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Greek vase with muse playing the phorminx,
a type of lyre | |
String instrument | |
Hornbostel–Sachs classification | 321.2 (Composite chordophone sounded with a plectrum) |
Developed | Sumer, Iraq |
Related instruments | |
The lyre (Greek: λύρα, lýra) is a string instrument known for its use in Greek classical antiquity and later periods. The lyre is similar in appearance to a small harp but with distinct differences. The word comes via Latin from the Greek;[1] the earliest reference to the word is the Mycenaean Greek ru-ra-ta-e, meaning "lyrists" and written in the Linear B script.[2] The lyres of Ur, excavated in ancient Mesopotamia (modern Iraq), date to 2500 BC.[3] The earliest picture of a lyre with seven strings appears in the famous sarcophagus of Hagia Triada (a Minoan settlement in Crete). The sarcophagus was used during the Mycenaean occupation of Crete (1400 BC).[4][5] The recitations of the Ancient Greeks were accompanied by lyre playing.
The lyre of classical antiquity was ordinarily played by being strummed with a plectrum (pick), like a guitar or a zither, rather than being plucked with the fingers as with a harp. The fingers of the free hand silenced the unwanted strings in the chord. However, later lyres were played with a bow, including in Europe and parts of the Middle East.
"Lyre" can either refer specifically to an amateur instrument, which is a smaller version of the professional cithara and eastern-Aegean barbiton, or "lyre" can refer generally to all three instruments as a family.
In organology, lyres are defined as "yoke lutes", being lutes in which the strings are attached to a yoke which lies in the same plane as the sound-table and consists of two arms and a cross-bar.
The term is also used metaphorically to refer to the work or skill of a poet, as in Shelley's "Make me thy lyre, even as the forest is"[6] or Byron's "I wish to tune my quivering lyre,/To deeds of fame, and notes of fire"[7]
A classical lyre has a hollow body or sound-chest (also known as soundbox or resonator), which, in ancient Greek tradition, was made out of turtle shell.[8] Extending from this sound-chest are two raised arms, which are sometimes hollow, and are curved both outward and forward. They are connected near the top by a crossbar or yoke. An additional crossbar, fixed to the sound-chest, makes the bridge which transmits the vibrations of the strings. The deepest note was that farthest from the player's body; as the strings did not differ much in length, more weight may have been gained for the deeper notes by thicker strings, as in the violin and similar modern instruments, or they were tuned by having a slacker tension. The strings were of gut. They were stretched between the yoke and bridge, or to a tailpiece below the bridge. There were two ways of tuning: one was to fasten the strings to pegs which might be turned; the other was to change the place of the string upon the crossbar; probably both expedients were used simultaneously.
According to ancient Greek mythology, the young god Hermes stole a herd of sacred cows from Apollo. In order not to be followed, he made shoes for the cows which forced them to walk backwards. Apollo, following the trails, could not follow where the cows were going. Along the way, Hermes slaughtered one of the cows and offered all but the entrails to the gods. From the entrails and a tortoise/turtle shell, he created the Lyre. Apollo, figuring out it was Hermes who had his cows, confronted the young god. Apollo was furious, but after hearing the sound of the lyre, his anger faded. Apollo offered to trade the herd of cattle for the lyre. Hence, the creation of the lyre is attributed to Hermes. Other sources credit it to Apollo himself.[9]
Locales in southern Europe, western Asia, or north Africa have been proposed as the historic birthplace of the genus. The instrument is still played in north-eastern parts of Africa.
Some of the cultures using and developing the lyre were the Aeolian and Ionian Greek colonies on the coasts of Asia (ancient Asia Minor, modern day Turkey) bordering the Lydian empire. Some mythic masters like Musaeus, and Thamyris were believed to have been born in Thrace, another place of extensive Greek colonization. The name kissar (cithara) given by the ancient Greeks to Egyptian box instruments reveals the apparent similarities recognized by Greeks themselves. The cultural peak of ancient Egypt, and thus the possible age of the earliest instruments of this type, predates the 5th century classic Greece. This indicates the possibility that the lyre might have existed in one of Greece's neighboring countries, either Thrace, Lydia, or Egypt, and was introduced into Greece at pre-classic times.
Number of strings
The number of strings on the classical lyre varied at different epochs, and possibly in different localities—four, seven and ten having been favorite numbers. They were used without a fingerboard, no Greek description or representation having ever been met with that can be construed as referring to one. Nor was a bow possible, the flat sound-board being an insuperable impediment. The pick, or plectrum, however, was in constant use. It was held in the right hand to set the upper strings in vibration; when not in use, it hung from the instrument by a ribbon. The fingers of the left hand touched the lower strings (presumably to silence those whose notes were not wanted).
There is no evidence as to the stringing of the Greek lyre in the heroic age. Plutarch says that Olympus and Terpander used but three strings to accompany their recitation. As the four strings led to seven and eight by doubling the tetrachord, or series of four tones filling in the interval of a perfect fourth, so the trichord is connected with the hexachord or six-stringed lyre depicted on many archaic Greek vases. The accuracy of this representation cannot be insisted upon, the vase painters being little mindful of the complete expression of details; yet one may suppose their tendency would be rather to imitate than to invent a number. It was their constant practice to represent the strings as being damped by the fingers of the left hand of the player, after having been struck by the plectrum which he held in the right hand. Before Greek civilization had assumed its historic form, there was likely to have been great freedom and independence of different localities in the matter of lyre stringing, which is corroborated by the antique use of the chromatic (half-tone) and enharmonic (quarter-tone) tunings pointing to an early exuberance, and perhaps also to a bias towards refinements of intonation.
Central and Northern Europe
Other instruments known as lyres have been fashioned and used in Europe outside the Greco-Roman world since at least the Iron Age.[10] The remains of a 2300 year old lyre was discovered on the Isle of Skye, Scotland in 2010 making it Europe's oldest surviving stringed musical instrument.[10][11] Material evidence suggests lyres became more widespread during the early Middle Ages, and one view holds that many modern stringed instruments are late-emerging examples of the lyre class. There is no clear evidence that non-Greco-Roman lyres were played exclusively with plectra, and numerous instruments regarded by some as modern lyres are played with bows.
Lyres appearing to have emerged independently of Greco-Roman prototypes were used by the Teutonic, Gallic, Scandinavian, and Celtic peoples over a thousand years ago. Dates of origin, which probably vary from region to region, cannot be determined, but the oldest known fragments of such instruments are thought to date from around the sixth century of the Common Era. After the bow made its way into Europe from the Middle-East, around two centuries later, it was applied to several species of those lyres that were small enough to make bowing practical. There came to be two broad classes of bowed European yoke lyres: those with fingerboards dividing the open space within the yoke longitudinally, and those without fingerboards. The last surviving examples of instruments within the latter class were the Scandinavian talharpa and the Finnish jouhikko. Different tones could be obtained from a single bowed string by pressing the fingernails of the player's left hand against various points along the string to fret the string.
The last of the bowed yoke lyres with fingerboard was the "modern" (ca. 1485 – ca. 1800) Welsh crwth. It had several predecessors both in the British Isles and in Continental Europe. Pitch was changed on individual strings by pressing the string firmly against the fingerboard with the fingertips. Like a violin, this method shortened the vibrating length of the string to produce higher tones, while releasing the finger gave the string a greater vibrating length, thereby producing a tone lower in pitch. This is the principle on which the modern violin and guitar work.
While the dates of origin and other evolutionary details of the European bowed yoke lyres continue to be disputed among organologists, there is general agreement that none of them were the ancestors of modern orchestral bowed stringed instruments, as once was thought.
Global variants
- Scotland: gue, cruit
- England: rote, crowd
- Wales: crwth
- Continental Europe: Germanic or Ango-Saxon lyre (hearpe), rotte, crotte
- Norway: giga
- Estonia: talharpa
- Finland: jouhikko
- Armenia: քնար (knar)
- Poland: lutnia
- Lithuania: lyra
- Latin: chorus
- Israel: kinnor
- Nepal: sarangi
- Iraq: sammu, tanbūra, zami, zinar
- Arabian peninsula: tanbūra
- Yemen: tanbūra, simsimiyya
- Pakistan: barbat, ektara, tanbūra
- India: ektara
- Bangladesh: ektara
- Siberia: nares-jux
- Iran: chang
- Egypt: kissar, tanbūra, simsimiyya
- Sudan: kissar, tanbūra
- Ethiopia: begena, dita, krar
- Uganda: endongo, ntongoli
- Kenya: kibugander, litungu, nyatiti, obokano
- Tanzania: litungu
Lyre from various times and places are regarded by some organologists as a branch of the zither family, a general category that includes not only zithers, but many different stringed instruments, such as lutes, guitars, kantele, and psalteries.
Others view the lyre and zither as being two separate classes. Those specialists maintain that the zither is distinguished by strings spread across all or most of its soundboard, or the top surface of its sound chest, also called soundbox or resonator, as opposed to the lyre, whose strings emanate from a more or less common point off the soundboard, such as a tailpiece. Examples of that difference include a piano (a keyed zither) and a violin (referred to by some as a species of fingerboard lyre). Some specialists even argue that instruments such as the violin and guitar belong to a class apart from the lyre because they have no yokes or uprights surmounting their resonators as "true" lyres have. This group they usually refer to as the lute class, after the instrument of that name, and include within it the guitar, the violin, the banjo, and similar stringed instruments with fingerboards. Those who differ with that opinion counter by calling the lute, violin, guitar, banjo, and other such instruments "independent fingerboard lyres," as opposed to simply "fingerboard lyres" such as the Welsh crwth, which have both fingerboards and frameworks above their resonators.
One point on which organologists universally agree is that lyres are closely related to harps (and, in some views, lutes). The other point of agreement is that harps are different from lyres in having strings emanating directly up from the soundboard and residing in a plane that is near perpendicular to the soundboard, as opposed to lyres, lutes, zithers and similar instruments, whose strings are attached to one or more points somewhere off the soundboard (e.g.., wrest pins on a zither, tailpiece on a lyre or lute) and lie in a plane essentially parallel to it. They also agree that neither the overall size of the instrument nor the particular number of strings on it are essential to the classification of these instruments. For example, small Scottish and Irish harps can be held on the lap, while some ancient Sumerian lyres appear to have been as tall as a seated man (see Kinsky; also Sachs, History ..., under "References"). Regarding the number of strings, the standard 88-key piano has many more strings than even the largest harp, and harps have many more strings than lyres.
Other instruments called lyres
Over time, the name in the wider Hellenic space came to be used to label mostly bowed lutes such as the Byzantine lyra, the Pontic lyra, the Constantinopolitan lyra, the Cretan lyra, the lira da braccio, the Calabrian lira, the lijerica, the lyra viol, the lirone.
- ^ λύρα, Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, on Perseus Digital Library
- ^ Palaeolexicon, Word study tool of ancient languages
- ^ Michael Chanan (1994). Musica Practica: The Social Practice of Western Music from Gregorian Chant to Postmodernism. Verso. p. 170. ISBN 978-1-85984-005-4.
- ^ Image of Hagia Triada Sarcophagus, University of Arkansas
- ^ J.A. Sakellarakis. "Herakleion Museum. Illustrated Guide to the Museum." p.113,114. Ekdotike Athinon. Athens, 1987.
- ^ Percy Bysshe Shelley, Ode to the West Wind, I, 57–61.
- ^ Lord Byron (1807), Hours of Idleness: To His Lyre.
- ^ Lyre | Define Lyre at Dictionary.com. Dictionary.reference.com. Retrieved on 2012-09-17.
- ^ For example, the Annales Cambriae (B Text).
- ^ a b BBC News - Skye cave find western Europe's 'earliest string instrument'. Bbc.co.uk (2012-03-28). Retrieved on 2012-09-17.
- ^ 'Europe's oldest stringed instrument' discovered on Scots island | Highlands & Islands | News | STV. News (2012-03-28). Retrieved on 2012-09-17.
- Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Lyre". Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.
- Andersson, Otto. The Bowed Harp, translated and edited by Kathleen Schlesinger (London: New Temple Press, 1930).
- Bachmann, Werner. The Origins of Bowing, trans. Norma Deane (London: Oxford University Press, 1969).
- Jenkins, J. "A Short Note on African Lyres in Use Today." Iraq 31 (1969), p. 103 (+ pl. XVIII).
- Kinsky, George. A History of Music in Pictures (New York: E.P. Dutton, 1937).
- Sachs, Curt. The Rise of Music in the Ancient World, East and West (New York: W.W. Norton, 1943).
- Sachs, Curt. The History of Musical Instruments (New York: W.W. Norton, 1940).


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San Francisco-based retailer, Gap, has quickly created a positive buzz with its latest campaign. Designer/actor Waris Ahluwalia, arguably one of the most prominent Indian American and Sikh figures in the fashion world (just check his Style.com pages), is one of the campaign's featured faces.
Just released at the start of the month, the campaign stars a slew of personalities including Ahluwalia (as well as this year's Unforgettable host, Lisa Ling) and has drawn a number of positive comments for the diversity in its casting.
Seen alongside artist and filmmaker Quentin Jones, Ahluwalia is seen modelling the mega-retailer's latest holiday fashions – a puffer vest and a button down shirt. But it's not just the clothes that have created a buzz. In an industry that often draws flak and criticism for its lack of diversity, the conscious decision to cast and feature Ahluwalia as one of the faces of a globally-recognized brand is undoubtedly a needed change, a powerful statement on representation and tolerance and a much-needed step forward.
Many fans have been quick to show their support. On Gap's Facebook page, the photo featuring Ahluwalia has already garnered over 700+ likes and quite a few positive comments. A sampling of which is below:
Keenu Hundal Saw this ad in teh (sic) downtown San Francisco store and literally stopped in my tracks. I was so happy to see you all select a Sikh male in your new ad campaign. We need to make the Sikh male image more mainstream in order to educate the general public on who we are, so that ignorace does not breed hate any longer. Thank you, Gap!
Charu Kapoor Deshpande You guys have truly raised the advertising/marketing bar … Bravo for making a statement by setting yourselves apart and recognizing how the world had changed and is changing! Best campaign I have ever seen because you stepped outside the box!! Bravo
Suvraj Mandeep Thank you Gap. It's such a proudest moment to finally see that major designer store has choose Sikh as there Frontwall model who is actually a pure Sikh (the one who wears Turban and has full beard). Truly, a vary proud moment for all the Sikhs. Finally, putting Gap to my top list for shopping this holiday!
With such a positive response, we can only hope that this helps mark a new, more diverse, more representative era in the often-exclusionary world of fashion.

subset: commoncrawl


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Royal Steam Green Carpet Cleaning are guaranteed to be the best in town. Clients who own oriental rugs have always trusted Carpet Cleaner for many years. Our clients can proudly call us "friends" and know that we get the job done right and quickly every time. Oriental Rugs and Area Rugs are incredibly cleaned here by our Experts. We know how much you value your oriental rug, that's why we make sure we use the top quality eco-friendly products.
Our company hires nothing but experts who know area rugs, our rug technicians always have a client's best interest in mind. That's why the strive to keep you rug area in the best condition as possible since vacuuming doesn't keep your rugs clean so call us to maintain your rug in a professional and timely manner. Dust mites, allergens, dirt, sand and hair can become trapped in the fibers or your rug so keep that in mind if you have young toddlers roaming and crawling on you rug. Keep them safe by call us today, because we care about your family.
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Boy, girl and dog sleeping covered with a blanket.
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Everyone deserves to breathe in fresh clean air, and here at Royal Steam Green Carpet Cleaning that's what we do! The signs that you need to pay attention to are dust in your home or office and dust around the air vents.
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Fire hazards can be avoided by simply cleaning your dryer vents, which will give you peace of mind. It also reduces the cost of your electric bill but also reduces the time it takes you to dry each load of laundry.
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Checkers Drive-In Restaurants, the largest double drive-thru chain in the United States, honored its outstanding employees and franchisees at the company's Best of the Best Awards Ceremony held at its National Convention in Las Vegas from September 25–28, 2012.
The awards recognize the employees and franchisees that have added to the tremendous growth and success Checkers has experienced over the past year as the brand continues to develop with new locations across the country.
"There is no way Checkers would be at the level of success we currently find ourselves at without the contributions of our amazing employees and franchisees," says Checkers/Rally's CEO Rick Silva. "Our award winners have successfully implemented our roadmap to success and helped create a proud brand culture."
Checkers named 21 award winners, three of whom took home two awards each. Award winners include:
- No. 1 in Franchise Sales Growth (greater than 5 units): Steve Sawchuk, Lake Orion, Michigan
- No. 1 in Franchise Sales Growth (less than 5 units): Wendy Reno, Brooklyn Center, Minnesota
- No. 1 in Company Sales Growth (COD): Shaji Joseph, Tampa, Orlando, Florida
- No. 1 in Company Sales Growth (DM): Amar Safdar, Dayton, Ohio
- Developer of the Year: Alan Balen, Freeland, Michigan
- Best Opening Week: Curtis Rowe, Lynwood, Illinois
- Best New Restaurant Opening: Paul Amell, Highlands, Michigan
- Community Involvement: Phil and Sharon Servoss, Tecumseh, Michigan
- People Development: Michelle Crawford and Dave Miller, Louisville, Kentucky
- Marketer of the Year (Traditional): Larry Ford, Chatsworth, Georgia
- Marketer of the Year (Nontraditional): Manny Singh, Richmond Hills, New York
- Legacy Award: Steve Sawchuk, Lake Orion, Michigan
- Rookie Franchisee of the Year: Mark Latshaw, Lake Orion, Michigan
- Franchise Operator of the Year: Danny Linderman, Savannah, GA
- Company Operator of the Year – Shaji Joseph, Tampa, Orlando, Florida
- Franchise Business Consultant of the Year: Mike Rosania, Tampa, Orlando, Florida, and Midwest
- Franchisee of the Year (less than 5 units): Mike Burkhardt, Rockford, Michigan
- Franchisee of the Year (greater than 5 units): Paul Amell, Highlands, Michigan
- Special Award, Ambassador to the Brand: Kursheed Ahmad, East Meadow, New York
- Sustained Sales Growth Award: Joe Hertzman, Louisville, Kentucky, and Darren Haggard, Evansville, Indiana
- Market Leadership Award: Bruce Keehn, Marlboro, New Jersey, and Shana Gonzales, Roswell, Georgia
- Turnaround Award: Jodi Stevens, Kenner, Louisiana, and Marc Mediate, Corporate
The award winners are determined by operational excellence within each category. With more than 124 franchisees and 15,000 employees total in the Checkers/Rally's system, the Best of the Best Awards are truly a celebration of not only the brand's top franchisees and employees, but some of the best in the industry.
"It's an honor to be able to recognize our employees and franchisees with these awards, especially during such an exciting time for our brand," Silva says. "The award winners are an inspiration for our entire company, and we can't wait to see their continued success into the future."
With nearly 800 restaurants and 25-plus years of experience, Checkers is consistently ranked highest in overall value by guests in the category, thriving in both booming and retracting economies.
The company owns and operates nearly 300 restaurants to ensure products and initiatives are tested before rollout to the franchise community.
In fact, Checkers has introduced restaurant format options at multiple investment levels, and added new product lines, such as Classic Wings and Cold Creations, while preserving its crave-able food and menu simplicity.
With breakthrough changes, Checkers company- and franchise-owned restaurants are leading the category in same-store sales performance, and enjoyed 28 straight periods of Company Comp Sales Growth and 17 straight periods of Franchise Comp Sales Growth.
This momentum has helped Checkers continue to grow nationally with opportunities for ownership available to build restaurants in Philadelphia, Washington D.C., Chicago, New York, Detroit, and Miami, among other cities.


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Pumpkin Pie Rice Crispy Treats |
Today I'm all about treats, no tricks. So I decided to combine two of my favorites – pumpkin pie and rice crispy treats – into one naturally sweet treat.
And while I realize I'm a bit late to the party (or, you might be a bit late to the party should you decide to whip up another recipe right this minute) these are still suitable for the rest of the season, maybe sans "spooky" face decorations.
If pretty pumpkin shapes matter to you, grab a mini pumpkin cheesecake pan. A total necessity for the pumpkin-obsessed, dontcha think? As long as you promise to use it at least once a year. That's the deal I made with my husband. Or, you could chill the treats in a regular ol' pan and use a cookie cutter to cut shapes. And if you just have to have these today without any chance of pumpkin cheesecake pans or cookie cutters, no one says you can't just cut these into squares like the other rice crispy treats that came before them.
By the way, can you believe this is my very first Halloween-themed treat on the blog? Too bad I just got the idea yesterday. Not a few weeks ago when my blogger friends were asking for contributions towards creepy, crawly Halloween roundups. I figured my lack of spooky Halloween treats must be because I don't have kiddos. But having one on the way must count towards something because I've never before had an urge to decorate something edible Halloween-y, despite how I'm actually a little obsessed with the holiday. Who knows what will happen next year…
And that's gonna be it for now. Gonna keep this short 'n sweet. No go on and have a fun, safe day of all kinds of tricks and treats!
Pumpkin Pie Rice Crispy Treats
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours
Total Time: 3 hours, 10 minutes
Pumpkin pie, meet rice crispy treats! Naturally sweetened, gluten-free and vegan wholesome goodies.
1/4 cup almond butter
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup coconut sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
6 cups crisp brown rice cereal
your favorite chocolate, melted, for decorating (optional)Directions:
Spray a 9x13" baking pan with cooking spray.
In a large saucepan over medium heat, stir together the almond butter, coconut oil, coconut sugar, maple syrup, and pumpkin until smooth and creamy. Turn off heat and stir in vanilla extract and pumpkin pie spice.
Add cereal and mix with a large spoon or spatula until evenly coated. Spoon the mixture into the baking dish and refrigerate several hours, until firm. Slice with a sharp knife. Decorate with chocolate if desired.
Store the bars refrigerated in an air-tight container.
Cara Lyons, www.carascravings.com


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Kids entertainment
Our dedicated child-friendly channels have something to keep kids of any age entertained, with exciting activities, radio, games and audiobooks to tune into.
Kinderling kids radio
An exclusive radio station created just for kids, Kinderling radio is filled with awesome songs, playlists and tunes to entertain them on the flight. The three brand new channels, Ready Jet Go, Settle Peatle or Sleepy Time will occupy their minds, help calm their nerves and get them off to sleep on various stages of the flight. Our friendly cabin crew can show you how to access Kinderling radio via seat-back screens or your own device using the Qantas Entertainment App
Kids audiobooks
Put the iPad away and tune into a delightful story. With a library of nine audiobooks from award-winning Australian and international children's authors, there's a book for all reading levels. Favourites include Jackie French (Diary of a Wombat and Other Stories), David McKee (The Elmer Treasury) and Sally Rippin (The Wayward Witch and the Feelings Monster).
Audiobooks can be accessed via a seat-back screen, or your own device using the Qantas Entertainment App
Joey Club art studio
Help settle your kids inflight with the Joey Club art studio interactive colouring game, featuring all of our characters, including Matilda the kangaroo and Queenie the emu.
Kids can choose to colour an iconic scene at a Qantas destination such as the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the Hollywood sign in LA, New York's skyline or London's Big Ben. Keep a look out for the game, on aircraft with seat-back entertainment systems.


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Check in daily for a look at what we are reading in the news...
Mobile Travel Guides Can Help, But Trust Books
The New York Times looks at what's working and what's not in mobile travel apps. Read the article >>
Banff Mountain Festival Kicks Off
Well, if you are reading this, you are probably not headed out to arguably the best adventure festival around. But you can look at the schedule—which includes our friends Andrew Skurka, Gretel Ehrlich, Greg Mortensen, Alex Honnold, and Timmy O'Neil—and imagine asking your favorite adventurers how they made a life out of doing what they love. Don't worry, our National Geographic scouts will bring back all kinds of great new adventure tales for all of us. Learn more >>
Chupacabra Science: How Evolution Made a Mythical Monster
Just in time for Halloween, scientists say they can explain what the mythical blood-sucking monster really is…. Read the National Geographic News story >>


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Scientists are warning there are heightened signs of volcanic activity at Mt Ruapehu and an eruption could be just weeks away.
GNS Science experts say pressure is building up in the crater lake at the volcano and there is now a high risk of an eruption.
Volcanologist Steven Sherburn said: "We think that the temperature a few hundred metres beneath crater lake is about 800C, but the lake itself is only about 20C.
"This suggests the vent is partly blocked, which may be leading to a pressure build-up beneath crater lake. A sudden release of the pressure may lead to an eruption."
Dr Sherburn said the changes in measurements at the volcano over the past few weeks showed that an eruption was more likely over "the next weeks to months".
Although experts were monitoring the activity at the volcano, Dr Sherburn acknowledged that an eruption could come at any time and without warning.
"We are monitoring Ruapehu closely, but it often does not give any immediate warning that it is going to erupt," he said.
As a result, the Aviation Colour Code has increased from green to yellow, indicating a volcano is experiencing signs of elevated unrest above known background levels.
GNS said small earthquakes had been occurring about 5km beneath the summit area of Ruapehu since late October, but these might not be directly related to the high temperatures beneath crater lake because they were much deeper.
There have been several warnings caused by irregular signs of activity at Ruapehu in the past few years.
The last eruption at Mt Ruapehu was in 2007. It was also thought to have been caused by a build-up of pressure beneath crater lake.
A few months earlier a dam holding back the crater lake burst, causing a lahar. In 2006, an eruption also occurred and caused a small earthquake near the crater.


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US newspaper ad revenue down 7.3% in 2011
US newspaper advertising revenue fell 7.3 percent last year to $23.94 billion, according to figures released Thursday by the Newspaper Association of American, continuing a six-year slide.
Print advertising revenue fell 9.2 percent to $20.69 billion compared with the previous year while online advertising revenue rose 6.8 percent to $3.25 billion, the NAA said.
Print advertising revenue fell by 8.2 percent in 2010 while online ad revenue grew 10.9 percent.
US newspaper advertising revenue has fallen every year since 2006 including a 27.2 percent drop in 2009.
US newspapers have been grappling with declining print advertising revenue, eroding circulation and the migration of readers to free news on the Web, and online ad revenue growth has not kept pace with losses on the print side.
A number of newspapers have begun charging readers for full online access in a bid to boost revenue.
Major US newspapers charging readers online include The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Boston Globe and the Los Angeles Times.
(c) 2012 AFP


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ILAN-42 Yellow Vintage Sunglasses
(entrega estimada para la Península Ibérica)
UV protection 40 0
14 cm
14,5 cm
The products that you will find in Impala Vintage have the original sizes, however since most of our products are vintage, the cut is different from the clothes that are made today. Therefore, you can find in each garment:
Garment size: Size that comes on the garment label.
Current equivalent size: Approximate equivalent size to current sizes.
To be more exact, we also measure each of the garments. We leave you below the different measures taken in each product so that it is easier to get an idea of what it is like.
Long: Measured at the front from the top right in the center of the garment (according to the zipper if it had one) to the bottom of the garment.
Broad: Measured from one side seam to the other just below the sleeve seams.**
** Regarding denim jackets and bombers, the socks are taken from one side seam to the other, but in these cases they are taken from the middle of the sleeve seams (the widest area of the garment).
Sleeve length: Measured from top shoulder seam to outside wrist seam.
Long: Measured from the top of the pant to the bottom of the leg.
Broad: Measured across the waist/hip from one side seam to the other side seam.
*If you need other types of measurements or if you have any questions, write us an email at firstname.lastname@example.com.
**Measurements may vary slightly from the actual lengths of each garment.
Vintage garments may have little wear, due to use or the passage of time.


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#bikeschool: The Break Away…
As you are probably aware, I am the new guardian angel of the #bikeschool posts here at LovingTheBike.com and wanted to kick things off in a big way this week. I'm hoping to introduce some exciting new content and ideas to these weekly #bikeschool articles and I felt it was only right to treat you guys to something a little special.
A Note from Darryl: I'm stoked to officially welcome Stevie to the Loving the Bike team, and invite you to check out his #bikeschool posts each and every Tuesday. He is also our UK correspondent and will often be bringing us cycling goodness from that part of the world as well.
L'Enfer du Nord
By Stevie
It's clear we all have a special kind of appreciation for bicycles, whatever shape, size or flavour they come in and I for one am a big fan of professional cycle racing. With that in mind it would be sacrilege to not make a passing mention to one of the greatest one day races in the calender that will hit you right between the goggle-balls this weekend… Paris-Roubiax.
Great riders such as Louison Bobet, Eddy Merxkx and Bernard Hinault have received at least one 'sett', a cobblestone from the very pavé that they haul themselves across as well as more recent winners, Tom Boonen and Fabian Cancellara. True to form in cycling, the great races and the greatest of riders are never forgotten by fans and peloton alike and by early April each year magazines, blogs and Pro-team buses are filled with talk of who will make it to the Roubaix velodrome finish line first.
So who am I to rock the boat!? British Road Race Champion and Team Sky rider, Geraint Thomas took some time to talk to me about what this race means to him and how his preparations have been going in recent weeks.
Stevie Dexter: For many fans, Paris-Roubaix is the pinnacle of the early season classics calander. Where does it fit into your list of favourite races?
Geraint Thomas: Its massive. Paris-Roubaix, Tour Flanders and the Tour are my season goals. I rode them for the first time last year and loved them. I grew up watching them on the TV dreaming of riding them one day. the history in the races adds to the whole thing with the riders that have on there in horrible conditions.
SD: As more and more riders and support staff join the Twttersphere we are getting a better glimpse into the training regimes and techniques of the professionals of the sport. Do one day races feature in your thoughts during pre-season training camps or do you focus on Grand Tour aims and devise a racing calendar that suits those aims?
GT: I think i think about the one day races more than the tour in the early season. I guess because they are the closest. as soon as January comes around its all about the classics.
SD: European fans have a deep affinity with the cobbled classics and their love of all things muddy and treacherous cause them to travel en masse to take joy in watching you guys sit 'on the rivets' for kilometer after kilometer. Being truthful now, do you look forward to these cobbled races or would you rather keep the same route and terrain but take out the often dramatically race changing sections for something a little more sedate?
GT: No definitely not!! That's what the classics are all about. The 'hardness' of it all. The race into those crucial sections, and all the build up races where you race over the roads but as soon as Flanders comes it feels completely different. Roubaix is obviously just a one off race, which makes it special and the Arenberg and other dramatic/treacherous section so good. The danger is half the fun!!
SD: Geraint, your ride at Dwars door Vlaanderen saw a gutsy finish which landed you 2nd despite all your attempts to not end up on the front and leading out Nick Nuyens. How much does a result like that help you mentally and physically going in to Paris-Roubaix this weekend? Does it make you more vulnerable to having breaks dragged back as other top riders look at you with more caution due to recent results?
GT: It gives me confidence. Firstly i know that i can really compete with the best guys now. Obviously Roubaix is longer and a bit different, but mentally I know that i'm going well at the minute and all the training and racing I've done so far has been worth it. and so i can go into Roubaix relaxed knowing that I couldn't have done any more.
SD: You won the 2004 Junior edition of Paris-Roubix ahead of fellow Team Sky rider Ian Stannard. Has this experience helped over the years when it comes to the classics season or is it so far in the past now that there are more recent, valuable lessons to be learnt?
GT: Well it was good to race over the same sections as the pros do then. but its so different now. we travel over them so much quicker the race is so much longer and the race into them that much harder and more dangerous. but it still helps having ridden them and having that success, even though it was at junior level.
SD: For those crazy enough to take on the amateur event held tomorrow (6th of June) run by Velo Club de Roubaix, here are some random cobblestone riding questions that fans always want to know the Pro's answers to:
1. At Paris-Roubaix, what tire pressure do you use?
GT: I think last year i used 27 tyres and had 5bar in them. They lose some pressure during the race
2. What tips do you have for riding the cobblestones?
GT: Spin the legs and don't force it. People seem to think you have to ride big gears but treat it like a 2 minute prologue effort. Put your hands anyway that's comfy and if you're around other people maybe somewhere where you can brake, in case they crash or swerve. Try to relax and let the bike move under you. Try not to be too rigid on the bike.
3. Are there any other modifications to your bike for Roubaix?
GT: We have a new frame for a start, that has a slightly longer wheel base and the triangles are bigger giving a smoother ride. We may have some gel under our bar tape and a gear shifter next to our stem for when we are on the tops on the cobbles, but apart from that nothing else really.
SD: And the $64 million question, why are YOU Loving The Bike?
GT: I love just being able to jump on your bike and go anywhere. Especially on a nice day in Wales. You can go up into the hills or lanes and it just feels great. obviously the racing side is great as well!!
A big thank you goes out to Nick Howes and Fran Millar at Team Sky and of course, Geraint for taking the time to answer my questions.
Disclaimer: Before I get abusive emails and tweets about removing the cobbles from the classics, please be aware I wouldn't do this in a million years and was merely trying to get an emotive reaction from G!
Don't forget to join us for #bikeschool, every week, Thursday 9pm EST (Friday 2am CET)


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JEFFERSON COUNTY, KANSAS. October is here, the chill wind blows, leaves are on the ground, so it must be time to talk about ghosts. This essay first appeared in the Covenanter Review Vol. 17, No. 1, Summer 2008. I reprint it here as something of a response to and engagement with Ted McAllister's excellent, yet in my view problematic reflection here, as well as with some comments of Alasdair MacIntyre here. Ted has taken the step of explicitly couching the historical interpretation of America's past in religious hermeneutical terms, i.e., an American canon, an American Bible, and the attendant interpretational difficulties and controversies that always surround "people of the book," or, as the case may be, "people of the constitution." As such, this essay is, I think, a fitting contribution. It deals expressly with a very particular theological and cultural issue arising out of the Scottish Presbyterian experience, and readers unfamiliar with that tradition–all but three of you I am sure–may find the finer theological points confusing. But I reprint the essay here for its broader implications for how a particular community (political or religious, or both) reads its own past and experiences its own decay. My study of this particular tradition, which is my own after all, can serve, or at least I intended it to serve, as a case study for exactly the kinds of questions Ted is asking and MacIntyre is describing when he talks about the "failure of politics."
Ghostly Echoes: A Eulogy
The great bulk, if not the entirety, of contemporary literature in Reformed and Covenanter circles concerning the subject of psalmody approaches the issue in theological terms, as a question of moral rightness or correct exegesis of history and sacred texts. Without denying that these approaches can be appropriate, it is curious that the practice of Presbyterian psalmody, and particularly of Covenanter psalmody, has rarely elicited discussion of perhaps its core character, which is primarily social in nature. That is, psalmody as a practiced art is a ritual of worship which carries a potent social authority to create a particular kind of spiritual economy which defines a particular "People of God."
In today's parlance psalmody is a "worship distinctive." A great deal of self-understanding is lost, however, in that euphemism. And while much effort has been expended defining and defending Covenanter distinctives, virtually no study has been done trying to understand how and why distinctives work in the first place. This essay attempts to remedy this by considering the practice of Covenanter psalmody in its historic, communal, and social dimension. This may strike some as an odd approach to a subject they have always held to be theological or exegetical in nature. Consider, however, the ways our understanding of marriage, for example, would be impoverished if we focused exclusively on its legal character and entirely ignored its social importance as formative of its members, its progeny, and the wider community. Similarly, should we fail to understand the communal nature of psalmody we are left with a substantially weakened and wholly inadequate account of this great Covenanter "distinctive."
Paul Tillich wrote that history is "dominated by one problem, to have a society which is guided by a present reality of a transcendent divine character … to have the holy present."[1] In her important study of the English and Scottish Reformations, Debra Shuger notes that during any reformational moment, a key aspect will be the attempt to relocate the manifestation of the "holy" or the "present reality of the transcendent" in society.[2] "Viewed one way, Protestantism represents a denial of the need for visible, institutional holiness. In opposition to Catholics like Sir Thomas More who stressed the visibility and continuity of the Roman church, Protestants tended to redefine the 'holy, catholic, and apostolic church' of the Creed as the invisible church of the predestined. Thus the church could not be identified with any specific historical church: it was not an institution but 'the whole multitude of the faithful.'"[3] From this phenomena Tillich derived what he would famously call the "protestant principle" which he defined as a "living, moving, restless power" which advances the "protest against any absolute claim made for a relative reality."[4]
The Covenanters in Scotland in the 16th and 17th centuries were no exception to this basic reformational trend. They were iconoclastic strippers of the alter. They rejected virtually every cultural manifestation of the holy or transcendent, from the transcendent authority of the English Crown to the actual church buildings themselves. As the Covenanters developed as a particular "People of God" they were confronted with this conflicting need to deny the symbols of their adversaries any transcendent efficacy while at the same time preserving or establishing new symbols and sites of the holy. In other words, of prime importance for the Covenanters was figuring out how, as a movement founded in iconoclastic fervor, to socially consolidate on-the-ground gains and reestablish an effective succession of new symbols and practices of truth and right order across the generations.
Covenanters accomplished this by relocating the holy ground in two things: first, in scripture, and second, in a highly regimented and traditional social structure that orbited around a particular identity with several very distinctive social markers. Included among these markers were the Scottish nationalism of the various political covenants, the economic interdependence of a pre-industrial agricultural community, and the social solidarity of a persecuted and oppressed minority. Within this political, economic, and social context, one practice and ritual stands out as exemplary for its ability to symbolically and compactly reflect this shared identity to one another and to the outside world—a cappella psalmody.[5]
The psalms are the spirituals of a once enslaved people who are still, by turns, on the run, oppressed, and besieged. The psalms cry out for deliverance, they call down the wrath of the Lord upon their enemies, they cling with tenacious ferocity to the promise that their line shall not perish from the earth, they speak lyrically of generational faithfulness and its attendant blessings, and they audaciously place their hope in the unseen world of the spirit to overcome the seen reality of sword and chariot turned against them. As with the development of the American negro spiritual hundreds of years later, the practice of a cappella psalmody lent itself perfectly to Covenanter existence—furtive worship gatherings in hiding during the "Killing Times," communal singing while working the fields, and the soulful lament and exuberant praise of a people dispossessed of everything but their own voices. Thus, in both form and substance, a cappella psalmody was a remarkably effective and authoritative bond among Covenanters. As a communal art and confession, the practice defined and consolidated the fullness of the Covenanter identity as a particular, historical "People of God."
It is this historically particular, corporate act which consummates Covenanters as members of one people that I am referring to as "Covenanter psalmody"—something real and tangible which is set apart and distinct from any externalized defense, rationale, or justification for it. The rationales may be good and even necessary, but the rite and ritual is where the authority of Covenanter psalmody "takes."
During the 18th Century, as Covenanters began to emigrate in large numbers to America and the New World, their historic identity began to be tested and strained in new ways. In short, the Covenanters—like many traditional European groups—ran headlong into the ethos and pathos of America, what one commentator has called a desire for endless fresh starts.[6] America was the Protestant principle writ large, and whether Old World Protestant communities could survive in the New World they had begat was very much in question.
The point of the problem was that much sharper in the Covenanter context because their symbols and social markers were so perfectly attuned to and representative of their Old World experience. During the slow transition which occurred between, say, 1800 and the 1940s, as the Covenanters went from a poor, rural, agrarian, politically and socially outcast people to increasingly mercantile, middle class, (sub)urban, and politically and socially connected people, the symbols of Covenanter identity began to "leak." That is to say, the symbolic significance of Covenanter psalmody and indeed its entire function as a symbol illuminating the community's corporate identity became opaque over time. Like a darkening pane of glass, the meaning of and beyond Covenanter psalmody grew harder and harder to see as each passing generation became further removed from the original experiences that had engendered the ritual—both its meaning and authority—in the first place.
For example, communal worship through a cappella spirituals loses its capacity as a compact carrier of social identity when its context shifts from the fields to the factory, or, even worse, the office. Key to understanding the "bleeding out" of Covenanter identity is understanding that this is not mere nostalgia for a bygone era. It is no coincidence that the fallout from this transition over the last seventy-five years has been a decline in the Covenanter church: fewer congregations, fewer members, fewer missionaries, and most dramatically, fewer Covenanter adults who were once Covenanter children. This is because as vitally important social symbols such as a cappella psalmody leak truth, they likewise leak authority. In other words, they lose their stickiness; their ability to bind the allegiance of successive generations to the truth, identity, and memory they carry. This is the way peoples die.
To illustrate let me turn to one Covenanter writer's poignant grappling with these problems in a story still familiar to us: Washington Irving's The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Irving was born in 1783 of strong Scotch Covenanter stock into a family of aspiring New York merchants. His father's stern and austere Presbyterianism remained a heavy influence on Irving throughout his writing life. In 1819 he published a collection of essays and stories—including both Rip van Winkle and Sleepy Hollow—which would make him the most famous American author of his generation.
As the 19th Century in America got underway, scientific rationalism and deism were dominant. They were also the natural result of the process, begun during the Reformation, of repeatedly relocating the ground of transcendence in society. By that time, people began to suspect whether the transcendent and holy existed at all. This "disenchantment" of the world was a dominant spiritual posture and gave rise to a loose school of artists and writers who sought to incorporate European romanticism and spiritualism in an American context by depicting the natural world as the locus of an "almost real" supernatural presence. From the transcendentalism of Emerson to the naturalism of Thoreau to the landscapes of the Hudson River School, these artists all reflected the experience of people who have been stripped of every last alter; who have given up any reasoned or objective claim to transcendence—they become haunted. Washington Irving was perhaps the first and most explicit of these artists, inventing as he did the modern genre of "ghost stories."
His greatest ghost story, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, concerns the gangly and awkward schoolteacher, Ichabod Crane, without a doubt the most celebrated Covenanter in all of literature.[7] It would be incorrect to claim Sleepy Hollow as an allegory of Covenanters in the New World. It is something at once less and more: the literary outworking of a man who is dealing in an ambient way with the changes wrought on his own identity.
Ichabod Crane is a Scottish Presbyterian, a Covenanter, who has moved to the village of Sleepy Hollow, a Dutch enclave in the Hudson River Valley, to take the position of headmaster at the village schoolhouse. He is a bachelor, hardworking, and presented as someone who is honest and good yet socially awkward and, at times, insufferable. Significantly, perhaps the most distinctive characteristic Irving gives Ichabod is that of a psalm singer. He is never without his handy pitch-pipe and he moonlights as a voice coach teaching some of his Dutch charges how to sing the psalms. Notice Ichabod's position: he is alone, yet intent on joining the community of Sleepy Hollow; he is a teacher of others' children, yet has none of his own; he is the representative of empirical rationalism who nonetheless, Irving is clear to tell us, has an earnest belief and interest in witches, ghosts, and spirits. With Ichabod Crane, Irving evokes the melancholy and ambiguity of Covenanter identity as it endured the transition from Old World to New World.[8]
As the story unfolds, Ichabod becomes engaged in a romantic contestant for the hand of the young Dutch heiress of Sleepy Hollow. His rival is Brom Bones, the strapping Dutch boy, Sleepy Hollow's most eligible bachelor, who is given all the dynamic qualities of the New World itself—opportunism, optimism, high-spirits, independence, and rugged individualism. Brom Bones desires nothing more than to see the back of Ichabod Crane. He torments Ichabod with an escalating series of taunts, pranks, and social embarrassments. Tellingly, at one point, Bones trains his dog to whine in a manner intended to mimic and mock Ichabod's incessant Psalm singing.[9]
Ichabod is steadfast, however, and will not be driven out of Sleepy Hollow so easily. Brom Bones is forced, finally, to capitalize on Ichabod's lingering Old World fascination with spirits and ghosts. At a youthful fireside party, Bones regales the huddled gathering with the tale of the Headless Horseman, a specter haunting the woods around Sleepy Hollow. Later, while riding home from the party, Ichabod is accosted by none other than the ghost of the Headless Horseman (who is in fact Bones himself) and flees Sleepy Hollow in terror, never to be seen again.
Irving provides two explanations of Ichabod's fate, both equally true. The first account comes from a farmer who visited New York City and tells the residents of Sleepy Hollow that Ichabod Crane is alive and well, living as a member of the merchant class in the city following a career in the law and politics. The second account is told by "the old country wives" who are "the best judges of these matters" who "maintain to this day that Ichabod was spirited away by supernatural means." Irving concludes:
The school-house being deserted, soon fell to decay, and was reported to be haunted by the ghost of the unfortunate pedagogue; and the plough-boy, loitering homeward of a still summer evening, has often fancied his voice at a distance, chanting a melancholy psalm among the tranquil solitudes of Sleepy Hollow.
With this final passage, Irving suggests that in the New World, psalmody—the clearest social identifier of Covenanters—may itself become one of the ghosts haunting the demythologized American scene as its practitioners become cut off from the experience and membership of their forbearers.
Sleepy Hollow raises a key question: as traditional Old World identity markers are threatened by such distancing and encounters with the pluralism of other forms—like Brom Bones's whining dog—how should those threatened respond? With Ichabod Crane, Irving gives us a poignant example of the danger of what I will call an "over articulated" reaction. That is to say, Ichabod's Old World commitments are turned against him causing him to flee in favor of the worldly consolations of mercantile success and the reduction of his Old World identity to a ghostly inhabitant of old wives' tales.
The authentic posture of a member of a community towards his community is one of those natural and deeply human things that may easily become highly unnatural and potentially turned against itself when it becomes articulated. Nothing will kill a friendly fellowship faster than incessant and explicit talk about "the community." The problem is especially acute within traditional, Old World economic, cultural, and religious communities in a highly mobilized, mechanized, and pluralistic state in which they become conscious of what they have lost or are rapidly losing. Attempts to compensate, renew, or restore often only increase the problem of over articulation.
As the great political philosopher Eric Voegelin has said, a "human society," such as the Covenanters, "is not merely a fact, or an event, in the external world." In other words, it does not exist by dint of external controls or boundaries drawn from some allegedly objective and explicit vantage. Rather, "it is as a whole a little world, a cosmion, illuminated with meaning" by the succession of people who "bear it as the mode and condition" of their existence and identity. Those who bear the Covenanter cosmion as a particular community of whom it has been said "you will be my people, and I will be your God" experience their "little world" as more than a happenstance, more than a theological choice, and even more than a boundary obeyed; they experience it as "their human essence."[10]
Most Covenanters rightly resist when they sense a declining or weakening commitment to Covenanter psalmody. Their complaint communicates something true and wise. But it is shadowed and obscured by the false habit of thought evidenced by the common substitution of the theological phrase "exclusive psalmody" when what most Covenanters really mean to protect and defend is the practice of Covenanter psalmody. In other words, the real complaint has very little to do with theological boundaries. Rather, the real complaint, the real truth and wisdom at work within the complaint, is the perhaps inarticulate sense of losing a socially authoritative identity which might bind one's children and one's children's children. This wisdom need not be set against the theological truth in question. It merely penetrates beneath and behind such questions, rendering them at best, irrelevant, and at worst, a matter for seminarians which is little remarked upon outside such rarified air.
The practicing art of psalmody in the context of being a Covenanter in a healthy community of Covenanters means lighting up a whole "little world" or cosmion that is binding. Membership in that cosmion is what makes one a "true Covenanter." Obscuring the wisdom of the complaint with externalized and objectivized defenses of exclusive psalmody leads inexorably to the mistake of thinking that merely by singing psalms a cappella we might fortify and restore the lost or receding world. But this has becomes transparently false in practice as the full ironic tragedy of over articulation becomes apparent; rituals descend into mere ritualism and the final death of the cosmion is hastened by those who thought to defend it.
Let me put my central claim as succinctly and clearly as possible: exclusive psalmody as a theological defense and rationale is not the same thing as Covenanter psalmody, the act and symbol it purports to defend. Whatever its merits as a theological position (and this essay has no quarrel with that position), a commitment to exclusive psalmody can never perform the function of Covenanter psalmody, namely, to create a cosmion, to wield the communal authority necessary to bind a particular People of God. The church that expects such things will crack under the weight and strain of it. The cosmion will evaporate like a wisp in a New England wood leaving behind only haunted formalists on the one hand and disenchanted liberals on the other. Neither group retains the social capacity to do the necessary work of restoring the lost cosmion. It is my fear and lament—hence the eulogy of the title—that Irving has finally proven prophetic and that the communal practice and art of Covenanter psalmody has disappeared as a living location of the holy and transcendent capable of consummating a people. What remains is, instead, a ghostly echo that haunts us with the tragic knowledge of all that we have lost.
[1] Paul Tillich, A History of Christian Thought from Its Judaic and Hellenistic Origins to Existentialism, ed. Carl Braaten (New York, 1967), pp. 154-55.
[2] Debra Shuger, Habits of Thought in the English Renaissance (University of Toronto Press, 1997), pp. 121-22.
[3] Ibid.
[4] Paul Tillich, The Protestant Era (University of Chicago Press, 1948), p. 140.
[5] The Covenanters were not the only group to revive the practice of psalmody during the Reformation era. Calvin himself advocated psalmody and other reformed groups, notably the Dutch Reformed, began with a strong commitment to psalmody. See, e.g., J. Kortering, "Psalm Singing: A Reformed Heritage" available at http://www.prca.org/pamphlets/pamphlet_37.html. Other reformed practices of psalmody, however, differed significantly from Covenanter psalmody. For example, Dutch Reformed psalmody was never exclusive. See, e.g., Council of Dordt, Church Order, Article 69 (1618-19). Perhaps for this reason, Dutch and other continental reformed bodies more quickly adapted to the practice of hymnody during the 18th and 19th centuries, especially in America. Moreover, Dutch Reformed and other continental forms of psalmody were rarely practiced a cappella as organs and other instruments were quickly put into use by these ecclesial bodies. See, e.g., Bret Polman, "A History of Music in the Christian Reformed Church" (Grand Rapids, July 18, 1979) (Following the publication of a new Dutch Psalter in 1773, "organ accompaniment to congregational singing was the rule.") available at http://www.calvin.edu/worship/about/crc/polman.php.
[6] Steven Tonsor, "A Fresh Start," collected in Equality, Decadence, and Modernity ed. Gregory Schneider (ISI 2005), p. 129 (In America, "the notion of a 'fresh start' takes on the proportions of a national purpose.").
[7] All quotes and descriptions from Sleepy Hollow taken from Washington Irving, The Sketch Book (New York, 1819).
[8] Though there is no space here to develop the point, it is also instructive to consider Irving's genius in naming his fading Covenanter character Ichabod. For "Ichabod" was the iconoclastic call of the Covenanters against every form of "popery" and "tradition of men." See, e.g., Walter Scott, Redgauntlet (Edinburgh, 1824) (Scott's Covenanter novel set during the Jacobite revolution of 1745, in which one Covenanter "did nothing for six days but cry out, 'Ichabod, Ichabod, the glory is departed from my house!' and on the seventh he preached a sermon."). See also, e.g., Thomas Sproull, "The Duty of Social Covenanting," (Pittsburg, 1841) (Sproull was the pastor of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of Pittsburg. He wrote: "It is time for those churches that have been long indifferent to their duty [to the national covenants of Scotland] to awake. Will they too slumber till the day of wrath overtakes them? … Such churches may well be called 'Ichabod.' Tekel is written upon them.") available at http://www.covenanter.org/TSproull/dutyofsocialcovenanting.htm. In Sleepy Hollow, Irving thus recognizes that those who build on a foundation of "Ichabod" may ultimately find themselves torn down by the same standard.
[9] It is also significant that Irving provides a Dutch-American setting for Ichabod Crane's demise. Clearly, psalmody is no longer practiced widely in Sleepy Hollow as evidenced by Ichabod's having to instruct the Dutch children in its practice. Moreover, contrasting the Americanizing Dutchman Brom Bones with the more traditional Scotsman, Ichabod Crane, cannot help but elucidate the formative power of Covenanter psalmody vis-à-vis other forms of already dissipated reformed psalmody.
[10] Eric Voegelin, New Science of Politics, Collected Works vol. V (University of Missouri Press, 2000), p. 109.


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Amy Brown Lyman
Eighth General President
of the Relief Society
"No work could be more important and satisfying than that of helping to raise human life to its highest level,"1 wrote Amy Brown Lyman in her autobiography. She believed this was done best by providing "relief of existing distress [and] prevention of new distress."2 Called as the eighth General President of the Relief Society three months after the outbreak of World War II in Europe, she experienced many opportunities to put that philosophy into practice.
During her administration, the Relief Society worked tirelessly to achieve this goal. Functioning in coordination with and under the direction of the priesthood, sisters from the United States to Holland and from New Zealand to Canada united in such activities as sending care packages to members and soldiers in war-torn countries, folding bandages for the Red Cross, and sewing items like undergarments, clothing, and bedding for those in need.
The effect of the war on families was particularly troubling. Fathers and sons around the world were being taken out of the home to fight, while mothers and young women were being encouraged to leave the home to take jobs to support the war effort. Immorality was on the rise.3
Sister Lyman encouraged mothers to do all they could to fortify their families. A Relief Society Magazine article in 1943 stated: "The General Board urges mothers throughout the Church to place every possible safeguard about their children. An evil influence is abroad which threatens even the best homes. Social problems, greatly aggravated by the war, demand vigilance on the part of mothers."4 To make it possible for mothers to spend more time at home, Amy urged the women to develop skills of self-reliance, like sewing, gardening, and preserving and storing food.
Early Life
Amy Cassandra Brown was born February 7, 1872, in Pleasant Grove, Utah, to John and Margaret Zimmerman Brown. Margaret was John's third wife. Amy was the eighth of 10 children. Although they had little material wealth, education was important to her parents. Amy once said, "We had plain living, but high thinking."5
Education and Marriage
While attending Brigham Young Academy, Amy met Richard R. Lyman. Intellectual and spiritual equals, the two fell in love and married on September 9, 1896, in the Salt Lake Temple. They had two children. Amy led the Relief Society's Social Welfare Department for 15 years and functioned as an officer in the Relief Society for 32 years. She served a term as a member of the Utah House of Representatives as well. Amy died December 5, 1959.
Her Testimony
Amy's firm testimony of the gospel motivated and enriched her Church service. She said: "[My] testimony has been my anchor and my stay, my satisfaction in times of joy and gladness, my comfort in times of sorrow and discouragement. I am grateful for the opportunity I have had of serving . . . in the Relief Society where during most of my mature life I have worked so happily and contentedly with its thousands of members. I have visited in their homes, slept in their beds, and eaten at their tables, and have thus learned of the beauty of their character, their unselfishness, their understanding hearts, their faithfulness, and their sacrifices. I honor beyond my power of expression this great sisterhood of service."6


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Nestled into a suburban Seattle, Washington neighborhood, this slightly customized prefab house reflects its progressive and environmentally conscious community. The eco-friendly home was designed by West Vancouver-based studio PLACE Architects, with a character that is both friendly and approachable. The homeowners and their two children were downsizing from their 5,000 square foot home to this 2,476 square foot home with the core decision being the idea that we can all live in smaller houses with more outdoor spaces that are preserved for tree growth, play and outdoor activities.
The family has maximized every square inch of the available space in the home. Every functional zone has been clearly defined but offers multiple uses, which meant the home is more efficient and constructed with fewer materials and requiring less expended energy to heat and cool. The cabinetry in the kitchen and living room are formaldehyde free. The residence was assembled onsite from a kit, which took less than seven months to complete. The two car garage is comprised of natural wood shiplap siding and the chartreuse HardiePanel, which are all low-maintenance materials that were carefully detailed to resist the elements gracefully. Above the garage is an office for the homeowner to telecommute part of the week to save time and gas and allow more family time.
With sustainability in mind, all materials in the home are nontoxic and low in volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The home is equipped with low-flow plumbing fixtures to conserve water and with Energy Star-rated appliances. In-floor radiant heating is cost effective, running off the same boiler that supplements the heat for domestic hot water. The flooring is a structural concrete slab, which minimized the layers of material needed to finish out the space, cut down on waste and eliminated a layer of finish that would otherwise have to be replaced every 10 years or so. A solar-powered domestic hot water system heats the backyard lap pool.
Roll-up doors connect the kitchen and dining area to the outdoor patio and pool area.
The dining table, windowsills and stair treads came from a fir tree that was on the property prior to construction.


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Create a Website Account - Manage notification subscriptions, save form progress and more.
Graffiti is a constant problem. One vandal can damage dozens of structures in a short period of time. The Hopkins City Code (see City Code Chapter 28 Nuisances) requires property owners to remove graffiti from structures or equipment.
Graffiti breeds more graffiti. Immediate clean-up is recommended.
If you want to paint over graffiti, first prepare the surface with a stain blocker like KILZ, which comes in spray can or brush form. This will seal the graffiti and keep it from bleeding through the new paint. If the area is small, use KILZ first, then spray the small area with a color closely matching the original.
Apply extra strength paint remover. Seal area with KILZ and paint using stucco paint. Sand blasters can be rented for under $100 per day to clean large areas.
GOOF OFF works well on latex paint but not oil-based. KLEAN STRIP or STRIP X clean oil-based aluminum surfaces. Use small amounts and test areas before attempting to clean entire area!
On painted surfaces, use KILZ to seal and follow with paint in a color closely matching the original color. Use KLEAN STRIP or STRIP X for removing graffiti from stained or varnished surfaces.
Use paint removers such as OOPS or STRIPEEZE - full strength. Rinse completely.
Carburetor cleaner and cloth rag.
Try carburetor cleaner first. If that doesn't work, use STRIPEEZE or OOPS
Use extra strength paint remover. Apply with a wire brush and scrub. Allow to dry. Process may have to be repeated before the area is ready to paint.


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Wheat seems to have a bad rep these days, but in its natural unrefined state, the grain has a host of important nutrients. Always try to opt for whole-wheat products, which haven't been refined and stripped of their natural goodness. Whenever we can, we also like to add wheat germ into the mix — the nutrient-rich embryo of the wheat kernel that is removed during the refining process. Packed with important B vitamins, such as folate, thiamin and vitamin B6; and the minerals zinc, magnesium and manganese, wheat germ is a super grain that's easily incorporated into baked goods. In this recipe, we replaced some of the flour with germ, but the wholesome breakfast bars are also filled with fiber from oats, flax seeds and raspberries. Enjoy one with a cup of yogurt for a well-rounded morning meal.
RELATED: 9 Healthy Homemade Energy Bar Recipes
Whole-Grain Raspberry Jam Bars Recipe
Serves 24
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Cooking oil spray
2 cups whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 sticks butter, cut into 16 pieces and softened
1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup walnut pieces
1/4 cup light brown sugar
2 tablespoons ground flax seeds
3/4 cup sugar-free raspberry jam
3/4 cup fresh raspberries
1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Preheat oven to 375° F. Line a 13 x 9-inch pan with foil by spreading two sheets of foil perpendicular to each other over the pan, with extra foil hanging over the edges. Grease the foil with cooking spray.
- Whisk the flour, wheat germ, granulated sugar and salt in a large bowl. Beat in 14 tablespoons of butter with an electric mixer on low until the mixture looks like wet sand, about 1½ minutes. Reserve 1¼ cups of the mixture for the topping and put the rest into the pan. Use the bottom of a measuring cup to press it into an even layer. Bake the crust until the edges begin to brown, about 14-18 minutes.
- Mix the reserved flour mixture with the oats, nuts, brown sugar and flax seeds. Add the remaining butter and pinch the mixture with your fingers into small clumps.
- In a separate bowl, lightly smash the raspberries, jam and lemon juice together.
- Spread the berry mixture over the hot crust and sprinkle the crumb streusel on top. Bake until golden brown, about 22-25 minutes.
- Let the bars cool completely in the pan. Remove bars from pan by lifting up the foil edges. Cut into 24 squares.


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Apartment Rance - ANG1225
Holiday rentals | Split-level apartment on the fourth floor of a holiday apartment complex with swimming pool and fine views over the golf course. Located 500 m from the beach and the shops of the Chambre d'Amour district.
One bedroom with 1 double bed and 1 large bedroom with 3 single beds. Small open-plan kitchen area adjoining the living room, equipped with oven, microwave oven, dishwasher, freezer and washing machine. Television. One bathroom with a bath and one bathroom with a shower (upstairs). Balcony with outdoor dining furniture set (tables/chairs) and great views of the golf course. Lift. Shared swimming pool.
Capacity : 5 persons
Area : 40 m²
Weekly rates:
July: 700 € / August: 950-650 €


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I'm trying to move away from the "build a list" pattern we currently employ to manage what columns are shown. The disconnect and lack of "directness" between the table itself and this dialog is confusing many people.
We even get support calls from frantic customers who are "missing data" when, in reality, the columns are just hidden.
Unfortunately we have 60 pre-defined columns and allow users to create any number of custom fields for their data.


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Table of Contents
Partial Victory for Free Speech at Florida Gulf Coast University: Unconstitutional 'Speech Code of the Month' Revised, but Other Troublesome Policies Remain
In a victory for free speech on campus, Florida Gulf Coast University has completely revised its "Personal Abuse" policy, which FIRE named its April 2007 Speech Code of the Month.
That policy previously prohibited "lewd, indecent, racist, prejudice [sic], obscene, or expressions deemed inappropriate." As we wrote in April 2007:
This policy is unconstitutional on so many levels that it is almost hard to know where to begin. Let's start with what is perhaps the most obvious problem: "expressions deemed inappropriate." Who gets to do the deeming? Is it university administrators? If so, that's an awful lot of discretion just waiting to be abused. Is it the listener, such that the university is willing to punish anything that a particularly sensitive listener deems inappropriate? You get the point. This policy is so vague and so broad that it cannot be enforced across the board, so it will necessarily be enforced arbitrarily. Moreover, even most speech that a reasonable person would deem "inappropriate" is nonetheless constitutionally protected, and cannot be prohibited by a public university like FGCU.
The updated version of the "Personal Abuse" policy now prohibits only "Violence, threat of violence or disregard of potential harm to others or against oneself or actions which endanger any member or guest of the University community, including physical, verbal, or sexual assault and relationship/domestic violence." While "verbal assault" is still somewhat vague, there is no question that this policy is a vast improvement over its predecessor.
Though these revisions mark a step in the right direction, this victory for free speech is not yet complete, as there are other policies in place at FGCU that still unlawfully restrict students' right to free speech. (Remember, FGCU is a public university, legally bound to uphold the First Amendment.) For example, the university's nondiscrimination policy prohibits, as harassment, "offensive or demeaning language or treatment of an individual, where such language or treatment is based typically on prejudicial stereotypes of a group to which an individual may belong, such as, objectionable epithets, threatened or actual physical harm or abuse, or other intimidating or insulting conduct directed against the individual." This definition of harassment is far too overbroad and vague to pass constitutional muster. That's because any student making a good faith effort to adhere to this policy would face two big problems: First, they'd be left in the dark as to what speech in particular would qualify, in the eyes of FGCU administrators, as "offensive" or "demeaning" expression. That uncertainty means speech will be chilled at FGCU, as students will almost certainly bite their tongues rather than face punishment. Second, FGCU's policy prohibits constitutionally protected speech—such as speech some listeners may find "insulting." That's just unacceptable.
Making matters yet worse, the Office of Housing and Residence Life prohibits, among other things, "annoying" messages "sent via e-mail or instant messenger, posted on Facebook, MySpace, blogs, or other electronic media," as well as "rude" or "derogatory" comments. Unfortunately, this prohibition suffers from the same problems just outlined above.
So long as these outrageous policies are still in place, student speech cannot be truly free at FGCU. We have seen—in the case of the "Personal Abuse" policy—that FGCU is willing to reform its policies to address free speech issues. Now it is time for the university to undertake the same process with respect to its other unconstitutional speech codes. Until then, it will continue to receive a poor, "red light" rating on FIRE's Spotlight. The First Amendment demands better.
Recent Articles
FIRE's award-winning Newsdesk covers the free speech news you need to stay informed.


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CRS: "Entrenchment" of Senate Procedure and the "Nuclear Option" for Change: Possible Proceedings and Their Implications, March 28, 2005
From WikiLeaks
About this CRS report
This document was obtained by Wikileaks from the United States Congressional Research Service.
The CRS is a Congressional "think tank" with a staff of around 700. Reports are commissioned by members of Congress on topics relevant to current political events. Despite CRS costs to the tax payer of over $100M a year, its electronic archives are, as a matter of policy, not made available to the public.
Individual members of Congress will release specific CRS reports if they believe it to assist them politically, but CRS archives as a whole are firewalled from public access.
This report was obtained by Wikileaks staff from CRS computers accessible only from Congressional offices.
For other CRS information see: Congressional Research Service.
For press enquiries, consult our media kit.
If you have other confidential material let us know!.
For previous editions of this report, try OpenCRS.
Wikileaks release: February 2, 2009
Publisher: United States Congressional Research Service
Title: "Entrenchment" of Senate Procedure and the "Nuclear Option" for Change: Possible Proceedings and Their Implications
CRS report number: RL32843
Author(s): Richard S. Beth, Government and Finance Division
Date: March 28, 2005
- Abstract
- The chief intent of this examination is to identify some specific courses of procedural action that might be used to carry out a "nuclear option" in the broad sense just defined. It focuses on clarifying the specific features of each course that might enable the Senate to avoid the obstacles to change posed by more conventional ways of proceeding. It indicates what provisions of existing procedures might pose difficulties for implementing various courses of action, as well as possible procedural responses by which proponents of such action might address these difficulties.
- Download


text: Chiltepin:The Chiltepin, also called chile tepin, is a wild chile pepper that grows in parts of Mexico, Arizona, Texas, and New Mexico. It is sometimes called the "mother of all peppers," because it is thought to be the oldest form in the Capsicum annuum species. The Wild Chile Botanical Area in the Coronado National Forest near Tucson, Arizona, has the largest population of chiltepin peppers north of Mexico. This pepper is also the state native pepper of Texas. Tepin peppers, nicknamed "bird's eye" peppers, rank high in heat level. Some chile enthusiasts argue that the Tepin is hotter than the habanero or Red Savina habañero pepper. This chile pepper is round or oval and about 3/8 inch in width. "Tepin" comes from the Nahuatl Mexican word meaning "flea" because of its smallness. In 1995, Texans named the Jalapeño pepper the official pepper of the state of Texas. But, just 2 years later, the Tepin took over as the official native pepper of Texas. Tepins can be extremely hot, measuring between 100,000 and 250,000 Scoville Units. In Mexico, the heat of the Chiltepine is called arrebatado ("rapid" or "violent"), which implies that although the heat is intense, it diminishes rapidly. Learn more about the Scoville heat scale. |


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There's lots of activity around the opening of "cruise season" in Venice, and citizens are mobilizing to continue to protest their presence.
It's a rainy weekend in the forecast, so it's hard to say what the participation might be. In the meantime, here's a rough translation from their Facebook page:
The cruise season resumes in full force the weekend of April 14 and 15: as many as 9 (nine!) ships will arrive and depart this Saturday and Sunday. The Comitato No Grandi Navi has decided to mobilize now, raising its voice to renew the demand to remove these monsters from the fragile lagoon.
At 15:30 on the 14th, there will be a procession of private boats from San Marcuola to the Canale Grande Bacino of San Marco: citizens, in fact, are invited to repossess their water city in any sort of private boat: rowing, motorboats, sailing, pedal, canoe, kayak, or surfboard! Who doesn't have a boat, or is on foot, will be transported by the Committee.
It's important that there's a lot of us, to give the peaceful sign that we don't need cruise ships to stay afloat in the lagoon, and that certain ships and the dredging they demand are incompatible, polluting, destructive.
If anyone wants fly a flag or sign or banner that asks the cruise ships to stay out of the lagoon, obviously it would be welcome. Venetians, given free rein to your imagination!
Then, from 14:30 on the 15th, we will set up a garrison along the Zattere with an information point, launching a signature campaign for the ouster of ships from incompatible lagoon.
Drinks, cichèti, and jazz and blues music for everyone!
Please join with us to proclaim that Venice belongs to its citizens, and not to the airlines or cruise ships or the Port Authority.
Boat sflilata of the 14th in Canal Grande
Meet at 15.30 at San Marcuola
Signature Fest, Music & Drinks for all
14:30 on the Zattere


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The small intestine is part of the gastrointestinal tract (GI tract). It is approximately 20 feet long and is the site where most digestion takes place.
A standard endoscope may be used to examine abnormalities of the small intestine such as tumors and bleeding. However, these endoscopes may only reach the first 3 to 6 feet of the bowel. Often times, the abnormality is located in the remaining 14 to 17 feet. But with video capsule endoscopy, doctors can examine hard-to-reach tumors or view distant intestinal bleeding through dynamic video taken of the bowel.
Video capsule endoscopy is a noninvasive procedure where a computerized capsule is used to view the entire length of the small intestine. The capsule is about the size of a vitamin and contains a transmitter, a battery, a color video camera, and an LED light source. The capsule is sealed and resistant to stomach acid and digestive enzymes. The pill takes two pictures per second as it travels via muscle contractions along the GI tract. Distant sites in the tract may reveal a tumor or bleeding from the intestinal wall, which can be more accurately identified. Sensors on the patient's abdomen send these images to a receiver worn on the waist. After eight hours and over 50,000 images, the sensors and receiver are removed. The images can then be downloaded to a computer where they are viewed as a video and examined by a doctor. The capsule is not reusable and many people do not realize they have passed the capsule when it is eventually excreted with waste.
Detailed dietary instructions are given to the patient prior to this procedure. It is important to avoid areas with strong magnetic fields and to discuss potential complications with your doctor.


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As a twist to our regular challenge we have teamed up with Mixed Up Magazine this month! You can read a great artickle in their latest issue as well as view four of our team members projects.
Aprils board includes girly colors and a little bit of sparkle. The quote comes from the fitness/lifestyle gury Heidi Powell.
The Challenge
The Rules
To participate you need to do your interpretation of our challenge and upload a direct link to your project with the help of our Linkytool. The interpretations are free in form (layout, card, art journal, album, canvas) but you need to follow the outlines of the challenge. Each month we will chose a couple of projects that will be highlighted in a special post.
Deadline to upload is May 15 (CET +1)
The Sponsor
Mixed Up is a digital craft magazine with a mixed media flavour. We aim to bring you a wide variety of mixed media craft projects with easy-to-follow step-by-step tutorials.
We focus on education and learning, encouraging readers to experiment and develop their skills with step-by-step guidance and expert advice. Our magazine is created by crafters, for crafters, with an editor at the helm who is a lifelong craft enthusiast and practitioner. We're in it for love, not money.
We actively support the craft industry with free and inexpensive advertising options and business-led content. We encourage and nuture new talent and are open to submissions from anyone, from anywhere in the world. We want to showcase YOUR talent!
Our content is interactive including live links, video content and slideshows. We don't have 'filler' content, just quality tutorials and interesting features.
Mixed Up Magazine offer the winner of the April challenge 1 year sub to the magazine!
Creative Team Projects
Tusia Lech


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We're midway through May, and you've likely embraced your warm weather wardrobe, so now it's time to update your medicine cabinet. Here's what to stock and what to store during the summer months ahead.
Instead of thick, greasy creams, opt for light lotions that are fast-absorbing. This new serum is ultralight and conditioning, not to mention free of fragrance and parabens. Plus, it's packed with a broad spectrum SPF 30.
$42, by Supergoop
Switch out heavier waxes, sticky gels and thicker pomades which can often melt in the summer sun for a pliable, featherweight cream that adds just a touch of shine and definition. Plus, it conditions hair without weighing it down.
$20, by Malin + Goetz
Since the chill isn't sucking your skin dry, a toner will clean and exfoliate your face with the added benefit of eliminating shine. Witch hazel is a natural redness reducer, so these pads are ideal for breakouts and sunburns. Keep 'em in the fridge for even more relief.
$5, by T.N. Dickinson's
Infused with rosemary and eucalyptus, this tingling, hydrating wash is ideal for sun-parched skin and overworked muscles. Naturally antibacterial, Jack Black's Turbo Wash dissolves sweat and grime, but won't dry out your skin like soap. Plus, it can double as cooling shampoo.
$23, by Jack Black
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Waynesville Recreation Center keeps abreast with growth
Jo Glover joined the Waynesville Recreation Center after moving to Haywood County from Alabama in December. She likes the recreation center's atmosphere — no music blaring, windows around the indoor track, a fitness class in the morning that fits into her schedule.
Her husband, however, made a different choice. Glover said he purchased a membership at Haywood Regional Health and Fitness Center because there are a greater variety of exercise machines available there.
Attracting new members in a county that is home to two high-caliber fitness centers is among the challenges facing Rhett Langston, who took over as director of Waynesville's Parks and Recreation Department last summer.
Langston, who has an educational background in both marketing and sports management, is making headway. Membership and revenue are both on the upswing. Total membership has grown from 1,887 in February 2006 to 5,505 last month. In addition, the recreation center also enjoyed one of the top revenue months in its six-year history this past February, bringing in $58,206.
The numbers began trending upward in November, with $34,455 in revenue. In December the recreation center hit $37,199, and in January, $47,874.
Related Items
"We're being aggressive in two areas: marketing and programming," Langston said.
To help with programming, Langston, an Alabama native who worked for 14 years in Buncombe County in recreation, has made some staff changes and reorganized his department.
He is interviewing now for two programmers. They will be charged with lining up classes, events, and helping the recreation department tap new markets. These include therapeutic recreation — assisting those with special needs — and the Hispanic population. Langston also moved the center's opening hour from 6 a.m. to 5 a.m., and the center is seeing about 45 people take advantage of that new time slot.
On the marketing end, Langston has:
• Launched a quarterly publication highlighting programs available through the department.
• Three months ago, started sending members who sign up a "Rec Reminder" by email that provides specialized information on events or deadlines.
• Begun a volunteer program that allows people to get a free membership for a month if they work at the recreation center for 12 hours.
• Held "Recreation Resolution" in January that provided a two-week free membership to anyone wanting one. Seventy-eight of the 1,926 people who participated became members.
"Our goal is to meet the recreational goals of the community in a cost-effective manner without being a burden on taxpayers," Langston said.
His formula is one that works for Clyde resident Cyndi Walker, who has belonged to the Waynesville Recreation Center for two years. Walker both works out at the center and brings her children there to take part in dances and sports opportunities.
"This is like the only place for kids to come to," she said. "There's nowhere else for them to really go."
Walker also noted that she appreciates the availability of morning classes and the cleanliness of the facility.
By the numbers
Fiscal year 2006 revenue: $636,000
Operation cost: $1,589,000
Overall budget: $1,959,000 (includes $378,000 loan payment that is due each year to pay for building the recreation center)
At a glance
• 64,000 square feet in size
• Water playground
• Eight-lane pool
• Gymnasium and racquetball courts
• Weight room
• Cardiovascular Area
• Track, indoor and out
• Child care and game rooms
• Meeting rooms with kitchen


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New Orleans' universities will be welcoming the influx of returning and new students to their doors and into our community. As our New Orleans Bed and Breakfast is just a short streetcar ride to Tulane and Loyola University campuses, we are always glad to greet returning parents and welcome new ones to New Orleans, LA.
Bed, Bath and Beyond allows you to order dorm room or apartment supplies online and pick them up locally, instead of packing and moving all those boxes. Don't forget sheets, a reading lamp, coffee maker, picture frames and some basic cooking supplies.
Nearest Store: 4410 Veterans Blvd, Metairie, LA 70006 504-454-6930
Whole Foods Market has a "survival" checklist for back-to-dorm basics such as healthy snack and wellness items.
Nearest Store: 600 Magazine Street, New Orleans LA 70115 504-899-9119
Project Green Dorm's website gives you information on all the top eco-friendly products for college students. You can also participate in a Dorm Makeover Contest and win prize packages that will set up your college student for the semester.
No car? Help your incoming student learn to get around town with the New Orleans public transit map. $1.25 gets you down to the French Quarter, and $3 day passes get you around town all day! Don't forget our Garden District B&B has the New Orleans Streetcar pick up just right outside our front door!
Dutch Treat? Take them out for one last meal on the parents before you drop them off at the cafeteria. Coolinary New Orleans during the month of August is offering pre-fix menus from some of the best New Orleans restaurants with these amazing specials: 3-course lunches for $20 or less and 3-course dinners for $35.00 or less!
If you're packing and moving your progeny down to a university in New Orleans this month, we still have openings for most of the Orientation and Registration weekends. Check our Reservation Book at Grand Victorian Bed and Breakfast for details and dates.


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112 months ago
Hey guys, I just purchased the game today, 12/17/14, and so far I'm really enjoying it, the concept is pretty cool, the graphics are great, and the races are fun. However, this level is unbeatable and I'm not really sure why. I got to the end of the level Dome Breach where you have to hold off the sentinels and keep them off the research stations until the research is done. Halfway done, and the percentage jumps to -500%, causing me to flip and wonder if one of the research stations went offline. The research stations all had fully functional transmitters next to them, and nothing was wrong. I noticed that it said that part of my base was under attack, even after I had cleared off every single enemy from the map besides the sentinels coming through the gate.
I didn't feel like fighting my way through the mission again, so I just built armies to amuse myself while I waited for the percentage to finally get to 100%. It stopped at 75% and the sentinels have stopped coming through the gate. I scoured the map for enemies but there are none left, and 2 transmitters still say they are under attack. This is really quite frustrating and I'm not sure what can be done about it.
[edit] I just restarted and beat the level okay in one shot. It seems that problems occur with save games, they appear to mess up the scripting in places.


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Even though she's only in 8th grade, [Hannah Prutchi] is turning into a very respectable builder. She designed SharkVision, a wearable distance sensor that is meant to help the blind find objects they might bump into.
The SharkVision gets its name from shark's ability to 'see' prey in their surroundings by sensing the local magnetic field. Instead of building her own Ampullae of Lorenzini, [Hannah] decided to take the easy route and use a few infrared sensors mounted to a bracelet. Whenever something is picked up by the proximity sensor, a voltage is applied to a pager motor telling the wearer they're about to run into something.
[Hannah] and her classmates have successfully tested the SharkVision bracelet by walking around their classroom with eyes closed. They didn't bump into anything, a fact [Hannah] attributes to neuroplasticity. We think it's a neat build, but we're wondering if this could be given to a population of blind people.