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Braveheart is a 1995 drama produced, directed and staring Mel Gibson. King Edward "Longshanks" (Patrick McGoohan) conquers Scotland in 1280 after Alexander lll of Scotland dies with no heir to the throne. William Wallace (Mel Gibson) returns from living with his Uncle Argyle (Brian Cox) but does not agree with Longshanks rule. He marries his childhood friend Murron MacClannough (Catherine McCormack) in secret so she will not have to go to bed with Longshanks. Some time later Murron gets taken by English soldiers who rape and eventually publicly kill her. An infuriated Wallace rebels against the English and slaughters the men whom executed Murron, sending the rest back to England to Longshanks.
To take vengeance on Wallace, Longshanks sends his Son Edward ll of England to kill Wallace however Wallace has become a legend through stories of rebellion and bravery. Wallace assembles an army to Stirling killing Longshanks nephew and sending his head back to the King. After his victory Wallace seeks a partnership with Robert the Bruce (Angus Macfayden) a candidate in line for Scottish throne.
Upon receiving the head of his nephew Longshanks sends his son's wife Isabella of France (Sophie Marceau) to convince Wallace not to start a war secretly hopping that Wallace will kill her causing a war with the King of France. Isabella develops a strong attraction to Wallace and instead warns him of Longshanks plan to invade Scotland.
At the battle between the Scots and Longshanks, Wallace attempts to kill the king but is intercepted accidentally by Robert the Bruce. Robert brings Wallace to safety and plans to fight with Wallace not knowing his own father Robert the Elder (Ian Bannen) is partially responsible for having Wallace captured. In London Wallace is executed publicly after refusing to show mercy. In 1314 Robert the Bruce becomes King of Scotland and leads his army to capture England.
Mel Gibson
Sophie Marceau
Patrick McGoohan
Catherine McCormack
Angus Macfadyen
Brendan Gleeson
James Cosmo
Peter Hanly
Ian Bannen
Brian Cox
Via: Cinelstudio
Image Via: testosterhome.net


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Welcome to Nick Watton's Website'travelling through life with a paintbox in my rucksack'
Stamps etc.
"Little limited edition prints that are collected all around the world…" I have designed many stamp issues now, over the years. I really enjoy researching each subject, then designing and producing the artwork for them.
I sketch whenever I have a few spare moments, wherever I am. I first started sketching at school and it is something that I have always kept up. It makes me study and really look at the world around me. Take a look through my eyes here.

subset: commoncrawl


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Welcome to TokyoProgrammes & CoursesAdmissionsStudent LifeStudent EventAlumniOthersNews&Events
- Our Story
- Programmes
- Brochures
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- Contact
- Apply
Completion of the Basic, Intermediate and Superior Cuisine Certificates results in the award of the Le Cordon Bleu Cuisine Diploma. Students progressively learn the necessary skills to create fine cuisine through a combination of practical sessions and demonstrations, gaining knowledge from a team of classically trained master chefs who have experience working in senior positions in the world's finest kitchens and Michelin starred restaurants.
*Please note the intake dates may be subject to change. Were a change to occur, due to unforeseen events, the highest likelihood is that the change would not be for more than a day or two-variation.
Basic Cuisine Certificate: 182.5 hours
Core Objectives:
Intermediate Cuisine Certificate: 181 hours
Core Objectives:
Superior Cuisine Certificate: 179 hours
Core Objectives:
Copyright © 2020 Le Cordon Bleu International B.V. All Rights Reserved.


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We welcome people for individual retreats during the warmer months of April through September. These are self guided silent retreats. They are mostly possible Monday through Thursday, schedule permitting. In the summer some weekends are also available. There is a $30 suggested donation for day use, and the cost for overnights is $75 per night. Please contact us if you wish to schedule a retreat -- reservations are necessary.
There is also a new sister ministry on the property called Overlook Retreat House. They also host individuals and very small groups, and their set up enables them to do this year round. You can contact them at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Ordination of a Buddhist Monk
Thailand is perhaps one of the most devout Buddhist countries in the world. Our national religion is "Theravada Buddhism" and is practiced by over 95% of Thais.
According to Thai tradition, a Thai male once he reaches the age of 20 is expected to live as a monk some time during his life. While no-one is compelled to follow this tradition, most Thai males have a sincere desire to do so – even if it is just for a short time. Some, however, will chose to live as a monk their entire life.
Thais regard this custom as an essential step in preparing to be a man, or to be the head of a family. Therefore, most Thai males will enter the monkhood and be ordained before they decide to marry. Living as a monk also provides him with an ideal environment in which to study the Lord Buddha's teachings and to purify his mind and keep true to his Buddhist beliefs.
Living as a monk also enables him to demonstrate his gratitude to his parents and to bring them greater merit. This is especially significant for his mother who cannot be monk herself. It is also believed that additional merit will be earned if the man undertakes this 'spiritual journey' in the three months of the Rains Retreat – sometimes called "Buddhist Lent" (July – October).
The length of time and location may chosen either by the man or his parents. However, the date and time of his ordination ceremony and his final day of being a monk are based on his date of birth and are usually developed by a senior monk or Thai astrologer.
The ceremony involves the man's hair and eyebrows being shaved and him being bathed by elder family members. After this, the "Naak" or "Naga" in English is clothed in a long white robe. He then enters the Sala building – a huge meeting hall where the head monk will deliver a sermon.
The ordination ceremony must be performed in the "Ubosot" or "Ordination Hall" in the temple, ideally with 28 monks (or at least 10) present as witnesses, including an instructor and two other senior monks.
During the ordination ceremony, the ancient Bali language (original from India) is used when chanting and delivering the sermon. It is therefore important that the pupil is able to chant in correctly in this language.
In fact, the Thai Buddhist monk will take a Bali name for himself, which is given by his instructor during the ordination ceremony. "Bhikkhu" (in Bali) means "Monk" and is usually abbreviated to "Phra" in the Thai language.
The Buddhist monk is obliged to observe the 227 precepts established by the Lord Buddha. He can access property which is owned jointly to the sangha (ecclesiastics) but he himself is supposed to own only eight items – three robes, an alms bowl, a razor, needle and thread, a belt, and a strainer to purify drinking water. A novice monk (under 20 years) is expected to abide by 10 rules.
The practicing Buddhist will conduct himself according to the 5 principal precepts:
- To undertake the training so as to avoid the taking of life. This precept applies to all living creatures, not just humans. All beings have a right to their lives and that right should be respected.
- To undertake the training to avoid taking things not given. This precept goes further than mere stealing. One should avoid taking anything unless one can be sure that the thing is intended for you.
- To undertake the training to avoid sensual misconduct. This precept is often mistranslated or misinterpreted as relating to only sexual misconduct. However, it also includes overindulgence in any sensual pleasure, for example gluttony, as well as sexual misconduct.
- To undertake the training to refrain from false speech. As well as avoiding lying and deception, this precept also includes slander as well as any spoken word which is not beneficial to others.
- To undertake the training to abstain from substances which cause intoxication and heedlessness. This precept is in a special category. It does not denounce natural substances (such as alcohol), but aims to prevent any abuse of natural substances that might lead to a violation of the other four precepts.
All photos were taken in late May 2011 when I was ordained at the local temple "Wat Po" in Sara Buri – my hometown for 15 days.
During my monkhood, I stayed in a very small (2.5 x 3.0 meter ) room. There were no creature comforts, such as TV, bed or air-conditioning. I was one of only 6 monks, including the abbot.
Every morning I would wake at about 4 am whereupon I would walk among the local villagers seeking alms. Buddhist monks are expected to eat only what lay people offer. The food we were given was our breakfast and lunch for the day. The last meal must be taken before noon. Afterwards, only liquids, such as milk and water are allowed. I found it rather painful to walk bare foot for 5 km on the rough local roads.
During the day, I read the Buddhist books and went out occasionally to assist at Buddhist ceremonies, such as funerals and weddings. Later in the afternoons, monks are expected to clean the temple and chant in the Bali language in the ordination hall. At night, most monks will study Buddhist texts or practice mediation.
Fortunately, I was able to participate with hundreds of other monks at the local meditation center in Saraburi. This place used to be a local graveyard and so I found the atmosphere a little frightening, but it was peaceful with all the trees and a few lights illuminating the communal bathrooms located some distance away. We had our own tents and brought our own torches and candles for the 10 days we were there.
In order to purify our minds, we were allowed to eat only one dish for breakfast. Our food was mixed together and served in an alm bowl.
Each day, the monks would chant together for one hour after waking up at 4 am and we would listen to the teachings of senior monks while we meditated.
We were fortunate that a large number of local villagers gave alms at our camp. During the day, we were separated into two large groups (comprising new monks and those who had been ordained for over a year). We were also rotated so that we could participate in different activities, such as learning insight mediation, walking meditation and learning the Buddhist precepts.
Once I asked the senior monk how long it took him after joining the temple before he could dream as a monk. He replied that it was very difficult and that it took him almost 7 years before he could finally dream as a monk.
It never happened to me though I tried to think about before going to sleep. But finally the dream of being monk came to me after the day I left the temple !!!!


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"Serving Lake Gaston since 1998"
DeWayne Endecott (Owner/Operator)
Boathouse - New Construction
If you are interested in having a complete boathouse or pier constructed, we team up with local, experienced contractors to get the job done. With our expertise in pile driving and their superb building techniques, we can create a boathouse that not only meets your needs, but stands out from other competitors. By doing this, we can offer a less expensive alternative without sacrificing any quality. We have custom designed and built a vast array of boathouses from simple piers to elaborate maximum 1250 square foot boathouses.
AA Pile Driving, LLC
1453 Warren Plains Rd.
Warrenton, NC 27589
E-MAIL: email@example.com
There are many options to consider when planning a boathouse build. Hip, "A" frame, upper deck or split combinations are some of the popular roof designs. Double or single slips and decked-in slips are options as well. We can use our many years of experience to help guide you through these decisions.
All construction meets or exceeds building codes. Special attention is paid to small details such as uniform nail patterns, bolts centered on pilings and neat saw cuts. Lumber is hand selected to eliminate "barky" or rounded edges. Our goal is to construct a boathouse that you will not only enjoy but be proud to show to family and friends.
We work closely with Dominion Power, County Inspectors and Structural Engineers to handle all the permitting processes. We also attend regular meetings to stay on top of regulations regarding Shoreline Management.
Let our working combination prove to you that we are the BEST boathouse builders for your project. We have many satisfied customers and references available.
Contact us today for a FREE, no obligation estimate.


text: Last night we showed you the finished look of the RCA DTA800, one of the "digital switchover" converter boxes your stubborn granny can buy early next year with her $40 coupon from the government, in lieu of getting a new goddamn TV. The CES folks have praised the other box too, a Zenith-branded DTT900 digital-to-analog converter box made and marketed by LG. Anyone who thinks we're being a little reductive take note of the old-people branding. RCA? Zenith? Where's the Philips-made Magnavox converter? That would complete the trio. [CES]


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Nvidia has published two white papers about its next generation Tegra processor code-named "Project Kal-El," and it looks like the Superman chip has a lot more going for it than we first thought. The first of the white papers reveals that the quad-core chip actually has five cores. The fifth core, known in Nvidia's parlance as a "companion core," is built using a low-power silicon process that performs tasks at low frequency such as standby mode and video and music playback.
The companion core is put to work on processes that don't require a lot of heavy lifting, like the aforementioned video and music playback. When you want to play a 3D game, the companion core is automatically disabled and its four high-performance cores begin to power up. But they don't all just switch on at once. Instead, the cores power on one by one, scaling as their work load increases. Nvidia also says that this "Variable SMP" processor architecture is operating system transparent, meaning developers won't have to go back to the drawing board to take advantage of this new tech; it'll just work.
In the second white paper, Nvidia focuses on Kal-El's power consumption, or lack thereof. According to the document, the chip's variable SMP architecture makes it more power-efficient and delivers more performance per watt than competing single- and dual-core processors. If that wasn't enough, the company claims its super-powered chip also includes a new 12-core GPU that triples the graphics performance of the Tegra 2.
The way things are shaping up, it's looking more and more likely that the Kal-El chip will be a true mobile powerhouse. The only downside is that we'll still have to wait a while to get our hands on one. Check out the video below to see the Kal-El in action.


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Corporate Information and Documents
Reports, Scorecard, Policies, and Practices
The 2018 Integrated Report
Shifting the focus to sustainable value creation, the 2018 Integrated Report, contains information about Globe's strategy, governance, and performance in the context of its external environment and how this creates value.
Interested in reports from past years?
Related Information


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LG Sciences Trifecta Kit is for the weight trainer that is looking for a good quality first time stack to increase strength and size. It has been around for over a decade and has been helping men get big since it was launched.
What's In The LG Sciences Trifecta Kit?
M1D Andro is the evolution of Methyl 1-D, our hardcore testosterone boosting prohormone. Using 5-DHEA along with a potent aromatase inhibitor and vital co-factors, we believe that M1D Andro can boost your testosterone to the highest possible levels without using illegal means.
EpiAndro 50 is the evolution of legal Stanolone prohormones that don't cross the legal line. This prohormone has been reported to cause extreme hardness, strength and fat burning. In addition, we have added cofactors that may reduce myostatin, which further increases muscle mass.
Form-XT combines an aromatase inhibitor along with co-factors designed to boost natural hormone production after a cycle to help you recover faster than on your own.
Cyclosome™ Delivery:
LG Sciences is a pioneer in the Bodybuilding and Prohormone industry being one of the first companies to introduce many of the prohormones that have entered the marketplace over the last decade. Researchers at LG Sciences recently developed a proprietary process called Cyclosome™ Technology. This one-of-a-kind technology brought to you by the leaders in Prohormones involves the entrapment of hydrophobic prohormones and other Testosterone boosting compounds in the form of water-soluble Prohormone–cyclodextrin (CD) complex in liposomes has been investigated as a new strategy to combine the relative advantages of CDs and liposomes into one system, namely Prohormone-in-CD-in-liposome systems called Cyclosome's™. You can think of all this in terms of a 'Trojan Horse,' passing through the liver unharmed and intact. As opposed to being destroyed in the liver like all other hormonal products on the market, past and present. This new Cyclosome™ technology allows the 'Trojan Horse' to deliver prohormones and testosterone boosters to the systemic circulation by the intestinal lymphatic route, circumventing first-pass inactivation in the liver for the very first time. Almost all previous Oral capsules and tablets manufactured to increase testosterone — including Testosterone itself — are involved in the "first pass affect" which renders the active compounds virtually useless.
Cyclosome™ Technology — the most advanced liposomal delivery technology ever developed for bioavailability is the answer to getting poorly absorbed Testosterone boosting compounds and legal prohormones into the body so they can work ! The pharmaceutical industry has embraced this cutting-edge technology in recent years and now LG Scienes will be one of the first to utilize it in a testosterone booster and anabolic agent.
For Cyclosome™ preparation, an overall understanding of the interaction between CDs and lipid components of liposomes is necessary for this complex. LG Sciences has developed a Double-loading technique, which is a revolutionary strategy to prohormone release and increase prohormone-loading capacity. The Cyclosome™ approach can be useful in increasing prohormone solubility and vesicles stability, in controlling the in vivo fate of hydrophobic compounds and in avoiding burst release of prohormones from the vesicles. To obtain a stable Cyclosome™, the CDs should have a higher affinity to prohormone molecules compared with liposomal membrane lipids. Cyclosomes prepared by LG's double-loading technique are the most advanced targeted prohormone delivery system ever developed because they have a fast onset action with prolonged prohormone release process and the significantly enhanced prohormone-loading capacity.


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This morning, I was reminded why I am pursuing a career in counseling. And I have The Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton to thank for that.
Today, Her Royal Highness is Guest Editor for the Huffington Post UK to emphasize the launch of the Young Minds Matter series. The series is "designed to lead the conversation with children about mental and emotional health, so youngsters feel loved, valued and understood."
Loved, valued, understood.
Those three words bring tears to my eyes.
Duchess Kate says in her article,
"…many children – even those younger than five – have to deal with complex problems without the emotional resilience, language or confidence to ask for help. And…with mental health problems still being such a taboo, many adults are often too afraid to ask for help for the children in their care."
What a sad reality children have faced without even knowing it. And how deeply unfortunate it is that, for so long, people have felt barred from seeking help solely because the world says, "You're not worth helping."
It is no wonder that when we get older, we become hard-hearted. We become fearful and untrusting. We become expert contractors to the building of our own internal walls. And for the ones whose minds are frail, they are told to bury their issues. But what happens to something you bury? It lingers. And oftentimes, it grows.
As adults, we can be very crafty about hiding our pain, which is detrimental to our own well-being, as well as those we love. But do children carry out this purposeful hiding?
An elevated temper can be defused, attributed to childishness, but embers remain. A ball of energy can be asked to calm down, attributed to lack of control, but it will not stay cooped up for long. A quiet mouth can be told to speak up, attributed to shyness, but a loud conversation goes on inside that little head.
Perhaps it is not purposeful. Perhaps it is because the people who are called to care for them are missing cues, cues they don't even know to look for. Perhaps it is a result of unknown words or a nonexistent safe space to allow a child to be expressive, to heal, to become more fully him or herself.
"We know there is no shame in a young child struggling with their emotions or suffering from a mental illness…Together, we have the chance to make a real difference for an entire generation of young children." –Duchess Kate
As of now, I plan to get my counseling degree in hopes of becoming a Licensed Professional Counselor with a focus on the younger population. They need us, and I am so thankful for the people who are willing to create safe spaces, start conversations and advocate for the least among us.
"Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For it is the one who is least among you all who is the greatest." — Luke 9:48
Header photo credit: Chris Jackson/Getty Images


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We care for our people
Revision Date: May 24, 2018
What do we do to ensure our employees' satisfaction?
We support family life
We are trying to synchronize work and family life of our employees at every stage of life and in every age range. In 2013, we received the Family & Employment Audit certificate. At the beginning of 2014, we applied for the Family Friendly Company contest.
We grow and develop
Our company's growth is derived primarily from the growth of our staff. Therefore, we all regularly train and educate ourselves. Such approach is waiting for you at any position at DPD.
Already in 2010-2012 we used the aid funds of the European Union for our internal training. We cooperate with external training companies to help push ourselves further.
Since we are a member of an international network we put a strong emphasis on improving the English skills of our employees. If you are gifted with multiple language skills, get ready to put them in practice on projects of international scope.
We encourage team spirit
We organize both formal and informal events. You can meet your colleagues not only at work and regular conferences and workshops, but also at for example during our company-wide weekend trip and other team building events.
Every year we organize a Children's Day or a Pre-Christmas Kindergarten, where we clear our minds from work, all together regardless of age.
Have your say
We regularly organize employee surveys. We'll ask for your opinion on:
The perks of being our employee
We get not only a salary. We always add something extra:
We give extra vacation to our long-term employees and provide them with discounts from our partners and other benefits.
You may even get a gift
We don't forget birthdays and life anniversaries. We also think of Christmas and Easter as an opportunity to celebrate.
Revision Date: May 24, 2018


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S/S Water Pump Outlet
A stainless steel water pump outlet designed as a direct replacement for the original unit and modeled on a rusty Lancia pattern unit. Nearly all the original ones are now too far gone so this is a sensible modification. Check yours now! This is made with the correct shape swaging to ensure a good pipe seal. If you no longer have a 4 outlet thermostat a simple modification to the pipework will allow you to continue using this design. I have this on my own car and it is 100% reliable.
Price: £ 45.00
Stock: In stock


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Candy Crush Saga – Free IPhone/IPad App
5 / 5 ( 1 vote ) Switch and match your way through more than 300 levels in this delicious and addictive puzzle adventure. Ain't it the sweetest game ever? Please note: Candy Crush Saga is completely free to play but some in-game items such as extra moves or lives will require payment. You can turn-off the payment feature by disabling in-app purchases in your device's settings. The super hit game Candy Crush Saga is now available for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch! ——————————- Join Tiffi and Mr. Toffee in their epic adventure through a world full of candy. Take on this deliciously sweet saga alone or play with friends to see who can get the highest score! Candy...Full Review
The Hobbit: Kingdoms – Free Android App
5 / 5 ( 1 vote ) The battle for Middle-earth has just begun! PLAY FOR FREE and join thousands worldwide to drive the Goblin hordes from the lands beyond the Misty Mountains in The Hobbit: Kingdoms of Middle-earth! Gandalf, Bilbo, Thorin and thousands of players require your help to pacify the Goblin threat in the new combat strategy game from Kabam. Play as an Elf or a Dwarf, build up your city, and destroy the Goblins. But remember – the rift between Elves and Dwarves runs deep! Massively Multiplayer Strategy Action ✔ Join thousands of other players worldwide ✔ Forge diplomatic alliances with other leaders ✔ Train vast armies to rid the land of Goblins ✔ Conquer enemies...Full Review
Transformers Legends – Free IPhone/IPad/Android app
5 / 5 ( 1 vote ) THE BATTLE FOR EARTH BEGINS! Assemble a team of powerful TRANSFORMERS characters and battle your friends! !Download now and get either Thundercracker or Ratchet as a FREE premium card! WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING 5/5 Stars "All TRANSFORMERS of both factions at my fingertips. Awesome artwork, sounds and battles." 5/5 Stars "A fun mobile game experience for TRANSFORMERS fans! I really love the artistic and detailed depictions of the G1 TRANSFORMERS!" 5/5 Stars "Looks beautiful on the ipad. The new artwork and designs are worth getting the game for." "With scores of cards to collect, including robot and Alt forms, building the ultimate deck of heroes and villains may become an obsession." (Modojo)...Full Review
Knights & Dragons – Free Android app
5 / 5 ( 1 vote ) Knights & Dragons is an addictive combination of strategic combat and fantasy role-playing. Rise up and build your team of heroes from friends and players all over the world for deadly, fast-paced battles. Battle legendary monsters and lead your kingdom to victory! Join your friends to create an army and defeat epic bosses. Unlock hundreds of items, collect rare treasures and craft the ultimate set of armor! Features: • Free-to-play fantasy RPG • Go on epic quests and adventures in uncharted realms • Defeat legendary beasts in battle • Team up with your friends for hours of gameplay • Square off against players worldwide in weekly tournaments • Unlock hundreds of knights,...Full Review


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How to Die in Oregon | Review
By Don Simpson | May 21, 2011
Director: Peter Richardson
Watching characters die on film is never easy for me, but watching real people really die on film is a harrowing experience at best. I should clarify — Peter Richardson's How To Die In Oregon is not a snuff film, it is about Oregonians who, due to terminal illness, are able to choose to take a lethal dose of medicine that will bring upon near-instantaneous death; a task that is legal in Oregon, in accordance with Death With Dignity, a state physician-assisted suicide law passed in 1994. The video footage of each death serves as legal documentation to prove that the patient died of sound mind and of their own hand.
Within the first few minutes we witness — via video footage shot by a relative — cancer sufferer Roger Sagner take a few slurps of the physician-prescribed medicine that promptly knocks him into a coma before finally killing him. Before his final breath, he assures his family and friends that "it was easy", but the act is certainly is not easy to watch. To be honest, I did not expect Richardson to show this man's (or anyone's) actual moment of death; but it is amazing just how powerful the moment is. The film is only a few minutes from its opening credits and already the eyes of the audience are blurry with tears. We never even got to know this man, but suddenly we are crying. How did this happen? Honestly, I think Richardson deserves an Oscar specifically for being able to produce tears earlier and in a higher percentage of eyes than any other filmmaker.
Richardson gives us a few moments to dry our eyes and blow our noses, as he begins to follow a series of terminally ill patients during the last years, months, weeks or days of their lives. The foremost of his subjects is Cody Curtis, a bright and cheery 54-year-old wife and mother who has been diagnosed with just six months to live thanks in no small part to an inoperable liver cancer. The prolonged timespan allows Richardson to really hook the emotional coils of the audience as he tracks Curtis' physical and mental ups and downs during her procession towards death. Curtis is also the perfect model for a person of sound mind as she logically and thoughtfully contemplates (along with her doctor and family) Death With Dignity and determines how she will know when enough is enough.
In parallel, we are shown Nancy Ziedzielski's attempts to get a similar law passed in her home state of Washington. Ziedzielski adopted this struggle as a result of a promise she made to her husband on his death bed. Her story acts a way to show just how dedicated and tenacious constituents need to be in order to get a measure like Oregon's Death With Dignity to pass in their state.
Though it is readily apparent which team he is rooting for, Richardson does offer some opposing viewpoints via doctors who disagree with the law as well as a cancer sufferer — Randy Stroup — who is adamantly opposed to taking his own life, but is told by his insurance provider that they will no longer fund any further attempts to cure his disease, but his insurer would pay if he opts for Death With Dignity. Richardson brilliantly uses Stroup's situation as a touching juxtaposition of someone who does not want to take their own life but outside forces are attempting to convince him to take the most cost-efficient route. Should Stroup be entitled to medical treatment for as long as he wants it, despite the costs? Stroup's story thus touches upon the state of health care for those who have limited insurance (yet it also might make some wonder if "Obamacare" will increasingly turn to options such as Death With Dignity for terminally-diagnosed patients in order to cut medical costs).
The key to How To Die In Oregon is how to die with dignity. Richardson's subjects reveal an amazing amount of bravery and fortitude in the face of the most difficult choice they will ever have to make. Does anyone have the right to deny people in other states their right to determine the outcome of their own life?
What remains to be seen is whether or not How To Die In Oregon will bring about any social or political change in a country where personal freedoms and Christianity seem to be in a constant tug-o-war. It has always been confusing to me when people call for more personal freedoms except for when it conflicts with their own religious beliefs. Does anyone — especially a state or federal government — have the right to force religious ideologies upon others?
How To Die In Oregon — winner of the best documentary award at Sundance 2011 — is like an emotional sledgehammer to the gut, that strikes over and over and over again. That said — I do not see how anyone else could ever make a documentary on this subject that is more engaging and powerful. It is a magnificent film that I hope everyone, no matter what their political beliefs, will watch once. I say once because, to be perfectly honest, I refuse to watch How To Die In Oregon ever again; but I will never need to, because its effect on me will never fade.
Rating: 8/10
Topics: Film Reviews, News, SXSW FILM 2011 | No Comments »


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Tagged: video
Loney Lovin'
Great game tonight! I'm not sure wtup with Randy Wolf in the beginning. D-back's grand slam–not so fun. Dodgers were down 5 to 2 after Hudson walked in a run. But then Loney came through as he does with the bases loaded (Vin Scully tells me he's currently ML's top hitter in this situation) and tied the game! MARRY ME.
Casey Blake brought Loney in to break the tie. Slim Jon did wat it do. And I lived happily ever after. The end.
Unrelatedly, here is a really serious video clip featuring Loney.
(via Roberto at Vin Scully is my Homeboy)
My mind is spinning. I have so many questions…
1. Professional wiffle ball?
2. They give out Cy Young Awards in wiffle ball??
3. James Loney's shirt?
4. How tall is this wiffle ball guy?
6. Why is Loney so sweaty?


text: Rebelot is part of the international Slow Food movement, which strives to preserve traditional and regional cuisine and encourages farming of plants, seeds and livestock characteristic of the local ecosystem. We work directly with the farmers, fishermans and livestock in Catalunya, which means there are no intermediaries involved. Our chef Jordi Limon works close together with the producers of all the ingredients we use in our kitchen.


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Piracetam is in stock, as well as limited supplies of Oxiracetam. I do not expect to be able to obtain new supplies.
Order early and in quantity to avoid future disappointment.
Remember, only Relentless Improvement provides you Certificates of Analysis of all of our brand products. Performed by FDA registered, USA based analytical laboratories. Each CoA tied by lot number to the products currently shipping to you.
Your only, and ultimate, assurance of purity and claimed label content.


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Western Environment Centre
Who We Are
Our History
Staff and Board
What We Do
Climate Change
Electric BikeShare
Food Sustainability
Community Gardens
Blow Me Down
Humber Heights
Heights Composting
Food Skills
Fruit Rescue
WF Market
Public Policy
Become a Member
Make a Donation
Share Your Opinion
Learn More
Events & Workshops
WEC Blog
Read our Newsletter
News & Updates
Who We Are
Our History
Staff and Board
What We Do
Climate Change
Electric BikeShare
Food Sustainability
Community Gardens
Blow Me Down
Humber Heights
Heights Composting
Food Skills
Fruit Rescue
WF Market
Public Policy
Become a Member
Make a Donation
Share Your Opinion
Learn More
Events & Workshops
WEC Blog
Read our Newsletter
News & Updates
Board of Directors
2019 - 2020
The Western Environment Centre is guided by the expertise and experience of a volunteer board of directors. If you would like to volunteer with the Centre as a board member or committee member, please contact us.
Mikaela Wilson
Mikaela was born and raised in Coquitlam, BC. After completing her Bachelor of Science degree at Vancouver Island University, she dropped everything and drove across the country in 2014.
Mikaela brings extensive experience in conservation groups to the Western Environment Centre, with work experience at such non-profit organizations as the Georgia Strait Alliance and the Vancouver Aquarium. She joined WEC as Project Coordinator of the Electric Bike Share program for the 2015 season, and she joined the Board of Directors in 2016. In 2018, she became Chair of the Board.
Simon Jansen
Simon is originally from Germany and moved to Corner Brook in 2001. He joined the Western Environment Centre in 2007, and acted as Chair of the Board of Directors from 2008 to 2016. His main areas of interest are energy efficient building methods, alternative energies and climate change.
He and his partner are advocates of the local and organic food movement. During the school year, he teaches math and physics. In the summer he guides and teaches sea kayaking along the coast of Newfoundland.
Vice Chair
Rebecca Shea
Becky originally became involved with the Western Environment Centre as a community gardener and member of WEC's Community Garden Committee. In 2013, Becky joined the WEC Board of Directors with particular interest in food security and protection of the marine environment.
Becky holds a BSc degree in wildlife management from Humboldt State University in Arcata, California and has been freelancing as a marine mammal biologist, primarily in Alaska, for the past seven years. In 2017, Becky took on the role of Project Coordinator of WEC's new Humber Valley Fruit Rescue project.
Glen Keeling
Glen moved to Corner Brook in 2008 to achieve a Degree in Environmental Studies, and quickly fell in love with Western Newfoundland. He spent two years as Vice President External of the Grenfell Campus Student Union, where he chaired the Environmental Affairs Committee.
In the winter you will find Glen on the slopes of Marble Mountain where he works as a Ski Patroller, and in the summer he works as a Fishery Guardian throughout the region. In his spare time he enjoys working on various WEC initiatives and researching Environmental Policy issues. Hoping to build a community culture of sustainability, Glen joined the WEC Board in 2012 and served as Chair of the Board in 2016 and 2017.
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Edwin Bezzina
Edwin has been with the Western Environment Centre since 2008 and brings to the organization eight years of environmental volunteer experience. In addition to being a member of the Board of Directors, Edwin is the editor of WEC's newsletter. He also has written discussion reports and overviews on the potential impact of hydraulic fracturing on the west coast of Newfoundland.
Edwin holds a Ph.D. from the University of Toronto and currently teaches European History at Grenfell Campus, Memorial University of Newfoundland. He is also a member of the Refugee Support Group of Corner Brook.
Roza Tchoukaleyska
Roza joined the WEC Board of Directors in January 2017 and brings with her experience in community engagement, urban planning policy and cultural studies.
Roza grew up in Ontario and moved to Corner Brook in the summer of 2016. She holds a PhD in Geography from the University of Sheffield, UK, and teaches Environmental Studies at Grenfell Campus.
Mervyn Dean
Although Mervyn was born in England (in the middle of the last century) he considers himself a Newfoundlander by descent - in 1989 a Boeing 767 descended from 39,000 feet to deposit him on the tarmac at St. John's. He immediately moved to the west coast of the island and has been here ever since (except for one year on a course in Winnipeg).
Mervyn is a retired physician and an enthusiastic vegetable gardener, with interest in food sustainability and concerns about climate change and its effects. He lives in Corner Brook with his wife, Sherry, and Sammi, a miniature. poodle.
Mervyn i
Tahazzud moved from Halifax to Corner Brook in 2018 to serve the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador as Environmental Protection Officer. He is always enthusiastic about learning something that relates to environmental protection and sustainability. He graduated with a Master of Environmental Studies degree from Dalhousie University.
Previously, he studied B.Sc. in Environmental Science, Master in Resource and Environmental Management, and M.Sc. in Environmental and Energy Management. He started his career as an Environmental Consultant. His main areas of interest are environmental impact assessment, industrial sustainability, energy management and climate change. He loves cycling, gardening, fishing, kayaking, playing football, and exploring nature.
Mervyn i
Tahazzud Hossain
Current Staff Members
WEC projects and committees are run by a combination of paid staff and dedicated
volunteers. If you would like to volunteer with the Centre as a board member or
committee member, please contact us.
Katie Temple
Katie became a Western Environment Centre volunteer in 2010 and a Board member in 2011. In 2016, Katie became WEC's first Executive Director. She originally became involved with WEC as a community gardener and has been passionately growing vegetables ever since.
Katie holds a MSc in Planning & Development from the University of Guelph, and has volunteered with organizations such as Food First NL and the NL Environment Network. She currently sits as a volunteer board member of the Wonderful Fine Market Cooperative in Corner Brook.
Executive Director


text: Indulge yourself in the nuances of the Iban culture and immerse yourself in tranquillity in this 31 square metre room. Catch up with work on the desk or relax watching your favourite television programs. With large windows to waft in the rainforest air, it is a perfect place for relaxation. If it's a stunning view you seek, simply sit and read a favourite book or two overlooking the serenity of the Batang Ai Lake at the "tanju" (verandah) area. 1 extra bed is possible.


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About this blog
FLEFF Intern Voices
The Finger Lakes Environmental Film Festival from the interns' point of view
Wednesday, April 9, 2014
The Finger Lakes Environmental Film Festival concluded last Sunday. It brought nearly 60 international guests, drew thousands of attendees, and presented about 100 events and screenings.
If you weren't there, here is a list of the three most memorable moments you missed ... and therefore, the three reasons you should save the date for the 18th annual FLEFF, April 6-12 in...


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Get to grips with the worlds most popular content management system.
WordPress is everywhere, companies both large and small use it to run their websites and web applications, given this popularity it's almost certain that anyone ever tasked with looking after websites will come across the CMS. We find WordPress to be one of the more intuitive systems around, but there are still some common pitfalls people encounter when getting started with the system so we've put together a training course which introduces the CMS, the most commonly encountered issues and series techniques essential for running and maintaining a successful WordPress website.
Our training courses can be catered to your specific requirements but as standard we will cover:
By the end of this course you'll be comfortable managing written content and media within the CMS. You'll also be able to confidently install and configure plugins used to expand your website as your needs grow.
If you feel you or your team might benefit from WordPress training we'd love to hear from you, talk about your specific requirements and build your perfect training package. We can deliver training in both our Devon and Bristol offices, or we can come to you.Contact Us


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SCENE | Canyonlands National Park
Photos of hikers in Canyonlands National Park by David Hiser, 1972.
I'm going to be in Europe for the next ten days, so posting may be a bit spotty, but you can keep up with Tomboy Style on Instagram (@LGMettler) in the mean time! Bon week-end!
p.s. Thanks for all the nice words and interest in the Tomboy Style x Kletterwerks totepack! I sold out of 'em already, but you can get each colorway from Westerlind.
5 comments:
- - abigail - said...
wow, europe! have fun.
these photos are AMAZING. I love the vintage desert hippie/drifter vibe. I LIVE for this stuff.
I enjoyed these photos SO MUCH. Thanks thanks thanks for posting :)
- March 7, 2014 at 7:24 PM
- Claire said...
Love these photos, the scenery, the 70s vibe.
Enjoy Europe.
- March 8, 2014 at 2:52 AM
- Unknown said...
Have a great holiday!
- March 9, 2014 at 6:27 AM
Love these! The first photo is Dead Horse Point State Park though.
- March 10, 2014 at 9:51 PM
Hi Lizzie, thank you for your amazing posts. I wish you a nice holiday in Europe and I hope you come back filled with inspiration.
- March 11, 2014 at 5:37 AM
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


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Do you seriously want to avoid scam sites while taking paid surveys? Here we mentioned few tricks to find only legit paid survey sites online. Following these tricks, you can easily discover legitimate paid survey sites and earn money with them. We have been requested multiple times by our blog's regular readers on the recommendation of legitimate paid survey sites they could earn money by taking online surveys. For them, we write some effective tips and tricks to find legit paid surveys online.
What is the Legitimate Paid Surveys Online
Legitimate Paid Surveys are trusted and authorized websites where you can complete various surveys online for the world big market research companies and get the reward in the process. The valuable information collected from surveys are very important in all aspect of human life and not limited to only market research, medical research, government research, etc. The information from people like you and me are used to influence in decision making in the production of various goods and services as well as government's best decision making.
The reason why you get paid to take various surveys is that, asking you to spend 20-30 minutes of your time taking several important surveys that do not reward you may be difficult or even impossible.
How to Find and Avoid Scam Survey Websites Online – Top 5 Tips
As you may know, there are thousands of online surveys that demand to be legitimate but which in fact majority of them are not legit. To avoid scam, you must follow these effective guidelines shown below:
1. Paid Sign Up
Most of the scam survey sites online usually ask you for a sign-up fee. This is illegal and uncalled for. Taking surveys online is totally free, so don't pay a single buck to join. Avoid such website, they are nothing but a just scam.
2. Undisclosed Payment Methods
Any survey site online that does not disclose their payment methods is up to something. It is a bad clue, you should avoid those survey sites.
3. High Minimum Cashout
Most of the online scam survey websites set a minimum cash out requirement too high that is impossible to research with the small surveys they provide. You should avoid all paid survey sites that have more than $50 as the minimum cash out requirement.
4. Bad Feedback and Plenty of Complaints
Majority of scam survey websites always have bad feedback from their members. Whenever you found a new survey site, first search on google the name of that company or website. For example: "Cashcrate scam" and read what other people are saying about that survey site. If there are a lot of complaints than the good ones, it is most likely they are not genuine. Avoid them instantly before it is too late.
5. Payment Proofs
Only legit paying survey sites will have their payment proofs all over the internet. A single Google search is enough to find and verify them. If there is no payment proof found, two things are involved; Either it is still new or they do not pay.
How to Find Legitimate Online Paid Survey Sites – Top 5 Tips
1. All free to sign up
All legitimate online paid survey sites are free to join. Some survey sites may even provide you a sign-up bonus. That is to show you they are happy you are joining their site and helping them make money online.
2. Forums
The forum is a good clue that a website is legitimate and are obviously to stay long online. You can simply contact its members on the forum for feedback and proofs. This is one of the top reason why the scam survey sites avoid having a forum in their websites, knowing fully well their illegitimate activities will be rapidly and easily exposed.
3. Lots of Payment Proofs
You should search on Google that brings you a lot of payment proofs which shows they are really paying their members just they promised.
4. Top Social Media Business Page
Top Social media websites like Facebook, Twitter are the best places to bring out legitimate online paid survey sites. You will have the chance to make friends with their fans/users as well as a request for feedback, you can easily identify their reality.
5. Small Earning Per Surveys
Legitimate surveys sites always provide $1-$2 per surveys you complete whether scams offer you $50, $75 per surveys. Avoid them if you found any sites like this. It's really a good trick to find legit paid survey sites online.


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Using A Retirement Savings CalculatorThe idea is that a retirement savings calculator will tell you how much money you need to save for your retirement. The problem is that no one knows for sure what will happen in the future.
My father earned $300/month when I was a child and he provided a comfortable life. I earn more than 200X that much to maintain a similar lifestyle. What will that lifestyle cost thirty years from now? According to statistics, I could easily live thirty years beyond retirement.
So what about those retirement savings calculators that help you to set up a retirement savings plan? Should you just ignore them?
No! Far too many people in the western world are ignoring their retirement income needs.
By all means, use a retirement savings calculator. Just be aware of its limitations. And of course, be aware of the motives of whoever provides the particular calculator you use. My best advice is to use at least three different calculators and aim for something that makes sense.
Retirement Savings Calculators You Can Use
Some calculators use spreadsheet software. The most common is Excel. If you haven't used it, but you have it as part of Microsoft Office, don't worry. Whoever created the calculator will have put in the formulas. All you have to do is fill numbers into the proper boxes.
Other calculators let you type the numbers into a form on a Web site. Some will give you results at the click of a button. Others will ask for your email address to send you results.
Information You Need To Use Whether you download a spreadsheet or fill in an online form you will need some or all of the information below.


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Designed for passionates and futur professionals willing to master French pastry fondamentals, this 5 weeks training explores pastry arts world and teaches how to complete their restaurant offer and build a sweet menu.
Ducasse Education has unique teaching methods which combines small group settings and a high degree of practice to optimize teaching, achieve efficient learning and deliver a personalized follow-up .
Taught in French, L'Essentiel de la Pâtisserie is 75% hands-on and contains 5 thematic modules.
Along the training, student will learn pastry fundamentals, Alain Ducasse iconic desserts, chocolate, fudge, praliné, fingers and small cakes before concluding with a course about savory snacking and administration basics.
Paris Campus :
Ecole Nationale Supérieure de la Pâtisserie :
Paris Campus – € 11 370
Ecole Nationale Supérieure de la Pâtisserie – € 10 770
Early bird rate available. Please contact us for more information.
Various financing solutions exist. For more information, we invite you to contact our Recruitment & Admissions Department at + 33 (0) 1 34 34 19 18 or email@example.com.
Download the program's brochure.
Discover our career-changers and entrepreneurs programs.
To enroll for the French Pastry Arts Essentials, we invite you to download and read the Application form.
The Essentiel de la Pâtisserie allows you to master French pastry fundamentals and to propose a sweet menu or complete your food offer such as tea room, guest house, chef on demand service, etc.
To enroll for the French Pastry Arts Essentials, we invite you to download and read the Application form.


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|Jeff Blaine
|Re: Compilation with modern compilers and Solaris 7 = no go
|Tue, 12 Feb 2002 07:38:07 -0500
Ohhhhhhhhhh! I get it now :) Attached config.log for groff w/ gcc/g++ --On Tuesday, February 12, 2002 8:28 AM +0100 Werner LEMBERG <address@hidden> wrote: >> Hello Werner. Here is what I have after the fresh build. Which one(s) >> would you like? > > Sorry, a misunderstanding. I need the config.log of the groff build > with the gcc/g++ compiler so that I can see where the problems are. > > > Werner
Description: Binary data
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Rural Women Economic Empowerment (REEP)
Nyandarua and Muranga continue to be some of the counties experiencing difficulties related to gender-based violence. The lack of inclusion of women in land ownership, social inclusion and youth employment are some other challenges. The Rural Women Economic...read more
Community Resilience to Disasters and Climate Change
Community Resilience to Disasters and Climate Change programme supports grassroots women and their communities to map the effects of climate change and build their adaptation and resilience practices. GROOTS Kenya's work on climate change has resulted to enhanced...read more
Women & Property programme
Women & Property programme addresses women's limited access, control and ownership of land and other productive resources, including basic services developed on public land. This is done through capacity building, land mapping as well as supported access to formal...read more
Community Responses to HIV/AIDs
Community Responses to HIV/AIDs aim at empowering grassroots communities to effectively reduce infections and combat impacts of HIV/AIDS. GROOTS Kenya supports grassroots women, who are predominately care providers for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV) to organize...read more
Women Leadership & Governance
Women Leadership & Governance programme which is the cornerstone of GROOTS Kenya's work, aims at enhancing the capacity of grassroots women to engage in leadership and governance issues. This is done through Champions for Transformative Leadership model. This...read more


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You are making a dating profile to impress people, find friends and love. Making an impressive profile helps you find easily what you are searching for. With your content being simple and impressive, here are some tips for shooting an introduction video for your profile:
Look presentable: While filming your introductory video, the very first tips for everyone reading this is to look presentable that is you should dress up properly, with hair nicely combed and tidy face. The more you look presentable, the more likely you are to impress the people watching you. Remember keep everything moderate is better, not too simple and not too over won't work.
Prepare a nice speech: Do not jump on to talking about yourself. Greeting nicely is a beautiful gesture. Talk in such a way that does not make you look like too much obsessed. Remember not to use slangs. Don't make your speech lengthy as this will bore the viewer. Try keeping it short and impressive with kind and generous words. Make sure you don't talk in a rush, the slower and softly you talk, the better impression you will leave on the person watching you.
Simple background: When you are filming a speech or an introduction, keep the background such that does not annoy the viewer. The backdrop is always prominent when you shoot for an interview.
Appropriate lighting: When making a video, the lighting should neither be too bright, nor too dark. Lighting actually has an impact on your video and the subject. Sit in a room where the lights are normal, this will help you make a pleasant video.
Be yourself: You are here to introduce yourself so don't forget to be yourself. Try talking in a normal tone, do not even think of using fake accent because instead of impressing, this will irritate the viewer.
Try giving good expressions: Sitting in front of a camera and talking without any expressions and leave a very bad impression on the viewer. Talking in a good yet formal way and using hand gestures will leave a good impression. Try not to use too much hands as that might indicate that you are nervous.
Don't bore the viewer: Before you start filming, keep in mind you are not here to bore the viewer. What might impress them is you talking in "less quantity but high quality". Additionally, avoid using cheesy pick up lines in the video. You should save these lines for the advanced stages of the relationship as these are bound to make your partner smile, blush and even laugh at some.
Record a good quality video: Make sure that you record a video using a HD camera which would result in a clear and sharp looking video. This will help avoid pixilation and the result will be a stellar looking video which is bound to get lots of views. Low quality videos are disliked by viewers and will have a bad impact on your profile.


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Those moments when you are smack dab, stuck in the suck.
I had one of those moments last night.
If you read my post this week, then you know I achieved my first RX kipping pull up on Monday (actually a did several of them). On Tuesday night, I couldn't seem to do it again. I just chalked it up to sore hands and the fact that it was my 4th day in a row working out. I took a rest day Wednesday. I returned to the gym last night and couldn't do it again.
We all have stuck in the suck moments. Not the moments where life is difficult externally, but the moments where internally we feel like it's difficult regardless of what's really happening. Moments where we lose presence and our highest possible selves cannot be expressed. Those moments are just as much a part of life as the moments where we transcend and achieve.
When we are stuck in the suck it feels impossible to become unstuck. If you are like me…you resist it. You natural instinct is to fight up against it. However what we resist persists. SUCK happens.
Nothing keeps you stuck in suck, more than trying to fight it. Sometimes we have got to just let it be. Embrace it. Stop trying to fight it and just allow yourself to be stuck. Today is not the day that you're going to have a breakthrough. But this day is part of the process that will lead to your next one.


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Posts Tagged 'Self-transendence'
Thomas Merton: The Basic Sin of Christianity
Being a Christian has never been easy for me. There have been numerous seasons where I've wanted to simply ditch the whole program. Yet, over the years, I eventually came to see that I had good Christian reasons for my dissatisfaction. This morning I came across a wonderful passage by Thomas Merton that helps illuminate what I mean by that. He suggests that Christianity is tempted with a single basic sin. He says that,
The basic sin, for Christianity, is rejecting others in order to choose oneself, deciding against others and deciding for oneself. (Conjectures of a Guilty Bystander, 172.)
It is a simple statement with powerful depth. With that single sentence Merton essentially captures all the various elements of my religion that made it nearly impossible for me to remain. From the stubborn defense of cherished readings of the Bible against other truth-seeking discourses (such as the empirical sciences) to the exclusivist theology in which only those who believed the right things would attain true humanity and avoid everlasting torment. All of these things amounted to the choosing and defense of oneself and one's ideas over against the destabilizing possibilities that others represent.
During my own religious crisis, I would often say that what I wanted more than anything was truth. If my religion, and therefore the meaning of my life, was not in fact truth, I wanted to know that. While I was in seminary I encountered some who seemed much more keen on preserving the meaning of their life in the form of their religion. I was always unsettled and aggravated by such encounters. At the time, I interpreted it as a conflict between truth and Christianity, and as such I felt a growing pressure to leave Christianity. It would be some time yet before I came to see the conflict as having much more to do with the sin of self-justification.
Merton drives the point home powerfully:
Why is this sin so basic? Because the idea that you can choose yourself, approve yourself, and then offer yourself (fully "chosen" and "approved") to God, applies the assertion of yourself over against God. From this root of error comes all the sour leafage and fruitage of a life of self-examination, interminable problems and unending decisions, always making right choices, walking on the razor edge of an impossibly subtle ethic (with an equally subtle psychology to take care of the unconscious). All this implies the frenzied conviction that one can be [one's] own light and [one's] own justification, and that God is there for a purpose: to issue the stamp of confirmation upon my own rightness. In such a religion the Cross becomes meaningless except as the (blasphemous) certification that because you suffer, because you are misunderstood, you are justified twice over—you are a martyr. Martyr means witness. You are then a witness? To what? To your own infallible light and your own justice, which you have chosen.
This is the exact opposite of everything Jesus ever did or taught. (Conjectures, 172.)
In contrast to much of what passes as Christianity in our day, Merton helps us see that the true mark of Christian faithfulness lies not in vigorous demonstrations of certainty, or in a zeal to defend the purity of the faith against the contamination of others (be they political, religious, or otherwise). Such are the machinations of self-preservation. True Christianity is just the opposite. True Christianity, like Christ, exposes our self-preserving tendencies. True Christianity cares little about whether or not it is true Christianity, for its eyes are no longer anxiously searching itself for its own justification. In the power of grace, one's "self" is allowed to pass away, and others cease to be a threat. A posture of defense turns to a posture of hospitality.
This is not a form of Christianity that I have any temptation to leave. It is not open to my critique, but rather I find myself always exposed in its presence. But not only exposed, also accepted, and called by its beauty. It has been a long road, but I am deeply grateful for thinkers like Merton who have helped me see that what seemed like unfaithfulness was in reality the movement of a deeper stirring. I pray that we all might find such light to live by, beyond pretension, defensiveness, and fear.
Ultramarathon Running as Spiritual Practice
There is a nearly naked man who runs up mountains. He does it for a living. Those who meet him in the high country often remark that encountering him was much like meeting Jesus. A nearly naked, funny-sunglasses-wearing, mountain running, fast, Jesus. His name is Anton Krupicka. He's a self-trained, top-tier, ultra-marathon athlete, who lives in Boulder Colorado (as such people tend to do). Not too long ago I heard him comment on the idea of human limitation. As one who does a lot of thinking about limits, runs on a much more modest scale, and who also enjoys mountain based adventure, I've found myself coming back to his words often. You can hear it from his own mouth here, but what he said was this:
I'm not sure if anything is possible in life or in running, but I think that… I actually think that there are limits. But I don't think that nearly anyone actually reaches their personal limit, be it physically or mentally, when it comes to endurance sport in the mountains. It's mentally, that's how we push ourselves is through our mind, and our bodies are so much stronger than we ever give ourselves credit for.*
It's from words like this that we can understand the way that endurance running becomes "spiritual" for so many. If spirituality is thought of as essentially self-transcendence, then what Anton is on about here is an example of just that; the "self" that is transcended is the self-limited-self. (Doing this in the mountains doesn't hurt much either, I'd add). As I've reflected on this, I've had Krupicka in conversation with Benedictine monk, Sebastian Moore. Moore extends and amplifies Krupicka's thoughts on limits beyond physical endurance, but the same dynamics are in play. He also gives a provocative answer to the question of why, as Anton suggests, we never reach our personal limit. He says,
…we set our own limit on the meaningfulness of our life in our refusal to grow…. We build an invisible wall round our life. Outside that wall, uncharted by us, is death. For what does it mean to be ready for death? Who is? To be ready for death is to be living life to the full, to its limit–which is death. We don't live this life to anything like its fullness. And what this means is that we don't believe in the glorious being that each of us is. Massively we repress the sense of our greatness and our desires, in consequence, are weak.… We stay very near the known and the familiar. Thus we create a wall round ourselves, within which we live. And far beyond that wall is God's limit on us, death, the threshold of his loving embrace. (Let This Mind Be in You, 127.)
Moore's modest suggestion is that we never reach the limits of life because the limit is not simply "as fast or as far as one can physically run," nor is it "the happiest we can possibly be," or "the maximum pain threshold." His insight is simple and radically reframing. The reason we never reach our limit is that our limit is death. One's personal limit is therefore "running one's self to death." Understandably, then, we construct a "safer" world in which to live. We create our own self-limited-self.
Not only do most of us not run ultra-marathons, most of us don't venture into the mountains at all… there's bears and such out there, you know. And for that same reason most of us never experience the truly religious quality of 3,000 feet of open air between us and a turquoise alpine lake below (not to mention having a grizzly roar at you on its hind legs from 25 yards). But forget mountains for a moment. The same is true for life in general. As Ernest Becker so wonderfully made clear, society itself is, in part, the corporate construction of the self-limited-self. It gives us a limited set of roles to play, and a basic monitory system with which (if we work hard, etc) we can purchase security and leisure (Insurance policies, cars with air-bags, security systems, vacations, weekends, health-club memberships, and so on). Our fear of death, our terror of our own limits, creates an ego-organized-self and a communal system. In contrast to these self-protective dynamics we have these crazy people like Krupicka who radically chase after their own limits by embracing the risk of the chase.
I think also of Daniel Suelo who, as Mark Sundeen recounts in his biography, renounced the use of money after realizing that "Money perpetuated the fantasy of immortal earthly life, the illusion that we could determine the future." (The Man Who Quit Money, 224.) These figures really are "crazy" in a sense. In their own way, they reject the "normal" self-limiting scheme that society creates for us. Their insanity reminds us that earthly safety is an illusion, and that the 'happiness' realized in the quest for it is a lie. In doing so, they reject the fear that drives the system by embracing the object of fear: the limits of life. Freed of its horror, the limits of life become something to be played with rather than attacked or repressed. That's the radical paradox of all this. By embracing that from which our "normal" quest for happiness flees, the fullness of life is allowed to emerge. Just as Moore said, "To be ready for death is to be living life to the full, to its limit–which is death."
This was a new insight for me… that the fullness of life might be thought of as a life freed to live all the way to the limit of life, death. It can be said another way: the fullness of life is possible only in freedom from all the infinite number of ways that we fear death. Sit for a moment and reflect on the innumerable ways that your own life is shaped by an attempt to stave off death. Really think about it; ponder the ways that each of those decisions limits you and separates you from "the dream of yourself" and from others. Now, picture nearly naked, funny-sunglasses-wearing, Jesus running amongst the peaks. He's not someone else. He is you.
P.S. Don't miss this recent mountain running film featuring Anton and produced by Joel Wolpert. *Incidentally, Radiolab recently had a delightful (as always) short on the relation of our minds to pain in runners.


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Pamper your and yourself baby with Aveeno Baby Essential Daily Care Baby & Mother Gift Set, an array of skincare & bath products for babies and moms. The gathering of baby washes and shampoo, lotions, and creams is all you need for babies' sensitive skin. This gift set includes an added bonus 100% organic cotton canvas tote. From the doctor-suggested brand, this set is a perfect baby gift for brand new and expecting moms.
- Aveeno Baby Essential Daily Care Baby & Mother Gift Set with 6 products made to nourish babies & pamper moms with Skincare lotions contain soothing natural colloidal oatmeal & bath products contain natural oat extract.
- This set constitutes a great baby gift for brand new & expecting moms.
- Baby gift set comes from Aveeno, a doctor suggested brand for more than six decades. The gathering essential skincare products within this gift set are equipped for daily nourishment and features a 100% natural canvas tote for simple transporting.
- Contains Aveeno Baby Wash and Shampoo that is tear-free, soap-free, and paraben-liberated to lightly cleanse. Aveeno Baby Daily Moisture moisturizes baby's skin for twenty-four hrs.
- Aveeno Baby Soothing Relief Creamy Wash & Aveeno Baby soothing Relief Moisturizing Cream are generally made to soothe & relieve baby's dried-out skin to feel moisturized for twenty-four hrs


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Product Description
The LIFEPAK EXPRESS AED defibrillator from Physio-Control is designed to be used by the first person to respond to a Sudden Cardiac Arrest with industry-leading 360 joules capability, Step-by-step ClearVoice prompts and same defibrillation technology used by medical professionals. The LIFEPAK EXPRESS includes a 5 Year Warranty with one of the lowest maintenance cost in the market. The LIFEPAK Express supports both adult and pediatric use.
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How can we help you?
Whether you're looking for more information, or you'd like to let us know how we did, you'll find easy ways to contact us right here. We always welcome a personal call, or drop by our office in Columbia. We're here to help you with your real estate needs in any way we can. We look forward to speaking with you in the near future.


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June 17th-My Leonard Cohen
Monday -
Belly Theatre-Southbank Festival-Belvedere Road Coach Park London SE1 8XX
United Kingdom
D'Arrietta & band celebrate the late, legendary Leonard Cohen, offering arresting & imaginative arrangements of his most iconic music and poetry, punctuated by stories of his life and motivations behind the songs.
An EdFringe hit of 2016 and 2017, My Leonard Cohen sold-out at the Sydney Opera House and Adelaide Fringe Festival.
Gusty, rousing arrangements, insightful poetic narrative. Cohen's work as you've never heard it before!
The heartrending 'Suzanne', desperately seductive 'I'm Your Man', apocalyptic 'Future' & the iconic 'Hallelujah' are some of the many songs given the D'Arrietta treatment.
Gob-smackingly good musicianship & entertainment.


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No matter what your project may be, it has to start with the right materials. When it comes to premium lumber in Brampton, Lumberland North has what you need. Our hand-selected lumber is professionally chosen to provide you with high-quality, pliable material to make your project easier.
We offer a wide range of both common and uncommon lumber products, including:
Sized to Suit Your Project
Need a new size? No problem, we offer a great cut-to-size service, so you can have any type of wood cut into any size or shape.
Our knowledgeable staff can help you determine the products that will work best for your project – come and visit us today.


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[re]think syracuse is beginning to pick up steam, and people are starting to notice. Recently, CNY Central did a great news piece about the blog, helping tremendously to spread it to a wider audience. I'm very excited for the number of fellow Syracuse-champions that have offered their support and enthusiasm for this project, and I encourage everyone to open up a dialogue and comment on some of the posts below. For those that haven't yet seen the news piece, you can link to it here.
Also, I've just set up an official [re]think facebook page to allow you to keep informed of blog updates, announcements, and upcoming interesting events.


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According to reports from multiple sources, RIM may announce the first BlackBerry 10 smartphone by mid-August, and launch it by October--with just enough lead time for the dwindling smartphone platform maker to get a jump on the holiday season.
The first account comes care of N4BB.com, who cited an unnamed source Wednesday claiming that the BlackBerry 10 device would launch in October. The source also said that the smartphone would be touch screen, come with a QWERTY keypad, and may be slider style.
The second piece of the story is brought to us by BGR, who previously published RIM's 2012 product roadmap. They note that this launch fits in nicely with their timeline, as the code-named device "BlackBerry London" was scheduled to be announced in either September or early October.
Though the BlackBerry World conference is slated for next week, RIM isn't likely to reveal information about its BlackBerry 10 devices or the timing of its launch. We may, however, learn some harder details about the new platform. Stay tuned for our coverage as we prepare to get our boots on the ground for the upcoming event.


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Find Your Singing Voice with Dynamic Meladies
Encouraging women to express themselves through singing. Inspiring. Inclusive. In Glasgow.
At Dynamic Meladies we want to help women aged 25+ to find their singing voices in a safe and encouraging environment. We have been running regular singing classes, and a series of workshops covering a range of techniques, since early 2016.
Our classes and workshops will enable you to realize the potential of your voice, while having fun singing alongside other women. We also offer online resources, including useful advice for singers and practical exercises you can use at home to improve and develop your voice.
Watch our video below for an idea of what we get up to in our Sessions:
Come along and join us at our next Singing Session.
Following the Government's recent announcements, we feel we have no choice but to cancel our Singing Sessions until further notice. While we are disappointed we realize that the most important thing is to keep everyone safe and we don't want to take any unnecessary risks.
We will miss seeing you all in person over the next while but we are working on ways to continue classes in an alternative format during our enforced break. We will be in touch with further details about this soon.
Keep safe and well
Sheena & Karen
Dynamic Meladies' classes are for you if:
- You want to improve your singing voice and learn to do more with it
- You would like to build your confidence and increase your self-esteem
- You want to sing but a choir setting doesn't appeal
- You haven't sung before but fancy giving it a go
- You want to rediscover the joy of singing
- You want to take up a fun activity and meet new people
At Dynamic Meladies we aim to expand musical possibilities for women, whether you want to sing purely for fun and friendship or participate in our performance events too. There are no auditions and you don't need to be able to read music – we teach all of the songs and harmonies by ear.
See our Sessions and Workshops pages to find out more about what we do and how you can get involved. Check out our Frequently Asked Questions for useful information about coming along.
Dynamic Meladies online is for you if:
- You can't come along to our classes
- You want to get a bit of practice in first
- You come to classes and want to continue learning at home
- You want to improve your voice but can't commit to a weekly class
- You are looking for singing courses you can do at your own pace at home
Head over to our Singing page to find some general tips to get you started. Sign up at our Ladies Room to access our Voice Box with free resources including:
- 10 Simple Tips To Improve Your Singing
- Singing and breathing exercises for you to practise
- A weekly singing planner for you to keep track of your progress
We will also be running online singing courses, so you don't have to miss out if you can't join us at our classes.
Connect with us
Join us!
We'd love to have you on board!
We have created Dynamic Meladies to provide a space for women to enjoy singing and learning together. Come along and join the fun and discover your inner diva!
Sign-up for our Newsletter!
To receive updates, singing tips and get access to offers.
Access our free singing resources!
Sign-up at our Ladies Room to access our Voice Box full of free resources to help you to start working on your singing voice. There are singing and breathing exercises for you to practise along with and useful tips documents to read.
Next Singing Sessions
Find out more and book your place at our next Singing Session on Wednesday 18th or Saturday 21st March 2020.
Latest news
Upcoming workshops
We run Singing Workshops every couple of months. Details of our next Workshop will appear on our Upcoming Workshops page.
"Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything"
– Plato
"A bird does not sing because it has an answer. It sings because it has a song"
– Chinese proverb
"It's a great way to find your inner voice and also a form of relaxation because for 2 hours you spend it focusing on breathing and singing and not thinking about any other worries!"
– Joanne
"Lovely to be singing in such a fun, safe and non-judgmental atmosphere"
– Karen L


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Rosneft, PetroVietnam ink cooperation deal
Russian oil giant Rosneft and the Vietnamese national oil company PetroVietnam (PVN) have signed a cooperation agreement that enables expansion of cooperation between the parties in Russia, Vietnam and third countries in the area of hydrocarbon exploration and production.
Rosneft said on Monday that the agreement was signed by Rosneft Chairman of the Management Board Igor Sechin and the Chairman of the Board of Directors of PetroVietnam Nguyen Quoc Khanh. The agreement also entails offshore exploration and production, processing, commerce and logistics, as well as staff training.
The parties agreed to consider potential options for joint projects and define the basic terms of cooperation as well as establish a working group for each of the areas of cooperation.
Igor Sechin said: "Successfully working with PetroVietnam in the exploration and production of hydrocarbons in Vietnamese offshore, Rosneft is interested in further expansion of its business in the country, including refining, petrochemicals, commerce and logistics. The new stage of cooperation will enable the Company to get a new channel of marketing hydrocarbons in the Asia-Pacific market and create additional synergies due to refining in the region."
Nguyen Quoc Khanh noted: "We completely support Rosneft's plans in Vietnam and welcome further development of cooperation between two companies."
The cooperation agreement was signed in the presence of Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Nguyen Xuan Phuc.


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Welcome to the Sunny Side
Tell us about your writing project and get a customized quote -- go to our Contact Us page.
Package and fee-based services for fiction and memoir authors.
We take a 10% royalty on books we publish.
No minimum book purchase. On-demand or print-run options.
Our curation ensures fiction writers an imprint that stands for quality books.
"Family and Friends" options for memoir writers and limited-release books.
"curation ensures authors an imprint that stands for quality books"Family and Friends" option for memoir writers and limited-release books.
No you
Sunacumen Press
An independent publisher from
Southern California's Sunny Side
Read our newest release:
Theme and Variations: Musical Notes by a Neurologist
Part neuroscience, part memoir, Theme and Variations makes the latest evidence about how we process music in our conscious and unconscious mind accessible to every reader. Through his own experiences, the author, a musician and neuroscientist, shows how he came to understand the importance of music in his life – in all of our lives – revealing a number of surprises that will fascinate physicians, musicians, and the music-loving public alike, raising and answering such questions as:
Why have homo sapiens always made music?
Can music make kids smarter or better students?
Did you ever wonder why you like certain kinds of music more than others? Or why musical talent is rare when love of music Is nearly universal?
Can listening to or playing music improve brain capacity?
Why do we like the music that we like?
Do music and sex activate the same parts of the brain?
Can music heal? Delay dementia? Help Parkinson's patients?
Music, Dr. Ellenberger tells us, is an affirmative medium that stimulates us to imagine and embrace our fullest human potential.


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NC Water Recreation Keeps State Economy Afloat
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Over the weekend thousands of people flocked to North Carolina's beaches, rivers and lakes to enjoy the recreation the state's natural landscape offers.
But nothing can taint a day on the water more than unsightly and even unsanitary conditions.
The 23 land trusts in the state work with other groups to make sure waterways are clear of trash and debris.
George Santucci, president of the New River Conservancy, says after almost 50 years of increased environmental awareness, he sees progress.
"We've been lucky to do this long enough that we're starting to see lower amounts of trash being pulled out, even on a rare occasion go out there to do a cleanup and almost find nothing, but there's still a lot out there and folks don't think," he states.
According to the Outdoor Industry Association, almost half of North Carolinians participate in outdoor recreation each year, generating $1.3 billion in state and local tax revenue.
RiverLink, a regional nonprofit group in western North Carolina, works to revitalize the economic and environmental potential of the French Broad River. And volunteer coordinator Dave Russell says in addition to the improved health of the waterways, the visual cues that come from clean waterfronts make a huge difference.
"I think the most important part is public perception," he states. "People have to believe and have to feel like the water that they're getting into to play, to tube, to kayak, to fish is clean and safe for them to do so – safe to eat the fish, safe to get in their eyes."
Santucci says while society has made huge advancements in environmental awareness, even the smallest acts of littering have an impact.
"No one realizes that when you throw a piece of trash out by the road, you know what, eventually that's going to end up in the river because all the storm drains, all the storm systems that are running along the side of the road, well, where do they go?" he says. "Right to the next river or creek."
According to the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, there are impaired waterways across the state, with high concentrations in the Charlotte and Raleigh metropolitan areas and along the state's coastline.


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College Football Countdown | No. 109: Tulane
Tulane's enough moment, according to third-year coach Curtis Johnson, came in last September's 41-39 loss to South Alabama.
It was a seesaw affair: Tulane trailed 28-7 a minute into the second quarter, stormed back to 28-19 but allowed a late field goal to head into the half at 31-19; the Green Wave opened the second half with two scores to take a 33-31 lead but wobbled in the fourth quarter, eventually losing 43-39.
Close but no cigar. A morale-building defeat. One to build on.
Not really. Enough was enough, Tulane said.
"I think that was the single most defining thing that happened, the loss to South Alabama," Johnson said last November. "I thought our players, that's when they decided to say, 'You know what, here it is. It's on us. This is what we've got to do.' And they began to do it from there."
Tulane would win five of its next six, including four in a row – three against bowl-eligible opponents – to secure a postseason berth, the program's first since 2002, by the end of October. The Green Wave didn't just have a lights-on season; the Green Wave finally found the on-off switch.
"You look on the sidelines, it's almost like you're looking at guys who really believe they're going to win," Johnson said. "No matter what happens, they're going to win. And then to win, to not have won over the years and then to win in pressure-packed situations like that, really my hat goes off to those kids."
The road to a repeat is about to hit tougher sledding: Tulane's 2014 slate includes two foes from the ACC, one from the Big Ten, one fresh off a BCS bowl win and two new conference opponents coming off a combined 17 victories. It won't get easier. But that's not new to Tulane.
The Green Wave might start strong and end on a high note, but the meat of this schedule, the stretch from mid-September through November, ensures another season on the lower tier of Conference USA. In addition, can a team that is simply unable to win on the road take advantage of late-season road games against Florida Atlantic and UTSA? The rebuilding process continues unabated, with Johnson's foot firmly on the pedal, but the Green Wave are not yet ready to take the next step.
In a nutshell: Sealing the deal in close games propelled Tulane to the postseason. After South Alabama – that four-point, season-changing loss – the Green Wave won its next four games by single digits. The magic ran out after October, when Tulane dropped narrow games to UTSA, Rice and Louisiana-Lafayette, but credit Johnson and his staff for quickly strengthening the Green Wave's mental resolve. The mental edge was needed: Tulane was predictable on offense – gaining more than 400 yards only once – and prone to lags defensively, though that side of the ball was vastly improved from Johnson's debut season. Bu to continue this run in the American Athletic Conference, the Green Wave do need to get more from this offense.
COUNTDOWN:Complete list (so far)
High point: A 14-7 win against Tulsa on Oct. 26 secured bowl eligibility. But the most impressive win came the week prior, when the Green Wave topped East Carolina 36-33 in overtime.
Low point: Tulane might have left two or three wins on the field. One was South Alabama, as noted. The Green Wave also lost by three points to UTSA, four points to Rice and three points to the Ragin' Cajuns.
Tidbit: Curtis Johnson is New Orleans born and made, so it's no surprise that he's excelled at reaching the area's best second-tier recruits – and LSU can't sign 'em all, so there's plenty of talent in this state to go around. Twenty of Tulane's 23 recruits in February were from Louisiana; the remaining threesome hailed from Florida and Georgia. Here's the blueprint: Tulane wants to load its Louisiana-based program with Louisianans. Simple yet totally brilliant.
Tidbit (big win edition): Tulane's win against East Carolina was its first against an eventual 10-win team since beating Hawaii (10-4) on Dec. 25, 2002.
Two-star recruits since 2002
1. Case Keenum, Houston
2. J.J. Watt, Central Michigan (Wisconsin)
3. Eric Weddle, Utah
4. B.J. Raji, Boston College
5. Jerry Hughes, TCU
Offense: The Green Wave simply must become more productive, consistent and explosive on offense to keep pace with opponents like Georgia Tech, Duke, UCF, Cincinnati and Houston. One clear positive: Tulane's returning core – five players back in starting roles – adds another year of experience, with this continuity aiding the staff's quest for consistency. The negative, however: Tulane is going to struggle replacing running back Orleans Darkwa and wide receiver Ryan Grant, the two water-carrying focal points of last year's attack. If the Green Wave struggle in this personnel transition, you wonder if this team can match the beefed-up schedule with a plodding offense.
Darkwa's greatest asset might have been his reliability. Without the four-year starter taking charge – and with senior Rob Kelley (420 yards) sidelined with academic issues – Tulane will hand the ground game to junior Josh Rounds (163 yards) and redshirt freshman Sherman Badie, with Badie the leader coming out of spring drills. If Kelley doesn't return, the combination of Rounds and Badie is extremely concerning: Tulane must land every-down production on the ground to help ease a new full-time starter into the mix at quarterback, and neither option inspires huge confidence. But let's say one thing: Johnson loves Badie. That counts for something.
A similar issue exists at wide receiver. Grant wasn't just Tulane's biggest threat; he was the Green Wave's only threat, accounting as a senior for 35.1% of the team's receptions, 43.3% of its receiving yards and 47.4% of its touchdown grabs. What's worrisome is that replacing Grant might not be the biggest issue: Tulane desperately needs tight ends for this offense to work – whether as receivers or blockers – and had nothing to work with during the spring. A return to full health and four incoming recruits will help, but Tulane's passing game is dinged on multiple fronts. In terms of supplanting Grant, look for the Green Wave to lean heavily on seniors Justyn Shackleford (36 receptions for 419 yards) and Xavier Rush (17 for 196) and sophomores Devon Breaux and Kedrick Banks. It's not a good group.
Given the issues at quarterback, running back, receiver and tight end, it's a good thing Tulane returns a solid core along the offensive front. Don't let the three returning starters fool you: Tulane has a very nice plan in place for each position, with several former reserves – with a taste of starting experience – set to step into larger roles. First, what we know: Sean Donnelly will start at right tackle and Arturo Uzdavinis at tackle. At center, Tulane will move sophomore Nathan Shienle inside from left guard to replace Zach Morgan. At guard, the Green Wave have sophomores Colton Hanson and Chris Taylor, two nice prospects. Unlike elsewhere, the line inspires some confidence.
Defense: It's on this defense to carry the Green Wave while the offense round into form – and to do so without six starters, including four pieces of the front six. But there's an issue with depth: Tulane was so hampered by injuries at positions like linebacker that Johnson opted to cut spring drills two days short rather than progress through a traditional end-of-spring scrimmage. The combination of youth and a lack of depth is a major concern at linebacker, which lost six contributors from a season ago. What Tulane simply needs to get healthy: Nico Marley – very promising – and fellow sophomores Edward Williams and Sergio Medina must be ready to go come fall camp.
If every option is available, Tulane can trot out a linebacker rotation of Marley, Medina, Williams, sophomore Eric Thomas and senior Matthew Bailey. The issue? Johnson has recruited well here, but the youth is troubling. The line is in better shape even as the Green Wave search for new starters at tackle. They won't have to look far: Tulane can replace Chris Davenport and Julius Warmsley with junior Corey Redwine, senior Kenny Welcome and sophomores Tanzel Smart and Calvin Thomas, perhaps not missing a beat – and I think Tulane would be happy with a similar performance up front. The Green Wave do need more production at end, to be fair, but Royce LaFrance (26 tackles, 6.5 sacks) and senior Tyler Gilbert are steady in the starting lineup.
I don't see any slide from the secondary even as the Green Wave replace three primary pieces: Jordan Sullen and Jordan Batiste and Derrick Strozier at hybrid safety. The reasons for optimism? One, I like sophomore Jarrod Franklin's potential as Strozier's replacement, even if he'll hit a temporary speed bump in the move to the starting lineup. Two, former Memphis transfer Taurean Nixon isn't just a good addition but a great one, and I think could end up being the Green Wave's best defensive back at some point this season. Three, Tulane also brings back cornerback Lorenzo Doss (32 tackles, seven interceptions) and safeties Sam Scofield (94 tackles) and Darion Monroe, three very nice pieces. And four, Tulane has eight sophomores, redshirt freshmen or true freshmen ready to slide into the mix. Tulane's numbers against the pass may decline should the interior of the line fail to stop the run, but this secondary is better than it was a year ago.
Special teams: Even if he struggled at times as a senior, Tulane will miss Cairo Santos, a former All-American and the finest kicker in school history – one who excelled on kickoffs more than field goals, perhaps. He'll be replaced by either junior Steven Broccoli or freshman Andrew DiRocco, with that competition set to resume in August. Punter Peter Picerelli returns, as do Banks, Dante Butler and Devin Boutte as returners, so Tulane should land similar production.
Quarterback: The Green Wave seem poised for a change under center. One change seen by the end of spring drills: Nick Montana, last year's primary starter, enters the summer ranked third on the depth chart. If somewhat surprising – he was the main guy last fall, if unreliable – Montana's change in fortune signals Johnson's willingness to roll the dice with a youngster, not to mention his desire to gain a touch more athleticism at the position. While Montana remains an option, Tulane has centered its search on sophomore Devin Powell and redshirt freshman Tanner Lee, who share co-billing on the post-spring depth chart. Thrown into the mix midway through last season, Powell responded capably, leading the Green Wave to wins in his two regular-season starts despite predictable issues with turnovers. Lee comes with strong credentials – he was ranked a three-star recruit by each major service – but similar questions: Tulane might love his potential, but Lee's lack of experience should be viewed as a negative. I can still see the draw of giving the redshirt freshman a shot at starting the opener – and I still think he's the starter. The Green Wave will have the luxury of handing true freshman Glen Cuiellette a redshirt.
Tulsa: With Georgia Tech, Duke and Rutgers coming in non-conference play, it's vital the Green Wave get off on the right foot in the opener against the Golden Hurricane. It's a nasty schedule, relatively speaking: Tulane gets that Big Five trio in September and UCF, Cincinnati and Houston in a three-game midseason span. The Green Wave also take on the Knights, Cougars and East Carolina on the road.
In a nutshell: Due to youth, a lack of depth, a questionable offense and a difficult schedule, Tulane is set to take a step back in 2014. The first issue is clear: Tulane should eventually start just six or seven seniors, only one on either line; should start a redshirt freshman, Lee, at quarterback; could start a redshirt freshman at running back; has three sophomores starting up front; and is all sophomores at linebacker. Say what you will about Johnson's recruiting efforts and recent feats in player development – and we could rave for a paragraph or two – but this youth is not conducive to success against an upgraded schedule.
And this is absolutely a tougher slate even if several American foes come over from Conference USA. This program is not the program of old, but let's remember: Tulane is 3-23 during the last five years – with two of those victories, Tulsa and ECU, coming in 2013 – against teams currently in the American or a Big Five conference. Of this year's schedule, only one game comes against an opponent not in one of those two categories. It's hard not to admire the young talent on this roster, but this group will need some time to catch up with the heightened level of competition.
The offense is a third concern. Starting Lee might be the right move, but the Green Wave must be willing to ride through his early learning curve. The backfield is going to miss Darkwa's reliability on the ground. Replacing Grant with a single receiver is a pipe dream; Tulane would be lucky to match his production with a handful of returning receivers. The offensive line is sturdy on the edges but fairly young inside, as noted. In total, I see a team still moving in the right direction even if the win column suggests otherwise. But I think the Green Wave finish in the bottom three in the America.
Dream season: Tulane matches last year's seven-win total despite the stronger schedule.
Nightmare season: The Green Wave slide back to 2-10.
Who's No. 108? One of this university's many ex-athletes twice finished in the top 22 of Major League Baseball's MVP voting.