of Champagne testified that Champagne was smoking Lucky Strikes at the age of 12.
The youth smoking allegations against Big Tobacco were limited to the time up to September 1968, when Champagne turned 18. Before then, however, Clinton's lawyers showed that her late husband was not warned of the dangers that eventually killed him.
Block said in an attempt to show that Champagne should have known of potential hazards of cigarettes, R.J. Reynolds' attorneys brought in 1960s-era articles from the Times Union about the dangers of tobacco. Block said he highlighted massive advertising for cigarettes in the 1960s when the ads were on television and billboards depicting healthy and attractive cigarette smokers. No warnings were on cigarettes until 1966 when the packs listed a "caution" that they "may" be hazardous to users' health, Block noted.
"This case was about a time that is much different than a time we live in today," he said.
Attorneys for R.J. Reynolds did not return a call for comment.
Clinton, a former director of the John H. Clinton Funeral Home in Troy, attended every day of the trial. When the verdict came in, "There were all kinds of emotions ranging from great sadness ... but also a sense of gratefulness to our friends and family for being so supportive and attorneys and the legal system for the ability to find justice," she said.
She said the battle against lung cancer, unlike some other cancers, is underfunded. After her husband's death she began working at the Medical Society of the State of New York, where she educates physicians on how to help patients quit smoking.
That was something her husband tried to do many times but failed, she said. Champagne died June 25, 2004.
Advocates say the money contributed to the fight against lung cancer does not approach what is given to battle other cancers.
"The bottom line is that no one deserves lung cancer," said Michael Seilback, vice president for public policy and communication at the American Lung Association in Albany. "It does not matter whether you're a 53-year-old man, a 40-year-old woman or an 80-year-old. Facing a diagnosis of lung cancer is hard enough without being forced to answer the question of 'Did you smoke?' "
Asked about the verdict, Seilback said, it "reinforced, once again, that Big Tobacco uses its hundreds of millions in profits to target new customers (for products) that will kill them if used as directed."
email@example.com • 518-434-2403 • @RobertGavinTU


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We have a set of four very innocent-looking cubes - each face coloured red, blue, green or white - and they have to be arranged in a row so that all of the four colours appear on each of the four long sides of the resulting cuboid.
This is an interactive net of a Rubik's cube. Twists of the 3D cube become mixes of the squares on the 2D net. Have a play and see how many scrambles you can undo!
Can you visualise whether these nets fold up into 3D shapes? Watch the videos each time to see if you were correct.


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When we made our first announcements of the still-growing lineup at this year's Moontower Comedy and Oddity Festival, a few folks commented that there weren't as many ladies as they like to see in their comedy festivals.
But, alas! We're announcing a slew of brilliant lady-type comics who are joining the festival to balance out the sausage party it was looking like before…
After the huge success of the all-women She Bang show from last year, there was no way we weren't going to recreate that magic and pump up the lady vibes of the whole weekend with more of our favorite comedians of the female persuasion.
Joining us this year at the MC&OF are comics Morgan Murphy, who has been on "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" and "2 Broke Girls", REEEEEEALLLY GAY comedian Julie Goldman from "The Big Gay Sketch Show," "Chelsea Lately" roundtable regular Christina Pazsitzky, and the hilarious Jessica Kirson, who you absolutely remember from "Last Comic Standing."
But wait! There's more!
The adorable Helen Hong from Logo's "Setup Squad" is coming; "self-deprecating feminst slob poet" Emily Heller will be here; Mary Patterson, the quintessential nice white girl from Mobile, AL, will be joining us; and so will one of our favorite Austin-based comedians/actors/vintage Etsy store owners, Kerri Lendo!
That's a lot of eclectic talent gathered together for one weekend. And it's only a fraction of all the talent that you'll be able to see at this year's MC&OF! Some will have boy parts in their swimsuit areas and some will not. It doesn't matter as long as they're funny!
Just remember to get your badge before they all sell out! There are only 24 VIP Badges and 48 ACE Badges left for the grabbing and snatching, so you better act fast.
The final schedule is not yet decided, but these badges are the only way you're going to get to see all these lovely ladies in one place. (And no, I don't mean, in your dreams. Grow up.)


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Browsing Ph.D. theses by Author "Bang Mathiasen, John"
Now showing items 1-1 of 1
An understanding anchored in pragmatismBang Mathiasen, John (Frederiksberg, 2012)[More information][Less information]
Abstract: The subject matter chosen for this PhD, learning within a Product Development (PD) working practice, might give rise to wonder given that I have a theoretical education within supply chain management, achieved practical experience as senior supply chain manager and finally, conducted a great many lectures dealing with supply chain management. Offhand, it may seem an odd choice, but my practical experience, briefly illustrated in the below, triggered the decision to study learning within a PD working practice. PD implies design of components and clarifications of the assembly process. A side effect of these activities is a routing, which establishes the supply chain; that is, the total journey, which all components must undertake before the product is saleable. Hence, seen from the perspective of the operation, the supply chain to be managed throughout the life cycle of the product is created during the PD phase. Changing a supply chain later on is possible, but it requires a significant effort. When managing a supply chain area, in which a large part of the products had a life cycle of more than 10 years, I realised the critical importance of influencing the PD process. Thus, employees from the supply chain department were often engaged in intense exchanges of views with the PD engineers and substantial resources were devoted to improving the awareness of supply chain considerations during the PD process. Nevertheless, in my firm conviction, these efforts only managed to exert minor influence and consequently, the established supply chains were difficult to handle. Ever since then, I have wondered why we were unsuccessful in influencing the supply chain of a new product. The involved supply chain engineers had a highly theoretical background as well as practical experience, but it was not possible to initiate learning among the PD engineers as regards the establishment of a more suitable supply chain. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10398/8509
Files in this item: 1John-Bang_Mathiasen.pdf (1.812Mb)
Now showing items 1-1 of 1


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Public librarians may be interested in two recently posted Field Initatied Studies (FIS).
The Graphic Novels FIS is a summary of responses from public libraries to the inquiry regarding where to shelve graphic novels.
The Instant Messaging FIS is a summary of responses received from public libraries regarding an inquiry about policies on instant messaging using the libraries computers.
You may click on the titles above or see our Field Initated Section for more information.
~ Daphne


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C-19 | Our deliveries are subject to delays, thank you for your patience (Details by country).
Côtes du Rhône Château des Tours E.Reynaud 2015
Cos d'Estournel 2ème Grand Cru Classé 1988
Château Grand Puy Lacoste 5ème Grand Cru Classé 1987
Cos d'Estournel 2ème Grand Cru Classé 1999
Current price estimate per bottle
Led by traditional methods (manual harvesting and controlled yields), Domaine Raveneau is today one of the most sought-after names of the Chablis appellation. The vineyard covers 7.5 hectares, divided into five premier crus and three grands crus. Jean-Marie and Bernard Raveneau, the current owners, maintain the desire for perfection that has typified the maison since its origins: for example, they prefer to harvest early to ensure a good level of natural acidity, even to chaptalise rather than picking an over-matured fruit. In three generations, ownership has risen to a legendary rank: its worldwide reputation means that the wines are practically unobtainable, especially since the domaine no longer accepts new customers, all its harvest being reserved in advance. The fine wines are consistently harmonious, with superb minerality thanks to a honeyed touch due to élevage in wood. These wines are popular worldwide.
Chablis Grand Cru Valmur de Raveneau presents a complex nose with aromas of lemon, almonds and white flowers and mineral notes too. On the palate, it matches the promise of its nose: full-bodied, fresh and dynamic, incredibly distinguished, full of character and perfectly balanced; it ends beautifully with its long finish of lemony and mineral notes ... Absolutely dazzling!
Free and unlimited data access to 60,000 price estimates
Current price estimate 1992
Auction historyChablis Grand Cru Valmur Raveneau 1992
Do you own this wine?
Current trend of price estimate
General :The «bio» designation covers certified wines produced by biodynamic or organic methods, sustainably produced wines, and «environmentally friendly» wines that are not officially certified.These designations apply to recent vintages (the date of certification, if known, is specified in the estate description).See the blog article for more information on this designation.
Biodynamic :The «biodynamic» designation is used for all estates certified as using biodynamic methods, as verified by one of the two official bodies, Demeter or Biodyvin. All wines produced by biodynamic methods are also certified as organic. This designation applies to recent vintages.
Organic :The «organic» designation covers all estates certified as using organic methods, as verified by one of the bodies approved by the Ministry of Agriculture, such as Ecocert. This designation applies to recent vintages.
Sustainable :The «sustainable» designation covers all estates certified as using integrated or High Environmental Value (level 3 Environmental Certification) techniques. This designation applies to recent vintages.
Evironmentally friendly :The «environmentally friendly» designation refers to estates practising environmentally friendly wine-growing techniques, but that have not opted for certification or who are still in the process of converting to organic agriculture or biodynamics. These estates may have adopted biodynamic principles (non-certified) or simply no longer use chemical products. This designation applies to recent vintages.
Natural :Wines which are produced without any added sulfur (or almost any) and with no other inputs. However, given that there is no official body to issue the natural wine label, it is based on winemakers' statements.This designation applies to recent vintages.


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Jersey Downsize
If you've lost weight through training, we'll help the new you into a new jersey, with 50% off a smaller size of the same style.
View latest service Information
Sorry, we couldn't find any results for your search.
The UV-protective Carl Zeiss lens offers optical clarity in a wide range of conditions. The Italian-made lenses come with a protective treatment that makes them scratch resistant, easy to clean and ensures dirt and water won't stick.
All lenses are made from lightweight and impact-resistant polycarbonate with oleophobic and hydrophobic coating on front and back and offer 100% protection from UV rays.
White Silver Mirror:
For bright sunny days.
Bronze Mirror:
For regular use, in all-round sunny and bright conditions.
Contrast Enhance Brown:
For overcast days when there still may be plenty of bright light.
Contrast Enhanced Yellow:
For low light and bad weather, with increased contrast for when you need to pick out the details.
For low light and bad weather.
Black Mirror:
For Racing and training when a rider prefers a neutral tone.
Step 1
Securely hold one arm of the frame and with the other hand grasp the top and bottom of the lens.
Step 2
Simultaneously pull the arm and the lens in opposite directions. Perform the same movement with the other side/arm of the frame.
Step 3
Pinch the lens with thumb and fore finger and with the other hand pinch and push the nose-bridge together. Slide it downwards away from the lens.
Step 4
With the replacement lens slide the nose- bridge back on. Reverse the procedure from steps 1 and 2 pushing each arm back onto the lens.
Please contact a Rapha Customer Service operator for any fault or repair issue.
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If you've lost weight through training, we'll help the new you into a new jersey, with 50% off a smaller size of the same style.
Rapha Classics products come with a 30 day no-quibble riding guarantee. If you're not totally satisfied, return your worn Classics product for a full refund.
Crashes happen. If one does we'll repair your garment for free to get you back on the road.
Thank you for your request. We'll contact you when your Pro Team Flyweight Lens - Yellow is available.
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If you continue browsing rapha.cc using your current browser, you may experience reduced performance. We suggest you download one of the modern browsers below for optimal experience on rapha.cc.I can only use IE11


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500 Startups is Using Public Fundraising for New $100M Fund
Active early-stage investor 500 Startups is embracing new federal rules for public fundraising, the highest-profile firm yet to make use of the new rules.
500 Startups, founded in 2010, is using new Securities and Exchange Commission rules that allow firms to engage in "general solicitation," or public fundraising activities. Fund partners taking advantage of the rules are permitted to speak at public events, tweet about and advertise the fact that their firms are raising a fund.


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Man I never read or saw "Red Dragon" but the news that Larry Fishburne is in talks to take on the role of Jack Crawford in "Hannibal", the upcoming NBC series based on the book has me borderline interested. I guess the character is an FBI agent or something who tries to find Hannibal. Was Hannibal in that book? I don't care. Doesn't matter. Freakin Morpheus, man.
Apparently there's been rumors floating around that "Jurassic Park IV" will focus on a government plot to weaponize dinosaurs. I've never heard that rumor and I like to think I'm the beginning and end of all internet rumors. But just to try to prove me wrong producer Frank Marshall came out and said that these "rumors" are 100% false. Now that I think of it he never did confirm that he didn't make them up himself right before he said they were false. So maybe that's why I never heard of them.
Shocking news coming out of "The Dark Knight Rises" camp today that Miss. Anne Hathaway would apparently not be opposed to doing a "Catwoman" spin off film. I know I'm just as shocked as you are. Don't worry though, this won't be some piece of crap. She'll only do it "with the right people". I assume she means she would want the entire cast and crew from "Bride Wars" to be involved. I'm just guessing here though.
Eliza Roberts, who is apparently the spouse of Eric Roberts, who I have nothing but good things to say about, has joined the cast of "Self Storage". That means there will be a loving couple on the set of the flick about a group of party goers trapped inside a storage facility. Nothing but love and normal things going on. That is all. Happy times.
Naked man breaks into 67 year old man's home. Naked man gets shot. I think that's redneck math.
If you're going to get caught using your child's diaper bag to steel items from Walmart the proper thing to do is to ditch the bag and make a run for it. You do not, I repeat DO NOT ditch the bag and your 1 year old child and make a run for it. That little bugger is full of your DNA and will be traced back to you.


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By Sue Ann Rybak
When Jessica Fecteau first joined OkCupid in June 2011, she didn't think anything of it – until she got a message from Army Combat Medic Russell Souders, of Flourtown. And the rest is almost a fairy tale come true, thanks to online dating, Skyping and the U.S. Postal Service.
"At first, we were like, 'what do you mean you met her online,'" Wendy Souders, Russell's mother said.
"Typical troll patrolling for soldiers online – most people meet at bars or through friends. You hear so many horror stories about people meeting someone on line. You never hear the good part of it. If there is a modern day fairy tale, this is it.
So was Jessica "patrolling for soldiers online?"
"Russ messaged me first," said Fecteau, who is from Connecticut. "It wasn't like 'hey … you're sexy.' He started a conversation with me. He said, 'hey, I saw you were interested in joining the National Guard and joining the Army.' Once I asked him how his day was, he said 'All right, she likes me.'"
Russell Souders, who was stationed in Kandahar, Afghanistan, at the time, laughed and said, "Yeah, I got you."
Souders and Fecteau messaged each other on OkCupid for a month before they first Skyped together.
"Skyping is amazing and it really helped our relationship," she said.
Fecteau, who is a junior at Anna Maria College in Paxton, Mass., said the guys in Souders' unit used to tease him if the MWR [Morale, Welfare and Recreation] was closed.
"We used to Skype for hours and hours," she said. "But, I think it was letters that really helped our relationship."
They decided it "would be cool" to be pen pals.
"Hey, if you need anything I can throw in some care packages, too," she said laughing.
What did Jessica's parents think of her Skyping to a soldier?
"I mentioned Russ to them in the summer," Jessica said. "I told them I am chatting online with this guy in Afghanistan. He's really nice."
Fecteau said "things started taking off" after they started writing letters to each other.
There were times where they couldn't talk to each other for a week or more because of deployments and blackouts.
"The letters were great because we were able to write to each other about how we were feeling in the moment," Fecteau said.
They never officially called themselves boyfriend and girlfriend.
"We wanted to make sure we had chemistry in person," she said. "Even though Skype is amazing, it's still not in person."
There were only 50 days left before Souders leave for R & R. He wanted to do something unique, so he decided to write 50 short notes to Fecteau with special instructions to her friends. She was only allowed to open one a day.
"I wanted to do something that would make her happy and excited," Russell Souders said. "I wrote 30 notes when I was on observation on a mountain and the remaining 20 when I returned to base. On one note, I wrote 'place cheek, forehead, or lip here to receive a kiss – Russ.'"
Fecteau finally met Souders in person when he was home before Christmas for R & R in December 2011. She surprised him by coming to visit early.
"It was really hard for me to keep my mouth shut," Fecteau said. "It was during final exams. I kept telling him I was really slammed [with finals]."
She arranged to take her finals early so she could surprise him by taking the train to 30th Street Station.
"I was so nervous," Fecteau said. "Oh my gosh, on the train ride down I bought homework with me to make sure I had something to distract me. I was sweating so bad. I was like – 'Oh my God, this is bad. He's gonna think I stink.'"
Souder's mom, Wendy, told him she was going Christmas shopping with her best friend. Instead, they went to pick up Fecteau from 30th Street Station. At first Wendy couldn't find Fecteau.
"She came up the back steps instead of the front steps," Wendy said. "We asked her where she was. Jessica said she was at the Christmas tree. I turned around and it was like a scene from a movie. She was standing there with her book bag. She was looking up and looking around at everything – just taking it all in.
"That's just one memory I will never forget. We had been Skyping with her for a while. It was the first time we got to meet her face to face. We are very blessed and lucky that she came into our life."
Fecteau said it was awkward that first day.
"We were very close before we first met," Fecteau said. "Even though we had said 'I love you' and everything. The physical part of the relationship was just beginning. I have this picture from the first day we met. Our heads are together in the picture, but our bodies are really awkward."
Unfortunately, Fecteau won't be able to attend Souder's after-deployment ball this May, so Russ's mom arranged for the pair to have their own special dance, thanks to the help of Monica DiRenzo, sales manager at the Radission Hotel in King of Prussia.
The hotel arranged for the two to have the dance floor to themselves. The hotel played their two love songs and put their picture up on a large screen in the ballroom on April 5. The hotel also let them use their limo service to take them to Creeds Steak and Seafood Restaurant.
"I am happy we [the Radisson Hotel] could make this special for them," DiRenzo said.
So, what song did Jessica pick to play for Russell?
"The Nearness of You," by Ella Fitzgerald.
"It's not the pale moon that excites me.
That thrills and delights me, oh no
It's just the nearness of you."
Enjoy this video Jessica Fecteau made for Army Combat Medic Russell Souders of Flourtown.


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These lights are visible at distances up to a mile. Convenient rubber strap that attaches to any bike. Long lasting LED rated at 100,000 hours of use.
Micro Bike Lights have a rubber strap and curved inner surface that allows the lights to be securely attached to your seat post, handlebars or bike frame. Front and Rear Safety Lights have 2 settings; Steady and Flashing. Requires 2 CR2032 Replaceable Lithium Batteries (included).


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Published 29th June 2016
When you want to go out to a restaurant for a meal, or perhaps to the cinema to see a film, the logical thing to do before you go is to look at reviews of the restaurant or the film. By looking at reviews you are able to find out what experiences people have had regarding the restaurant or film in question, in order to make a decision as to whether you want to repeat that experience or not.
Choosing an online TEFL course should be no different. There are so many different online TEFL courses to choose from that it can be overwhelming to decide which one is the right one for you. Besides, if you have never done an online TEFL course before, then how are you supposed to know what you should be looking for?
That's where the online TEFL community comes in. The TEFL community is a very tight-knit community. Once you are involved in the world of TEFL you will become familiar with all the names of schools and service providers. When you are working in a TEFL environment you will find the people you work with are always happy to contribute their two cents to a discussion on good TEFL books, amazing TEFL jobs or horrible TEFL employers. So we can use this to our advantage.
Find an online TEFL forum and you'll be sure to find someone with an opinion they want to share. Look for reviews of a particular online TEFL course or, if you can't find any (which is highly unlikely!), post a question. Soon you will have a whole group of TEFL teachers giving you their opinions. It's up to you then to keep an open mind, listen to what they have to say and make up your own mind.
Remember, though, that there are always going to be people who don't have a positive word to say about anything. If you ever read any Tripadvisor reviews you'll know what I'm talking about. Some people are very difficult to satisfy so they will complain about anything and everything. This is fine, but maybe what bothers them actually wouldn't bother you. However, if you find the negative reviews overwhelming, then there probably is some truth to them.
And that's it. Finding an online TEFL course review is easy. You can utilise the community-mindedness of the Internet to find out what people think about the particular online TEFL course you are considering. Instead of guessing whether or not you think it's a good online TEFL course, you can rely on the opinions of people who have already experienced it and who know what they are talking about. When you have completed your online TEFL course, you will be able to pay back the favour by posting your own review and letting other future TEFL teachers know what they are getting themselves into.


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Moving into my new home several years ago, I was concerned about the stairs going up to the second story. Before we'd even moved in, I worried about hurting myself (or others) on this large focal point of the house.
Here's why:
- The staircase is curved; each step is a long, irregular wedge shape (so the width of the step varies depending on where you walk).
- The staircase is steep, with about 20 steps.
- The steps themselves are slab stone (translation: literally hard as a rock).
- Uncarpeted, the stairs are slick, cold, and very unforgiving to knees, elbows, shins, chins, ribs, and all body parts other than feet.
Going up and down the stairs proved a challenge. Right away, I made this decision. I CHOSE to view the staircase as an opportunity for fitness benefits. People pay lots of money to work out on Stairmasters, right?
While I accepted this fact, I still worried about falling. Wouldn't you? Anyone can have a clumsy moment, but as a not-terribly-graceful-fibro-person, I pictured myself flopping down the stairs like Blanche Hudson in Whatever Happened to Baby Jane.
To prevent this outcome, I focused on NOT falling down the stairs. To date, I've been successful. I've never fallen down them. I have, however, fallen UP them. In fact, I've done it several times. Running with slippers on, carrying too many things, being distracted on the phone, etc. have all been proven to be effective ways for me to lose my balance. I'm lucky to still have my teeth intact.
It took a few spills for me to decide to change my focus. I had to decide that getting to the top or bottom safely was important. I had to consciously remove the distractions that could be problematic. No more running in slippers. No more carrying armloads of stuff up or down. Better to make more trips than to actually, a-hem, trip.
This is what's sometimes referred to as the "eyes on the prize" scenario.
When you lose focus (on your main goal or intention),
you're more likely to stumble or fall off course.
Falling off course brings to mind the dangers of being a race car driver. Veering off the track is a common fear (and reality) for this vocation.
How could a driver ever get back on course after a tragic crash?
I've read interviews about the psychology of this very subject and it always makes me think of fibromyalgia. There are many similarities in how to deal with the setbacks that can arise from chronic illness symptoms. Let me explain.
When a race car driver first re-experiences the racetrack after a crash, he can't help but also re-experience the accident in his mind. He sees the wall around the course coming closer and closer at every turn. He sees the other cars as dangerous obstacles. It takes the repeated sage advice of others who've gone before to break through this distorted view.
He is advised (over and over) to ONLY look where he wants to go rather than where he doesn't want to go. That means, when he's focused on the road ahead, he can steer out of skids, avoid the obstacles, and keep on track (literally). It's all a matter of focus. Keeping his "eyes on the prize" of the course ahead keeps him from the crash and burn scenario.
The same goes for those of us dealing with symptom management. When we sharpen our focus on taking the needed steps to keep us healthy, we can better manage the intermittent flares, setbacks, and obstacles.
Here are a few other examples of keeping your "eyes on the prize" thinking:
- A distance relay runner places her hand out in anticipation of feeling the SLAP! of the baton in her outstretched palm. She doesn't turn away from her focus to see IF it's coming. She simply knows that it IS coming.
- In Indiana Jones movies, the protagonist isn't supposed to look down while crossing a termite-ridden bridge over an insanely deep gorge. He's supposed to focus on the end of the bridge and keep moving forward. (Hollywood Movie Hint: Looking straight ahead equals success. Looking down cues the ominous music signaling disaster.)
- And what about Scarlett O'Hara? She displayed the ultimate in single-minded focus when she strategized to impress Rhett with her new green gown. In what could be called a Drapes of Wrath scenario, she didn't let the drawbacks of war-torn Atlanta impact her goals. She couldn't procure Parisian fabrics, notions, or trims so she improvised. We all know the results. You could say she didn't spare the rod to achieve her goal.
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These are examples of single-minded focus. For those of us dealing with health challenges (i.e. fibromyalgia, ME/CFS, arthritis, lupus, etc.), we know that focus is a big part of looking for personal health solutions. We search for needed support and do our best to implement healthy lifestyle changes. We try to stay on track, but what happens when we take our eyes off the prize?
We all veer off course now and then due to various circumstances such as symptom flares or family/relationship issues. Our focus may waver a bit due to any number of reasons, but there's one BIG reason that may surprise you. This is the MOST common and destructive way to derail your focus.
* Compare yourself to others *
By comparing yourself, you've taken your eyes off of your own goals. You're no longer practicing single-minded focus. You're choosing to judge yourself and those around you based on your own inner critic (which may or may not be at a conscious level). Comparisons create innumerable stumbling blocks inhibiting your forward progress.
When you get to the nitty-gritty of comparisons, there are really only two likely outcomes. Here's what they are, for Better or Worse:
- You'll feel you're doing better than someone else. Superiority is never good position from which to plan. You may subconsciously sabotage your progress in order to re-align yourself with this person, or in some way compromise your own goals.
- You'll feel you're worse off than someone else. As weighed down as you may already feel, measuring your success against someone else's – and coming up short – creates a no win situation. This can lead to unrealistic expectations followed by a downward spiral of anxiety, despair, or frustration.
Looking for a way to sharpen your focus and avoid the Crash and Burn Syndrome? Begin by immersing yourself in the success of others.
This process differs greatly from comparisons – there's no judgment involved. Approach this exercise for the sole purpose of supporting your dreams and goals through the stories of others. Immersing yourself in true stories of those who've achieved success despite great odds, can help you to feel empowered and encouraged, too.
Successful people often credit their achievements to particular mentors, role models, teachers, and advisors who had a great influence over them. It's not necessary to know them in person.
Did you know that inspiration is "catchy"?
You can feel inspired by learning more about role models who epitomize the personality and character traits that you most admire. Inspirational biographies and memoirs can be particularly empowering. Look for books on the famous and not famous. Read books on bold politicians, inventors, innovators, and sports legends who have succeeded in some way.
Reading about their success puts you in their shoes. In the words of Tony Robbins, "The power of reading a great book is that you start thinking like the author. You start to think like they think, feel like they feel, and use imagination as they would. Their references become your own, and you carry these with you long after you've turned the last page."
Keep in mind that you needn't read only about health-related successes. Learning about others who've made notable achievements can help you to feel encouraged, emboldened, educated, and enlightened. When it comes to inspirational biographies, Unbroken tops my list. While it's far from light-hearted, the undeniable triumph of humankind shines through on every page.
Not a reader? Watch inspirational documentaries, TV programs, and movies on topics of interest. Attend motivational seminars, lectures, or classes. Pressed for time? Watch short inspirational video clips on YouTube. Viewing the indomitable power of the human spirit to achieve, heal, and persevere is always uplifting.
By discovering what influences and inspires you the most, you can learn to avoid comparisons and focus on your own success!
Sue Ingebretson (www.RebuildingWellness.com) is an author, speaker, certified holistic health care practitioner and the director of program development for the Fibromyalgia and Chronic Pain Center at California State University, Fullerton. She is also a Patient Advocate/Fibromyalgia Expert for the Alliance Health website and a Fibromyalgia editor for the ProHealth website community.
Her #1 Amazon best-selling chronic illness book, FibroWHYalgia, details her own journey from chronic illness to chronic wellness. She is also the creator of the FibroFrog™– a therapeutic stress-relieving tool which provides powerful healing benefits with fun and whimsy.


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Nuts: Brawl Breaks Out While Keak Da Sneak Performs During A Concert In California! (Chairs Flying & More)
Concert in Stockton, CA
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The Wild Hunt is 100% reader supported by readers like you. Your support helps us pay our writers and editors, as well as cover the other bills to keep the news coming to you ad free. If you can, use the button below to make a one-time donation - or become a monthly sustainer. Thank you for reading The Wild Hunt!
There are lots of articles and essays of interest to modern Pagans out there, sometimes more than our team can write about in-depth in any given week. So The Wild Hunt must unleash the hounds in order to round them all up.
- A prison beard ban case currently before the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) could have far-reaching implications for religious freedom in our prisons. An anaylsis at SCOTUSblog of Holt v. Hobbs notes that SCOTUS have already ruled that corporations have the ability to avoid complying with some government mandates that they believe infringe on their religious beliefs, but what about prisoners? Quote: "Having ruled that a corporation can rely on the devoutly Christian beliefs of its owners to avoid complying with the Affordable Care Act's birth-control mandate, will at least five Justices be equally receptive to an inmate's desire to comply with his Muslim religion by growing a half-inch beard? Throw in yesterday's announcement that the Justices will review the case of a Muslim teenager who alleges that she was not hired for a job at a popular clothing chain because she wears a headscarf, and it looks like it could be another significant Term for religious freedom at the Court." The Becket Fund frames the case as whether prison officials can arbitrarily ban a religious practice (in this case beard-growing).
- Is religion on the wane in the West (say that ten times fast)? There's some recent evidence that it might be. Ben Clements at British Religion in Numbers analyzes the latest British Election Study (BES), which shows a huge growth in "nones" (those who don't identify with having any particular faith identity). Quote: "The most common response is that of not belonging to any religion, at 44.7%." It should also be noted that "other" faiths are also on the rise among younger respondents. Meanwhile, in the United States, a growing majority thinks that religion is losing its influence over American life. This is according to a Pew Research poll. Quote: "Nearly three-quarters of the public (72%) now thinks religion is losing influence in American life, up 5 percentage points from 2010 to the highest level in Pew Research polling over the past decade."
- Religion News Service covers the latest iteration of people over-reacting to Halloween, in this case a school district in New Jersey that banned, then un-banned Halloween parties. Quote: "For years, Christian evangelicals have objected to what they see as Halloween's pagan origins. Some churches have adopted alternative harvest celebrations, while others have constructed elaborate "Hell Houses" designed to depict the torments of hell and the promise of salvation through belief in Jesus. But a day after canceling the in-school Halloween celebration, parents received a note home from Acting Superintendent James Memoli saying the cancelation has been reversed, and the event would take place as it has in the past." Of course, Halloween is NOT a Pagan holiday, it's a Christian holiday that was thoroughly secularized over the last 100 years. Now, Samhain (and other pre-Christian harvest/Winter festivals), that's a different matter. Anyway, what's truly ironic is re-labeling Halloween as a "Harvest Festival" just makes is sound MORE Pagan, not less. Stick with the jack-o-lanterns and candy.
- Catholicism is slowly losing its grip on Brazil, but that hasn't dimmed the popularity of an annual processional in honor of the Virgin Mary. Quote: "An arduous public display of devotion, Cirio (pronounced see-rio) has persisted and thrived as a centerpiece of Amazonian regional culture — maintaining consistent levels of participation year to year — even as Catholicism loses ground to evangelical faiths in a dramatic transformation of Brazilian society." Why the enduring popularity? Because the festival goes deep into the cultural history of their society, quote, "in Brazil, where African and indigenous traditions melded with Christianity for centuries and where Catholicism has deep cultural roots, religious identities are not so clear-cut." Indeed, indeed. Meanwhile, practitioners of Afro-Brazilian faiths feel under attack.
- Affirming belief in a higher power, or going back to jail? Thanks to a lawsuit in California, that may be a choice that's on its way to extinction. Quote: "The real victory here is that California will no longer be able to force anyone into a faith-based treatment program. It's fine to have different rehab programs available to drug offenders – even if they're faith-based – but religious ones must remain optional."
- The Miami Herald reports on how two prominent Santeria organizations (Kola Ifa and Church of the Lukumí Babalú Ayé) have joined forces to, quote, "establish a central and very visible hierarchy for a faith often associated by outsiders with mysterious rites, colorful deities and animal sacrifices." Here's a video report on this new agreement. I'm thinking this move could have significant ripples into the wider Santeria/Lukumi world.
- Remember that awesome book review of Peter Bebergal's "Season of the Witch: How the Occult Saved Rock and Roll" we ran recently? Well, here's an excerpt for you to read! Quote: "Donovan eagerly jumped into the portal the 1960s had opened into Wonderland. There he had permission to explore musically the idea that divinity was not predisposed to exist only in heaven, but was part of the very fabric of the world. It expressed itself through myth as well as nature."
- There are few terms I like less than "occult expert" especially when paired with the words "animal killing." Quote: "To make some kind of sense of the disturbing discoveries, the Westchester SPCA called in New York City's Marcos Quinones. For almost three decades, Quinones has been helping law enforcement agencies worldwide sort through clues to determine what type of practitioners were at work — and what they might have been seeking." Just to be absolutely clear, this man is NOT an academic with no idealogical ax to grind. These "experts" do more far more harm than good in my opinion, and many of their "observations" are made through a mixed filter of law enforcement and Christian religion.
- There's something so weird, wonderful, and maybe a bit Orwellian, of the "anonymous" gods of Google Maps. Quote: "Blurred by Google, all faces are equal."
- Vodou Mambo Saumya Arya Haas weighs in on the Universal Studios Orlando Halloween Horror Nights "Bayou of Blood" area, which has featured simulated human sacrifice. Quote: "If scholars and adherents of Vodou are to be believed, consistent portrayals of 'voodoo' practitioners as barbaric, violent and most of all as African-American, not only influences public perception of our religion, but perception of African-Americans. This expands the concerns well beyond our (admittedly small) American Vodou community. We are living in a time when race issues in America are, once again, part of public debate. For minority communities, daily life is such that these challenges seldom fade from our consciousness."
That's all I have for right now, as always, some of these stories may be expanded on in future Wild Hunt posts. Thanks for reading, have a great day!


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Cold Brewed Coffeeand Tea Recipe Guide
We're delighted to introduce a unique collection of cold-brewed coffee and tea food and beverage recipes - our 40th anniversary edition.
This essential kitchen companion offers myriad delectable creations for the millions who have discovered the pleasure of cold-brewed coffee & tea as an ingredient in both hot and cold foods and beverages.
These exclusive recipes have been fashioned through the discerning eyes and palettes of connoisseurs, regular folk and our in-house experts.
We hope you enjoy this new collection of recipes.
Your friends at Toddy®