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The Creation Of The Universe
The Basic Concepts in the Qur'an
Wisdom and Sentimentalism
One of the greatest factors which can blur one's wisdom is sentimentalism. This is a quite harmful state of mind which is inimical to the proper functioning of human reason.
Indeed sentimentalism is an explicit danger to reason. It exercises control over the faculty of reason to the point of negative sensible judgments. Under the sway of emotions, a sentimental person can easily engage in unwise and imprudent deeds. A believer, on the other hand, always keeps his emotions under the command of reasoning.
The concept of love, for instance, may have two separate dimensions; it may be either emotional or rational. The sentimental person feels a profound attachment for people or objects who truly do not deserve affection. As is prevalent in many cultures - especially the eastern cultures- a deep devotion is demonstrated to those who pay no respect to one's devotion or who give pain in return for sincere love.
On the contrary, the love of a believer is always based on solid grounds. In the object of his love he primarily identifies the existence of "attributes of faith" or "attributes of a believer" as defined in the Qur'an. A believer never shows affection to anyone who is unworthy of being loved.
O you who believe! Do not take My enemies and yours as friends (or protectors), offering them (your) love, even though they have rejected the truth that has come to you, and have (on the contrary) driven out the Prophet and yourselves (from your homes), (simply) because you believe in Allah your Lord! If you have come out to strive in My way and to seek My good pleasure, do not take them as friends, holding secret converse of love (and friendship) with them: for I know full well all that you conceal and all that you reveal. And any of you that does this has strayed from the straight path. If they were to get the better of you, they would behave to you as enemies, and stretch forth their hands and their tongues against you for evil: and they desire that you should reject the truth. There is for you an excellent example (to follow) in Abraham and those with him, when they said to their people: "We are clear of you and of whatever you worship besides Allah: we have rejected you, and there has arisen, between us and you, enmity and hatred for ever, unless you believe in Allah and Him alone... (Al-Mumtahina, 1-4)
The above words of Allah explain the grounds for it being irrational to feel love for unbelievers. Such an attitude can be explained only by sentimentalism.
Many other verses in the Qur'an advise giving careful consideration to the dangers of feeling love for unbelievers. The story of Prophet Noah sets an example for this subject; Noah asked for forgiveness of Allah for his son who did not worship Him and prayed that he be saved from the flood. Allah told Noah that his son was also among the unbelievers and that he (Noah) should not offer him his love:
So the Ark floated with them on the waves (towering) like mountains, and Noah called out to his son, who had separated himself (from the rest): "O my son! Embark with us, and do not be with the unbelievers!" The son replied: "I will take myself to some mountain: it will save me from the water." Noah said: "This day nothing can save from the command of Allah but those on whom He has mercy! "And the waves came between them, and the son was among those overwhelmed in the Flood. ...And Noah called upon his Lord, and said: "O my Lord! Surely my son is of my family! And Your promise is true, and You are the most just of Judges!"He said: "O Noah! He is not of your family: For his conduct is unrighteous. So do not ask of Me for that of which you have no knowledge! I give you counsel, lest you act like the ignorant!"Noah said: "O my Lord! I do seek refuge with You, lest I ask You for that of which I have no knowledge. And unless you forgive me and have mercy on me, I shall indeed be lost!" (Hud, 42-47)
The message of the verse is apparent: Even if the immediate family members are in question, the believers do not feel an attachment for unbelievers. It is only wise to love people who really deserve love. Moreover, a believer never develops a feeling deep in his heart for someone who goes astray.
The wives of Noah and Lut were also among the unbelievers who deserved to be severely penalized by Allah. The people of Lut went astray and, hence, they were utterly destroyed. Just before the destruction, the angels came to Lut telling him to abandon the city and to leave his wife behind. Without a moment's hesitation, Lut obeyed the command:
(The Messengers) said: "O Lut! We are messengers from your Lord! By no means shall they reach you! Now travel with your family in the remaining hours of the night, and let not any of you look back: but your wife (will remain behind): To her will happen what happens to the people. Morning is their time appointed: Is not the morning nigh?" (Hud, 81)
Lut had fully obeyed the command of Allah. This is exactly the type of behaviour that one can expect from a believer. Having a sentimental attachment for those who disobey the judgement of Allah is not an attribute that one can see among believers:
You will not find any people who believe in Allah and the last day, loving those who resist Allah and His messenger, even though they were their fathers or their sons, or their brothers, or their kindred. For such He has inscribed the faith in their very hearts, and strengthened them with a spirit of His own. And He will admit them to Gardens beneath which rivers flow, to dwell therein (for ever). Allah will be well pleased with them, and they with Him. They are the party of Allah. Truly, it is the party of Allah that will achieve felicity. (Al-Mujadila, 22)
The essence of this attitude, so purified of emotion, is no doubt the understanding of love which is peculiar only to believers. Allah informs us about the different concepts of love held by believers and unbelievers in the following verse:
Yet there are men who take (for worship) others besides Allah, as equal (with Allah): They love them as they should love Allah. But those of faith are overflowing in their love for Allah.If only the unrighteous could see, they would know that to Allah belongs all power, and Allah will be stern in retribution. (Al-Baqara, 165)
As Allah states in the verse, believers truly love Allah. The affection they feel for people is merely a reflection of their love for Allah. They love only believers,because believers are those people "who truly adopt the moral framework the Qur'an presents man with." Unbelievers, on the other hand, live according to their whims and desires. In this sense, they follow the path of Satan. Hence, it is impossible for believers to feel close to them. Unbelievers, on the other hand, are inclined to have affection for people or objects individually. They assume everything to have an existence independent of Allah. In the Qur'an, this is called "associating partners with Allah", or in other words, paganism.
In the Qur'an, non-emotive behaviours demonstrated by believers is not limited only to love. There are many other rational kinds of behaviours recounted in the Qur'an. The following are all examples to such kinds of behaviours ; the mother of Moses left her baby floating in the river without any hesitation when she received inspiration from Allah (Al-Qasas, 7); the believers restrain their anger and pardon men (Al-E-Imran, 134); and do not despair over matters that pass them by (Al-Hadid, 23); and spend from what they most dearly love.(Al-Imran, 92).
However, one point needs further clarification here: not being sentimental does not in any way mean being insensitive. On the contrary, believers are tender-hearted people. The attributes of the Prophet Abraham are related in the Qur'an: "Abraham was most tender-hearted, and forbearing." (At-Tawba, 114). What is criticized about sentimentalism here is its negative aspect prevalent in the culture of an ignorant society. In a sentimental way of thinking, emotions completely cloud the faculty of judgment and make one develop unsound reasoning contrary to the principles of the Qur'an. In this culture, not the spirit but the negative side of the soul stirs up these emotions.
In a community, various examples of such an attitude can be observed: sentimentalism displayed by young girls is a typical example. Being under the influence of emotions, a young girl loves the image of a man rather than his character and spirit. This is no doubt due to the mentality indoctrinated in her by the society. However, lessons drawn from experience lead eventually to wisdom. Mostly after spending only a short time with him, the young girl realizes the negative, or inhumane side of the man she loves.

subset: commoncrawl


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Why Create Two-tier Discriminatory Immigration System?
After looking over the framework for the National Immigration Reform, put forth by a bi-partisan team of U.S. Senators, I am left wanting in the way of a true road to citizenship.
I applaud the Senators for acknowledging the fact that our immigration system has been broken for some time; but the outlined policies only penalize immigrants who have contributed everything they have to this country based on the failures of our policymakers in the past.
It seems as if the national leaders assigned to this task, 4 Democratic Senators and 4 Republican Senators from around the country, will be seeking to subject millions of undocumented immigrants currently living in the U.S. to further hardship and adversity, while unrightfully sparing select populations from the long and daunting prospects for citizenship, a process that will not even become available until proposed enforcement measures are in place.
While I appreciate the provisions looking to bring more graduate students with degrees in the STEM fields, immigrants are capable of contributing in many more ways than just these, as evidenced by the history of this country itself.
Additionally, provisions to let certain populations of immigrants in over others will create a two-tiered system that will only further back-up the already extensive log-jam of those looking to legally apply for citizenship. As it stands, this outline not only incentivizes undocumented immigrants to continue to live in obscurity due to the new impediments to achieve legal status-even more so citizenship-but it will cost Americans considerable money in bureaucratic processes required.
This is on top of the billions already spent to deport over 1.5 million undocumented persons over the past four years, the most of any administration ever in that time span.
This is a population eager to become full-fledged citizens, pay their taxes and live under the protections and services provided to American citizens. The contributions already made to this country in the form of sub-minimum wage pay, zero job protections and the real threat of deportation should be considerable enough to waive the punitive fees suggested by the Senators' outline.
As it stands, the framework provided simply does not create a strong path to citizenship, but rather a process with hurdles at each step that will not even begin until our borders are deemed secure by states already proven to be hostile to undocumented immigrants based on legislation partially struck down by the Supreme Court.
Finally, there is no mention of educational opportunity for the children of undocumented immigrants held to be exempt from the full citizenship process, otherwise known as DREAMers, currently living in the country. Nor is there plan to provide quality educational opportunities to families of the agricultural workers, also to be provided with an expedited process. Including these provisions in any proposed legislation is vital. The current workforce is this country is aging and retiring and will do so more rapidly in the near future. A skilled and qualified workforce of the future is imperative if we are to compete in the 21stcentury and an educated population of immigrants will accomplish this.
Now that President Obama and Congress have come to a consensus on the need to address this important part of our country's future, I call on elected officials and communities around the country to mobilize to let our collective voice be heard.
We will unite on April 10th in Washington D.C. to guarantee a seat at the table for over 11 million people looking to make this country great in the 21st century.
Ydanis Rodriguez is a New York City Council Member
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Max Lucado's renowned short story is brought to life in this dramatic production Claudius, a Roman guard, finds himself in the middle of a cover-up of the tumultuous events following Christ's execution. As his digs for the truth, he discovers that the religious leaders, the Roman government and even his closest friends are attempting to hide something from him and the world. His relentless pursuit of the answers to his growing questions threatens his reputation-even his life. RESURRECTION is the story of one man's quest for the truth and the discovery that leads to his renewal.
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On the heels of the popular Google for Genealogists webinar that I delivered back on January 5, 2011, once again I am working with Legacy Family Tree Webinars on a new Google webinar!
Entitled Google Docs for Genealogists, here is the description for this 90-minute presentation (complete with 9-page syllabus) to be held on Wednesday, May 18, 2011:
Learn how to use Google Docs – a free application complete with spreadsheets, word processing and more – to your advantage while performing genealogy research. We'll cover how to create new documents, import documents from your hard drive, and how to use the basic functions of each component.
Register now using this link (https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/363231336) and mark your calendars!
Google Docs for Genealogists
Wednesday, April 18, 2011
2:00 PM Eastern (U.S.)
1:00 PM Central
12:00 PM Mountain
11:00 AM Pacific
©2011, copyright Thomas MacEntee


text: Where to plant a vineyard… in 2099? John Witherspoon December 3, 2009 FCG, Food & Conversation, Soap Box 10 For now I think I'll start looking into land in Antarctica. I'm sure at this point it will be fairly cheap, and my kids can start to cultivate it in 2099, when I'm long gone.


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Bmarcuzzo necesitaba un nuevo diseño de logotipo y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 80 diseños de 16 diseñadores freelance.
Afghanistan Trading Partners, LTD.
Afghanistan Trading Partners is a full service business strategy and consulting company with offices in Kabul, Afghanistan -- Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and Omaha, NE.
What We Do:
"Help our clients setup companies and evaluate business opportunities in Afghanistan." Basically we "babysit" and "hold the hands" of large corporations that aren't capable or smart enough to do it themselves.
Our consultants are experienced international businessmen that have traveled and worked extensively in third-world countries.
"C" level employees and Board Members of large US and International Corporations. All of these people are typically between 45 - 80 years of age with college educations. Most are male.
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I need a logo that will work well for a variety of applications. This logo will be on everything. The Web, Business Cards, Stationary, Shirts, Trade Booths, Vehicles, etc....
Would like a logo that uses the initials ATP, Ltd.
Also --- whoever is chosen for the winning logo will be used for all work in the future. I am looking for someone who understands long-term business identity strategy. If you are that person --- make sure you work on this project.
We will be starting and building marketing strategies for no less than 10 individual brands over the next 24 months.
Thanks for looking at our project!
Descubre cómo funciona un concurso de diseño u obtén más información sobre nuestros servicios de diseño de logo.


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Posted by Andrew Planet on May 4, 2020 at 2:51pm
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I just read the piece at the link below entitled "Study: Life might survive, and thrive, in a hydrogen world."
I'd been thinking on similar lines recently, on different atmospheres with early life, but I was considering anoxogenic bacteria whose byproduct is sulfur instead of molecular oxygen. ¿Had life evolved on Venus could its sulfuric clouds be the signature byproduct of such life with no branches ever evolving to produce the equivalent of Earth's Great…
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Exactly 100 years ago tomorrow, the subject on whether this Universe is larger than the Milky Way Galaxy was brought up publicly at an event sponsored by the National Academy of Sciences, known as The Great Debate. Until then the Milky Way was thought to be this Universe. Conference at the NAS http://www.nasonline.org/about-nas/events/annual-meeting/nas157/
See this…
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I am really glad to invite everyone to the next Mexican School of Astrobiology (aka EMA) which is this August.
¡Anímate a participar en la 5ta Escuela Mexicana de…
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A consortium of representatives of European Research Organisations has taken the initiative to create a virtual institute named the "European Astrobiology Institute" (EAI) with the ambition of enabling Europe to emerge as a key player in Astrobiology and to…
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This is week 12 of my participation Amy Johnson Crow's, once a week challenge to blog about one ancestor a week, tell their story, biography, a photograph, an outline of a research problem — anything that focuses on that one ancestor. More about the challenge can be found at her Blog, No Story Too Small.
Baby boy Dews was born November 1, 1896 in Princess Anne County Virginia and died there, unnamed, on November 10, 1896. His burial place is undiscovered. His parents were rather poor, it is likely that he was buried in an unmarked grave. Here is part of his death record, the entire record was not digitized. Lorena's name was spelled Lurena.
Delphine "Della" Dews was born in July of 1897 in "Virginia" per the 1900 U.S. Census, Kempsville, Princess Anne County, Virginia (the enumeration was done on June 20, 1900). Her birth record has not been found, as she was born during a time that Virginia did not require the recording of births. Family tradition is that Della died at age 2 or 3 of burns suffered from boiling kettle of water. Her death record has not been located, nor a burial place.
The only record/document I have found for Delphine "Della" is her appearance in the 1900 census. Note this record has been edited, several of the first rows of the enumeration were removed to save space here and to show only the Dews clan. Richard L. Dews, we believe to be Robert L. Dews, brother of (William) Henry.
Wish list: Anything on either Baby boy Dews or his sister, Della. Hope runs slim as I have spent considerable time pouring over records and this is all I have found.
* Additional source data can be obtained by contacting me, see the right hand column for a yahoo email address.
** 52 Ancestors Weeks Button courtesy of Amy Johnson Crow.
*** I use many resources to research, FamilySearch.org is a free site. Ancestry.com is a pay site for which I pay, no discounts, etc. None of these sites have asked me to review them, or use them. See my Disclaimers page for further details.
**** In my years of researching this clan and several others that branch to it or from it, I can tell you that Richard can easily be Robert. There are years and years that males and females only used their initials. Try searching an entire county where every man and woman are only identified as "X.X. Surname". I'll not leave you to wonder - - frustration is the name of that game.


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Authorities tracking down all leads
MAYSVILLE � As the investigation continued Monday into the apparent suspicious death of a Maysville woman, questions remained not only for the law enforcement agencies involved.
Gregg Carpitano was friends with Elizabeth �Bethany� Rhoades and had searched himself the area near where her body was found Sunday night and finds it hard to believe that her body had not been discovered earlier.
�I don�t think she was there two weeks. There�s no way,� he said Monday afternoon.
The crime scene tape that surrounded the area Sunday along the White Oak River had been removed. Carpitano, who talked about his friend�s disappearance from near where she was found, said there isn�t much reason for people to be in the area, but it�s not far from populated areas.
Rhoades� body was found on a wooded bank near the water across from the White Oak River Campground just outside the Maysville town limits.
She had been reported missing by her family and was last seen around 5 p.m. Feb. 10 leaving Carpitano�s business, Gregg�s Auto Salvage on U.S. 17, apparently walking toward her home on Jenkins Avenue.
Maysville Police Department was investigating the missing person case but where Rhoades� body was found is just outside of the town limits, and the Jones County Sheriff�s Office is investigating her death with assistance from the State Bureau of Investigation as well as Maysville police.
�It has been determined to be a suspicious death,� said Capt. Jim Bateman of the Jones County Sheriff�s Office. �The SBI has been called in to assist and we are conducting interviews and following every lead we can. The case is still under investigation.�
An autopsy is to be done this week but when and where was not yet known, he said.
Bateman said they hope the autopsy will answer questions such as her cause of death and how long before her body was found that it occurred.
Right now, he said, they know few details about what happened between when she went missing and when she was found.
�What we�re trying to do is put the pieces back together,� Bateman said.
Carpitano said he has tried to do the same.
He said Rhoades worked for him regularly at his auto business and he offered a helping hand to her as well when she needed it.
Carpitano said he was the last person to see her before she started walking along U.S. 17 that evening.
He said that earlier that afternoon he had given her a ride and they had run several errands, including a trip to Piggly Wiggly in Maysville to pick up dog food and other items, a run to the ABC store in Pollocksville, a stop to see her mom and drop off the dog food and also a stop at the Handy Mart back in Maysville.
They returned to Carpitano�s house, which is beside his business, and she left not long after. He said she had had a few beers, but it wasn�t unusual for her to make the walk home, a distance of just over a mile north along U.S. 17. The site where she was found was just off that route and across U.S. 17.
Carpitano said he passed out fliers and searched himself for Rhoades, and he said he has contacted the local funeral home about paying expenses for the family.
He wants others to remember Rhoades as he does.
�She would do anything for anybody. And she loved animals,� he said.
He also wants to see a resolution to the case.
�Whoever did this, I hope they find them,� Carpitano said.
Contact Halifax Media Service reporter Jannette Pippin at 910-382-2557 or firstname.lastname@example.com.


text:
Mr. Speaker, let us see if we can follow this.
The Minister of National Defence says that the F-35 is the only plane that meets the mandatory requirements. His parliamentary secretary says it does not: it is a developmental project. The Associate Minister of National Defence says, yes, it does. But he is off looking for alternatives.
We know that the process has been rigged in favour of the F-35. My question is simply, how did they mess it up so badly?


text:
No joke. Warner Bros. is looking to make a sci-fi version of Homer's Odyssey. From Deadline:
Here's one Homer surely didn't see coming. Warner Bros is making The Odyssey, dropping the togas and setting it in space. The studio has just hired James DiLapo to write the futuristic re-imagining of the Greek epic. Warner Bros has also put in place a blind writing deal behind the project to keep him in the studio fold.
Since DiLapo just graduated from NYU last summer, it's conceivable that The Odyssey is fresh in his head, from term papers. The scribe is pretty accomplished for one so young. He won the Nicholl Fellowship in the fall for his first script, Devils At Play. That script made the 2012 Black List. It's set in 1937 Soviet Union, and is a classic paranoid thriller about a worker of The People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs who finds a list of traitors which he thinks is going to be his way out. He is repped by Verve and Kaplan Perrone.
Ooh, really? Homer didn't see this coming? He didn't see that millennia in the future, there would be a medium that presented moving pictures upon a screen, and a company that manufactured said "motion pictures" would hire someone to adapt his Odyssey, but instead of setting it in ancient Greece, they would set it in the future, replacing Odysseus' boat travel with space travel? Well, what a dipshit. Get out of here Homer, and take your two masterpieces that form the basis of all Western literature with you! Come back when you can accurately predict the entertainment mediums and trends 3,000 years from now!


text: I was born in 1968 in Lacchiarella, a little town near to Milan (Italy). During the early '90's I studied at the School of Comics in Milan, where I discovered my love for painting and photograpy. I have to say a big "thank you" to that developers of artistical softwares and their hard work and creativity , giving, to those artists like me, constantly looking for new artistical tools, great precious opportunities for translating their ideas into pictures or sculptures as the best they desire.


text:
A Society as Sick as its Secrets
international | crime and justice | news report Wednesday November 21, 2012 02:36 by BrianClarkeNUJ - AllVoices
See The Pogues Video - Top 10 X-Rated: Birmingham Six, link below.
Official Secrets Act, Secret Services, secret evidence, secret witnesses, secret prosecutions and now secret courts. We are as sick as our secrets as a society and Britain is now legislating all of its secret experiments in British Occupied Ireland into law, in England itself, with secret political internment without trial now becoming the norm. What chance tortured, perverted injustices, such as the convictions of the Birmingham six or Guildford four, which took years of painful campaigning to overturn, being corrected in secret courts? See The Pogues Vidoe - Top 10 X-Rated: Birmingham Six below.
Official Secrets Act, Secret Services, secret evidence, secret witnesses, secret prosecutions and now secret courts. We are as sick as our secrets as a society and Britain is now legislating all of its secret experiments in British Occupied Ireland into law, in England itself, with secret political internment without trial now becoming the norm. What chance tortured, perverted injustices, such as the convictions of the Birmingham six or Guildford four, which took years of painful campaigning to overturn, being corrected in secret courts?
The United Nations' special rapporteur on torture, Professor Juan Méndez, intervened in the UK debate on secret courts, where MI5 have shredded royal pardons and now prosecute secret evidence, against political dissident such as Marian Price, with a warning that wrong doing by security intelligence agencies if undisclosed, will not be confronted. "If a country is in possession of information about human rights abuses, but isn't in a position to mention them, it hampers the ability to deal effectively with torture," he told an audience at Chatham House in London. The fact that the government has applied for the use of closed material procedure in a court cases, from which the defendant is kept secret, enables unaccountable secret service behavior of the worst kind that includes torture.
Meanwhile the politically interned Marian Price, has already been kept in the dark for over 18 months about her status, with secret trials which have already taken place, in the sectarian police statelet of British Occupied Ireland, where secret courts and internment without trial, cover for the ineptness of British secret service agencies there. The British occupied statelet, created on a sectarian headcount and maintained in an undemocratic, unaccountable society, now with even further proposed draconian legislation, intend to offer even greater protection, for "bad" intelligence, with ever increasing use by the British Government of dubious and illegal UAV technology, which relies heavily on intelligence information to be effective, being just a matter of time, before the use of secret trials is included to liquidate Irish political activists, with British drones flying over all of Ireland.
The internment of political prisoners along with the use of "closed material procedures" (CMPs), enables the secret services to introduce sensitive information in secret trials, that can only be seen by a judge or secret service cleared "specially appointed state advocates" to supposedly represent the interests of an interned political activist. The special advocate will not give their Irish client, precise details of the evidence against them and will only provide a "gist" or loose summary of it.. Like Marian Price, internees will not be made aware of all allegations being made, without equal footing, the advantage firmly in the repressive regime's favour, taking Irish people back to the 17th Century, when British trials behind closed doors were used to silence Irish opponents, of the occupying British, ruling elite.
If defendants like Marian Price cannot know the details of the case against her, how can she or her lawyers challenge it? The most obvious example being the defence of alibi, that she was not in a certain place at certain times not specified by the prosecution. If she cannot know the place and time at which the secret services allege she was doing whatever it is they are accusing her of, how can the 'special advocate' get evidence to the contrary ?
The so called 'security vetting' of the special advocates is done by the the prosecutors with the power to eliminate effective defence and wide open to abuse 'ensuring that they are inclined to believe everything they are told by the secret services'. But then if you are Irish and you don't trust the occupying secret services, then you too are most definitely a candidate, for Internment without proper trial in British Occupied Ireland too, aren't you ? This denial of public justice in favour of a select, and well connected, secret few bigoted English Tories or sectarian orangemen, determining what information the native Irish should have access to, in secret judicial proceedings, that can throw away the key to freedom for life?
A great many cases against the British government arising from the troubles in British Occupied Ireland, are currently being prepared by lawyers in the sectarian scum state, while the British unable to be sure how many claims, it could face in the future as a result of the ongoing conflict. With a host of security scandals unearthed, including allegations of torture of political prisoners such as Marian Price, meant to be hidden in closed material procedures. Even fundamental personal right,s such as freedom from imprisonment, guaranteed by the ancient writ of habeas corpus now routinely ignored and trampled on daily.
With the British also accused of the mental torture of political prisoners such as Marian Price, while she was kept in solitary confinement for over a year of her 18 month political internement, the UN Special Rapporteur also called for an end to the practice of her solitary confinement when he said;
"Social isolation is one of the harmful elements of solitary confinement and its main objective. It reduces meaningful social contact to an absolute minimum," Mr. Méndez also said. "A significant number of individuals will experience serious health problems regardless of the specific conditions of time, place, and pre-existing personal factors." Indefinite and prolonged solitary confinement, in excess of fifteen days, should also be subject to an absolute prohibition," he said noting that scientific studies have established that some lasting mental damage is caused after just a few days of social isolation.Considering the severe mental pain or suffering solitary confinement may cause," Mr. Méndez further warned the British, "it can amount to torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment when used as a punishment, during pretrial detention, indefinitely or for a prolonged period, for persons with mental disabilities or juveniles."
Marian Price is currently close to death in a Belfast hospital, with extremely serious health issues, as a result of British torture, while she was kept in solitary confinement. Even Lord Kerr a leading figure of the British establishment asserted: "Evidence which has been insulated from challenge may positively mislead … the right to know the case that one's opponent makes and to have the opportunity to challenge it occupies … a central place in the concept of a fair trial." The internment of Marian Price, Gerry McGeough and Martin Corey have had an adverse impact on the peace process, with the Nationalist community always having regarded political internment, as act of war by the Tory vice royals in Ireland. There many indicators of a return to war in the occupied six counties.
• Secret injustice by MI5 or MI6 cannot constitute a fair trial and certainly destroy any public confidence in the almost defunct peace process.
• Judges, not politicians, should decide these issues, having twice dismissed the case against Marian already, the British overruling their own judiciary, still intern her under the guise of resurrecting the very same charges, dismissed in court already.
• Evidence of torture is being suppressed by the new generation of MI5 secret courts without accountability or transpaency
The status of an open justice principle is the basis to all International common law fundamentals and an important human rights obligation. Without doubt the current British experiments with internment and secret courts in Occupied Ireland, condemns Britain once again to pariah state status, having been found guilty already in the European Court of Human Right in Strasbourg, with torture in Ireland of political internees.The British point the finger of human rights around the world to camouflage their flagrant abuse and disdain for international standards of human rights.
Legislation, introduced currently by the back door in the House of Lords rather than the normal House of Commoners, is overturning long-established, common law precedents about fair and open justice. So called "closed material procedures" (CMPs) take it another stage further, enabling unaccountable secret services to dictate word to the judge via the secretary of state offices and sometimes to already secret service, compromised judges for British Occupied Ireland, with the judge only allowed to make a decision, if the British Vice royal makes an application.
The judge will not weigh up the relative merits of a CMP or decide what the fairest way would be to decide the case. The judge's hands are effectively tied. Secret justice cannot constitute a fair trial and will furthershake the already damaged public confidence.The open justice principle has been absent for may years, in the many political trials of British Occupied Ireland guaranteeing that the peace process will not work with such baltant injustice. The joint committee on human rights describe this silence as "a serious omission". Even the British government's own impact assessment concede the secret courts undermine public confidence in the judicial system and essentially destroying the peace process in Ireland, permanently.


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Description of Course:
An examination of the kinds of literature produced for children and those concerning children as subjects. Works may include fiction, nonfiction, fairy tales, and films from a variety of historical periods as well as works of major authors. May be repeated for credit as topics vary (6 hours maximum). Same as ED 3315. Prerequisite: HUMA 1301, LIT 2331, LIT 2332, or LIT 2341.
Required Texts:
Course Requirements/Evaluation Criteria:
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This 1952 Buick may have lost a few pieces of trim, but it's managed to hang on to its distinctive grille and front bumper, at least for now. Even though the Texas junkyard where this old Buick was spotted is likely the car's final resting place, at least it is going out with a grin.
(Photo Credit: mtneer_man)


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While pop culture has been ruled by the superheroes for the last few years, from Kavalier And Clay through Heroes and the box-office draw of movies like the Spider-Man series, Iron Man and The Dark Knight, it's worth remembering the words of the most dour of the Fab Four and realizing that All Things Must Pass. But while movie studios may be hoping that toys are the next nostalgia-fueled craze, it's beginning to look like our future may just be one big pain in the neck.The current craze for Vampires was probably kick-started by the success of last year's movie version of cult comic 30 Days of Night, which did for bloodsuckers what 28 Days Later did for the undead years before. That movie may have snuck in on the back of the comic book craze (starting, as it did, as a 2002 comic by Steve Niles and Ben Templesmith), but it also heralded today's new lust for blood: While HBO's True Blood may not be entirely winning us over, the channel is happy enough with the ratings - or perhaps just the zeitgiest-surfing qualities of the show - to order a second season. And why not? Once the David Bowie and Catherine Deneuve made sucking blood weirdly sexy twenty years ago.
Maybe that explains why both Cloverfield director Matt Reeves and Hellboy's Guillermo Del Toro are turning to Nosferatu's children for their next projects (Reeves will be directing a remake of cult Swedish vampire movie Lat den ratte komma in, while Del Toro has just signed a deal to co-write a trilogy of vampire novels). We thought that it might've been pirates, or maybe ninjas, but no - it really is Vampires that are the new superheroes, who were the new zombies. Give it a year, and we'll all be bored of the sight of blood.


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By Jamie Gardner
At Friday night's annual Appling County High School Homecoming Game, Celecca Fredrick was crowned the 2011 Homecoming Queen.
Pirates now 6-0 with 32-0 win over McIntosh County
It was Homecoming at Jimmy Swain Stadium this past Friday night and the Appling County High School Pirate football team had one thing in mind…continue their perfect season. The Pirates would face off against the McIntosh County Academy (MCA) Buccaneers.
Celecca is shown above with the 2011 Homecoming Queen Court including, l-r, Haleigh Taylor, Harley Thompson, Haley Simmons, Brittany Jordan, (Fedrick), Taylor Dominy, Olivia Brantley, Andreanna Carson, Jessica Dowdney and Marsha Austin.
Fedrick crowned queen, Pirates win
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A deputy smelled marijuana after a local woman opened her door.
Lenoir County Sheriff�s Office deputies failed to find the subject of their warrant but came away with a suspect regardless.
On June 23, deputies inquired at a house on the 500 block of Back Street in Jackson Heights regarding the warrant but did not find the person in question. While talking to resident Haley Goodman, they reported smelling a strong odor of marijuana at the home and Deputy Justin Smith asked Goodman when the last time someone smoked marijuana at the house.
She said it never happened, but after the deputy pointed out the three joints in an ashtray by the door, Goodman recanted. After being granted permission to search the residence, deputies seized a number of small bags of marijuana and numerous items of drug paraphernalia.
�Deputy Smith did an outstanding job in pursuing what he smelt and observed at this home,� Sheriff Chris Hill said in a statement. �Deputy Smith did not just attempt to serve a warrant, but had the intuition and knowledge to further investigate potential drug activity when he smelt the odor of burning marijuana coming from the home.�
Hill continued, �The seizure and arrest directly benefits the community by identifying the offenders, and removing the drugs for potential sale on the street. I am concerned about the suspect�s age and I hope some sort of intervention will now occur.�
Goodman, 18, was charged with possession with intent to manufacture, sell or distribute a Schedule VI controlled substance, maintaining a dwelling for a controlled substance, and possession of drug paraphernalia. She received a $10,300 bond, posted bond and was released.
In all, deputies seized 23 bags of marijuana, four smoking devices, a �drug culture� book and multiple other items of drug paraphernalia.
Wes Wolfe can be reached at 252-559-1075 and email@example.com. Follow him on Twitter @WolfeReports.


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I currently have a static front page and a /blog.
My goal is to have the front page be a grid of hand selected images (similar to a portfolio). I would like to be able to easily switch the images are featured on this page without having to change the raw html.
Is the best way to do this, using custom fields on a page? Or is there a better way to handle managing featured images on a static page?


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wvrknight necesitaba un nuevo diseño de logotipo y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 107 diseños de 34 diseñadores freelance.
We are looking for a logo for our 'feel good' 'improve your life' website. Where people, primarily men in the 28-44 bracket can find many things that will improve their lifestyle.
The Icon must have a theme of: Celebration, Vitality,
Think Social Booking marking icon or iphone app.
Icon must be in a square and have rounded corners
Please KEEP it simple - remembering it will often be small
Icon should confirm to windows vista icon style guide and be iconic and not from photo realistic images
The logo & Icon must have a visual presence.
The logo should ideally focus on a an easily readable typeface and typography, with the use of a a hand drawn font would be more appropriate by perhaps using a standard font and making small changes.
Our age group is 28 - 44 (80% Men, 20% woman)
Our customer is discerning and forward thinking loves to enjoy their life and take care of themselves. Therefore the icon must be attractive to a person who is looking to better his life in more ways than one. By the food they eat, the way they want to think & knowledge they want to obtain, the clothes they wear, the re-cycling they do save the planet. The skin cream they use to protect their skin. etc.
Also the .com needs to be shown in one of the 3 finished artworks.
1. LifeStyle Icon
2. LifeStyleAgent (Agent in small) logo
3. LifeStyleAgent.com (logo as 2.)
Colours are not to be soft pastel colours but can have a sharp colour to the edge. Also the idea of green we like but do NOT want to be seen as another ECO company ONLY. Other colours we like are aubergine/purple, stronger versions of colours used on the website.
Tagline Live Better. Live More.
LifeStyleAgent is the place to:
* Change your Life for the better
* Enhance & improve your lifestyle now
* Make your lifestyle great
* Find Trusted sources of information
Desired Style
Simple, designer font, emphasis on LifeStyle
Required File Formats
To view your design (.jpg, .g.png).
Standard Web Formats (.jpg, .g.png); i
And final in large Vector Formats (.eps .pdf )
Layered Formats (.psd or .tiff)
Lastly as part of the final commissioned agreement the copyright will be sold to us as part of the contractual arrangement.
Descubre cómo funciona un concurso de diseño u obtén más información sobre nuestros servicios de diseño de logo.


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bergs necesitaba un nuevo diseño de logotipo y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 264 diseños de 69 diseñadores freelance.
My Future Bookkeeper
My Future Bookkeeper offers the highest quality bookkeeping and business solutions. We are committed to delivering a Dynamic, Vibrant and Superior, cost effective and quality assured service.
We are committed to improving our clients business and in turn allowing them to free up time to concentrate on the important things in their business.
We require a logo that conveys us as professional, sophisticated, modern, funky
Professional small - medium businesses
The logo must represent us as Dynamic, Proactive and professional. The logo must stand out and not be dull or boring. Remembering who we want to target.
We want our logo to stand out and have people say that it looks sleek, professional, sophisticated, modern and funky.
There are no color requirements, we ask everyone to use there creativity. A maximum of 3 colours. We are heading to a brighter colour as our background for the website; a sky blue, or green.
As the name is My Future Bookkeeper we would like to incorporate MFB within the logo if possible
The logo will be used everywhere such as: website, powerpoint presentations, stationary, business cards etc. so it must translate well to almost any application, and the winning designer may be enlisted to help in that regards.
Additionally I require ownership and copyrights with the option to alter the colours. The logo will be trademarked.
Main Concepts:
1. Simplicity/Sleek - a design that is not trying overly hard
2. Professional- the design should be professional, attractive and desirable in its own right.
3. Sophisticated - skype/facebook-like
4. Modern/Funky
5. No more than 2-3 colours
Descubre cómo funciona un concurso de diseño u obtén más información sobre nuestros servicios de diseño de logo.


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CHICAGO (AP) — The wolf was believed to be a lone male expelled by a pack in Wisconsin. The hunter who shot him in northwestern Illinois, allegedly keeping his skull as a trophy, was the first person in the state ever prosecuted for shooting a wolf under federal endangered species laws.
The incident, resolved in 2013 when the hunter pleaded guilty and paid a $2,500 fine, comes amid evidence of a modest but perceptible uptick in the number of wolves roaming across the Wisconsin border into heavily populated and widely farmed Illinois.
Illinois' own once-thriving wolves were hunted to extinction by the 1860s. But since the first confirmed sighting in the state in 150 years, in 2002, wolf sightings have gone from rare to regular — with at least five in the last three years.
"We used to joke with our counterparts in Wisconsin that, 'Yeah, one day your wolves will be coming to Illinois,'" said Joe Kath, the endangered species manager at Illinois' Department of Natural Resources. "Well, we've reached that day."
That has state wildlife officials contemplating another day — still way off — when there are so many wolves in Illinois they'll have to ask residents to decide if they want to encourage the growth of a wolf population or strictly limit it, possibly through hunting or trapping.
"It's too early to ask the question, but it's not too early to prepare for a time when the question might have to be asked," said Kath. That preparation, he said, has already begun, including by drafting plans on how to manage wolf packs should they become established.
The North American wolves, known as gray or timber wolves, have proven resilient.
Their numbers in the lower 48 states fell to a few dozen by 1970 but dramatically rebounded with federal protections and wildly successful reintroduction programs in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Montana, Idaho, Oregon, Washington and Wyoming.
Wolves weren't threatened by extinction in Alaska, which by far has the most — 7,000 to 11,000 wolves — of any U.S. state. Minnesota is second, with 2,200 wolves.
In Wisconsin, which shares a 150-mile border with Illinois, wolf numbers went from few to none in the 1970s to more than 800 today.
The core of Wisconsin's wolf population is in its forested north. But Kath noted that the wolves have on their own moved south, and one pack is near Beloit, Wis., only miles from Illinois. Also, lone wolves can leave their packs and roam more than 500 miles away in search of potential mates.
Several shootings of wolves have occurred in JoDaviess County, which hugs the Wisconsin border in the northwestern Illinois.
That was where Earl Sirchia, of Elgin, killed the wolf that drew the scrutiny of federal prosecutors. He was accused of taking the wolf's skull, and prosecutors said investigators had a photo he'd taken of himself with the dead wolf.
Sirchia faced a maximum one-year prison sentence but instead pleaded guilty. No one answered calls from The Associated Press to a phone number listed for Sirchia. His Bartlett-based attorney, Robert J. Krupp, hung up when the case was mentioned.
In another case from 2011 in the same county, Jason T. Bourrette and his friend Perry Vesely, both of Hanover, were hunting on Crazy Hallow Road when they saw what they thought was a coyote — which are legally hunted year around — tossing a mole up and down in its jaws, according to police reports.
After Bourrette shot and killed it, Vesely cursed and said, "Ya know, this could be a wolf,'" he later told an investigator. In the interview, he added about wolves: "I'm sure sooner or later we're going to have a pile of them down here, I'm afraid." Differences between wolves and coyotes can be difficult to spot, especially at a distance. But wolves are typically twice as large as coyotes, weighing as much as 115 pounds, and have larger muzzles and shorter, more rounded ears.
Bourrette and Vesely were charged under state conservation law, but the charges were later dismissed.
Earlier in 2013, the U.S. government declared victory in a four-decade campaign to rescue the gray wolf and lifted the federal protection in the Great Lakes area, including far-northern Illinois. But killing wolves anywhere in Illinois is still prohibited.
Enough wolves are now roaming into Illinois that hunters need to remain cautious, and Kath said it was possible that wolves could eventually, years from now, become commonplace in the state.
There are plenty of white-tail deer, Midwestern wolves' favorite food, in Illinois. But only 14 percent of Illinois land is suitable habitat for wolves, which prefer forests, according to a 2013 study by Southern Illinois University Carbondale. The northwest, west-central Illinois and the southern tip of the state were deemed most suitable.
And then there is the wolf's by most accounts undeserved reputation as bloodthirsty — see "Little Red Riding Hood" — that points to the main factor in wolves' future prospects in Illinois: humans.
"It's really not that they can't survive in Illinois. They could," said Kath. "The question is, will the general public allow them to survive?"
Follow Michael Tarm on Twitter at https://twitter.com/mtarm


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Jaguar unveil long awaited XF estate car
If there's one thing prospective Jaguar buyers have been missing, it's an estate car. A traditional load-lugger has been conspicuously absent from the firm's range, and an omission its rivals have capitalised upon for many years.
By Iain Dooley
Given the recent change of ownership from Ford to Tata and the slew of new or revised products that have come from both Jaguar and Land Rover in recent years - both brands are under the same roof - you could excuse the firm for being a little busy. The patience of those prospective buyers has finally been rewarded, as early 2012 saw Jaguar unveil its long awaited XF estate car - the Sportbrake.
For a company with apparently minimal experience making estate cars, the end product is thoughtfully constructed and styled. Looks-wise the XF wagon's profile is elegant yet functional, while there's never any impression that the load lugging bit is merely window dressing.
On paper the XF Sportbrake promises to be versatile and practical. Boasting a near-flat-fold rear seat mechanism including through-load flap and 60-40 fold split, total volume is a competitive 1,675 litres. Factor in some extra space below the boot floor, a fraction more rear headroom plus a host of options to make life easy - dividers, boot liners, roof racks and boxes, tow bar, cycle racks, powered tailgate - and it's clear that Jaguar is keen to tempt buyers away from established cars from Mercedes, BMW and Audi.
With everything save the rear doors new from the B-pillar back to the uncluttered tailgate, the XF Sportbrake is a bold statement of intent from Jaguar considering that the car will be targeted at only the European market for the foreseeable future. Unlike the saloon and SUV-centric American and Asian markets, European buyers have a soft spot for estates.
And they also like diesel engines, which is why this XF is diesel-only. For the cost and tax conscious buyers there's a 2.2-litre four cylinder unit in 163 and 200 horsepower trim, plus Jaguar's 3.0-litre V6 unit offered in 240 and 275 horsepower trim. Predictably the smaller engine will appeal to company car drivers and the latter to private buyers, and there's a noticeable uplift in driver appeal if you go for the V6. Smooth, refined and plenty quick enough in the real world, it's an engine that suits the car's laid back approach to performance.
Of course, the bean counters will prefer the 2.2-litre unit. Although it uses the same eight-sped auto gearbox as the V6, this is car that doesn't like to be rushed and is more at home being driven at a relaxed pace.
That said, both cars gain self-leveling rear suspension to ensure a safe and level attitude regardless of what's in the back and how enthusiastic you are at the wheel, while the optional Adaptive Dynamics system boasts computer controlled dampers to further reduce pitch and roll when on the move - something the keen drivers will no doubt welcome.
With all this focus on the XF's rear, it's easy to forget designer Ian Callum's 2012 revisions - lights, grille, bumpers - that do much to ensure the car maintains its stylistic edge over its more fussy and distinctly rivals. And although decidedly minimalist by current standards, the few subtle changes made to the car's cabin's switchgear and trim options have also added a welcome new layer of sophistication.
A popular car in saloon guise since its introduction, this Sportbrake variant is proof that Jaguar's design and engineering talent isn't restricted to saloons and sports cars. This car's thoughtful and fuss-free exterior is matched by a practical interior plus a range of useful and stylish accessories.
That the Sportbrake retains the driving appeal of its saloon cousin is the icing on the cake, and further illustrate's the company's no compromise approach to delivering a car designed to appeal to the head and the heart in equal measure.
Facts at a glance
Model: Jaguar XF Sportbrake 3.0 Diesel S Portfolio, from £51,505.
Engine: 3.0-litre diesel unit developing 275bhp.
Transmission: 8-speed manual transmission as standard, driving the rear wheels.
Performance: Maximum speed 155mph, 0-62mph 6.6 seconds.
Economy: 46.3mpg.
CO2 Rating: 163g/km.


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Ask Team USA: Swimming
Tucker Dupree, who is visually impaired, says his motivation "comes from the fact that I didn't touch first every time I raced in finals at the London 2012 Paralympic Games."
With just over 50 days until the start of the 2013 International Paralympic Committee Swimming World Championships in Montreal, Canada, six members of the 2013 U.S. Paralympics Swimming World Team ― Victoria Arlen, Cody Bureau, Tucker Dupree, Cortney Jordan, Colleen Young and Justin Zook― fielded questions from fans on everything from their typical training days to the perception of adaptive athletes.
Leslie asks
How often you train a week?
Victoria Arlen: I train about seven times a week. In that week, I get in about six sessions of in pool training and five sessions of dry land training.
Cody Bureau: I swim every morning from 7-9 a.m. except Sunday. Three days a week, I lift weights and have a second swim practice. I have nine swim practices and three lifting practices in a typical training week. It changes during competition.
Cortney Jordan: It depends on where I am in my training, usually about eight times a week I will swim for two hours. I swim Monday-Saturday, and will swim twice on Tuesday/Thursday or Monday/Wednesday. In addition to swim practices, I will also do an hour of dry land on the days that I swim once. I'll alternate between core work, running and biking.
Danny asks
What is a typical training day like?
Arlen: I just graduated high school so my training might change a bit. For a typical training day, I get up and eat breakfast. On weekdays, it is about 6 a.m. and on weekends, it is about 5 a.m. I always make sure I have a substantial breakfast in. Then on weekdays, I head to school until noon eat lunch then I go to meet with my trainer. From there, I grab a quick snack and head to the pool. On weekends I wake up at 5 swim from 6:30-8:30 a.m. then usually have a massage or time to chill and do normal "teenage" stuff such as hanging with friends and catching up on homework.
Jordan: It depends on the day, but usually I'll wake up and be in the water by 7 a.m. and I'll swim for two hours. I'll either go to the gym for an hour in the afternoon or I'll swim again in the afternoon around 4 p.m.
Colleen Young: I get up at 4:30 a.m. to go to practice at 5:30. After that, I go to school. Two out of six days involves some dry land workouts ―yoga and lifting weights. After school, I train in the pool for another 2 ½ hours. I have 11 practices a week and try to make them all.
Neal asks
What was it like to represent Team USA for the first time?
Bureau: I love to represent Team USA. The first time, it was slightly overwhelming realizing you were competing for one of the most recognized countries in the world. There is pressure to succeed.
Jordan: I'm not even sure if I can put it into words. I have grown up in a military family so I have always been taught to adore the United States. I was only 15 years old for my first IPC Swimming World Championships, but even then I was so honored to be a member of Team USA. In the 2008 Paralympic Games, I won gold in the 50-meter free. When I heard the national anthem play, I got goose bumps and my heart felt like it was glowing. It's incredible to feel like you've done something for your country and that you are a part of something bigger than yourself.
Young: Amazing. I felt lucky to be put into such a great opportunity. My first experience with Team USA was a trip to Greece with official U.S. coaches.
Justin Zook: My first chance to represent Team USA was back in 1998 at the IPC Swimming World Championships. I really feel as though the event was smaller than some of the competitions I had previously attended for USA Swimming. But wearing a Team USA uniform and suit was something special at the moment. I will never forget looking at my competition, myself being 12 and most of them in their 20s thinking "What am I doing here?" Being a part of a Paralympic Team in 2004 was a much more memorable experience for me. Walking into the stadium with 100,000 people screaming was insane during the Opening Ceremony. The first time I think I really realized what I had accomplished was when I got behind the block for my first race. I could not even begin to focus on what was about to happen. It was the first time I really was lost in the moment and was so thankful for the opportunity U.S. Paralympics had provided me.
Julie asks
What is your favorite meet to swim in every year?
Tucker Dupree: Julie, obviously competitive swimming is all about strong competition driving each athlete to this and her greatest expectation. Since this is a year of world championship, that is going to be my favorite meet of this year. Any option of me being able to compete at an abled bodied competition is also a great opportunity of racing for me.
Jordan: I don't think I have a specific meet that is my favorite. However, I love going to emerging meets and smaller Paralympic meets. I love participating in these meets because it is where it starts for lot of athletes. My first meet was a small meet in San Diego. At that meet, Michael DeMarco, another Paralympian, told me that I needed to continue on and go to nationals. I've been on the national team ever since. I want to help others like he helped me. When I go to the smaller meets, I can spend time talking to new athletes and inspire them to participate in the sport.
Young: My team has a meet two hours from home, which is my favorite. I like that all of my friends go and we hang out in between sessions at the mall, restaurants or movies.
Zook: Anything in warmer climate is always nice. A meet coming up in Colorado Springs this weekend is a meet I truly would not miss for anything― the Jimi Flowers Classic. This meet is a way of paying respect to an unbelievable coach, husband, father and friend for many of us, Jimi Flowers, and the proceeds go to his family.
Amanda asks
What is your pre-race ritual?
Bureau: As a part of my pre-race rituals, I listen to music and think the race through or when I get nervous at larger meets, I try to think about being in the mountains. It is relaxing and peaceful.
Young: I like to eat sub sandwiches, stretch on the deck and talk with my friends. I always have the timers verify I'm behind the right block and I swing my arms as I approach the block.
Zook: As most swimmers or athletes, I listen to music before a race, usually a variety of music nothing specific. Recently, I have started carrying a picture of my family with me up to the blocks, as they are the ones who have always supported me and I know are cheering for me even though they may not be in the stands.
Sara asks
What do you eat before a race?
Dupree: Sara, I am a very big sandwich fan. I can eat a lot of feet of sub before and after sessions at meet.
Young: I always eat a sub sandwich.
Jordan asks
How did you know you wanted to become a swimmer?
Young: I made great friends and could improve at every meet. I'm visually impaired so small ball sports did not work for me. Once I got into the pool, I knew I could swim and not be singled out because of my vision.
Zook: I had very little choice at the beginning of my swimming career. I started swimming as a form of physical therapy, which obviously turned into much more than that within the first few years of competing. I know many kids say they loved the water, but with me the water was the one place everything was equal. No judgment, no surgery, no needing to worry about what everyone else though, just back and forth trying to hit the wall before the person next to me.
Meghan asks
How do you stay positive?
Arlen: Positive is something I've always been brought up to be. I just am constantly counting my blessings and putting things in perspective. I have an incredible support team that keeps me going. No need to be negative when each day is a blessing.
Bureau: Positive thinking leads to positive actions and good results. I've realized that being negative adds more frustration and it doesn't help anything.
Dupree: Meghan, our sport is full of small successes that equal opportunities to stay positive with in the sport. The days that I am feeling the worst are the days I have to talk myself into the mindset of how I can get better from the small successes that would equal greater success in the future.
Young: I don't think about negative. I'm proud to work hard every day.
Matthew asks
What is it about your respective sport that motivates you to work to be considered one of the best in the world?
Dupree: Mathew, my motivation within my sport comes from the fact that I didn't touch first every time I raced in finals at the London 2012 Paralympic Games.
Jordan: I love to swim and I love my team. I don't think that I could continue and compete at the level I do if I didn't completely love the sport. Also, I have a fantastic support system with my family, my friends and my team. I've been on the national team for six years. I've grown up with these athletes. They are more than teammates to me. They are my family and my best friends. Their amazing stories motivate me to continue and truly do my best each day. It is an honor to be a part of such a loving and dedicated team.
Young: My success is determined by how much work I put into it and not anyone else. I swim for myself but when I represent the USA, I really want to be the very best. It's really a great honor to have the flag and my name on my swim caps.
Leila asks
Did you know any other disabled swimmers growing up?
Bureau: When I was 12, I swam with Rudy Garcia-Tolson and Jarrett Perry, who swam at multiple Paralympic Games. We became friends. When we grew up, we trained together. I did not know any disabled swimmers before that.
Young: I didn't know any until I went to my first U.S. Paralympics national meet in Texas. Now, I have some great friends that are differently-abled.
Zook: I did not know any other disabled swimmers until I started swimming in U.S. Paralympics sanctioned meets.
Amy asks
Other than counting strokes, how do blind swimmers know when they are nearing the end of the pool?
Dupree: Amy, completely blind swimmers use a form of a tapper to realize where they are close to the wall. I am visually impaired but I am not completely blind. I do count strokes but also use the peripheral vision that I have to see the color coding on the lane ropes to dictate where I am in the pool.
Charles asks
Do you have any advice on how to make visually impaired swimmers more comfortable with speed?
Dupree: Charles, competitive swimming is all about who can out their hand on the wall the fastest. When signing up for swimming and doing it at a competitive level, it is all about speed. You can't fear speed when you want to be that first person.
Mauricio asks
When it comes to people who are physically disabled, what can gyms or training facilities do a better job of to help them work out and be healthy?
Bureau: Other than more convenient access for wheelchair users and some modifications for blind athletes, when it comes to doing exercise, the best thing to do is just ask questions to veterans of the sport. I have been playing with ideas that could help in strengthening my left arm for about the past 10 years. I have found ways weird little things that work and I don't mind helping someone struggling with a similar problem.
Dupree: Mauricio, I think that a person's audacity and creativity is what will limit someone in this situation. It all comes down to the person with the disability being willing to try new things and adaptive equipment. There are a lot of different types of adaptive equipment that is available to people with disabilities for trying to manage a workout at any facility. There are great organizations like Challenged Athletes Foundation that have grants available to help financially to support people with disabilities to find ways to work out.
Zook: I think many times individuals who have requests for things to be different or changed just need to approach the situation properly. I would be surprised if many gyms or training facilities would not at least try to help accommodate an individual with a physical disability to better use their facility. As the Paralympic Movement grows, the opportunities for individuals with physical disabilities will only grow as well, which will hopefully lead to better gyms and training facilities featuring accessible amenities.
Kelsey asks
A lot of people are skeptical of the skill sets of Paralympic athletes. What are your biggest motivators against this and how do you keep those comments from getting in your way?
Arlen: Honestly, it's tough. You have to just say they don't know me or my situation so they are in no place to judge. No one will ever know until they see it from our view. I just stay true to myself and not let anything or anyone hurt me. I've been through too much to let some stranger bring me down. All I can keep saying is keep being true to yourself and do what makes you happy. Don't let people being you down.
Bureau: My little brother, who was raised similar to me, has just as hard of work ethic as I do. He swims for Virginia Tech. After barely missing trials in 2012, he is a 2016 Olympic hopeful. Every day, I do things more efficiently than some able-bodied people. They wonder how. I just tell them I am an elite level athlete.
Dupree: Kelsey, everyone has their own skill sets whether you are physically disabled or not. This does not get in my way, but motivates me to strive harder just to prove people wrong. People with physical disabilities have the ability to become the athletes if they push their bodies to the limit every training session.
Jordan: Honestly, I've never witnessed someone who was skeptical of a Paralympian's skill set. I think that anyone who watches a Paralympic event will realize that the athletes are incredible, determined, and just as talented as any other professional athlete. If someone made a negative comment to me about my skill or ability, I think it might just motivate me to push myself more. However, the bottom line is that I love to swim, to compete, to represent my country, and to be a member of my wonderful team. Therefore, I don't think any comment could ever change that or get in my way at all.
Zook: I do not blame people for being skeptical. They have very little information to go off of in the United States. The media coverage has gotten significantly better and the awareness is growing, but without being educated on Paralympics, people really have no idea what half of it all means. Between classification and the different rules for different sports, a lot can get lost in translation. In terms of the skill sets, I believe Paralympic athletes are elite level athletes who have made the most out of what they have been handed. Just like anyone else, the goal of all athletes is to reach your highest potential and some individuals potential is just higher than others. Ultimately, I think keeping everything in perspective is really important during each individuals journey in sports. If negative comments can change how I feel about the sport I love, then maybe I am not in it for the right reason anymore.


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Olloclip 3-in-one IPhone Photo Lens
Description: The olloclip is a quick-connect lens system for the iPhone 4/4S/5 and iPod touch Gen 4 and 5. It includes three lenses for fisheye, wide-angle and macro shots in one small, convenient package making it the perfect camera accessory. The olloclip is simple, elegant and unobtrusive. It slides quickly and easily onto the iPhone and iPod without any user adjustment to instantly and easily capture photographic images and use various photographic effects. The iPhone's camera auto focuses normally through the olloclip and selecting a lens is as simple as flipping it over. • The fisheye lens captures approximately a 180° field-of-view • The wide-angle lens nearly doubles the iPhone's normal field of view. • The macro lens applies roughly a 10X magnification on macro and is cleverly concealed within the olloclip by unscrewing the wide-angle lens. The olloclip uniquely features the Panorama 360 Plus™ creating more than a 360 degree image using the olloclip fisheye lens with the Apple iOS 6 Panorama camera feature. The Panorama feature used with the wide-angle lens also provides a wider and taller field of view that enhances the panoramic experience. The olloclip also works with video and photo apps in both video and still modes. http://www.flickr.com/photos/patrickohb/sets/72157631777534802
Price: $69.95


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Friday, August 6th, 2010
What Can You Build in 1k of JS?
Here's a fun way to end the week. Peter van der Zee has cranked up a cool contest where you'll be judged on what you can build using just 1k of JavaScript. The rules are simple: Create a fancy pancy Javascript demo Submissions may be up to 1k. (And not crash) Externals are strictly forbidden, Read the rest…
Posted by Rey Bango at 11:00 am
25 Comments


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Before You Hit the Road...
Whether you're planning a vacation or preparing for your holiday trip home, the anticipation of traveling is hard to beat. But before you head down the highway or the terminal with your carry-on luggage, don't forget to complete all of the items on your pretravel checklist, including planning for the future.
An emergency is the last thing you want to think about before taking an extended trip. That said, reviewing your estate planning documents should still be at the top of your pretravel checklist.
Documents you should have in place prior to traveling include:
- A will. This directs who you would like to inherit your property and assets when you die, ensuring that your family, friends and favorite causes receive the consideration you intended.
- A durable power of attorney for finances. This is a simple, inexpensive and reliable way to arrange for someone to manage your finances if you are unable to do so yourself.
- A power of attorney for health care decisions. If you become incapacitated because of an accident or illness, you will want medical decisions to be made by someone you trust. This document gives one or more individuals the power to act on your behalf in deciding your medical care.
It is often necessary to present the original documents to invoke power. Therefore, these documents should be easily accessible and the person you select as executor should know where to locate them. In general, the most important thing is that you communicate with your family to ensure they know what to do if the unthinkable happens while you're away.
Did You Know? You can easily support St. Mary's University through your estate plan. Contact Rick Kimbrough at firstname.lastname@example.com or 210-436-3138 today to learn more.
Information contained herein was accurate at the time of posting. The information on this website is not intended as legal or tax advice. For such advice, please consult an attorney or tax advisor. Figures cited in any examples are for illustrative purposes only. References to tax rates include federal taxes only and are subject to change. State law may further impact your individual results. Annuities are subject to regulation by the State of California. Payments under such agreements, however, are not protected or otherwise guaranteed by any government agency or the California Life and Health Insurance Guarantee Association. A charitable gift annuity is not regulated by the Oklahoma Insurance Department and is not protected by a guaranty association affiliated with the Oklahoma Insurance Department. Charitable gift annuities are not regulated by and are not under the jurisdiction of the South Dakota Division of Insurance.Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy


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Secret Harbour is a boutique all-beachfront condominium resort on the US Virgin Island of St. Thomas. Situated on a palm-tree shaded swimming/snorkeling beach with pristine Caribbean blue water and sugary sand; Secret Harbour offers tranquil and water sport vacations with superb amenities. The beachfront property features 48 individually owned and beautifully furnished studio, 1&2-bedroom suites with fully equipped kitchens and private patio/balcony, 2 restaurants, PADI dive center with excursion boats, water sports, and sailing. As one of the best St. Thomas resorts there is a freshwater pool, tennis courts, a fitness center, gift shop, ATM & spa services. The intimate resort is ideal for families, couples, water sport & diving enthusiasts, visiting executives, and those seeking a tropical destination wedding, honeymoon or event. Amenities include free Wi-Fi, onsite concierge, and wedding/event coordinator. Provisioning service is now available!
Visit www.secretharbourvi.com


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DELAWARE, Ohio – Wabash College's Little Giants left Ohio Wesleyan's Selby Stadium with a little more swagger and a lot more confidence after dominating the host Battling Bishops, 29-7.
Wabash (4-0) used a bit of trickery on its opening drive marching 85 yards on 10 plays. Running back Brandon Roop (Newburgh, IN/Castle), a high school quarterback, threw a halfback pass to Mike Russell who was wide open for a 36-yard score. (Click here to see Wabash-OWU photo album.)
"We needed to pounce on OWU to make a statement," Roop said. "Coach put this play in with the confidence that we were going to step up and make a big play. Michael Russell (Terre Haute, IN/North Vigo) – the whole play goes to him selling the fake; he was wide open. I couldn't help to just throw the ball up in the air, it was an ugly pass, but it got to him and he got into the end zone."
Roop, even with modesty in his passing, had plenty to be proud of besides his first Wabash College TD pass. The senior back carried 19 times for 98 yards.
"Their defense is really good and our offense really practiced hard all week," Roop said. "Each day we asked ourselves who's better - our offense or their defense? That starts with the running game. I give the entire credit to the O-line. I could have walked and still got 4-5 yards. They bust their butts; they are the work horses."
The second Wabash score came with a little more October sorcery. The Little Giants lined up for an apparent field goal attempt with a little more than a minute before the end of the first half. But holder Geoff Walker (Schererville, IN/Lake Central) got off a shovel pass off to Kyle Piazza (Clarksville, IN/Jeffersonville) for a 14-yard score.
"We have so much respect for Ohio Wesleyan," Wabash coach Chris Creighton said. "We felt this was going to be one of the conference championship games, not the game because there is going to be more. But these guys are good enough to win the conference championship, we thought. We challenged our team to see who is better."
There was little question who the better team was Saturday in north-central-Ohio.
If the 13-0 halftime lead wasn't enough to convince the OWU homecoming crowd, the first possession of the second half probably did. Russ Harbaugh (Evansville, IN/Bosse), who had another huge day hitting 21 of 29 passes for 290 yards and one TD, connected with Eric Summers (Indianapolis, IN/Cathedral) on a beautiful 58-yard catch and run.
The Wabash defense gave up the late touchdown but continues its dominating form. The Little Giants held OWU (2-2) to nine first downs to their own 25. OWU gained 73 yards rushing. The lopsided difference really showed up in total offense, where the Little Giants had 501 yards to the Bishops' 126. The Bishops had only three first downs in the first half, and did not cross midfield until midway through the final period of play. The Little Giants forced two turnovers. Wes Anderson (Holland, MI/Holland) forced a fumble and came up with the recovery. In spite of a broken wrist, Billy King (Peoria, AZ/Peoria) snared his third interception of the season, picking off Ryan Sir Louis after a Wabash fumble prior to halftime.
"I just have to thank the offensive scout team—they gave us good looks all week," said defensive lineman Jared Lange (Terre Haute, IN/Terre Haute North), who had 6 tackles. "We knew the defensive line would be a big key in this game."
After the game Creighton and the Little Giants were feeling pretty satisfied, but knowing the month of October has some major challenges.
"The swagger is back," Roop said. "Wabash made a statement today. Wabash is back."
Up next: Oberlin. with Wittenberg and Wooster waiting in the wings.
Story and photos by Howard Hewitt, Wabash College's Director of New Media/Web Editor. Sports information director Brent Harris contributed to this story.
In Photos:
On Homepage: Little Giant defensive lineman Jared Lange brings down OW quarterback Ryan Sir Lewis.
Top Right: Brandon Roop gets hit at the end of one of his 19 carries.
Lower left: Kyle Piazza celebrates his touchdown, off a trick play - when field goal holder Geoff Walker hit him with a pass for a 14-yard score.
Quick Hitters ---
--- Russ Harbaugh has thrown 119 consecutive passes without an interception. He was 21-of-29 for 290 yards and one TD against Ohio Wesleyan. His TD pass (37th of his career) moved him to fourth on the Wabash all-time touchdown passing list with 37, sending Brett Butler '90 to fifth.
--- Brandon Roop's 19 carries and 98 yards rushing are both career highs. His previous best numbers were 13 carries and 30 yards against Kalamazoo College in the season opener.
--- Roop has caught, run for, and thrown a touchdown pass for the Little Giants in his career. He made two touchdown receptions last season as a J-back for Wabash. He ran for two touchdowns against Kalamazoo, and two more against Earlham last week before throwing a TD pass for the first Wabash score against OWU.
--- Pete Kempf (Auburn, IN/DeKalb) led the Wabash defense with seven tackles, one shy of his career high (eight vs. Kalamazoo in 2004).
--- Wabash had ten tackles for losses totaling 28 yards. Josh Foster (Indianapolis, IN/Ben Davis) and Jared Lange shared the team lead, each totaling two for six yards in the game.


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Jason Tipton necesitaba un nuevo diseño de página web y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 19 diseños de 7 diseñadores freelance.
Looking for a clean and warm design. Needs to have that web 2.0 look.
Neighborhood Social Networking
Looking for a clean and warm design. Needs to have that web 2.0 look.
This is for a social networing site that will focus on groups within communities eg. Neighborhood associations, churches, businesses. It is a way for community members to network and communicate within their local spaces.
We really like the site designs at contest http://99designs.com/contests/9735
These have a great look and feel that we are trying to achieve. Like the the 3 spots near the top for login and different registration
There is not a name or logo yet I will add $150 to anyone who has a name and logo design we like. The site focuses on community social networking.
Also really like the map graphic located at http://www.centerd.com/ I do not want something that big or copied but something in the like that in the middle of the page would be great with maybe links to the communites or new members. play around with that.
Filler text around the site design is fine
You can see the software upload basic design at http://holmentechnology.com/elgg/
I like this inital setup but do not like the color or background graphic so design with the rest in mind, for instance I reall like the spot light area at the bottom so that will be staying and the login the rest is for you to design
- Clean warm design
- Lead people who our already a member of a network to their account or login page
- Layered PSD.
- Advertise our primary goal social networking for neighborhoods and other local community groups, and lead people to the next step, Create a community
- No Stock Photos


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COO Tim Cook is becoming an even more invaluable asset to Apple's executive team after serving as acting CEO during Steve Jobs' recent medical leave. Despite Jobs' apparent return as June draws to a close, a Wall Street Journal report suggests Cook will continue to take on responsibilities at the company that were once reserved for Jobs alone.
Cook originally came to Apple in 1998 to help turn around the company's growing supply chain issues. Cook's acumen was largely responsible for turning Apple into the profit machine it is today by outsourcing manufacturing, tightly managing inventory levels, and otherwise trimming the fat. That brought Apple from an annual loss as high as $1 billion to annual profits around $5 billion.
Cook serves as Apple's COO as well as the head of the Macintosh division. Jobs has twice given him the reins while he was out for medical leave, the first time being in 2004 when Jobs underwent surgery for pancreatic cancer, and most recently while Jobs was on medical leave to (as it turns out) receive a liver transplant. It's clear that, despite Cook's rather low-key personality, he has the chops to handle running Apple. He did, after all, oversee the company during WWDC and the launch of the iPhone 3GS. He has also participated more and more in quarterly earnings calls and other Apple press events.
As Jobs may still be recuperating from his transplant surgery, WSJ suggests that he may be working on a reduced schedule. In that case, Cook would still maintain many of the responsibilities he has had in Jobs' absence, such as negotiations with mobile carriers regarding the iPhone.
Because of Cook's stellar performance at Apple, he has twice been asked to work for other corporations—both Dell and Motorola have reportedly made him offers. "At this point, losing Tim Cook would be a bigger deal to investors than if Steve Jobs stepped aside," Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster told WSJ. Knowing how valuable Cook is to Apple's success, he may even be invited to join Apple's board of directors.
Whatever increased responsibilities Cook might have at Apple, Jobs clearly trusts him to take on those responsibilities. "I made Tim COO and gave him the Mac division and he's done brilliantly," Jobs told Fortune last year.
On the subject of Apple surviving without its iconic CEO, Jobs himself said, "My job is to make the whole executive team good enough to be successors, so that's what I try to do." This includes Phil Schiller, Bertrand Serlet, and Scott Forstall—senior vice presidents that have largely been responsible for the bulk of recent keynote presentations that Jobs famously gave himself for years after his return to Apple. It also includes other top executives like retail chief Ron Johnson and design maven Jonathan Ive. Apple clearly has a top-notch group to lead the company, and Cook has proven that he can lead such a group with aplomb.


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In Response To Aaron's Death: Don't Take Down, Build Up; Don't Attack, But Share
from the it's-what-he-would-have-wanted deptI've already written some basic thoughts on the death of Aaron Swartz, and I know that more will be forthcoming, but within the justifiable anger out in the world over this turn of events, there are some reports suggesting that DDoS attacks took down MIT's website and possibly other sites (though, reports of the Justice Department's website being taken down were wrong). This happened soon after MIT put out a statement about Swartz, following the statement from Swartz's family that pointed a finger directly at MIT.
The family had said:
"Aaron's death is not simply a personal tragedy. It is the product of a criminal justice system rife with intimidation and prosecutorial overreach. Decisions made by officials in the Massachusetts U.S. Attorney's office and at MIT contributed to his death."In response, MIT's statement, by president L. Rafael Reif, was actually somewhat self-reflective, admitting that the university needed to look closely at its own role in the situation, and appointing professor Hal Abelson -- someone quite knowledgeable and active in many of the same causes as Aaron -- to lead the investigation.
To the members of the MIT community:I am sure that many will continue to criticize MIT for its actions in this mess -- and some criticism may be well deserved. That said, MIT's response here is a step forward -- and hopefully it creates real change in how MIT handles such things in the future. I think that there are many, many, many reasons to be furious about the Justice Department's actions in the Swartz case (and I felt that long before Swartz's death). However, a DDoS attack on MIT or the DOJ or anyone else is exactly the wrong message to send concerning Aaron. Yes, I was just defending the use of DDoS as a form of expression and protest, but this is not the kind of protest that serves Aaron's memory well.
Yesterday we received the shocking and terrible news that on Friday in New York, Aaron Swartz, a gifted young man well known and admired by many in the MIT community, took his own life. With this tragedy, his family and his friends suffered an inexpressible loss, and we offer our most profound condolences. Even for those of us who did not know Aaron, the trail of his brief life shines with his brilliant creativity and idealism.
Although Aaron had no formal affiliation with MIT, I am writing to you now because he was beloved by many members of our community and because MIT played a role in the legal struggles that began for him in 2011.
I want to express very clearly that I and all of us at MIT are extremely saddened by the death of this promising young man who touched the lives of so many. It pains me to think that MIT played any role in a series of events that have ended in tragedy.
I will not attempt to summarize here the complex events of the past two years. Now is a time for everyone involved to reflect on their actions, and that includes all of us at MIT. I have asked Professor Hal Abelson to lead a thorough analysis of MIT's involvement from the time that we first perceived unusual activity on our network in fall 2010 up to the present. I have asked that this analysis describe the options MIT had and the decisions MIT made, in order to understand and to learn from the actions MIT took. I will share the report with the MIT community when I receive it.
I hope we will all reach out to those members of our community we know who may have been affected by Aaron's death. As always, MIT Medical is available to provide expert counseling, but there is no substitute for personal understanding and support. With sorrow and deep sympathy,
L. Rafael Reif
Aaron -- more than almost anyone else -- did stuff. He built stuff and he created change. Not by taking things down, but by building them up. Not by attacking, but by sharing and informing and educating.
Aaron's memory needs to be preserved, and his death will hopefully be a catalyst for many changes -- to the way the government prosecutes people, to the way computer hacking laws are used today, to the way copyright laws are used and much, much more. But the way to do that is to do something proactive and positive. The organization Aaron founded is called Demand Progress, and that's what we should be doing now.
We should be looking for ways to continue Aaron's work, to build, to share, to create and to create change through sheer will of knowing what's right.
So, don't participate in attacks or takedowns. Look for ways to build something up. Create efforts to change problematic laws like the CFAA or copyright law. Look for ways to share knowledge and expand our ability to learn and to educate each other. Create ways for people to speak out and to enable everyone to do more.
That is the legacy that I believe Aaron would have wanted. It will always be impossible to fill the void that Aaron's death has left in its wake -- but if it inspires each of us to do a little more, to create some positive change, to truly demand progress in the face of ridiculous odds, then that will be the testament to all that Aaron did for the world.
Filed Under: aaron swartz, activism, attacks, ddos, hacks