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Paul McCartney opens up about Beatles' work with Jimmy Savile
SIR PAUL McCARTNEY has opened up about THE BEATLES' connection to SIR JIMMY SAVILE, insisting the band "always thought there was something a little bit suspect" about the shamed star.
Savile, who died last year (11), became headline news in September (12) when a number of women came forward alleging he had molested them when they were young girls.
He is suspected of abusing more than 300 children over a period of 40 years and police have launched an investigation.
McCartney has now spoken out about his own experience of working with Savile, who was close to The Beatles during their early days in the spotlight and even compered many of their shows.
The veteran musician reveals his bandmates grew suspicious of Savile after he joined them in their van for a journey home from a gig.
He tells the Independent newspaper, "It's very difficult to talk about it. The thing is we knew Jimmy and we worked with him, he was a DJ, an MC on some of the shows. We were working in Yorkshire and we were still living in Liverpool. And we were coming back from a gig and he came in our van over the Pennines, we gave him a lift. He told us all these stories... He had all sorts of stuff going on. He was the older hustler guy, and we were very amused by these stories because he was a great entertainer.
"But we dropped him off at his place outside his house and we said 'Can we come in for a coffee', and he said 'Oh no, not tonight lads'. When he'd gone we thought 'Why doesn't he let us in, what is it?' because most people would have let us in that we gave a lift to. So we always thought there was something a little bit suspect."
McCartney goes on to talk about the different attitudes towards sex in the 1960s and 1970s, but insists The Beatles made sure their groupies were not underage.
He explains, "It was a much more open scene, and you know free love, and the pill had just come in... The other aspect of course is that we, though not quite Jimmy, we were of the age of the girls, we were all young. So if you're now talking about a 17, 18-year-old boy with a 15-year-old girl, we all knew that was illegal. We knew it and it was like no... We knew with under-16s it was illegal, so we didn't do it.
"We tried to make sure, we couldn't always be sure. But there was a definite no-no involved in underage kids."


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Each title in the Voces library contains a vast collection of online resources that parallels your existing curriculum. These dynamic resources are enhanced with audio, video, interactive activities, presentations, assessments, stunning photographs, and more. All of these are available in an easy-to-use, single login solution that works on any device with internet access. Yearly subscriptions start as low as $100. Sign up today for a free 30-day trial or call 1-800-848-0256 for more information.
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Voces Digital sets a new industry standard in reasonably priced courseware, offering levels of access that accommodate budgetary and technological variations.

subset: commoncrawl


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The 49ers addressed their injury-riddled running back corps Monday by agreeing to terms with former Arizona Cardinals running back Alfonso Smith, according to a league source.
Smith joins a unit hit hard by injuries since training camp practices began Thursday. Kendall Hunter, the incumbent No. 2 back behind Frank Gore, sustained a season-ending knee injury Friday, then LaMichael James dislocated an elbow Sunday that could sideline him a month.
"I'm a Niner Babeeeeee!" Smith posted on his Instagram account Monday night with a picture of a 49ers logo.
Smith (6-foot-1, 208 pounds) spent the past four seasons with the Cardinals, establishing himself as a pass-protecting back on third downs and as a core special-teams player. It's believed at least one other running back auditioned with Smith on Monday at the team's Santa Clara facility.
Smith joined the Cardinals as an undrafted free agent out of Kentucky and spent most of his rookie season on the practice squad. He has 48 career carries for 156 yards and two touchdowns.
Smith is expected to formally sign his contract in time for Tuesday's 10 a.m. practice. The 49ers could create a roster spot by placing Hunter on the season-ending injured reserve list.


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So I have many weird curiosities, and here's one of them: I'm always curious what people's handwriting would look like. Who has a camera and wants to show the world a sample of your handwriting? =D
Don't fail me now, people.
Picture very related. It was written by yours truly about 10 minutes before this post. Yes, this is how I normally write. I cannot write cursive for life.


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- You Are Here:
- Home
- Your Government
- Departments
- Public Works
- Household Waste
Household Waste
Roll-Out Containers
Residents must place trash in roll-out containers. The containers are 95 gallon capacity and may be purchased from the Town Hall receptionist at 301 W Main Street. You may print a Roll-out Trash Container Order Form and mail along with a check or purchase in person at Town Hall. Public Works will deliver the container to your residence within 2 business days of receipt of payment.
To use the online form, follow these steps -
- Download and print the Roll-out Trash Container Order Form (PDF).
- Mail completed form and check to:
Carrboro Town Hall
Attn. Roll-out Trash Container
301 W Main St.
Carrboro, NC 27510.
Garbage & Household Trash Disposal Guidelines
Please follow these simple guidelines when disposing of garbage and household trash:
- Containers shall be placed adjacent to the street by 7:30 a.m. on collection day (but not before dark on day prior to collection) and removed from the pick-up point by 6 a.m. the day following the collection day.
- All household trash must be placed in a garbage bag and then placed inside the container.
- Place containers at the street with the lid opening toward the street.
- Allow 3 feet of clearance between your container and any other item including the recycle container.
- To report service problems, call 919-918-7425 or email the Solid Waste Division.
Thank you for following these tips. It helps us provide better service to you. Please see the holiday schedule (PDF) for alternate day collections.
Trash to Put Into Your Container
Acceptable Items
Household trash and food waste
Non-Acceptable Items
- Dirt, sod, rock or concrete
- Large appliances or furniture
- Hot ashes
- Flammable materials such as:
- Oil
- Gas
- Paint
- Debris from construction, remodeling, or demolition
- Absolutely no toxic or hazardous waste
- Yard waste
- Batteries:
- Large sized alkaline batteries and wet cell / lead acid batteries such as the kind found in cars, trucks, and boats
- Corrugated cardboard:
- Orange County Recycling collects corrugated cardboard as part of their curbside recycling.
- Cardboard boxes should be flattened and placed alongside other recyclables and in pieces no longer than 3 feet by 3 feet, limit 10 boxes.
Yard Waste
For yard waste see town yard waste page / for all other items contact Orange County Solid Waste Management at 919-968-2788.


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WASHINGTON, Feb. 14 (UPI) -- The National Science Foundation says the three major risk factors for mass shootings are exposure to violent media, mental health and access to guns.
The 41-page NSF report, titled "Youth Violence: What We Need To Know," was released Thursday by U.S. Rep. Frank Wolf, R-Va., and will be discussed by the House Appropriations Commerce-Justice-Science subcommittee later this spring, Wolf said in a release.
Wolf requested the report following the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn.
The report drew on "reliable evidence and a stable of theories to explain youth violence that have emerged from decades of research, including research supported by the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, the National Research Council and other federal agencies."
One study the report cited suggested there may be a link between mental health issues and the consumption of violent media, which includes video games.
"We have found that depressed and hopeless youth migrate toward gaming and Internet activity in general," the author wrote. "There is already some suggestive evidence that online violent gaming is associated with cyberbullying. This may increase the exchange of rejecting messages, thereby further exacerbating hostile feelings among suicidal youth."
Wolf said he had hoped President Barack Obama would have addressed the causes of mass shootings during Tuesday's State of the Union Address, but was disappointed when he only discussed gun control.
"To only focus on one piece of a large and complicated puzzle is irresponsible," Wolf said.
"While I recognize the potential constitutional issues involved in tackling media violence, mental health parity and gun control, I am disappointed that mental health issues and media violence were left out of the president's address," Wolf said.
"The president said that the victims of mass shootings, including Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, the college students at Virginia Tech, the children at Sandy Hook, the high school students at Columbine, and the movie-goers in Aurora all deserve a vote for gun control proposals. How can he in good conscience call for that, but not acknowledge the fact that each one of the shooters in those events was mentally disturbed? How could he not acknowledge the role that violent media played in some of their lives?
"The president has failed the American people and the families of the victims by remaining frustratingly silent on these crucial issues and ignoring the other central factors related to mass violence of this kind."


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Major Section: PROGRAMMING
(/= x y) is logically equivalent to
(not (equal x y)).
/= has a guard requiring both of its arguments
to be numbers. Generally,
/= is executed more efficiently than
a combination of
not and
For a discussion of the various ways to test against 0, See zero-test-idioms.
/= is a Common Lisp function. See any Common Lisp documentation
for more information.


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Voyage to Farland is a tough-as-nails graphical roguelike game. What's a roguelike? It's a notoriously challenging dungeon crawler role playing game. This game is NOT a grindfest or a hack-n-slash game. It's turn-based and succeeding requires keen strategy and perseverance. But you're up to the task and you have what it takes to defeat the Spirit Witch and unlock the hardcore dungeon, The Path of No Return. If you make it to the end of THAT dungeon, a surprise is in store for you. Five themed dungeons. Tons of monster types with devious abilities. Voyage to Farland will keep you busy for months to come. Fun things you can do in Voyage to Farland: • get a pet robot you can level up • befriend an outcast monster that will help you fight • take on the challenge of the Strategy Dungeon • build weapon & shield enchantments and store gear in a warehouse
Only registered members can share their thoughts. So come on! Join the community today (totally free - or sign in with your social account on the right) and join in the conversation.
A faster-paced trailer showing some of the action in the game.


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Dr. Gail Grabowsky, Director
Environmental Studies Program, Chaminade University
1) What kind of students major in Environmental Studies?
I find that at Chaminade -- which is one of THE most diverse schools in the country (we make it into Newsweek for this quality!) -- that there about three "types" of students who major in Environmental Studies. (1) Students from Micronesia and American Samoa who really live IN nature still and come from ecocentric cultures in which nature features prominently in their worldview. These students simply KNOW the value and joy of nature. Many are worried -- seeing reef fish dwindle, trash becoming a problem and development creating urban "slums." (2) Students from Hawaii who know nature, play in nature, perhaps collect flowers for lei or fish frequently who know that the amount of forested areas, the health of reefs, etc. are on the decline. These students want to protect that which they used traditionally and that on which they know our tourism-based economy depends. The Hawaiians have a tradition of "malama aina" -- taking care of the land. They believe that if you take care of it, it will take care of you. Many students feel that we really need to develop carefully (if at all) and bring back or protect old values. (3) Mainland students who are aware of all the "classic" enviro issues: endangered species, air and water pollution, global warming, need to recycle. These students come with a global perspective and a lot of passion to fix what is obviously broken. I love all three of these populations. Together they make it a JOY to teach at Chaminade and they learn so much from each others' enviro concerns.
2) Is the broad and interdisciplinary nature of an Environmental Studies degree too generalized to have useful applications in jobs out in the field? Why or why not?
Yes -- a bit. I do worry about how broad the degree is. BUT, environmental issues are supremely interdisciplinary and so I believe that we have chosen the lesser of two evils. Over-specialization would result by requiring students just major in, say, environmental science or environmental policy, etc. Students majoring in such narrow fields will lack a clear big picture understanding of environemntal issues and solutions. I encourage my students to always have at least a minor and/or preferrably a second major if they can handle it. This gives the breadth and depth.
3) What kinds of jobs are available to ES graduates? What kinds of companies are specifically looking for ES graduates?
There are graduate programs now in environmental studies that emphasize policy or economics. There is law school. There are many jobs in enviromental NGO's and in the public enviro sector where an enviro studies degree is fine. Again though, I encourage my students to also have a focus borne out through a second major or minor. I also think its REAL important to talk enviro careers with them early on -- expose them to the vast variety of careers -- because students don't know whats out there and the jobs are ALL over the place in our "industry."
4) How can Environmental Studies students gain an edge in the post-graduation job market? What's the best way to land a job with an ES degree?
Be broad, be experienced with hands-on service, research and internships. Know the people and enviro orgs and opportunities in your area -- educate the students about jobs in their area or have them look into this themselves. An enviro studies degree is the liberal arts degree of the enviro field! And liberal arts majors do well on the job market -- they are flexible, creative, can handle diversity and integration. I feel that is way better than being specialized. Sure, we'll always need engineers and scientists, but we need people who LINK it all together and understand IT ALL because these are the people who will be able to devise real-world systems-based solutions.
5) Do you have any advice for prospective students entering an Environmental Studies program?
Always be learning about: what the issues are, the many causes of each issue, where issues are and what kinds of careers are out there. Perhaps invent a new career where a new need is arrising: Reef Restoration, Urban Restoration, who knows!


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lol, sure seemed like a fake headline...those scumbags at GS
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Board President
Member since 2011
Alexandra Lopez feels honored and privileged to serve the Piscataway community as an elected member of the school board. She has lived in Piscataway for 13 years with her husband Victor and two children, Christian and Izabella. Having spent the better part of her career working with children and families, she believes wholeheartedly in academic, as well as social education, as the foundation of our children's healthy future.
She has lived in Piscataway for 13 years, and studied as an undergraduate at Rutgers. She received a master's degree in counselor Education with a specialization in Addictions from Kean University. She always knew that she wanted to work with adolescents, and follow her heart to a position as a substance awareness coordinator in the Carteret Public Schools. During that time, she returned to Kean University to pursue her post masters education and ultimately her NJ Department of Education Supervisors License, which prepared her for the position as director of the school based youth services program in Carteret.
In 2007, she decided to make a personal and career move and took a position closer to home as the deputy director of the National Council of Alcoholism and Drug Dependency of Middlesex County, Inc. Being closer to home afforded her the opportunity to become more involved in the Piscataway school system and, even more importantly, with her two children! She served on the High School redesign team and became committed to the goals of the district.
Currently, she is a part time lecturer/ faculty member at the Bloustein School of Public Health at Rutgers University where she teaches undergraduate students. She is also in private practice where she continues to provide much needed services to families in Middlesex County struggling with issues related to substance abuse. The past year brought many changes and exciting opportunities, both personally and for the school community. She looks forward to serving the children and families of Piscataway with faithful commitment, dedication and enthusiasm.


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Butch van Breda Kolff, a happy-go-lucky nonconformist who from 1951 through 1994 coached more than 1,300 college, professional and high school basketball games, died Wednesday in Spokane, Wash. He was 84 and had lived in Spokane for the last year.
He died of multiple illnesses, including Parkinson's disease and pneumonia, his son, Jan, said.
Van Breda Kolff used to say that except for a chosen few, coaching basketball was a vagabond profession, and he was a prime example. He held 13 head-coaching jobs and for one season, when he was 61, he coached a high school team.
"I've had some good jobs that I've left, or they fired me," he once said. "At the time, I thought it was the right thing for me to do. Whether it turned out right later, who cares?"
He coached Bill Bradley as a collegian and Wilt Chamberlain as a professional and never seemed fully satisfied with either player. When Bradley played for him at Princeton, he said, "Bill is not hungry." He felt the same way about Chamberlain, who played for him with the Los Angeles Lakers.Continue reading the main story
In the final minutes of the seventh and deciding game of the National Basketball Association's 1969 championship playoffs, Chamberlain benched himself during the fourth quarter with what van Breda Kolff considered a minor knee injury. When Chamberlain asked to return to the game, van Breda Kolff refused, and the Lakers lost to the Boston Celtics by 2 points.
"We played better when he was out," van Breda Kolff said. "I have no regrets because in my mind at the time I thought it was the right thing to do. The only regret I'll have would be if I don't have a team."
Shortly after, van Breda Kolff resigned, but as usual he soon had another team.
His coaching style never changed. When he was 71 and coaching his final season, The New York Times described him as the "animated, nonstop-gesticulating, chair-kicking, sideline-pacing, expletive-spewing Butch of days gone by." But his teams were well-schooled, emphasizing teamwork, a patient offense and a tough defense.
Willem Hendrik van Breda Kolff was born Oct. 28, 1922, in Montclair, N.J., and grew into a 6-foot-3, 185-pound playmaking guard. After World War II service in the Marines, he returned to Princeton and became the basketball and soccer captain.
Next came four seasons of pro basketball, all with the Knicks. He averaged 4.7 points a game.
His coaching career (always as a head coach) began in 1951 at Lafayette (1951-55). He left after four years because, he said, "They wouldn't give me a $200-a-year raise." Then came seven years (1955-62) at Hofstra and five (1962-67) at Princeton. Next were 10 seasons with the pros: the Lakers (1967-69), the Detroit Pistons (1969-72), the Phoenix Suns (1972-73), the Memphis Tams of the American Basketball Association (1973-74) and the N.B.A.'s expansion New Orleans Jazz (1974-77).
He then coached the University of New Orleans men (1977-79) and the New Orleans Pride of the Women's Professional Basketball League (1979-81). When the women's league collapsed, he became a door-to-door salesman, but as he recalled: "Guys wanted to talk basketball. I don't think I ever sold anything."
After spending two years away from the sport and being desperate to coach again, he accepted a job coaching basketball and teaching world history to 10th-graders at Picayune (Miss.) Memorial High School. He said it was "sometimes very humbling, but I'm glad I did it."
When Lafayette asked for recommendations for its coaching vacancy, he nominated himself. He returned there for four seasons (1984-88) and then returned to Hofstra, his final coaching stop, for six more seasons (1988-94).
When his last team started its season with a 1-14 record, he said, "I was embarrassed to have my friends see them play." The team then won 8 of its last 14 games and the East Coast Conference tournament title in double overtime. He retired with a 483-272 record for 28 college seasons and 287-316 for 10 pro seasons.
"People are always asking me if you had the chance to do it all over again, would you do anything different?" he said. "I say, not a bit. I wouldn't change one thing. You do what you're going to do and make the best of it."
He was legally separated from his wife, the former Florence Smith. In addition to his son, Jan, a former head coach at Cornell, Vanderbilt, Pepperdine and St. Bonaventure, he is survived by three daughters: Karen Young of Columbus, Ohio; Kristina, of Spokane; and Kaatje, of Cleveland; and seven grandchildren.
"All my grandchildren call me Uncle Butch," he said years ago, "because I don't want nobody calling me grandpa. I'm too old."Continue reading the main story


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ABC You - Children can learn the alphabet straight from their walls and discover which letter the different animals begin with.
This Digital Wall Art comes in 6 easy to apply
panels (each panel is 45cm wide x 265cm high).
This Wall Art can also be re-scaled or coloured to your exact specification. Contact Sales Team for further information.
Please Note: Please allow up to 14 working days for delivery.


text:
10777 Nall Ave, Suite 220
Overland Park, KS 66211
(913) 469-0110
(913) 469-6579 Fax
Find helpful information in our digital library.
Dermatology Consultants Midwest, P.A. aims to make a difference in the lives of his patients by providing the highest quality care...
The Patient Portal is a portion of our practice's recent computer and software upgrade.
Welcome! The board-certified dermatology professionals at Dermatology Consultants Midwest, P.A. are pleased to welcome you to our practice. We want all our patients to be informed decision makers and fully understand any health issues you face. That's why we've developed a web site with valuable information about dermatology and dermatological problems and treatments.
Dermatology Consultants Midwest, P.A. is a group dermatology practice focused on diseases affecting the skin, hair and nails. We diagnose and treat the full spectrum of dermatologic conditions, from acne and eczema to psoriasis and warts. We are experts at diagnosing skin cancer and can treat many here in our office.
We also realize that convenience is an important factor in your choice of a dermatologist. In this web site you'll find information about our office, including maps, directions, office hours, along with our policies regarding insurance and appointment scheduling. Please feel free to contact us with any questions you have or to request an appointment. We hope you will find our practice offers the accessibility and personal commitment you look for from your physician.
Questions or Comments?
We encourage you to contact us whenever you have an interest about our services.
Phone:(913) 469-0110 | Fax:(913) 469-6579
10777 Nall Ave, Suite 220 Overland Park, KS 66211


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Surat al-Kahf, 01-10
Praise belongs to Allah, Who has sent down the Book to His servant and has put no crookedness in it. (Surat al-Kahf, 1)
The sura's first verse indicates the importance of being grateful to Allah, Who gave humanity everything: a perfectly functioning body, an environment suitable for life on Earth, the order in the universe, food, water, and much more. Allah's generosity is infinite, for He gave us so much that we cannot list His blessings even in general terms. We are reminded of this reality in the following verse:
If you tried to number Allah's blessings, you could never count them. Allah is Ever-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (Surat an-Nahl, 18)
One of the believers' foremost characteristics is to be in a state of gratefulness for all that Allah has given them and to remember that His gifts are a trial for humanity. As Surat an-Nisa' 147 states, Allah "is always responsive to gratitude." However, in spite of this, most people are ungrateful for what they are given. Prophet Sulayman's (as) words are reported in Surat an-Naml:
"This is part of my Lord's favor to test me, to see if I will give thanks or show ingratitude. Whoever gives thanks only does so to his own gain. Whoever is ungrateful, my Lord is Rich Beyond Need, Generous." (Surat an-Naml, 40)
In the End Times, people are totally removed from gratefulness. Having forgotten that Allah gives all that they have, they are completely absorbed in their worldly lives and consider all of their wealth and possessions to be the result of their own effort and mind. Such people have to know that they are being ungrateful to Allah, because only He gives everything. This reality is revealed in the following verses:
He has given you everything for which you have asked Him. If you tried to number Allah's blessings, you could never count them. Man is indeed wrongdoing, ungrateful. (Surah Ibrahim, 34)
Any blessing you have is from Allah. Then when harm touches you, it is to Him that you cry for help. But when He removes the harm from you, a group of you associate others with their Lord, ungrateful for what We have given them. Enjoy yourselves. You will soon know! (Surat an-Nahl, 53-55)
As these verses state, people do not realize that Allah gives them everything and they deny this truth by associating others with Him. Satan, who follows this strategy, seeks to push people away from thankfulness and toward ungratefulness for Allah's gifts so that they will begin to deny this truth and then go astray. The Qur'an exposes Satan's wicked strategy and real purpose, as follows:
[Satan said:] "Then I will come at them from in front of them and behind them, from their right and from their left. You will not find most of them thankful." He [Allah] said: "Get out of it, reviled and driven out. As for those who follow you, I will fill up Hell with every one of you." (Surat al-A`raf, 17-18)
Naturally, there are consequences in this world for people's ungratefulness. The fact of people's forgetfulness and ungratefulness is at the bottom of all the poverty, destitution, decadence, deprivation, spiritual decline and similar problems that we see all around us. While being grateful opens up blessings, well-being, and peace, ungratefulness brings great sorrow. Allah says:
And when your Lord announced: "If you are grateful, I will certainly give you increase, but if you are ungrateful, My punishment is severe." (Surah Ibrahim, 7)
As this verse reveals, people who do not thank Allah for what He gives earn a severe punishment: sorrow in this world and in the Hereafter.
Past events can teach us many valuable lessons. In the twentieth century, the world was ruled by anti-religious people, such as those who followed communism and fascism, who distanced the people from true religion's goodness by portraying denial as an attractive substitute. Their followers denied Allah, and so forgot about thankfulness and encountered great tragedies over many long years. In return for their ungratefulness, Allah withheld some of His gifts. The Qur'an reveals that the "reward" for ungratefulness is the following:
Allah makes an example of a city that was safe and at peace, its provision coming to it plentifully from every side. Then it showed ingratitude for Allah's blessings, so He made it wear the robes of hunger and fear for what it did. (Surat an-Nahl, 112)
The cause for the famine, poverty, fear, and suffering that we saw during the twentieth century is the people's ungratefulness. The Qur'an reveals that such people will be punished:
[By] that We repaid them, because they did not believe. And [thus] do We repay except the ungrateful? (Surah Saba', 17)
It is straight, to warn of violent force direct from Him and to give the good news to the believers, those who do right actions, that for them there is an excellent reward. (Surat al-Kahf, 2)
This verse points out the Qur'an's importance and that it is the true book. The Qur'an guides humanity, reminds people of their eternal life, and shows them the righteous path. It is a revelation and the only path that shows us how to win Allah's good pleasure and mercy, and Paradise. It is the absolute measure for right and wrong. As Surat al-Baqara 120 states, "Allah's guidance is the true guidance." Our Lord reveals that the believers must hold on tightly to the Qur'an's guidance, as follows:
So hold fast to what has been revealed to you. You are on a straight path. It is certainly a reminder to you and to your people, and you will be questioned. (Surat az-Zukhruf, 43-44)
Surat al-Kahf 2 indicates the importance of abiding by Allah's revelation. All believers have the life-long responsibility of obeying His injunctions, orders, and recommendations, and no difficulty, pressure, or hardship can cause them to be distracted or careless in this matter. Regardless of the circumstances, they are meticulous, diligent, and determined.
The verse also draws our attention to the obligation of warning others. Allah frequently reminds the faithful of this important obligation and indicates the necessity of commanding the right and forbidding the wrong. He instructs us to do this as an act of worship, and gives the good news of salvation to those who do so:
Those who repent, those who worship, those who praise, those who fast, those who bow, those who prostrate, those who command the right, those who forbid the wrong, those who preserve the limits of Allah: give good news to the believers. (Surat at-Tawba, 112)
As with everything else, the best examples of this are the Prophets. The Messengers whom Allah willed to fulfill this honorable obligation warned their people in a variety of ways, invited them to the true faith, reminded them of Hell, and warned them about eternal suffering. Allah reveals this reality, as follows:
I have warned you of a Fire that rages, in which only the most wretched will roast. (Surat al-Layl, 14-15)
Surat al-Kahf 2 also points out the importance of right action, defined as good deeds done with a true heart in order to win Allah's good pleasure, and grace, and Paradise. Another verse with the same message is the following:
If anyone seeks glory, let him know that glory is Allah's alone. To Him ascends good speech, and righteous work raises it. But people who plot evil deeds will suffer a harsh punishment. The plotting of such people is profitless. (Surah Fatir, 10)
In many other verses, our Lord points out the importance of doing right actions and the rewards that He will give in return. Some of them are given below, as follows:
Give the good news to those who believe and do right actions, that they will have Gardens with rivers flowing under them. When they are given fruit there as provision, they will say: "This is what we were given before." But they were only given a simulation of it. They will have there spouses of perfect purity, and will remain there timelessly, forever. (Surat al-Baqara, 25)
Those who believe, those who are Jews, and the Christians and Sabaeans, all who believe in Allah and the Last Day and act rightly, will have their reward with their Lord. They will feel no fear and will know no sorrow. (Surat al-Baqara, 62)
As for those who believe and do right actions and humble themselves before their Lord, they are the Companions of the Garden, remaining in it timelessly, forever. (Surah Hud, 23)
Surat al-Kahf 2 touches upon another important issue: giving the believers the good news of Paradise. Many verses order the Messengers to do this, for the believers draw great comfort from being told that all of their troubles, difficulties and shortcomings in this life are only temporary, and that Allah's help, grace, and mercy are always with them. The nearness of the Hereafter's blessings increases the believers' motivation, zeal, and effort. As one verse says:
We have made it easy on your tongue so that you can give good news to those who guard against evil and warn stubbornly hostile people by it. (Surah Maryam, 97)
All of the issues touched upon in Surat al-Kahf 2 are subjects upon which Muslims living near to or in the End Times need to reflect carefully. As this verse indicates, holding fast to the Qur'an will protect people from the evil flowing from evil and anti-religious ideologies, as well as the trials and tribulations of the End Times. Conscientious Muslims of the End Times must do right actions under the guidance of the Qur'an, urge people to do right, give them the good news of the blessings of Paradise, and warn them of the punishment of Hell and not to make compromises with Allah's law.
A place in which they will remain forever. (Surat al-Kahf, 3)
Some people deny Allah's existence and the nearness of the eternal life of Paradise or Hell. For them, death means entering nothingness, for there is no Day of Judgment. Others believe in Hell, but think that its suffering will last only a number of days. According to this view, people will remain there for a short period of time to pay for their sins, and then will leave it behind for the blessings of Paradise. However, the Qur'an does not mention any such temporary punishment, and Allah reveals the following truth:
That is because they say: "The Fire will only touch us for a number of days." Their inventions have deluded them in their religion. (Surah Al 'Imran, 24)
Surat al-Kahf 3 points out people's incorrect understanding of Hell and reveals that it is an eternal resting place for those who persist in unbelief. People who get so absorbed in their worldly lives that they forget about Allah's existence, who do not follow the righteous path of Allah's Messenger (saas), and who do not obey the Qur'an will be in Hell forever, unless Allah wills otherwise, for such is His justice. The Qur'an also reveals that those who persist in unbelief will continue their insolence in Hell:
The evildoers will remain timelessly, forever, in the punishment of Hell. It will not be eased for them. They will be crushed there by despair. We have not wronged them; it was they who were wrongdoers. They will call out [addressing the keeper of Hell]: "Malik, let your Lord put an end to us!" He will say: "You will stay the way you are." (Surat az-Zukhruf, 74-77)
As seen in the above verses, not even in Hell will the unbelievers comprehend the fact that they are dependent on Allah; rather, they will continue in their conceit by not turning to Him but, instead, calling out to an angel to "let your Lord put an end to us." By doing so, they prove that they are still transgressors. Allah reveals that the unbelievers who ask: "Can we be sent back so that we can do something other than what we did?" (Surat al-A`raf, 53) are liars:
If only you could see when they are standing before the Fire and saying: "Oh! If only we could be sent back again, we would not deny the Signs of our Lord, and we would be among the believers." No, it is simply that what they were concealing before has been shown to them. If they were sent back, they would merely return to what they were forbidden to do. Truly, they are liars. (Surat al-An`am, 27-28)
Other verses state that people are given enough time on Earth, but that they do not abandon their conceit:
Or lest he should say, when he sees the punishment: "If only I could have another chance so that I could be a good-doer!" "No, the fact is that My Signs came to you, but you denied them and were arrogant and one of the unbelievers." (Surat az-Zumar, 58-59)
From all of this, we understand that such people will not mend their ways. Since Allah is most merciful with the believers, He does not let such evil people enter Paradise and be with the believers. Paradise, with all that it contains and its inhabitants, is a place of goodness, and nothing that Allah disapproves of can be found there. This is one of the consequences of His mercy and justice to His devout servants.
The eternal blessings of Paradise are only for the believers. Allah says:
Their recompense is forgiveness from their Lord, and Gardens with rivers flowing under them, remaining in them timelessly, forever. How excellent is the reward of those who act! (Surah Al 'Imran, 136)
As for those who disobey Allah and His Messenger and overstep His limits, We will admit them into a Fire, remaining in it timelessly, forever. They will have a humiliating punishment. (Surat an-Nisa', 14)
Do they not know that whoever opposes Allah and His Messenger will have the Fire of Hell, remaining in it timelessly, forever? That is the great disgrace. (Surat at-Tawba, 63)
[The Qur'an is] to warn those who say: "Allah has a son." They have no knowledge of this, neither they nor their fathers. It is a monstrous utterance that has issued from their mouths. What they say is nothing but a lie. (Surat al-Kahf, 4-5)
These two verses deal with the Christians' seriously mistaken understanding of Allah. By devising the doctrine of the Trinity, the Christians deviated from their true religion. The following verses explain how they did this:
O People of the Book, do not go to excess in your religion. Say nothing but the truth about Allah. The Messiah, `Isa son of Maryam, was only the Messenger of Allah and His word, which He cast into Maryam, and a Spirit from Him. So believe in Allah and His Messengers. Do not say: "Three." It is better that you stop. Allah is only One God. He is too Glorious to have a son! Everything in the heavens and in Earth belongs to Him. Allah suffices as a Guardian. (Surat an-Nisa', 171)
They say: "Allah has a son." Glory be to Him! He is the Rich Beyond Need. Everything in the heavens and on Earth belongs to Him. Have you authority to say this, or are you saying about Allah that which you do not know? (Surah Yunus, 68)
That is `Isa son of Maryam, the word of truth about which they are in doubt. It is not fitting for Allah to have a son. Glory be to Him! When He decides on something, He just says to it, "Be!" and it is. (Surah Maryam, 34-35)
There can be no doubt that this mentality is the faith of those who associate others with Allah. As the Qur'an reveals, Allah has no partners, equals, or children. He is the sole Governor of all that exists, as well as the Lord of the heavens and Earth. Those Muslims living in the End Times are obliged to explain such mistaken beliefs to all who hold them.
Perhaps you [Muhammad] may destroy yourself with grief, chasing after them, if they do not believe in these words. (Surat al-Kahf, 6)
This verse deals with those who do not respond to the calls to faith made by the Prophet (saas) and the believers. Devout believers abide by Allah's order to command right and forbid evil, invite people to believe in Allah, and inform them of the truth contained in the Qur'an. However, most people turn away from the Messengers' calls and persist in denial, as revealed by:
"The Hour is coming—there is no doubt about it. But most of mankind do not believe"(Surah Ghafir, 59).
The unbelievers respond to such calls in many ways. Some demand miracles from the Messengers, as in: "We will not believe you until you make a spring gush out from the earth for us" (Surat al-Isra', 90), while others simply mock the believers. An an example of the latter is given below:
When they are told: "Believe in the way that the people believe," they exclaim: "What! Are we to believe in the way that fools believe?" No indeed! They are the fools, but they do not know it. (Surat al-Baqara, 13)
Every Prophet was greeted by his nation with similar mockery and often was subjected to various forms of oppression. For instance, Prophet Nuh (as) used all methods to call his people to faith, but they responded negatively, as follows:
He said: "My Lord, I have called my people night and day, but my calling has only made them more evasive. Indeed, every time I called them to Your forgiveness, they put their fingers in their ears, wrapped themselves up in their clothes, and were overweeningly arrogant. Then I called them openly. Then I addressed them publicly and privately." I said: "Ask forgiveness of your Lord. Truly He is Endlessly Forgiving." (Surah Nuh, 5-10)
As we can understand from these verses, most people, regardless of time or place, respond negatively to the calls to true religion. However, it must not be forgotten that such reactions never demoralize the believers, for they know that only Allah can bestow faith. No matter how well they speak, how moving and wise their words are, the believers cannot put faith into someone's heart unless Allah wills it. Other verses also reveal this truth:
We sent a Messenger among every people saying: "Worship Allah and keep clear of all false deities." Among them were some whom Allah guided, but others received the misguidance they deserved. Travel about the land and see the final fate of the unbelievers. However eager you are for them to be guided, Allah will not guide those whom He misguides. They will have no helpers. (Surat an-Nahl, 36-37)
As these verses reveal, no one can make anyone else believe. Therefore, the believers are responsible only for calling to faith. After they have fulfilled this obligation, they must leave it to Allah to give faith. Trusting Allah, being patient, and inviting to His religion in the most pleasant manner will have a great effect upon people's hearts. Allah says:
So remind them. You are only a reminder. You cannot compel them [to believe]. But as for anyone who turns away and is an unbeliever, Allah will punish him with the greatest punishment. Certainly it is to Us that they will return. Then their reckoning is Our concern. (Surat al-Ghashiya, 21-26)
Only Allah can bestow faith and make someone a believer. Many other verses, some of which are listed below, state this fact:
If your Lord had willed, all people on Earth would have believed. Do you think that you can force people to be believers? No one can believe except with Allah's permission. (Surah Yunus, 99-100)
You cannot guide those whom you would like to guide, but Allah guides those whom He wills to guide. He knows best those who are guided. (Surat al-Qasas, 56)
Surah Yusuf also discusses this subject. Irrespective of how genuine the call to faith is, people who have not been guided cannot believe. The Muslims are responsibile for calling and advising, and after doing this are to leave the person's status as a believer or an unbeliever to Allah. All of their efforts in this respect will be recorded and rewarded by Allah's will, while those who persist in their opposition to the truth will be punished. Allah reveals this truth in Surah Yusuf:
But most people, for all your eagerness, are not believers. You do not ask them for any wage for it. It is only a reminder to all beings. How many Signs there are in the heavens and Earth! Yet they pass them by, turning away from them. Most of them do not believe in Allah without associating others with Him. Do they feel so secure that the all-enveloping punishment of Allah will not come upon them, or that the Last Hour will not come upon them all of a sudden, when they least expect it? Say: "This is my way. I call to Allah with inner sight, I and all who follow me. Glory be to Allah! I am not one of the idolaters!" (Surah Yusuf, 103-108)
We made everything on Earth an adornment for it so that We could test them to see whose actions are the best. (Surat al-Kahf, 7)
Most people either do not know that their present life in this world is a trial to determine their true value in Allah's sight, or else they know this truth but choose to ignore it. This is why they are so dedicated to the worldly life and do not want to think about death and an eternal life in the Hereafter. But Allah reveals that people are tried while on Earth: "We will test you with a certain amount of fear and hunger, and loss of wealth and life and fruits. But give good news to the steadfast" (Surat al-Baqara, 155). He also reveals the purpose of life on Earth and death, as follows:
He Who created death and life to test which of you is best in action. He is the Almighty, the Ever-Forgiving. (Surat al-Mulk, 2)
Just saying "I believe" is never enough to win Allah's good pleasure and grace, and Paradise; people have to prove the soundness of their faith and dedication to His revelation throughout their lives and in every situation. One must always turn to Allah and adhere strictly to His commands, whether in hardship, illness, suffering, and hunger or in wealth, power, and influence, for:
Do people imagine that they will be left to say: "We believe," and will not be tested? We tested those before them, and Allah will surely make evident those who are truthful and and He will surely make evident the liars. (Surat al-`Ankabut, 2-3)
But most people prefer the pleasures of this life over the life of the Hereafter. To own the latest sports car, a luxurious villa, jewels, or designer cloths are thought, mistakenly, to be the purpose of life. They race to become richer, more beautiful, or more famous, and spend their lives chasing these goals. However, nothing will benefit them unless they use it appropriately, as the following verses reveal:
To mankind, the love of worldly appetites is painted in glowing colors: women and children, and heaped-up mounds of gold and silver, and horses with fine markings, and livestock and fertile farmland. All that is merely the enjoyment of the life of this world. The best homecoming is in the presence of Allah. Say: "Shall I tell you of something better than that?" Those who do their duty will have Gardens with their Lord, with rivers flowing under them, remaining in them timelessly, forever, and purified wives, and Allah's good pleasure. Allah sees His servants. (Surah Al `Imran, 14-15)
As these verses make clear, this life is temporary and its pleasures are misleading. In the End Times, as it has always been throughout history, all that exists (e.g., palaces, huge factories, bridges, gold and jewelry, money piled up in the bank, stock shares, cars, speed boats, and planes) is created to test people. While owning or not owning such things has specific connotations in human societies, in the eyes of Allah they mean nothing.
What really matters is one's faith in Allah, sincerity, and good character. Every person will die and realize that the eternal life of the Hereafter is true. Therefore, it is very unwise to be misled by the pleasures of this life. The believers, who realize this truth, exchange their lives and property for the eternal life in the Hereafter and enjoy this deal. Allah says to the believers:
Allah has bought from the believers their selves and their wealth in return for Paradise. They fight in the Way of Allah, and they kill and are killed. It is a promise binding upon Him in the Torah, the Gospel, and the Qur'an, and who is truer to his contract than Allah? Rejoice, then, in the bargain you have made. That is the great victory. (Surat at-Tawba, 111)
We will certainly make everything on it a barren wasteland. (Surat al-Kahf, 8)
All beauty and wealth are created to test humanity, as mentioned earlier. In this verse, our Lord reminds us that no matter how beautiful, grand, or valuable our possessions, eventually all of them will become dust.
If Allah wills, He can unexpectedly remove those cherished things that make people forget His existence, thereby leaving them destitute. Allah is All-powerful; He gives wealth and poverty and, as the owner of everything, gives it to whomsoever He wills. The Qur'an mentions this in many verses, several of which are given below:
The Keys of the heavens and Earth belong to Him. He expands the provision of anyone He wills or restricts it. He has knowledge of all things. (Surat ash-Shura, 12)
Do they not see that Allah expands provision for whoever He wills and also restricts it? There are certainly Signs in that for people who believe. (Surah Rum, 37)
Allah expands the provision of any of His servants He wills and restricts it. Allah has knowledge of all things. (Surat al-Ankabut, 62)
Do you consider that the Companions of the Cave and ar-Raqim were one of the most remarkable of Our Signs? When the young men took refuge in the cave and said: "Our Lord, give us mercy directly from You and open the way for us to right guidance in our situation." (Surat al-Kahf, 9-10)
These verses touch upon this group's extraordinary situation. As the narrative unfolds, we see that their experiences are of an unusual and metaphysical nature. Their entire life is full of miraculous developments. Some of our Prophet's (as) hadiths make a connection between them and the End Times. This indicates that people living in the End Times may have supernatural experiences.
The continuation of the verse might be suggesting that the youth of the End Times will take on great responsibilities, for they will play an important role in the ideological struggle against anti-religious philosophies, presenting true religion, and ending oppression. Other verses state the importance of youth in informing people about religion. For example, in Surat al-Kahf, we are told of Musa's (as) "young servant," and another verse says that only some young people of Musa's (as) nation believed in him:
No one believed in Musa except some children of his people, out of fear that Pharaoh and the elders would persecute them… (Surah Yunus, 83)
Surat al-Kahf 10 tells us that those young people sought refuge in the cave from the existing oppressive system, which did not allow them to express their views, tell the truth, and call to Allah's religion. Thus, they distanced themselves from their people.
This verse might be signaling the creation of similar totalitarian regimes in the End Times, for regimes founded upon communism, fascism, or other ideologies seek to curb people's freedoms and oppress those who want to lead a religious life. The Companions of the Cave left their people and sought refuge because of similar oppression. Muslims living in the End Times probably will have to remain out of sight and hidden in order to escape the oppression of communist and fascist systems. Those who do this successfully will distance themselves from society and will be seen only rarely.
However, this should not be understood as an idle period, for they took refuge there while asking for Allah's grace and help. They also sought to improve and develop themselves. Muslims of the End Times who live under oppressive regimes will conceal themselves and hope for Allah to increase His grace upon them, and also to make their lives and struggle against anti-religious movements easier.
The Companions of the Cave's prayer to Allah (verse 10) also draws our attention to the fact that the believers must never forget that only Allah wills something to happen. All people are forever needy, helpless, and dependent upon Him, and cannot achieve anything through their own intellect, effort, and power unless Allah wills it. How can they see anything through to its conclusion when they cannot even lift a hand, walk, or breathe, except by His will? Many verses remind people that they must always depend upon Allah's help, support, and grace due to their incapacity and the fact that only Allah can will something to happen. For example:
You did not kill them; it was Allah Who killed them. And you did not throw, when you threw; it was Allah Who threw, so that He might test the believers with this excellent trial from Him. Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing. (Surat al-Anfal, 17)
Allah creates and does all things; humanity, on the other hand, is tested in the areas of sincerity and submission. The Companions of the Cave, aware of this reality, immediately turned to Allah after finding refuge and expressed their submission by praying to Him. Knowing that Allah would increase their wisdom and make things easier for them in every respect, the first thing that they did was to seek His help. As this situation shows, what matters most is for people to be genuine Muslims who pray to our Lord and ask Him for everything.


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A former math teacher at one of NYC's most prestigious and expensive schools was charged with having an affair with a 16-year-old student.
The New York Post's Laura Italiano, Helen Freund and Yoav Gonen report that 30-year-old Richard Hovan, an MIT-educated former math teacher at Riverdale Country School in the Bronx, carried on with the student for two years.
Hovan was fired last year after allegations emerged about the student.
They began exchanging emails when the girl turned 15 and then began an intimate relationship after her 16th birthday, according to the district attorney's office. Hovan often invited the girl to his Chelsea apartment when his fiancee was away.
A neighbor even told police that she had seen the girl hiding on the fire escape after his fiancee came home unexpectedly. But when the neighbor found out about the underage mistress, she went ballistic and called police.
This wasn't Hovan's first alleged tryst with a student. Before teaching at $40,000-a-year Riverdale, he had an affair with a 17-year-old from Westtown School in Pennsylvania. That student even moved to the city with him.
We also learned from Hovan's attorney that he lives in Brooklyn and is a private tutor.
He pleaded not guilty and was released on $25,000 bail.


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These are great finesse lures, whether used for saltwater LRF species or perch in freshwater. The Crappie Minn'r measures approximately 2 inches (5cm) and features a long' slender tail that provides lots of natural movement. They can be fished on a small jig head, light dropshot rig or split shot rig, and will tempt a wide variety of species. Fortified with 'Bite Juice' additive for extra attraction. Made in USA, 10pcs per pack.
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Monday, June 12, 2000
Fuji Sanroku 18-year-old single malt
Update 19.12.2010: Dramtastic's review added.
Fuji Sanroku 18 and Fuji Gotemba 18 are both from the Fuji Gotemba distillery and both say that they have been aged for 18 years on their bottles. The reason given to me by the guide at Gotemba for the very significant extra cost of this one is that a 24-year-old malt has been vatted with it.
Please note that there is a non-single malt version of Fuji Sanroku. If you want the single malt, make sure you look for "single malt" spelled out in Roman characters on the bottle. The non-single malt version has its alcohol content of 50 per cent displayed prominently.
Review by Nonjatta contributor - Dramtastic:
Kirin Sanroku 18-year old. 43 percent alcohol.
Nose: Pineapple, walnuts, white pepper, cigar leaf, clay, dried apricots, mixed herbs. After about 20 minutes, there is a strong note of treacle.
Palate: Pineapple, walnut, brazil nut, some lemon, blueberry bubblegum, quite herbaceous.
Finish: It has a medium length with pineapple, spices, herbs, nuts, blueberry bubblegum and, finally, the cigar leaf makes a return.
General comment: A well structured whisky of good complexity.
43 per cent
Price (May 2007)
700 ml - 15,742 yen
2 comments:
Superb single malt. I bought this at the Kintetsu Department store in Tennoji in Osaka. Very tasty indeed. Reminded me of the Speyside whiskies like Oban and Aberlour but had a very distinct flavour all its' own!
- March 1, 2008 at 1:26 PM
one of my all time absolute favourites (ranked 2nd after Yoichi 20)...been lucky enough to have a buisness partner in tokyo who brought me a bottle as a gift, a shame that it is almost impossible to get it outside of japan.
- April 9, 2012 at 9:25 PM
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Want to play regularly every weekend? Come and join us Saturday and Sunday 7am-930am. Pinole Courts.
Pinole Valley Road. We are a bunch of nice and funny guys who plays doubles. If you want a regular tennis
partners, check us out. text me if you can make it.
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Replies to This Discussion
Are you at the courts at the high school? I might come this Sunday.
you are welcome to play Saturday or Sunday. We are mostly middle age guys, just out to play for fun. 3.0-3.5 and plays doubles. please text the night before if you are coming. Thanks. 510-860-2034
I'm interested. Is that a park and are you going to be there this Sun at 7. I'm in Pt Richmond play 3.5-4.0
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The 11th Hour is the last moment when change is possible. The film explores how we've arrived at this moment—how we live, how we impact the earth's ecosystems, and what we can do to change our course. Featuring ongoing dialogues of experts from all over the world, including former Soviet Prime Minister Mikhail Gorbachev, renowned scientist Stephen Hawking, former head of the CIA R. James Woolsey and sustainable design experts William McDonough and Bruce Mau in addition to over 50 leading scientists, thinkers and leaders who discuss the most important issues that face our planet and people.
Narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio, written and directed by Leila Conners Petersen and Nadia Conners. The 11th Hour is produced by Chuck Castleberry, Brian Gerber, Conners Petersen and DiCaprio.
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Download ASRock AppCharger Driver
You can start downloading the ASRock AppCharger Driver ver. 1.0.6 for ASRock Z87 Extreme11/ac Motherboard. To start download file, click green «download» button on page below. We advise you to use a variety of download managers like «FlashGet» or «Download Master». Also, you can go back to the list of drivers and choose a different driver for ASRock Z87 Extreme11/ac Motherboard.
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HOLLAND - The appointment of Mary Vande Hoef as the softball coach at Hope College has been announced by Dr. Mark Northuis, chair of the department of kinesiology.
Vande Hoef will succeed Karla Wolters who retired from the faculty and as softball coach at the conclusion of this past season. She will also oversee the college's intramurals program and serve as assistant director of the Dow Center.
"We are very excited to have Mary direct our softball and intramural programs," said Dr. Northuis. "She has been an integral part of two very successful Division III softball coaching staffs. Mary brings a strong winning tradition and a passion for providing an environment that will foster softball and intramural programs of nationally recognized excellence."
Vande Hoef comes to Hope with a strong undergirding in NCAA Division III athletics. She played softball at Central College in Pella, Iowa and has been an assistant softball coach the past five years, first at Ithaca College and most recently her alma mater where she also served as assistant alumni director.
"I am deeply motivated to coach at the NCAA Division III level," said Vande Hoef. "As a former student-athlete, I appreciate the role athletics plays in a student's college experience, and the impact sport can make for a lifetime. I will strive to instill in my players a strong desire to win on and off the field, to respect the game, have passion for excellence, and a belief in themselves that will allow them to be better persons when they leave Hope."
"Like many of our alumni, Mary gave so much as a player," said Central softball coach George Wares. "The fact that she saw limited time on the field yet was instrumental in many ways in us winning a national championship, speaks volumes. She provided so much leadership on and off the field. Since then she has continued her support of the program not just as a coach, but in working with our alumni."
Wares, who ranks second in career wins in NCAA Division III, said Vande Hoef will be deeply committed to helping her team be successful. "You start with her passion, enthusiasm and energy. She loves the sport. Obviously, Hope is already a pretty solid program, but she's going to be determined to not only continue that but move it up even a notch higher."
Central associate head coach Alicia O'Brien, who was also a successful head coach at Western Connecticut State University, described Vande Hoef as a young, energetic, positive person. "Mary will put a heavy emphasis on personal loyalty and commitment and will set the bar high. But she won't ask the players to do anything that she isn't also asking of herself."
A co-captain of Central's 2003 NCAA Division III championship team, Vande Hoef was a four-time NCAA tournament participant and a four-year letter winner.
Vande Hoef was an infielder and saw limited action there, but was primarily used as a pinch-runner. Later she suffered a back injury which prevented her from playing early in her senior season. She appeared in 122 games in her career, scoring 39 runs and stealing 20 bases. Central compiled a 158-30-1 record during her career, with Iowa Conference titles in 2000, 2002 and 2003, third-place NCAA regional finishes in 2000 and 2002, a national runner-up NCAA finish in 2001 and the NCAA championship in 2003.
After graduating with honors from Central in 2003, Vande Hoef earned a masters degree in sport psychology at Ithaca College, where she also helped guide the Bombers to the NCAA Division III championship tournament.
At Central Vande Hoef, worked with baserunners and with the junior varsity for three seasons and spent the last two years also coaching the Dutch pitchers. During her three seasons as a Central assistant, the Dutch posted a 90-38 record, including a 36-8 mark in 2009 and a 30-14 record in 2010. Central captured the 2009 Iowa Conference title and made NCAA Division III tournament appearances in 2009 and 2010.


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Who doesn't like to be given the opportunity to earn some cold, hard cash? What if we told you that we knew of a way you could earn yourself $15,500? It's simple. All you have to do is hack a super secure messaging service.
Redact, a messaging service that lets users send texts that delete themselves (like Snapchat), is so confident in its claim that no one can intercept its messages sent between two devices, it's offering $15,000 if someone can pull it off. Not only does a person have to intercept a message, but he or she will also have to decrypt it and discover what it actually says.
The intercepted message has to be one sent between the company's two challenge phones, which will be sending texts back and forth from two separate locations. Again displaying its over-the-top confidence, the company will even disclose the locations of the two phones to those who apply for the challenge.
But before you get all excited, be warned: only 20 people will actually be invited to participate. Those who are interested will have to fill out an application by June 1. If you are one of the chosen few, Redact will be in touch for a brief interview, and then assign your challenge date and let you know the location of the two phones you need to intercept.
The company warns non-chosen people not to try to attempt any covert operations; even if you manage to crack the code on two non-challenge phones, you won't be eligible for the money. Not as fun, right?
Redact is an app currently only available on iOS devices. You can download the app here for $6. Redact claims the app is "coming soon to Android, Windows Phone 8, and Desktops."
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Venus Transit II
The second half of a twice-in-a-lifetime astronomical event takes place today — a transit of Venus across the face of the Sun. The planet will look like a small black dot slowly creeping across the Sun's northern hemisphere. It'll be visible across the entire United States — but you need eye protection to view it.
Venus crosses between Earth and the Sun every 19 months. Its orbit is tilted slightly with respect to Earth's orbit, though, so most of the time Venus passes just above or below the Sun.
Occasionally, though, the geometry is just right, and Venus passes across the Sun. Such transits happen in pairs, with the two halves of the pair separated by eight years. There was a transit eight years ago, so today's is the last half of a pair. The pairs are separated by either 105-and-a-half or 121-and-a-half years. So after today, the next transit isn't until 2117.
Today's transit begins shortly after 5 p.m. Central Time, when Venus first touches the Sun's disk. It ends about six hours later. The Sun will set before then across the Lower 48 states. But the entire transit will be visible from Hawaii and Alaska.
To view it safely, look through special solar eclipse glasses or dark welder's glass — number 14 or darker. Many groups, including the visitor center at McDonald Observatory, will offer viewing through telescopes equipped with special filters. And NASA and others will broadcast the entire transit on the web. We have links to several of those, plus much more on the transit, on our website — stardate.org.
Script by Damond Benningfield, Copyright 2012
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Manuel Leuenberger, Haidar Osman, Mohammad Ghafari, and Oscar Nierstrasz. KOWALSKI: Collecting API Clients in Easy Mode. In Proceedings of the 33rd International Conference on Software Maintenance and Evolution, ICSME 2017, 2017. Details.
Understanding API usage is important for upstream and downstream developers. However, compiling a dataset of API clients is often a tedious task, especially since one needs many clients to draw a representative picture of the API usage. In this paper, we present KOWALSKI, a tool that takes the name of an API, then finds and downloads client binaries by exploiting the Maven dependency management system. As a case study, we collect clients of Apache Lucene, the de facto standard for full-text search, analyze the binaries, and create a typed call graph that allows developers to identify hotspots in the API. A video demonstrating how KOWALSKI is used for this experiment can be found at https://youtu.be/zdx28GnoSRQ.


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Saturday, January 30, 2010
How I Handle Electronics Recycling
If you're not a dog lover, don't worry; while Ben Tyson of Strawflower Electronics in Half Moon Bay, California often has his dogs in the store, they usually stay behind the counter. (He brought them out so I could get a photo.)
But I'm not writing about Strawflower Electronics because of the dogs; I'm writing because the store provides a wonderful service: e-waste recycling. Batteries (household, not car), cell phones, chargers, computers, printers, cables, stereo equipment, TVs and VCRs - Strawflower takes all this, and more.
Ben told me that in the store's latest government filing, they reported recycling 189,310 pounds of electronics; 113,000 of that was monitors and CRTs. Ben said they also work with partners who ensure this stuff isn't winding up in China.
So here's a big thank you to Strawflower Electronics for the service it provides. I like to support local businesses when I can - and even more so in a situation like this. So I buy all my batteries and printer cartridges from Strawflower - and other electronics, as needed. (The service is very good, too!)
If you have working electronics that aren't totally obsolete, it's nicer to get them a new home; I usually use Freecycle for this. But for electronics that have reached the end of their useful life, we can at least be sure to dispose of them properly.
OK, I know most of you don't live near me. But how about taking a quick moment to comment and let me know how you handle electronics recycling?
12 comments:
- Kim said...
I live in Los Angeles and can drop off all e-waste, old medications and toxic waste at a city run site every weekend. It is painless, fast and free. I feel better, and my clients are very grateful for doing the right thing the easy way. Everybody wins!
- January 30, 2010 at 11:30:00 AM PST
- Jeri Dansky said...
Kim, how nice that you have such a simple solution! I can easily handle e-waste and medicines, but toxics are bit more hassle, requiring an appointment for drop-off - and the site by me only has an event about every six weeks.
- January 30, 2010 at 11:39:00 AM PST
- Claire Josefine said...
Yay, Jeri, for supporting local business!
How I handle e-waste:
#1 -- Begin by keeping it from coming in. The less I acquire, the less I have to get rid of.
#2 -- To the best of my ability, make sure that what does come in is made well, so that I get the most possible life out of it.
#3 -- When the time comes to get rid of it, I take it to my local recycling center, where they assure me that the e-waste is processed responsibly.
- January 30, 2010 at 12:22:00 PM PST
- Claire Josefine said...
Oh, and #4 -- Repair when possible. My UPS was on the blink. The guy at the computer store tried to talk me into buying a new one, but all it needed was a new battery.
- January 30, 2010 at 12:26:00 PM PST
- Jeri Dansky said...
Claire, thanks for the reminder about "reduce" part of reduce, reuse, recycle!
- January 30, 2010 at 4:08:00 PM PST
- Wendy in Michigan said...
Best Buy has a recycling program and will take small items for free and larger items for $10, but they give you a $10 gift card to use at their store. I just checked their website and sounds like they are committed to responsible recycling: http://www.bestbuyinc.com/corporate_responsibility/our_planet_recycling.htm
I would prefer to patronize a local business, so I will do some more research next time around.
- January 31, 2010 at 5:09:00 PM PST
- billf said...
In my county we have a "once a year" drop off for anything hazardous. That includes electronics and anything else you can think of that's considered toxic. You have to sign up for it and when you go it's a looonnnnggggg wait. It's ashamed the event is only once a year. I have a feeling many people get rid of the electronics in a less than legal way.
- January 31, 2010 at 9:00:00 PM PST
- Jeri Dansky said...
Billf, it's too bad your county doesn't make things easier. (Once a year???) I'm sure you're right in assuming that many people dispose of their items in other, less appropriate ways.
- January 31, 2010 at 9:39:00 PM PST
- Jeri Dansky said...
Wendy, thanks for mentioning Best Buy - and how nice to see they're doing things right. A number of big chains are providing some recycling options nowadays, including Staples and Costco.
But like you, I do love to patronize local businesses whenever feasible!
- January 31, 2010 at 9:57:00 PM PST
- The Accessory Lady said...
This is great. There is a small eco shoppe in my neighborhood that provides a similar service, but mostly for smaller items like batteries, tapes, CD's, ink cartridges and the like. Recycling larger dead electronics is more of a challenge, but during warmer weather sanitation does big tech pick ups at the farmer's market for proper recycling and disposal. I hope more and more stores add this service, but of course it's always better if your don't have anything to dump to begin with.
- February 1, 2010 at 6:17:00 AM PST
- MarySees said...
Unfortunately my county doesn't seem to have anything at all! I live east of Austin. We have recycling in this small town but nothing for batteries or hazardous waste. Austin has a place, but you have to be a resident of Travis county.
I finally gave up and dumped all the little batteries I had been saving for several years.
- February 2, 2010 at 8:26:00 AM PST
- Jeri Dansky said...
MarySees, the next time you may want to check Earth911.com to see if any new options have developed.
- February 7, 2010 at 11:09:00 AM PST


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Attorneys paying attention to increased use of personal
mobile devices in workplaces
Attorneys need to view mobile devices as a communications
channel for their associates, clients and partners
Attorneys, whether at law firms or in corporate legal departments, are among the professionals who are using their personal smartphone or tablets for work purposes.
But lawyers have to prevent data breaches, not just because of state laws, but because of relevant confidentiality guidelines in state rules of professional conduct. Also, many companies are instituting BYOD [bring your own device] policies.
Just consider what is taking place in the workforce as a whole. A new survey of 325 U.S.-based workers shows that 96 percent of those surveyed possess a mobile device. In addition, 42 percent were provided with a mobile device by their employer, but 58 percent did not get a mobile device from their employer and purchased one on their own. Of those who purchased a device on their own, 66 percent use it for work-related purposes.
Given these trends, attorneys may likely be using mobile devices more frequently.
"While lawyers, both in-house and from law firms may be reticent in the utilization of mobile technology as a means to communicate given concerns regarding security and privacy, this will have to start to change," Jeff Corbin, a former practicing attorney and now the CEO of the theEMPLOYEEapp, which sponsored the survey. "[The] survey revealed that almost every employee has a mobile device (96 percent) and are conducting work from their phones. Given the way mobile technology has permeated the business world, attorneys need to consider mobile as a communications channel for their associates, clients and partners."
The survey comes two years after a Cisco survey showing that 95 percent of respondents said their organizations permit employee-owned devices in some way, shape or form in the workplace. Back then, the average number of connected devices per knowledge worker was expected to reach 3.3 by 2014, up from an average of 2.8 in 2012.
Similarly, Matt Nelson, e-discovery counsel at Symantec, said in an article last month forInsideCounsel, that "many lawyers fear that allowing employees to use personal devices for business purposes will lead to increased data privacy, ownership and security challenges. That sentiment often leaves in-house attorneys in the common, but unenviable, position of being the lone dissenter among other business stakeholders trying to save the organization money by instituting a BYOD approach."
"Today's in-house counsel is empowered to become part of the organization's solution and step away from playing the role of the bad cop when it comes to implementing a mobile device strategy," he added.
He recommends that in-house counsel be proactive and "seek to understand and address the potential risks and costs associated with mobile device usage sooner rather than later."
Read the original article here:


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NEFA Fundraiser Disc Golf & Poker Tournament
10/17/2012 by Site Admin
I Want To Thank Some Sponsors (click on the links and check out the sites)
Redd's in Rozzie or "R'N'R"
Charlton Woods
So we are going to try something new this year. And bringing back a old tradition that has been lost.
NEFA Fundraiser Disc Golf & Poker Tournament and Banquet
We wanted to finish this year off with a bang. So Charlton Woods has graciously let us use the Lodge for this event.
The Date is November 10th
It will be 1 round of disc followed by our NEFA Charity Poker Tourney, then followed by our hopefully Annual NEFA Banquet
All the info is on this flyer or on the NEFA forum site located here.
NEFA Fundraiser
Also we are trying to also include a Silent Auction for people to bid on. We will have some wicked sick items, Kid.
So lets make this year the best year and have an awesome turnout.
This post is more than 700 days old, further comments have been disabled.


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Wales 30-3 England, Six Nations
Lancaster adamant England are on the right track
ESPN Staff
March 16, 2013
England coach Stuart Lancaster consoles captain Chris Robshaw following their defeat at the hands of Wales on Saturday © Getty Images
England coach Stuart Lancaster insists his side are still on an upward curve despite being denied a Six Nations Grand Slam by a rampant Wales side at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday.
Wales claimed their fourth Six Nations title in nine years with a stunning 30-3 victory with Lancaster admitting his side's lack of big match experience cost them against their more street-wise hosts - but he maintains that they are on the right track
"It is difficult (to take it on the chin) but when I look back and try and put some perspective on it - the four wins and the New Zealand game and building as a team - there is still an upward curve," Lancaster told BBC Radio Five Live. "We are still developing experience in a young team. What told (in the game) was a few things and one of them was experience. We will be better in the long run.
"The players are hugely disappointed. They feel they have let themselves down, that they have let the country down and it is a difficult place to be. I try and pull them back to the perspective that we had fewer than 300 caps going into a game of this magnitude and how much we have developed in the last 14 months.
"No team goes unbeaten in international sport. The difficult thing for us is we don't meet again until November. It is a long time to wait. I do believe the journey we are on and the plan we have is the right one. We had a lot of over 30-year-olds at the 2011 World Cup and we needed to develop new players. "We have had more ups than downs. This is a down but we will hold our nerve and stick with the plan because I believe it will come good.
"This leaves a huge motivation to make sure it doesn't happen again because it is a desperately disappointing place to be," Lancaster said. "I'm hoping we will lose some players to the Lions, which will give us a chance to bring other lads in. It is probably also the right time in those midweek games and Tests to look at other lads and put pressure on lads in certain positions.
"What we need to create with England is greater strength in depth. We missed Ben Morgan as a ball-carrier up front and Billy Vunipola, who will come through. We've got some younger wingers who we want to have a look at on the summer tour, but it's about finding the right place and the right time to give them experience."
Lancaster is also prepared to look closely at his own contribution ahead of his side's next challenge - this summer's tour to Argentina. "We are all in it together. It is not just about the players. I need to look at what we did during the week and how we prepared for the game and everything else," Lancaster said.
"I will always look at myself first. It will be tough but I knew when I put my hand up for the job that there would be tough times along the way. I had some in South Africa (on the summer tour) and in the autumn internationals and you look inside yourself to see what you can do better."
Former England boss Sir Clive Woodward has urged Lancaster to focus more on the next challenge rather than the bigger picture. "International rugby is a brutal thing. To me, coaching England is (about) your next game. You are picking a team to win on Saturday. It is not about too much development. He has to take that on board now," said Woodward, who experienced three similar Slam failures before steering England to the World Cup crown in 2003.
"I have been through it. I had a lot of success with England but we had some big setbacks," Woodward said. "I am certainly (glass) half full when it comes to Stuart Lancaster. He has done a great job. He took over at a difficult time for English rugby and he has got us into a good position. It was a poor game, we got smashed by Wales, but he will learn from that. He knows he has the players and he has a long time to the World Cup still.
"He has a tough 12 months coming up and this was an eye opener. The rest of the world will look at that and say 'the bubble has been burst a little bit , we see who they are and what we have to do to beat them'. He has to look in the mirror and say 'what is the next stage?' He has done a great job but he has to learn his lessons."
© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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